The Rake Magazine

STYLE by Eeva-Liisa Waaraniemi

Runway fashion is to art on a pedestal as street fashion is to art...on a pedestrian. Enter Street Clash, an online style competition driven by bloggers and photographers from cities around the world, our metropolis included. If your favorite page of the Rake is Rake Appeal: Fashion as it Happens, you will lap this right up. Starting today, one photo will be posted from each competing city. Vote for what you think is the best ensemble, or rate them all. The cities that come out on top will then compete one on one, for 5 days at a time. The city that receives the highest number of votes for 3/5 days will move on to the next round. Eventually, there will be just one remaining remnant of prime fashion--the winner of STREET CLASH.

VARIETY by Eeva-Liisa Waaraniemi

The name is a bit misleading -- Amateur Psychologists Convention. I was a tad let down when I found out that the APC is actually a variety show of "folk and future music, stories, poetry, dance and film." That sounds pretty darn good, actually, but it's not the same as a convention of amateur psychologists. In my books, though, if you are the type attracted to odd conventions (so odd that they don't even exist, in fact) that means you will also dig an alternative variety fest. That's just my amateurish psychological perception. In its third year, this "convention" differs from your typical huge summer shindig: most notably, there's no booze! Food choices include a raw vegetarian kitchen and authentic Mexican food. There's fun stuff for kids. For anyone, chair massages. The wonderfully varied acts, each lasting about a half hour, are constant from noon until 2 a.m. "This event costs no money to attend and your mind is allowed to be free."-their words. And, this all happens "on the full moon." If that's the spirit, those chair massages must be free. All recollection of the psychologists who were to be present will be blissfully lost.

Saturday from noon to 2 a.m., The Overlook, Outdoor Ampitheatre Downtown Arts District, St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin (just across the river from Taylors Falls, MN); 612-385-4598; free.

MUSIC by Eeva-Liisa Waaraniemi
All That Jazz

Jazz artists are not just middle-aged or elderly men, although that may be a common assumption. At this weekend's Twin Cities Jazz Festival more than a few talented young 'uns are getting into the groove. Alto-saxophonist Grace Kelly, who's hardly turned fifteen, will be "gracing" the stage with both instrument and voice; Dan Kusz, also on the alto-sax, is in his early twenties; and saxophonist Alex Han is nineteen. Local school MITY, is lending its youth jazz band to the event. On its second (and last) weekend, the festival has hopped the river from St. Paul to Minneapolis's Peavey Plaza. Unlike moments last weekend, you won't be rubbing damp elbows with strangers; the weather forecast bodes well. Listening, watching, and dancing (if you choose to) are free for the vast majority of you. Those who wish to see performers a block away at the Dakota Jazz Club will pay a reasonable cover charge.

Friday from 4:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 2 p.m. (see schedule), Peavey Plaza, 11th & Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; 612-371-5693; free.

American Routes

The Twin Cities Jazz Festival finds some sister sensibilities in the American Routes radio show, also on the local radar this weekend. Each week host and producer Nick Spitzer floats interviews and music of the Gulf South down public radio frequencies. This Saturday you can see the host and performers in the flesh onstage at the Fitz as Spitzer brings his New Orleansian show to the northern, stiffer end of the Mississippi (that would be us). Tonight you will be treated to conversations and jammin' from Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers and The Pine Leaf Boys. The latter are a band of young men who play some serious (by this I mean authentic-serious, not solemn-serious) Cajun/Creole music yet apparently are known for wild antics onstage -- they call it "youthful exuberance." This being a radio show, it should be interesting to see how these crawfish festival men enliven the tamer atmosphere of a radio broadcast.

Saturday at 8 p.m., Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E Exchange St., St. Paul; 651-290-1200; $22-$31.

ART
All S.P.A.M. Is from Minnesota

We're responsible for that nasty meat-like substitute from Hormel. We're responsible for the loads of emails you get about penile enlargements and erectile dysfunction. And we're responsible for S.P.A.M., the Sexy Poster Artists of Minnesota, who now bring you Plaster the Town 2007, the best in rock poster and flyer design. This year's Plaster the Town features art for sale by Aesthetic Apparatus, AmyJo, Burlesque of North America, DWITT, Squad19, Tooth, Adam Turman, Unitus, and more. The opening party will feature music by the Birthday Suits, The Deaths, Seawhores, Mute Era, Death to our Enemies, DJ Mike, 2600 King, and DJ Plain Ole Bill.

