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All-Ages Clubs

THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED IN APRIL, 2007; MOST OF THE LINKS ARE OLD, AND SOME CLUBS HAVE COME AND GONE, SO STAY TUNED.

All-Ages Clubs and Resources in Minneapolis/St. Paul at Complicatedfun.com/allages

Girl at the Garage in Burnsville, photographed by Jayme Clifton Halbritter

People aged 15 to 19 buy more music than any other age group in the country, according to the March 2, 2004  Minneapolis Observer, but "only a handful of the hundreds of live shows" in town cater to this group. There are still options, though, and some don't involve much driving (use Mapquest for the ones that do):

Acadia Cafe (Minneapolis): This sit-down cafe and theater sells wine for the 21+ set, and features pretty incredible improv jazz, electronic and experimental music, and all sorts of other stuff. (Here's a full calendar.) At Franklin and Nicollet, 1931 Nicollet Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55403, 612.874.8702. ALL-AGES

All-Ages Clubs and Resources at Complicatedfun.com/allages: The most complete guide on the web to resources for under-21 music in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and beyond. (If you're reading this somewhere else, it was copied off of my site.) ALL-AGES

ArtaMotive (Minneapolis) (though that site isn't currently working): This Nordeast gallery sells local CDs (giving the money entirely to the artists) and has a history of cool live shows by local punk and art bands, especially during Art-A-Whirl. 208 13th Ave NE, Minneapolis, 612.706.0840. ALL-AGES

Beaner's Central (Duluth): Drive two and a half hours north of the Twin Cities for this nice cafe/wine bar with food and a small stage for rock, hip hop, reggae, whatever. The club cards at the counter, making it effectively all-ages. Here's their calendar (Haley Bonar got one of her starts here), and buy their CD compilation when you go. 324 N. Central Avenue, Duluth, MN 55807, 218.624.5957. ALL-AGES

Blue Nile (Minneapolis): African-owned, internationally-populated West Bank restaurant and club features 18+ Tuesday poetry and hip-hop nights, but call for details. Here are directions. 2027 East Franklin Ave., Minneapolis, 55404, 612.338.3000. SOMETIMES 18+

Bryant-Lake Bowl (Minneapolis): All shows at this hep Lake St. bowling alley/theater/restaurant/wine bar with cabaret seating are all-ages, including hip-hop and rock gigs. (Bring your own ear plugs.) 810 W. Lake St., Minneapolis, MN 55408, 612.825.3737. ALL-AGES

The Cabooze (Minneapolis): Call to find out about age restrictions (they aren't on the calendar), but from my experience, hip-hop shows at this big, classic West Bank bar are 18+, with a bracelet to drink. 917 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis MN 55404, 612.338.6425. OFTEN 18+

Camel Club (St. Paul): A 21+ alcohol-free venue that has begun hosting the occasional 18+ and all-ages shows. I haven't been there, so call for more details. 862 White Bear Ave. St. Paul, MN 55106. 651.731.9899 OCCASIONAL ALL-AGES

Casablanca Coffee and Tea (Blaine): This hand-painted coffee house space in Blaine features acoustic bands such as the Catholic Schoolgirls--and hey, it's in Blaine! 12517 Central Av NE, Blaine, MN 55434 763.754.6210. ALL-AGES

The Cave (Northfield): The oldest continuously-run pub in the state, supposedly (here's their main page), this cozy landmark sits on a scenic campus hillside less than 45 minutes south of the Twin Cities (here's some directions). It's a 3.2 bar in a dorm basement at Carleton College, so it caters to students and requires a state I.D. to drink. But from my experience, the venue isn't strict about keeping non-students out, and is effectively all-ages. What's more (thanks to college-funded booking) a lot of big-name acts, local and national, pop up here. Basement of Margaret Evans Hall, Carleton College, Northfield. (No phone number.) 18+

The Cedar Cultural Centre (Minneapolis): Like the Bryant-Lake Bowl, this is a sit-down all-ages space with beer for the 21+ crowd, and a rep for great international music, jazz, and folk. (Click here to join the all-volunteer staff.) 416 Cedar Ave S., Minneapolis, MN 55454, 612.338.2674. ALL-AGES

