I am a lifelong Minnesota State Fair enthusiast from Minneapolis, Minnesota. I’ve attended over 30 years of the Great Minnesota Get-Together, trying nearly every food on offer and wearing down numerous pairs of shoes. I draw on my years of Fair experience to guide you through the hits and misses of my favorite event of the year.
The Minnesota State Fair has a wide gamut of food options, but elevated dining has always been a difficult sell on the Fairgrounds. Duluth’s New Scenic Café has been trying their best to change that, offering high-end menu items that stand out among the Fair’s other offerings, both in elegance and in high pricepoint.
Gone are the exorbitant Lobster Rolls, replaced by a pairing of protein-heavy éclairs that individually are much more competitively priced relative to their Fair neighbors, at $12 for the Bánh Mì and a $15 premium for the Lobster variety. A small discount is offered for ordering both together at $25, a hefty fee even among the inflated Fair prices.
Thankfully, eaters receive their money’s worth with hefty portions of pork and lobster, both vibrant in flavor. The inclusion of Cholula hot sauce within the lobster was a curious choice, distracting from the lobster’s natural flavor and combining with a heavy dash of pepper to make it spicier than many Minnesotan palates will expect. The éclair pastry itself detracted considerably from the experience, as it was dried out and lifeless, though amicably withstood the weight of the myriad of ingredients.
In all, we’d prefer to keep our fine dining separate from our Fair dining and find this concept misguided, a disappointment for a premium investment.
Ratings (0-5):
Taste: 2
Appearance: 4
Novelty: 3
Value: 1
Overall Score: 10 out of 20 (Better Luck Next Year)
If you’re looking for a sugar rush and the perfect food pic for your Instagram feed, look no further than Fluffy’s Hand Cut Donuts, who have been serving up the Fair’s most over-the-top baked goods for the last three years following their 2021 debut. In fact, we almost saw more people photographing their donuts than actually eating them as we hung around their booth.
Our prior experiences with Fluffy’s has been a mixed bag, occasionally receiving stale product that completely negated the experience outside of appearance alone. Thankfully, bright and early on day one their newest specialty donut avoided this pratfall, with a soft, chewy donut that still managed to ably support the heft of toppings. Atop the dough is a vibrant red and yellow sugar crumble that stands out and adds a depth of texture. The dominant flavor is lemon, with the strawberry being an afterthought, even on bites that contain the punchless freeze-dried strawberry pieces. The buttercream frosting was a delight, but too plentiful, causing the donut to be too sweet for breakfast and much more of a dessert item. It became cloying to finish off solo, though it would be a fun novelty to split with a friend.
The most eye-catching element, the lemonade pipette, was a total miss for us, as squeezing it into the donut added no noticable lemonade flavor beyond what the donut already contains, but did cause the bites we injected to become unpleasantly mushy. $10 seemed excessive for a large donut that lost its luster after a few bites.
The 2024 Minnesota State Fair is here! Thursday, August 22nd is Opening Day for this year’s edition of the Fair, and the festivities get off to a fast start with a ton of great concerts, exhibitions and more crammed into the schedule. It’s also Thrifty Thursday at the Fair, with discounted admission and deals on food, rides and products throughout the Fairgrounds. Day One is also STEM Day at Dan Patch Park, a celebration of science, technology, engineering and math education; be sure to check out some cool Science Fair-style projects on display near the Grandstand. Below is a selection of what we think is most worthy of checking out on Day One; for a full daily schedule, visit the Minnesota State Fair official site at mnstatefair.org:
8:00am-5:00pm: STEM Day at the Fair (Dan Patch Park) — Over 30 different organizations provide presentations related to the fields of science, technology, engineering and math, including demonstrations on robotics, computer coding, artificial intelligence, and RFIDs. Enjoy the educational hands-on fun!
9:00am: Cornbread Harris (AFL-CIO Pavilion) — Harris is a Twin Cities music legend, with a history of playing his blues music in various venues all over town, and he continues his tradition of performing at the Labor Pavilion at an astounding 97 years old. Listen: “Put The World Back Together”
9:15am and 12:15pm: University of Minnesota Raptor Center (Dan Patch Park) — Birds of prey will be on display as the incomparable Raptor Center puts on a show of birds in their care.
10:30am and 11:45am: Church of Cash (Leinie Lodge Bandshell) — The music of Johnny Cash will come alive as this talented tribute band faithfully performs the Man in Black’s biggest hits. Listen: “Walk The Line”
10:45am, 12:00pm, and 1:15pm: Alma Andina (International Bazaar) — “[Combining] traditional South American instruments with Latin rhythms and danceable styles, such as cumbia, salsa, folk, guajira, Latin rock and reggae… these musicians have been sharing Latin American music and the rich cultural heritage of the Andes with Twin Cities audiences for more than a decade” (Minnesota State Fair). Listen: Performance at International Festival of Burnsville
11:00am, 2:00pm, and 4:30pm: All-Star Stunt Dogs Splash (The North Woods Stage) — Watch all the fun tricks and athletic feats these various breeds of trained dogs can achieve in this showcase of canines!
