Author: Cristina Córdova

BOOKS & AUTHORS by Eeva-Liisa Waaraniemi
Corruption, Betrayal, and Intrigue

Anyone who delights in the romance and nostalgia of simply walking into a grand 90-year-old neighborhood library should experience St. Anthony Park Library at least once. You might as well go there with dual purpose, however, and tonight’s reading of Crossing Hoffa: A Teamster’s Story by Steven J. Harper seems to fit the bill. (No, I’m not talking about that Stephen J. Harper. Not that anyone knew who the Prime Minister of Canada was anyway.) In his first book, the slightly less high-profile Steven J. Harper–an author and Minneapolis native–shares a true tale more gripping than anything Mr. Prime Minister could cough up. Take the year–1959, the man–Harper’s father, and the problem–union corruption, and you’ve got the beginning of a two-year, life-endangering quest for a cleaner union.

7 p.m., St. Anthony Park Library, 2245 Como Ave., St. Paul; 651-642-0411; free.

FILM
Screw the Star-Crossed Lovers, Give Me Kung Fu

Building on Asian cinema’s historical fascination with Westerns, and tossing in the distinguished Film Noir, Tears of the Black Tiger results in a Tarantino-esque medley of genres laying out what is essentially just another sappy love story. But come on, no one went to see Kill Bill for the story line. This stuff is goood. Written and directed by Wisit Sasanatieng, Tears of the Black Tiger is a throwback to the golden years of Thai genre films. Using some of yesterday’s most popular film techniques — iris shots, wipes, and back-projection — Sasanatieng tells a tale of Noir-ish gunslinger out for revenge but compromised by love.

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

THEATER & PERFORMANCE
A Union Impossible

More star-crossed lovers? You betcha! But only if you’re willing to leave work early. I know. I know. Can you stand the sacrifice? All right, raise your glasses. I’d like to make a toast to… well… drinking. Remember the Aquafina commercial in which everybody sang “Drink, Drink, Drink!” as they raised their steins and bottles of Aquafina in a robust toast to boozing it up? You know — the one with the bar wench and the accordian player. (Which one did you remember?) Well, this “Drinking Song,” as it’s actually called, is from Sigmund Romberg’s The Student Prince, an operatic remake of a German play about a prince who must sacrifice love for the well-being of his kingdom. Yup, it’s not a particularly original story — just another Queen Elizabeth, in fact — but let’s face it, we’re all suckers for this shit — especially the heart-wrenching finale. Are you sold yet? This afternoon, at 3 p.m., the Skylark Opera will present their interpretation of The Student Prince, directed by Randy Winkler and starring Mattt Morgan, Tracey Gorman, and Larry Weller. If you really can’t make it out of work early, then be sure to catch it at 8 p.m. on Friday or Saturday.

3 p.m., E.M. Pearson Theatre, 312 N. Hamline Ave., Concordia University, Saint Paul; 612-870-1099; $20-45.

Other shows tonight include Get Ready — a story (which I heard was great) of six legendary musicians stepping once again into the light — at the Penumbra Theatre. 7 p.m., 270 N Kent St., St. Paul; 651-224-3180; $15-30. And Mamma Mia at the Orpheum Theater. 7:30 p.m., 910 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-373-5600; $20.50-67.50.

MUSIC by Eeva-Liisa WaarWaaraniemi
Truth Be Your Call, and Peace Be Your Way

Looking to come upon creatures you never knew existed? (Or just another excuse to leave work early?) How about listening to a smooth reggae beat reminiscent of the torrid smell of sun and salt? Beat the traffic — escape your job an hour or two early and head to the Minnesota Zoo. Check out a few animals with unique monikers: the pygmy slow loris, Matschie’s tree kangaroo, the binturong. If you manage to get there by 4 p.m., you can even catch the final dolphin show. Once your walking and animal-ogling urges have been satisfied, relax in the amphitheater with Ziggy Marley and the International Reggae Allstars. The second-oldest son of Bob Marley, Ziggy says his struggle is more spiritual than the physical struggle embodied by his father’s work. “Love is the answer to the problems,” he claims. In fact, his latest album is Love is my Religion.

7:30 p.m., Minnesota Zoo, 13000 Zoo Blvd., Apple Valley; 952-431-9303; $26.

MORE MUSIC
Get Loose, Momma

Don’t let yourself be led astray by the name, the style, and the sass — or even the fact that she hopes to release an all-Spanish album sometime soon. Nelly Furtado is not Latina. She is in fact Portuguese. (And no, they don’t speak Spanish in Portugal, smart ass.) Why does this matter? I don’t know. The woman is one hot hip-hop momma. Period. And yes, she is indeed a momma. Her daughter is three. But this doesn’t stop her from sharing the stage with the likes of Justin Timberlake, turning down $500,000 to pose for Playboy, or confessing her attraction to women. No. I’m telling you, this woman is hot — although I must confess my utter disgust and dismay to discover the the theme of this evening’s show is Miami. I mean, really! It just doesn’t get much more cliché than palm trees on a stage.

7:30 p.m., Xcel Energy Center, 175 W Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; 651-989-5151; $32.50-42.50.

BOOKS AND FOOD
Raking Through Books – Writing About Food

If you pay close attention to The Rake online, you’ll have already noticed the addition of at least one new voice in the vintage and victuals arena. Ann Bauer’s new wine blog, Beyond the Cask, is just one small piece of a much larger project at The Rake. Beginning with the July issues, you’ll see a new and improved food, wine, and dining section both in print and online. Eaters’ Digest brings together Rake writers Stephanie March and Oliver Nicholson with two well-known names in local food writing — Ann Bauer and Jeremy Iggers. Tonight you have a rare opportunity to get to know them both as they team up to talk food, restaurants, writing, and media mega-changes. Get the first glimpse of this dynamic duo in action, along with a taste of their books (20% off at the University of Minnesota Bookstore).

5:30-7 p.m., Kieran’s Irish Pub, 330 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis; free ($2 parking with Kieran’s voucher at Downtown Auto Park, 4th and Marquette).

