Chris Riemenschneider
See more of the story

This is getting ridiculous.

For 52 other weekends out of the year, you're lucky to find one or two good live music offerings in northeast Minneapolis to go along with the great taprooms, restaurants and art spaces. On Art-a-Whirl weekend, though, you see a massive pileup like the one that's happening this Saturday from 8:30 to 10 p.m.

In that 90-minute span alone, Har Mar Superstar, Kitten Forever, Dem Atlas, the Soviettes, Caroline Smith, Charlie Parr, Mark Mallman and the 4onthefloor are all performing within about 2 miles of each other. That's just silly. If visitors came from another planet — or just from Blaine — with a teleportation machine and only a short time to get to know the Twin Cities music scene, that'd be the time to do it.

Picking through the schedule for Art-a-Whirl and setting a plan is getting harder but more necessary every year. Here are my personal picks by the hour this year, based on a variety of factors ranging from a desire to see new bands instead of old favorites (I will always love you, Heiruspecs!) to the simple fact that I really dug the new block-party setup at Grumpy's last year.

Friday

6 p.m.: Mike Munson (at Casket Arts) or PHO (331 Club outdoors)

7 p.m.: Roma di Luna (331 Club outdoors) or Ringout! (Elias Metal Studio)

8 p.m.: Andrew Broder (Indeed Brewing)

9 p.m.: Marijuana Deathsquads (Indeed)

10 p.m.: Monica LaPlante (331 Club indoors)

Saturday

Noon: Nooky Jones (Bauhaus Brew Labs)

1 p.m.: Solid Gold (Bauhaus)

2 p.m.: Fraea (Bauhaus) or Total Gaze (Indeed)

3 p.m.: The Revenge Wedding (Grumpy's Northeast)

4 p.m.: ZuluZuluu (Bauhaus)

5 p.m.: Porcupine (5:30 p.m., Grumpy's) or the Chinchees (5:30 p.m., Dangerous Man)

6 p.m.: Black Market Brass (Bauhaus)

7 p.m.: Birthday Suits (Indeed), the Stress of Her Regard (612 Brew) or Murf (Dangerous Man)

8 p.m.: Kitten Forever (8:30 p.m., Dangerous Man) or the Soviettes (8:30, Psycho Suzi's)

9 p.m.: I gotta go with the new mayor of #NEmpls, Har Mar Superstar (9:15 p.m., Grumpy's)

Sunday

1 p.m.: Crankshaft & the Gear Grinders (331 Club)

2 p.m.: Jack Klatt (Indeed)

3 p.m.: Magic Castles (Anchor Fish & Chips)

4 p.m.: Tyte Jeff (Anchor)

5 p.m.: Pert Near Sandstone (Indeed)

6 p.m.: Romantica (Anchor)

7 p.m.: Catbath (331 Club)

8 p.m.: Fury Things (331 Club)

Venues

612 Brew: 945 NE. Broadway, 5:30-10 p.m. Fri., 1-10 p.m. Sat.

331 Club: 331 13th Av. NE., 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Fri., noon-1 a.m. Sat., 1-9 p.m. Sun.

Anchor Fish & Chips: 302 13th Av. NE., 2-8 p.m. Sat., 2-7 p.m. Sun.

Bauhaus Brew Labs: 1315 NE. Tyler St., 6:30-10 p.m. Fri., noon-10 p.m. Sat.

Casket Arts: 681 17th Av. NE., 6-10 p.m. Fri., 1-8 p.m. Sat.

Dangerous Man Brewing: 1300 NE. 2nd St., 3-10 p.m. Sat.

Elias Metal Studio: 1129 NE. Van Bruen St. 5-9 p.m. Fri.

Grumpy's Northeast: 2200 NE. 4th St., noon-10 p.m. Sat.

Indeed Brewing: 711 15th Av. NE., 6-10 p.m. Fri., 1-10 p.m. Sat., 1-6 p.m. Sun.

Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge: 1900 NE. Marshall St., 4:30 p.m.-midnight Sat.

All shows are free. Check the venues' websites or Facebook pages for full schedules.