12:00pm, 3:00pm, 5:30pm, and 7:00pm: Timberworks Lumberjack Show (The North Woods Stage) — Take in all the excitement of this highly-competitive lumberjack competition, including events like the obstacle pole, speed climb, and the wet and wild logroll. Pick your side and cheer your team on to victory!
12:30pm, 1:30pm, and 2:30pm: Clare Doyle (Schilling Amphitheater) — “A compelling blend of soulful country and rootsy rock to create a mesmerizing live show that brings audiences along for the ride” (Minnesota State Fair). Listen: “High Again”
12:00pm-9:00pm: African Violet Society (Agriculture-Horticulture Building) — The flower shows in two of the exhibition halls inside the Agriculture-Horticulture Building rotate classes of flowers every two days of the Fair. The first two days of the Fair feature a floral fan favorite, the African Violet. Come see the stunning creations of Minnesotan horticulturalists arranging these flowers in accordance with judging criteria and check out who took home the coveted Blue Ribbons!
1:00pm and 2:30pm: Tommy Prine (Leinie Lodge Bandshell) — “Endeavoring to create distinct and independent music from his father [(John Prine)], his songs are strong and introspective with a roots-rock edge that builds on established tradition while breaking free from the past” (Minnesota State Fair). Listen: “Letter To My Brother”
2:00pm: Minnesota State Fair Parade — The daily parade, with a route that runs from the Dairy Building north past the Leinie Lodge Bandshell and Baldwin Stage to the Eco Experience and then back south, features marching bands from across the state and vibrant floats.
2:00pm: Manias (KARE 11 Barn) — “Minneapolis rock vets delivering a distinctive brand of power pop tinged fuzzed-out psychedelia” (artist Bandcamp bio).
2:15pm: University of Minnesota Physics Force (Dan Patch Park) — this high-energy crew put on an explosive, kid-friendly exhibition of science experiments to kick the Fair off with a bang!
3:15pm, 4:30pm, and 5:45pm: New Primitives (International Bazaar) — “New Primitives showcases a mixture of percussion-forward funk, rock, reggae and world music” (Minnesota State Fair). Listen: “California”
3:45pm and 4:45pm: The Men of Motown (Leinie Lodge Bandshell) — Presenting “the music of Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5, The Four Tops and The Temptations… the iconic songs in this dynamic and soulful show transport audiences back in time to the creation of Motown’s danceable arrangements and choreography” (Minnesota State Fair). Listen: Drifters medley
4:00pm, 5:00pm, and 6:00pm: Mick Sterling and Cate Fierro (Schilling Amphitheater) — “Their stellar vocals and magnetic personalities shine as they present a variety of songs from the vast repertoire of the American songbook” (Minnesota State Fair). Listen: “Madman Across The Water”
5:30pm: MAKR AN ERIS (MPR Booth) — A collaborative effort from DJs and producers Sophia Eris and MAKR. Listen: “MAKR AN ERIS”
6:00pm: MSF Amateur Talent Contest (Leinie Lodge Bandshell) — Watch as contestants in various age divisions compete for the opportunity to advance to the Talent Contest Finals, held Sunday, September 1st in the Grandstand.
7:00pm: Becky G with special guest Los Aptos (Grandstand, $44+) — “The multiplatinum, award-winning singer, songwriter, actress and activist Becky G has proven she is one of the most influential, multifaceted artists of her generation” (Minnesota State Fair). Listen: “MERCEDES”
8:00pm: The 70’s Magic Sunshine Band (International Bazaar) — “An ultimate blast from the past, The 70’s Magic Sunshine Band brings audiences back to the era of 8-tracks, polyester and bell bottoms with the greatest hits from 1970s AM radio” (Minnesota State Fair). Listen: “Long Train Running”
8:00pm: Tina Schlieske & Friends (Schilling Amphitheater) — “Drawing creative energy from a wide spectrum of rock, soul, jazz and Americana, as well as singer-songwriters, Tina Schlieske has spent years honing her skills, writing songs and playing everywhere she could find a stage and cultivating a dedicated following” (Minnesota State Fair). Listen: “One For My Baby”
8:30pm: Phil Vassar (Leinie Lodge Bandshell) — “Since his songwriting career blossomed in the mid-‘90s, American country music artist Phil Vassar has accumulated a catalog of signature songs with 10 No. 1 singles and 27 Top 40 hits” (Minnesota State Fair). Listen: “Carlene”
Photo credit: Minnesota State Fair. Quoted descriptions attributed in parenthesis.
H-O-T-T-O-G-O — these new Fair foods are hot to go! Which new items this year will go viral and pop up over and over again on your TikTok and Instagram feeds? Our annual preview is here to help you find out what will be on trend or what’s sus.
