The Rake Magazine

Author: Cristina Córdova

  • Heart, Spirit, and Gut-Wrenching Laughter

    FILM
    Dysfunctional Love in New York City

    manhattancover.jpgIf you agree with Brad Zellar’s assessment (The Rake, June 2007) that Woody Allen “hasn’t made a truly great — or at least consistently funny — film” in a long time. Then tonight is your night. Certainly, Zellar wouldn’t argue against two Allen classics: Manhattan and Annie Hall. Tonight, you have a rare opportunity to see these jewels on the large screen. Enjoy Allen’s sarcastic and self-depracating humor as he explores human relationships in both films. Manhattan is beautifully shot — probably the first film in which Allen truly explored his artistic sensibility on a visual scale, paying full homage to the city he loves so dearly. And, as always, the dialog doesn’t get left behind. In fact, I’d venture to say it’s among his best, as is the dialog in Annie Hall, which won Allen an Academy Award for Best Picture. Minnesotans will particularly enjoy the film’s sharp contrast between New York culture and Annie’s midwest culture.

    7 p.m. (Manhattan), 9 p.m. with a Sat. & Sun. matinee at 5 p.m. (Annie Hall), Oak Street Cinema, 309 Oak Street SE, Minneapolis; 612-331-3134; $8 (seniors $6, students $5).

    MUSIC
    Fervor and Soul

    00000030.jpgWe could all use a little spiritual uplifting from time to time. And tonight, you can get some in the way of music. The Blind Boys of Alabama have been spreading the spirit and energy of pure soul gospel music since 1939, when the first version of the group formed at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind. Today, founding members Clarence Fountain and Jimmy Carter are joined by Bishop Billy Bowers, Joey Williams, Ricky McKinnie, Bobby Butler, and Tracy Pierce on a mission to expand the audience for traditional soul-gospel singing while incorporating contemporary songs and innovative arrangements into their hallowed style. Their latest album, Atom Bomb, even features loops, raps and roaring blues riffs.

    7:30 p.m., Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E Exchange St., St. Paul; 651-290-1200; $39.00.

    The Best in Trombone

    slide.jpgIf gospel is not your thing, you can still nurture the soul with the jazz offerings of the United Trombone Summit, featuring Slide Hampton, Steve Turre, and Wycliffe Gordon. While, the Summit has featured various master trombonists throughout the years, American trombonist, composer and arranger Slide Hampton has always remained at the core. Steve Turre, another frequent Summit player, is one of the world’s preeminent jazz innovators, trombonist and seashellist. He has consistently won both the readers’ and critics’ polls in JazzTimes, Downbeat, and Jazziz for best trombone and for best miscellaneous instrumentalist (shells). In addition to performing as a member of the Saturday Night Live Band since 1984, Turre leads several different ensembles. And last, but certainly not least, is Wycliffe Gordon, probably the most versatile trombonist around these days. This is a master performance. You don’t want to miss it.

    7 p.m. and 9 p.m., Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant, 1010 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis; 612-332-1010;$35 and $20.

    A Couple of Freebees

    Also on the agenda for this evening are a couple interesting, free, outdoor concerts. Head straight from work to Peavey Plaza to catch Neale & Haberman, and the Ali Gray Band. 5 p.m., Peavey Plaza, 11th St. and Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; 651-338-3807; free.

    Or head to Minnehaha Falls for a performance of the Indonesian Performing Arts Association essembles. 7 p.m., Minnehaha Falls, 50th St. and Minnehaha Ave., Minnespolis; 612-673-2489.

    BOOKS AND AUTHORS
    Author! Author! Eric Dregni

    20060707_midwest_2.gifIf you’ve read our July issue, then perhaps Eric Dregni has already piqued your interest. He has a wonderful piece this month on the Minnesota Futurists. Want to hear some more of his crazy ideas? They’re not so crazy really. In fact, he can help you find fun and unusual things to do with your summer. Extrapolating the future isn’t his only talent, Dregni has also authored numerous books, including Weird Minnesota and Midwest Marvels. Tonight he’ll be discussing these two books and showing slides of one-of-a-kind tourist destinations from the Midwest. It should be great fun.

    7 p.m., Brooklyn Park Library, 8600 Zane Ave N, Brooklyn Park; 763-424-8002; free.

    ON THE NET
    Practical Jokes

    It’s only funny until someone loses an eye… or dies.

    Pant Trick
    Naked Diner
    Spoon Tap
    Skunk Prank
    Gun Boy
    Puddles
    Mailbox

  • Tim O’Reagan

    Shortly after Tim O’Reagan’s arrival from Kansas in ’88, it became clear that this Leatherwoods drummer was something special. While other members of the band were singing about eight-balls and dicks, O’Reagan shyly smiled over his drumsticks as he proclaimed himself a happy man in that upbeat Marvin-Gaye style of his. Quiet though he was, it was no surprise when O’Reagan continued on to fame with The Jayhawks as the Leatherwoods fizzled out. Almost two decades later—with a little more irony, a little Dylanesque grit, and an overlooked solo debut—O’Reagan retains his understated manner. He advances quietly, slips in through the back door in the true fashion of a drummer, and consistently delivers solid performances. And bam, one day you wake up and he’s a true pop star. 400 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-332-2903; www.400bar.com

  • Sicko

    by Tom Bartel

    As I was watching the mid-June press screening of Michael Moore’s new movie Sicko, I could almost hear the lips of the conservative bloggers and talk show hosts beginning to smack as the smell of fresh meat wafted over the media landscape. Moore, whose Bowling for Columbine won the Academy Award for best documentary, won’t disappoint. The basic premise of Sicko — that the American health care system is sick (in all senses of that adjective) — is not disputed by any serious observer.