BOOKS AND AUTHORS
A Journey Beyond Normal

Less food and decadence; more realism? Follow Jonathan Mooney’s journey on the short bus. Don’t be confused; this is no magic bus, my friends. Mooney took the notion of the short bus rider — a derogatory term used for kids in special eduction — and turned it into a vehicle of triumph over conformity and discrimination. Once called “unteachable” and labeled “dyslexic and profoundly learning disabled with attention and behavior problems,” Mooney was himself a short bus rider. Many years later, he set out on a four-month journey over 35,000 miles in search of others who have come up with insightful ways to overcome the obstacles that separate them from the so-called normal world. In The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal, Mooney describes the people he meets along the way — an eight-year-old deaf and blind girl who likes to curse out her teachers in sign language, the proud owner of the Museum of Wonder, and other people with learning disabilities who share a refreshing irreverence toward social constructs of normalcy. In true anti-hobgobblin fashion, The Short Bus offers an On the Road-style celebration of difference. Despite his disabilities, Mooney lashed back at his alienation by graduating from Brown University with an honors degree in English. A recipient of the Truman Fellowship for graduate study in the field of learning disabilites and special education, he is also the co-author of Learning Outside the Lines.

7:30 p.m., Magers And Quinn Booksellers, 3038 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-822-4611.

BOOKS by Brad Zellar
Mere Anarchy

It’s been twenty-five years since a new collection of Woody Allen’s short humor appeared in print. You’re welcome to argue this point until you’re blue in the face, but he hasn’t made a truly great — or at least consistently funny — film in almost as long. It’s easy, then, to forget how truly fresh and funny Allen once was. The material in his early collections (and in his best films) was marked by his trademark neuroses as well as by an ability to blend high and low culture with often inspired and hilarious results. Allen’s work occasionally pops up in The New Yorker (where many of the pieces in Mere Anarchy originally appeared), and while there’s a palpable strain in some of the more uneven selections, the man is still capable of being very funny, very smart, and hyper-literate, often within the same paragraph.

Due in bookstores today, $21.95.

FILM
Infestation and Slaughter — two local wonders

I don’t know what it is about seeing a movie outdoors that just makes it that much better. The darkness is more real perhaps? You tell me. Experience the darkness of the Edison High School amphitheater — a little music as the sun drops, followed by a movie at dusk. Tonight’s show begins with powerpop-rockers the Infestations and finishes off with a film adaptation of the Kurt Vonnegut favorite, Slaughterhouse Five. Discover the world of Vonnegut’s novel through Pilgrim’s eyes as he becomes unstuck in time and experiences his life in a seemingly random order. Apparently, some of the scenes were even shot here in Minnesota. (Thanks to Max for relieving me of some ignorance.)

8 p.m., Edison High School amphitheater, 22nd Ave. N.E. and Quincy St. — opposite the soccer field, Minneapolis; 612-668-1300; free.

Quit Your Bitching, 48-Hours Is A Lot of Time

The Minneapolis/St. Paul 48 Hour Film Project wrapped up this past weekend, and it’s time for the screenings to begin. See what our local filmmakers can do with 48 hours, a selected genre, and a random prop and line of dialogue. Films will be screened at the Riverview Theater over the next three days, and the Audience Award Favorites (voted on by the viewers) will screen at IFP’s Cinema Lounge next Wednesday. Max, over at MNSpeak was kind enough to offer links to previous years’ selections, both nationally and locally.

7 & 9:15 p.m., Riverview Theater, 3800 42nd Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-729-7369; $2 ($3 tomorrow and Thursday).

ART AND LECTURE
A City Sleeps

Enjoy a night of photography and lecture at Gallery 13. The Minnesota Center for Photography will be presenting an artist-led slide lecture and talk with Chris Faust and Joan Rothfuss. Faust will present selections from his new book, Nocturnes, a collection of more than 70 tritone photographs representing our world in the nighttime hours. The slide show will be followed by a conversation with writer, art historian, and former Walker Art Center curator, Joan Rothfuss, a question and answer session, and a book signing. Stick around after the presentation for a reception and exhibit closing.

7 p.m., Gallery 13, 302 13th Ave. N.E., Minneapolis; 651-592-5503; $5 (free for MCP and MIA Photography Council members).

THEATER AND PERFORMANCE
Gender Queercore

This evening, Homocore Minneapolis presents Gender Queercore with Actor Slash Model, from Chicago. This transgendered indie-grass music and performance duo, comprised of Simon Strikeback and Madsen Minax, conveys mega-queer, trans-centric, and kink-aware music through simple melodies and witty lyrics. Their show tonight features tough tough skin, zibra zibra, and thunder thighs. Interesting enough?

8 p.m., Bedlam Theatre, 1501 S. 6th St., Minneapolis; 612-341-1038; $5.

STYLE
Sneak Peek

Nordstrom is hosting the Chanel Spring Trunk Show today and tomorrow. Get a sneak peek at the top designer pieces that will clothe the most fashion-conscious and help set trends for lower-priced lines. Just stop by to have a look, talk to Chanel representatives, or place special orders.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nordstrom, Mall of America, Bloomington; 612-883-2121.

MUSIC
One Is No Longer Enough

Get out and celebrate the release of not one, but two CDs this evening. Weaver at the Loom and Klaus are joining up for a double CD release party at the Varsity, with The Drive Back and City of Sound. See here for a review of the new Weaver at the Loom CD.

6 p.m., Varsity Theater, 1308 4th St. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-604-0222; $8.

Take a little break in your day for a great outdoor show in front of Northrop Auditorium. Join Michael Hauser and Friends at noon for an hour of flamenco. Enjoy some Spanish music with free ice cream cups while supplies last.

FILM
Heroes of Athleticism

“We are all familiar with the traditional epic sports films depicting great heroes of athleticism. Dodgeball is no exception. The only difference is that the sport is a childhood favorite and that our heroes are Vince Vaughn’s crew of unlikely champions. Ben Stiller plays the ruler of a fitness empire who has his mind set on taking over Vaughn’s rundown neighborhood gym. The only way to save the neighborhood home of the awkwardly athletic is to take first place in the national dodgeball tournament. With cameos from David Hasselhoff, William Shatner, and Chuck Norris, how could you go wrong?”