6 p.m., The Soap Factory, 518 2nd St. S.E., Minneapolis; free.

FILM by Eeva-Liisa Waaraniemi
Careful What You Bring Home from a Scavenger Hunt

It's film night at the St. Paul Central Library. What do reasonable people schlep to an outdoor film? Lawn chairs, blankets, snacks, beverages -- yeah, yeah, you know. But, oops. Forgot the bug spray. Again. Not to worry, though. Tonight, you'll still be reasonable rather than irresponsible if you forget the pesticide. The mosquitos should be scarce (dare I say non-existent?) thanks to the dry weather and temps are promised moderate. The perfect night to view My Man Godfrey whilst lounging under the heavens. There will be more outdoor films at the library this summer, but tonight's viewing conditions are ideal for seeing this depression-era comedy starring William Powell and Carole Lombard. The film, which starts at dusk, shows what transpires when a crazy rich family hires a new butler straight from the dump.

Friday at 9 p.m., St. Paul Central Library, 90 West Fourth St., St. Paul; 651-266-7000; free.

If you're a film classics freak like me, then you should also know that the Uptown Theater will be featuring Arsenic and Old Lace this Saturday at midnight. Good old Cary Grant! (and a couple creepy old ladies)

If it's not the classics but the outdoors you crave, then you'll be pleased to know about Sunday's movie in the parking lot outside Patrick's Cabaret (3010 Minnehaha Ave.). This week's movie is Chris Smith's The Yes Men, a comedy following the exploits of a group of jokester liberals who make a name for themselves as they mimic members of the World Trade Organization at venues around the globe.

FILM OPENINGS by Peter Schilling
Ratatouille

This collaboration between writer/director Brad Bird (The Incredibles) and the animation geeks at Pixar takes the medium to new heights. Ratatouille is the simple tale of Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt), a rat hiding in the shadows of a famous Parisian restaurant who seeks to become a chef. Like The Incredibles, Ratatouille is a comedy of startling action, consistently hilarious jokes, and mechanically brilliant slapstick. But the film is also a deeply felt meditation on the pleasures of hard work, friendship, eating (of course), and, surprisingly, the often cantankerous relationship between artist and critic. Avoid pigeonholing this one as a child's diversion; Ratatouille is a profound joy, and the best film of the year.

Also opening tonight is Michael Moore's Sicko, an investigation of the American Health Care System; and Lajos Koltai's star-packed Evening, a story about a dying woman reflecting on her life, written by Susan Minot and Michael Cunningham.

FILM
It's a Riot

Today is the anniversary of Stonewall, so take a moment to extol the "the hairpin drop heard 'round the world." Looking for an appropriate way to celebrate? You can always try the second night of films from the Walker's Queer Takes: Standing Out series. Tonight's program includes two sets of shorts from emerging filmmakers. The first set, Women Unite!, begins with a 22-minute film about two women who plan to escape their stifling upstate New York town on a snowy night during the Iran hostage crisis. This film is followed by three others -- a comedy about a hold up, a story about a hospice nurse helping her nearly comatose patient, and a documentary about lesbians in Johannesburg. The second group of films, Odd Man Out, focused on the male experience and includes cutout animations, webcams, and young boys struggling to find their place in the world.

7 p.m. and 9 p.m., Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-375-7656; free.

MUSIC by Britt Robson
Marsalis Brothers Do Ellington

Even the irrepressible Wynton Marsalis merits no better than third in the current family pecking order after brothers Delfeayo and Branford put out resplendent discs -- Minions Dominion and Braggtown, respectively -- in 2006. Now Delfeayo (the trombonist, for those without a scorecard) is kicking off the Minnesota Orchestra's Sommerfest program with a Duke Ellington tribute by an all-star ensemble that features Branford on tenor and soprano sax, pianist Anthony Wonsley (who was superb with Delfeayo at the Dakota this past winter), drummer Winard Harper, and saxophonists Mark Gross and Jason Marshall. Given the level of talent involved, and the titan being honored, expect both the arrangements and the improvisations to be top-notch.