This year’s new food and beverage offerings at the Minnesota State Fair is a smaller sampling than last year, with 138 items debuting at this year’s Fair, down from a whopping 175 last year. What this year’s class of new items lacks in quantity we hope is made up for in quality, and there’s no shortage of excitement over what’s new.
We’re categorizing some of the most interesting items into one of three ranks: Must-Trys, the foods and beverages that we’ll be anxiously awaiting to get our hands on; Questionables, the items that we’re intrigued by but we’re not quite sold on yet; and Uffdas, the ones we’ll give a fair shake to but have some serious doubts about. These rankings are not meant to supersede each item’s coming review once the Fair begins; a high ranking here does not mean we’ll automatically love it once we try it, just that it tentatively seems like it will be great, based on descriptions and other factors like the vendor’s prior history. Similarly, foods that have been panned in this preview in past years have turned out to be some of the best of the field (the Tot Dog went from an Uffda to one of 2022’s standouts). As always, these reviews are subjective and your experience may vary — use this site as a guideline but not an ultimatum on what you should or should not try!
Be sure to familiarize yourself with our scoring system for reviews. We utilize a system where items are scored out of a possible 20 points, using four categories: Taste, Appearance, Novelty, and Value. Descriptions of how we assess each category are listed in the link above. You can also check out our Review Library, an overview of everything we’ve tried and rated over the last six years since this website began in 2018.
Here’s our preliminary thoughts on 2024’s class of new foods and beverages!
Must-Trys: We Can’t Wait To Get Our Hands On These!
PB Bacon Cakes from The Blue Barn: Bacon pancakes, makin’ bacon pancakes, take the bacon and you put it in a pancake — Blue Barn consistently leads the league in novel, outlandish creations and this year’s sounds like a hit right off the bat. Their sweets are often unmatched, and this tried-and-true combination of peanut butter, jelly, and bananas should continue the trend. In true Fair fashion, the addition of bacon is always welcomed and adds a thin-strip form factor that should make these a shareable delight.
Turkey Kristo from Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop: They’re so much more than just one of the Fairgrounds’ best coffee stops — Minnesota Farmers Union has served up some of the best new foods yearafteryear from their prominent location just inside the Fair’s main gate. In addition to a delicious sounding Rhubarb Crumble, their new sandwich offering for 2024 is their take on the Monte Cristo, the rarely-offered turkey sandwich with a dusting of powdered sugar that dances the line between lunch and dessert. Loaded with locally-sourced ingredients, we can’t wait to give it a try and see how each element stacks up, particularly in comparison to the delightful Monte Cristo on offer from The Sandwich Stop near the Barns.
Afro Poppers from Afro Deli: Last year’s standout new vendor, Afro Deli, leaned on their background as a popular Twin Cities-area eatery to bring their wares to the Fair and proved that their addition to the roster was long overdue. As fantastic as their sambusas were as their lone menu offering in 2023, it’s exciting to see them return with an all-new invention not found on their restaurant menu for their sophomore year, and particularly because they seem to have nailed the Fair food concept while still remaining true to their roots. We can’t wait to sample these pastries with a promise of African spices and customizable toppings and see if they have devised a new hit to keep up their momentum.
Questionables: Will These Be Good? Will They Flop? Time Will Tell!
Strawberry Lemonade Donut from Fluffy’s Hand Cut Donuts: It’s been a mixed bag from Fluffy’s in our experience over their first handful of years at the Fair; we’ve loved their poppable glazed donut holes, were perplexed by last year’s viral Dill Pickle Donut, and abhorred the stale Cookie Monster donut we sampled on our first visit in 2021. Despite their history, how could we be anything but intrigued by this over-the-top confection with a crumble that evokes comparison to Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake ice cream bars, a freeze-dried strawberry, and a pipette to inject lemonade flavor. It’s fun, it’s inventive, it’s everything a great Fair food should be, but we’re waiting to see how well it’s executed.
Crab Boil Wings from Soul Bowl: The Fair has clearly put an emphasis over the last few year on adding new vendors that have a cache within the Twin Cities restaurant scene, with debuts from the aforementioned Afro Deli, Baba’s, Midtown Global Market’s rotating collection of eateries, and the addition of Soul Bowl, Graze food hall’s Southern cooking mecca. On the whole, the experience these restauranteurs bring has led to elevated food offerings and a composure and confidence in food service uncommon among Fair newcomers. These crab boil wings would clearly fit right in on a menu, but away from the dining table we’re skeptical about their practicality in the Fair environment where eating on-the-go is king. Price point could be a hangup as well — while Fair food has a reputation for being pricey, it’d be easy to see these being over the top and a red flag for many.
Mocha Madness Shave Ice from Minnesnowii Shave Ice: A coffee lover’s delight to be sure, coffee-flavored shave ice is topped with chocolate syrup and espresso beans, with a caramel macchiato cold foam core. We’re fans of a good cup of java and we’re enthralled by the appearance of this one, but we’re concerned this might be too much of a good thing. Kudos to Minnesnowii for devising a snow cone for the adults, we’ll give it a try and see if it’s buzz-worthy while providing a buzz.
