Väsen

Väsen play The Cedar Cultural Center on Tuesday, April 27, 2027. The Swedish duo—Olov Johansson on nyckelharpa and Mikael Marin on viola—are heavyweights of the Nordic folk scene, and this is one of their regular stops at The Cedar, presented as part of The Cedar Presents.

They've been playing together for over 37 years, a partnership that goes back to when they were teenagers learning Swedish folk music from older Uppland musicians around 1980. Since then, they've toured across Europe, the U.S., and Japan, and worked with artists like Mike Marshall, Darol Anger, and Snarky Puppy. One of Marin's tunes, 'Flippen,' became a hit through a cover by Punch Brothers. The two aren't strangers to The Cedar stage, so they'll be returning to a room they know well.

The nyckelharpa is the center of the sound—a traditional Swedish keyed fiddle that gives the music its distinct, resonant character. Paired with Marin's viola, it's a lean, string-driven setup that carries the weight of the folk tradition they've been in since the start. The set will be a showcase of that duo format, the same one they've toured with for nearly four decades.

The show runs from 7:30 to 10:30 PM, with doors opening at 7 PM. The Cedar is at 416 Cedar Ave in Minneapolis.