Dakota

Melissa Manchester
2026-10-18 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago)
“a gorgeous, beautiful, rich, resonant voice, filled with texture and timbre, as well as emotion and intention.” – Broadway World

Melissa Manchester is a Grammy–winning singer-songwriter and actress with a powerful voice and emotionally resonant songs. Here, these have made her a mainstay of pop and adult contemporary music for more than five decades. She rose to prominence with the Top Ten hit “Midnight Blue,” followed by signature classics including “Don’t Cry Out Loud”. Additionally, “Come In From the Rain” and the Grammy-winning “You Should Hear How She Talks About You.”
Manchester made history as the first artist to perform two Oscar-nominated songs in the same year. Also, her work spans film, television, and theater. Most recently, she received critical acclaim for her role as Mrs. Brice in Funny Girl (2023–2024). Additionally, critics and fans hailed her 2025 project Fifty Threads: An Artist’s Journey. Barbra Streisand, Roberta Flack, Alison Krauss and many others have recorded Manchester’s songs. With a career that continues to evolve, Melissa Manchester remains one of the most respected voices in American popular music.
Recommended for fans of Helen Reddy, Crystal Gayle, Burt Bacharach and Barbra Streisand.

Lloyd Cole: Solo Electric
2026-10-19 19:00 - 21:00
“Leonard Cohen-style maturity… one of the best songwriters of the past 50 years” – MOJO

Lloyd Cole will take to the road in 2026 with a run of solo shows in North America. His elegant solo live performances in recent years have been predominantly acoustic. However, for these concerts he has decided to go electric. Here, the performance will run the gamut of his entire recording career. Now, he’ll play songs from his masterful debut with the Commotions, Rattlesnakes, right up to 2023’s acclaimed On Pain, touching on all points in between.
Says Lloyd: “In 1999, in retreat from mainstream ambivalence, the idea of becoming a troubadour was perversely alluring. Two acoustic guitars, a suitcase, and a round the world ticket. It took a while for me to become comfortable with it, but The Folksinger Show became my staple. And then, somehow or other, twenty-five years were gone, and now I find myself approaching the end of my career, and wanting to be seen more as just a singer, who wrote a body of work, very little of which one would reasonably label ‘folk’. So I’m back with my Telecaster, my Princeton amp, and my solo show is now electric.”
Recommended for fans of Nick Lowe, Bruce Cockburn, Jesus & Mary Chain and The Church.

Lucibela
2026-10-20 19:00 - 22:00
“sublime poise and emotional power” – NPR

Lucibela was born in 1986 on the island of São Nicolau, Cabo Verde. A singer since birth, Lucibela’s shaped her assured, warm voice through years of assimilation of the sounds of morna and coladera. Then, she joined a band while in high school and later sang in Boa Vista hotels. There, she entertained tourists, performing songs that the great singers of Cabo Verde made famous. For example, Cesária Évora, Titina or Bana. Furthermore, she knew these songs by heart and made them her own.
In 2012, she moved to Praia and soon attracted attention in the city’s music venues. Finally, she broke through at the 2017 Atlantic Music Expo, leading to invitations to Belgium and Lisbon. There, she recorded her debut album with producer Toy Vieira, Cesária Évora’s musical director. Thus, she furthered her aim of carrying on the great diva’s legacy.
Recommended for fans of Cesária Évora, Tito Paris, Titina and Bana.

Chris Botti
2026-10-22 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-10-22 21:00 - 23:00, 2026-10-23 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-10-23 21:00 - 23:00, 2026-10-24 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-10-24 21:00 - 23:00
“A jazz-pop powerhouse” – The New York Times

