Banner artwork: Image from the Yes!Let’s Collective’s recent fall Artluck gathering on September 25, a quarterly event bringing together live music, interactive art, and community. This particular shindig featured storytelling, "yogajam" (yoga with live music accompaniment), sock puppet-making, mural painting, and full day of music by Yes!Lets bands and friends. Photo by Amber Collett, courtesy of the artists.
Cropped and reproduced in access+ENGAGE with permission of the artists
About the artists: The Yes!Lets Collective is a cohort of Twin Cities musicians, artists and organizers. They say, “With an ethos of unwavering enthusiasm, we seek to unite ‘performer’ and ‘audience’ through events based on community building and collaborative art-making. Our goal is to foster an environment in which all participants, regardless of their artistic backgrounds, can share equally in the joy of creation. Our roster is made up of member artists and bands who create and perform in the spirit of the collective."
About the musicians of the Yes!Let’s Collective:
Brian Laidlaw - Brian Laidlaw is a poet/songwriter/word-nerd from San Francisco. 
After several years touring the US as a folk singer, he recently completed an MFA in poetry at the University of Minnesota, and is now on the songwriting faculty at McNally Smith College of Music. Brian plays with several Yes!Lets groups including the duo Alpenglow (with Ashley Hanson), the electro-americana band Bipolar Bear (with Peter Frey of Kazyak), and the ever growing, "messy folk orchestra", The Family Trade (featuring Becky Gaunt, Greg Byers, members of Very Small Animal and the Dusty Porch Sisters). In all these formats, the songs are marked by evocative landscapes, timeless melodies, and intelligently crafted language. Brian's next album, wolf wolf wolf, will be released on November 17 at the Turf Club.
Very Small Animal - Very Small Animal was conceived in February of 2010 and birthed some several months later with a debut at the Echo Arts Gallery in St. Paul. Since that time the band has grown from an acoustic folk duo into a genre-crossing, four piece band, offering a harmony-rich, sometimes dark departure from familiar forms of folk and rock, with strains of punk, jazz, and world music. The band features the voices and songs of frontmen Patrick Noonan (guitar) and Tim Harlan-Marks (bass) and the dynamic arrangements of Brian Laidlaw on electric guitar and Sean Geraty on drums.
Oak Ribbons - Oak Ribbons is a duo made up of guitarist Ben Radecki and his sister Taryn Yantes on violin (Often joined by Cellist Greg Byers). Though their music is rooted in folk concepts, their song writing is influenced by a wide range of genres. They use minimal 
instrumentation and simple arrangements to place emphasis on vocal harmonies and narrative lyrics.
Dusty Porch Sisters - The Dusty Porch Sisters arrange and play their own and traditional songs founded in the folk and bluegrass tradition. Their style is playful and interactive, creating an inviting experience for audience members. The "Dusties" formed as a collaboration of women who wanted their own space to make music. They began playing for small crowds and festivals in early 2010 for the pure joy of sharing their sound with others. The Dusty Porch Sisters is made up of the combined talents of Anna Cioffi on mandolin, Stephanie Dalager on fiddle, Ashley Hanson on ukulele, Katie Peterson on guitar, and Leu Solomon on bass and percussion. Their first album, "yes, let's..." was released in spring 2011 and was followed by a brief United Kingdom tour. The Dusties are currently on hiatus while members pursue adventure outside of MN, but hope to have a reunion show soon.
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Related links, events, and information:
Tuesdays in October w/ Bella Ruse - Yes!Lets bands are joining Minneapolis "cute folk" band, Bella Ruse for their October series at the 331. Every Tuesday this month a different Yes!Lets band will be opening the night at the 331. Oct 11 - Alpenglow, Oct 18 - Oak Ribbons, Oct 25th - Very Small Animal.
Terrapin Station Music, Art, & Wellness Fest w/ Yes!Lets Collective: Yes!Lets bands and organizers will be traveling up nord' to support Bemidji Community Radio Station KBXE and Terrapin Station with a festival fundraiser of art, music, and wellness.
Bipolar Bear, Oak Ribbons, and Midnight Moss will play.
Brian Laidlaw, wolf wolf wolf Album Release, Nov 17th - Brian will be releasing his anticipated new album, wolf wolf wolf at the Turf Club w/ Martin Devaney and Bella Ruse. Tracks off the lyrical album can be heard on Brian's facebook page: www.facebook.com/brianlaidlawmusic.
Very Small Animal Fall Shows - Very Small Animal has a packed fall schedule including big shows on Nov 5th at Amsterdam Bar w/ Murzik & the Ericksons, and Dec. 8th at Hell's Kitchen w/ Lucy Michelle, Sleeping in the Aviary, and Crimes. Their full calendar of shows can be found on their facebook page at www.facebook.com/verysmallanimal
Email List: To stay up to speed on future Artlucks and other Yes!Let’s happenings, email yesletscollective@gmail.com to be added to their email list.
YouTube Channel - Yes!Lets just started a YouTube channel where we're compiling videos of bands in our collective as well as unique art from the city. Check them out: http://www.youtube.com/user/yesletscollective
Credits: All photos courtesy of the artists and Yes!Let's Collective. Banner photo from the Artluck by Amber Collett. Top right, photo of Brian Laidlaw courtesy of the artist and the Loft Literary Center; top middle left, Very Small Animals playing at the recent Artluck event, photo by David McCrindle; bottom middle left, Oak Ribbons, photo by Colin Kopp; bottom right, Greg Byers at the fall Yes!Let's Artluck event in September, photo by Colin Kopp.