Pert Near Sandstone and Horseshoes & Hand Grenades with the Foxgloves at First Avenue on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022.

Doors 7 p.m. | Show 8 p.m. | 18+

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Pert Near Sandstone

“This record has been a long time coming,” says Pert Near Sandstone’s Kevin Kniebel, and while that’s certainly true in the literal sense (it’s been four years since the band’s last studio release), it’s clear that his words carry a deeper, more existential meaning here. Recorded with former member and longtime collaborator Ryan Young of Trampled By Turtles, the group’s remarkable new collection, Rising Tide represents an evolution in both sound and spirit, a bold artistic breakthrough that’s been years in the making.

The performances captured on the album defy the conventional boundaries of string band music, mixing psychedelic production and punk rock energy with Celtic traditionalism and bluegrass virtuosity, and the lyrics are similarly fierce and self-assured to match, tackling all the fear and loathing of the modern political landscape with sharp insight and biting wit. It’s the kind of record Pert Near Sandstone has been building towards ever since its inception roughly a decade-and-a-half ago, a gutsy musical and social statement built on the kind of courage and confidence that only time and maturity can provide.

“As you start to get a little older, you find yourself caring less about norms and expectations,” says bassist Justin Bruhn. “You learn to trust in your art and just do what feels right instead of what you think you’re ‘supposed’ to be doing.”

Crossing Old-time instrumentation with contemporary sensibilities, the Pert Near Sandstone first emerged from Minneapolis in 2007 with their acclaimed debut, Up And Down The River. Over the course of five more studio albums and several live releases, they established themselves as standard-bearers for the versatility and vitality of the Midwestern roots music scene, performing onstage with the likes of Steve Martin and the Flaming Lips and earning dates along the way with everyone from Trampled By Turtles and Del McCoury to Yonder Mountain String Band and Sam Bush.

NPR's Mountain Stage hailed the band for putting a "Midwestern stamp on Appalachian [sounds]," while A Prairie Home Companion described them as “a force on the Minnesota roots music scene and beyond,” and The Current praised their live performances as "a frenzied string shredding spree that takes audiences under its spell." Festival favorites in both the US and Europe, the band launched their own gathering, the Blue Ox Music Festival, in 2015, hosting Bela Fleck, Tyler Childers, Jerry Douglas, Margo Price, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, The Infamous Stringdusters, Greensky Bluegrass, Shovels & Rope, Justin Townes Earle, and many more in Eau Claire, Wis.

Horseshoes & Hand Grenades

After ten years, five albums, innumerable sold out shows, and countless libations, Americana mavericks Horseshoes & Hand Grenades appropriately consider themselves a "family" on a wild, wonderful, and often whacky roller coaster. The bond between the quintet -- Adam Greuel [guitar, vocals], Davey Lynch [harmonica, accordion, vocals], Collin Mettelka [fiddle, vocals], Russell Pedersen [banjo, vocals], and Samual Odin [bass, vocals] -- fuels their creativity and chemistry on stage and in the studio.

"Sometimes, it feels like we're modern day cowboys on some kind of strange journey," Adam affirms with a laugh. "We're five friends who set out to do something we enjoy doing, meet interesting people, see old friends, and make some new buddies along the way. Because of that sense of friendship, everything seems to happen organically."

That's been the case since these five musicians first met in Stevens Point, WI at college, joined forces, and hit the road harder post-graduation around 2013. They have ignited stages alongside everyone from Greensky Bluegrass, Yonder Mountain String Band, The Infamous Stringdusters, and Trampled By Turtles to Railroad Earth, Merle Haggard, and Marty Stuart in addition to appearances at festivals such as Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Delfest, High Sierra Music Festival, Blue Ox Music Festival, Northwest String Summit, John Hartford Memorial Festival, and many more. Their five albums -- Another Round [2012], This Old Town [2013], Middle Western [2015], The Ode (2018), and Miles in Blue (2020) take the listener through a wide range of musical and emotional landscapes, something surely provoked by the five different members all sharing songwriting duties.

Their most recent album, Miles in Blue, is an 18-track album that celebrates their 10 years together as a band. While the album certainly nods to their tried and true blend of "new-time old-time" music, it also explores new musical avenues as the band pushes themselves to discover what else "can be."

"It marks a point of growth," explains Adam. "We've got those ripper type tunes we're known for on there, but we're experimenting with other elements. Little pieces of everybody are encapsulated in this record. We were really conscientious of allowing our respective musical curiosities into the fold. Sam drops in a jazz and classical feel. Dave brings that Zydeco, Cajun, and old school blues vibe. Collin turned up this kinda pop folk energy, and Russell gives us the old-timey banjo feel. For me, I'm trying to play out my singer-songwriter curiosities. There are five songwriters in the band, and we've gotten better at harnessing our individual creativity and bringing it to the collective."

The boys found the perfect place to bottle those signature spirits. They retreated to Cannon Falls, MN in order to live and record at Pachyderm Studios -- where Nirvana recorded In Utero -- for just a week. Joined by the Hard Working American's Chad Staehly in the producer's chair, they tracked the eighteen numbers that would comprise Miles in Blue over the course of a marathon session.

"Pachyderm is in the middle of nowhere," he elaborates. "We're all outdoorsy people, so the setting was super comfortable. It contributed to the laid back approach. It was by far the easiest recording project we've done. The whole experience was super positive and uplifting."

The Horseshoes & Hand Grenades family grows stronger by the day. "The best part of this has been building a community," Adam leaves off. "In this day and age, it's wise to look for things that bring people together rather than separate them. We're creating an extended family to get through these times together. That's the 'Horseshoe Crew.' Everything happens because of that bond...the energy that always dances between the band and the folks there lighting the fire."

The Foxgloves

The Foxgloves are an all-female band with songs you won’t be able to stop humming. Their engaging presence, rich instrumentation, compelling storytelling songwriting, four-part harmonies, and creatively reimagined covers render them a force to be reckoned with. This powerful band is making moves you’ll want to witness. A little bit of country, a little bit of folk, a little bit of classical, and a whole lot of heart — your toes will tap of their own accord.