Humbird to headline northwest Rochester neighborhood park concert
As the storm clouds move out of the area later today, a more gentle presence will take over White Oaks Park in northwest Rochester.
The Minneapolis act Humbird is set to take the stage for week two of the forWARD Neighborhood Park Concert Series, sponsored by Mayo Clinic & The Current. The summer series, first introduced in 2019, brings regional and national performers to neighborhood parks across the city.
The free show begins on Wednesday, June 15, 5:30 p.m. at White Oaks, 4597 55th Street NW. Red Wing-based performer Jeff Kelly will be the opener.
Humbird, the moniker for the Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter Siri Undlin, is touring on her sophomore album Still Life, which has been hailed for its sincere lyrics and soothing instrumentation. Mike Pengra, the host of Radio Heartland on The Current, described Undlin’s latest songs as “creative, sophisticated, daring, thoughtful and beautiful.”
In an interview, Undlin said the songwriting on Still Life is a reflection of her experiences through the pandemic and the events that unfolded in her South Minneapolis neighborhood. "It's very rooted in that time period, in that place, and you can hear it in the songs if you listen closely,” she said.
When writing new material, Undlin said her goal is to get out of her own way at times — adding that she thinks of songs as “intelligent beings that float in the air,” with some being easier to catch than others. "At the core, my songwriting is an exercise in observation; it is how I process what I witness in the world, and what I experience in other people and places.”
Defining a genre for Humbird is not so easy. Undlin’s work is influenced by great singer-songwriters like John Prine, as well as her own experiences growing up with Irish music, studying classical music, and singing hymns at the church where her mother preaches. "It's a swirl of influences, and it's fun to lean into different sides of things that you love from different genres, and bring them into a song. That's a fun puzzle to solve,” she said.
On stage, Undlin will be joined by the same lineup she recorded the latest album with — Pat Keen on bass, Peter Quirsfeld on drums, and Adaleyn Strei playing a variety of instruments. “Every show is a little different,” explained Undlin. “Songs continue to change as we play them, just because everyone in the band enjoys improvising, and we like to surprise each other and keep each other on our toes."
She added, "We have so many friends in Rochester, and it's just such a great arts community there — so we always look forward to coming down."
Admission to all forWARD neighborhood shows is free and open to the public. Blankets, lawn chairs, and coolers are welcome. There will also be two food trucks on hand: Infuzn Foods & Taco Lab.
For a full summer concert lineup, visit Rochester Civic Music’s website.
Note: Rochester Civic Music works with the National Weather Service to make decisions regarding outdoor concerts. As of 11 a.m., the show is scheduled to be held as planned. We will update this story if anything changes.