City Pages/Minnesota Music Directory: Twin resources for the Twin Cities, both with extensive listings for music events and bands. Events at citypages.com. ALL-AGES

Club 3 Degrees (Minneapolis): In 2003, this Christian music mecca (you'll pardon the phrase) relocated from Central Avenue to the den of sin--the Minneapolis Warehouse District, across from the Quest--and changed its name from the New Union to Club 3 Degrees. The new holds 1,7000 people over three floors, and the lineup remains characteristically diverse: hip hop, metal, national, local, gospel. Here's the full schedule, but check out Christian Happenings for more events around town along these lines. All ages welcome until 11:00 p.m.; 14 and under must be with someone 18 or older at all times. Lounge is 16+ after 9:00 p.m.  Entire club is 18+ 11:00 p.m. to close (closing times are 10:00 p.m. Wednesdays, 11:00 p.m. or midnight Thursdays, 1:00 a.m. Friday nights, 1:30 a.m. Saturday nights, 10:00 p.m. Sundays.) For safety reasons, customers under 4 feet tall must use balcony for select shows. Admission is free for children under 1 year of age. 113 North 5th Street, Minneapolis, info at club3degrees dot com, 612.781.8488. ALL-AGES

D.U. Nation scene page: Like the Twin Cities Alternative Shows List, D.U. Nation offers a useful list of shows with age restrictions included, but this one is all about the hip hop. Indispensable. ALL-AGES

The Depot Coffee House (Hopkins) (here's a link through the city): This converted old train station in Hopkins has been a teen center since 1998 and hosts Friday night concerts (rock, hip hop, whatever) reserved for ages 14-18. The Depot has also had hip-hop open mic nights, and put out a CD featuring local bands Rude Awakening, New Renaissance, Help Wanted, and Emu (still available for $10 at the space). Run by a high-school-age board of directors. 9451 Excelsior Blvd., Hopkins, MN 55343, 952-938-2204. FRIDAY 14-18

The Dinkytowner (Minneapolis): Named the best all-ages venue by City Pages on the strength of its great Sunday evenings alone, this nice Dinkytown basement club with pool tables books everything from hip hop to avant-garde noise. 412 1/2 14th Avenue SE., Minneapolis, MN, 55412, 612.362.0427. SUNDAY ALL-AGES

District 202 (Minneapolis): This gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender youth center features 21-and-under dance nights every Saturday, as well as many other music events that are all-ages and open to the public. Here's their main page. 1601 Nicollet Ave S., 612.871.5559, ext. 11. UNDER-22, SOMETIMES ALL-AGES

El Nuevo Rodeo (Minneapolis): Renovated and renamed under new ownership (including the singer and bandleader of Sabor Tropical), the former Vannandy's restaurant is the largest salsa dancefloor in town, and the city's premiere live Latin American music palace, with frequent 18+ dance nights (so far as I can tell, most Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays). Here's the less useful official site. Also features norteño, conjunto, banda, Tejano, mariachi, tropicál, Mexican pop, and house. 2709 E Lake St, Mpls., 612.728.0101. FREQUENT 18+

Enigma (Shakopee): Overseen by the park and recreation board of Shakopee, this teen-run club opened in May, 2004, and has shows every weekend, with no age restrictions. 1255 Fuller St S. Shakopee, MN 55379, 952.233.3828. ALL-AGES 

Escape Ultra Lounge (Minneapolis): "18 to party, 21 to drink" on Thursdays, at this swank Minneapolis R&B club in the Block E skyway, which overlooks First Avenue. On the corners of 6th Street and 1st Avenue, Minneapolis, info at escapeultralounge dot com, 612.333.8855. THURSDAY 18+

The Fallout (Minneapolis): Launched in 2001, this Christian-oriented youth center-cum-art space fills the old Coffee Shock niche: It's sponsored by Source MN, Inc., a religious-based non-profit organization, but seems to feature plenty of secular all-ages emo/punk/metal shows that don't force religion onto either the bands or the audiences. Here's a calendar, which should fill up more once renovations are completed. 2609 Stevens Ave S., Minneapolis,  612.462.3873 ALL-AGES

