Last updated: October 2, 2026
Key Takeaways
- The weekend of October 23–25, 2026 centers on four headline music shows in intimate Minneapolis venues: Dogstar at The Fillmore, jigitz and Rebecca Black at Varsity Theater, and SiM closing Sunday.
- Varsity Theater functions as the weekend’s most active emerging-artist hub, hosting three consecutive nights of rising acts in a club-capacity room.
- Broadway audiences can see the touring production of The Sound of Music at the Orpheum Theatre across five performances from Friday through Sunday.
- Sunday’s Minnesota Vikings vs. Indianapolis Colts noon kickoff at U.S. Bank Stadium pairs cleanly with evening music or theater plans.
- OnesToWatch Live highlights these small-room moments while they last, focusing on artists before they move to larger stages.
Browse All Minneapolis Tickets
Ready to map out the weekend? The shows below form the core of the OnesToWatch Live calendar for October 23–25.
Quick Ticket Links For Headline Shows
These four headline sets anchor the weekend, each showing a different side of Minneapolis’s small-room scene, from rock to pop to punk.
Dogstar – All In Now Tour · Friday, Oct 23 · 7:00 PM · The Fillmore, Minneapolis
jigitz – 50 Ballerinas Tour w/ Killen. · Friday, Oct 23 · 8:00 PM · Varsity Theater, Minneapolis
Rebecca Black – Exhibitionism on Tour w/ BAYLI · Saturday, Oct 24 · 7:00 PM · Varsity Theater, Minneapolis
SiM – Hooman World Tour w/ Zero 9:36 & more · Sunday, Oct 25 · 6:30 PM · Varsity Theater, Minneapolis
Friday, October 23
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Lucas Zelnick · Pantages Theatre · 7:00 PM
Lucas Zelnick plays an early set at the Pantages Theatre, a mid-size historic room on Hennepin Avenue. He follows it with a second set at 9:30 PM the same night for anyone planning a comedy-focused evening.
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Dogstar – All In Now Tour · The Fillmore · 7:00 PM
Dogstar is a California-based power trio featuring Keanu Reeves on bass, Bret Domrose on guitar and vocals, and Robert Mailhouse on drums. The band returned in 2023 after 20 years of silence, touring behind their fourth studio album All In Now, produced by Nick Launay. They play The Fillmore, a North Loop venue at 525 N 5th Street that often catches artists just before they move into larger rooms.
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Indigo Girls · State Theatre · 7:00 PM
Indigo Girls bring their catalog to the State Theatre, one of Minneapolis’s premier mid-size venues on Hennepin Avenue. Their long-running touring history has built a devoted live following, which fits the room’s seated layout and strong acoustics.
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The Sound Of Music · Orpheum Theatre · 7:30 PM
The touring production of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic, directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O’Brien, runs at the Orpheum through October 25. Friday’s 7:30 PM performance opens a weekend of options for theatergoers.
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The Algorithm Is Gonna Get You · Dudley Riggs Theatre · 7:30 PM
The Dudley Riggs Theatre hosts this production on Friday at 7:30 PM, with additional performances Saturday at 4:30 PM and 7:30 PM. Dudley Riggs is a Minneapolis comedy institution with a long history of original work.
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jigitz – 50 Ballerinas Tour W/ Killen. · Varsity Theater · 8:00 PM
jigitz brings the 50 Ballerinas Tour to Varsity Theater with support from Killen. Varsity Theater leads Minneapolis venues in upcoming event volume, and this show captures an artist on the rise in a room that still feels close to the stage.
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Lucas Zelnick · Pantages Theatre · 9:30 PM
The late second set at the Pantages extends the night for comedy fans. It also works as a follow-up stop after an early show elsewhere downtown.
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U.S. Bank Stadium Tour · U.S. Bank Stadium Tours · Time TBA
The standard U.S. Bank Stadium Tour runs about 90 minutes and covers the Vikings Locker Room, the playing field, Premium Clubs and Suites, the Thomson Reuters Press Level, and the stadium’s art collection. Routes can shift based on events in the building. Tickets cost about $48–$49 including fees, and buyers select a specific day and time in advance.
Saturday, October 24
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The Sound Of Music · Orpheum Theatre · 2:00 PM
This Saturday matinee of the touring Broadway production at the Orpheum suits families and anyone who wants to keep the evening open for music.
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The Algorithm Is Gonna Get You · Dudley Riggs Theatre · 4:30 PM
This early Saturday performance at Dudley Riggs leaves time for a later show or dinner. A second performance runs at 7:30 PM the same night.
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Buena Vista Orchestra · The Fillmore · 7:00 PM
Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos and his Buena Vista Orchestra bring Cuban son, mambo, and big-band arrangements to The Fillmore on Saturday night. The show flips the room from Friday’s rock bill into a dance-forward setting.
