michael johnson

his name is michael johnson. he has no plans to put on a cowboy hat, affect an accent, wear one glove or be anyone but himself.  moreover, he is "the" michael johnson, and he has performed and lived more music and recorded more hits than you would imagine.

his voice immediately identifies him as the man who sings "bluer than blue", "give me wings", "that's that", "this night won't last forever" and other landmark songs. his music shows a diversity, depth and heart that only come from years of dedication to a labor of love.

twenty five dollars

jason paulson + barbara meyer

jason paulson has been a staple in the minneapolis music community for 10 years. playing with his bands grayson and wide open road, he has sold thousands of cd's and played over 2000 shows in several states and a couple of different countries. in 2004 his song "shine" was on a billboard compilation cd of best new artists of 2004. jason has written over 450 songs, released two full length albums and 4 ep's with his band grayson and 1 ep with a full length cd on the way with wide open road. in addition he has also released 2 solo albums over the last 10 years. he has played with national artists such as the bodeans, gin blossoms, landon pigg, and at festivals with oar, tom petty,pearl jam, and many more. over the years he has opened for local greats daisy dillman, gb leighton, tim mahoney, martin zellar and others.

barbara meyer is a talented singer, songwriter, and performance artist who is making her songwriting debut in the twin cities (minneapolis/st. paul) music scene with the release of her first cd. her musical roots are widespread, encompassing broadway show tunes and opera, belted-out gospel and smoky jazz, timeless folk and rock & roll. a true believer in the power and gentleness of music, her tunes do not disappoint.

eight dollars

the ericksons

"brooklyn-based folk duo the ericksons claim a smorgasbord of disparate influences, from the usual suspects (bob dylan, lucinda williams et al.) to the less obvious, such as radiohead and yo la tengo. but it is the joining of those seemingly contrasting inspirations that ultimately produces the pair’s sparkling take on the well-trod paths of american folk songwriting. with a keen appreciation of americana storytelling and a gift for heart-wrenching melodicism and stunning harmonic twists, their sound is a perfect marriage of tradition and modernism." (dan bolles, seven days)

seven dollars

reynold philipsek & east side

guitarist and composer reynold d. philipsek has written over 200 songs and recorded nearly 30 albums. in the fall of 2008 he joined forces with chromatic harmonica virtuoso clint hoover, percussionist extraordinaire.  michael bissonnette and reynold's compatriot from the twin cities hot club - bass player matt senjem. the group is called east side and their debut album was released in april, 2009 to glowing reviews and airplay.
reynold has been nominated for several minnesota music awards and had been nominated in the guitar player magazine jazz poll numerous times.

eleven dollars

caleb hawley (w / Reed Waddle)

here are three quotes about caleb hawley.  i bet you can’t guess which two are made up. "between his complex, yet very accessible sense of melody, and wacky sense of humor, caleb hawley has a completely unique musical perspective."   ---exterminating angel

“… anything but cliché, caleb’s songs will take the entire world to a new level. that is why i’m pretty sure that he’s an alien…”  --- grommit rasputin (writer for “do aliens exist”)

“… the first time i saw him tears filled my eyes. that’s probably because i was in a lot of pain though.”  --- vicki hawley (writer for “mag for moms”)

yeah sure, a couple of these quotes aren’t from real sources, however they may as well be, ‘cause caleb hawley is something else – and you’re gonna have to see it to believe it.  ladies and gents, have we got a show for you!

ten dollars

special valentine's day show
two shows | 6 pm & 8:15 pm (specify when making reservations)

featuring music by mother banjo + chad elliott
and poetry by todd boss + terri ford

three course pre fixe menu ~ click for menu
twenty four dollars per person includes cover
call us for reservations now!

twenty four dollars

Fred Steele in "A Romantic Serenade"

fred is in constant demand for corporate shows throughout the united states. his voice can be heard on countless voiceovers and vocal advertisements for companies including levi’s and wilson and leather. his inspirational gospel CDs for compass and lifescapes are still a top selling series in the united states. he is a noted composer, arranger and producer. his acting and singing in the musical production, mahalia, has taken him on tour around the united states. that soundtrack is available from promised land productions.

ten dollars

vicky emerson

vicky emerson returns to the 318 with a very special guest. matt patrick, the producer of "long ride", is a popular producer in minneapolis but is also an accomplished singer/songwriter. he joins vicky on a myriad of instruments as well as providing some insights behind a successful producer/artist relationship.   