Fifth Element (Minneapolis) record store: The Rhymesayers' hip-hop shop in Kenwood hosts free, all-ages open-mic competitions every Saturday evening at 6:00 p.m. See some of the best-known MCs in town trade rhymes with kids not out of gradeschool yet. 2411 Hennepin Avenue S., Minneapolis, 612.377.0044. ALL-AGES

Fine Line Music Cafe (Minneapolis): The 18+ shows might be few here, but they're worth seeking out at this newly refurbished Warehouse District club, which has always featured a wide variety of national acts, and stays especially good on cutting-edge country and metal. 318 1st Ave N., Minneapolis, 612.335.8181. OCCASIONAL 18+

First Avenue and the 7th St. Entry (Minneapolis). The greatest club in Minnesota history was among the first to offer all-ages shows in the mid-'80s, and still books them often, though sadly, the all-ages or 18+ dance nights seem to have disappeared. Check their calendar for details. 701 First Avenue N., Minneapolis, MN 55403, 612.338.8388. OFTEN ALL-AGES, 18+

The Garage (Burnsville): This is the only nonstop all-ages club in the Twin Cities that I can find, and it's a great scene (check out its bulletin board). Booked by the Minnesota Teen Music Association, and located in the Burnsville Youth Center Foundation, the 2004 Best All-Ages Venue in City Pages is just off Nicollet Avenue, near 35W, 35E, and HWY-13, by the Minnesota River. The address is 75 Civic Center Parkway, Burnsville, MN 55337, garage at ci dot burnsville dot mn dot us 952.895.4664. ALL-AGES

Gay 90s (Minneapolis). Homophobes, please find another spot: The Gay 90s has always been cool, always been gay (despite popular belief among some), and always (well, at least for a while) been a good place for cool and tolerant straights to drop by and dance their asses off to house music and hip hop, enjoy a drag show, or take in the male entertainment. The club is still 18+ on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, from 9:00 p.m. to close. 408 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401, 612.333.7755. WEDNESDAYS, THURSDAYS, SUNDAYS 18+

Ginkgo Coffee House (St. Paul): This St. Paul spot on Snelling near the Midway is a must-stop for fans of acoustic singer-songwriters, though I'm not normally one (here's the complete calendar, and here's a special schedule of Friday night bookings). Many stars of the genre breeze through here before and after they become big. 721 N. Snelling Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 651.645.2647. ALL-AGES

High School For Recording Arts (St. Paul): Exactly what it sounds like, this alternative school is geared toward "at-risk" youth. 550 Vandalia Street, St. Paul, MN, 651.287.0890. HIGH-SCHOOL AGE

Independent Music Foundation shows page: This is a list of DIY all-ages music shows, mostly punk, mostly booked by the all-volunteer group that kept the Babylon Gallery rattling before it burned down. If you want to help out, the Foundation (doesn't that sound a little too "establishment"?) meets every Sunday at 8:00 p.m. at Extreme Noise Records, 407 W. Lake St. in Minneapolis. ALL-AGES

The Java Joint (St. Cloud) (if that site's not up, use this): Actually, the web site won't work for a couple weeks, but I've written about the place here at Complicatedfun.com, and really love it. Who'd a thought: a cool all-ages coffee shop featuring live rock and hip hop (hey, isn't that a member of the Hydrophonics behind the counter?) located in a college town about an hour west of the Twin Cities. 710 W. St. Germain St., St. Cloud, MN 56301, 320.656.5990. ALL-AGES

Juxtaposition Arts (Minneapolis): Though not specifically having anything to do with music, this youth-oriented arts nonprofit is a vital link between hip-hop culture and the arts world, teaching students techniques rooted in both traditional and graffiti painting. 2007 Emerson Ave. N, Minneapolis, MN, 612.588.1148. All-AGES

The Key (Northfield): Cool cafe with great alternative diner food in Northfield, now featuring all-ages concerts put on by the Northfield Union of Youth (though the bands aren't listed on the web site yet). 303 South Water Street, Northfield, Minnesota 55057, 507.663.0715. ALL-AGES 

