Help us welcome Grant Vague to Animales! Blending art rock, pop, and singer-songwriter storytelling, Grant and his all-star local band deliver a fun, energetic show full of memorable songs and great musicianship.

James Samuel “Cornbread” Harris, Sr. is a 98-year-old Minnesota music legend who has been captivating audiences since World War II. A founding father of the Minneapolis Sound, Cornbread delivers an eclectic mix of blues, jazz, ballads, and original compositions, all infused with the soul and wisdom of nearly a century in music.

Making their first appearance at Animales, The Wandering Suns serve up a feel-good mix of country rock, Americana, and harmony-filled favorites.

We will be closed to the public on Thursday, July 29 for a private event. We’ll be back for our normal hours on Friday, July 30!

Sossy Mechanics founders and award winning dancers Megan McClellan and Brian Sostek are giving a FREE line dancing lesson on Wednesday, July 29.

All experience levels are welcome and cowboy boots are encouraged but not required.

Al Church is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who fronts his own solo project. His experience recording guitar, voice, percussion and keyboards yields to a wide array of projects, styles and genres.

Al plays guitar and sings in Al Church, Private Oates, BBGUN, Tommy Stinson, and a live album cover band called Permanent Record. He also is a Producer and guitarist for Gaelynn Lea, plays bass in Dave Simonett's (of Trampled By Turtles) solo band, and plays drums with Derecho Rhythm Section with Al and Cyrus Sparhawk.

Matt Caflisch is a wordsmith in the best tradition (a little closer to the spirit of Loudon Wainwright III than Leonard Cohen), while musically he would comfortably fit in just as easily with early Seventies singer-songwriters as late Seventies punk pop.

Animales is excited to welcome back Doug Collins & the Receptionists. With Doug’s sharp melodies and the band’s easy blend of pop and country, their sets feel warm, familiar, and full of heart. It’s the kind of show that settles right into the Animales room.

TH3 is back at Animales with the kind of groove that sneaks up on you. One minute you're tapping your foot, the next you're halfway out of your seat. Built on deep rhythms, playful improvisation, and musicians who clearly love playing together, their shows are always a good time and never quite the same twice.

The Hanson Family Band brings family powered blues to Animales. This father and sons trio delivers gritty grooves, tight harmonies, and classic blues spirit inspired by JJ Cale, Little Walter, and Jimmy Reed.

Sossy Mechanics founders and award winning dancers Megan McClellan and Brian Sostek are giving a FREE line dancing lesson on Wednesday, July 22.

All experience levels are welcome and cowboy boots are encouraged but not required.

We’re screening the World Cup on Sun, July 19 at 2:00pm. Sound will be on our TVs (RARE!)

Come hang with us, enjoy a brew, some BBQ, or all the above!

Clover and the Bee bring their harmony-rich blend of country, bluegrass, and offbeat originals to Animales. Formed by friends and songwriters from The High 48s, Becky Schlegel’s band, and Buffalo Gospel, the group celebrates songs that don’t quite fit anywhere else, rooted in tradition but unafraid to wander.

It was at an open house for misfit songs that the three got the idea to start a new band, one whose sound showed Christopher, Ihrig and Schlegel’s country and bluegrass roots unbound by tradition. With the addition of bassist and songwriter Kevin Rowe (Buffalo Gospel, Space Burritos), who had recently moved to the Twin Cities from Madison, WI, Clover and the Bee was born.

Sarah Morris has a way of drawing in a room and keeping her audience close, and The Sometimes Guys match her easy intimacy just right—expect honest lyrics, warm vocals, and an Americana feeling. It’s the kind of music that feels good on any occasion.

Sarah Morris is a Minneapolis-based Americana singer-songwriter whose crystalline voice and benevolent storytelling have earned her recognition as one of the Midwest’s most compelling musical voices. Over the course of six albums and a decade-plus of steady, determined songwriting, Morris has made a practice of allurement. Her new album, Say Yes, is a delicate search for the honest way forward.

We’re screening the World Cup on Sat, July 18 at 4:00pm. Sound will be on our TVs (RARE!)

Come hang with us, enjoy a brew, some BBQ, or all the above!

Tumbling Daisies Trio lands at Animales with three friends, a pile of musical instincts, and no interest in playing it safe. Expect loose grooves, unexpected turns, and the kind of musical chemistry that comes from years of sharing stages together. It's the perfect soundtrack for BBQ, beers, and a summer evening.

David Huckfelt’s Mystery Lights is a fresh chapter in the enduring tradition of American folksong—a collaborative, ever-evolving musical gathering that brings together artists from the realms of country, blues, roots, and Americana. Taking place bi-monthly at Animales BBQ on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays, Mystery Lights is more than a show—it’s a living, breathing session of musical exploration.

