Maybe it’s the cold winter that drives such a hot music scene or simply people who know how to have fun. Regardless of the reason, music and Minneapolis play a delightful duet. Minneapolis claims more theater seats per capita than anywhere outside of New York City. Then there’s MOSAIC; the biggest summer-long music festival in the country. From outdoor performances to concert halls, parades to picnics, festivals, fetes and fiestas, Minneapolis comes out to play.

But, you don’t have to wait for MOSAIC to rock in Minneapolis. The Warehouse District, Riverfront District and Hennepin Theatre District are filled with trendy dance clubs, cozy jazz bars, lively Irish pubs and lots of ole’ time rock and roll. Prince got his start at First Avenue & 7th Street Entry. Purple Rain was filmed there. Ike and Tina Turner, Chubby Checker and Rod Stewart are a few more famous names who have graced the stage at First Avenue. Seeing red? You must be at sexy Club Tabu. The all-red, hot hip hop club’s dance action covers four levels. Dueling pianos rock all night at The Shout House. The Escape Ultra Lounge, above Hard Rock Café, is a sensory extravaganza with optic kinetic lights, non-stop music and giant plasma screens broadcasting the action on the dance floor. At Rossi’s Blue Star Jazz Room there’s not a bad seat in the house when greats like Harry Connick Jr., Chuck Mangione and Cassandra Wilson take the stage. Meanwhile, over 30 theaters and concert halls and 100 performing groups, such as the Minnesota Orchestra, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and Minnesota Opera fill the night with the classics.