Uffdas: What Were They Thinking? Is There Any Chance These Turn Out Good?
Shroomy “Calamari” from French Meadow Bakery & Cafe: A vendor’s reputation can proceed their new food items, and unfortunately we’ve rarely enjoyed anything French Meadow has offered up over the years. This is all the more concerning when they’re deviating so heavily from their wheelhouse of baked goods and venturing behind the deep-fryer. French Meadow also has a robust menu with an above-average count of different items, and while the variety is appreciated, it seems to lead to some of the Fair’s worst wait times from order to food pick-up. We’re hopeful that these can be a fun vegetarian-friendly offering and we always keep an open mind and an eye for improvements, but French Meadow is in a “prove it” status that it needs to emerge from.
Dill Pickle Tots from Tot Boss: What’s worse than glomming on to the hot new trend? Getting to the new trend after it has passed on by. Last year was unequivocally the Year of the Pickle at the Minnesota State Fair, with nine new offerings that brought the brine, hot off the heels of 2022’s runaway success of the Pickle Pizza. We actually liked much of what was on offer across the Fairgrounds last year, but it still felt one-note as a collective and an inventive application of the pickle was rendered unoriginal by way of everyone else having the same idea. There’s thankfully far fewer pickles involved in this year’s new food class, but these tots stand out as a tired and predictable application.
Deep-Fried Ranch Dressing from LuLu’s Public House: These are bound to be this year’s most talked about new food item, the perfect combination of deep-fried Fair food and the Midwestern sensation that is ranch dressing. LuLu’s typically does good work and has reaped the rewards of their hard work by amassing a loyal following and lengthy food lines, and we have no doubt that these will be popular, whether they’re good or bad. We have concerns about the consistency of the liquid dressing after it hits the fryer, as well as how scalding hot it becomes. Furthermore, the taste profile could be too one-note and simple to stand out among the Fair’s more noteworthy achievements. Virality and popularity can be a boon for business, but showing up on feeds doesn’t mean it’s worth feeding on.
That’s just a few of our thoughts on some of the many, many new foods and beverages coming to the 2024 Minnesota State Fair! Of course, this preview only scrapes the surface of all the new offerings at the Fair. Check out our full spreadsheet guide to everything new available from Fair vendors including details about where to find each item and pricing updated once the Fair begins. Stay tuned over the next few weeks, beginning with Opening Day on Thursday, August 22nd, as we eat, drink, and review our way through the Fair and discover if these first impressions were correct and what surprises are in store!
Minnesota State Fair fans know that the Fair is much more than just the food, though the culinary creations often take center stage. In recent years, the Fair has begun billing itself as “Minnesota’s Biggest Music Festival” to highlight the hundreds of free performances that occur during all 12 days of the Fair on several stages, and it’s an apt description that serves to highlight yet another industry within Minnesota that is thriving — our local music scene. If you know me personally, you know that the one thing I’m more passionate about than the Minnesota State Fair is seeing live music, with dozens of shows attended each year, at big and small venues, across all genres, artists well-known to up-and-comers. In an effort to keep this website a little more active in the non-Fair months, and to keep my writing skills sharp year-round, I endeavor to write recaps of the shows I see starting in 2024. After attending thousands of performances over the years, I’ve gained some insight to what makes a show truly stand out above the rest, and I want to share that knowledge with my readers to not only highlight tremendous performers, but also share any related information I can about the venues and events where these performances take place, an element that is often missing among other concert reviews.
To kick off this new feature of Fairly Unbalanced and prepare for 2024, I first wanted to look back at all the great shows I saw in 2023 and list off my top ten favorites of the year. For me, perhaps no other year of concerts has been as memorable as this one, and I’ve been fortunate to check off a lot of artists I’ve wanted to see for a long time from my bucket list and enjoy some truly remarkable experiences. In total, I made it out to 102 shows in 2023, with 198 different sets from 175 different artists at 41 separate venues; cutting this down to just ten shows is a difficult task, and truly so much of what I saw this year displayed incredible artistry that inspired and moved me in a multitude of ways. I relish the opportunity to share this slice of my experiences with my readers, so on to the list:
#10 — Brandi Carlile, Minnesota State Fair Grandstand, August 29th
Seeing as this is a website about the Minnesota State Fair, it’s only right to begin this list with one of the standout performances I saw during this year’s Fair, where in total I saw 17 different artists in between all the eating, walking, and writing from the Fairgrounds. As always, the Fair lived up to its reputation for bringing in talented artists, both from Minnesota as well as national acts. In particular, this year’s Grandstand lineup was the strongest in recent memory, and I attended more Grandstand shows than ever, also taking in The Black Keys and The Hold Steady (more on them later in this list). But true to her larger-than-life reputation, Brandi Carlile outshined anyone else I saw during the Fair with her pure vocal theatrics. This wasn’t Carlile’s first appearance at the Grandstand, and truthfully it was her first headlining set there in 2019 that made me take notice of her; visiting the Fair that day, I couldn’t help but notice the excitement of her fans loudly cheering from outside the sold-out Grandstand, and what I could hear of the concert from outside the fences blew me away. From that day on, I gave her songs a listen and quickly discovered her remarkable talent for songwriting, and that unbelievable voice, among the most powerful active in music today.
