BEER & BLUEGRASS BONANZA
SEPTEMBER 13, 2025
Brewgrass is BACK for year two and we couldn't be more excited to celebrate another day of music, community, and craft beverages.
On Saturday, September 13th, we will welcome another fantastic lineup of bands to our beautiful little corner of Northeast MPLS. All ages are welcome to enjoy live music, food trucks, a variety of N/A beverages & more.
Maygen & The Birdwatcher
1:30-2:45
The past few years have been quite a stir for the Minnesota progressive folk-rock-country sextet Maygen & The Birdwatcher. In late 2021 they released their debut full-length album, Moonshine, (which Americana UK wrote is “stunning”), earning them Midwest Country Music Awards for Album of the Year and Americana Artist of the Year) and landed opportunities to join festival stages with bands like Old Crow Medicine Show, Paul Cauthen, Grace Potter, and even support a childhood favorite, Travis Tritt. They continued the momentum in late 2022, releasing Moonshine’s companion EP, with the “lively and charming” (Adventures in Americana) Bootleggin’ At The Flower Shoppe. With Maygen & The Birdwatcher taking home wins for the 2023 Album of the Year and Americana Artist of the Year at the Midwest Country Music Organization’s annual awards for Bootleggin’ At The Flower Shoppe. The Americana folk band adventurously blurs the sounds of country, bluegrass, folk, and blues. Lead singers Maygen Lacey, and Noah Neumann intentionally work to draw on their vastly different musical influences and vocal styles to bring a fresh and unexpected mix of songs to light. From beauty to grit, sadness to silliness, the common thread is that this crew loves music, and playing it together, and it shows. In October 2023, Maygen & The Birdwatcher hosted and curated the inaugural Amerigrass Fest at The Hook and Ladder Theater & Lounge in Minneapolis. Maygen Lacey cherishes the special community of musical artists in the Midwest, and looks forward to celebrating what each genre, and fusion of genres can bring about at the new event Amerigrass Fest — “We are big fans of collaboration and love to play with the bands we share the stage with. Music is our love language and we’re very excited to play Amerigrass with the talented array of artists.” That same year, Maygen & The Birdwatcher teamed up with the South Dakota Grasslands Coalition, a non-profit organization to help save North America’s most threatened ecosystem: its native grasslands. Together, they released an original song and music video, titled “Where Good Things Grow,” that they hope will raise public awareness regarding the importance of grassland ecosystems and generate support for programs and activities to encourage farmers, ranchers and state officials to develop programs and policies that preserve and restore the health of North America’s grasslands. The original song and music video for “Where Good Things Grow,” have earned them the 2023 Video of the Year award from the Midwest Country Music Organization as well as 2023 Entertainer of the Year. Maygen & The Birdwatcher’s music is Americana that isn’t afraid to embrace eclecticism, but it’s also firmly rooted in folk and country. To achieve their rich, full sound, the band fills out the sonic details, with multi-instrumentalist Nik Pellinen adding banjo, lap steel and electric guitar. Along with bassist Chase Rabideau, who rounds out the bottom, mandolin player Jesse Moravec, who also contributes vocals, fiddle player Evin Haukos, and drummer-percussionist Peter Anderson create a new take on bluegrass-folk-country. It’s a hyphenated hybrid that can come only from a seasoned—and tightly knit—band. It leaves music fans wanting to hear more as Maygen & The Birdwatcher leap forward this year, and take their original music to the next level. Maygen & The Birdwatcher have released two single tracks— “Full Moons (Leap Year Session)” and “Jericho” from their forthcoming Leap Year EP available August 2, 2024. Leap Year was recorded by Minnesota native, acclaimed artist and guitarist-extraordinaire, Erik Koskinen.
Clare Doyle
3:15-4:30
With the release of her debut singles in 2023, Americana artist Clare Doyle garnered immediate attention for her modern blend of soulful country and rootsy rock, alongside a bold lyricism that Music in Minnesota calls “a fresh perspective in emotional storytelling.” She was named one of First Avenue’s Best New Bands of 2023, The Current’s Best New Artists of 2024, and has been tapped to support acts like The Cactus Blossoms, The Last Revel, and Them Coulee Boys.