    Unfortunately, Moore can’t resist taking his point to the furthest reaches of the political landscape: Cuba. In order to show up our government and our health care industry (is that redundant?) he ferries a troop of Americans, whose health has been ruined as much by our system as by their own misfortune, to Cuba, where they are given free examinations and extremely cheap medicines. The fact that a number of these people were sickened by working at the site of the World Trade Center attacks makes Moore’s point unmistakable — when our reviled Communist enemy Fidel Castro provides better health care than we do, we ought to reexamine how we’re doing things here.

    Moore, of course, never uses a needle when a cudgel will do. He frequently undermines his own arguments by not filling in the subtleties that might call his conclusions into question. In his exuberance, he provides unlimited fodder to his right wing critics and those in the pay of the medical industry. The attacks should start in earnest June 29, the day the movie is released.

    The main point I took away from Sicko though, was the conclusion Moore drew from France. Yes, that France, the one that many people believe belongs alongside Iraq and Cuba in the Axis of Evil. Moore pointed to the frequent mass demonstrations in France as having a real effect on the government; those manifestations of public outrage prevent the government from being too influenced by capitalist pressure to cut social benefits. As he put it, “In France, the government is afraid of the people. In America, the people are afraid of the government.”

    We have 47 million Americans without health insurance. We have the leading Democratic candidate for president, who once was the primary national advocate for universal health care, now taking massive contributions from health care companies and expressing more “moderate” views. We have enshrined in law that the government which represents the people is prohibited from negotiating bulk drug prices for the benefit of its citizens. We have story after story in the mainstream press about children dying as a result of losing their health insurance. We have two recent stories in the New York Times about doctors in Minnesota taking large payments from drug companies to promote non-indicated uses for their products. And we have the local CEO of a large medical provider who wasn’t satisfied with the billion dollars he’d made by cherry picking who would get coverage and who wouldn’t, and so manipulated the dating of his stock options so he could make even more.

    So, is it time to put away our “Freedom Fries” and try exercising some real freedom? Shall we take to the streets?

    Not so fast.

    Although my natural inclination is to recall my youth during the Vietnam war and dig out my STRIKE! T-shirt from the bottom of the attic trunk, it ain’t gonna work this time. When naïve people say that the country learned nothing from Vietnam (and that’s how we got into Iraq) they grossly underestimate how smart the guys who own the government are. They certainly have learned how to quell dissent.

    The situation regarding health care is only going to change when business realizes that it’s ultimately bad for business to have an unhealthy work force. When we have economic studies that show that the country is worse off because workers are afraid to change jobs because they’ll lose their health care, when economic studies show that American companies are less competitive because they have to bear the costs of health care for their workers, and when we have studies that show that communities which are the home to large employers who don’t provide health insurance are having to bear the costs of that lack of care by subsidizing local hospitals, we might have some change. Such studies do exist, but they have no chance against the massed strength of the drug and health care companies

    The health care problems of this country will only get better if the rest of the business community decides that it is in its own best interests to put gross anti-government ideology aside and throw its own economic muscle behind buying back the government. We hear all the time about how small business is the real backbone of this country. This might be our chance to find out if small business actually has one.

    Let the attacks commence.

  • Combat the Festival Overload with an Overload of Music

    There’s a lot to see this weekend, films from the Solstice Film Festival, performances at the Twin Cities Improv Festival, the GLBT Pride Parade — even the first ever Twin Cities Trans March tonight; but when your eyes have had enough, find yourself a dark corner and just listen to some music. Relax. You have some incredible options — and they’re sure to give you a second wind.

    MUSIC by Eeva-Liisa Waaraniemi
    Funky Cha-Cha-Cha

    hornchick.jpgIt’s nine years old, it’s free, and it’s a big deal. (There’s no arguing that point at 75,000+ attendees.) The Twin Cities Jazz Festival kicks off tonight at 6:30 p.m. in St. Paul’s Mears Park. Local musicians will dominate the stage, but out-of-towners are featured as well. Among the performers: Irv Williams, who’s still creating stellar homophony at 87 years old on his tenor sax; Connie Evingson, who happens to be the voice of Rainbow’s ‘Great Meals Start Here’ commercials but is better known for her versatile vocal renderings; and Jon Weber, a world-acclaimed pianist. Latin Caribbean flavor is in the mix with Chucito Valdes, son and grandson of Cuban jazz legends, and Salsa del Sol — a Twin Cities 10-piece orchestra devoted to dance music.

    Friday at 6:30 p.m., Saturday at noon, Mears Park, 6th & Sibley Streets.

    At 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, the Artists’ Quarter will host jazz trios at a $10 cover charge. Jazzophiles should find pleasure in the wide variety of jazz music offered, and people-watchers in the diverse hordes this music will attract.

    Watch a short clip of Irv Williams playing.
    The festival continues next week as well.

    MORE MUSIC
    And That’s Not All

    True, the Indigo Girls concert at the Minnesota Zoo is sold out, but there’s more interesting fare.

    Curto.jpgBreak out your dancing shoes — or at least be ready to bounce a bit. The New York City-based Brazilian music group Rob Curto’s Forró For All will be performing at the Cedar Cultural Center on Sunday. This is beautiful because they’ll actually be performing here on São João Day (St. John’s Birthday), which is quite the holiday in Brazil, so the energy ought to be through the roof. Sunday at 7:30 p.m., Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-338-2674 ext. 2; $17.

