Dessa, Adam Levy with Bethany Larson & The Bees Knees, Communist Daughter

and Chastity Brown Continue the New Century Sessions Series

best new local music series Minnesota Monthly

Tickets Go On Sale at 11 a.m., Friday, February 21

Sponsored by Park Nicollet Health Services

MINNEAPOLISHennepin Theatre Trust announced today that the next local acts to be showcased in its on-the-rise New Century Sessions series will be Dessa, one of Doomtrees most talented hip-hop/spoken word standouts, performing March 28, 2014; Adam Levy, the Honeydogs front man in a double bill with Bethany Larson & The Bees Knees on April 4; the chart-topping Communist Daughter on May 2, and the soulful Chastity Brown on July 25. All concerts begin at 7:30 p.m., are held at the Trusts intimate New Century Theatre in City Center on Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis, and add to the burgeoning activity of the Cultural District.

This new Minnesota music series, sponsored by Park Nicollet Health Services, gives musicians a chance to not only play, but to converse with the audience and share the evolution of their work. New Century Sessions launched in September 2013 and was called the best new local music series by Tim Gihring of Minnesota Monthly.

Tickets for all shows in the series go on sale at 11 a.m. on Friday, February 21 and, depending on the performance, prices range from $14 to $45, general admission. A limited number of VIP packages is available from between $40 and $90, depending on the artist, that includes premium seating, a pre-show meet and greet with the artists at 6:15 p.m., two complimentary drinks and a piece of artist memorabilia. Tickets can be purchased online at HennepinTheatreTrust.org, in person at the New Century Theatre Box Office (no service fees), 615 Hennepin Ave., ground floor, City Center, downtown Minneapolis or by calling 612-455-9501. Doors open to the public at 6:30 p.m.

• Friday, March 28, 7:30 p.m.

Dessa (A Piano In Every Home opening)
Tickets: $25 General Admission (GA) standing / $39 GA seated / $90 VIP package includes premium seating, a pre-show meet and greet with the artist at 6:15 p.m., two complimentary drinks and a copy of Dessas new book,

A Pound of Steam

• Friday, April 4, 7:30 p.m.

Adam Levy / Bethany Larson & The Bees Knees (double bill)

Tickets: $15 GA standing / $22 GA seated / $45 VIP package includes standard offerings plus a show poster signed by both artists

• Friday, May 2, 7:30 p.m.

Communist Daughter (Black Diet opening)

Tickets: $14 GA standing / $20 GA seated / $40 VIP package includes standard offerings plus a signed CD

• Friday, July 25, 7:30pm

Chastity Brown (BBGUN opening)

Tickets: $15 GA standing / $22 GA seated / $40 VIP package includes standard offerings plus a signed CD

Art and artists are at the heart the Cultural District, commented Tom Hoch, President/CEO of Hennepin Theatre Trust. The New Century Sessions series is a chance for us to open the District further to Minnesotas

most talented artists and offer them a special platform to not only play their music, but share stories about their lives or creative process in a versatile venue like our New Century Theatre.

Park Nicollets support for local community artists and the healing comfort of music is an extension of its long-time commitment to the power of music. Park Nicollet offers patients music therapy at its Frauenshuh Cancer Center, Struthers Parkinsons Center, Melrose Center for eating disorders and Methodist Hospital.

Music nourishes the human spirit and promotes healing and comfort for our patients, said David Abelson, M.D., Senior Executive Vice President, Health Partners and CEO of Park Nicollet Health Services, We are excited to be supporting community artists, and celebrating the power of music with local artists who inspire, comfort and heal through their storytelling and music.

ARTIST BIOS:

Dessa (March 28) has been celebrated in the Twin Cities hip-hop and spoken word scene since she recorded False Hopes in 2005 and she is now known internationally for her work with the renowned Twin Cities music collective Doomtree, as well as spoken word, poetry and written essays such as Spiral Bound: A Short Collection by Dessa. Her most recent release, the full-length Parts of Speech (June 2013, Doomtree) unites a wealth of tones and narratives. A Badly Broken Code was released in 2010 to critical acclaim and ranked #2 on the Twin Cities Critics Tally, as well as #20 on the A.V. Clubs Best Music of 2010. Castor, The Twin followed to similar acclaim. She was McNally Smith Colleges 2010-11 Artist in Residence and continues to perform locally and nationally with Doomtree in various venues. A Piano In Every Home opens.

Adam Levy (April 4) is probably best known for working nearly 20 years as the lead singer/songwriter for The Honeydogs. Levys songwriting has always been expansive, exploring musical styles as diverse as Americana roots, psychedelia, soul, world, jazz and classical. His voice is life-worn, his lyrics provocative and unique. Levy has also embarked on a slew of side-projects for the last five years: electronic experimental music with Liminal Phase, orchestral chamber pop with And The Professors, children's music with Bunny Clogs, 60s and 70s soul and funk with Hookers $ Blow and early-mid 20th century jazz with Rose Room. He is currently working on his first truly solo project, expected out in 2014, as well as a new Honeydogs record. He likes to think he still hasnt written his best song yet.

