Girl Power!

ART
Japanese Visual Culture: The Power of Girls’ Comics

Shojo Manga! Girl Power! East and West is an internationally touring exhibition that celebrates the evolution of Japanese comics for girls from the postwar era to the present. Manja are Japanese comics. Sojo manga are Japanese comics for girls. These comics reflect the evolution of social roles for Japanese girls and women over the past 60 years. The show features over 200 works by 23 artist from the East who have contributed to shojo manga in Japan since World World II. But it doesn’t stop there. You’ll notice the word West in the title as well. The Twin Cities exhibition will also feature work from emerging and established manga artists in the West, including MCAD alumni. And as if this weren’t enough, the show will also include winning entries from a regional high school manga competition.

9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Minneapolis College of Art and Design, 2501 Stevens Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-874-3700; free.

MUSIC
She’s Mighty Solid, but She Sure Ain’t Blonde

Best known as the lead singer and bassist of Concrete Blonde, Johnette Napolitano continues to haunt us with her sultry croon. Sexy as she is, this woman is no young chickadee. Well on her way to the big 5-0 (this year in fact), Napolitano has a strong history of success behind her. After years of lurking on the fringes of the Los Angeles punk and new wave scene, she got together with James Mankey to form the duo Dream 6, which later became Concrete Blonde, a name allegedly suggested by R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe to connote the band’s mix of hard and soft elements. After Concrete Blonde split in 1995, Napolitano continued her musical career with a couple short-lived projects (one of them with the late Marc Moreland of Wall of Voodoo), occasional Concrete Blonde reunion albums, and composing soundtracks for indie films such as Wicker Park and Underworld. Though her new solo album, Scarred, isn’t her first — she release two prior, largely improvised, mostly electronic albums — it is certainly the most provocative and defining project she has undertaken in years.

7 p.m., Varsity Theater, 1308 4th St SE, Minneapolis; 612-604-0222; $15.

More Indigenous Music

Indigenous In Music is presenting another concert at the Fine Line this evening. Go check out a diverse sampling of indigenous music by Cochise Anderson & The Crossbloods, Bluedog, and Sarah Hindsley. You’ll get a little bit of spoken word, performance art, blues, rhythm and blues, folk, and hip-hop. And you won’t be disappointed in any of the above. This is the real thang, folks — music of the people in a myriad of forms. And you get to see the whole thing evolve right before your eyes.

8 p.m., Fine Line Music Cafe, 318 1st Ave. N., Minneapolis; 612-338-8100; free.

Music al Aire Libre

While the acoustics are usually better indoors, you just can’t beat an outdoor concert — as long as the weather holds out. This evening offers several options for music in the park, so pick your poison — or your park. Christopher Lawrence serves up pop-rock R&B at Minnehaha Park. Hell, he even sings about I94 and the wind blowing through your hair. It doesn’t get much more outdoorsy than that. Let’s just hope there’s a good breeze blowing, and no rain. 7 p.m., Minnehaha Falls Pavilion, 4801 Minnehaha Ave. S.; 612-230-6400; free.

Peter K & Con Brio serve up a modern groove of Latino, jazz, funk, and rock at Lake Harriet. The Latino edge gives this jazzy ensemble the perfect sound for an outdoor show. It’s down-right feel-good music. 7:30 p.m., Lake Harriet Band Shell, 43rd St. W. and E. Lake Harriet Parkway; 612-230-6475; free.

And the South Side Big Band is playing at Centennial Park. I can only assume this will include at least a little bit of swing. 7 p.m., Centennial Lakes Park Maetzold Amphitheater , 7499 France Ave. S., Edina; 952-832-6789; free.

THEATER & PERFORMANCE
Tick, tick … BOOM!

Yes, that’s the sound of your biological clock ticking — and I’m not just talking women here. We all know what it is to feel age setting upon us. And most of us know what it’s like to want to have done more. No, I’m not mixing up my tenses. I’m talking about the need to do something, be someone — the urge to achieve — and the frustration of time slipping by all the while. Author and composer Jonathan Larson struggled for years as a waiter at the Moondance Diner in New York City before his success with the Broadway show Rent. Truth be told, the version that is now known worldwide was not publicly performed until several months after Larson’s unexpected death in 1996, so he never got to see his masterpiece in full flight. In fact, Larson’s career was riddled with disappointments, fueling his 1991 musical, Tick, tick … BOOM! — an autobiographical tale of a young composer on the brink of turning 30 and falling into oblivion. His girlfriend wants to get married. His best friend is raking in the dough on Madison Avenue. And Jon is still waiting tables as he tries to write the great American musical. Yes, that’s right. Tick, tick … BOOM! takes us on Larson’s personal journey as an author and composer. It’s the behind the scenes tale, the making of…, the back story — and definitely a tale of its own. See it tonight, or Thursday through Sunday.

7:30 p.m., Loring Playhouse, 1633 Hennepin Av. S., Minneapolis; 612-840-0189; $15 (senior/youth $12).

ON THE NET
Who Are We? — a video tale by Minnesotans

We Minnesotans are a very dignified and loving people, a very handsome people, you might even say. We’re experts on matters of sex. Our local cuisine is awe-inspiring. We’re terribly articulate and deep and meaningful, asking ourselves such questions as: what would an orchid say to a star? Yes, we have an odd sense of humor, but those Hutchinson folks sure know how to have a good time. When it comes down to it, we’re just good people. We always help our fellow neighbors. And we love to share our talents, like stacking and un-stacking arms, and crossing the street. Wow! There are just so many great reasons to live in Minnesota! Hell, in Minnesota, we can even show you things a week before they happen (just look at the date).

EXTRA
Have you seen the MNSpeak LOLCats? Don’t miss these masterpieces!

And on a less than local scale, if you chose not to waste your time with the MTV Movie Awards you might want to catch a few highlights. Sarah Silverman had a few funny jabs in her opening monologue — particularly a comment directed at actor Jack Nicholson — but her attack on Paris Hilton was a little on the harsh side. After all, the girl is going to jail today. Don’t miss Will Ferrell and Sacha Baron Cohen accepting their award for Best Kiss. It’s priceless. But that’s not all in this weekend’s man-on-man love arena (just trying to balance out a Girl Power! post a bit). Kudos to Enrique Iglesias for embracing his gay fans. Watch him serenade a love-struck fan in London this weekend.


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