Feed The Dog
5:00-6:15
Feed the Dog is an eclectic and action-packed, experimental jam-grass act. The midwest based 4-piece masterfully blends soul-pleasing songwriting rich in imagery and storytelling with a genre bending, shake-your-hips, instrumental flair. Their high energy performances are driven by the unique and progressive approach of each player: imaginative melodies with graceful ambiance skillfully crafted on the violin, tireless beats both dynamic and soulful confidently assembled on the drums, driving low end with finesse and intention forged on the bass guitar, and unique approach to playing the acoustic guitar blending fast picking bluegrass runs with the strength of blues and rock to evoke an emotional contrast between melancholy and hopeful. The band started in July of 2015 and has been relentlessly playing festivals, theaters, and clubs alongside regional and national touring acts.
Mae Simpson
6:45-8:00
Growing up in South Carolina, Mae Simpson remembers her mother wearing out the records of Tina Turner and Patsy Cline. You can hear their echo in the music of the Minneapolis-based artist. Turner can be felt in Simpson’s fiery soulful voice, stage energy, and rock and soul feel on songs like Tryna be Right and Why. The timeless lyricism of Cline finds its home in nostalgic ballads like Cap Guns and Monsters. Mae Simpson is known for their high energy and stage presence that speaks for itself. Tight horn and Rhythm section set the tone, immediately pulling fans to engage. The band includes Jorgen Wadkins on guitar, David Kellerman on bass, drummer and background vocalist Aaron Silverstein, Mae also includes a horn section. In 2023 they released Chandelier & Bloom, Simpson’s debut full-length Album and have been a ISC Finalist in 2024 and 2025. "Recording Mae Simpson required a trick on their part,” said Tom Garneau, recording engineer on the album. “The band needed to carefully and faithfully distill the energy and passion of their live show into the vessel— and snap the lid shut. Catching lightning in a bottle is not just a clever phrase. They did it. They are a force and they brought it all to bear. It was truly my honor to help with this magic.” Garneau, a longtime staff engineer at Paisley Park Studios, has gold and platinum records with Prince, MC Hammer, REM, the Moody Blues, and the Time. The album was produced by New Orleans native Brian Powers. Simpson has opened for acts including Dermot Kennedy, Grace Potter, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Robert Clay, Ike Reilly, Langhorn Slim, RubbleBucket, and Pert Near Sandstone. She has performed multiple times on the iconic First Avenue main room, The Fillmore in Minneapolis, the Basilica Block Party, Live On King Street in Madison, Wisconsin, and the Blue Ox Music Festival. In 2024 the song Cap Guns was chosen as a finalist in the Americana category of the International Songwriting Competition. That 2023 single was inducted into Minnesota Public Radio 89.3 The Current’s Chart Show Hall of Fame after spending 10 weeks on the Chart, as well as “Cap Guns” being a finalist on the International Songwriting Competition 2024.
The Roe Family Singers
8:30-9:30
Bonfire Music Group recording artists the Roe Family Singers are a Good-Time, Old-Time Hillbilly band from the tiny community of Kirkwood Hollow, MN. Led by wife & husband Kim and Quillan Roe, the band marries old-time sounds from barn-dances, fiddle pulls, and county fairs with the rock & roll passion of youth. Featuring banjo, Autoharp, guitar, and Appalachian clogging, the band and family of fans have been regularly filling Minneapolis’ 331 Club every Monday night since 2005. They’ve shared the stage with Doc Watson, Ralph Stanley, Mike Seeger, Del McCoury, Jesse McReynolds, the Grascals, Jim Kweskin & Geoff Muldaur, Junior Brown, Asleep at the Wheel, and John McEuen & John Carter Cash. In 2011 the band was awarded the prestigious McKnight Fellowship for Performing Musicians; they won the title of “World’s Best Jug Band” twice, in 2010 & 2012 at the annual Battle of the Jug Bands; in 2012, won the Minnesota Duet Contest at the MN State Fair; in 2016 won the title of Entertainers of the Year from BMAI; in 2017, Kim won the clogging competition at the Old-Time Music & Ozark Heritage Festival, held in West Plains, MO; in 2018, won both Entertainers of the Year and Album of the Year from BMAI; and in 2019, won Best Band, Best Band Overall, and Entertainers of the Year from BMAI. The Roe Family Singers mix original music and contemporary takes on old-time, traditional, and gospel tunes into one roiling & rollicking river of fresh yet familiar American music. Every performance raises a ruckus.