Press Contact: Rachel Joyce 612.375.7635 rachel.joyce@walkerart.org
Online Press Rooms: press.walkerart.org and thecurrent.org
Twitter: @WalkerArtMedia
Minneapolis, March 10, 2015—The most picturesque festival in the Twin Cities, Rock The Garden returns for two days of great music in the heart of the city, with a line-up featuring a wide variety of musical styles and artists from Minnesota punk legends to stars of Afropop to scions of rock and roll history. Saturday, June 20 kicks the weekend off with thestand4rd, Lucius, Courtney Barnett, Conor Oberst, and Belle & Sebastian; Sunday, June 21 features Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger, JD McPherson, Seun Kuti and Egypt 80, Babes in Toyland, and Modest Mouse.
The 10-band festival starts off strong with one of the most buzzed about Minnesota-based bands, thestand4rd (featuring internet sensation Corbin “Spooky” Black, rising rap star Allan Kingdom, Psymun and Bobby Raps), who landed in The New York Times after their debut performance in New York City and who can call DJ Khaled and Kanye West among their fans; next up is Lucius, the female-led indie pop band from Brooklyn whose 2013 album Wildewomen earned them rave reviews and the attention of Jeff Tweedy, who tapped them to collaborate with him on his father-son debut. Following their luscious, luminous sound comes Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett, who came crashing through the American charts with her hit “Avant Gardner”, landing her on the top of critics’ list for both her live performances and her recordings. Conor Oberst is no new-comer, with a career spanning two decades, multiple collaborations and a reign as one of the most beloved indie-rock chart-toppers. Oberst makes the perfect companion to Saturday’s headliners, the Glasgow-based Belle & Sebastian, who are back with a new, eagerly anticipated and highly rated album after a five-year absence. “Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance” continues the bands trademark style of danceable, wistful pop with playful lyrics.
Sunday’s line-up brings more rock, and some true rock and roll legends and legacies to the stage. Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger is the newest project by Sean Lennon and song-writing (and real-life) partner Charlotte Kemp Muhl; they create a retro, psychedelic sound that will get people dancing and in a party spirit, which will carry right over into our next two acts. JD McPherson has quickly established himself as one of the best live acts around, with his R&B-tinged songs causing mass outbreaks of dancing. After the American-roots influence of McPherson, it’s time for Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 to take over, with a massive sound that will have the whole field dancing in joy. The son of famed Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, Seun Kuti took over fronting Egypt 80 at the age of 14, after his father ‘s death, and they’ve been touring the world with their unique groove-heavy sound ever since. After that, Rock the Garden is proud to present the first Twin Cities appearance by local punk pioneers Babes in Toyland in 14 years. One of only a handful of announced dates on their reunion tour, the power trio is back to melt faces and represent the best of the mid-90s Minnesota music scene. The final band on 2015’s Rock the Garden bill is Modest Mouse, who will release their sixth studio album, “Strangers to Ourselves”, on March 17 after an eight-year hiatus, to ravenous audiences. The angular, experimental songs epitomize the Modest Mouse sound, and have had fans eagerly awaiting their return to the tour circuit, while the first single released, “Lampshades on Fire” shot to the top of alternative charts and playlists for non-commercial stations across the country.
Tickets:
Rock the Garden 2015 Tickets will go on sale to Walker Art Center and The Current/Minnesota Public Radio members at 11am, Thursday, March 12. Member ID numbers will be required for all pre-sale purchases. Remaining tickets will go on sale to the public at 11 am, Tuesday, March 17.
To purchase tickets visit www.etix.com. Please have your member number ready to participate in the member presale. Limit of 8 tickets per member ID, per day, during the presale. Children over five years old must have a ticket for entrance. No refunds; all ticket sales are final. All ticket orders must be made online. All tickets are print-at-home and will be received by e-mail. For online issues please call Etix customer support: 1.800.514.3849
General Admission
Member Early bird (3/12-16)
Single Day: $59; Two-Day Pass $100
Regular (3/17 and after)
Single Day: $64; Two-Day Pass $112
Access to hillside and street vendors.
VIP Green Room
Single Day: $100; Two-Day Pass: $160
VIP Green Room offers exclusive access to a private area in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. Take a break from the action and avoid the lines with VIP-only food and beverage stations and restrooms. Free parking for your party in the Parade Lot, a voucher for a Rock the Garden T-shirt (up to $25 value), one drink ticket, and access to Green Room–only food and drink vendors are included. You’ll also enjoy special activities such as the Garden Party, featuring lawn games and meet-and-greet opportunities with The Current hosts and other special guests. Access to the Grove on the ground level adjacent to the stage, and all general admission areas are also included.