With a solo career spanning two decades, Chris Botti is the highest-selling instrumental artist in the United States. His success has crossed over to audiences usually reserved for pop music. Additionally, his ongoing association with PBS has led to four Number One jazz albums, as well as multiple Gold, Platinum and Grammy Awards. He performs worldwide and sells millions of albums. Further, his form of creative expression is rooted in jazz and expands beyond the limits of any single genre.
He performs worldwide and sells millions of albums. Further, his form of creative expression is rooted in jazz and expands beyond the limits of any single genre. Over the past three decades, Botti has recorded and performed with the best in music. He’s worked with Sting, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, Josh Groban, Yo-Yo Ma, Michael Bublé and Paul Simon. Also, Joni Mitchell, John Mayer, Andrea Bocelli, Joshua Bell, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and even Frank Sinatra.
His live performances are inspiring and moving. However, his recorded output has firmly established him as a clarion voice in the American contemporary music scene. Moreover, his recordings highlight his uniquely expressive sound and soaring musical imagination. Botti also showcases his softer side, in a warm, intimate celebration of melodic balladry.
The Chris Botti experience can be felt on recordings, in concert with his band, or with a symphony orchestra. Botti has thoroughly established himself as one of the important, innovative figures of the contemporary music world.
Recommended for fans of Sting, David Sanborn, Kenny G, Michael Bublé and Boney James.

Afro-Cuban All Stars
2026-10-25 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-10-25 20:00 - 22:00
“hard to beat this kind of music – soulful, technically brilliant, sexy and uplifting.” – The ArtsDesk

Afro-Cuban All Stars is a unique orchestra that has always promoted the full range of Cuban music. This ensemble embraces several generations and all musical styles. Additionally, over the years many of the band’s musicians have become international stars. Brilliant performers like Ruben Gonzalez, Ibrahim Ferrer, Guillermo Rubalcaba, Amadito Valdes and Manuel “The Guajiro” Mirabal have been All Stars.
The genesis of the Afro-Cuban All Stars dates to the early 1990s. At this time the son ensemble Sierra Maestra, headed by Juan de Marcos, received a lot of international exposure. Consequently, de Marcos led a couple of very successful tours in Europe.
After several years of success, the All Stars are certainly one of the best-known and successful Cuban orchestras. Moreover, they have earned four Grammy nominations, starred in several documentaries and films, and received many other distinctions.
Further, Afro-Cuban All Stars has also opened the doors to a new generation by incorporating young musicians into the band. With his project, de Marcos has developed a concept: to stand up on the roots for creating the future. More so than simply creating a band, his approach has allowed him to expand its creative range by incorporating contemporary styles of Cuban music. To that end, he adopts a fluid approach to adjusting the orchestra’s line-up by changing or adding musicians. He tailors the ensemble to best reflect the different styles of music from the various periods that the band features.
The Afro-Cubans are the same orchestra that can be seen in those distinct performances captured in now-famous film. They are in the Oscar-nominated Buena Vista Social Club documentary by Wim Wenders and the Tony Knox documentary Salon of Dreams. They also shine on DVDs Live in Japan and Live in The Hague.
Recommended for fans of Buena Vista Social Club, Nachito Herrera, Tito Puente and Pedrito Martinez.

Judy Collins: Sweet Judy Blue Eyes - Farewell
2026-10-27 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-10-28 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-10-30 19:00 - 21:00
“One of the most beautiful and moving voices” – Rolling Stone