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Rebecca Black – Exhibitionism On Tour W/ BAYLI · Varsity Theater · 7:00 PM
Rebecca Black’s Exhibitionism on Tour arrives at Varsity Theater with BAYLI in support. Black has built a distinct artistic identity beyond her viral origins, and this tour reflects that evolution. Varsity’s club-scale capacity frames the show as a close-range look at a pop artist in motion.
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Steve Taylor & Some Band W/ The Choir · Pantages Theatre · 7:30 PM
Steve Taylor & Some Band play the Pantages Theatre with The Choir in support. The Pantages, a restored historic room on Hennepin Avenue, suits this rock-adjacent bill with its clear sightlines and seated layout.
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The Sound Of Music · Orpheum Theatre · 7:30 PM
The Saturday evening performance of the touring production gives theatergoers a prime-time option. Multiple showtimes across the weekend make it easy to pair with concerts or sports.
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The Algorithm Is Gonna Get You · Dudley Riggs Theatre · 7:30 PM
The second Saturday performance at Dudley Riggs runs alongside the evening’s music options. It works well for audiences who prefer comedy and theater over concerts.
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Ultimate Touchdown Tour · U.S. Bank Stadium Tours · Time TBA
The Ultimate Touchdown Tour runs on select dates just before Vikings home games, including Saturday, October 24. It includes views of the Vikings Locker Room being set for gameday, broadcast spaces in preparation, and one of the stadium’s luxury private bars, ending with time on the turf and photos on the 50-yard line.
Sunday, October 25
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Minnesota Vikings Vs. Indianapolis Colts · U.S. Bank Stadium · 12:00 PM
The Vikings host the Colts at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday at noon. Metro Transit promotes the METRO Blue and Green lines as dropping off directly outside U.S. Bank Stadium at the U.S. Bank Stadium Station on game days, which offers a lower-stress and cheaper option than driving and parking.
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The Sound Of Music · Orpheum Theatre · 1:00 PM
The Sunday matinee of the touring Broadway production offers an afternoon theater option. It pairs naturally with the game for split groups or works as a standalone plan.
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The Sound Of Music · Orpheum Theatre · 6:30 PM
The 6:30 PM curtain marks the final performance of the run at the Orpheum. This show closes the production’s Minneapolis stay before it moves to the next city.
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SiM – Hooman World Tour W/ Zero 9:36 & More · Varsity Theater · 6:30 PM
SiM closes the weekend at Varsity Theater on the Hooman World Tour, with Zero 9:36 and additional support. SiM (Silence iz Mine) is a Japanese reggae-punk band from Shonan, Kanagawa, whose sound mixes hardcore punk, nu metal, reggae, and ska. The band has built a substantial international following, and Varsity’s club-scale capacity makes this a rare chance to see them in a compact room.
Additional Events Around The City
Several other events round out the weekend picture beyond the primary roster.
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra’s Life After Death (October 23–25, 2026) features vocalist Eliza Bagg and includes music by composer Ellis Ludwig-Leone, among other American composers. It takes place at Ordway Concert Hall in St. Paul and includes the U.S. premiere of Hexentanz and the world premiere of Threshold, alongside selections from Philip Glass, Maurice Ravel’s Trois Poèmes de Mallarmé, and Andrew Norman’s Begin.
Collide Theatrical’s Hollywood: Lights. Camera. Dance! runs through October 25 at The Luminary Arts Center, with Friday and Saturday evening performances at 7:00 PM and a Sunday matinee at 2:00 PM. Tickets range from $15 to $65.
Zac Brown Band brings its Love & Fear Tour to Target Center on Friday, October 23, with Brothers Osborne in support. This arena show sits at the opposite end of the capacity spectrum from the club dates above.
Tank and the Bangas play Fine Line on Friday, October 23, on The Last Balloon Tour, bringing soul, R&B, hip-hop, and funk to one of Minneapolis’s busiest small venues.
IAN SWEET plays 7th St Entry on Friday, October 23, 2026, with the show starting at 7:00 PM, touring behind the 2026 album Shiverstruck. 7th St Entry is one of Minneapolis’s most storied small rooms.
Maggie Koerner plays The Cedar Cultural Center on Friday, October 23 at 8:00 PM, part of a 2026 tour that includes 29 scheduled concerts across 2 countries, with 17 upcoming shows remaining as of October 2026.
Historic Fort Snelling hosts Lanterns & Legends on Saturday, October 24, an hour-long lantern-lit tour with costumed interpretive staff recounting lesser-known true stories from the fort’s history.
The City of Minneapolis Family Gathering Concert Series brings a free family-friendly concert and dance party to Green Room (2923 Girard Ave S) on Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Patterns, Themes, And Weekend Takeaways
Three patterns define this particular weekend. First, Varsity Theater anchors Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with different artists at different points in their trajectories, including jigitz, Rebecca Black, and SiM. As noted earlier, that three-night run makes Varsity the central hub for emerging-artist live music across the three days.
Second, the Halloween calendar proximity shapes the atmosphere without taking over the listings. The weekend sits close enough to October 31 that late-night crowds will likely skew costumed, though the shows function as standard tour dates rather than themed events.