    Of course, you can cheat and catch a short set in Northfield tonight, before he even gets to Minneapolis. Head over to Carleton for The Bad Plus concert. This will be their first performance in Minnesota since the release of their new, critically acclaimed album PROG. Rob Curto’s Forró For All will open the concert with a short set, and after their concert, The Bad Plus will be signing CDs at the ArtOrg Gallery, where a group of artists will be kicking off their Summer Solstice Exhibit. Now that’s a packed evening. 8 p.m., Carleton Concert Hall, North end of Winona St., Northfield; $18.

    And if you’re too young and frivolous to appreciate any of the above, then maybe you should just go to the Stacy B. Show at the Suburban World Theater this Sunday. Apparently, she’s looking for actors for a music video, so she’s hosting auditions right there at 6 p.m. Woohoo! I wanna be a Stacy B. Girl!

    GASTRO-ENTERTAINMENT
    Gastro Non Grata

    331.jpgIf your ears aren’t the only organ you choose to exalt on Sunday — don’t get fresh, you know how important our food is to us — give Gastro Non Grata a try. There’s only one thing I’d need to top off a good mix of chefs, drinks, and music. I sure hope Craig Drehmel is not too handsome. And beware of chefs Steven Brown and Don Saunders. All that delicious flavor!

    6 p.m., 331 Club, 331 N.E. 13th Ave., Minneapolis.

    ART by Ann Klefstad
    A Mirror of Nature: Nordic Landscape Painting 1840-1910

    willowflute-a-opt.jpgPaintings by Edvard Munch, Vilhelm Hammershøi, Carl Larsson, August Strindberg, Harald Sohlberg, Akseli Gallén-Kallela, Eero Järnefelt, and Fanny Churberg will shimmer on the walls of the MIA. The show explores Nordic attitudes toward nature and the past and present significance of landscape in Nordic culture and thinking. Expect a beautiful show — rampantly pretty as well as expressionistic and emotional. In the face of full-on loveliness, there’s not much to say — so why not go with someone you’re squabbling with? All that stuff will melt away. (Painting: “The Boy with the Willow Flute” by Christian Skredsvig – June 2007)

    11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 612-870-3000; $8 (seniors/students $6, children $4).

    THEATER & PERFORMANCE by Christy DeSmith Hunger

    HungerWeb.jpgEmigrant Theatre prefers to stage edgy, often enigmatic new plays by living writers. Therefore, the troupe makes a point of getting to know all the winners of the prestigious Jerome Fellowship, an honor that attracts a national congregation of top dramatists to Minneapolis, where they work in one-year residencies at the Playwrights’ Center. Recently, the folks at Emigrant read a Jerome playwright they particularly liked — New Yorker Sheri Wilner. Equal parts comedy, fantasy, and drama, Wilner’s multifarious Hunger concerns the story of Diana, a woman with a seemingly charmed life. But on the night of her engagement — when she’s spending the night with her fiancé, Adam, in his seaside cabin, and the perfect circumstances of her life seem only further cemented — Diana is left confronting some pretty monumental what-ifs. Does she stick with trustworthy Adam? Or does she strike out on her own in an effort to fulfill her deepest desires? A Prince Charming (of sorts) actually materializes in this instance, so Diana’s quandary isn’t as easily solved as it might seem.

    Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m., Mixed Blood Theatre, 1501 Fourth St. S., Minneapolis; 612-338-6131; $14 (students/seniors $11).

    FILM
    Lies, Deception, and Spin? Never!

    poster05.jpgMeet me for a flick on Saturday morning? I’ll be at the Riverview bright and early. Yes, I still consider 10:30 a.m. bright and early on a Saturday. Only on a Saturday. Saturdays are for late breakfasts. Don’t worry; there’s plenty of time for a late breakfast after the movie, and the conversation will be far more interesting. 9/11: Press for Truth documents the stories of six family members of 9/11 casualties as they push for an investigation that fails to deliver. And as is typical of socio-artistic projects with a heart, there’s a touch of personalization. The screening will be introduced by a Minnesota resident who lost a family member in the September 11th calamity.

    Saturday at 10:30 a.m., Riverview Theater, 3800 42nd Ave S (E 38th St & 42nd Ave S), Minneapolis, 612-729-7369; free.

  • Festivals Abound

    It’s going to be a weekend of festivals, and many of them are starting tonight, to warm up the crowds and peak your interest. There’s a lot to do, so pace yourself, but be sure to get out of the house. This is no time to be sitting in front of your computer.

    FILM by Eeva-Liisa Waaraniemi
    Hollywood Just Ain’t Hip Enough

    tn320_image617.jpgThe Solstice Film Festival begins today, which is (surprise, surprise!) the longest day of the year. Pick and choose from 20 Indie Films of all genres; a couple of the more hyped-up offerings include Believers, a suspense flick from the director of The Blair Witch Project (tonight), and America… from Freedom to Fascism, an expose of the IRS that might make you consider — for the very first time — what it would be like to have a computer chip implanted in your body by the government (Saturday). For the festival’s second year, Executive Director Devin Halden said, “I really wanted to create something that would bring the arts and revitalize the arts scene for downtown St. Paul directly.” Indeed, all films will be shown at St. Paul icon The Fitz. In case you never make it to Hollywood, show up for the Celebrity Red Carpet Event at 6 p.m. and pay homage to the Indie everybody.

