I hate to mention the Minnesota State Fair two days in a row — particularly after having spent the day there yesterday with Owen — but today’s event is the real deal. The online brochure says it all: “Have a kickin’, rearin’, rip-snortin’ time at the first ever Minnesota State Fair Bullriding Show including a special performance of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Musical Ride. It’s grit, guts and grace for one show only.” Woohoo. Bring it on.
7 p.m., Warner Coliseum, Minnesota State Fairgrounds, 1561 Snelling Ave N., St. Paul; 651-642-2200; $8.
MUSIC Winter Makes You Pay
No doubt about it, the two shows to see tonight are the
Velvet Revolver show at the Xcel Center — with Alice in Chains, and Kill Hannah — and the Belinda Underwood show at the Dakota — with Benny Green. But let’s face it, our summer days are numbered. It’s almost over… again. So it’s understandable if you want to get in those last free outdoor concerts before it’s time to hibernate. Here are some of your choices:
That Fat Chance Jug Band is playing tonight as part of the Minnehaha Falls Outdoor Concert Series. This is one genuine, old-school jug band with washboard and all — and by all I mean kazoos, guitars, shakers, a tub bass, a banjo, a mandolin, a fiddle, a muted tuble, a harmonica, and a metalaphone. Good ‘nuf?
Those of you who might be offended by my often crass cynicism can find respite tonight at Father Hennepin Bluffs, with a performance by The Brothers Frantzich. I am by no means into Christian music, per se, and I despise holding hands in circles, but good folk is good folk. And a good harmony is a good harmony. These guys sound pretty. What can I say? Their website describes their sound as “acoustic, sacred folk”; but I ask you this — what folk isn’t sacred? And if they claim to be “filling the space between the sensuality of Saturday Night & the sacred spirit of Sunday Morning,” then one has to wonder what they can do with a Wednesday night.
Looking for something a bit… quirky? How about some authentic Bavarian folk? (Perhaps it’s not so rare around these parts.) Die Bavarian Musik Meisters will be whooping it up in traditional Germanic celebratory style — Lederhosen, suspenders, and all. If that’s not enough to entice you, how about a walk around the canal? Centennial Lakes Park is an unusual park. Though it’s actually in an office park, it’s incredibly landscaped, and actually quite beautiful in that special cookie-cutter kind of way. The park features an ample walkway around a canal, a wide variety of seating, mini-golf, paddle boats, and a concession stand. It’s definitely worth checking out at least once.
Acoustic world folk music ensemble Eclectic Blend is playing tonight at Lake Harriet. 7:30 p.m., Lake Harriet Bandshell, 4135 W. Lake Harriet Pkwy., Minneapolis; 612-661-4785; free.
The Judge Bennett trio will be sharing their acoustic blues folk tonight in St. Louis Park’s Wolf Park. 7 p.m., Wolfe Park Amphitheater, 3700 Monterey Dr., St. Louis Park; free.
And if you prefer a cajun beat, you can head over to Oak Hill Park for the musical offerings of Gottadidat. 7 p.m., Oak Hill Park, 3201 Rhode Island Ave. S., St. Louis Park; free.
FORWARD Games for When We Are Older
1. Sag, you’re It.
2. Hide and go pee.
3. Twenty questions shouted into your good ear.
4. Kick the bucket
5. Red Rover, Red Rover, the nurse says Bend Over.
6. Musical recliners.
7. Simon says something incoherent.
8. Pin the toupee on the bald guy
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