Memorial Day was two weekends ago, but a lot of Twin Cities residents will be headed back to a cemetery near them this weekend – one specific graveyard, the oldest one in Minneapolis.

The historic Pioneers & Soldiers Cemetery, at Cedar Avenue and Lake Street, is hosting its second annual fundraiser concert on Saturday with performances by Low and Zoo Animal (4:30-8:30 p.m., $16 advance, $20 at gate, children 12 & under free, click here for more info). Of the many unique places Low has performed around Minneapolis, including the Lake Harriet Bandshell and Orchestra Hall, this one might take the cake. It's quite a fitting setting for a band whose best album, 2005's "The Great Destroyer," is basically all about death, and whose songs over the course of two decades have dealt heavily in spirituality and the afterlife.

The Duluth trio – fresh from a short tour with Death Cab for Cutie and its own special on the BYU cable network -- will be following in the footsteps of Jeremy Messersmith, who lives near the 159-year-old Pioneers & Soldiers grounds. Messersmith famously took inspiration strolling the cemetery during the writing of his 2010 album, "The Reluctant Graveyard." Among this particular graveyard's residents are four War of 1812 vets and Toussaint Grey, believed to be the first African American born in Minneapolis (and the namesake of one of the album's songs).

Messersmith worked with the volunteer organization Friends of the Cemetery and the city's preservation division to put on a concert last summer at the graveyard, a historic landmark that was (and is) in dire need of funding to restore its massive limestone fence and other upkeep and restoration projects. As senior city planner Aaron Hanauer said in our article before last year's concert, "We knew we needed to get creative with ways to raise money for maintaining the property. This certainly is creative." He and other organizers took notes from similar events in New York and Los Angeles, such as the famous Hollywood Forever Cemetery's concerts with the Flaming Lips and Bright Eyes. The one here was an unequivocal success: About 1,500 people attended last year, and $30,000 or so was raised for preservation efforts. The event went on to win an award for best community project at the Minneapolis Preservation Awards.

This year's will be even better, Hanauer believes. Veteran soundman Brad Kern helped organizers line up better sound and stage equipment via Slamhammer Audio. More parking is also being made available in a couple nearby lots, although there is also ample street parking around the grounds, and bicyclists can get there easily from the Midtown Greenway (and park their bikes inside the cemetery). Hola Arepa and Dandelion Kitchen will also be selling concessions out of their food trucks during the event. Sounds like my kind of graveyard party.