 “emerson’s silky smooth voice serenades you from beginning to end, walking you through scenes of her life like pages in a book. the quality of the vocals alone make “long ride” worth the listen.”
paul bowman, the wedge

"...wisconsin native vicky emerson’s authenticity, her honeysuckle voice and her unerring sense of melody make the exquisite “long ride” anything but ordinary. " tom weber, rochester post-bulletin

ten dollars

mary jane alm

mary jane alm is one of today’s most remarkable and best known performers on the midwest music scene. she has toured internationally, been featured on national network t.v. and advertising and has performed on stage for some of america’s largest corporations. honored with fifteen minnesota music awards including “best female vocalist” and “artist of the year," mary jane’s performances have been called “music for singers.” her artistry has won her a celebrated reputation among musicians, critics and public alike. she has opened for or performed on the concert stage with such nationally known artists as the judds, michael johnson, charlie daniels, willie nelson, marie osmond, david byrne of the talking heads, and countless others. locally, she has performed with her own band, “the mary jane alm band,” the ruperts orchestra, women who cook, and continues a busy schedule with her band as well as “synergy," a show band which also tours the world for corporate clients.  mary jane’s first album, “prisoner of the heart” was recorded in mpls. under the guidance of tom tucker. two more c.d.’s, “blue earth” and “too true” were recorded in nashville and in various studios in the twin cities, including paisley park. she also has 5 children’s c.d.’s with the music workshop for kids. the latter has won parents choice awards, an emmy award and was nominated for a grammy award.

eleven dollars

michael monroe

from vinyl to digital, michael monroe is now in his fourth decade of performing his original music blending rich vocals, guitars, bamboo and glass flutes together... music and technology working together powered by creativity... he recycles his music "live" on stage to deliver a powerful style of acoustic folk, reggae and jazz. his music and compelling energy is as much fun as it is innovative. his baritone and tenor guitars are made by david seaton on the gunflint trail with local woods including the salvaged woods from the bottom of lake superior. they are appropriately named "snow leopard" and "baby snow leopard", from a rare light wood with spots called, "birds eye" poplar. michael monroe lives and records on the north shore of lake superior in his mistree solar powered log cabin studio. his music is across the nation and canada in the documentary, "chased by the light", on pbs about jim brandenburg, internationally known national geographic photographer. he is a mcknight performing artist fellowship finalist and earned a regional emmy for his "soaring on mended wings" for a jason davis "on the road" television documentary about the university of mn raptor center.

twelve dollars

justin roth + brianna lane

seeing justin perform live, you better be prepared to write your own song too.  he is well known for involving his audiences by having them write their own song during his set.  after having the audience pick subjects to write the song about, a piece of paper is passed around the room for each person to write a line to the song.  when the lyrics are completed, the audience votes between two guitar parts made up on the spot and then the lyrics and music are improvised into a full song at the end of the show...

brianna lane is a gifted singer/songwriter in true americana form. she writes and performs on an acoustic guitar as well as a banjo, crafting songs that are clear-eyed and pure—with an integrity derived from her gritty, unflinching emotional honesty. long time music-writer/author/rock-journalist jim walsh recently wrote that brianna lane is “…a star in the making. she’s poised, ambitious, a great writer, a soul singer of the first order, and a lithe, accomplished guitarist.” (star tribune) lane grew up in minnesota and still calls minneapolis home. in her eight years of touring lane has shared the stage with billy bragg, dar williams, patty larkin, catie curtis, the weepies, jennifer nettles (of sugarland), and numerous other well seasoned musicians. she has also shared powerhouse, leg-powered bicycle tours with signature sounds’ artist peter mulvey. lane has released three full length solo records and one duo ep with cahalen morrison as “harbor collective”

ten dollars

the tex pistols

tex (brian c. peters), angus (dik shopteau), mr. greenjeans (boyd lee) & cletus ( scooter nelson) started playing together in rochester after they all met at the stillwater correctional facility in the 60s. music became a way to "qualify" for work release status. soon, the awards came...the grammy (best dressed / western), the cma ( worst dressed) and of course the mn. music award ( heavy metal / country). then, after they had made enough money, they all went their separate ways...raised a family, got "real" jobs and settled down in later life, only to meet up again when by a stroke of fate...they all were back in prison? "weapons charges mostly," said tex. soon the band was back in action, (parole) and you will hear the result when they fire up their guns one more time. their motto lives on..."we're loud, loose, & a little cranky" or the familiar "turn it up & go git us some beers!”