9:30 p.m., Coffman Memorial Union, Theater, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-624-INFO; free.

ON THE NET
Really? Paris Again?

Ask most people around here what’s going on in Venezuela right now, and they have little to say; but ask them about Paris Hilton, and they’ll pour out the latest gossip gleefully. I’ll refrain from making any judgements just now. Suffice it to say that this woman’s life generates an astounding response. As soon as anything new happens — and it seems there is always something juicy in the works — bloggers are blogging it, reporters are reporting it, singers are singing it, mimics are mimicking it, and we the people are swallowing it all up. Here are some amusing video responses to her recent jail debacles:

Paris Hilton Goes Back to Jail!
Paris Hilton in Jail
Paris Hilton: Walking the Streets Again
Paris Hilton (Go Away) Music Video

You think Paris is inane?
President Bush Hears Voices

After that lovely reference, you need a couple cool things to watch. These are just cool — no other reason.
Beat Souffle
The Zimmers My Generation

Tired of all this technology bullshit? Get Back to the Basics.

WINE AND ADVENTURE
A Celebration of Art and Wine

It’s going to be a lovely weekend, so get in the car, do a little driving, and spend the day (or the entire weekend) on the Three Rivers Wine Trail, visiting wineries amid lush valley scenery, sampling locally-produced wines, enjoying the featured artwork, and listening to live music. Minnesota’s first wine trail is comprised of six Minnesota wineries, all located within the St. Croix, Mississippi, and Cannon River Valleys: Cannon River Winery, Falconer Vineyards, Alexis Bailly Vineyard, Saint Croix Vineyards, Northern Vineyards Winery, and WineHaven Winery & Vineyard.

Saturday from 10-5 p.m. and Sunday from 12-5 p.m., Three Rivers Wine Trail of Minnesota, see the individual vineyards for directions; free.

THEATER & PERFORMANCE
When You’ve Lost Everything, You’ve Got Nothing Else to Lose

In the spirit of works of art like Life is Beautiful, that highlight humor and imagination as a means for survival, Aftermath explores the imaginary world created by survivors of a tsunami. With no memory of their past lives or of the recent tragic events that brought them together, they carry out their lives in a fantasy world where anything is possible and life is a beautiful game. But what happens when the past comes back to haunt them? Directed and conceived by Katie Kaufmann, Aftermath features some of our top physical theater and clown performers, including Jason Bohon, Jon Ferguson, Kim Richardson, Sara Richardson, and Marcus Quinones. What is our attraction to disaster? (Be on the lookout for Brad Zeller’s upcoming Rakish Angle on the matter.)

7 p.m. (Thursday – Sunday through June 17th), Bedlam Theatre, 1501 S 6th St., Minneapolis; 612-341-1038; $12.

The Funniest Show You’ve Never Paid to See

Stevie Ray’s Improv Comedy has begun their summer Improv in the Park series, every Sunday through August in the Rose Garden by Lake Harriet. Take a lawn chair or pull up a patch of grass and join the audience-interactive comedy show. Over 46,000 people have enjoyed Improv in the Park since 1992. This year, make sure you’re one of them. (No show if it is raining or the grass is too wet to sit on.)

Sunday at 5 and 7 p.m., Lyndale Park Rose Gardens, 4124 Roseway Road, Minneapolis; 612-370-4838.

MUSIC
Beyond Interpretation and into Possession

If you’re looking for a class act this weekend, Madeline Peyroux is your girl. (Am I going to get trashed by the feminist contingency now — for calling her a girl? I meant womyn, of course.) This Georgia-born jazz singer has a haunting voice reminiscent of the late great Billie Holliday. That’s right; it has a genuinely celestial quality. And while the earlier part of her career saw her singing songs from Holliday’s era, her latest album, Half the Perfect World, draws from contemporary artists like Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, and Joni Mitchell. This is a must see show.

Friday ay 8 p.m., The O’Shaughnessy, College of St. Catherine, 2004 Randolph Ave., St. Paul; 651-690-6769; $29-32.

Stones Groove and String-Drenched Nostalgia

Celebrating the release of his first solo album The Waiting Room, New York rocker Matt Lenny and his band make their Minneapolis debut performance on Saturday. With the bare Americana sounds of Hank Williams and Ryan Adams, The Waiting Room is a ten-song collection featuring Matt Lenny’s distinctive voice and guitar playing backed by some of Chicago’s top rock and country musicians. He artfully mixes pop anthems with classic rock and country, creating a sound that’s at once familiar and deeply personal. Joining Matt Lenny will be local pop trio Maudlin and Americana singer-songwriter Mother Banjo.

Saturday at 7:30 p.m., The Beat Coffeehouse, 1414 W. 28th St., Minneapolis; 612-910-0360; $5.

Party Like You Care

The first annual Finnegans Summerfest will be held on Saturday, all day and all night, at the Cabooze and surrounding areas on Cedar Avenue. The event features 28 bands, four stages, and one great cause — ending youth homelessness. Proceeds from this year’s event benefit Heading Home Hennepin. Go enjoy the incredible line-up of artists: Dave Pirner (Soul Asylum) & the Volunteers, The Alarmists, White Light Riot, The Delilahs (reunion), Vicious Vicious, Melismatics, Tim Mahoney, Epic Hero, Pert Near Sandstone, Friends Like These, We Became Actors, The Debut, The Brothers Frantzich, Jeff Arundel, Kevin Bowe, Billy Johnson, Joanna James, Charlie Parr, Michael Morris, Ryan Van Slooten, and Mark Mallman.

Saturday from 1 p.m. – 2 a.m., The Cabooze, 917 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis; 612-338-6425; $25 ($5 off with an LRT pass).

BLOCK PARTY
Red Stag Opening Block Party

The new Red Stag Supper Club, the latest venture by Cafe Barbette and Bryant-Lake Bowl owner Kim Bartmann, will celebrate its upcoming opening with a block party on Saturday. The Red Stag will be the first restaurant in Minnesota to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certified. In keeping with the restaurant’s environmentally conscious mission, the block party will be a zero-waste event, using recyclable and reusable items. Enjoy local and organic eats, cold beer and cocktails, a flea market featuring local artists and vendors, and a whole lot of free, outdoor music. Featured artists include: Wain McFarlane of Ipso Facto, MC/VL, Chooglin, Prudence Johnson with Buffalo Jack & the Plowboys, Black Blondie, and Low — in that order — with emcees from Lit 6 Project and Electric Arc Radio.