After feeling like I missed out in 2019, I wasn’t going to skip the opportunity to see her at the Grandstand again, and I was so glad I did. The opening set from a bereaved but positive Wynonna Judd, soon after the passing of her mother who she performed with so regularly, inspired as well and proved to be an easy listen for even the biggest country music skeptics. For this State Fair nerd, I’ll also always remember this show as my first from the newly-built Grandstand Party Decks, a premium viewing stand with a private bar and bathrooms off to the sides of the main structure, which gave a lovely overview of the packed stands without compromising the sightlines of the stage or any hinderance to the acoustics. Looking over to see the ferris wheel, Sky Glider, and lights of the 4-H Building rising over the treetops while Carlile belted out her songs for an adoring audience perfectly encapsulated what I adore about the Minnesota State Fair.
“Right On Time” by Brandi Carlile
#9 — Matt and Kim, First Avenue, October 4th
Allow me to set the scene: just about an hour prior to showtime, the Minnesota Twins won their first playoff series in over 20 years, completing a sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays in front of myself, my friend Dave, and 38,516 other screaming Twins fans. The players piled onto the field in celebration while we lost our minds in the stands, cheering on the end of two decades of futility from our hometown ballclub. Lingering near the dugout well after the game ended, some of the players re-emerged from their clubhouse to spray beer and champagne in celebration all over the few dozen fans still hanging around, myself and Dave included, washing the moment of this victory over us (along with a mix of alcoholic liquids) and affirming that yes, this is one of the coolest moments of our lives. But the evening wasn’t done there, as the matinee game allowed for a quick turnover to take in the concert from one of our favorite bands at First Avenue just a block away, which we had bought tickets for months prior. What serendipity!
And as anyone that has heard Matt and Kim’s music can attest, there is no better band in the world to continue on the party vibes, even on a Wednesday night. Even the openers, Toronto-natives Pkew Pkew Pkew whose keyboardist came on stage wearing a Blue Jays jersey, reflected back the joyous energy from the elated concert-goers, some of whom continued to fervently wave their Homer Hankies throughout the performances. What followed from Matt and Kim was their trademark rapid-fire, high-energy performance filled with balloons, confetti, crowd-surfing, slam dancing, stage props, and sing-alongs. At one point, the band split the dance floor into two halves, then prompted us to collide into each other when the song hit its chorus, resulting in a cavalcade of body parts and spilled drinks; my Twins jersey was soaked, something that typically would upset me, but it felt like an extension of the celebration from a few hours earlier. By the show’s end, we were exhausted and feeling a little too old to do this sort of thing all the time, but for such a special occasion it was exhilarating and cathartic.
“Happy If You’re Happy” by Matt and Kim
#8 — Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Xcel Energy Center, March 5th
The tales of Bruce Springsteen and his legendary live shows had me too curious to miss out on this show, astronomical ticket prices be damned. Luckily, “The Boss” lived up to the hype, performing for nearly three hours with his massive band full of talented musicians backing him up, more a celebration of musicality than a showcase of a career full of hits. Each member of the E Street Band had their moments in the spotlight, particularly during the New Orleans jazz-influenced cover of “Pay Me My Money Down” where the sizeable horn section shined. Of course, hearing a packed house sing along to every word of the hits will always raise goosebumps, and the encore comprised of “Thunder Road,” “Born To Run,” “Rosalita,” and “Glory Days” (just to start!) did not disappoint. The minimal stage production to allow for obstructed view seating directly behind the band allowed an organic energetic backdrop, as adoring fans stood for the entire set, even in the very last rows of the upper deck. I’m glad to get the opportunity to catch Springsteen before his touring days are done and be able to confirm first-hand that he is truly worthy of all the praise his concerts receive.
“Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
#7 — Ms. Lauryn Hill, Mystic Amphitheater, September 8th
Ms. Lauryn Hill lived up to her reputation as a live performer, both in starting her show several hours late but also delivering a rapid-fire, maximalist performance that made the wait feel completely worth it. After all, when I’ve been waiting so many years to see her in concert, a few more hours is nothing. Backed by so many musicians that it seemed unlikely they would all fit on the stage, Hill played through essentially the entirety of her seminal debut album, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” Many songs took on new arrangements for their live version, blending the nostalgia of the 25 year old album with the intrigue of how they would be reimagined. The crowd on a picture-perfect summer evening in an open field alongside the Mystic Lake casino complex were antsy but giddy waiting for Hill to take the stage, supplanted by a reverential awe as we sang along word-by-word to each song. On a personal note, Ms. Lauryn Hill became the 1000th artist I’ve seen in concert, and I couldn’t imagine a more worthy one to break that milestone with than the reclusive and mysterious Hill, someone I thought I may never get a chance to see perform.