eleven bucks

brian david

brian david has been part of the st. paul and minneapolis music scene for 8 years. fronting the local bands syndicate avenue and the alternative rock band murge before forming his own band the brian david band which quickly created a signature acoustic stomp rock sound backed by former drummer of murge, the s.w. stomp, sean woodward.  he has been writing since he was 15 and puts an overwhelming amount of passion in every song he writes and sings.  he has written over 1000 songs and has recorded 2 full length albums and 2 ep's since 2004 and "there from here" is his 3rd album, this time with a full 5 piece band behind a singer/songwriter style. 

eight dollars

open mic night w/host matt muller

• to sign up, submit your name between 6:30 and 7:15.  you must be physically present at the 318 to sign up.  no phone calls.
  
• at 7:15, twelve names will be drawn randomly and musicians will play in the order that the names are drawn.  music will begin at 7:30.
• during a full night, everyone gets time to do three songs (15-20 minutes)
• everyone is welcome! it's time to get your music out there.

always a laid back and very supportive atmosphere suited for all levels of players and any genre of music, the open mic at the 318 is also a great place to meet other musicians who share a similar love of music and performance. we hope to see you here!

a live digital recording of your 318 open mic performance is now available! if interested, please see host matt muller prior to the start of the evening for details!

tom hunter

tom hunter brings not only years of experience, but also a live show honed by performance after performance that unleashes no-holds-barred music and brings the crowd along for the crazy ride. from solo to full band, tom hunter covers the musical spectrum from smoky jazz to gut-bucket chicago blues.

ten dollars

courtney yasmineh + deidrich weiss

courtney yasmineh and her band will play songs from her new album, which is currently enjoying indie and college airplay throughout the us and europe.   the new album, beautiful lonely (july 2009) is available on cdbaby.

eight dollars

jeff arundel

jeff arundel sings and plays the guitar. his songs turn from melancholy and nostalgic to modestly up-beat, but for the most part, he is a romantic who, like many people his age, loves the 70's vibe. jeff has been called the "cities 97 favorite" by tom surowicz, perhaps well-earned because he has been on two of the famous "cities samplers," and two of his five cd's of original music have won awards (minnesota music award for best pop album and naird award for indie album of the year). lately he has been producing and music-directing for keri noble. jeff's favorite review of himself was by steve morse of the boston globe, who called him "canny" and "a cross between james taylor and townes van zandt." his favorite color is purple, his favorite drink is diet mountain dew, and he has played music with some great artists, some of whom periodically show up to help him at his (increasingly rare) gigs.

ten dollars

carl franzen + nathan shutes + taras umrysh

he's always been a songwriter at heart, but now at 67 carl franzen is a blossoming performer. his song "on the road" was the first song michael johnson recorded (there is a breeze). john denver also gave it a run (back home again). these days carl relies on talented local musicians to bring his songs to the stage. nathan shutes, guitar, likes to haul out the glow machine (aka accordion, in case you're a technician) because it makes people smile. taras umrysh, violin, is a mega waiting to happen. recently from the ukraine, he brings a blend of classical, jazz and rock to the room.

ten dollars

michael gulezian

"if i could play guitar the way michael gulezian does, i would just sit in front of a mirror and watch myself do it."  ~ garrison keillor, a prairie home companion

if you've never heard of michael gulezian (gu-lay-ze-in), you're in for a very pleasant surprise.  he's one of the most highly regarded instrumental acoustic artists of our time.  in concert, michael is all warmth and humor ... and though it's visually breathtaking to watch him perform, a concert  with michael is more than a display of cutting-edge virtuosity – it is the passionate communion of master musician engaged with his audience in the mystery of self-revelation, creating music of atmospheric power, ecstatic joy, and haunting beauty.  if you enjoy the artistry of musicians such as leo kottke and michael hedges – guitarists who amaze us with what ten fingers and one guitar can do – then you will love michael gulezian. 