Saturday from 5 – 10:30 p.m., Red Stag Supper Club, 509 1st Ave. N.E., Minneapolis; free.

YOGA
YogaGame Adventure

Got kids? Share the yoga experience with the whole family. Parents and kids can practice yoga together this Sunday at Yoga One. Watch as the coordination of your child’s growing bodies, minds, and personalities are enhanced with an interactive yoga game, yoga poses, breath exercises, and a mini-meditation. Entice the curious and active yogi-to-be. The one-hour class is recommended for adults and children ages three and up.

Sunday, Yoga One, 2100 B Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-872-6347; $20 per family.

HOMES
Home Is Where You Hang Your Wallet

Up for a drive with some seriously decadent dreaming? The 7th annual Twin Cities Luxury Home Tour begins this weekend. Go see some of our most accredited custom builders and the latest in luxury living. Find the home of your dreams. Or just dream. If nothing else, you might run into some great ideas you can mimic in the areas of architecture, interior design, technology, landscaping, appliances, craftsmanship.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m., see the tour map, or begin at Kinchyle Builders, 8604 Whisper Creek Trail, Greenfield; $25.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS
Tell Me a Story, Tell Me a Lie

Join humorist Kevin Kling and host Heather McElhatton for an evening that showcases our finest writers and musicians to present existing work and collaborate on new pieces. Kling built his reputation in the Twin Cities during the 1990s with his groundbreaking plays “21A,” “Fear and Loving in Minneapolis,” and “Home and Away.” While his writing and performing continue unabated, he has probably become best known for his regular story-telling contributions to NPR’s All Things Considered. Joining Kling this evening is his friend Bill Lepp, five-time champion of the West Virginia Liars Contest. Kling met Lepp at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee, and was floored by his performances. Tonight’s show features Stage Session’s ever-adventurous mix of words of music. In addition to Kling and Lepp, guests will include the Robert Bell Trio as house band, singer and accordionist Simone Perrin, a duet featuring cellist Diane Tremain and African drummer Kenneth Komtanghi, Minnesota Public Radio’s Euan Kerr. and the Minneapolis band Redstart, featuring Wendy Lewis (Rhea Valentine, Mary Nail), Michael Lewis (Happy Apple, Fat Kid Wednesdays), Martin Dosh ( Dosh, Andrew Bird, Fog, Lateduster, Vicious Vicious) Jeremy Ylivsaker (Barb Cohen, The Melismatics, Mark Mallman, Detroit, Fog).

7:30 p.m., The Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E Exchange St., St. Paul; 651 290-1200; $22-31.

The Unexpected Life of Books

Explore the unexpected life of books with two award-winning authors and literary critics — Sven Birkerts and Lewis Buzbee. The authors, both of whom started their careers as booksellers before becoming authors themselves, will discuss the role books have played in their lives and in our society. Sven Birkerts is the editor of AGNI magazine and has taught writing at Harvard University, Emerson College, Amherst, and most recently Mount Holyoke College. He is the author of seven books, including An Artificial Wilderness: Essays on 20th Century Literature, The Gutenberg Elegies: The Fate of Reading in an Electronic Age, and most recently The Reading Life: Books for the Ages from Graywolf Press. His reviews regularly appear in The New York Times Book Review, The New Republic, Esquire, and The Atlantic. A bookseller and publisher for 20 years, Lewis Buzbee has taught writing for the last 7 years at the University of San Francisco. He is the author of Fliegelman’s Desire, After the Gold Rush, and The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop. And his work has appeared in such publications as Harper’s, GQ, and The New York Times Book Review. His next novel, his first for younger readers, Steinbeck’s Ghost, is due in the fall of 2008. It’s about a 13 year-old boy who tries to save the Salinas public library from closing.

7 p.m., Minneapolis Central Library, Carl and Eloise Pohlad Hall, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; 612-630-6174; free.

A Book To Make Your Neighborhood Come Alive

For many years Jay Walljasper has written about urban planning and public place issues. He writes the Town Square column for the Project for Public Spaces e-newsletter, Making Places. An extended essay of his appears in the book Toward the Livable City. He examined positive urban initiatives in places like Portland, inner-city Boston, Copenhagen, and the Twin Cities for a series, What Works? in The Nation. And this evening he will be discussing ideas from his latest project, The Great Neighborhood Book. Joining him for a spirited discussion about improving neighborhoods will be David Brauer, president of the Kingfield Neighborhood Association; Matt Perry, of the East Harriet Neighborhood Association; and Steve Jevning, founder of Leonardo’s Basement (featured in the book).

7:30 p.m., Magers & Quinn Booksellers, 3038 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-822-4611; free.

The Artist’s Bookshelf

Still don’t have enough authorly options? Help keep alive the spirit of one of our recently-departed, great American writers, Kurt Vonnegut. Join the Artists’s Bookshelf for a discussion of Slaughterhouse-Five this evening as part of their summer mythologies series. Vonnegut’s modern classic revolves around a unique odyssey through space and time, and reflects the mythic journey of our own fractured lives. Get to the Walker an hour early for a free guided tour of the related exhibition, then visit Wolfgang Puck’s Coffee and Wine Cart in the Bazinet Garden Lobby for a treat to bring to the discussion. Discussions are moderated by actor Roger Nieboe.

7 p.m., Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-375-7600; free (limited space).

MUSIC
Combining the Best of Blues, Folk and Americana

Join local indie-roots band The Pines in celebrating the release of their Red House Records debut Sparrows in the Bell. Hailing from Iowa, David Huckfelt and Benson Ramsey combine roots, blues and indie-rock to create a raw, haunting sound. Does the name Ramsey ring a bell? Benson is in fact the son of blues-rocker Bo Ramsey, who has partnered with greats like Greg Brown and Lucinda Williams. Entrenched in folk and blues music from birth, Benson lets those influences shine, even on louder electric songs. In fact, much like their literal and figurative fathers, these boys honor the old with a touch of the new. Both strong writers and musicians, David and Benson have distinct voices that complement each other, causing audiences and critics alike to tout them as a powerful young force in American roots music. Joining The Pines will be label-mate and critically acclaimed bluesman Ray Bonneville, who will be playing songs from his upcoming release Goin’ By Feel.

