Girl at the Rock Shows

I’ve heard stories about the Big Turn Music Fest in Red Wing, Minnesota. Now in its ninth year, Big Turn boasts an insane amount of Minnesota-based (and beyond but mostly Minnesota) music scattered throughout this quaint and beautiful small town. I don’t know why this year is the first year that I’ve made the quick, one-hour jaunt from the Twin Cities to this music festival but, half way through the festival and I am so utterly in love with everything about Big Turn Music Fest and hate the fact that I missed eight years of this magic. With over one hundred acts playing over a two-day span and having caught 31 acts on Friday night alone, I have a lot to get through so let’s just jump right in.

Kicking things off for my Friday night was Afflatus from Winona, Minnesota at The Elks Lodge. Afflatus’ sound was this super cool and chill blend of indie rock and something a bit funky. It was cool, calm, and collected but had an energy to it that made this band the perfect way to kick off what was going to be a marathon of a night. Afflatus

It was a quick walk over to The American Legion to catch The Old Smugglers. To say this band was fun and quirky would be an understatement. Their sound has this almost whiskey-drenched swagger to it but there was just a bit more eccentricity behind it and a whole slew of influences that this band used to create a truly dynamic and amazing performance. The Old Smugglers

Is a framing shop a typical place to catch live music? Absolutely not but, at Big Turn Music Fest, it’s one of the cutest venues around. It’s tiny and cozy with warm wood colors scattered throughout the shop and a small space in the corner for a musician. It was the perfect spot for Ditty Wish. A singer/songwriter from northern Minnesota, Ditty Wish’s sound was soft and truly beautiful. It was impossible to not get lost in her world as she sang her folksy, heartfelt songs. Ditty Wish

Much like a framing shop is a super unconventional place to see live music, so is a bicycle shop but Red Wing Bicycle Company was my next stop to catch a personal favorite of mine, anni xo. Honestly, I caught the soundcheck but, when you’re as perfect and flawless as anni xo, a soundcheck can feel just like a full-blown performance. I didn’t stay anywhere super long on Friday night but I loved the fact that, although my time with anni xo was short, it felt familiar and cozy proving that this amazing local act isn’t going anywhere and is absolutely one to continue watching. anni xo

You could call the music of The Placaters soulful. You could call it rockin’. You could honestly call it a million other things but all I know is that their set at Liberty’s Restaurant & Lounge caught my attention. There was something slightly simple about their sound but I don’t mean that in a bad way. I mean it in a way that it was so easy to fall in love with this Minneapolis act. The Placaters

The always lovely Sammie Jean was up next at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. The beautiful church setting was so perfect for Sammie’s sound. I feel like it really enhanced the soft edges of her voice while making sure that the dynamics that Sammie and her band pull off so flawlessly really hit you with all of their force. Sammie Jean

Tony Cuchetti is another act whose sound seemed only enhanced by the beauty of the Christ Episcopal Church backdrop. Sonically Tony Cuchetti’s set was a perfect blend of Americana rootsy vibes with a ricking’ heartbeat and the amount of passion that radiates from Tony and his band throughout their performance was nothing short of electrifying. Tony Cuchetti

The Gentleman’s Anti-Temperance League is not my normal kind of listen but they had me hooked with their set at the gorgeous Sheldon Theatre. There was something old-souled and timeless about their musical offering but, at the same time, their performance came off as fresh and modern. The Gentleman’s Anti-Temperance League

I had never heard of Kodj before catching his set at Tootsie Too’s (a children’s boutique) on Friday night but I was instantly head over heels in love with this kid. His voice was soft and so tender but there was an edge to it that gave it a sense of sparkle and shine that made it irresistible. Kodj was performing solo on Friday night which was amazing but I would kill to see this talented human with a full band. Kodj

