ZAQ BAKER with PULLSTRING and afters

The Cedar Presents

Saturday, January 17, 2026 / Doors: 7:00 PM / Show: 8:00 PM

All Ages

Standing

This is a standing show with an open floor. To request seating or other access accommodations, please go to our.

For Cedar presented shows, online ticket sales typically end one hour before the door time, and then, based on availability, tickets will be available at the door. Tickets purchased at the door will include a $1 Eventbrite fee.

Celebrating the release of Zaq Baker’s new album, Don’t Worry About Me, Zaq Baker Team and the Cedar Cultural Center are thrilled to present afters — aerial, expansive, moody, lyric-driven, emotionally stirring indie rock — and Pullstring, whose catchy melodies and airtight guitars harken to the most delicious pop/rock of the 90’s and 2000’s. The night will close with Zaq Baker Team, a pop-punk (ish) quintet whose energizing performances incorporate piano rock, musical theatre, and synthpop, all into something fast and evocative... interpolated with powerful ballads on love and mental health.

Ranging from the quirky to the fiercely earnest, Zaq Baker’s original music is featured in new film How to Break a World Record (Apple TV, Amazon Prime) — and in the keynote speaking and performing role at Youth Mental Health Days, a conference of 900+ attendees.

Focusing on lyrical synthpop with sparkling vocal features — this year’s singles: “PETULANT,” “bri,” “theatre girls will break your heart,” “spearmint,” “jetlag,” and “treadmill” — Zaq Baker’s style brings together piano pop, musical theatre, pop-punk, emo, indie pop, and more.

In sharing relatable stories on love, mental illness, and growing up, Zaq's catalogue consists of four albums, three EP’s, nine standalone singles, four music videos, four live sessions, and a full concert film: If It’s Not Zaq Baker Live at the Green Room, I’m Not Going. (Zaq has also been co-writing a musical, Hometown, for three years. Hometown performances will begin in March.)

Zaq Baker Team features Conor Lee, Hayley Lewis, Natalie Fideler, and Andrew Okland.

Zaq’s debut novel, Unspectacular — a music story — has garnered praise from Louder Than War magazine (UK) as “a must-read for those seeking a relatable, heartfelt take on modern life and the pursuit of purpose.” Press further lauds Unspectacular as “thought- provoking and emotionally resonant... unique and authentic [with] sharp prose and biting humour... an inspiring exploration of resilience and growth.” A family dramedy, immigration story, and new work of literary fiction, Unspectacular is available in thirty bookstores and record stores, three bakeries, and every stop along A Very Unspectacular Book Tour.

Zaq’s newest album, Don’t Worry About Me, is slated for release January 17, 2026.

To learn more about Zaq Baker:

• Visit his website here

Hailing from Minneapolis, Pullstring’s brand of nostalgic Alt Rock and Power Pop is reminiscent of the 90s and 2000s artists they grew up listening to, such as Green Day and their hometown favorites, The Replacements.

Pullstring explores the struggles and realities of being a young adult in the 2020’s, the highs and lows, the victories and defeats. We’re all just trying to find our place in the world, come along and join us for the ride.

Though only a few years old, Pullstring is no stranger to life on the road with three Midwest tours under their belt playing at venues such as 7th Street Entry (Minneapolis, MN), the Maintenance Shop (Ames, IA), and Shank Hall (Milwaukee, WI).

Pullstring has also been on festival lineups such as Big Turn Music Fest, KURE Fest, and Northwoods Rock Rally. Notable touring acts Pullstring has opened for include ALEXSUCKS, George Clanton, The Melismatics, and We Are Scientists.

What will Pullstring do next?

To learn more about Pullstring:

• Visit their website here

afters presents a novel perspective on indie rock that blends atmospheric, confessional lyricism with a dark and playful sensuality in soundscapes to birth songs that are deeply evocative and profoundly relatable. the band's marriage of whimsy and gravitas is displayed undeniably in their live performances as well as their recorded tracks, gleefully committing to an emotional and explosive performance each and every time they take the stage. 

afters released their debut album, an exploration into the mind of a young woman navigating life in a disturbing, glamorous, postmodern world titled "EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL" in January 2025. the record touches on a vast array of subjects-- from love in an apocalyptic landscape, addiction, and mental illness to whimsical relationships, astrological charts, messy breakups, and everything in between-- without feeling the least bit disjointed. with their sophomore album close on the horizon, the group has honed in on their identity and is continuing to stick to singer/ songwriter Megan Rose's call to arms of "I just want to make music that moves people with my best friends beside me on stage."

To learn more about afters:

• Visit their Instagram page here

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Host or Publisher The Cedar Cultural Center