Judy Collins inspires audiences with her sublime vocals, boldly vulnerable songwriting, personal life triumphs, and unwavering commitment to social activism. In the 1960s, she evoked both the idealism and steely determination of a generation united against social and environmental injustices. Five decades later, her luminescent presence shines brightly. Here, new generations bask in the glow of her iconic fifty-five-album body of work. Also, they draw inspiration from her spiritual discipline to thrive in the music industry for half a century.
Fans and critics highly esteem the award-winning singer-songwriter for her imaginative interpretations of traditional and contemporary folk standards. Moreover, she also receives acclaim for her own poetically poignant original compositions. For instance, the Grammy Hall of Fame includes her stunning rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now”. Judy’s dreamy, intimate version of Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns,” won Song of the Year at the 1975 Grammys. Furthermore, she’s garnered several top-ten hits and gold- and platinum-selling albums.
The cultural treasure’s fifty-fifth release, 2022’s Spellbound, documents Judy’s artistic renaissance. Additionally, the album is a special entry in her oeuvre. It marks the first time ever she wrote all the songs on one of her albums. Here, Collins showcases twelve new recently-written modern folk songs, and a bonus track of her evergreen, “The Blizzard.” Thus, Spellbound is an introspective and impressionistic album.
“They say after the plague came the Renaissance,” Judy says with a good-natured laugh. “The truth is, I didn’t do an album like this sooner because I had other projects on my mind. Now felt like the perfect time to make this record because, after all that’s happened in the world, we need something beautiful and inspirational to lift us up.”
Recommended for fans of Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Nanci Griffith and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Forever, For Always, For Love: Celebrating the Life & Music of Luther Vandross
2026-10-31 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-10-31 21:00 - 23:00
21st Annual Show!
Luther Vandross lives on as one of the greatest R&B/soul singers of our time. Hailed for his ballad work, Vandross sold over 40 million albums and won eight Grammy awards. Here, an all-star lineup assembles to pay tribute to the premier male R&B vocalist of the last several decades.
The show will include live performances of all of Luther’s greatest hits by some of the Twin Cities’ finest vocalists and musicians. These include vocalists Jay Bee, Ray Covington, LaMont Keten, Patricia Lacy, and Erica West.
The band:
Tony Axtell, bass
Brian Ziemniak, keyboards
David Feily, guitar
Brian Kendrick, drums
Daryl Boudreaux, percussion
And some very special surprise guests!
Recommended for fans of Luther Vandross, Peabo Bryson, Patti LaBelle and Teddy Pendergrass.

Kenny Garrett
2026-11-01 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-11-01 20:00 - 22:00
“genre-blurring, spiritually deep sounds” – Glide

Kenny Garrett’s latest release, 2021’s Sounds from the Ancestors, is a multi-faceted album. The music, however, doesn’t lodge inside the tight confines of the jazz idiom. Here, this is not surprising: the alto saxophonist and composer acknowledges Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye as significant touchstones. Miles Davis’s seminal LP, On the Corner, subverted its main guiding lights – James Brown, Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone. Then, Davis crafted his own unique, polyrhythmic, groove-laden, improv-heavy universe. Thus, Sounds from the Ancestors occupies its own space with intellectual clarity, sonic ingenuity and emotional heft.
“The concept initially was about trying to get some of the musical sounds that I remembered as a kid growing up. Sounds that lift your spirit, like John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme”, Aretha Franklin’s “Amazing Grace”, Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”. And the spiritual side of the church,” Garrett explains. “When I started to think about them, I realized it was the spirit from my ancestors.”
Indeed, Sounds from the Ancestors reflects the rich jazz, R&B, and gospel history of his hometown of Detroit. More important though, it also reverberates with a modern cosmopolitan vibrancy. Notably the inclusion of music coming out of France, Cuba, Nigeria, and Guadeloupe.
Garrett is easily recognized as one of modern jazz’s brightest and most influential living masters. His illustrious career includes hallmark stints with Miles Davis, Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, Donald Byrd, and Freddie Hubbard. Also, Woody Shaw, and the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Moreover, he has enjoyed a heralded career as a solo artist that began more than thirty years ago. And with the marvelous Sounds from the Ancestors, the Grammy-winning Garrett shows no signs of resting on his laurels.
Recommended for fans of Joshua Redman, Chris Potter, Branford Marsalis and Miguel Zenón.
📸: Hollis King

Edwin McCain
2026-11-03 19:00 - 21:00
“immensely satisfying… powerful songwriting talent” – Pop Matters