7:30 p.m., Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; 612-371-5656; $45 (VIP $65).

A Knee-Slappin' Good Time

If you're looking for a more casual setting than Orchestra Hall, a slightly less polished, though equally uplifting performance, and perhaps a little less strain on the wallet (like free), head on over to Galleria for their Summer Music Sampler. The Brass Kings are playing tonight at Good Earth, so get ready for a little washboard jamming over CopaBanana smoothies and PowerPlus shakes. At least you'll have plenty of energy with which to dance and slap those knees. The Brass Kings serve up an amazing mix of back porch experimental music. They take old-time jug-band scrubbing to new heights by applying Latin, Middle Easters, and Eastern rhythms. And their energy is just fabulous.

6 p.m., Good Earth, 3460 Galleria, Edina; 952-925-1001; free.

Watch a video of the Brass Kings' "Dynaflow."

WORKSHOP & LECTURE
B-Glrl Be Summit

The 4-day 2007 B-Girl Be Summit begins today, showcasing women in hip-hip through live performances, fashion, films, videos, workshops and panels. Head on over to Intermedia Arts for a series of events beginning at 4:30 p.m. with an hour-long DJ performance. At 5:30, Ashley Gold, Akira Johnson, and H.E.A.T will perform. And at 6 p.m., the visual art exhibit The Art of T&A... Truth and Activism opens as a welcoming ceremony begins with Aztec Dance Youth, drummers, B-Girl B Drum & Dance, and Tish Jones. The highlight of the evening, however, is the keynote address by Rosa Clemente, a Black Puerto Rican grassroots organizer, journalist, and entrepreneur, as well as a Hip Hop activist, member of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement and a journalist with Pacifica Radio, WBAI 99.5FM NYC, and Air America Radio. Clemente is an incredible woman with many achievements under her belt and much to talk about. Her commitment to scholar-activism and youth organizing has taken her across the country, and even across countries, sharing her vast knowledge about hip-hop, African-American and Latino Intercultural relationships, the history of the Young Lords Party, and organizing to free U.S. political prisoners. (Yes, we do have political prisoners. And if you don't know who the Young Lords are, you best find out.) Don't miss this rare opportunity.

7 p.m., Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-871-4444; $5 (students $2).

If you want to continue on with the B-Girl Be Summit events after the keynote presentation, there's a Youth (Teen) Dance Workshop from 8:30 to 10 p.m. at Jawahiir Studios, 1940 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis. And the Foundation Nightclub has an interesting lineup this evening, featuring Sistaz In Rhyme, Maria Isa, Stacy Epps, Invincible, and Bahamadia. 10 p.m., Foundation Nightclub, 10 S. 5th St, Minneapolis; $10.

ART by Ann Klefstad
One on One: Annabel Clark, Journal + Arlene Gottfried, Midnight

These two artists (plus Burton Fialk, in the MCP's Minnesota Projects Gallery) make work about seeing others -- in particular, seeing them under duress. Photography lends itself to this, although it's a use that most of us would not dare undertake. Annabel Clark has documented her mother, Lynn Redgrave, as she endures breast cancer and its treatment (Redgrave plans to visit during the run of the show; see here for updates), while Arlene Gottfried documented the life of a man named Midnight for over twenty years. At first he was beautiful enough to command a premium price as a hustler; then he melts down with madness, bad drugs, and the simple toll of years. As standards narrow for all of us in a consumerist world, we need to push against the limits of what we can love, and what we can find lovely. This show helps.

Noon to 8 p.m. (Thursdays), through July 29, Minnesota Center for Photography, 165 13th Ave. N.E., Minneapolis; 612-824-5500.