    6 p.m., Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E Exchange St., St. Paul; 651-290-1221; all access pass is $20.00, or pay $8 per film on opening night.

    THEATER & PERFORMANCE
    You Can Always Improvise

    shows.jpgThe first-ever Twin Cities Improv Festival begins this evening. FREEZE. Now give me an action phrase, something someone can do. Watch monkeys? OK. Don’t miss the best and brightest in improvisation from across the country. The festival will host workshops for all skill levels from some of the best minds in business, after-events, parties, and entertainment. Tonight’s lineup included Date Night, Fiscally Responsible, 300 Comic Books, Stevie Ray’s Improv Company, Relish, and Drum Machine. With improv, you never know what you’re going to get. You win some; you lose some. But no matter what happens, it’ll be better than watching monkeys.

    7 p.m., Brave New Workshop, 2605 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-332-6620; $10.

    Celebrate Love, Any Love, Queer Love

    queertopia_logo.jpgBegin Pride weekend with Queertopia: A Celebration of Queer Love. This cabaret-style song and dance event, brought to you by the Outward Spiral Theatre Company, will feature Foxy Tann, Morgan Thorson and Karen Sherman, Lisa Ganser (on-site video), Andrea Jenkins, Tori Fixx, Jim Domenick, Dykes-Do-Drag, Mad King Thomas, Empowered Expressions, and video by Karyn and Sharyn

    8 p.m., Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-871-4444; $15 (student/seniors/Intermedia Arts members $12).

    DANCE
    TU Dance or Not TU Dance, That Is the Question

    tu_dance_now.jpgYou have two great dance performances to choose from tonight. Perhaps you can catch one tonight and another this weekend. That’s all you have left for either of them. The first, TU Dance, has been lauded high and low. Tonight, you can enjoy three moving works by Toni Pierce-Sands and Uri Sands, and what better place than the Southern Theater? You’re bound to get enveloped in their energy. Go rediscover the beauty of movement — we could all use a little wake up call after a long cold winter.

    8 p.m. (Thurs-Sat), The Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-340-1725; $28( students/seniors/low income & Sat. matinee $17).

    The other option is the Metropolitan Ballet’s performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Rodeo. Talk about an odd combination! A cowboy ballet and a neo-classical ballet? Weird.

    8 p.m., State Theatre, 805 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-373-5600; $25-$75.

    ART & MUSIC
    Bigger Space, More Art!

    gg_0805.gifJoin The Rake tonight for Gallery Grooves, our monthly art, jazz, and wine event. Socialize and discuss the latest jazz with Kevin Barnes from KBEM. Enjoy free libations compliments of The Wine Company. The Grand Hand is celebrating its recent move into a bigger and better space, with more room for art by over 100 local, regional and national artists. View contemporary fine American craft in a variety of media: clay, metal, wood, fiber, glass and jewelry. Several gallery artists will be in attendance. Hors d’oeuvres provided by Kafe 421. Featured jazz selections include Don Byron, The Boomerang; Jason Moran, Artist in Residence; and Paul Renz, Beyond Blues.

    7 to 9 p.m., The Grand Hand Gallery, 619 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 651-312-1122; free.

  • Steamy, Hot, Goodness.. with a little salt on top

    DINING
    Destination: Puerto Rico

    Isla-verde-beaches-puerto-rico-playas-cupeles1.2.jpgCan you taste the salt in the air? Are you working up a sweat? The Rake’s Tour of World Flavors visits Babalu this evening for a multiple-course tasting menu and wine pairings. Enjoy authentic Latin Caribbean cuisine in an opulent lounge atmosphere. Tonight’s menu begins with Tostones Rellenos de Camarones, fried green plantains loaded with shrimp (Yum!), accompanied with the fruity Cono Sur, Viognier, 2006. The main course will consist of roasted pork (pernil), rice with pigeon peas (arroz con gandules), and sweet plantains. While this is actually traditional Christmas fare in Puerto Rico, it’s also incredibly delicious. I mean, there’s a reason why we serve it during the island’s most celebratory season! Savor the dish with a full-flavored Wrongo Dongo, 2005, and move on to the Tembleque dessert — a coconut custard — with a glass of Errazuriz, Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, 2006. You’ll leave with your tongue titillated, your belly full, and your head spinning from the blissful combination of good food, good wine, good ambience, and good company. Space is limited, so make your reservation now.

    6 p.m., Babalu, 800 Washington Ave. N., Minneapolis; $40.

    Speaking of Food

    The Rake’s food section is growing, with the addition of two new food writers, Jeremy Iggers and Ann Bauer. Go check out Ann’s new wine blog, Beyond the Cask, and Jeremy and Ann’s food news blog, Breaking Bread. And don’t forget to tune into Stephanie March’s food blog, Consider the Egg. Stephanie has been diligently blogging about food at The Rake for almost two years now. So think about our fabulous food bloggers when you click on over to the Culinate Grill Me Contest to vote for your favorite. Win a trip to Napa Valley to attend the COPIA Cooking School’s prestigious two-day grill course taught by best-selling authors and grill masters Andrew Schloss and David Joachim. Culinate will select one winner at random from among readers’ entries, and one winning food blogger based on reader votes. Each winner is invited to bring along a companion for the journey.