Unfortunately, I only made it to Tators and Dillers once on Friday night. This is a super small (but insanely cute) bar and, unfortunately, it remained full for majority of the night but was I able to sneak in to catch some of Enemy in the Sky and I am so dang happy I did. Enemy in the Sky’s sound was very electronic. It was synth-heavy with an out-of-this-world kind of vibe and it absolutely gave me the early-evening boost that I needed to keep on going. Enemy in the Sky

It was back to The Elks Lodge for a little bluegrass jam from Buffalo Galaxy. This is a band name that I’ve seen over and over again and was just so stoked to finally see live. Although bluegrass ins’t quite my normal cup of tea, I loved how Buffalo Galaxy brought elements of everything from rock to funk into their bluegrass-leaning sound making it easy to relate to and fall in love with. Buffalo Galaxy

I don’t care what kind of music you like or anything like that. You need to be paying attention to Jordan Johnston. Here’s the deal, there is constantly multiple bands playing at any given time at this festival. You obviously can’t be everywhere at the same time so some venues feel a bit lighter than others at time. Even though Jordan Johnston’s audience was a bit light, this amazing musician and his band did not hold back. Their set was fun but, more than that, it was flawlessly curated as far as music and performance goes. Literally everyone in the American Legion was dancing by the time Jordan’s set was done. Jordan Johnston

I’ll be honest, I was really bummed when I walked back into Red Wing Bicycle Company to see Larry Wish only to find out that the one and only Larry Wish had to drop off of the line-up due to illness. That being said, I was ecstatic when I walked in to find Zaq Baker all set up and playing his musical-theater-inspired tracks. I’ve covered Zaq in various forms (solo, band, as part of a band, etc.) many times but it never gets old with Friday night at Red Wing Bicycle Company being no exception. Zaq Baker

Although playing at 7:15 at Christ Episcopal Church doesn’t sound like a “headlining slot” since it was so early in the grand scheme of things, Charlie Parr’s set was absolutely a hot ticket set for many. The church was full and for good reason. Charlie Parr is an institution here in Minnesota and beyond. His music and his whole aura is nothing short of beautiful and is something that I firmly believe everyone needs to experience at least once in their life. There’s just something so understated, so humble about everything this man does and his set in Christ Episcopal Church seemed to just highlight that whole mentality and feeling. Charlie Parr

After Charlie Parr’s stunning set, I stopped back at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church to catch some of Fiona Hayes. Although clearly young (her bio says 15 but I’m not sure that’s 100% accurate), Fiona had a super powerful sound that felt like the had been honing in on it for decades. Between her punky edge and soulful voice, Fiona Hayes absolutely caught my attention on Friday night. Fiona Hayes

They say that the St. James Hotel is haunted. That means it’s been on my list to check out for years and I was so stoked to finally have the chance with this festival. Although it took a couple of hours, I finally made my way down to this historic hotel to catch a set from MoeDeLL in The Laurentine Room and then Over Yonder at Jimmy’s . MoeDeLL had a full band sound but with a bare bones kind of feeling to it. What do I mean by that/ Honestly, I find it hard to find the right words but I can tell you that their sound was intriguing and this is absolutely a band that I will have me eyes on. MoeDeLL

It was just a quick elevator ride up to Jimmy’s on the 5th floor of the St. James Hotel and I made it just in time to catch some tunes from Over Yonder. I really hope this makes sense to you but I know this is going to be a bit obscure– Over Yonder sounds like the Juno soundtrack. Again, I hope that makes sense to you but, if not, I just urge you to spend some time with this amazing Northfield-based duo. Over Yonder

To say that The Bored was a standout act for me would be an understatement. This 5-piece band had an old-school almost 60’s kind of approach to a very modern and rocking sound. Add in a trombone to that you were left with a super fun mid-evening pick-me-up. The Bored

From a new-to-me set to an old favorite, I was stoked to be able to catch Poioson Ivy and the People. I will always adore this band for their musical theater influence and the way that Ivy (AKA Charleigh Wolf) brings a sense of drama to every stage they perform on with the floor of the Red Wing Bicycle Company being no different. Poison Ivy and the People

