We are featuring lots of cities on The Setlist this week, with a touring Native music festival making three stops around the area, plus shows in Bemidji, Grand Rapids and Aurora. There's always music around, get out there and check it out!
The Ancestral Embers Native Music Fest is a three-day touring festival of Anishinaabe musicians from around Minnesota and Ontario. Hosted by KBFT Bois Forte Tribal Radio, the event will feature Keith Secola, Itz Lil Lee, Orville Councillor, Jaime Sky, Leonard Sumner and Jada Brown. Sumner's 2018 album Standing in the Light was nominated for Indigenous Music Album of the Year at Canada's Juno Awards. On Wednesday, the festival kicks off at the Bois Forte Government Building in Nett Lake. Thursday, it will stop at the Fond Du Lac Tribal Community College Commons in Cloquet, and on Friday, the final stop is in Duluth at the Dr. Robert Powless Cultural Center. Music begins at 6 p.m. each day.
In Bemidji, Jed LaPlant of Wild Horses plays a solo show at Brigid's Friday at 6 p.m. He shared on Facebook that he will debut new songs, and play selections from his solo album prior to forming Wild Horses. Opening the show will be Florida folk-country singer Dean Batten.
It's the first Friday of the month again, so catch Sam Miltich & Friends playing Rapids Brewing at 6 p.m. The friends this month are guitarist Mark Kreitzer and mandolinist Liz Ashworth of LaPlant Road, plus permanent friend Matthew Miltich holding it down on bass for this Hot Club and straight-ahead jazz.
On Saturday, there will be lunchtime music in Aurora at the Hive Coffee & Bakehouse with Josh & Trapper. They are a soulful and bluesy duo of Josh Palmi on vocals and guitar with Trapper Ranfranz on harmonica, both longtime Iron Range musicians. Music from noon to 2 p.m.
Wednesday, April 2
- Ancestral Embers Native Music Fest Day 1 - 6 p.m., Bois Forte Government Building, Nett Lake, free
Thursday, April 3
- Ancestral Embers Native Music Fest Day 2 - 6 p.m., Fond Du Lac Tribal Community College Commons, Cloquet, free
Friday, April 4
- Ancestral Embers Native Music Fest Day 3 - 6 p.m., Dr. Robert Powless Cultural Center, Duluth, free
- Jed LaPlant and Dean Bratten - 6 p.m., Brigid's, Bemidji, free
- Sam Miltich & Friends - 6 p.m., Rapids Brewing Co., Grand Rapids, free
Saturday, April 5
- Josh & Trapper - noon, Hive Coffee & Bakehouse, Aurora, free
The weekly live music spotlight is made possible by the citizens of Minnesota through the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.