Third, the NFL game on Sunday afternoon creates a clear sequencing window. The Vikings kickoff at noon, which clears the stadium by mid-afternoon and leaves the evening open for SiM at Varsity or the final Sound of Music performance at the Orpheum.
The small-room window is the most time-sensitive fact in this guide. SiM at Varsity Theater and jigitz at Varsity Theater both sit at a moment when room size and audience size still match. That alignment tends to close quickly, and OnesToWatch Live exists to track that shift.
Practical Reader Guidance
The Orpheum, State, and Pantages theatres sit within a block of each other along Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis, and The Fillmore is nearby in the North Loop near Target Field. The evidence does not document Varsity Theater as walkable from these Hennepin Avenue venues, so plan extra travel time between Dinkytown and downtown.
The Metro Blue Line connects MSP Airport to downtown Minneapolis, with stops including Target Field, Warehouse District/Hennepin Avenue, Nicollet Mall, Government Plaza, and U.S. Bank Stadium. Trains run every 12–15 minutes, and the ride from the airport to Warehouse District Station takes about 25 minutes. For the Vikings game on Sunday, Metro Transit remains the recommended route to U.S. Bank Stadium.
Minneapolis carries an overall safety score of 82/100 on the Kakapo 2026 travel safety guide, with night safety at 61/100. Practical guidance includes staying in the North Loop, downtown, and Hennepin Avenue corridor after shows, using rideshare rather than walking long distances after midnight, and keeping nothing visible in parked cars. Minneapolis police guidance emphasizes locking vehicles, parking in well-lit areas, and never leaving valuables in the car.
For sequencing, Friday night offers the densest slate. Dogstar at The Fillmore and jigitz at Varsity Theater form the two primary music picks, with Indigo Girls at the State Theatre as a third option. Saturday evening splits between Rebecca Black at Varsity and Buena Vista Orchestra at The Fillmore. Sunday revolves around the noon kickoff and the 6:30 PM SiM show.
Frequently Asked Questions
Top Concert Picks For October 23–25, 2026
The standout music shows are Dogstar’s All In Now Tour at The Fillmore on Friday, October 23 at 7:00 PM, jigitz on the 50 Ballerinas Tour with Killen. at Varsity Theater on Friday at 8:00 PM, Rebecca Black’s Exhibitionism on Tour with BAYLI at Varsity Theater on Saturday, October 24 at 7:00 PM, and SiM on the Hooman World Tour with Zero 9:36 at Varsity Theater on Sunday, October 25 at 6:30 PM. Additional options include Indigo Girls at the State Theatre on Friday, Buena Vista Orchestra at The Fillmore on Saturday, and Tank and the Bangas at Fine Line on Friday.
Broadway-Style Theater In Minneapolis That Weekend
The touring production of The Sound of Music, the 2015–2017 North American touring production of The Sound of Music was directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O’Brien, runs at the Orpheum Theatre through October 25, 2026. Showtimes across the weekend include Friday at 7:30 PM, Saturday at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM, and Sunday at 1:00 PM and 6:30 PM.
Sports Events In Minneapolis, October 23–25, 2026
The Minnesota Vikings host the Indianapolis Colts at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, October 25 at 12:00 PM. The weekend also includes the Minnesota Lynx hosting a WNBA Finals home game at Target Center on October 23 at 7:00 PM, and St. Thomas University Tommies Hockey facing the Minnesota State Mankato Mavericks at Lee & Penny Anderson Arena on October 23 at 7:00 PM.
Best Small-Room Shows To Catch
Varsity Theater is the venue to watch. jigitz plays Friday night, Rebecca Black plays Saturday night, and SiM closes Sunday evening, giving three different artists three consecutive nights in a club-capacity room. IAN SWEET at 7th St Entry on Friday and Maggie Koerner at The Cedar Cultural Center on Friday add two more small-room options worth noting.
Getting Around Minneapolis For Shows
The Metro Blue Line light rail connects MSP Airport to downtown Minneapolis, with downtown stops including Target Field, Warehouse District/Hennepin Avenue, Nicollet Mall, Government Plaza, and U.S. Bank Stadium. Most of the weekend’s music venues, including The Fillmore, Pantages Theatre, State Theatre, and Orpheum Theatre, cluster in the downtown and North Loop area and are walkable from each other. Varsity Theater sits in Dinkytown, which usually requires a short drive or rideshare from downtown.
For late-night travel after shows, Uber and Lyft operate widely and reliably in Minneapolis and offer straightforward options beyond the light rail or for getting home after drinks. Metro Transit remains the recommended option for the Vikings game on Sunday.
Catch These Artists Before The Rooms Grow
The window to see jigitz, SiM, and Rebecca Black in rooms this size is open right now. OnesToWatch has tracked artists at this stage for a decade, including Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, and Doechii, and the pattern stays consistent. Find the date, secure the ticket, and place yourself in the room while the scale still feels personal.