NDMOA Downtown! is an extension of the Museum’s Concerts in the Garden series. This music series brings live music to the Empire Arts Center in historic downtown Grand Forks. From October – March, the Museum will book between four and six concerts by touring bands from across the United States and Canada.
Beer, wine, and concessions available for purchase.
Tickets:
$15 and can be purchased by calling the Museum at 701.777.4195, or at the Empire Arts Center (cash and check only) at 701.746.5500. Concerts are all-age shows. Tickets are non-refundable.
Interested musicians:
Musical groups interested in being a part of the 2015 - 2016 NDMOA Downtown! series should contact Matthew Wallace, 701.777.4195 or mwallace@ndmoa.com.
Sponsorship opportunities: For sponsorship opportunities contact the Museum, 701.777.4195.
October 13, 2015 Ben Caplan and the Casual Smokers Opening: Taryn Kawaja
A charismatic charmer and a smasher of pianos. A madman and an earnest poet. A strummer of delicate chords and a lover of bent and broken melodies. Ben Caplan is not any one thing. As he releases his second album, he's already gained a following in more than a dozen countries from Australia to Europe and across North America. It's no surprise. Caplan is simply unforgettable; with his huge beard and unruly mane, he is as visually striking as he is aurally compelling. But looks are deceiving; once he has your attention, Caplan can croon smoother than a glass of single malt whisky, pouring beauty into a harsh world. Inspired in part by Eastern European and Jewish folk traditions, Ben Caplan mixes older musical sensibilities with his own soul, straight from his hairy heart.
November 13, 2015 The Pines Opening: Ryan Avdem
Iowa-born/Minneapolis-based folk rock artists The Pines have created a loyal following for their lush, layered sound and poetic lyrics inspired by the land and folklore of the American Midwest. Bridging the folk, roots and indie worlds with their modern take on American music, frontmen/songwriters Benson Ramsey and David Huckfelt share a common musical language rooted in the songs and songwriters of their native Iowa, while each bringing a distinct voice and sensibility to a sound that Rolling Stone's David Fricke dubbed "quietly gripping." The Pines' sound balance Ramsey's ethereal, somberly beautiful songs with Huckfelt's darkly romantic, cinematic tales for a sweeping sound that evokes the vastness and loneliness of the Great Plains. Their instrumentation blends traditional acoustic instruments with electric guitars, bass and drums. The intricate guitar interplay between Benson and David is layered over the atmospheric keyboard work and vocal harmonies of Alex Ramsey (Benson's brother) to form the core of The Pines' instantly recognizable sound.
December 8, 2015 Joshua James Opening: Josh Driscoll
Raised in hard-bitten Nebraska, Joshua James’ work reflects a distinctly American ache, a yearning for a big sky and an open road. Beckoned westward out of his heartland home by the voices of Jim Morrison and Isaac Brock, he made it as far as the mountains of Utah, where like the settlers before him, he was stopped in his tracks by the arresting beauty. Strangely familiar, yet refreshingly innovative, James’ songs are devastating in their honesty, working with themes that are intermittently elating, melancholic, and transcendent. He doesn’t so much perform these songs, as he does let them possess him, allowing his voice to be throttled from a husky whisper to a full-bodied roar.
Upcoming concerts will be posted as they are booked. Check often.
