All experiences

DOORS @ 6:45pm SHOW 8:00pm -10:00pm LaPlant Road is the fondly named duo of Emily LaPlant and Liz Ashworth. It is an ode to the music made in Northern Minnesota, on LaPlant Road, the place where Emily and Liz grew up and discovered themselves. They bring their love for traditional folk and fiddle tunes as well as jazz, R&B, and Rock n Roll into something totally unique. It’s all encompassed by a deep love for each other, two childhood friends and soul sisters. laplantroad.squarespace.com/ $15 Cover in Advance and Day Of Show

From $15 / person

DOORS @ 7:30pm SHOW 8:30pm -10:30pm Born in Minneapolis and raised in the quiet suburbs nearby, Raymnd developed a deep love for music at a young age - something quickly noticed by those closest to him. Growing up, he was inspired by the sounds of The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and other 1960s neo-psychedelic acts, as well as the pop and funk roots of fellow Minneapolis native Prince. He also drew influence from modern dream-pop artists like Beach House and Mazzy Star. As he has matured, Raymnd has crafted a sound uniquely his own - blending mellow guitar, haunting lyrics, lush synths, and hypnotic melodies that keep listeners coming back for more. @rayymnddd raymnd.com $20 Cover in Advance and Day Of Show

DOORS @ 7:30pm SHOW 8:30pm -10:30pm Over the past two years, singer-songwriter Thomas Sticha has blazed his own trail in the Midwest country and folk music scene. A native of St. Paul, Minnesota, his style of songwriting is thoughtful and clever, often paired with beautiful storytelling and/or a sense of humor. His music draws inspiration from classic country songwriting legends (ie, John Prine, Dean Dillon) and combines them with the refreshing sounds of new country songwriters (ie, Tyler Childers, Hayes Carll, Colter Wall). “Experiencing Thomas on stage is like being part of an intimate conversation with a friend who just happens to have a guitar and an incredible voice. His vibe is infectious, and his connection with the audience is genuine. If you haven't yet, do yourself a favor and dive into his music. You won't be disappointed.” — Brandon Backstrom (Host, BOB FM Total Country Radio) For more information about Thomas Sticha, please visit thomassticha.com. $20 Cover in Advance and Day Of Show

DOORS @ 7:00pm SHOW 8:00pm -10:00pm The Way Back Yard will be playing some Christmas classics and some other funky tunes! Sinatra, Clapton, Otis Redding, Bill Withers, The Eagles, The Band, maybe even Bob Dylan!  Minneapolis-based indie-folk artist James Kennedy writes songs that feel both hopeful and haunted. His music pairs the unassuming charm and nonchalance of 2000s indie rock with a deeper strain of earnest vulnerability reminiscent of the Laurel Canyon songwriters of the 1970s. The resulting sound feels sonically laid back yet emotionally urgent—warm acoustic textures, simple melodies, and lyrics that wrestle with the joys and pains of love gained and lost. $12 Cover in Advance and Day Of Show

DOORS @ 7:30pm SHOW 8:30pm -10:30pm The Way Back Yard will be playing some Christmas classics and some other funky tunes! Sinatra, Clapton, Otis Redding, Bill Withers, The Eagles, The Band, maybe even Bob Dylan! Minneapolis-based indie-folk artist James Kennedy writes songs that feel both hopeful and haunted. His music pairs the unassuming charm and nonchalance of 2000s indie rock with a deeper strain of earnest vulnerability reminiscent of the Laurel Canyon songwriters of the 1970s. The resulting sound feels sonically laid back yet emotionally urgent—warm acoustic textures, simple melodies, and lyrics that wrestle with the joys and pains of love gained and lost. $15 Cover in Advance and Day Of Show

