The Cities Blog

Tickets still available for north Minneapolis tornado relief benefit

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Organizers have sold just several hundred tickets so far for this Sunday's tornado relief benefit concert, "Northside: A Twin Cities Community Benefit." They say they're hoping last-minute ticket sales will help them fill the State Theatre in Minneapolis, a venue that seats about 2,000 people.

The show's lineup features prominent Twin Cities recording artists and emcees, and aims to raise at least $100,000 for people who lost homes or businesses in the May 22 tornado.

Organizer Martin Keller says all talent, space and staffing for the event was donated. He says many people who have not personally seen the storm's aftermath up close may not realize the scale of the devastation residents of north Minneapolis are facing.

The need is great. I don't think people really understand the extent of the damage and the impact on a community that generally can't afford to suffer this kind of natural disaster. We've got hip-hop we've got R&B, we've got gospel choirs, we've got rock bands like Soul Asylum, Billy McLaughlin, who is well-known, a now legendary musician here. It is going to blow people away and we have some new faces as well.

The lineup also includes Brother Ali, The new Standards, Prudence Johnson, Paris and Jamecia Bennett, The Peterson Family, Toki Wright, TC Jammers and many more. All proceeds will go to the Hennepin Theater, which plans to distribute the funds to local north Minneapolis groups to pay for an emergency fund, food and neighborhood rebuilding.

The concert starts at 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 12 at Hennepin Theatre Trust's State Theatre. Ticket info can be found here.