Twin Cities Free Concerts August 21-24

At Minnesota Connected, we are back again with more free concerts. With the State Fair opening, you might be a little cash strapped if you go, or you might not even want to spend the $8-$13 to attend. We've got 51 concerts on tap, so take your pick. This time around we're even adding "Thirsty Thursday," the night Toby Keith will be at the Great Minnesota Get-Together.  

Thursday, August 21

Vinyl Tap | 5 p.m. @ Amsterdam (Downtown St. Paul) The Mad Ripple Hootenanny | 5:30 p.m. @ Harriet Brewing (Minnehaha) Patrick Allen | 6 p.m. @ The School II (Chanhassen) Boogie Wonderland | 6 p.m. @ The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes (Maple Grove) Ambulance Chaser and 3 Minute Hero | 6 p.m. @ Mears Park (Downtown St. Paul) Taylor Johnson & Friend | 7 p.m. @ Floyd's (Victoria) Brain Caves | 7 p.m. @ Hymie's Vintage Records (Minnehaha) The Delcounts | 7 p.m. @ Shorewood Bar & Grill (Fridley) Orkestar Bez Ime | 7 p.m. @ Black Dog Coffee and Wine Bar (Downtown St. Paul) The Fattenin' Frogs | 8 p.m. @ Famous Dave's (Uptown) Vinnie Rose | 8 p.m. @ Adagio's Pizza Factory (Moundsview) The Rowdy Cowboy Show | 8:30 p.m. @ Mainstreet Bar and Grill (Hopkins) Blood, Sweat & Tears with Bo Bice | 8:30 p.m. @ Leinie Lodge Bandshell (Como) Bo Bice. From American Idol Bo Bice? YES. The runner-up to Carrie Underwood hasn't stopped singing yet. He has teamed up with Blood, Sweat & Tears to keep the jazz rock sound of the original band mixed with his vocals. With nine members, the band is set to blow you away with their intricate horns section and booming vocals.   American Youth, Jill, Middle Twin and the Robat | 9 p.m. @ Kitty Kat Klub (Dinkytown) Earthrise, Crimes Against History, Oblivion and BlurCurve | 9 p.m. @ Amsterdam (Downtown St. Paul) Topher Dunlap Jazz Trio | 9 p.m. @ Mattie's on Main (University) Lenguas Largas, Treasure Fleet, White Night, We/Ours and Holler House | 9 p.m. @ Hexagon Bar (Minnehaha) Oliver Quincy | 9:30 p.m. @ 331 Club (Northeast Minneapolis) Friday at Aretha Franklin will be at the State Fair while Katy Perry will be at Target Center, but you'll want to check out these other musical acts if you're hard up for money or didn't get tickets fast enough.  

Friday, August 22

Cornbread Harris | 6 p.m. @Loring Pasta Bar (Dinkytown) Bryan Nichols and James Buckley| 6:30 p.m. @ Icehouse (Uptown Minneapolis) Blue Ribbon Bandits | 8 p.m. @ Floyd's (Victoria's) Blue Ribbon Bandits are from Victoria, Minnesota, and play a range of music that spans from their original compositions to the Beatles to modern music. This six-piece band considers themselves "Homegrown rockin' honkey tonk," with two female lead singers who can harmonize to create a unique sound. Even if you're from out of town, you should check them out.   Becky Livermore | 8 p.m. @ Mario’s Keller Bar (Northeast Minneapolis) Blood, Sweat & Tears with Bo Bice | 8:30 p.m. @ Leinie Lodge Bandshell (Como) Doug Otto & the Getaways | 9 p.m. @ Day Block Brewing Co. (Downtown Minneapolis) The New Primitives | 9 p.m. @ Mattie's on Main (University) Nightosaur, Red Desert, the Wolf Council and Bolo | 9 p.m. @ Hexagon Bar (Minnehaha) Boom Boom Steve V and Perry Webber | 9 p.m. @ Santorini Taverna & Grill (Eden Prairie) Broken Spoke | 9:30 p.m. @ Kieran’s Irish Pub (Downtown Minneapolis) Silverback Colony and Bloodpine | 10 p.m. @ 331 Club (Northeast Minneapolis) Kid Rock will be at the Fair Saturday, but if you can't Bawitdaba, don't worry about it, we've got you covered.  

Saturday, August 23

LOLA Art Crawl With Tim Casey & the Martyrs, Bruce Nygren & the Mumblebugs, Steve West & the Northern Stars and more | 2 p.m. - 10 p.m. @ Harriet Brewing (Minnehaha) Hooten Hallers | 5 p.m. @ Bayport BBQ (Bayport) The Prophets of Peace | 6 p.m. @ Schooner Tavern (Minnehaha) John Kudja Band | 8 p.m. @ Mario's Keller Bar (Northeast Minneapolis) Love Songs for Angry Men (Nick Hensley) | 8 p.m. @ Floyd's (Victoria) Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound | 8:30 p.m. @ Leinie Lodge Bandshell (Como) Up the Mountain Down the Mountain, Black Cat, Bisento and SolidState | 9 p.m. @ Hexagon Bar (Minnehaha) Dan Newton's Cafe Accordion Orchestra | 9 p.m. @ Mattie's on Main (University) Michael Shynes | 9 p.m. @ Day Block Brewing Co. (Downtown Minneapolis) Falcon Arrow, Wizards Are Real, Humanda | 10 p.m. @ 331 Club (Northeast Minneapolis) Falcon Arrow is an instrumental duo from Minneapolis that consider themselves post-rock, punk rock with minimalism sprinkled in. With their deep bass line and catchy riffs, it's enjoyable to relax with their music. Meanwhile, Wizards Are Real have been playing together since 2007 and describe themselves as having "an unorthodox instrumentation: tenor and baritone sax and pedal steel over a rock rhythm section" that produces a mellow and unique sound with jazz and funk elements. Finally, after all that hard partying throughout the weekend, do you want more music? You do, and here it is.  

Sunday, August 24

LOLA Art Crawl With Papa John Kolstad, Erick Biard, Matt Yetter and more | 2 p.m. - 10 p.m. @ Harriet Brewing (Minnehaha) Tom B & Friends | 3 p.m. @ Floyd's Kurt Jorgensen Band | 4:30 p.m. P.D. Pappy's (Stillwater) This hometown Twin Cities Blues/Americana band has been around since 1998 and haven't stopped entertaining fans of smooth rock. Its seven (sometimes four, sometimes ten) members form a unique sound and style that has spanned five albums. Not a whole lot can beat an evening in Stillwater either.

3 Dudes | 6:30 p.m. @ Dog House Bar and Grill (Maplewood) Zacc Harris Trio | 7 p.m. @ Riverview Cafe & Wine Bar (Minnehaha) Mark Martin | 7:30 p.m. @ Schooner Tavern (Minnehaha) Open Blues Jam with Moses Oakland | 8 p.m. @ Famous Dave's (Uptown) Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound | 8:30 p.m. @ Leinie Lodge Bandshell (Como) HotBlackFunky | 8:30 p.m. @ Whiskey Junction (Uptown) Awkward Bodies, Debasers and Fat Animal | 9 p.m. @ Kitty Cat Klub (Dinkytown) Salsa Del Soul | 9:15 p.m. @ Santorini Taverna & Grill (Eden Prairie) T Collective | 9:30 p.m. @ Icehouse (Uptown)   That wraps up this week's free concerts, we'll see how many you catch.   Photos by: Bonnie Leer -- Samantha Sekula -- Josh Haroldson