“Doo Wop (That Thing)” by Ms. Lauryn Hill
#6 — Nickel Creek, Palace Theatre, July 15th
Whereas the previous two entries on this list were performances from artists that were firsts for me that had been on my bucket list, Nickel Creek’s concert this July ended a 17 year span between the first time I saw them during Lollapalooza 2006 until now. This gap between shows was necessitated by the bluegrass band’s on-again off-again status and sporadic touring schedule, with each member of the trio opting to work on other projects over the last two decades, setting the band they formed as children on the backburner. Thankfully, with their fantastic new album “Celebrants,” the band returned to the road and I jumped at the opportunity to see one of my favorite groups once again after all this time. Whereas all the band members (and myself in the audience) look quite a bit older than the last time I saw them, what hasn’t changed is the virtuosic abilities they have with their instruments and voices, a sonic pleasure amplified by the impeccable acoustics within the Palace Theatre. Chris Thile is one of the most impressive musicians walking this planet and any opportunity to watch him shred the mandolin is a joy, Sara Watkins balances the mandolin with an equally exemplary turn on the fiddle and carries each song with her powerful voice, and Sean Watkins holds down the low end with his guitar, with all three harmonizing beautifully on many of the band’s songs. Their show was a true delight that had me grinning ear to ear, and hoping I won’t have to wait another 17 years to see another concert from them.
“Destination” by Nickel Creek
#5 — North By North Loop, Hewing Hotel, September 10th
The Twin Cities are rife with opportunities to take in live music outdoors throughout the summertime; the season is so short that we take full advantage of it, with great events on the calendar seemingly every weekend. This year, a new block party-style music festival appeared on the landscape in North By North Loop, organized by the North Loop neighborhood association, and the event made an impressive debut with a well-organized setup and seven outstanding artists making the entire lineup can’t-miss. The stunning early September Sunday afternoon weather added to the good vibes right from the start, when local hip-hop favorite Nur-D kicked the festival off with a full-band set, getting the attendees up and dancing early. Up-and-coming songwriter Mike Kota followed on the DIY-style Neighborhood Stage, a balcony alongside the Hewing Hotel slightly raised above street level that gave the festival a uniquely accessible feel. Chastity Brown then followed, performing a soulful set that felt all the more impactful by the beauty of the afternoon. Two more local acts on the Neighborhood Stage, Turn Turn Turn and Honeybutter, performed sugary-sweet sets that were groovy, perfect opportunities to lay out at mid-day and grab a bite to eat from the ample food vendors on hand and prepare for the headliners. If the modest but passionate crowd were there for any one artist in particular, Ber seemed to have the most devoted following, with most of the younger fans in attendance singing along to every word of her ready-for-TikTok pop songs. Lastly, indie pop mainstay Lissie closed out the festival with one of the most impassioned performances I’ve seen her give, a catalogue-spanning set that even featured a fully-suited man dancing a wonderfully choreographed routine for a couple songs on stage. In all, there are few afternoons of music that were as purely joyful as this one that I can recall, and it was an unbelievable kickoff to what hopefully becomes an annual calendar highlight for years to come; starting a new festival from scratch is a massive undertaking, but North By North Loop deserves to be commended for doing a remarkable job in year one.
“Chasing The Sun” by Lissie
#4 — Sublime with Rome, Wild Badger Sports Saloon, July 27th
Most concerts are meticulously planned, both for performer and attendee, with months of leadup and logistics all set in stone, tickets purchased and plans made. This is how things happen in the real world. Every once in a while, a complete surprise of a show comes along and sends everyone to fantasy land; these moments are few and fleeting, but these are the nights of legend, the stories that you tell your friends about wide-eyed, almost as though you can’t believe it even happened. Seminal 1990s ska-punk band Sublime, now touring fronted by talented performer Rome in lieu of their deceased singer Bradley Nowell, was scheduled to headline a concert at the Somerset Amphitheater, an outdoor venue about 40 miles outside of the Twin Cities in rural Wisconsin. Mother nature had other plans however, as a thunderstorm cancelled their set as fans were already in the venue. Most bands would pack it up and get into their tour bus to head to the next city, but Sublime decided they must perform that night, so they found a sports bar nearby and set out word on social media that they were doing a pop-up show that night. Just a few hours later, the Wild Badger Sports Saloon was packed way beyond fire code as Sublime churned out hit after hit from their catalogue. Suddenly, we’re seeing perhaps the world’s greatest bar sing-along band performing on a tiny stage designed for no-name cover bands on a random Thursday night in middle of nowhere Wisconsin, with a backdrop of basic black curtains and a “spin for a shot” drink wheel, a truly surreal experience that is almost impossible to put into words. The night was sheer chaos, and as the patrons filed out of the bar into the street outside after their set, everyone had an incredulous, “did that just happen” look on their faces, and I spent the whole 45 minute drive back home in a stunned daze. Perhaps more so than any other concert this year, this will be a core memory I’ll take with me forever, an example that every so often life can completely throw you for a loop.