    THEATER & PERFORMANCE by Eeva-Liisa Waaraniemi
    Which One’s the Alternate Reality?

    img_3734.jpgBy now, most of us are well-acquainted with certain virtual versions of humanity; could the Simpsons or the Flintstones be imprinted any deeper in our collective memory? Fred’s ragged smock and Marge’s conish hairdo aren’t weird to us anymore. What we do find weird (and sometimes disturbing) are the new digital humanoids who are becoming increasingly finely molded to resemble us. Welcome to the “Uncanny Valley of Simulated Memory,” the imaginary place where the more human-like the computerized characters become, the more unbelievable they are. Thus the title of tonight’s premiere at the Ritz: The Closer I Get, The Less I Believe It, a performance of dance, digital images, and music that explores the relationship between media and humanity. What happens when physical reality is indistinguishable from virtual creations? The show is just over an hour long, so there will still be some light in the sky when you step back out into the hub of Northeast Minneapolis’s unique cultural district. If you want to milk the evening for all it’s worth, head over to The Sample Room or Psycho Suzi’s for vittles that are real enough to rot. This may reassure you.

    8 p.m., The Ritz Theater, 345 13th Ave. N.E., Minneapolis; 612-623-7660; $15.

    MORE THEATER & PERFORMANCE
    Shakespeare in the Parks

    as_you_like_it_poster.gifDon’t feel like being cooped up in a dark theater tonight? Go see the Cromulent Shakespeare Company’s outdoor performance of As You Like It. We’ve already established that you can’t go wrong with Shakespeare. And the frolicky gayness of this particular comedy lends itself so beautifully to the outdoors. Do a little dance to hold back the rains, and enjoy the evening with a little Shakespeare in the park. Tonight’s performance is in Loring Park, but you can catch them Friday (7 p.m.) at the Lake Harriet Rose Garden, Saturday (7 p.m.) at Como Park, or Sunday (2 p.m.) at Hiawatha Lake Park.

    7 p.m., Loring Park, 1382 Willow St., Minneapolis; 612-220-3397; free.

    FILM
    The Hour Is Upon Us — the 48th Hour

    Cinema Lounge4web.jpgThis month’s Cinema Lounge is upon us. (They sure do come around quickly!) And tonight’s lineup features the Minneapolis Audience Award Picks from the 2007 48-Hour Film Project. See the top eight films and meet some of the filmmakers. Tonight’s films include Der Hund by Eric Mueller, Le Film Animal by Jesse Gangle, The Day the Earth Was Attacked For 6 Minutes (& 58 Seconds) by Brian Prom, Open House by Keith Hurley, Plot Hole by Matt Gibson, Mourning Wood by Nick Abdo, Single Female Sci-Fi Vet by Luke Ogrodnik, and em>Naked Abe by Mike Scholtz.

    7 p.m., Bryant-Lake Bowl Theater, 810 West Lake St., Minneapolis; free (but you’re welcome to make a donation to IFP-MN).

    Bollywood Terror

    35m.jpgThe Institute for Advanced Study’s Summer Asian Film Series continues tonight with Mission Kashmir, a popular Hindi musical about a family torn apart by violence in the Kashmir valley. The screenplay was written by Pulitzer Prize finalist Suketu Mehta, and the film was directed by the almost legendary Vidhu Vinod Chopra (2000, India). Cast members include Hrithik Roshan, Sanjay Duttand (in a stellar performance), and Preity Zinta (stunning as ever).

    7 p.m., Nicholson Hall, Room 155, Institute for Advanced Study, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; 612-626-5054; free.

    MUSIC by Jill Schoepf
    Feist

    Feist.jpgOver the past three years, this Canadian punk rocker has metamorphosed into an indie-folk-rock darling, collaborating along the way with Peaches, Broken Social Scene, and the Norwegian folk duo Kings of Convenience. Following a soulful Parisian solo debut (Let It Die, in 2004), Leslie Feist’s talent is now firmly cemented with her latest, The Reminder, a combination of alternately buzzy, sultry, brash, and wistful songs. While her music is notably kaleidoscopic in genre, a well-worn gossamer voice is the link that winds throughout Feist’s repertoire; and her songwriting’s poetic approachability has helped her elbow past those run-of-the-mill indie rockers to make it into mainstream stardom.

    7:30 p.m., Pantages Theatre, 710 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-339-7007; $26.

    It’s Minnesota — We’ll Always Have Another Winter

    jray copy.jpgJoin the Last Great Winter (not to be confused with Florida rockers Last Winter) for a CD Release Party tonight in St. Paul. While the CD doesn’t actually hit the stores until Friday, you can catch a preview tonight at Dunn Bros. on Grand, or catch them next Wednesday at the 331 Club. Stop on by and chill a while with singer/songwriter Jeff Ray’s honeyed vocals and deft slide guitar stylings. Claiming to draw from the eclectic range of performers that includes Ravi Shankar, Nick Drake, and Greg Brown, Ray serves up sweet-sounding Mississippi Delta blues.

    8:30 p.m., Dunn Bros. Coffee, 1569 Grand Ave., Saint Paul; 651-489-5375; free.

  • Beautiful Chaos

    MUSIC
    Play Red

    hiromi-cust copy.jpgYou’ve already had two days to see Hiromi play at the Dakota. If you haven’t yet done so, now is the time. If you already did so, then you already know. Go again. This woman is incredible. This is truly some of the best in jazz improv. You’ll be completely carried away, completely mesmerized. Usually, this style of jazz is too synthetic for my taste, but.. Hot damn! See for yourself. Pure class. Pure jazz. Pure funkadelic keyboard babe.

    7 and 9 p.m., Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant, 1010 Nicollet, Minneapolis; 612-332-1010; $25 & $15.

