Explore Minnesota Travel Guide • 2025 Explore Minnesota Travel Guide • The Music Scene

From the world-conquering funk of Prince to indie rock icons like the Replacements and Hüsker Dü to newer stars like Hippo Campus and Lizzo, Minneapolis-St. Paul has consistently turned out sounds that everyone else has wanted to hear. And you don’t get a legacy like that without a vital network of clubs, radio stations, record stores and labels. Here are some top ways to experience the metro area’s exciting, thriving music scene.

For decades, the center of Minnesota’s music scene has been First Avenue. A renovated bus depot in downtown Minneapolis, First Ave has been rocking for more than 50 years and remains a shining example of what it means to be truly independent. You may have seen First Ave even if you’ve never been to Minneapolis; it’s where the concert scenes from Prince’s “Purple Rain” were filmed. A smaller annex, the 7th St Entry, has become nearly as legendary as a launching pad for bands like the Replacements, Hüsker Dü and Soul Asylum.

But there’s a lot more to Minnesota music than First Ave. For seated shows, you can’t beat the historic State and Orpheum theatres, also in downtown Minneapolis. For more intimate shows, swing by the non-profit Hook & Ladder in south Minneapolis, the newly opened Zhora Darling in Northeast Minneapolis or the Cedar Cultural Center in Cedar-Riverside, which focuses on international and folk shows.

Minneapolis also has plenty of jazz options. Try dinner and a show at the Dakota downtown, visit the experimentally focused Icehouse, take a short trip to Crooners Supper Club in Fridley for cabaretstyle entertainment, or check out one of the newer additions to local nightlife, Berlin, in the trendy North Loop neighborhood.

In St. Paul, the cozy Turf Club has long been a favorite local hang. The Palace Theatre, a restored vaudeville theater, is a large venue for touring bands, and just around the corner sits the iconic Fitzgerald Theater, where “Prairie Home Companion” was taped for nearly 40 years.

Turning to classical music, the Minnesota Orchestra, led by music director Thomas Søndergård, not only presents the fare you’d expect from a world class orchestra (with concerts free for kids), but also reaches out to a broader audience with a pops series, performances of film scores and other special events. The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra performs traditional and newly commissioned works across the metro area, and the Schubert Club presents an eight concert series throughout the year.

If you’re here in summer, experience the Minneapolis-St. Paul festival scene with major block parties, outdoor concerts and more. Minneapolis’ popular Music in the Parks series brings live, local music to city parks several days a week, while St. Paul offers a great lineup of free music at Lowertown Sounds in Mears Park on Thursday nights.

Whether you’re a fan of some specific musical style or just want to shake it to your favorite dance music, there’s a club night for you in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Ground Zero in Northeast Minneapolis keeps the Goth style alive, while The Saloon in downtown Minneapolis is a popular gay bar that’s open to all patrons. Some of the biggest EDM shows pass through the Armory in downtown Minneapolis. And for something a little more retro, there are swing dancing nights throughout the city. Among the most popular is TC Swing in Northeast Minneapolis.

Then there are DJ nights that move from club to club. Jake Rudh’s popular “Transmission” night focuses on ’80s new wave and pop, and DJ Shannon Blowtorch spins a variety of styles, on her own and as part of the GRRRL PRTY collective. Techno promoters Intellephunk have been throwing parties since the ’90s, and neon-tinged dance nights at Gothess have become among the hottest in town.

At a time when brick-and-mortar record stores have disappeared from many major cities, Minneapolis-St. Paul is a haven for vinyl and CD shoppers alike. The granddaddy of Minneapolis record stores is Electric Fetus. Founded in 1968, the Fetus boasts a knowledgeable staff, offers regular listening parties for new releases as well as in-store performances and attracts visiting musicians as well as locals.

Ringo Starr once wore an Electric Fetus T-shirt onstage at the Grammys, and Prince, a long-time customer, made some Record Store Day purchases just five days before his death.