Hiahli is one of those bands that always makes me feel good. It doesn’t matter how bad a day is going or how bummed out I am. Hearing and seeing Hiahli will always bring a smile to my face and, although already incredibly happy about how my Friday night was going, I loved the fact that seeing Hiahli seemed to make the smile on my face even larger. Hiahli

I know that I have told you all about the power that is JoJo Green but seeing JoJo Green perform at Christ Episcopal Church was a good reminder of that. Don’t get me wrong, this entire band is nothing short of bombastic but it’s the vocals of Sharisse Germain that will always leave my jaw on the ground. JoJo Green

Another act that I have told you about countless times is Davina and the Vagabonds and I know that I just saw them a couple of weeks ago but that did not stop me from being stoked to catch them at The Sheldon Theatre on Friday night. Per usual, Davina was full of piss, vinegar, beauty, and class. Davina and the Vagabonds

You ever see or hear a band and just know that they are too “cool’ for you? That’s what happened to me when I caught Teeth at The Chatter Nook Bistro. I don’t even know how to classify this band but I guess, if backed into a corner, I would say they are a grunge rock band with a prominent trombone. Like I said, too cool and too perfect. Teeth

Okay, I know, I only got one picture to share for Teeth. That’s because The Chatter Nook Bistro was packed when they played. The same could be said for Red Wing Bicycle Company when it was time for Maygen and the Birdwatcher. Unfortunately, the storefront was beyond packed and I couldn’t get any photos of this amazing group but I did just want to mention them because this group sounded absolutely flawless on Friday night. Maygen and the Birdwatcher

I didn’t last long at Red Wing Bicycle Company just because it was so packed so I stopped by Tootsie Too’s and caught some of The Winter Sloths. What a treat. The amount of emotion this Fergus Falls-based group brought to Tootsie Too’s was truly amazing. Although I definitely got some Muse vibes from their sound, I also got something almost Midwest Emo based which instantly hit the spot. The Winter Sloths

There is truly something for everyone as far as genres of music at Big Turn Music Fest. For the hip-hop and rap lovers, we had Sean Anonymous. Sean’s furious raps created such a fun, party-like atmosphere at the Chatter Nook Bistro and, although I’ve seen Sean many times before, like many other of the acts on this line-up, something just felt a little bit more special about this performance. Sean Anonymous

It was back to the Laurentine Room on the 1st floor of the St. James Hotel for Why Her. Hailing from Winona, MN, this four-piece has a sweet kind of sound but you could tell there was a hidden angst behind it all that added to a sense of charm that radiated from this act. Why Her

Quincy Voris is a Twin Cities-based singer-songwriter originally from Alaska. I don’t know how to explain it but I feel like you could hear that in Quincy’s set. There was something organic and natural about the sounds coming from Quincy and his band that just felt so and perfectly refreshing. Quincy Voris

The Hazy Phase was the final band that I caught at the American Legion on Friday night and they definitely closed that venue out right. Their bluesy rock sound had a grit to it that was nothing short of infectious and perfect. The Hazy Phase

Closing things at the Elks Lodge for me was Midwest Voltage. I don’t know what I was expecting from this band. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting anything since I had never heard of them before but they left me stunned. Their music, like their lighting, was moody and dark but there were these glimmers of pure chaos and angst that highlighted the set so perfectly. I’m not sure where this band has been all my life but they absolutely have my attention. Midwest Voltage

Closing out my first night at Big Turn Music Fest was The Von Tramps at Liberty’s Restaurant & Lounge. Although the line-up of this band was a bit different than usual with the absence of vocalist Jenna Enemy, this band served their usual amount of ska-fueled pop-punk jams. It was just what I needed to give me a little boost of energy for the drive home. The Von Tramps

And there you have it. Night one of Big Turn Music Fest 2026. 31 bands– each one just as amazing as the last and all with a sense of fire and passion that acted as the cherry on top to an amazing night. Although already exhausted, I truly can not wait to get back down to Red Wing today. I’ll see you out there!