The Cabooze reopens under new ownership, plans 50th-anniversary celebration

The Cabooze, a West Bank staple that has hosted shows for 50 years, is returning with a grand reopening celebration on Sept. 11.

Nabil Ghebre and David Grady acquired the Minneapolis venue, as well as the neighboring and currently closed Whiskey Junction, with an eye on building a calendar that encompasses a wide variety of genres, per the Minnesota Star Tribune .

The reopening comes with a week of free concerts that starts with Twin on Sept. 11, the first in a planned Wednesday residency.

Opening week concerts will also include an Afrobeat dance party with Obi Original & the Black Atlantics on Sept. 13, a Saturday show with Belfast Cowboys and the Dan Israel Band, and a reggae party with Singing Tony on Sunday, Sept. 15. Free tickets are available for all of the opening week shows through its email list.

Other shows now on the schedule, including some in a series of 50th-anniversary events, are highlighted by Sugarhill Gang & The Furious Five (Sept. 20), the International Reggae All Stars (Oct. 5), Lamont Cranston with The Butanes (Oct. 25), a tribute to The Talking Heads (Nov. 16), and the Flamin' Oh's with Faith Boblett (Dec. 6).

While it's celebrating a reopening, the venue has hosted shows on its patio this summer, including a June tribute to the late blue musician Spider John Koerner and a late August appearance from Dead Prez.

The Star Tribune reports that light remodeling has taken place, including bathroom upgrades, a second green room, and updated LED lighting.

Related: Twin Cities concerts this week: Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan, NBNL Fest, King Gizzard