Veteran singer/songwriter Edwin McCain had his major-label breakout in the mid-’90s with Honor Among Thieves. There, McCain became a Top 40 radio star. Also, he achieved chart-topping singles and soundtrack success with the songs “I’ll Be” and “I Could Not Ask For More”. More recently, Edwin has been touring with Hootie & the Blowfish, Collective Soul, and Train. Further, he described performing hit songs disguised as Nessy, The Loch Ness Monster, as a “breathtaking” experience. There, he performed this way during season thirteen of the hit U.S. TV show “The Masked Singer”.
McCain released his first full studio album in fifteen years, Lucky, in 2025. Here, the album’s ten tracks span blues, soul, rock, and folk influences. Lucky reflects McCain’s musical roots while embracing modern inspirations, including an electronic edge on “Empire”. Then, McCain covers rollicking rock on “Chasing a Memory”, aching ballad “Love Me or Leave Me Alone” and Southern rock on “Sing for You”.
The New York Times dubbed McCain a “great American romantic”, and McCain continues to connect with fans through his music. Additionally, he also appears in viral TikTok videos where his witty, self-deprecating humor has won over a new generation of fans. Also, he often directs that humor at his exasperated daughter. McCain plans to launch a podcast based on his TikTok life and continue touring in the near future. However, fame does not phase him. “I found myself in this sweet spot doing this for thirty-five years,” Edwin muses. “And if I end up playing for tourists on a deck in Hilton Head one day? That would be OK, too.”
Recommended for fans of Hootie and The Blowfish, Howie Day, Matchbox Twenty and Sara Bareilles.
📸: Jennifer Troche Walsh

Billy Prine Presents: Songs & Stories of John Prine
2026-11-04 19:00 - 21:00
“Billy sings and shines from the inside out. Unlike many things in this world, he keeps getting better” –American Songwriter

Telling stories and playing his brother’s music in a uniquely personal and entertaining tribute.
Billy Prine is a natural-born storyteller just like his late, great brother John Prine was a natural-born songwriter. John was a great communicator of the human experience whittled down to the best words. His big, little brother, owner of a rich, booming voice yet full of subtleness, is one of the finest orators you’ll ever hear – also choosing just the right turn of phrase.
During these concerts celebrating John’s life in song, Billy will tell stories about or surrounding some of John’s most beloved songs. Then, he will lead his band through his version of John’s timeless masterpieces. As an example, fans will get to hear the first time John played his classic song “Paradise” for their father as the family sits around the kitchen table.
Songs are stories, novellas if you will, and stories often become songs. Thus, it is only fitting that Billy relates the stories that surround the songs of his dear brother John. Each show becomes a vivid, intimate look into John’s life through the eyes of Billy.
Billy Prine formed and led his first bar band in Chicago at the tender age of twelve. Growing up in such a rich musical city allowed Billy to develop his unique style of American roots music. Billy absorbed a myriad of influences firsthand by seeing Buck Owens, The Rolling Stones, and Chicago’s innumerable blues legends. These included Howlin’ Wolf, Paul Butterfield, Muddy Waters, and Michael Bloomfield.
Recommended for fans of John Prine, John Hiatt, Drive-By Truckers and Doc Watson.

Lizzy & The Triggermen
2026-11-05 19:00 - 22:00
“one part Eartha Kitt, one part Ella Fitzgerald, one part Amy Winehouse” – NPR

LA-based big band Lizzy & the Triggermen make vintage music for modern times. Underneath the retro glamour is a captivatingly modern band who can sell out legendary venues like the Troubadour. Additionally, they can top the jazz charts alongside heavyweights like Miles Davis and Kamasi Washington.
Their shows joyously mix subversive vintage gems, showtunes, and swinging originals about everything from fast fashion to fascism. Like the Prohibition Era songs that inspire them, their music boldly tackles our troubles. Then, they create killer dance songs that fill the audience with joy the way only a wailing horn section can.
Lizzy leads the band: a charismatic siren with a searing wit and soaring voice. Her “powerhouse vocals” (Broadway World), forged singing opera, recall the great old divas while still sounding completely unique and new. Her songwriting, which Janis Ian likened to Leonard Cohen, is filled with the same biting humor she used to create TV comedies. There, she earned multiple Emmy nominations for shows on HBO, Amazon, Legendary, CBS, and the History Channel.
But the star power doesn’t stop with Lizzy; it emanates through her entire incredible band. Here, they are a multi-generational dream team of crushers who worked with Harry Connick Jr. and Benny Goodman. In fact, their arranger played lead trombone and arranged for Goodman’s last orchestra.
There is no doubt that Lizzy & the Triggermen are going audaciously against the grain. Moreover, they are clearly resonating across a broad range of audiences.
Recommended for fans of The Hot Sardines, Bria Skonberg, Harry Connick, Jr. and Davina and The Vagabonds.
📸: Spike Marble

