Hot Spot Music

07/30/2026

Live at Hot Spot! Clint Niosi shares his new single with the good people of Northfield.

07/29/2026

Join us for a special Hot Spot House Concert as Clint Niosi returns to Northfield for an intimate performance as part of his annual summer tour. Clint is a Fort Worth, Texas–based songwriter, composer, and producer whose work often blurs the line between song and score, drawing on a distinctly cinematic and atmospheric sensibility.

07/29/2026

What a great night for a uke jam! Every second and fourth Tuesday at 7:30 PM.

07/11/2026

We look forward to hosting Anya Menk tomorrow at 11 AM for a FREE vocal workshop thanks to the Third Annual Northfield Jazz Festival - July 10-12. Doors will be open until the room fills, but please submit the form below if you’d like to reserve a seat.

As we have expanded the festival each year, we're offering a new event this year at 11am on Sunday at Hot Spot Music (801 Division St S), a jazz vocal masterclass led by recent Berklee Global Jazz Institute grad and MN native, Anya Menk. Since seating is very limited at Hot Spot, participants/attendees are advised to register here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeL1eKyPzjxagcoR4e0BBcIox3evT6q_AZ3lsFHVNLoTfkHLw/viewform

Anya Menk is a musician, educator, composer and lyricist from Le Center, Minnesota. Menk’s diverse skill set is displayed through classical and jazz voice, piano and flute. She recently graduated with a master’s degree in Contemporary Performance from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute on full scholarship under the direction of jazz pianist Danilo Pérez. She has shared the stage with celebrated jazz artists including Nicole Zuraitis and Peter Eldridge of New York Voices. Menk is the 2025 winner of the Dr. Dee Daniels Vocal Jazz Scholarship through Jazz Education Network. She currently teaches at MacPhail Center for Music and North Star Jazz Workshops in Minneapolis. Menk also works as a pianist and band leader for St. Joan of Arc church, and is the Administrative Assistant for Modern Songbook Society, an organization founded by Nicole Zuraitis that works to lift up modern jazz singer-songwriters.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Visit Northfield

06/20/2026

And check out Slim Whimsy while you’re here!

06/20/2026

Come on down today from 3 PM to 5 PM for Karen Oiseth’s pop-up art show!

01/07/2026

Kick off those New Year’s resolutions by joining Helen Forsythe’s upcoming folk ensemble class! Email [email protected] to register.

12/06/2025

The close of each year gives rise to reflections on the many shared community experiences of 2025. This year, the Hot Spot walls were seasoned with a mixture of collective joy and deep, unfathomable grief. As a community, we endured the aching sadness of losing three beautiful young people, two of whom were honored with community gatherings at the Hot Spot. We also faced the unexpected loss of Eleanor Coolidge, beloved mentor, teacher and co-founder of Fiber Space Makers Studio. These events now have their own permanent imprint on our shared space and collective memory.

Along with providing a space to mourn hard times, we were also honored to continue serving as a “local music incubator” for a variety of inspiring, creative endeavors. This year marked the start of Helen’s wildly successful folk ensemble class as well as Lisa and Gabe’s group uke lessons. We welcomed Triana and Sam to the teaching roster, joining Helen, Laurie and Thea in an all-star cast of musical mentors. Thanks to Jeff Wood and crew, the Sunday Jazz Jam expanded into a monthly Jam at the Grand as well as many other local performances. In January, a new Punk Jam will add to our community music options alongside Second Saturdays Open Mic, Life Is a Song, Folk Jam, Uke Jam, Jazz Jam and our monthly gathering of accordion enthusiasts.

Last but not least, the Hot Spot experienced an unbelievable amount of community support for our largest capital improvement project ever, the Hot Spot Patio Project! We received over 200 donations from a wide range of individuals, generous support from our fellow small businesses - Fiber Space, Keepsake Cidery, Imminent Brewing and Chapel Brewing - and fundraising performances by local bands, Tractorhead, Slapdash Bluegrass, Strawberry Jazz Collective, Cannon Valley Trio, Spare Niche, Trina & Aidan, and Over Yonder. We can’t thank this community enough for believing in our vision and helping to make it a reality. Stay tuned in the spring as we start seasoning the patio with the same good vibes that turned Hot Spot Music into such a special place over the years.

With all that in mind, please join us in remembering, celebrating and gathering for a holiday party on Sunday, December 7 from 6-8 PM. Live music, original art, hot tamales, and your local music incubator community!

Sincerely,

Martha, Nat, Olga and Gus