Lakeville Teen Corporation (Lakeville): A teen center set up by Lakeville featuring local bands (more information to come). Check out their Myspace site. Email lakevilleteen@yahoo.com. INFO TO COMELoring Pasta Bar (Minneapolis): You have to be 21 to enjoy the more atmospheric (and comfortable) Loring Bar knockoff, the Kitty Cat Klub. But this high-ceilinged restaurant down the same block in Dinkytown features 18+ hip-hop nights and other student-friendly events, so maybe it's the better spot. 327 14th Av. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414, 612.378.4849, info at loringcafe dot com 18+

Marquee Moon (West St. Paul), 1500 Delaware, basement of a house. I don't know much about this all-ages place except it's located in somebody's basement, the site is under construction, and the next show planned there is a New Year's show. Here are directions, though. ALL-AGES

Medina Entertainment Center (Medina): Unless otherwise marked on their calendar, the blues and oldies shows at this ballroom/bowling alley/entertainment complex are 18+, though the venue caters to "families" more than "youth," per se, or so I gather. Located 5 miles West of 494 on Hwy 55, 500 Highway 55, Medina, MN 55340, 763.478.6661. 18+

Metric House (Minneapolis): One of the many house addresses you'll find at the Twin Cities Alternative Shows List, this one actually has a web site! I haven't been there, but would expect metal and hardcore, though it seems they've stopped having shows. 2301 23rd Ave S., Minneapolis. ALL-AGES

MNVibe events page. If "raves" are dead in the Twin Cities, here's where you'll find the dance-music-scene events not yet giving up the ghost: Check out updates and links for such parties as New Dawn, a 16+ legal DJ celebration scheduled for April 3. ALL-AGES

Minneapolis Underground: An e-mailing list devoted to music that's "under-underground," i.e., challenging, many of these shows are... ALL-AGES

Montana Cafe (Minneapolis): This sunny and comfortable hangout near City Pages rarely has live music these days, but when it does, it's a treat, often with some of the best local roots/rock musicians showing up for rare gigs. 514 N 3rd St, Minneapolis, 612.338.2002. ALL-AGES

Munkabean and Sunshine Cafe (Hopkins) (call anyway if that site is temporarily down): Mostly acoustic/folk fare here, but I'll have to visit myself to find out more. 1206 Mainstreet, Hopkins 55343, 952.938.9056. ALL-AGES

Oasis (Eagan) This teen center run by the City of Eagan Parks and Recreation Board features local garage bands twice a month on its "Bring the Noise" nights, the second and fourth Fridays of the month. Age restrictions are relaxed on those nights--"middle-school to grandparents" ages are welcome. Shows usually begin at 7:00 p.m. and go until 9:30 p.m. or so. Admission is $3 and bands earn a take of the door, usually a third. (Email Colleen Callahan for more information at C Callahan at cityofeagan dot com.) At all other times, the Oasis is open free, Monday thru Friday, 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m, and Saturday, 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Middle and High School-aged youth are welcome, but you must have photo ID to enter. (Bonus for young parents: The organization's High School regulars, the Eagan Teen Advisory Board, volunteer once a month to watch kids 3-10 while their parents have a date night--they call this "Kids Night Out.") Located in the Eagan Community Center, 1501 Central Parkway. Off of Pilot Knob Road between Yankee Doodle and Lone Oak Roads. 651.675.5550. MIDDLE-SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL

Patrick's Cabaret (Minneapolis): As you might guess, this is mainly a cabaret, located not far off of East Lake St., but with plenty of high school-type events that include music as well as other performance. 3010 Minnehaha Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 612.721.3595. ALL-AGES

Pizza Luce (Duluth): Like Arnold's from Happy Days run by a bunch of tattooed punks, Luce serves great grub, hosts great 18+ rock shows in its plush interior, and is just two and a half great hours north of the Twin Cities, with carding at the door. Click "Duluth Live Music" on the main page to get the calendar, and make a weekend of it. 11 E. Superior St