Arrested Development
2026-11-06 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-11-06 21:30 - 23:30
“deeply thoughtful with a generous splash of wit… invincible” – BBC

Arrested Development delivers onstage energy to thirsty audiences looking to quench their soul! Thirty years ago, Arrested Development slammed the gangsta dominated world of hip hop with defiant lyrics of hope. The message worked, as AD became the first, and only, hip-hop artist to receive the Best New Artist Grammy. Additionally, the group also received a Grammy award for Best Rap Single for their anthemic prayer- like hit song, “Tennessee”. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame named it one of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. Also, VH1 listed it in their 100 Greatest Songs of the 90’s.
Money came in, but not for precious stones and big cars. Instead, they gave back, becoming the first African American artists to donate money to Nelson Mandela and the ANC. They used their voices and their status to the benefit of many underprivileged brothers and sisters around the world.
With the success of the single “Mr. Wendal”, Arrested Development brought the issue of homelessness to the forefront. Then, the group donated half of the royalty earnings from “Mr. Wendal” to the National Coalition of the Homeless. Awards, chart success and accolades continued to follow. Their song “Revolution” was written for Spike Lee’s Malcolm X film, X. There, it would forever be associated with one of the most important Spike Lee joints.
Their album, 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life of…, earned them two Grammy awards. Additionally, they won two MTV awards, a Soul Train Music Award, and the NCAAP Image Award. Rolling Stone named them 1992’s Band of The Year, while VH1 named them one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time!
Recommended for fans of De La Soul, Digable Planets, Yasiin Bey and A Tribe Called Quest.

Blind Boys of Alabama Present Songs In the Key of Life
2026-11-09 19:00 - 21:00
“always hunting for – and finding – the perfect note or harmony that lifts an old tune into the sublime” – Time

Six-Time Grammy Winners
Gospel Music Hall of Fame Inductees
The legendary Blind Boys of Alabama bring their transcendent harmonies and spiritual power. Here, they celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Stevie Wonder’s iconic album Songs in the Key of Life. This special presentation pairs many of Stevie Wonder’s classic songs with beloved selections from the Blind Boys’ own celebrated repertoire. Moreover, they blend gospel, soul, and Americana in a joyful performance that honors both musical legacies.
Now, the Blind Boys have lifted spirits and moved souls for over seventy-five years. Furthermore, they continue their mission of spreading light and love through the universal language of music. In 2003, the Blind Boys earned a Grammy Award for an album that included their acclaimed cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground.” Further, this version later featured in film and television, including FX’s Fargo. In 2007, Stevie Wonder presented Blind Boys singer Jimmy Carter with a Vision Award for Lifetime Achievement. Thus, this underscores their enduring impact on music and culture.
Here, this show features classics like: “Sir Duke,” “I Wish,” “As,” and more.
Recommended for fans of Mavis Staples, The Holmes Brothers, Stevie Wonder and Taj Mahal.
📸: Cole Weber

Alison Brown
2026-11-10 19:00 - 21:00
“Brown’s banjo is an instrument possessed of a unique sonic signature and an inescapable beauty” – Billboard

One of the most multi-faceted minds in roots music, Alison Brown is a Grammy-winning musician and a Grammy-nominated producer. Additionally, she is a former investment banker (with an AB from Harvard and an MBA from UCLA). Also, she co-founded The Compass Records Group which celebrated its thirtieth anniversary in 2023.
Alison began her musical career as a teenager in the Southern California bluegrass scene. Now, she has built a reputation as one of today’s most forward-thinking and innovative banjo players. She is known for taking the instrument far beyond its Appalachian roots by blending bluegrass and jazz influences into a sonic tapestry. Thus, she has earned praise and recognition from a variety of national tastemakers. For example, The Wall Street Journal, CBS Sunday Morning, NPR, and USA Today.
Steve Martin and Alison Brown released their debut collaborative album, Safe, Sensible and Sane, in 2025. There, it features guest appearances from Jackson Browne, Vince Gill, the Indigo Girls, Tim O’Brien, Jason Mraz, Della Mae, and more. Moreover, Safe, Sensible and Sane emerges as a captivating new turn in the evolution of banjo music.
There, the album follows their chart-topping collaborations “Foggy Morning Breaking”, “Bluegrass Radio”, and “Wall Guitar (Since You Said Goodbye)”. Here, these longtime friends and banjo aficionados have crafted a collection of banjo-inspired songs. Further, they are built on Brown’s daringly inventive melodies and Martin’s idiosyncratic yet ineffably tender lyrics.
Recommended for fans of Steep Canyon Rangers, Yonder Mountain String Band, Della Mae and Béla Fleck.

