At least one Twin Cities music venue will start hosting live music again in June.
Minneapolis' Hook & Ladder to host weekly virtual music gigs in June
Bands will perform on an enlarged stage with only a film and sound crew.
May 6, 2020 at 7:30PM
The Hook & Ladder announced a livestreaming lineup for June that will feature two or three performances per week from its south Minneapolis firehouse-turned-theater, each staged without audiences and with proper social-distancing practices.
Dubbed "HookStream," the series calendar so far includes the Jones Gang (June 5), Frogleg (June 6), Sarah Morris (June 11), Grayson DeWolfe (June 12), the Belfast Cowboys (June 13), the Shackletons (June 18) and Davina & the Vagabonds (June 19).
"We had to do something," said talent booker Jesse Brodd, who — like the rest of the staff at the Longfellow neighborhood's nonprofit venue — is currently working without pay.
They're building a bigger stage for bands to spread out, changing up the lighting, and hiring sound and video crews for each gig. "I think we're going to be doing this for a while, so we're trying to do it the best way we can," Brodd said.
Revenue will be shared between the venue and performers. Some of the acts will be working for virtual tips, and some will sell $10-$15 virtual tickets via Eventbrite. The free shows will be viewable via the venue's Facebook page and website starting at 8 or 9 p.m. Ticketed gigs will feature an "unlock code" for viewing, which go on sale May 8 via thehookmpls.com.
"We don't want to diminish the value of live performances," Brodd explained of the mix, "but we also know a lot of people aren't working and can use some free entertainment. So we want to fulfill our mission to serve the community, too."
Chris Riemenschneider • 612-673-4658
@ChrisRstrib
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