The Great Northern Festival Presents: Naeem + Cheeky

$25 COVER // 8PM DOORS // 9:30PM SHOWTIME // 21+ // FEAT: SPECIAL GUEST DJ KEEZY

Naeem Juwan is a songwriter and rapper from Baltimore, now based in Los Angeles. Naeem’s “Minneapolis period” (2017-2019) was artistically formative, and supported the development of his critically lauded 2020 release Startisha, “a spacious, sonically curious record that sees him exploring new emotional and sonic ground” (Interview Magazine)... “an epiphany” (Rolling Stone). His latest offering, How Can We Lose When We’re So Sincere, is a collection of cover songs paying homage to the revolutionary musicians of Minneapolis such as Prince, Andre Simon, Fog and Justin Vernon. 

Cheeky is the solo electronic project of classically trained pianist Kaylee Sabatino. Growing up on a diet of Italian opera, early Disney scores, and piano lessons from the age of 5, she learned to approach composing with a sense of drama and grandiose. Embracing digital production in her unique way, each song is constructed meticulously, with its own distinct atmosphere. Her layering of synthesizers, vocal harmonies, and field recordings combine to color the unique world of Cheeky.

DJ Keezy is a product of North Minneapolis who has been making waves in the Twin Cities for 7 years. She is a curator of many dance nights within the Twin Cities that hold safe spaces for BIPOC LGBTQIA+ people, including The Klituation dance party that launched in 2015 in First Avenue’s Mainroom.

Keezy was named City Pages’ Twin Cities Best Club DJ of 2017 and has shared her passion for music by touring nationally and internationally. She has played at prestigious venues throughout the U.S such as Red Rocks Amphitheater, 9:30 club, and Brooklyn Steel, and has opened for established acts such as DJ Spinderella, De La Soul, Big Freedia, Jessie Reyez, Trina, and many more. DJ Keezy is also co-founder of Aunties that launched July 2020, a soon-to-be music venue that centers BIPOC womxn and BIPOC LGBTQIA+ people.