John Scofield's Electrospective
2026-11-11 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-11-11 21:00 - 23:00, 2026-11-12 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-11-12 21:00 - 23:00
“Scofield is one of the most prolific and admired jazz musicians of his generation” – NPR

Through his fifty-four-year career, three-time Grammy Award winner John Scofield has occasionally detoured from the traditions of straight-ahead jazz. There, he explores a blend of funk and jazz that has led to some of his most popular projects. In 2026, Scofield looks back at many of his now classic fusion groove compositions with Electrospective.
Not intending to replicate earlier fan favorites, he plans instead to revisit them with the seasoned perspective of several decades. Here, he culls tunes from his Blue Matter, Uberjam, and AGoGo bands, each responsible for a few recordings. Additionally, he will play new material in the same vein.
Moreover, Scofield looks forward to teaming up with a stellar band of colleagues. Electrospective will rely on interpretative input from Scofield alum and super funk drummer/producer Adam Deitch (Lettuce). Also, multidimensional Larry Goldings (Scary Goldings, James Taylor) on keyboards. Additionally, legendary bassist Oteil Burbridge (Dead & Co., Tedeschi Trucks, Allman Brothers). With this repertoire so frequently (and loudly) requested by audience members, Scofield is glad to have a band that will truly do the music justice.
Recommended for fans of Pat Metheny, Lettuce, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and Medeski, Martin & Wood.

An Evening with Lucinda Williams & Her Band: World's Gone Wrong Tour
2026-11-13 19:00 - 21:00
Acoustic Shows with Lucinda Williams & Her Band:
Blues, Ballads & More: A Quiet Night with Lucinda Williams & Her Band
NOV 16 • 7:00pm Performance
Blues, Ballads & More: A Quiet Night with Lucinda Williams & Her Band
NOV 17 • 7:00pm Performance

“perfect… clearly in a league of her own” – Chicago Reader

“My dad, as a poet, always told me to never censor myself – that’s one of his cardinal rules of creative writing,” says multiple-Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams. “That became my motto which I’ve stuck by all these years.” Miller Williams’ advice clearly is borne out on Lucinda’s powerful eighteenth studio album, 2026’s provocative World’s Gone Wrong. “I felt a sense of urgency in making this record,” she adds.
Filled with gut-wrenching topical songs, the album’s ten tracks were written and recorded in a blast of collaborative creativity. There, Lucinda and her co-writers – primarily husband/manager/co-producer Tom Overby and guitarist Doug Pettibone – grappled with the events of spring 2025. Moreover, a whole other album had been in the works. However, the “urgency” to address our current cataclysmic situation motivated Lucinda and company to cut World’s Gone Wrong in direct response. “Music is a powerful weapon,” she points out. “I want this record to make people aware, wake them up. I like to push people’s buttons.”
And that’s what Lucinda fans have come to depend on over the past forty-five years. Her back catalog boasts remarkable albums, including 1998’s game-changing Car Wheels on a Gravel Road. Additionally, she’s earned three Grammy awards and countless accolades, including Time Magazine naming her America’s Best Songwriter in 2001. Here, Williams is one of our most revered artists, beloved for her singular vocals and extraordinary songs. And in these troubling times, we need the light she shines on World’s Gone Wrong more than ever before.
Recommended for fans of Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, Steve Earle & Bob Dylan.
📸: Mark Seliger