VIP Skybox
Single Day: $200; Two-Day Pass: $350
VIP Skybox offers exclusive access to the Walker’s rooftop terraces (with new and improved sightlines of the stage), complimentary hors d’oeuvres from Modern Events by D’Amico, three free drink tickets, and complimentary water and soda. A voucher for a Rock the Garden T-shirt (up to $25 value), free parking for your party in the underground parking garage, entry to the VIP Green Room, the Grove on the ground level adjacent to the stage, and all general admission areas are also included.
Rock the Garden 2015 Schedule
Saturday, June 20
2:00 pm – Gates open
Thestand4rd 3:45 – 4:15 PM
Lucius 4:30 – 5:15 PM
Courtney Barnett 5:45 – 6:45 PM
Conor Oberst 7:15 – 8:15 PM
Belle & Sebastian 8:45 – 10 PM
10 pm – Music ends
10:30 pm – Gates close
Sunday, June 21
2:00 pm – Gates open
Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger 3:45 – 4:15 PM
JD McPherson 4:30 – 5:15 PM
Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 5:45 – 6:45 PM
Babes in Toyland 7:15 – 8:15 PM
Modest Mouse 8:45 – 10 PM
10 pm – Music ends
10:30 pm – Gates close
Getting to Rock the Garden:
Walk, Bike, Bus!
If you live in the area, please walk, bike, or take public transportation:
Bike racks bike with parking for 500+ bikes and a Nice Ride bike sharing station will be located on Hennepin Avenue.
Metro Transit bus lines: 4, 6, 12, and 25
Parking and Directions
Paid event parking is available in the Dunwoody Institute lot. The Vineland Place underground ramp and Minneapolis Sculpture Garden lots are reserved for VIP ticket holders and are closed to the general public.
Free Hydration
Bring your empty water bottle and enjoy free, cold, refreshing water throughout the Rock the Garden concert grounds provided by Tap Minneapolis.
Food and beverages
Food and beverages will be on sale from 2-10:15 pm. ID required to purchase alcohol.
Walker Hours on Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21
Due to preparation for Rock the Garden, the Walker galleries, Walker on the Green: Artist-Designed Mini Golf, and the Garden Café by D’Amico will be closed. Walker on the Green: Artist-Designed Mini Golf will also be closed on Friday, June 19, for event set-up.
Merchandise
During the concert, stop by the merchandise tent for all the Rock the Garden and band merchandise.
Rock the Garden will be held rain or shine; however, staff reserves the right to cancel the event or part of the event due to severe weather.
This event will be filmed, photographed, or recorded by the Walker and/or The Current. Ticket holders consent to appear in this documentation and its future use by the Walker and The Current.
No outside food or beverages allowed in the event. No lawn furniture, coolers, or pets. No professional photography, selfie sticks, or audio recording equipment allowed. No outside soliciting. No guns allowed. All bags subject to search.
About Rock the Garden
Launched by the Walker in 1998, Rock the Garden has been cosponsored by The Current since 2008. Eleven concerts have been staged outside the Walker since the inaugural event featuring the Jayhawks. Rock the Garden features national and international artists paired with the best in local music. Past performers have included Stereolab, Sonic Youth, Wilco, Antibalas, David Byrne, the Decemberists, Bon Iver, Sharon Jones, Doomtree, Bob Mould, Trampled by Turtles, Metric, Silversun Pickups, De La Soul, and many more.
Walker Art Center
One of the most celebrated art museums in the country, the Walker Art Center is known for presenting today’s most compelling artists, as well as modern masters, including Andy Warhol, Matthew Barney, Jasper Johns, Yoko Ono, Robert Rauschenberg, Mark Rothko, and Kara Walker. In addition to traveling exhibitions and its world-renowned collection, the Walker presents a broad array of contemporary music, dance, and theater, and the best in film from around the world and down the block. The Walker’s 11-acre Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is one of the country’s largest urban sculpture parks. At its center is the beloved Twin Cities landmark—the playful fountain-sculpture Spoonbridge and Cherry.
The Current
89.3 The Current is an all-music, non-commercial, member-supported station from Minnesota Public Radio. Now in its tenth year, the award-winning station has grown into a far-reaching community, boasting members and online listeners from around the world. From local to legendary, indie to influential, The Current plays the best new music next to the artists you already love. Part of The Current’s mission is to champion emerging artists, support civic and cultural organizations, and give a platform to important voices that shape our community and make the Twin Cities a great place to live.