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Benefit concert for New Year's Day fire scheduled Jan. 24 at the Cedar

KFAI, Augsburg College and the Cedar came together to organize the show with Spider John Koerner, Brass Messengers and more.

By Chris Riemenschneider

January 13, 2014 at 3:32PM

(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

With the New Year's Day fire/explosion on the West Bank in Minneapolis happening right outside their door steps, KFAI Radio, Augsburg College and the Cedar Cultural Center quickly went into action to organize a benefit concert for victims and families. The event is scheduled Friday, Jan. 24, at the Cedar and will featur, Spider John Koerner, one of the local music legends who helped make the West Bank a live music haven. Here's the full lineup so far:

Spider John Koerner

Spider John Koerner / Star Tribune file (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Brass Messengers

Martin Devaney

Southside Desire

Augsburg JIVE (student ensemble from nearby Augsburg College)

DJ Go Getta

SYAV (Somali Youth Against Violence)

Additional acts are expected to join the good cause. Tickets will be $20 and go on sale Friday at noon via the Cedar's box office or website. The Cedar's executive director Rob Simonds said in a statement:

"This event is about the joining together of some of the community groups which call Cedar-Riverside (or 'The West Bank') home to help our neighbors who have suffered such great and tragic loss. Our neighborhood is known best for both its immigrant history and history of arts and culture, so we feel it's only appropriate to assemble a wide diversity of musical artists for this benefit concert."

about the writer

Chris Riemenschneider

Critic / Reporter

Chris Riemenschneider has been covering the Twin Cities music scene since 2001, long enough for Prince to shout him out during "Play That Funky Music (White Boy)." The St. Paul native authored the book "First Avenue: Minnesota's Mainroom" and previously worked as a music critic at the Austin American-Statesman in Texas.