Following the dissolution of his retro-pop band the 27 Various, Minneapolis-based singer/guitarist Ed Ackerson formed Polara with Peter Anderson (drums), Jennifer Jurgens (guitar, vocals, organ), and Jason Orris (bass, vocals). Where Ackerson's music once sprung from the inspirations of '60s pop, with Polara he absorbed the influence of '70s Krautrock, layering his melodic songs with keyboards, samplers, and electronics.

The group's eponymous debut, issued in 1995, won widespread critical acclaim and landed them in the middle of a major-label bidding war. Upon signing to Interscope, Polara resurfaced in 1996 with the EP Pantomime; C'est la Vie, their full-length follow-up, appeared the next year. Interscope was in negotiations to submerge into their parent company by the time 1998's Formless/Functional came out, and Polara was one of the artists to be dropped when it happened the next year.

Ackerson took time away from the band to produce albums for other artists, eventually opening his own recording facility Flowers Studio in Minneapolis. He also started Susstones, a small record label that distributes material from independent Minnesota acts. Still, he planned on returning to Polara eventually, and in 2002 he stepped back into the studio with Jurgens, Anderson and bassist Dan Boen to record Jetpack Blues, their debut for his label. The band subsequently released the Green Shoes EP (2005) and final album Beekeeping (2008). The band's most recent live performance was in 2009, coinciding with its most recently-released single "Closer to Heaven".

Past Shows


Feb
15
th
2020
Mainroom
Feb
15
th
2020
Mainroom

Celebrating the Life of ED ACKERSON

with The Jayhawks, Kraig Johnson & The Poe-gram (ft. David Poe & special guests), Mark Mallman and more!

More Shows

May
30
th
7th St Entry

Nothing Buy Joy, glowingtide, Radiator Girl, and Orthe

Sep
15
th
Turf Club

Six Organs of Admittance

May
20
th
7th St Entry

Guitar Wolf

with Hans Condor
May
12
th
7th St Entry

Garcia Peoples

with P.G. Six