Our critic's guide to the best live music at Art-a-Whirl 2018

Nineties punk heroes Superchunk add roar to the Whirl this weekend.

May 18, 2018 at 1:55AM
Superchunk performs Saturday outside Grumpy's.
Superchunk performs Saturday outside Grumpy’s. (Christy DeSmith/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Almost everybody who knows anything about the live music offerings for Art-a-Whirl this weekend knows Superchunk is performing outside Grumpy's. The North Carolina indie-punk torchbearers are being brought in to mark the cornerstone corner bar's 20th anniversary on Saturday, a next-level booking for the ever-popular northeast Minneapolis neighborhood arts celebration.

There's a lot more music than that, though. Here's one music critic's totally subjective recommendations amid the mad Whirl.

Friday

5 p.m.: Machinery Hill (DEMO party), Ripper (331 Club)

6 p.m.: Tongue Party (331)

7 p.m.: Umbrella Bed (DEMO party, 6:30 p.m. start)

8 p.m.: Flavor Crystals (Elias Metal), Birthday Suits (331)

9 p.m.: Gay Witch Abortion (331), Viva Knievel (Bauhaus Brew Labs, 8:30)

Saturday

Noon: Thomas Abban (Bauhaus), Whiskey Rock 'n' Roll Club (Grumpy's)

1 p.m.: Lady Lark (Bauhaus, 1:30), the Carnegies (331)

2 p.m.: The Fox Loves (Grumpy's, 2:15), Why Not (Elias Metal)

3 p.m.: Silverteens (Elias)

4 p.m.: Sass (331), Adam Levy & the Coming Collapse (Grumpy's)

5 p.m.: Black Widows (331), the Evening Rig (Grumpy's)

6 p.m.: The Bad Man (Grumpy's), BNLX (331)

7 p.m.: The Cactus Blossoms (Grumpy's), Shredders (Bauhaus, 7:30)

8 p.m.: Superchunk (Grumpy's, 8:30)

9 p.m.: Black Eyed Snakes (Indeed), Har Mar Superstar (Bauhaus), Charlie Parr (331)

10 p.m.: Paris1919 (St. Boniface Church)

Sunday

1 p.m.: 4th Curtis (331)

2 p.m. Dosh (Indeed)

3 p.m.: Porcupine (Indeed)

4 p.m.: 26 Bats! (331)

5 p.m.: Happy Apple (Indeed), Gaelynn Lea (331)

6 p.m.: Valet (Anchor)

7 p.m.: Romantica (Anchor)

8 p.m.: All Tomorrow's Petty (331 Club)

Locations: 331 Club and Sheridan Room, 331 13th Av. NE.; the Anchor Fish & Chips, 302 13th Av. NE. ($1 cover); Bauhaus Brew Labs, 1315 NE. Tyler St.; DEMO party, 1317 NE. Marshall St. ($5 donation); Elias Metal Studio, 1129 NE. Van Buren St.; Grumpy's, 2200 NE. 4th St. ($5); Indeed Brewing, 711 15th Av. NE. ($1); St. Boniface Catholic Church, 629 NE. 2nd St.

Chris Riemenschneider • 612-673-4658

@ChrisRstrib

about the writer

about the writer

Chris Riemenschneider

Critic / Reporter

Chris Riemenschneider has been covering the Twin Cities music scene since 2001, long enough for Prince to shout him out during "Play That Funky Music (White Boy)." The St. Paul native authored the book "First Avenue: Minnesota's Mainroom" and previously worked as a music critic at the Austin American-Statesman in Texas.

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