    MUSIC AND FILM
    You’ve Got to Be Insane to Be Insane

    catch22.jpgIt’s Tuesday again, so grab the blanket or lawn chairs (you should probably just keep them in the car for the next couple months), and head on over to the Holland neighborhood for an outdoor music and movie night. Tonight’s agenda begins with the alt rock confessions of The Rank Strangers. These guys are straight Minneapolis ’80s — familiar, nothing we haven’t heard before, but comforting. When dusk falls, enjoy an outdoor screening of Mike Nichols’s Catch 22, adapted from Joseph Heller’s book of the same name. This comedic WWII classic send out a resounding anti-war message with a story about a man trying to get himself certified as insane in order to escape the insanity of war. (What’s the name of the cross-dresser in M.A.S.H. who tries to do this?)

    8 p.m., Edison High School amphitheater, 700 22nd Ave. N.E. (22nd Ave. and Quincy St.), Minneapolis; free.

    LECTURE
    Who Killed Health Care?

    who_killed_hc_cover.jpgMichael Moore’s Sicko is beginning to circulate, both in theaters (mainly preview screenings) and online. You’ll hear more about this next week, but if you’re far too anxious, you can start raking the net. Rumor has it the video has already been (and will again be) leaked to the web. And Michael Moore doesn’t seem to mind. Could it be this man has something to say? Does a documentary about the American health care system interest you? Then allow yourself a little bit of foreplay tonight over dinner. Prof. Regina Herzlinger, often hailed as one of the most important people in health care, will be discussing her book Who Killed Health Care?: America’s $2 Trillion Medical Problem and the Consumer-Driven Cure. Enjoy a nice dinner and hear all about Herzlinger’s market-based plan for putting insurance money in the hands of patients, removing middlemen in doctor-patient relationships, and giving cost relief to employers.

    6:30pm, The Metropolitan Clubroom, 5418 Wayzata Boulevard, Golden Valley; 612-338-3605; $32.50 (American Experiment Members $27.50).

    PARADE by Eeva-Liisa Waaraniemi
    When Did Northeast Minneapolis Get so Hip?

    polishgals copy.jpgBehold the changing face of the good ol’ “Nordeast” as it proceeds down Central Avenue. Sink into your lawnchair for the 2007 Celebrate Northeast Parade, or — if you’re like me — forget the lawn chair and, with urgency, size up leftover spaces on the curb to assess buttwidth compatibility. The parade lineup includes organizations harking to Northeast Minneapolis’s traditional demographic, the Polish American Cultural Institute, the Ukrainian Heritage Festival. This year, however, the parade isn’t just about the neighborhood. National television is in the mix with a Dateline NBC presentation of a group of 1979 Edison High graduates who have undergone the network’s Diet Challenge in preparation for their 25-year reunion. (Doesn’t televising this simply threaten the very dignity they’re trying to preserve by losing the weight in the first place?) Also on tonight’s docket are various politicos (all Democrats, of course — this ain’t Wayzata), Al Franken included. Other floats of note: Chicks on Sticks (women on stilts!), Fuego Latino Dancers and, of course, the marching bands. Festivities begin with a Tailgate Party in the Eastside Food Co-op parking lot, where you can expect a puppet show, Andean flute music, and many other curiosities.

    6:30 p.m., 28th and Central Ave. N.E., south down Central to 14th Ave., Minneapolis; free. (Tailgate: 4 p.m., Eastside Food Co-op, 2551 Central Ave. N.E.)

    THEATER & PERFORMANCE
    What’s up, Sherlock?

    2265008431.jpegA threat — against Sherlock himself — sets this ball rolling, or rather this boat. A mystery. Join the University of Minnesota Showboat Players in solving Sherlock’s Last Case. A good laugh. Witty humor, quick retorts, a suspense-filled storyline, and a cast of zany characters. And water all around. Get on the Showboat and have some fun.

    2:30 and 8 p.m., Minnesota Centennial Showboat, Harriet Island; 651-227-1100; $17-$22.

  • For the Love of Classics

    THEATER & PERFORMANCE
    That’s the Way, Uh-huh, Uh-huh, I Like It

    photo_gallery880.jpgI’m a sucker for any odd Shakespeare adaptation. Granted, the whole Taming of the Shrew/Pygmalion hybrid is getting a bit old, but we all love a good princess fairy tale. In the spirit of Clueless and 10 Things I Hate about You, Matther A. Everett’s new play, Love’s Prick uses Shakespeare as the basis for a high school/college tale of love and infatuation. A high school girl masquerades as a boy, fielding romantic interests both gay and straight; two college wrestlers and the student editor of the campus literary magazine struggle with a complicated love triangle and a mysterious online poet; a transgender minister finds the possibility of companionship with a local police officer. Love’s Prick pokes fun at love, gender confusion, and other themes of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy As You Like It. Tonight’s semi-staged workshop production, directed by Todd Hughes, features Delta Giordano, Grant Henderson, William Leaf, Mark Mattison, Dan O’Niell, Michael Ooms, Nathan Surprenant, Renee Werbowski, and Laura Wiebers. The performance will be followed by an audience feedback session.

    7:30 p.m., Center for Independent Artists, Black Box Theater; $5 (CIA members and Fringe buttons $2.50).

    In Love, Truth Is the First Causality

    tb_017AgamemnonHelmet.jpgWhat could be better than a comedic Shakespeare adaptation? A Greek classic. Start out the evening with a look back into Oliver Nicholson’s past Rake wine columns. This should get you in the mood for the father of Greek tragedy. Enjoy Nimbus’s new adaptation of the first part of Aeschylus’s classic Oresteia Trilogy. Agamemnon chronicles the triumphant return home of King Agamemnon after the fall of Troy. A precursor to Shakespeare, this Greek tragedy offers many of the same plot devises and character types — from the manipulative femme fatale, to the deceit, subterfuge, and murderous conclusion. This daring new work, directed by Nimbus co-Artistic Director Liz Neerland, explores our inevitable tendency toward violence.

