The Beat
Stories, news & culture from around the Black Hills
Local voices. Big stories. The people, places, and moments shaping our creative community.
Welcome to our little corner of the Black Hills where we keep our finger on the pulse, our ear to the ground and our eyes on the stage. The shows, the openings, the late-night sets, the tucked-away venues, and the artists shaping the culture of our community. We’ll be out there taking notes so you don’t miss what matters. If it’s unfolding locally and worth talking about, you’ll find it here.
Spotlight
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On Our Radar
What Does the Constitution Mean to You?
Theatre 605 closes its summer season with a deeply personal American debate Onstage at the Black Hills Playhouse this week, a grown woman steps back into the role of the 15-year-old who…
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Guides
2026 Sturgis Rally Events & Live Music Guide | Black Hills Art Beat
Browse 200+ Sturgis Rally events, concerts, bike shows and nightlife across the Black Hills. Filter the 2026 schedule by date, town, venue and event type.
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Guides
Open Mic & Open Jam Nights in the Black Hills
Looking for a place to perform in Rapid City, Spearfish, Deadwood, or elsewhere in the Black Hills? Here's where musicians, comedians, poets, storytellers, and jam-session regulars can find a stage.
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On Our Radar
Punk Rock Garage Sale
Rapid City’s First Annual Punk Rock Garage Sale Is Looking for Vendors If you’ve got a stack of records you’ve outgrown, a closet full of band shirts, or boxes in the garage…
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Guides
The Summer Stages This Week
Summer Stages are lighting up across the Black Hills, from weekly concert series and outdoor music nights to recurring summer events across the region.
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On Our Radar
Black Hills Hunger Fest
Black Hills Hunger Fest Brings Hip-Hop Together for a Cause Regional artists and national headliners will trade the usual merch table for canned food and school supplies on July 25. There are…
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On Our Radar
Minnesela
Before Belle Fourche, There Was Minnesela. A hometown comedy imagines the colorful characters behind a vanished Black Hills town. Minnesela is an original western comedy by Belle Fourche writers Derek and Bob…
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Spotlight
Mason Jennings
A Rare Night with Mason Jennings Singer-songwriter Mason Jennings will perform at 707 Sports Bar & Nightlife on Friday, July 24. Rapid City musician Abbey Leach will open the evening. The show…
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The RathCo
The RathCo is a Rapid City-based family band made up of young musicians, many of them still in high school,…
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