When she took the reins of the Cedar Cultural Center in June, Michelle Woster more than once received the same blunt message from people who were actually wishing her well.
"Don't [bleep] it up," the new executive director of the nonprofit music venue recalled.
In its 33 years of operation in a former movie theater in Minneapolis' West Bank/Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, "the Cedar" has built up a cultish reputation as a haven for international performers, independent singer-songwriters and other musicians often left off more mainstream concert circuits. It's also well regarded as one of the warmest and best-sounding — if not luxurious — listening rooms in town.
A veteran of nonprofit arts organizations and a music fan herself, Woster knew exactly what was meant by those comments.
"People feel attached to this place in a way that's pretty unique," she said. "It's more a part of the community than a lot of other venues, and a part of people's lives in Minneapolis."
However, all that love for the Cedar couldn't help it get through the COVID-19 pandemic unscathed, or without some of the community's lingering scars following George Floyd's murder in 2020. Many employees had to be let go, and show bookings lagged for much of 2021.
In short, the place was already a bit messed up when Woster took over.
Now, though, the 645-person-capacity venue is entering a new era with new leadership and energy, plus a new booking director, Mary Brabec, who arrived with three decades of experience in the concert industry. She, too, hopes to retain many of the old traits that made the Cedar stand out.
