An event coming together hastily for all the right reasons, the previously announced June 12 "Northside" benefit concert at the State Theatre for north Minneapolis tornado victims now has several new names on the lineup and final ticket info. Former Northside resident Brother Ali, the New Standards, Paris and Jamecia Bennett, Dean Magraw, Toki Wright and the TC Jammers have all joined the already long list of Twin Cities musicians who lined up to help (also: Sounds of Blackness, Soul Asylum, Robert Robinson to name a few). Tickets go on sale Friday at 11 a.m. and range widely in price from $26.50 to $101.50, plus there are golden-circle tickets for $250 -- all of it benefitting the Minneapolis Foundation's North Minneapolis Fund. About 500 of the tickets will be distributed to north Minneapolis residents for a deserved night out.
Veteran do-gooder and Robbinsdale Armstrong grad Mick Sterling has also put together another torando benefit gig on even shorter notice: His concert, "Cleaning House: Twin Cities Musicians United to Help North Minneapolis," is happening this Sunday at Famous Dave's Uptown (in Calhoun Square) from 6 p.m.-midnight with music mostly of the rootsy, bluesy and/or jazzy variety. Performers will include Sterling and his band, the Jack Brass Band, Vintage Raggs, members of the Combo and Jaybee & the Routine, Ken Valdez, Galactic Cowboy Orchestra, Joe Juliano and more. Proceeds will benefit tornado victims via www.the30-daysfoundation.org -- which is also accepting donations right now.