Bethany Larson & The Bees Knees (April 4), called one of Twin Cities best kept secrets by local press, brings a preachers daughter from Austin, Minnesota to the forefront of the states music scene. Larson grew up with three older brothers singing in the church choir. She picked up the guitar at age 15 and during college, trained in classical voice. She began writing songs and soon after hit the stage. In the process of recording her sophomore album she joined forces with the Bees Knees her brother Chris Larson on guitar, keyboards and backing vocals, Sara Horishnyk on drums/percussion and Sam Johnson on bass. Bethany Larson & The Bees Knees have been moving up the scale, playing venues including the Dakota Jazz Club, the Aster Cafe, the Red Stagg, the Midwest Music Festival in Winona and the Paramount Theater in her hometown of Austin.

Communist Daughter (May 2), the Twin Cities band whose work has topped The Currents charts and been featured on the TV show Grey's Anatomy, was founded in 2009 by Minneapolis singer/songwriter/guitarist Johnny Solomon, after the split of his band Friends Like These. Solomon, who took the name Communist Daughter from a Neutral Milk Hotel song, assembled and leads a band of area musicians which includes

Adam Switlick on bass, guitar and vocals; Al Weiers, guitar; Dillon Marchus, keyboard/guitar, Dan DeMuth, drums and lead vocalist Molly Moore, who married Solomon in 2013. The band is signed to Grain Belt Records where they recorded their debut album Soundtrack To The End, the limited EP release Something Wicked This Way Comes and Lions & Lambs. Their single Not The Kid reached number one on 89.3 The Current's Radio charts. Communist Daughter has toured nationally with the CMJ Music Festival and played several dates with Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit. In 2013, the band began to record with Kevin Bowe as a co-producer and was featured in Paste Magazine's Best of What's Next 20 issue. Black Diet opens.

Chastity Brown (July 25) channels songs that are born deep in the American bone, the hunger, desperation and confidence that runs through our times. Originally from Tennessee and now based in Minneapolis, she has been dubbed by critics as a banjo-playing soul-singer and a rocking, rolling encyclopedia of roots music. With her fourth full-length record, Back-Road Highways (2012), Chastity pushes her own natural talent even farther. For her live shows, she plays with keyboardist deVon Gray (Brother Ali), bass player Jef Sundquist (Hildur Victoria) and percussionist Greg Schutte, resulting in restless, electrifying and completely enveloping performances. She was chosen as Minneapolis' Best Folk Artist in 2012, called by NPR a "promising new voice," and earned best album nods from 89.3 The Current, Star Tribune, City Pages and Lavender Magazine. She told out shows on her first European tour and has supported Michael Kiwanuka, Dar Williams, Raul Midon and Leon Russell on the road. Browns hit single, After You landed on The Current's Top 89 Songs of 2012 and was also featured in the BBC and HBO television movie, Mary & Martha starring Hilary Swank. BBGUN opens.

TICKET INFORMATION

New Century Sessions continues with a lineup of Dessa with opener A Piano In Every Home performing March 28; Adam Levy in a double bill with Bethany Larson & The Bees Knees on April 4; Communist Daughter with opener Black Diet on May 2; and Chastity Brown with opener BBGUN on July 25. All concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. at Hennepin Theatre Trusts New Century Theatre. (615 Hennepin Avenue, Mpls., 55403). Tickets for all shows in the series go on sale at 11 a.m. on Friday, February 21, 2014 and range from $14 to $45 general admission, seated or standing. A limited number of VIP packages is available for between $40 and $90, depending on the artist. All VIP tickets include premium general seating, a pre-show meet and greet with the artists beginning at 6:15 p.m., two complimentary drinks and a piece of artist memorabilia. Additional fees will apply. Tickets can be purchased online at HennepinTheatreTrust.org, in person (no service fees) at the New Century Theatre Box Office (ground floor of City Center in downtown Minneapolis) or by calling 612.455.9501.

PARK NICOLLET HEALTH SERVICES is an integrated care system that includes Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital, Park Nicollet Clinic, Park Nicollet Foundation and Park Nicollet Institute. Park Nicollet Health Services is based in St. Louis Park and has more than 8,200 employees, including 645 physicians on staff. Park Nicollet is part of the HealthPartners family of health care companies that serves 1.4 million medical and dental health plan members nationwide.

HENNEPIN THEATRE TRUST, a leader of the Cultural District in downtown Minneapolis and non-profit owner of the historic Orpheum, State, Pantages and New Century Theatres, is dedicated to arts-inspired community cultural development. To achieve this mission, we present a rich mix of live performances from Broadway touring productions and local theatre collaborations to concerts, comedy, speakers and other variety entertainment. The Trust creates inspiring arts education initiatives from the statewide SpotLight Musical Theatre Program and SpotLight Showcase to the Broadway Confidential series, Critical Review, Teen Ushers, the Access Program and Family Day events.