David Harland is an explorer of beauty, darkness, light, and mystery. His music has been described as innovative, introspective, lyrical, and expressive. David is a singer/songwriter and fingerstyle guitarist who believes music, at its best, holds the power to reach the deepest parts of our lives and makes the world a better place.

Based in Minneapolis, John Swardson writes songs that bleed through the holes in the soles of his boots. "A songwriter of uncommon emotional detail, depth, and empathy."
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His catalog includes three records of originals, another soon to be released and a wide variety of covers that dart through his own music like Starlings at dusk.
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John has opened for many influences over the last handful of years including:
Sturgill Simpson, BJ Barham (American Aquarium), Ben Nichols (Lucero), Semisonic, Gene Ween, Tommy Stinson, and Echo and The Bunnymen.

The Minnesota songwriter showcase
Twin Cities tradition since 2005
Curated by Nick Hensley of Love songs for angry men
Features 12 up-and-coming and veteran songwriters every Wednesday from 8 PM to 9:30 PM Sept-May
-FREE SHOW
-for more information message us at:

https://www.facebook.com/MNsongwritershowcase

Described by Iowa Public Radio as "Paul Simon singing songs about broken hearts and pants," Ben Cook-Feltz is a singer, songwriter, drummer and self-taught pianist. Combining observational, sometimes quirky lyrics with melodies that hearken back to the classic sounds of the 60′s and 70′s, he has been entertaining audiences throughout the Midwest as a dynamic performer, whether playing solo, with his crackerjack band, or backing up some of the finest regional talent (Mother Banjo, Haley E Rydell, Jaspar Lepak). His most recent record, Trucks, was released in October 2023.

Wilkinson James was born in 2008 when Liz Wilkinson and AJ Scheiber met up and merged their singing and songwriting into a musical partnership that one fan described as "the bastard offspring of June Carter Cash and Townes Van Zandt." Somewhere along the line that duo became a full band, adding pedal steel, fiddle, and saxophone to Liz and AJ’s tightly knit harmonies and classic-yet-fresh original tunes. Two albums and 16 years later, Wilkinson James is still going strong, delivering fun, energetic performances that add touches of jazz, torch, and swing to their blend of folk, honky-tonk, and country blues. Come on out and join the party!

The Minnesota songwriter showcase
Twin Cities tradition since 2005
Curated by Nick Hensley of Love songs for angry men
Features 12 up-and-coming and veteran songwriters every Wednesday from 8 PM to 9:30 PM Sept-May
-FREE SHOW
-for more information message us at:

https://www.facebook.com/MNsongwritershowcase

MNAKED RETURNS!
(A storyteller night of sorts… chopping it down to just the bare essentials featuring great local Minnesota Music and reimagined covers) EST 2005

Curated by Nick Hensley of Love Songs for Angry Men & The MN Songwriter Showcase

Act One: J Bell & the Lazy Susan Trio
Act Two: Lucas Alm, John Gwinn & John Siqveland are The Seculents

Nick Hensley is the former lead singer and co creator of The District, a regional soul & rock act from the upper Midwest, co based out of St. Paul, MN and Chicago, IL.
Hensley created Love Songs For Angry Men shortly after The District called it quits in 2002.
Hensley’s alias, stage name and alter ego,
Love Songs For Angry Men, originated as a bad joke… similar to other shorter lived band names like Amish Puppy Mill and Billy’s Little Secret. Unfortunately, for Nick and his band members, now approaching 20 years later...
THE NAME JUST WON’T GO AWAY!

Lena Elizabeth is a singer/songwriter based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, writing songs influenced by folk storytelling with a power-house voice, rooted in the blues. From clever and upbeat to soulful and heart wrenching, Lena Elizabeth loves to take the audience on an emotional rollercoaster and break expectations.

The Minnesota songwriter showcase
Twin Cities tradition since 2005
Curated by Nick Hensley of Love songs for angry men
Features 12 up-and-coming and veteran songwriters every Wednesday from 8 PM to 9:30 PM Sept-May
-FREE SHOW
-for more information message us at:

https://www.facebook.com/MNsongwritershowcase

Adam Levy is a veteran singer-songwriter best known for leading the Twin Cities roots rockers The Honeydogs for thirty years and more recently, being a part of the Americana trio, Turn Turn Turn. His singer-songwriter daughter Ava Levy started in a Femme Punk band in high school called Sapphire and now records and performs solo, sometimes with a band, and released a handful of singles in the last year or so. As a duo they share songs, exploring dad’s hefty catalogue, Ava’s tunes and a couple of covers. Ava’s lovely voice alone is worth the price of admission.

A Piano in Every Home, led by Travis and Jake, began their musical journey in Wisconsin before finding a permanent home in Saint Paul, MN. The group has opened for renowned artists like Lewis Capaldi, Dessa, and Jeremy Messersmith, showcasing their eclectic blend of indie folk, alternative rock, and atmospheric pop. Their forthcoming album, slated for release on October 4, 2024, offers a fresh take on themes of love, memory, and life’s ephemeral patterns. The poignant and nostalgic lyrics are wrapped in a tapestry of pop-forward and atmospheric instrumentation. The album promises to resonate deeply with long-time listeners and offer an equally rich experience for those discovering the group for the first time.

Amanda Grace is a Minnesota native singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, releasing music drifting between folk, alt- pop/rock and Americana. With roots as a pianist her writing is thematically varied with an emphasis on melody; with ballads wrapped in warm vocals. In 2016 she received a Front Of The Line Pass from The Voice and her seventh album, “Please Dear Sun,” was nominated for Blues & Roots Radio Album Of The Year. Amanda just released her eighth album called Give Me Away, and “As she hops from one genre to another, she doesn’t try to change, tweak, alter, or reinvent them. She simply owns them. And that is the secret of making yourself stand apart from the pack.” – Dave Franklin, Big Takeover

Colin roy monette is a maverick, all around, electric guitar player!

Though he plays many styles, he has his own thing going, but really he takes any “difficult” part of music and brings it all back to the blues. Colin has been on several recording sessions, and has been featured as a soloist & accompanist with jazz singers, adding his musical high art to folk singer songwriters, pop, rock, funk, soul, r&b, jazz, blues, latino, gospel, country, americana, electric blues fusion, and french-arabic rai dance music. His guitar playing is thoughtful and intellectual. Colin holds a music degree from the former mcnally smith college of music in St. Paul, MN.