Minneapolis' Hook & Ladder announces first 22 concerts in its popular Under the Canopy series

The nonprofit venue will host fewer outdoor shows this year because of city restrictions.

By Chris Riemenschneider Star Tribune

February 27, 2024 — 1:01pm

After selling more tickets than ever before for its popular outdoor concert series last year, the Hook & Ladder team is trying to do more with less in its Under the Canopy 2024 lineup announced Tuesday.

Local favorites such as the Big Wu, Jeremy Messersmith, the Flamin' Oh's and Belfast Cowboys will play in the tented stage outside the nonprofit venue in south Minneapolis, along with rootsy touring acts like Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys, John "Papa" Gros and Albert Castiglia. Special events also dot the schedule, including a two-day Irish music and dance fest, a Pride party and the return of the Reggae Summer Splash.

Tuesday's initial Under the Canopy announcement featured only 22 shows, though, compared with the 36 gigs released this time last year. There are more to be announced — but not a whole lot more.

The venue is having to scale back on the number of shows in the series because of city restrictions on outdoor event permits. Those restrictions were waived when the series was launched in 2021, to offer more outdoor entertainment amid lingering COVID-19 restrictions. Four years later, the Hook & Ladder is being required to work within pre-pandemic guidelines again.

"We can't change the law, at least not this year," said Under the Canopy's talent booker Jesse Brodd, "but we're maximizing what we can do in the meantime."

This year's Under the Canopy schedule is thus entirely built around weekends, when one permit can be used for multiple days. It is also ending sooner than usual, with a cutoff in early August (compared with early October last year). The venue is allowed 12 permits for the season.

Already the Hook & Ladder has announced some events happening inside its theater space that took place outside in previous years, including Cornbread Harris' 97th birthday party on April 25 and the return of UltraBomb with Hüsker Dü's Greg Norton on May 9. Attendees will still be able to hang outside in the Under the Canopy space on the nights there are indoor shows — there just cannot be any music out on the patio space.

Because there are fewer shows in the Under the Canopy series, Brodd warned, "We probably are going to see a higher demand for tickets."

Those tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. via thehookmpls.com. Presale options begin Wednesday for members of the nonprofit venue's Patreon membership club, and on Thursday for its newsletter subscribers.

Here's the initial Under the Canopy 2024 schedule:

May 3: KFAI's 46th Anniversary Celebration

May 4 & 5 (daytime): Bealtaine showcasing Irish music and dance

May 5 (night): Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys / Kinda Fonda Wanda

May 10: Cornell '77 Turns 47: A Grateful Dead Concert Re-creation

May 11: John "Papa" Gros / Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound

May 17: The Belfast Cowboys / The de'Lindas

May 18: Albert Castiglia / Indigenous

May 24: Summer Breeze Yacht Rock Party with the Lonesome Losers

May 25: Reggae Summer Splash with Socaholix, Innocent, International Reggae All Stars

May 31: Morel Feast Fundraiser

June 7: Heatbox