7:30 p.m., Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-338-2674; $15.

FILM
The Mathematical Formula for Existence

The 1,2,3 Movie Series continues this evening with PI, Darren Aronofsky’s film about a genius mathematician who’s built a supercomputer at home that provides a key for understanding all existence. This is an exceptional film. If you haven’t seen it, don’t miss it. If you’ve seen it, then you already know to go see it again. The film is a great example of what you can do with a very small budget and guerrilla filmmaking. It will be screened on the back wall of the Soap Factory. (If it is cold or raining, it will be screened in the gallery.)

9:15 p.m., The Soap Factory, 518 2nd Street SE, Loading Dock, Minneapolis; 612-623-9176; free.

STORYTELLING
If You Like to Hear Yourself Talk

Start off the evening with a light bite and a bottle of wine at JP American Bistro. Sit out in the patio if the weather and crowds permit. Order a bottle of the Emilio Moro Valladolid ’01. It’s from the Ribera del Duero region of Spain, so it’ll be well worth the $56. 2937 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-824-9300.

Leave the car where it is for now, and walk to the Bryant Lake Bowl. You should be in just the right mood for the In the Loop Story Slam. We all have a story to tell, be it in song, poetry, or prose, be it real or not. Take the stand and spin your tale. Too shy? Sit back and let the others do the work. Jeff Horwich will be hosting, along with In the Loop house band, The Smart. If you have a story to tell, sign up before 7:30. Names will be drawn randomly throughout the night. You’ll have five minutes to tell your tale, after which The Smarts will drown you out with their song. Think you’re interesting enough? Don’t expect kindness. And if all goes well, and you don’t yet want the night to end, you can top off the evening with another light bite or a chocolate torte before you go off to bed.

7:30 pm (6:30 doors), Bryant Lake Bowl, 810 West Lake St., Minneapolis; 612-825-3737; $6-10 (pay what you can).

FILM
Kids Do It Better

The Roosevelt High Open Program is hosting its 3rd Annual Student Documentary Film Festival this evening — a result of a year-long interdisciplinary English and American History course and work with documentary film artist and IFP member Joanna Kohler. Go check out seven student films, produced, directed, researched, and edited entirely by these students. “What these youth are saying… may not be what you expected to hear.” School Spirit offers an inside look at student connectedness to schools. Opportunities & Obstacles examines the achievement gap. Save The Drum Beat explores Anishinabe Culture in the Twin Cities. Echoes of the Past tells ghost stories about Roosevelt High School. Locally Grown digs into hip-hop in the Twin Cities. Who’s Your Family? serves up a little Gang Life 101. Get Your Motor Running covers the Automotive Program at Roosevelt. And Image is Everything shows media images of urban schools and stereotypes.

6 p.m., Roosevelt High School Auditorium, 4029 28th Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-668-4800; free.

Since they’re only 10 minutes apiece, the films should be done by 7:30 or 8 p.m. Hungry now? Lucky for you, you’re only 10 blocks away from the Town Talk Diner. Stay in touch with the newly-awoken kid in you with one of their adult milkshakes. I’m particularly fond of the Irish Float — made with Guinness — but the John Cold Train is pretty fabulous, too. 2707 1/2 E. Lake St., Minneapolis; 612-722-1312.

Coppola Does It Best

Of course, classics are always good, too. And Francis Ford Coppola is always worth seeing — even his crap-ass One from the Heart. Tonight, you’ll do much better than that. Tucker: The Man and His Deam exposes the real-life struggles of one man and his fight against big government and large corporations. “In 1945 Michigan, Preston Tucker (Jeff Bridges) created a car for the future equipped with fuel injection, a center headlight, seat belts, a rear engine, disc brakes, shatterproof glass, and a pop-out windshield. With the support of his wife (Joan Allen), his son (Christian Slater), and his business manager (Martin Landau, in an Academy Award-nominated performance), Tucker produced fifty of his dream cars. However, Detroit’s Big Three, with the help of a Washington senator (played by Jeff Bridges’s father, Lloyd, in an uncredited role), set up significant roadblocks. Tucker is investigated for fraud and his plant is closed. Coppola had been planning to make a film based on the life of Preston Tucker since 1974. His own struggle to retain independence from the Hollywood studios mirrors the auto maverick’s story. Of the 50 cars Tucker made, 46 are still roadworthy (Coppola and Executive Producer George Lucas each own one).”

7:30 p.m., Liberty Center, 799 Raymond Ave., Saint Paul; 651-646-8980; $5 optional donation; please R.S.V.P.

The best way to prepare for this libertarian event is with a burger and a beer (root beer counts) at Casper & Runyon’s Nook. Get a decently priced meal and what I’ve often heard referred to as one of the best burgers in town. It ain’t Matt’s, but you can get an even fancier juicy lucy with pepperjack cheese and friend onions. Mmmmm. 492 S. Hamline Ave., Saint Paul; 651-698-4347.

THEATER & PERFORMANCE by Christy DeSmith
Ballet of the Dolls Does Barbarella

This irreverent modern dance production is inspired by Jean-Claude Forest’s cheeky ’60s comic strip Barbarella. But it’s more closely related to the 1968 sci-fi movie Forest’s book inspired. Just as Jane Fonda did in that movie version, Dolls dancer Heather Cadigan gets things started with a zero-gravity striptease. In this instance, however, the achievement owes more to the performer’s limberness than to primitive, mid-century F/X. From there on out, the intergalactic mission finds Cadigan shimmying and wall-dancing in little more than her go-go boots. (Rumors that Cadigan would don something akin to Fonda’s famous see-through plastic breastplate couldn’t be confirmed.) Of course, the Dolls’ artistic director Myron Johnson couldn’t resist the temptation to inject Barbarella with some twenty-first-century-style modernity. He keeps his comments on media, women, and war on the slight side, but shamelessly mashes the film’s bubblegum score with P. Diddy and Christina Aguilera. Stay tuned for a behind-the-scenes video.