Old standbys like Cheapo (known for its extensive used CD and LP selection), Know Name, Roadrunner and Hymie’s (a vinyl haven) are still going strong. Specialty shops like Extreme Noise cater to punk fans, you can actually get your film developed while you browse at the newer coffee shop/record store Disco Death Records, and don’t overlook little gems like the Record Spot in south Minneapolis.

Minnesota has a proud legacy of legendary musicians and a steady stream of emerging talent.

Bob Dylan, who was born in Duluth, passed through Minneapolis in 1959 during a key period in his musical development. We hardly need to mention Prince, but it’s worth noting his affiliates, such as Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, whose collaborations with Janet Jackson helped make her a star.

The Replacements, Hüsker Dü, Soul Asylum and Semisonic gave Minneapolis-St. Paul a reputation for great indie and alternative rock. Pop star Lizzo launched her music career in Minneapolis. Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, who lives in nearby Eau Claire, often teams up with Minnesotans.

Among the newer rock bands getting national attention are Hippo Campus and Gully Boys. We’ve still got a strong Americana scene too, as evidenced by the brother duo Cactus Blossoms, and new singer/songwriter, Ber, who had her first headlining tour last year.

One of Minneapolis-St. Paul’s latest success stories, Dua Saleh is an innovative rapper/singer who recently signed to indie label Ghostly International. (You may also know Saleh as Cal on the Netflix show “Sex Education,” a role that landed them in Los Angeles.)

Prince was a born-and-bred Minnesotan who spent most of his 57 years here. Take a self-guided tour of some of the top Prince related destinations.

In 1983, the album version of the song “Purple Rain” was recorded live at First Avenue. One year later, the venue set the backdrop for the concert footage in the movie of the same name.

Prince’s recording studio/residence/performance venue in the western suburb of Chanhassen has become a destination for his fans to pay tribute to the late star. Public tours are available throughout the week and include access to Prince’s recording and mixing studios, rehearsal rooms, sound stage and private music club.

Just a short walk from First Avenue you will find the Dakota. Prince was known to frequent the intimate club to support local musicians and would often show up unexpectedly. In 2013, he performed a set of shows that sold out a half hour after they were announced.

Fans of “Purple Rain” will remember the scene where Apollonia is asked to “purify herself in Lake Minnetonka.” Though the scene was actually filmed along the Minnesota River south of the Twin Cities near Henderson, the real Lake Minnetonka is about 30 minutes west of Minneapolis.

There’s more to Minnesota than Minneapolis-St. Paul. To start with, there’s Paisley Park in nearby Chanhassen, where Prince once lived and recorded, and which is now a museum.

Minnesota casinos like Treasure Island and Mystic Lake offer great live music as well. In addition to country stars and nostalgia acts, the casinos have brought in Wilco, Kesha and Lauryn Hill in recent years.

Follow the trail that leads from Robert Zimmerman to Bob Dylan, from the iconic folk singer’s birthplace in Duluth to Minneapolis-St. Paul hangouts where he crafted his signature sound.

Visit Dinkytown, home of the University of Minnesota’s Minneapolis campus, where Dylan was enrolled from fall 1959 to fall 1960. Dylan lived above Gray’s Campus Drug (now Gray’s) and played at local coffee houses. In downtown Minneapolis, check out the Bob Dylan Mural “Times They Are A-Changin’” at the corner of Fifth Street and Hennepin Avenue.

Pick up the legendary Highway 61 in Minneapolis-St. Paul and follow it north to Duluth, where Dylan was born – his first home is located at 519 North 3rd Avenue East. You can also drive Bob Dylan Way and see an exhibit at the historic lakefront brewery Fitger’s. In May, don’t miss Duluth Dylan Fest, which celebrates the city’s native son with music and a full creative lineup.

In Hibbing, see Dylan’s high school and childhood home (marked with a plaque) as you cruise along Dylan Drive. In 1958, he performed at a talent contest in the Memorial Building – Little Theater, now the Hibbing Historical Society Museum. At the Hibbing Public Library, check out a Dylan exhibit based on his autobiography, Chronicles: Volume I.

Explore Minnesota Travel Guide - 2025 Explore Minnesota Travel Guide

The Music Scene

Get to Know the Minneapolis-St. Paul Music Scene

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