DOORS @ 7:30pm SHOW 8:30pm -10:30pm Alice Wallace grew up in a musical family, where voices like Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton were on heavy rotation on the family turntable and were huge influences on her as a budding singer and songwriter. Nowadays, Wallace tours full-time, bringing her personal songs and soaring vocals to venues across the country. She’s also one of the few modern singer/songwriters keeping the art of the country yodel alive alicewallacemusic.com In 2023, Leslie, a songwriter known for high energy acoustic rock, faced a series of profound losses. Starting with his mother on Christmas Eve, he lost his father in January, a nephew in May, and another in August. In the span of months, in-laws, close friends, and figures integral to his music career also passed away. But amidst the heartbreak of 2024, moments of levity surfaced, as time spent with family, close friends, and bandmates reignited his creative spark. The result was a wave of songwriting, which became his new six-track EP. leslierichmusic.com $20 Cover in Advance and Day Of Show

DOORS @ 7:30pm SHOW 8:30pm -10:30pm Gentlemen Dreadnought is an exciting acoustic duo composed of Derek Johnson (Monroe Crossing) and Clint Birtzer (The High 48s). Started as a side project in 2018, Gentlemen Dreadnought has been steadily refining their act as they play shows throughout the upper midwest. As Gentlemen Dreadnought, Derek & Clint enjoy the simplicity of a duet. They have fun exchanging guitar licks but what they enjoy most is how their vocals merge together in 'brother duet' like harmony. Whether picking out blazing bluegrass numbers, singing heartbreaking classic country songs, harmonizing on folk ballads, or even tampering with the occasional pop song, these two established and seasoned musicians put on a great show in any setting. $15 Cover in Advance and Day Of Show

DOORS @ 7:30pm SHOW 8:30pm -10:30pm Billy Johnson is a singer/songwriter from Minneapolis. Vocalist. Guitarist. Acoustic roots soul. 12 Albums of original material. Frontman for The Hillcats, BJ’s Roadshow, and B-TEAM. Billy has played with The Bodeans, Bob Schneider, Five For Fighting, Train, Navarro, and others. Billy has played, and continues to play, bars, clubs, theaters, backyard hangs, hospital bedsides, breweries, wineries, birthday parties, and everything in between. Billy likes to play. billyboymusic.com $20 Cover in Advance and Day Of Show

DOORS @ 7:00pm SHOW 8:00pm -10:00pm "the humming room" is a minimalist instrumental project designed specifically for those who find traditional soundtracks too distracting for deep work. Born from the need for "background music that doesn't demand center stage," the project serves as a sonic sanctuary for students, writers, and thinkers. By stripping away lyrics and aggressive arrangements, it creates a steady, unobtrusive environment that encourages cognitive flow rather than competing with it. Jeremy Elijah writes songs born out of a longing for the eternal by exploring the coexistence of joy and sorrow within day to day life. His lyricism bears likeness to the work of Rich Mullins, Josh Garrels, and Andrew Peterson, while borrowing production styles from artist like Bon Iver and Phoebe Bridgers. In his free time he enjoys going on drives, watching movies, wrestling his dog, and having meaningful conversation with those around him. At 27, Minnesota-based artist Ben has spent more than two decades immersed in music. From his first drum lessons at age four to studying piano performance and production at McNally Smith by sixteen, his journey has been one of constant evolution. After years of producing for others and contributing to various bands, Ben has transitioned into his own work, crafting a sound as expansive as the landscapes he calls home. $15 Cover in Advance and Day Of Show

DOORS @ 7:30pm SHOW 8:30pm -10:30pm Wilkinson James got started way back in 2008, when singer-songwriters Liz Wilkinson and AJ Scheiber met up and put their songs and voices together to produce a sound that one fan described as “the bastard offspring of June Carter Cash and Townes Van Zandt.” Over the years, the duo slowly evolved into a full band, with saxophone, violin, and pedal steel adding new flavors and colors to Liz and AJ’s acoustic roots. Abandon, the first record to feature the full-band version of Wilkinson James, is 10 years old in 2026, and the group is celebrating this anniversary with a show at the Aster (where the record’s release party was held back in 2016). The band will perform the entire Abandon album, along with a generous sprinkling of fan-favorite originals and curated covers. wilkinsonjames.net $15 Cover in Advance and Day Of Show