8 p.m., Ritz Theater, 345 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis; 612-436-1129; $15.

No need to forego dinner with Erte Restaurant so close. A good cabaret-style show calls for a good Cabernet — or at least it sounds good. Try the Chicken Saltimbocca with a bottle of Beringer Knight’s Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Normally, I wouldn’t recommend chicken with this wine, but the Saltimbocca is zesty enough to hold its own against even this one. 323 13th Avenue N.E., Minneapolis; 612-623-4211.

FILM
Rare, Weird, Stupid, and Sometimes Brilliant

Back in February of 2006 our very own Rake movie critic, Peter Schilling, reviewed Joel D. Stitzel’s Cinema Slop, describing it as a great place “to shut down your brain and settle in with something genuinely awful.” This eccentric movie program goes way beyond the now-standard cult classics to offer some of the rarest, most bizarre movies in history — many of which have become very difficult to find. Of course, you can’t talk about weird films without thinking of Warhol. Tonight’s offering, Warhol ’65! features three Warhol films from 1965 (imagine that): Poor Little Rich Girl, Beauty #2, and Vinyl. Forget Sienna Miller. This is the real Edie Sedgwick — in all three films. See for yourself that anyone who repeats the standard trope that “Warhol’s Vinyl is the best adaptation of A Clockwork Orange ever made” is a pretentious dork who’s never actually seen the damn thing.

9 p.m., Dinkytowner, 412 1/2 14th Ave. SE, Minneapolis; 612-362-0437; free.

If Love Had a Manual It Would Be a Comedy

Warhol isn’t for everyone. Sometimes, there’s just not enough coffee to go around. If you’re seeking a slightly more upbeat film this evening, Manual of Love might be just what you need. This Giovanni Veronesi comedy chronicles the four phases of love: falling in love, the crisis, the betrayal, and the abandonment. Are you laughing yet? While it might seem a little too real (or pessimistic) to sound much like comedy, this Italian flick is sure to make you laugh. Follow four couples at each of the four stages of love. The last one, in a desperate attempt to cope with the abandonment, turns to an audio, self-help book for answers. The book is called Manual of Love.

7:15 and 9:15 p.m., Oak Street Cinema, 309 Oak Street SE, Minneapolis; 612-331-3134; $9 ($7 students).

BOOKS AND AUTHORS
Some People Have All the Answers

Speaking of self help… This evening brings together two self-help authors for a lively discussion of pursuing a purposeful life. Richard Leider, Senior Fellow at the Center for Spirituality and Healing and author of seven books, including The Power of Purpose, will join Richard Nelson Bolles, author of the best-selling career-planning book in history, What Color is Your Parachute?. Figure out how to best lead your life, and then start your journey with some sweets. The talk will be followed by a dessert reception with the speakers.

7:30 p.m., Ted Mann Concert Hall, Northrop Memorial Auditorium, 84 Church St. SE, Minneapolis; 612-624-2345; $28.50 ($23.50 U of M faculty, staff, and students, and Presidents Club and UMAA members).

Others Are Still Seeking Their Purpose

I’ve never been much into self-help books. I despise them in fact. The last time my mother begged me to read one, I ended up hurling it out of a tenth-floor apartment into the ocean. (Yes, I litered, but the book was The Power of Now, so I wasn’t exactly considering the effect it might have on the environment tomorrow.) If you want something a little more down to Earth, a little less full of itself, a little more content searching for answers rather than having to adhere to some pre-defined purpose, I have just the thing for you. Go hear eight students from the Perpich Center for Arts Education read from their anthology, Lit Kids: Mama Bird and the Electric Rabbit. The making of the book, alone, is quite a story. These kids — 31 writers in all — got together to raise money, edit, organize, and design a book independently of their school. With a small grant from the Perpich Foundation, they managed to pull it off, and tonight you can hear eight of them read their work: Jes Tyler, Raina Belleau, and Carol Camilleri of Minneapolis; Katy Cashman of Two Harbors; Teresa Smit of Wabasha; Ali Baker of Plymouth; Jesse Peterson of Bemidji, and Elisa Rivas of Spring Lake Park.

7:30 p.m., Magers And Quinn Booksellers, 3038 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-822-4611; free.

VISUAL ART
Support Your Indie Gallery

Join the Rosalux Gallery for their annual fundraiser and raffle. Tonight is the opening of Green, a group show by member artists. Stop by between now and Saturday, and buy a $5 raffle ticket — or two, or three, or 30. Enjoy the artwork, and then place your ticket(s) in the envelope by the item you want to win. The Raffle Extravaganza will be this Saturday from 7 to 11 p.m., so be sure to stop by, celebrate, and see if you’ve won. (You do not have to be present to win.)

12 – 8 p.m., Rosalux Gallery, 1011 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-747-3942; free (raffle tickets $5).

THE EVIL BOX
I So Seldom Say This, but You Can Always Stay Home and Watch TV

Tune into channel 15 tonight at 9 p.m. for Butter City, a new talk show featuring emerging and established voices in the local independent film community.

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.

ART
Art on a Roll

Northfield has more to offer than the “Cows, Colleges, and Contentment” of the city motto. (Aren’t there more pigs than cows there anyhow?) A city becomes a true city only when it produces outsider art. Or didn’t you know that? Well, one thing you probably do know is that small towns — particularly college towns like this one — tend to produce a lot of skateboarders. (You know — the ones getting thrown out of every plaza and park in town.) In an effort to raise awareness, support skateboarding, and raise funds for a skate park, the Grezzo Gallery is hosting Breaking the Law, local art by local skaters. Celebrate the opening tonight with DJ Joe Cruse. Renegade Board Shop, from Faribault, will be putting on a demo right in font of the gallery if the weather holds up. And be sure to buy a t-shirt (design featured to the right). All proceeds will toward The Key youth center’s efforts to build a skate park.

5:30 – 10 p.m., Grezzo Gallery, 16 Bridge Square, Downtown Northfield; 612-986-7690; free ($20 t-shirts).