“Santeria” by Sublime with Rome
#3 — The Hold Steady, The Salt Shed and The Empty Bottle, June 30th through July 1st
Rock and roll doesn’t need to be all that complicated; sometimes, some of the best shows of the year just come from getting yet another opportunity to see your all-time favorite band. For me, that’s been The Hold Steady for almost two decades now. The band has had trials and tribulations over the years, and now have eschewed regular touring to instead do a handful of pop-up weekends in various cities. With several of the band members being from Minnesota, the Twin Cities often are on the itinerary (and indeed, they returned for a triumphant Minnesota State Fair Grandstand performance this year that could’ve easily made this list too), but it’s always been enticing to travel to one of the other destinations for a Hold Steady weekend, and their run of three shows on consecutive nights over 4th of July weekend in Chicago proved to be the perfect opportunity to make the road trip to go twist around the dark parts of a large Midwestern city. Chicago was in fact the first place I had seen The Hold Steady perform, as a fresh-faced kid a day after my 18th birthday during Lollapalooza 2006, the first time I had ever traveled to see live music, so this return to the Windy City to see the very same group 17 years later felt monumental and reflective, of the person I’ve since become and the earliest facets of my music fandom.
To be a Hold Steady devotee in 2023 is like belonging to a cult, with so many tropes and rituals and each show feeling like one big family reunion with familiar faces and friendly friends that will love you like a brother. The camaraderie was perhaps never more prevalent than at these three shows, singing along arm-in-arm with my fellow concertgoers while the band worked their way through a large portion of their now-sizeable catalogue. The first two nights were housed at the Salt Shed, a recently opened venue in an old Morton’s Salt warehouse, a venue that I had heard a lot of positives about and was anxious to experience firsthand; it reminded me a lot of Minneapolis’ Armory as a repurposed building that is now a first-rate music space. The closing night took place at the legendary Empty Bottle, a dive bar in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood, a tiny venue reminiscent of seeing shows at the now-vanished 400 Bar or Triple Rock. Adding to the experience were openers The Mountain Goats, a band that I’ve been desperate to see for years, and punk rock legends Dillinger Four, both bands that are intertwined in the lore of Hold Steady lyrics and delivered impassioned sets that were well-received by the crowd. By the end of the weekend, my body was sore, my voice was gone, and regretfully myself and seemingly every other person in attendance caught COVID, but as the Hold Steady sing “killer parties almost killed me” and it had never been more true than after three unforgettable nights in Chicago.
“Killer Parties” by The Hold Steady
#2 — Re:SET, Riis Park, June 24th and 25th
2023 might be the year where my concert-going ways became the most ridiculous, and exhibit A of this was when I took a weekend trip to Chicago to take in the Re:SET festival, despite being sandwiched between a few days in Las Vegas and a trip the following weekend also to Chicago for The Hold Steady. The end of June felt like a whirlwind of my own creation, yet another example that when it comes to what I’m passionate about, I have no chill (see also: this entire website). However, in planning it all out and making sure logistically it could even be possible, I couldn’t resist the chance to see two of the artists that were at the very top of my bucket list to see perform in boygenius and LCD Soundsystem, and neither disappointed.
Taking place in the expansive Riis Park on Chicago’s west side, Re:SET was an endurance test that rewarded those brave enough to deal with the large crowds, oppressive heat, and a lack of refillable water stations (my biggest pet peeve for an outdoor concert, inexcusable). Fortunately, none of the music disappointed, with night one opened by Bartees Strange, Dijon, and Clairo, before being headlined by boygenius, the Internet’s most buzzed about indie supergroup at the moment. Strange rocked out in his unique and entrancing way and it was fun to see him in yet another random Chicago park after taking in his set in 2021 at the Pitchfork Festival, while Dijon and Clairo both performed atmospheric sets that helped cool things down while the sun beat down on fans the hardest. Clairo in particular impressed, making me a big fan and entering my most listened to artists from that point forward on the year. Finally, boygenius took the stage to a crazed response from the crowd, performing a pitch-perfect sunset set that allowed all the emotions I’ve felt over the years listening to them out, joined by all those around me in a communal feeling of catharsis. I’ve seen each member of boygenius perform individually previously, but as a collective they become so much more than a sum of their parts and it makes complete sense to me why they’re quickly becoming such a noteworthy act.
