The North Shore Music Association presents a two-night live music weekend, February 7–8, featuring Erik Koskinen, Martha Scanlan, and Jon Neufeld—three deeply respected musicians sharing two distinct performances in two very different rooms, each highlighting a different side of live music.

The weekend opens Saturday, February 7 at 8 p.m. with a swinging full-band honky-tonk show at Up Yonder (1615 W Hwy 61, Grand Marais). Led by Erik Koskinen and joined by friends—including Martha Scanlan, Jon Neufeld, and more—the night draws on classic country and honky-tonk traditions, offering a chance to move, gather, and shake off the winter. The music swings, stretches out, and brings the room together.

Erik Koskinen is a lights-out guitarist and bandleader, and his full band is as good and locked-in as you’ll hear anywhere—responsive, driving, and deeply intuitive. Raised in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and shaped by northern landscapes and Finnish roots, Koskinen brings a plainspoken, sharply observed voice to American country and folk music. The Minneapolis Star Tribune has called him “the best country songwriter in Minnesota,” a description that feels less like praise and more like something you arrive at by listening. Songwriter Jeffrey Foucault has described Koskinen’s work as having “the diamond-hard clarity and simplicity of Tom Petty,” noting his ability to sing a literal statement and “make it move like poetry.” His songs tell stories of working lives and hard loves, carried by a band that plays with feel, momentum, and deep connection.

 Martha Scanlan and Jon Neufeld

On Sunday, February 8 at 6 p.m., the focus shifts to an intimate, seated listening-room performance at the 4-H Log Cabin at the Cook County Community Center (317 W 5th St, Grand Marais). Martha Scanlan and Jon Neufeld come together for a stripped-down evening centered on songwriting, storytelling, and close attention, with Erik Koskinen joining as a special guest.

Scanlan and Neufeld share a long-running creative partnership defined by trust, restraint, and deep listening. Their latest album, Save It For Later, was named one of the year’s best by No Depression, praised for its emotional clarity and carefully shaped arrangements. Scanlan’s unmistakable voice is matched by Neufeld’s inventive, spacious guitar work—music that values nuance, character, and the quiet weight of a well-told story. Set in the cozy log cabin at the Cook County Community Center, the room offers the right kind of closeness for this music, inviting focused listening and shared presence.

Together, these two nights offer a rare opportunity to experience both sides of live performance: the lift and release of a full band in motion, and the quiet power of songs shared up close. In the heart of winter on the North Shore, the weekend invites audiences to come together around music that is rooted, human, and deeply alive.

Event Details

Saturday, February 7 | 8 p.m.
Erik Koskinen & Friends
Up Yonder
1615 W Hwy 61, Grand Marais, MN 55604
Full-band honky-tonk show

Sunday, February 8 | 6 p.m.
Martha Scanlan, Jon Neufeld & Erik Koskinen
4-H Log Cabin, Cook County Community Center
317 W 5th St, Grand Marais, MN 55604
Intimate seated concert

For tickets and more information, visit northshoremusicassociation.com.