Led by acclaimed folk singer and national touring artist David Huckfelt (formerly of The Pines), each Mystery Lights Session features a rotating cast of local and regional musical luminaries. Together, they improvise, reinterpret, and ignite the music of the heartland—drawing from both ends of the Mississippi River and all the places in between. Expect a genre-blurring journey through roots, Americana, Native Americana, and the timeless art of songcraft.

Sossy Mechanics founders and award winning dancers Megan McClellan and Brian Sostek are giving a FREE line dancing lesson on Wednesday, July 15.

All experience levels are welcome and cowboy boots are encouraged but not required.

The Smokin' Section is a collaborative musical effort from Kai Brewster (Guitars), Taylor James Donskey (Basses) and Michael Gay (Drums). The Smokin' Section very well could be your new favorite band.

We’re screening the World Cup on Sat, July 11 at 8:00pm. Sound will be on our TVs (RARE!)

Come hang with us, enjoy a brew, some BBQ, or all the above!

We’re screening the World Cup on Sat, July 11 at 4:00pm. Sound will be on our TVs (RARE!)

Come hang with us, enjoy a brew, some BBQ, or all the above!

Jeff Ray & The Stakes are back at Animales with another night of great songs, deep grooves, and the kind of easy chemistry you can't fake. Their shows feel relaxed, lively, and full of little surprises, making them the perfect soundtrack for barbecue, cold drinks, and a Friday night.

Cole Diamond, depending on when you ask, is either the stage name for singer/songwriter Ryan Otte or the collective handle for Otte and his group. In the years since “Cole Diamond” was conceived he has released two EPS, a string of singles, received airplay on 89.3 The Current, and opened for national acts such as Jenny Don't & The Spurs, Corb Lund, and The Wilder Blue. Drawing on influences that range from Waylon and Willie to Brooks & Dunn, Cole Diamond delivers a modern take on a classic Honky Tonk sound.

Sossy Mechanics founders and award winning dancers Megan McClellan and Brian Sostek are giving a FREE line dancing lesson on Wednesday, July 8.

All experience levels are welcome and cowboy boots are encouraged but not required.

We’re screening the World Cup on Sun, July 5 at 7:00pm. Sound will be on our TVs (for the first time!)

Come hang with us, enjoy a brew, some BBQ, or all the above!

Boozewater is a Minneapolis project led by guitarist and songwriter Paul Bergen, built around a rotating cast of seasoned local musicians. It’s the kind of band you catch at Dusty’s Big Green Booth and realize halfway through the first tune that everyone onstage has a long résumé and deeper roots than they let on. The sound leans into American guitar music in all its barroom varieties: blues, roadhouse rock, twang, and the sweet spot where they overlap.

Bergen has been a fixture in Minnesota music for years, from his work fronting and collaborating on projects like The Astronauts of Rhythm & Sound to his own 2023 release Puddle of Tears. Boozewater channels that history into living, loose-limbed sets with different faces and fresh combinations each time, which is exactly the point. No two shows are the same, but they’re all heavy on feel, guitar tone, and songs that hit right. Catch them while the groove is warm and the amps are glowing.

We’re screening the World Cup on Sat, July 4 at 4:00pm. Sound will be on our TVs (for the first time!)

Come hang with us, enjoy a brew, some BBQ, or all the above!

We're having a backyard cookout from 11-6 and you're invited.

Think big family gathering around the grill before posting up for fireworks on the Mississippi. Mark your calendars for burgers, firetrucks (yes, the Minneapolis Fire Department will be here from 11AM until duty calls), ribs, ice cream sandwiches, and more!

Soul, funk, R&B, and good vibes all night long. Led by Twin Cities music legend Maurice Jacox, We Still R brings a dance-worthy mix of classic grooves and feel-good energy to Animales.

David Huckfelt’s Mystery Lights is a fresh chapter in the enduring tradition of American folksong—a collaborative, ever-evolving musical gathering that brings together artists from the realms of country, blues, roots, and Americana. Taking place bi-monthly at Animales BBQ on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays, Mystery Lights is more than a show—it’s a living, breathing session of musical exploration.

Led by acclaimed folk singer and national touring artist David Huckfelt (formerly of The Pines), each Mystery Lights Session features a rotating cast of local and regional musical luminaries. Together, they improvise, reinterpret, and ignite the music of the heartland—drawing from both ends of the Mississippi River and all the places in between. Expect a genre-blurring journey through roots, Americana, Native Americana, and the timeless art of songcraft.