Day two brought all-day rain that broke the heat, but led to a messy experience on the grassy field playing host to the fest. British hard rock group IDLES relished in that setting, and a large group of moshpit dancers found the conditions perfect; I watched from afar, hesitant to subject myself to any more physical exertion after spending all morning watching Chicago’s Pride Parade, but I was happy to bounce around in place to the beat and observe the mayhem. Jamie XX followed with a cool DJ set, performed from a riser near the sound booth rather than the stage, turning the area in front of the stage into one big dance party flanked by a (no joke) double rainbow in the sky, a perfect aperitif for what was to come. At long last, LCD Soundsystem took the stage, and I could hardly believe this moment had come; the group disbanded several years back, playing a “final” show at Madison Square Garden, and I thought I had missed my chance, but thankfully have recently reunited to play their electro-pop once again. Unsure of the band’s staying power, the trip to Chicago felt necessary to make sure I didn’t miss out on this second chance, and their lengthy set was comprised of all of my favorites. By show’s end, I knew I had made the right choice to make this trip no matter how impractical it may have been, and it further cemented Chicago as my favorite music destination.
“True Blue” by boygenius
“Dance Yrself Clean” by LCD Soundsystem
#1 — Caroline Rose, First Avenue, April 23rd
So many shows I saw this year have some sort of gimmick that helped to make them stand out, whether it was a first time seeing a legendary artist, a marathon weekend of shows from my favorites, a festival jam-packed with musical talent, or seeing a massive band play an underplay show in a tiny room. However, my hands-down favorite show of the year had none of that, just a pretty typical indie rock show on a spring Sunday night at the best venue in the world, First Avenue. The musicality just spoke for itself, perfectly performed and captivating. Caroline Rose has been one of my favorite artists over the last several years, beginning with their 2018 album “LONER” and catching a raucous show in the dinky 7th Street Entry that year. From there I was hooked, regularly listening through their catalogue, and an intimate show at the Fine Line followed in 2022, memorable for their experimentation with DIY stage lighting, and cemented my opinion that Rose is one of the best things going in the indie rock scene at the moment.
In moving up yet again in venue size to the First Ave Mainroom, Rose made an outsized leap in the performance aspect, now toting along five massive screens and a projection system that shrouded their band in silhouette, making for one of the most visually stunning shows I have ever taken in. The imagery projected perfectly paired with the mood of the songs played, beginning with Rose’s latest album, 2023’s “The Art of Forgetting” (among my favorites of the year, though no doubt influenced by the strength of this show), played in full. Rose gave everything they had in an emotional tour de force, both vulnerable but ultimately powerful in its introspection. So much about the album and its themes clicked in my head in performance that they hadn’t fully done with repeated listens to the album, ensuring it will get frequent listens from me well into the future.
Following the conclusion of the album, Rose promptly began an encore comprised of other songs from their previous albums, a greatest hits collection that ensured no fan left disappointed. When Rose jumped into the crowd to perform “Feel The Way I Want” miraculously just feet away from where I stood on the checkerboard dance floor, I knew I had seen something truly special that evening that was going to stick with me forever. I’m fortunate to see so many shows and have such a variety of experiences, and nights like this one where it all adds up to an indelible experience are why concertgoing is so addicting, always chasing that feeling where someone else’s artistry connects with your own thoughts and emotions so well that you feel understood, if not by others then at least within your own self. Caroline Rose returns to First Avenue in April 2024, and of course my ticket is already purchased, and I cannot wait to see how this inventive artist continues to morph their performance, and what the next one will mean to me as I continue to chase that endorphin hit that live music brings.
“Tell Me What You Want” by Caroline Rose
Honorable Mentions
Because this list was impossible to parse down to just 10, I wanted to shout out a handful of other shows I saw this year worth mentioning; in any given year, any one of these could easily be a top show, but in a year so remarkable they just missed the cut:
Rubblebucket, Amsterdam Bar, February 15th: A fun dance party that culminated with the band marching brass band-style through the crowd, out the venue doors, and performing on the street in a snowstorm
Ben Folds, Turf Club, May 9th: A short set, but one of the most prolific songwriters putting his craft on display in a way-too-small venue.
Outlaw Music Festival, Somerset Amphitheater, June 23rd: Willie Nelson, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, and Trampled By Turtles all on one bill, like a dream come true.
Beyoncé, Huntington Bank Stadium, July 20th: Everything done up to excess, and that’s just the fans costumes. The year’s second-biggest concert tour, surpassed only by you-know-who.
Shakey Graves, Bauhaus Brew Labs, July 28th: The show that inspired me to start writing about my concert experiences, a really remarkable evening filled with incredible songcraft.
Dessa with the Minnesota Orchestra, Orchestra Hall, August 3rd: Sounded every bit as good as I imagined after wearing out the live album they recorded together, the Minnesota Orchestra might be our state’s best cultural asset.
Sam Smith, Xcel Energy Center, August 16th: The set was a gigantic golden body laying down, and it only got more absurd from there.
Nas and Wu-Tang Clan, Target Center, October 7th: Three straight hours of top-tier hip-hop with both artists trading off so no gaps in between, an incredible structure for a concert and so much fun.
Queen + Adam Lambert, Xcel Energy Center, October 27th: Adam Lambert does a remarkable job filling in for Freddie Mercury, with a voice almost as impressive.
Stay tuned throughout 2024 for my musings on shows I see throughout the year! I hope next year has an equally impressive slate of concerts as this incredible year had.
Fairly Unbalanced 