Catch the "Music Circus" at the Chief

The second floor of Cloquet’s historic Chief Theatre is marking its grand opening with lots of music and good clean fun as the “Music Circus” tour comes to town.

In keeping with the building’s mission to provide a safe place for people to get together, a collective of Christian music groups — Colton Dixon, Manic Drive, Tru-Serva and Landers Music Co., with guest speaker Josh Brewer — will perform 6-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22 upstairs at the Chief, 103 Ave. C in Cloquet’s historic West End.

Recognize that “Colton Dixon” name? Yep, that’s the Tennessee native who placed seventh the 11th season of American Idol. Now he has two albums out and continues to sing his way across the country.

Lee Harris, spokesperson for the Kingdom Builders Ministries that owns and operates the Common Ground Coffee Bar & Deli and the Chief Theatre building, said Manic Drive asked if Kingdom Builders would be interested in hosting the annual Music Circus tour for one night this fall, after last summer’s Wood City Music Festival at Veterans Park.

Harris said they’d been trying to finish up work on the back stairs in the building so they could use the spectacular upstairs space as a venue.

“I figured, ‘What the heck, let’s do a big concert,’” Harris said. “I know how I am, if I don’t have a deadline, it might not get done.”

It’s done, and the show will go on.

Tickets for Tuesday’s Music Circus are $20 cash and $23 by credit or debit card. They can be purchased at Common Ground in advance or reserved by calling 218-499-8030. If there are any tickets left, they will be available for purchase at the door that evening. They will sell only 250 tickets, Harris said. Kingdom Builders is also encouraging people and organizations to purchase tickets to give to area youth who might not otherwise be able to afford them.

The bands offer a variety of music styles.

“Tru-Serva is hip hop, Manic is pop, and a lot of people have heard Colton on American Idol,” he said. “I know he’s classified as contemporary Christian, but I’d consider him more mainstream. He is fun to listen to.”

Harris said the goal of Common Ground and the Chief Theatre is to offer people a safe place to gather, regardless of age.

“Secondarily, a person might come for fun, but we have a lot of faith-based things available. So if and when that time comes when you want to explore something more spiritual, we are there for you.”