By Sommer Wagen 

The musical ensemble, which performed at the Aŋpétu Téča Education Center on June 26, helps seniors find community and showcases the joy in aging 

The Alive & Kickin’ cast follows conductor Jeffrey C. Nelson (furthest left) during their performance in Roseville on June 26. Christine Anderson (furthest right), like many members, doesn’t have a formal musical background but still has a love for performing. She even sang a duet at her wedding with her late husband, with whom she originally joined Alive & Kickin.’ Photo by Sommer Wagen. 

Alive & Kickin’, the Twin Cities’ premier senior rock ensemble, sold out its performance at the Aŋpétu Téča Education Center on June 26. 

Though the Fairview Room was smaller and less glamorous than some of their past venues, the group energized an audience largely made up of fellow seniors, encouraging them to sing and dance along. 

The group, officially registered as a Minnesota 501(c)(3) nonprofit, “gives voice to seniors through personal stories and popular songs, empowering its members to entertain and enlighten multi-generational audiences,” according to its website. 

In celebration of its 15th anniversary, the 33-person ensemble — clad in red, with members ranging in age from 64 to 99 — performed a 13-song selection of favorites from over the years for the Roseville crowd. 

Across a variety of genres, and accompanied only by a keyboard and their voices, the Alive & Kickin’ crew showed heart, humor, vitality and immense passion for what they do, even at what some might consider the sunset of their lives. 

“Some people might say, ‘When you’re in your 70s, you should hang it up.’ Well, to heck with that!” conductor and program manager Jeffrey C. Nelson told the crowd. 

The show began with a performance of “Let It Be” by The Beatles, featuring solos by Karen Koski and Eric Paulson with choral accompaniment. 

Each song followed a similar format, with various members taking solos — though none were positioned as “lead” performers. Community, not competition, lies at the heart of Alive & Kickin’. 

“Let It Be” transitioned into a sassy, women-only performance of “Piece of My Heart” by Janis Joplin, followed by the contemporary classic “Rehab” by Amy Winehouse. 

“When you’re older, ‘rehab’ might start to mean something different,” Nelson joked. 

It seemed Nelson introduced each song by saying how deeply it resonated with the ensemble — a point not lost on the performers. 

“We believe in what we sing,” said 77-year-old member Christine Anderson. 

Anderson, who has voluminous silver curls and bright blue eyes and wore a long red scarf, named “Listen to the Music” by The Doobie Brothers, “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge, and “This Is Me” from The Greatest Showman as her favorite numbers of the day. 

She originally joined the group alongside her late husband and stayed even after his passing — a testament to the close-knit bond among members. 

“It is like a family,” she said. “It makes me want to get up in the morning.” 

To Anderson, the joy she spreads through Alive & Kickin’ is what makes five-hour rehearsals every Monday worth it. 

“It’s better than medicine,” she said. “The world pushes seniors away, and Alive & Kickin’ increases the value of being a senior.” 

During the performance, it was clear that although their hair had grayed and skin had wrinkled, each member maintained their youthfulness — and it showed. 

Alive & Kickin’s most playful selection was Taylor Swift’s 2014 pop anthem “Shake It Off.” The group remixed the spoken-word bridge into a message of empowerment: 

“You see these wrinkles and you want to scoff / Go ahead, we’ll shake it off!”