Art Festivals for Everyone

The Flint Hills International Children’s Festival is this weekend, and there is so much exciting stuff happening, I just have to run down the list for you. This isn’t just for kids, people. By all means take the kids if you’ve got them; but don’t forget to be the kid, too. It’s a completely interactive affair, and it ought to be great fun. Spend the day among artists and butterflies, making your own art, watching stellar performances from around the globe, eating international cuisine, and partaking in various artistic and community events. There’s an ARTwalk exhibit with more than 615 pieces of art displayed in 155 windows in downtown Saint Paul, a festival sculpture garden, an aerial ballet piece based on the work of Chagall, a Kite Festival with a huge kite 50 feet in the air adorning Landmark Plaza, a Poster Contest presented as huge building art hanging from all of the buildings surrounding Rice Park, Movement Arts, an
ARTmoves community art parade in Rice Park, an incredible array of local performers, and international performers from Mexico, Morocco, France, and Canada. See the lineup of performers. You can’t go wrong. The amount of planning behind this event is astounding, the kids have put in a great deal of time and preparation from their part, and there’s something for everyone. Don’t miss out.

If you don’t quite get your fill of art at the Children’s Festival, there are a couple of art festivals worth attending. Now in it’s sixth year, the Red Hot Art Festival brings local artists, musicians, food vendors and restauranteurs, installation artists, and community organizations together in Stevens Square Park for a unique weekend gathering.

If you prefer your art sans community, stroll on along to the ever-so-comfortable Edina Art Fair. Enjoy work by more than 400 artists, live music, fashion shows, great food, and lifestyle demonstrations. What the heck is a lifestyle demonstration anyhow? Only in Edina!

Out on a Limb

For whatever reason, I can’t refrain from mentioning Jennifer Davis’s art opening this weekend. Davis offers, “the dilute pastels of a taffy-colored universe, where a tethered manatee drifts above a delighted crowd or a pensive youth dreams unbridled fantasies about the horse that got away.” And while it resembles art that I so often hate, it manages to express a certain strange perversity that justifies the sappiness. I want this stuff hanging in the nursery that I keep neglecting to need. I want to write a story, or a poem, to go with each of her images. I want the children I haven’t had to grow up dreaming them. I can’t stop looking.

7 p.m., Gallery 360, 3011 W. 50th St., Minneapolis; 612-925-2400; free.

BOOKS, AUTHORS, AND THEN SOME
Call It Beat, Or Simply Be Beat

When he arrived in the United States in the 1960s, then 20-year-old Andrei Codrescu tucked his transcendentalist ideals into his breast pocket and sought out the vestiges of the Beat Generation, principally Allen Ginsberg. Since then, the Romanian-born writer and thinker has elucidated American culture in myriad forms: poetry, essays, novels, screenplays, and even a National Public Radio column. In traditional Beatnik spirit — if anything Beat can be called traditional — Codrescu’s sardonic wit and thirst for the unusual, his playful defiance of all categorization, are his trademarks.

Despite his acutely ironic sense of humor and his archetypal Jewish wit, Codrescu seems an odd proposition for the Minnesota Public Radio’s American Humorist Series. “For years now I have published my poems in funny magazines / So that nobody would notice / How sad they were,” he writes in his 1980 “Paper on Humor.” More than a humorist, Codrescu is one of our nation’s leading proponents of critical thought. Fearing that our literature, particularly poetry, was suffering from lack of public debate, Codrescu founded the Exquisite Corpse literary journal in 1983. A decade and a half later, he had become one of the first online-only publications, understanding, before many, the distribution value of the Internet. There’s no denying this man’s dominion. With more than 38 published works and endless public presentations he continues to find new outlets for his obsessive learning impulses.

Friday at 7 p.m., Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul; 651 290-1200; $22-$31.

While seeing Codrescu is sure to be quite rewarding, living like Codrescu is perhaps even more admirable. You’ve got an opportunity to do so each day of the weekend. The beats were certainly not the first to bring poetry together with music and dance (thought they did it so well), and they’re certainly not the last. Watch words collide with spoken artwork re-colored by choreographers this Saturday in Embedded With Mangoes in the Garden of Dueling Delights, a TalkingImageConnection reading featuring Shá Cage, Carla Hagen, Julia Klatt-Singer, Haley Lasché, Sam Osterhout, Annette Schiebout, and special guests Three Dances.

Saturday at 8 p.m., Soap Factory, 518 2nd St. SE, Minneapolis; 612-623-9176; free.

And if you still have a little more beat in you left on Sunday, stop by the 331 Club at 6 p.m. the Lit 6 Story Stage’s Ginsbergian beat poetry day.

DANCE
The Language of Silence? Really?

Sure, poetry with dance is cool, but let’s face it, sometimes you just just need to shut out those words. Explore the gestures of Arabic letters and poems of 13th century mystic Muhammad Jalaluddin Rumi in silence, or at least Close to Silence. Tonight the Minnesota Dance Theatre showcases the premiere of choreographer-in-residence Wynn Fricke’s Close to Silence, a piece that crosses cultural boundaries by combining modern dance with traditional Islamic dance.

8 p.m. (Sundays 7 p.m.), The Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-340-1725; $32 (students and youth $17).

DANCE, MUSIC, AND OTHER GREAT STUFF
Forget Grand Old Days, the Insanity Starts Here

Minnesota Public Radio is on a role this weekend. Follow up the Friday’s Codrescu presentation with a vaudevillian extravaganza on Saturday. Seventeen distinctive acts will perform as part of Vaudevillian Stages. Yes, this is real vaudeville — musicians, dancers, comedians, acrobats, and freak shows. Get a load of this line-up: Mongolian acrobats Circus Manduhai, singer Isabella Dawis, The Twin Cities Harmonica Trio, pianist Michael “The Hook” Deutsch, 21-string banjo master Paul Metzger, savage comedian Brian Beatty, Jared “Yodelboy” Mason, manualist (don’t ask) Scott Richardson, tap dance sensations The Ausland Brothers, aerialist Risa Cohen, vocal jazz stylists Rio Nido with singer Prudence Johnson, guitar luminary Tim Sparks, ethereal musical ensemble Dreamland Faces, host Tom Lieberman, and even Ned Beatty (though, strange as he is, I don’t see how he possibly fits in with this motley gang).