MUSEUM by Eeva-Liisa Waaraniemi
Frozen in a Final Moment

The Star Tribune and all other big boys in town have already blown the horn on this one, but maybe you, oddball that you are, only frequent obscure media channels and thus haven't heard about it. Well, this is a show you shouldn't miss. Put on your family-friendly face and join the rest of us at the Science Museum's latest exhibit, A Day in Pompeii, opening today. Unless you travel to Italy to see the ruins yourself, this is a rare opportunity to see wall-sized frescoes, marble and bronze sculptures, jewelry and gold coins from a city frozen in its final moment. Many of us have seen unforgettable pictures of the people caught in their final, unscripted poses, suffocated by the volcanic ash that consumed the city. Eight of these figures are on view in the exhibit as plaster molds of the cavities left by the victims' bodies. A free audio tour is available with admission. And while you're there, stop by the Omnitheater to explore the birthplace of Western civilization in Greece: Secrets of the Past.

8 a.m. - 10 p.m., Science Museum of Minnesota, 120 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; 651-221-9444; $20 (children/seniors $15, members $7), $24 with Omnitheater (children/seniors $18, members $7).

Watch a preview video.

THEATER & PERFORMANCE
Ten Minutes at a Time

The 6th Annual Bedlam Community Ten-Minute Play Festival begins this evening. The five-day event consists of 20 plays -- each only ten minutes long -- featuring a Sasquatch, a time machine, singing robots, three bears, an astronaut love affair, and plenty of sweet sugar cookies. Start with the first set of plays -- that's half -- this very evening. Coming?, by Emily McPeck, directed by Michael Kelley; Dues, by Dwight Hobbes, directed by Michael Kelley; Robot Musical, by John Francis Bueche, directed by Cherie Anderson, music by Marya Hart; The Sunny Day, by Donna Sellinger, directed by Avedis Monoogan; Times of Changes, by Savannah Reich, directed by Samantha Johns; The Book of Ben, written and directed by Ben Kreilkamp; Albert Went Down to the Intersection, by Josef Evans, directed by Jon Cole; No Sugar Cookies for Herbert, by Tommy Jamerson, directed by Georgia Leigh Hallman; First Day on the Job, by Nathaniel Hicklin, directed by Emily McPeck; and Kind Eyes See So Far, written and directed by Jeremey Catterton.

8 p.m., Bedlam Theater, 1501 S. 6th St., Minneapolis; 612-341-1038; pay-what-you-think-it's-worth today and tomorrow, after that it's $10.

All the World's a Stage

The Great River Shakespeare Festival's 2007 Summer Season opens this weekend with Macbeth, directed by Doug Scholz-Carlson, and As You Like It, directed by Paul Barnes. It doesn't get much better than this -- comedy and tragedy, love and ambition. Take in a lesson on the morality of power tonight, and enjoy a comic mediation on love tomorrow. All is as it should be. Yes, Winona might be a little way off, but it'll be worth the drive; and if you make it to the preview performances tonight and tomorrow night, you'll end up saving almost half the price -- and you can be among the first to rant about it.

7:30 p.m., The Performing Arts Center, Winona State University, Johnson St. and W. Howard St.; 507-474-7900, ext.110; $15 preview performances, $20-$25 following.

FILM
Redefining the Notion of Family

With the Pride festivities having come to a head this past weekend, the notion of societal acceptance has been at the forefront of much media over the past couple weeks. But the exotic and flamboyant nature of the Pride Parade is certainly not a call to assimilation. Quite the opposite, in fact; it's about creating new parameters, redefining social constructs, challenging norms. (Isn't that why so many people still feel threatened by it?) Following suit, the Walker film series Queer Takes: Standing Out begins this evening with two films that help expand our notions of love and family. The first, Spider Lilies, directed by Zero Chou, follows a tenuous relationship between two women as they reconnect with a troubling past. The second, I Don't Want to Sleep Alone, directed by Tsai Ming-liang, follows Chinese immigrant Hsiao-kang (Lee Kang-sheng) as he is lovingly cared for by a local man after he is beaten unconscious in Kuala Lampur.

7 p.m. (Spider Lilies) and 9 p.m. (I Don't Want to Sleep Alone), Walker Art Cente, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-375-7656; $8 (members $6).

Not finding anything that entices you here? Check out our events calendar for more options.

And go support the Twins!

ON THE NET
Pssst...

More great city secrets
Another great source for secrets -- if you're willing to dig a bit
Metroblogging Twin Cities
Minnesota Stories
The Bottle Gang: The Twin Cities Guide to Sophisticated Drinking
Signal Eats Noise, music and more