DOORS @ 7:30pm SHOW 8:30pm -10:30pm Max Mercy is the alter ego of Minneapolis songwriter Paul Frantzich. A back-alley troubadour somewhere between a country crooner, a heartbroken ballad singer, and a survivor of the 1980s Minneapolis punk clubs. In MAX MERCY: Undercover, Max plays only cover songs. The ones that shaped him, saved him, and followed him through long nights and open roads. With a guitar, a little bourbon, and a lot of heart, he delivers a jukebox confession built on one simple truth: the right song at the right moment can still change everything $20 Cover in Advance and Day Of Show

DOORS @ 7:30pm SHOW 8:30pm -10:30pm Mark Ross & the Three-Nineteen deliver gritty americana, rock and country with vivid storytelling and hard learned experience. Drawn from the highways, dive bars and quiet moments in between Ross writes songs about love, loss and the road ahead. Known for their live shows and thoughtful songwriting the band has made a name for themselves in the Midwest music scene with a sound that’s both classic and new. On stage or in the studio Mark Ross & the Three-Nineteen keep making music for the restless in all of us. markrossandthethreenineteen.com $12 Cover in Advance and Day Of Show

DOORS @ 7:00pm SHOW 8:00pm -10:00pm Solo fingerstyle guitarist The Daily Norm graces us with virtuosic abilities that sound like 4 guitars conceived from10-fingers. https://www.instagram.com/thedailynorm1586/?hl=en A songwriter since childhood, Jeff’s music is deeply personal and intuitive, showing a spiritual connection with the natural world - often overruling structure in favor of improvisation. When he was seventeen, Ray left Minnesota for Memphis, absorbing the city’s gritty lessons in timing and tone, ultimately returning north with a quiverful of alternate tunings and a disciplined practice that treats composition as discovery. Across more than two decades, he has released eight albums and shaped solo performances that unfold like intimate masterclasses. jeffraymusic.com $15 Cover in Advance and Day Of Show

DOORS @ 7:30pm SHOW 8:30pm -10:30pm Pat Frederick aka “Papa Fred,” joins local music luminaries Donnie La Marca, Dr. Dave Schmalenberger and Nick Salisbury for the highly anticipated Aster debut of The New Entangled Particles. The New Entangled Particles bring a sharply curated bag of musical tricks, hand picked for beauty, brains & humor. (Think Thomas Dolby’s “She Blinded Me With Science” as a Cuban montuno… or “On The Street Where You Live,” with a slightly dark Danny Elfman Beetlejuice lilt.) It is a decidedly joyful outré musical romp through the back alleys of world-beat, post-pop, jazz, exotica, Broadway and funk. Frederick’s vocals and humorous storytelling ring with lived experience, while his electric violin playing rides a muscular rhythm section consisting of some of MN’s finest veteran musicians: Donnie La Marca - world class jazz pianist with the Blenders, Mick Sterling and TC Jammers. Nick Salisbury - first call MPLS bassist with Mike Munson Trio, the Neighborhood Quartet has toured internationally with Ryan Bingham and Ryan Fallon. Dr. Dave Schmalenberger - first call percussionist holds a PHD in music, teaches at several prestigious Twin Cities colleges and has performed internationally with numerous jazz greats, including Marilyn May. Pat Frederick is a MN Music Award recipient for best violinist. He is in the MN Music Hall of Fame as well as the MN Rock and Country Hall of Fame. He has received the National Parents Choice Award, an ISES Award, a Telly and the MN Music Award for Best Band. Touring nationally behind; “The Daisy Dillman Band” (David Z, Producer / Sound 80, Mpls MN.) and “Loving the Night Away,” (Rick Hall, Producer / Fame Studios, Muscle Shoals Al.), he cowrote the single “Loving the Night Away,” charting 46 in the Billboard Hot 100. Pat has performed across the US and has been back up musician for the likes of David Byrne, Kenny Loggins, Michael Johns patfrederickmusic.com $15 Cover in Advance and Day Of Show

