Best Places To See Local Musicians In Minnesota

Minnesota is home to a lot of talented musicians and bands. Local talent has always been abundant in the midwest and this state continues to produce great artists and musicians. The best thing about local bands and musicians is that they tend to stick to their roots and perform locally for the community and neighborhood fans. The need to enjoy this music is met with some great venues and clubs around the state. Check out these great places to see local acts and support local businesses at the same time.

Turf Club
1601 University Ave. S.
St. Paul, MN 55104
(651) 647-0486
www.turfclub.net

Considered a landmark in the Twin Cities by many, the Turf Club started when a grocery store merged with a pool hall to create a place with great food, great drinks, and live music. Local bands crowd the Turf Club every week and locals pack the place to watch their favorites. The staff is friendly and down-to-earth while creating a fun setting for a great evening. Enjoy this intimate setting with great acoustics, seating room, and delicious food to top it off. Some of the more popular acts require tickets ahead of time so it's worth it to plan ahead.

The Hexagon
2600 27th Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55406
(612) 722-3454
www.hexagonbar.com

In the quaint Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis, The Hexagon provides a "dive bar" type atmosphere and a great place to watch local bands. The Hexagon Bar provides cheap drinks and doesn't sell tickets to shows. Guests just show up and watch the band. An important part of the music scene, The Hexagon is also a fun place to hang out even when there's no shows. They have a great patio and offer pool, darts, and sports on the television. Have a great time in a laid back setting and support local musicians.

Triple Rock
629 Cedar Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
(612) 333-7399
www.triplerocksocialclub.com

A popular music venue owned by people that were in a band, the Triple Rock attracts some of the best local acts around. The stage portion of this venue has a great sound system and often hosts several bands and musicians a night. Some shows are open to all-ages and others are for audiences age 21 and over. The experience of a show here is phenomenal, the area is dark, intimate and has great sound. The other part of the Triple Rock is a restaurant and bar that caters to vegans and vegetarians. Anyone looking for a great musical experience will love the Triple Rock!

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The Red Herring Lounge
208 E. 1st St.
Duluth, MN 55802
(218) 481-7318
www.redherringlounge.com

The music scene in Duluth, Minnesota is well-known around the midwest. A lot of great musicians are from Duluth and most of them either stick around or return often to play local venues and clubs. The Red Herring Lounge is owned by locals and helps to support local bands and artists. Hang out in their lounge and play board games with some of the more chill acts or enjoy a loud and energetic show with bigger bands. The drinks are fantastic and specials are available nightly. Get tickets in advance for some of the more popular musicians.

Whiskey Junction
901 Cedar Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55404
(612) 338-9550
www.thewhiskeyjunction.com

Whiskey Junction is a great place to see a band and the perfect venue for a fun evening. What looks like a solid biker bar is actually a casual and fun bar with a wide variety of patrons. This place can be considered both your dad's type of hangout and the college kid's place to go for cheap happy hour specials. The bands are local and often have a regular booking at the Junction so you can get to know their style. Enjoy local bands and cover bands as well. Whiskey Junction also runs food specials like taco Tuesdays and $0.50 wings. What more can you ask for?

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Andrea Wodele is a freelance writer who has lived in the Twin Cities for the last 10 years. Her hobbies include exercising, driving kids around, watching Minnesota sports, and reading self-help literature. Examiner.com.