    8 p.m., Minneapolis Theater Garage, 711 West Franklin Ave., Minneapolis; 651-229-3122; special pay-what-you-can performance.

    MUSIC by Eeva-Liisa Waaraniemi
    Beyond Politics

    bio_frame.jpgMick LaBriola’s past CD projects have been comprised of a thoughtful jumble of musical traditions. Yet, while the eclectic medley of genres in his noontime concert in Northrop Plaza is old hat to him, to the rest of us it’s something completely novel: “urban folk with reggae, bulgarian, and Arabic.” Having worked with diverse music communities for years, LaBriola takes a philosophical approach the role of music in our lives. In an interview on Radio MnArtists, LaBriola says of his culturally diverse music: “When you like a song, you like a song. It’s what it is. It’s not about inferior races or superior races. You put that aside so you can experience the art. That’s one of the profound things I’ve found in working with cultural music or music in general. I hope we can see the bigger picture. Art goes beyond politics and stigmatizing one another, it’s about humanity and sharing humanity with each other.” If you do treat yourself to his rhapsody on your lunch break, see if you can’t absorb a little of his music’s transcending power. Take your sunny aura back to the cubicle, and discard your Monday-morning snarls with your lunch refuse.

    12 – 1 p.m., Northrop Plaza, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis,; 612-624-2345; free.

    Sultry Whisper, Throaty Roar

    tina_poster_image_5.jpgIt seems that every year, as soon as summer peers its head through those crisp winter skies, Tina Schlieske is back on the roster. A Minnesota native, Shlieske has been making music since she was a teenager. Deeply influenced by Aretha Franklin tapes and her Russian-opera-diva-grandmother’s legacy, Schlieske has the kind of voice you won’t easily tire of; her tone shifts effortlessly from soft and soulful, to sultry whisper, to throaty roar. In fact, back in the ’80s she was often hailed as the local Janice Joplin. Today, Schlieske still shows traces of this blues-belting legend. While her repertoire is multi-dimensional — divided among rock, soul, and blues — her intros still leave you expecting familiar hits from the ’60s. Joining her tonight is Mississippi rocker Garrison Starr, with a smoother, sweeter tone, reminiscent of the Indigo Girls.

    9 p.m., Cabooze, 917 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis; 612-338-6425; $12.

    Listen to Tina Schlieske.
    Listen to Garrison Starr.

    ON THE NET
    Things You May Have Missed

    Shim-Sham Shufflers at the Bike-In at the Bell Museum
    Oatmeal Grimgravy’s first appearance – Gay Pride 2007
    Belly-dancing at the Sprint 2007 Guild Show
    Brandi Carlile performing a late-morning lullaby

    Minneapolis 48-Hour Film Fest Films

    For the Love of Pookie
    The Fading
    Der Hund
    Jacques
    Paternoster
    weston
    For the Love of Buddy

    And did you see the Barbarella rehearsal?

  • Ballet of the Dolls Does Barbarella

    You have only a couple more nights to catch the Ballet of the Dolls rendition of Barbarella — the comic book, turned Jane Fonda sci-fi movie, turned Ballet of the Dolls cabaret. While it sticks to the screenplay perhaps a little too much — using actual images and dialog clips from the movie — you should never miss out on this cult classic. And, come on, what better group to interpret it than Ballet of the Dolls. Damn, this is beautiful camp.

    Watch a video clip of a rehearsal from a couple weeks ago. It’s long, but it tells you everything you need to know without spoiling the show.

    Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m., Ritz Theater, 345 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis; 612-436-1129; $27, $20.

  • Father's Day Pride

    It’s Father’s Day on Sunday, so don’t forget to honor your favorite dads. I’m thinking about sending Francis Ford Coppola a tie. What do you think? It could even be a Satya Paul tie — granted, probably not a $21-million-dollar diamond one, but a nice one anyhow.

    Of course, the real lucky dads this weekend are the gay ones. They get to celebrate Father’s Day with a Pride Picnic in the East Picnic Pavilions of Como Park (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.).

    THEATER & PERFORMANCE
    Proud Puppet Art

    swearingjack.jpgYou don’t have to wait until Sunday to show your GLBT pride, however. The 2007 Pride events officially begin tonight with the opening of the Pride Art Show. The art show, which runs through July 22, features art work by GLBT artists or about GLBT themes. Tonight’s party features refreshments and entertainment — even an original puppet show performed by Swearing Jack Productions. Zuliana: A Love Story, written by Kristin Helgeson, was choreographed and designed by Julie Johnson and Megan West, and features the vocal talents of Anna McCorison.

    Friday at 7:30 p.m., The Soap Factory, 518 Second St. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-623-9176; free.

    Do You Believe in Love?

    getimage.jpgIf you’re looking for a more flamboyant way to start Pride weekend, or just an unusual and entertaining show, head over to Candi Stratton’s Immaculate Cher Show. The award winning, fully costumed and choreographed show, honors the life and music of the ultimate diva. What’s so special about this? Well, Cher is pretty darn outrageous and cool, but Cher being played by “the little boy that grew up to be Cher” is simply off the hook. Get a load of world-renowned Cher impersonator Candi Stratton. There are bound to be many great wigs and costumes. I mean, we’re talking Cher here, people. The event will benefit The Aliveness Project, Camp Heartland, Clare Housing, Park House, and Top Self. Tonight’s show includes a pre-show party (6 p.m.) with hors d’oeuvres, entertainment and a silent auction; and a post-show party (10 p.m.) with entertainment, prize drawings, and a live auction featuring original artwork by Anthony R. Whelihand.

    Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis (Theater), 407 W. 15th St., Minneapolis; 612-813-5300.

    More Traditional Fare

    3427261830.jpgTraditional certainly doesn’t have to mean boring. Enjoy a night of storm and shipwreck, island adventures, post-colonial oppression, cruelty and vengeance, air nymphs and spirits. I don’t think there’s a more fascinating Shakespeare play then The Tempest. And, lucky you, The Chameleon Theatre Circle will be performing it in various outdoor locations throughout the city over the course of the next three weekends — FREE! Bring a blanket or some chairs. Take some snacks or beverages, and sit back to enjoy the show. You won’t be dissappointed. Director Benjamin Kutschied presents Garrick Dietze as Prospero, Nicole Goeden as Miranda, Matt Riggs as Caliban, and Leah Starr as Ariel.

    Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Caponi Art Park, 1205 Difflet Road, Eagan; Saturday at 7 p.m. at Logan Park, Broadway St. and Monroe St., Northeast Minneapolis.

    Fat Pigs Need Love Too

    fat_pig.jpgThe theatrical offerings just don’t stop there this weekend. The Walking Shadow Theatre begins the final production of their inaugural season this evening. Fat Pig is an unusual love story and comedy about a boy who falls in love with a rather large girl. Playwright Neil LaBute (The Shape of Things and In the Company of Men) examines the nature of beauty and attraction in this story of love and weakness. Tonight’s show, directed by Amy Rummenie, features Celia Forrest, Shad Cooper, Jennifer Phillips and Ben Thietje.

    Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m., The Playwrights’ Center, 2301 Franklin Ave. E., Minneapolis; 612-332-7481; $16 (students/seniors $14).

    SPORTS
    Celebrate Father’s Day with a Good Pounding

    brawlposter.jpgA boxing bout in this city is cause for celebration. A boxing bout on Father’s Day weekend is downright delicious. Is this an unfair stereotype? Perhaps. I know plenty a father that won’t be going (though I refuse to believe they wouldn’t enjoy it). And I am likely to go without a father and enjoy it just as well. Those of you taking dear old dad to the Pride festivities might find it best to stay away, but then… you never know. Tonight’s Brawl in Saint Paul features bitter rivals Matt ‘The Predator’ Vanda and Kenny ‘KO’ Kost. This is a fight between the city and the suburbs, the street and the silver spoon. Vanda, from the tough East Side of St. Paul, decided to turn pro early. Kost is a decorated amateur who grew-up in the more affluent suburb of St. Paul, White Bear Lake.

    Friday at 7 p.m., The Legendary Roy Wilkins Auditorium, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; 651-989-5151; $32-$102.

    Watch a Behind the Brawl Video

    BOOKS & AUTHORS
    Rock and Roll Cinderella

    laurie_lindeen.jpgLaurie Lindeen (from last month’s Heavy Rotation) will be reading from her new autobiographical tale, Petal Pusher: A Rock and Roll Cinderella Story this weekend as part of The Current Fakebook series. Don’t miss this show. Zuzu’s Petals will be playing a reunion show for the occasion and they’ll be joined onstage by music luminaries such as Paul Westerberg, Mark Olson, Steve Wynn, John Eller, Lori Barbero, Ed Ackerson, and Marc Perlman.

    Saturday at 8 p.m., Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E Exchange St., St. Paul; 651-290-1221; $20.

    MUSIC
    Music for Every Day of the Week

    Friday: Go see Robert Cray play with Paul Mayasich. 7:30 p.m., Minnesota Zoo, 13000 Zoo Blvd., Apple Valley; 952-431-9303; $32.

    Saturday: Blow out those eardrums at the Flight of the Valkyries, a midwest metal fest devoted to metal bands with female lead vocalists. 3:30 p.m., Station 4, 201 E. 4th St., St. Paul; 651-298-0173; $30.

    Sunday: You can always opt for the Joan Armatrading show, but if you prefer a good laugh and whole lot of fun, go check out the Barry Manilow Birthday Extravaganza — an evening filled with music and passion for the man who writes the songs. Local performers will pay tribute to Barry with favorites such as “Even Now,” “Weekend in New England,” “Very Strange Melody,” “When October Goes,” and “Copacabana.” 7 p.m., Bryant Lake Bowl, 810 West Lake St., Minneapolis; 612-825-3737; $15.

    ART
    Picasso and Bikes May Break My Bones, but Stones Will Never Hurt Me

    The Picasso Exhibit opens this weekend at the Walker Art Center, with a Preview Party on Friday night. And the third annual Bike-In at the Bell Museum of Natural History offers an outdoor celebration of people-powered transportation on Saturday. But the real art event of the weekend is the 13th Annual Stone Arch Festival of Arts. It’s supposed to be a steamy weekend, so put on those shorts and flip-flops and head over to the Stone Arch Bridge for one-of-kind artwork from more than 250 nationally known artists, family activities, live music and performing arts on three performance stages, a Whole Foods Market Culinary Arts Quarter, and an Art of the Car show presented by Smart Car.

    Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Historic Main Street and Father Hennepin Park, Minneapolis; free.