DOORS @ 7:30pm SHOW 8:30pm -10:30pm Anna Houston is an independent singer-songwriter based in Minneapolis. Her music is all about connection and storytelling. Whether it’s the playfulness of “THIN SKIN,” or the raw emotion in “Jones,” she writes songs to express what she’s feeling and to connect with others who might be feeling the same way. There's something so powerful about sharing a moment or emotion through a song, and she’s grateful to be able to do that through her music. linktr.ee/AnnaHouston Aly Meier is a singer/songwriter based in the Minneapolis area and has been paving her own path into the Mpls music scene. Her music can be described as a mix between folk and pop, with hints of indie influences inspired by Joni Mitchell, Sara Bareilles, and Fleetwood Mac. Her storytelling and honesty are her desired portrayals through her songwriting. Her love for performing stems from her childhood, and her deep love for connecting with her audience is clear through her shows. linktr.ee/alymeier $15 Cover in Advance and Day Of Show

DOORS @ 7:30pm SHOW 8:30pm -10:30pm Matt’s new orchestra has a grassy sound that’s ea;sy to fall into. Most striking to both the eye and ear is the harp mastery of Phala Tracy. The band’s sound is underpinned by the propulsive banjo groove of Quillan Roe. The bright sounds of harp and banjo are sent forth on black road of electric bass paved by Minneapolis guitar wizard Jacques Wait. The group sings together in striking close harmony. Their new album, When I was a Writer, represents not only a new and appealing sound but a 10-track songwriting triumph of melody, rhyme, and pure emotion. minneapolismatt.com $20 Cover in Advance and Day Of Show

DOORS @ 7:30pm SHOW 8:30pm -10:30pm Peter VanDusartz (aka Spike), assembled The Gandy Dancers to help fulfill the latest leg of his songwriter’s quest. In their album release celebration at the Aster Cafe, the ensemble will perform, front to back, “What You Gonna Be?” - a dynamic collection of 11 songs coined, co-produced and released by VanDusartz. Written over the course of many years, the rich mix of songs on “What You Gonna Be?” showcase VanDusartz’s luscious baritone vocals across a style spectrum brimming with pop hooks and epic rock solos alongside acoustic folk and almost cinematic oompah waltz. Co-produced by Minneapolis’ John Munson (Semisonic, The Flops, Trip Shakespeare) the album was recorded by a village of seasoned musicians at Munson’s Minneapolis studio and released at the end of 2025. The Spike and the Gandy Dancers set will begin at 8:30 and perform the entire album. This will be followed by "The Toolmasters", a Trip Shakespeare tribute show to continue the celebration. “What You Gonna Be?” by Spike and The Gandy Dancers is available everywhere you stream and in custom vinyl available at The Aster on the 6th. spikeandthegandydancers.com $15 Cover in Advance and Day Of Show

DOORS @ 7:30pm SHOW 8:30pm -10:30pm Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter and fingerstyle guitarist David Harland creates emotive, boundary-pushing acoustic music rooted in introspection and nuance. His songs pair thoughtful lyrics and melodies with intricate guitar work, offering listeners an experience that is innovative, lyrical, and quietly expressive—music meant to slow time and take us a little deeper. This evening is an invitation to come together, share the room, and celebrate the release of David’s brand new EP, Way Back Down davidharlandmusic.com Mother Coyote offers up esoteric alt-pop that balance themes of birth & death, individual & collective healing, & the endless spiral of soul searching that fills the spaces of the human experience, shining a light in the darkness for all to look toward. mothercoyote.com $15 Cover in Advance and Day Of Show