Oct. 1: Minnesota Storytellers Series Opens with Jeremy Messersmith

Tuesday, October 1, 2019
7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Elias J. Halling Recital Hall

MANKATO, Minn. – Minnesota State University, Mankato's College of Arts and Humanities welcomes indie pop singer-songwriter Jeremy Messersmith (pictured) to the Minnesota Storyteller artist-in-residence and performance series at Minnesota State Mankato. The concert takes place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1 in the Elias J. Halling Recital Hall of the Earley Center for Performing Arts, 320 Maywood Ave.

Messersmith is one of Minnesota’s most recognized and celebrated artists, praised by The New York Times, NPR, USA Today, Time Magazine, Spin and Rolling Stone among many others. A thoughtful, clever lyricist with a tender voice, the Minneapolis-based troubadour crafts songs that are catchy and relatable, and span the emotional gamut from poignancy to whimsy.

Messersmith is one of those rare artists who can break your heart one minute, and then put those fragile pieces back together again the next. His surprise 2017 release, “11 Obscenely Optimistic Songs for Ukulele: A Micro-Folk Record for the 21st Century and Beyond,” is jam-packed with ridiculous songs about kittens, world peace, flying cars and the transformative power of love. His most recent album, “Late Stage Capitalism, A Decadent Orchestral Pop Record from Jeremy Messersmith,” was released in 2019.

National Public Radio says, “…he’s a pop genius, with creative ambition and considerable charm”. The Minneapolis Star Tribune writes, “…Messersmith is a Minnesota music hero.”

Sponsored by the College of Arts & Humanities, the Minnesota Storyteller series originated in Spring 2019 and is supported by the Nadine B. Andreas Endowment fund. The series features Minnesota artists who are invited to campus for a three-day residency which includes time in our various college classrooms and an intimate evening concert. Students get the opportunity to hear the artist’s stories and experiences and are able to ask questions and get feedback about various projects on which they are working.

General admission for the concert is $15. Minnesota State Mankato students will be admitted free with a valid MavCARD. Minnesota Storyteller Series ticket packages are available for those who pre-purchase. For more information, call the Performance Series office, (507) 389-5549.