Highlights — and 'Delight' — as live music returns to Minneapolis' Art-A-Whirl

"You don't stop the rock," goes the classic song by New York's Sugarhill Gang. Art-A-Whirl agrees.

After a two-year hiatus, the rock 'n' roll side of northeast Minneapolis' sprawling three-day studio and pub crawl is back with a vengeance — and with some of the Furious Five, too.

Northeast live music hub the 331 Club and neighboring eatery the Sheridan Room are bringing in a posse of hip-hop legends to their outdoor Art-A-Whirl bash: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Melle Mel and Scorpio of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five will join fellow New York pioneers the Sugarhill Gang of "Rapper's Delight" outside the 331 on Saturday night.

The same group was booked to perform the event in 2020. "That didn't happen, of course, so they agreed to come and perform this year," said 331 co-owner Jarret Oulman.

Those aren't the only hip-hop vets booked at Art-A-Whirl parties: Pryes Brewing has Chali 2na of '90s Los Angeles group Jurassic 5 scheduled at the same time as the New Yorkers.

Eastside Food Co-op is hosting its first-ever bash Saturday afternoon with local reggae vet Innocent and indie rockers Little Fevers. Conversely, a couple of Art-A-Whirl mainstays opted not to host music this year, Grumpy's Bar and the Anchor Fish & Chips (though both will be open as usual).

Some of the neighborhood's many breweries — which took over the Art-A-Whirl party scene over the past decade — have music on tap all weekend, including Bauhaus, 612 and Indeed, which brings back its outdoor Whirlygig party Friday through Sunday.

"We're highlighting a bunch of local bands that we think are awesome and that, since COVID, haven't had as many opportunities to play," said Indeed sales director Ryan Bandy.

As always, navigating Art-A-Whirl's live music offerings around Northeast can quite truly be a whirl. Here's an hour-by-hour guide with our favorite pick plus a backup option.

Friday

6 p.m.: Choppy, young punk quartet Vial (Indeed); Chris Lynch & Dust of Suns (Twin Ignition)

7: Brit-poppy rockers the Alarmists return with new music (Bauhaus); Sam Cassidy (Pryes)

8: Queen tribute band Ready Freddie (331 Club); Purple Funk Metropolis (Indeed, 8:30 start)

9: Gully Boys are back from their spring tour (Indeed, 8:45 p.m.); White Iron Band (612 Brew, 8:30)

Saturday

Noon: Southern-y soul-rocker Mae Simpson (Bauhaus); Prairie Fire Lady Choir (331)

1 p.m.: Americana guitar ace and songwriter Erik Koskinen (Pryes); Trevor McSpadden (Indeed)

2: All-female bluegrass troupe the Foxgloves (Sociable Cider Werks); Jillian Rae (331)

3: Experimental guitarist Mike Michel's the Orange Goodness (Bauhaus); Grunge Unplugged (612 Brew)

4: Lucy Michelle's folky indie-rock band Little Fevers (Eastside Co-op); Jaedyn James (Bauhaus, 4:30)

5: Kiss the Tiger; duh (Indeed); Danger Pins (Twin Ignition, 4:30)

6: Zany hip-hop dance duo Koo Koo Kanga Roo (Bauhaus); Diane (331 Club)

7: Stormy rockers the Graveyard Club (Bauhaus, 7:30); Black Velvet Punks (331)

8: Rising jazz and funk drummer/bandleader L.A. Buckner with Big Homie (Indeed, 8:30)

9: Sugarhill Gang, Melle Mel and Scorpio (331 Club); Chali 2na (Pryes)

Sunday

11:30 a.m.: Twin Cities Gay Men's Choir with a drag show

1 p.m.: Old-school folk trio Corpse Reviver (331)

2: Transmission DJ Shane Kramer (Bauhaus)

3: Quirky but melodic punk quartet Butter Boys (331)

4: Glam-metal vets Venus DeMars & All the Pretty Horses (331)

5: Groundbreaking all-star jazz trio Happy Apple (Indeed)

6-9: Finish with a trifecta of inspiring songwriters featuring elegant folkie Humbird, neo-twangy strummer Under Violet and soul/blues rocker Annie Mack (331)

Note: Most shows are free. Check for age restrictions and full schedules at the hosts' Facebook pages.

Addresses: 331 Club and Sheridan Room, 331 13th Av. NE.; 612 Brew, 945 NE. Broadway; Bauhaus Brew Labs, 1315 NE. Tyler St.; Eastside Food Co-op, 2551 Central Av. NE.; Elias Metal Studio, 1129 NE. Van Buren St.; Indeed Brewing, 771 15th Av. NE.; Pryes Brewing, 1401 West River Road N.; Sociable Cider Werks, 1500 NE. Fillmore St.; Twin Ignition Start-Up Garage, 1317 NE. Marshall St.