Menu

MAMA'S BROKE with Chris Acker

Date/Time:
Thursday, September 25, 2025
7:30 pm

Offer:
Mama’s Broke — “Mama’s Broke may seem traditional, but their tales of modern life have too much bite to be nostalgic; they are new and unique voices in modern, rootsy Americana that must be heard.” - Folk Radio UK

Event Details:

The Cedar Presents

MAMA'S BROKE with Chris Acker

September 25, 2025 / Doors: 7:00 PM / Show: 7:30 PM

All Ages

Seated

This is a seated show with general admission, first-come-first-served seating. The Cedar is happy to reserve seats for patrons who require special seating accommodations. To request access accommodations, please go to our  Access page.

ABOUT THIS SHOW

?Mama?s Broke may seem traditional, but their tales of modern life have too much bite to be nostalgic; they are new and unique voices in modern, rootsy Americana that must be heard.? - Folk Radio UK

Mama?s Broke

?When Keeler and Maria come together and sing, it?s magic, and they reaffirm how nourishing music can be? - No Depression

Mama?s Broke have spent over a decade in a near-constant state of transience, pounding the transatlantic tour trail. They've brought their dark, fiery folk-without-borders sound to major festivals and DIY punk houses alike, absorbing traditions from their maritime home in Eastern Canada all the way to Ireland and Indonesia. Nowhere is the duo's art-in-motion approach more apparent than on their long-awaited JUNO nominated sophomore record Narrow Line (released May 2022 on Free Dirt Records) It's the sound of nowhere in particular, yet woven with a rich synthesis of influences that knows no borders.

The eleven songs on Narrow Line burrow deeply, with close harmony duets, commanding vocals, and poignant contemplations on cycles of life, including birth and death. Tinges of Americana stand side-by-side with the ghosts of Eastern European fiddle tunes and ancient a cappella ballad singing, melding into an unusually accessible dark-folk sound. A careful listen of Narrow Line invokes an ephemeral sense of place?whether real or imagined?inviting us to take comfort in the infinite possibilities of life, whether or not we ever choose to settle down.

For a group defined by constant touring, it?s not surprising that the two artists that make up Mama?s Broke, Lisa Maria and Amy Lou Keeler, met on the road. As Lisa remembers it, ?Amy was driving her old Mercedes from Montreal to Nova Scotia and I was looking for a ride. We spent the 17 hours in the car talking almost exclusively about music. By the time we reached Halifax we started playing together, and within a week or two became a band.?

Both coming out of travelling communities that are focused on music and protest, the two owe the way in which they move through the world to the integrated and self-sustaining nature of DIY culture and activism. It was a busy life that took them on a roundabout annual touring schedule running between Canada, the United States, Ireland, the UK, and Europe. In each country, they built grassroots DIY communities to support their music or moved along the pathways of communal organizing that sustained other touring artists.

The driving force behind this band is ? and has always been ? the commitment to challenge borders between people, places, and traditions; while encouraging freedom of expression and community through music.

To learn more about Mama?s Broke :

Visit their website here

Location:
The Cedar Cultural Center
416 Cedar Av S
Minneapolis, MN 55454

Parking Information:
https://www.thecedar.org/parking-directions

Accessibility Information:
https://www.thecedar.org/access-services

Organization Details:

Located in the heart of Cedar Riverside, one of the most prolific neighborhoods for live music in Minneapolis, and the home to the largest Somali diaspora in the U.S., The Cedar plays a key role in maintaining the vibrancy and diversity of the Twin Cities’ arts scene. From world legends to up-and-coming new bands, The Cedar presents unique voices from around the globe with programming that spans global roots, folk, indie, experimental, bluegrass, Americana and blues genres, and includes as artist residencies, educational programs, workshops, films, dances, comedy, spoken word and community events.

Reserve a Pass

Offer: Mama’s Broke — “Mama’s Broke may seem traditional, but their tales of modern life have too much bite to be nostalgic; they are new and unique voices in modern, rootsy Americana that must be heard.” - Folk Radio UK

Date/Time: Thursday, September 25, 2025 7:30 pm

You must be logged in to reserve a pass.

Top