Saturday at 8 p.m., Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul; 651 290-1200; $27-$31.

MUSIC
Diggin’ on Them Roots

Maybe it’s the railroads that have tied Minnesota so tightly to the folk music scene since the ’40s. Or maybe it’s the good old Midwestern working-class mentality that permeates the back roads and smaller towns throughout the state. Regardless, our imprint on contemporary folk doesn’t stop at Bob “Zimmerman” Dylan. Hailing from Dylan’s hometown, and clearly influenced by much of the same music as his forebear, Charlie Parr has been quietly shaking the Americana music scene with his authentic rendering of Piedmont-style blues. With the storytelling finesse of Dylan and Woodie Guthrie, the finger-picking mastery of Rev. Gary Davis and Dave Van Ronk, and the raw soul of Robert Johnson and Brownie McGhee (is that enough name-dropping for you?), Parr builds on a strong tradition of American folk and blues while addressing the very real issues of the contemporary Midwestern working man. Anyhow, it’s a hell of a lot better than going to see Styx play at Myth! I mean, come one; they weren’t even that good in the ’80s.

Saturday at 8 p.m., Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-338-2674; $9.

Ok. Now quit reading and go DO!

BOOKS & AUTHORS
Never End a Title in a Preposition

If you’ve read our July issue already, then you already know that local poet Éireann Lorsung is helping Ben Weaver light “a fire to burn things back to pure.” In fact, he liked her poetry so much the first time he read it, that he invited her to read before his show. Poetry before a rock show — now that I like. Looking for a little inspiration of your own? Perhaps you could benefit from a little bit of Lorsung lyrics. OK, poetry, poetry. She’ll be reading this evening from her recent book, Music for Landing Planes By. See? I told you it was music.

7 p.m., Tea Garden, 2601 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-377-1700.

Read an excerpt of Music for Landing Planes By.

ART
Where One Saddle Ends, Another Begins

As long as I’m starting out with references to our July issue, I might as well mention a couple bike-related art shows — one closing and another opening. Oooo, it’s like a cycle, a cycle-related cycle. Make a night out of that one, baby! Start out with Wisconsin artist Gregg Rochester’s The Art of the Bicycle at Gallery 122. It’s the last day, so don’t delay. While Rochester is best known for his Grant Woodesque landscapes that seem to be channeling Russell Chatham, this show highlights his passion for bicycling.

1 – 5 p.m., Gallery 122, Hang It, International Market Square Ste 290, Minneapolis; 612-204-9282.

Say goodbye to Rochester and welcome in Bike Art II at Altered Esthetics. More than 40 artists celebrate the bicycle with over 100 sculptures, prints, photographs, paintings, comics, and interactive art. See it tonight, or stop in tomorrow from 7 to 9 p.m. for the opening reception.

1 – 7 p.m., Altered Esthetics Gallery 1224 Quincy Ave., Minneapolis; 612-378-8888.

FILM
Two Great Documentaries, and One Goofy Flick

For the past two years, the B-Girl Be Summit has been celebrating women in hip-hop. If you haven’t attended over the past couple of years, be sure to do so this year at the end of the month. For a little taste of years gone by, stop into Intermedia Arts tonight for the B-Girl Be 2006 movie premiere. Watch the two-hour documentary (twice if you want), and get your own copy of the DVD for only $20. Proceeds will go to support this year’s summit.

7 p.m. and 9 p.m., Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-871-4444; $7 ($5 youth).

Perhaps we’re running out of topics for films. Or maybe, just maybe, the millions of print messages with which we’re bombarded every day have some kind of cultural significance beyond the sale of the latest fashions. Helvetica is a film about a typeface. That’s right. And a damn fine typeface it is. “Since millions of people see and use Helvetica every day, I guess I just wondered, ‘Why?’” says filmmaker Gary Hustwit. “How did a typeface drawn by a little-known Swiss designer in 1957 become one of the most popular ways for us to communicate our words 50 years later? And what are the repercussions of that popularity? Has it resulted in the globalization of our visual culture? Does a storefront today look the same in Minneapolis, Melbourne, and Munich?” The result is an exploration of not just a widely used typeface, but one of those rare cinematic occasions to see and hear some of today’s most illustrious graphic designers and typographers. A discussion with the director follows the first screening, and he’ll introduce the second.

7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Walker Art Center Cinema, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-375-7600; $8 ($6 Walker/AIGA members, students).

Prefer a silly flick with a few good laughs? Tonight is the second film of the 1,2,3 Movie Series at The Soap Factory — Groundhog Day. It’s no masterpiece by any means, but Bill Murray is always great, and let’s face it — we’re generally suckers for romantic fantasies. Besides, don’t forget; these movies are all screened on the back wall of the Soap Factory, in open air. (If it’s cold or raining, the movie will be shown in the gallery.)

9:15 p.m., The Soap Factory, 518 2nd Street SE, Loading Dock, Minneapolis; 612.623.9176; free.

MUSIC
Summer Music and Things Less Common

We’re going to be seeing a lot of summer music series starting next week. June is just about here, and summer is really upon us. Well, at least the forecasts don’t have us dropping past 55 any time soon. Celebrate the summer with the first live, local concert of the Galleria Summer Music Sampler series. (As if we didn’t have enough ways to celebrate the summer! Oh well, we can always use another.) The series will feature different music every Thursday, at rotating Galleria restaurants.
Join Tim Mahoney this evening as kicks off the summer at Crave, Galleria’s newest restaurant.

6 p.m., Crave, Galleria, corner of 69th Street and France Ave., Edina; 952-697-6000; free.

You don’t have to go back to the Middle Ages to find some decent lute playing. How about that! Thursday at the Lute Cafe features the very best of local and regional Early Music lutenists performing in a casual, acoustically friendly environment. Tonight’s show features series co-founders Richard Griffith and Phillip Rukavina playing a selection of popular solo lute music and duets.

6:30 p.m., Hillcrest Recreation Center Village View Room, 1978 Ford Parkway, St. Paul; 612-298-5779; free but with a $10 suggested donation.