twelve dollars

nick leet + dan israel

dan israel is a veteran, acclaimed minneapolis roots-pop singer-songwriter who has released 10 albums and earned a 4-star review from the uk's uncut magazine. about his latest, see the morning light, city pages said "rare are the songs that capture the story of someone who has lifted himself out...having created a new hope out of the haunting memories. see the morning light is one such piece of music.”

seven dollars

mike mangione

born in illinois, and now residing in milwaukee, mike mangione is quickly becoming a familiar name throughout the city's growing music scene. bringing an organically subtle, yet expressive sound, mangione has drawn comparisons to such songwriting heavyweights as ryan adams and elliott smith. now touring behind his new opus "tenebrae," mangione feels ready to spread that following to even greater amounts with much-deserved confidence in the album. "tenebrae" is a classic-sounding piece full of beautifully arranged acoustics and mangione's vocals can be heart-breakingly delicate at times, comparable to how james blunt only wishes he could sound. standout tracks include "it's me not you," and "the killing floor."    --chris krekling onlinemilwaukee

ten dollars

james seem + bryan thuney

“i have always had a very low tolerance for filler,” jim says.  he expects the same thing from himself the same thing he learned to expect from the singers and songwriters he grew up listening to:  sam cooke, d’angelo, and john prine.  jim’s obsession to detail is apparent in each of his songs.  he says, “i need every melody, every phrase, every word to sound perfect.  the result is jim’s attitude is a strong body of seductive songs with unbelievably catchy melodies.  once you hear a jim seem song, it stays with you.  jim’s explosive performances are already being embraced by audiences in the southeast as he embarks on a national tour in support of his new self titled release.  having already shared stages with tim reynolds, jimmie robbins and too sorry for apologies, jim is quickly making a name for himself.

six dollars

americana showcase ~ songwriters performing rounds
brandon sampson + martin devaney + tom feldmann + sally barris

ten dollars

mary jane alm

mary jane alm is one of today’s most remarkable and best known performers on the midwest music scene. she has toured internationally, been featured on national network t.v. and advertising and has performed on stage for some of america’s largest corporations. honored with fifteen minnesota music awards including “best female vocalist” and “artist of the year," mary jane’s performances have been called “music for singers.” her artistry has won her a celebrated reputation among musicians, critics and public alike. she has opened for or performed on the concert stage with such nationally known artists as the judds, michael johnson, charlie daniels, willie nelson, marie osmond, david byrne of the talking heads, and countless others. locally, she has performed with her own band, “the mary jane alm band,” the ruperts orchestra, women who cook, and continues a busy schedule with her band as well as “synergy," a show band which also tours the world for corporate clients.  mary jane’s first album, “prisoner of the heart” was recorded in mpls. under the guidance of tom tucker. two more c.d.’s, “blue earth” and “too true” were recorded in nashville and in various studios in the twin cities, including paisley park. she also has 5 children’s c.d.’s with the music workshop for kids. the latter has won parents choice awards, an emmy award and was nominated for a grammy award.

eleven dollars

michael monroe

from vinyl to digital, michael monroe is now in his fourth decade of performing his original music blending rich vocals, guitars, bamboo and glass flutes together... music and technology working together powered by creativity... he recycles his music "live" on stage to deliver a powerful style of acoustic folk, reggae and jazz. his music and compelling energy is as much fun as it is innovative. his baritone and tenor guitars are made by david seaton on the gunflint trail with local woods including the salvaged woods from the bottom of lake superior. they are appropriately named "snow leopard" and "baby snow leopard", from a rare light wood with spots called, "birds eye" poplar. michael monroe lives and records on the north shore of lake superior in his mistree solar powered log cabin studio. his music is across the nation and canada in the documentary, "chased by the light", on pbs about jim brandenburg, internationally known national geographic photographer. he is a mcknight performing artist fellowship finalist and earned a regional emmy for his "soaring on mended wings" for a jason davis "on the road" television documentary about the university of mn raptor center.

twelve dollars