Performance Venues
Minnesota

This list is limited to those venues which at least occasionally present acoustic music.  They may be a "sporadic" venue, or they may have an extensive schedule.  Let me know about other places which should be listed.

New Folk Collective
New Folk Collective concerts are normally held in the St. Paul Student Center, located on the St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota, 2017 Buford, St. Paul. The campus is located midway between downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul. The concerts are currently held either in the ballroom or the theater (check the concert list for the room).  A remarkable group, entirely volunteer-based.  Sponsors of fall and spring season of four or five shows each. Very fine touring musicians are scheduled, such as Bill Staines, John McCutcheon, James Keelaghan, Tom Paxton, and many others.  It's a good idea to get on the mailing list, so you know what's coming.  See the web site for ticket and contact information.
Cedar Cultural Center
Located in the old Cedar movie theater near Cedar and Riverside on the West Bank of the University of Minnesota, the Cedar is the most consistent folk venue in the Twin Cities, and it has the most extensive schedule.  It has the advantage of a permanent home and a paid director, unlike many other nonprofits which promote music.  From September through June of each year, a marvelous array of musicians pass through.  The sound is wonderful, there are no bad seats, and it's not a bar.  They even have an open stage for folk wannabes.  Go often.  Cedar publishes a newsletter about 8 times a year, with a great calendar and articles about artists. Get on the mailing list.   See the schedule online.
The Fitzgerald Theater
Located in Downtown St. Paul at the corner of Wabasha Ave and Exchange Street, the Fitzgerald Theater was built as the Schubert Theater in 1910. Today it is the home to Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion, as well as a wide variety of concerts, lectures, and productions from all over the world.   A few shows every year are acoustic.
Historic State and Orpheum Theaters
Downtown Minneapolis.  Managed together, these two stately old movie theaters are across Hennepin Avenue from each other.  Both are wonderful venues for acoustic music.
Orchestra Hall
Downtown Minneapolis.  Home to the Minnesota Orchestra, the biggest acoustic band in town.  But Orchestra Hall is also often the venue for other musicians, such as the Chieftains or B.B. King.  So it's a good idea to watch the schedule.
Guthrie Theater
Near Downtown Minneapolis.  One of the finest regional theaters in the world, this theater in the round also occasionally plays host to music events instead of Shakespeare or Albee.
Northrup Auditorium
On the main campus of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.  Another old theater, holding about 6000 people in a wonderful hall.  Springsteen played here on his acoustic tour, as has Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, James Taylor and many other performers.
O'Shaughnessy Auditorium
On the campus of the College of Saint Catherine in St. Paul (vicinity of Cleveland and Randolph), this fine auditorium is very occasionally the site of wonderful acoustic shows.   Usually best to check their events page, linked here.
Sheldon Theater, Red Wing
Beautiful old theater in Red Wing, which hosts a variety of events.
Medina Entertainment Center
This ballroom/bowling center complex is an unlikely venue, but it often hosts very interesting musicians, such as Asleep at the Wheel, Ricky Skaggs, Delbert McClinton, Little Feat, Michael Martin Murphey, and others.
A Prairie Home Companion
Now world famous, back in the 70's it cost a buck.  Garrison Keillor has always promoted a variety of acoustic musicians, and has had the finest local and national musicians on the show.  It's great fun to watch the show in person, because it is truly an old-fashioned live radio show.  Tickets are a little more than a buck, though, and you have to get them way ahead.
The Dakota
A bar and restaurant featuring mostly acoustic jazz, located in Bandana Square, Saint Paul, MN.
Gingko Coffehouse
Located on Snelling Avenue just south of Hamline University in St. Paul MN.  This little  coffeehouse has a nice "neighborhood" feeling to it.  A small schedule of local and touring acoustic musicians can be heard here, presented by people who care about the music.
Amazing Grace Bakery
Located in Duluth, this little music venue often presents major folk acts who are appearing elsewhere in the Midwest.  A good place to visit.
Granite City Folk Society
The Granite City Folk Society promotes folk music in the St. Cloud area., mainly through a Wednesday evening show at BoDiddley's Deli.
Grassroots Concerts
Located in Nisswa, Minnesota, north of Brainerd in north central Minnesota, a small group of volunteers has amassed an impressive roster of touring folk musicians whom they've presented -- too many to list, in fact.
Ticketmaster
OK, Ticketmaster isn't a venue at all, and we all hate the "extra" fees.  However, Ticketmaster will list almost every major and many lesser events in the Twin Cities, so it belongs on a resource page for finding out what's happening.
Sue McLean & Associates
Another link to a "non-venue."  Sue is a local promoter of concerts, who includes some acoustic acts in her bookings.  Since she books at a variety of venues, her site listing of upcoming events she's handling is worth an occasional look.
Oak Center General Store
Oak Center, Minnesota --This town is a little bit southwest of Lake City -- This place has a reputation as a great place to hear touring folkies in southern Minnesota.
Hope Church Concert Series
This church in Shoreview presents a few shows a year, from the likes of Prudence Johnson, Laura MacKenzie, Pat Donohue, Monroe Crossing, Butch Thompson, Urban Hillbilly Quartet, Peter Ostroushko and Dirk Freymouth, and others.  Shows are inexpensive, no advance sales, but with performers like this, who can complain?
Fine Line Music Cafe
This is a bar, located in the downtown Minneapolis warehouse district on First Avenue.   National and regional touring aritsts play here, mostly art rock or "new acoustic."
First Avenue
Another club in the downtown Minneapolis warehouse district on First Avenue at 7th Street.   Occasional acoustic events are held here.
The Cabooze
This is a bar, located near the West Bank in Minneapolis, at 917 Cedar Ave.   There's almost no acoustic music, but I list it because they sometimes have terrific national blues acts come through.
400 Bar
The 400 Bar is located on the West Bank of the University of Minnesota at 400 Cedar Avenue, at the corner of Cedar and Riverside in Minneapolis.  Again, not always acoustic, and it's really a bar, but sometimes has very fine acoustic acts, like the legendary Spider John Koerner.
Lee's Liquor Lounge
11th and Glenwood in Minneapolis, another smoky bar, but in the past it's been known to present the late Dave Ray and Tony Glover or Spider John Koerner, famous bluesmen, and it often showcases cool western swing, rockabilly, and other music folkies might relate to.