Author: rakemag

How long would it take to adequately explain the influence of myths on culture, history, language, and identity? About thirty-nine years, say the editors at Cannongate. The British publisher has just launched an ambitious one-hundred-part series to explore myths from contemporary angles, one that’s off to an auspicious start with authors Karen Armstrong, Margaret Atwood, and Jeanette Winterson. Armstrong, the former nun behind such bestsellers as A History of God and Islam, A Short History, opens the series with the aptly titled A Short History of Myth, exploring the power of this type of story while also demystifying certain popular examples. Atwood’s The Penelopiad revisits The Odyssey through the eyes of Penelope, Odysseus’ wife, who cleverly preserved his estate while he went adventuring for a couple of decades. Winterson chose to rewrite the myth of Atlas in Weight, a sympathetic and psychological portrait of the man who held the world on his shoulders. Each year a handful of new titles penned by leading writers, thinkers, and historians will be released. Coming up: Chinua Achebe, Victor Pelevin, Donna Tartt, and David Grossman. Keep these on the shelf to hand down to your grandkids.

Everyone seems to remember the Pope Incident, but few recall that a) O’Connor later asked John Paul II to forgive her for that indelicate photo crop, and b) she was singing Bob Marley’s “War” when she did the deed. It’s one of Marley’s most searingly political songs, and it revealed O’Connor to have more than a passing interest in Rastafarian culture. Now she brings her fascination full circle with a full-on reggae album and tour, and once you’re done sniggering at the image of a bald Irishwoman singing an ode to dreads (“Curly Locks”), you’ll find that Throw Down Your Arms is a very good–er, we mean irie–album. After all, she recorded it in Kingston with toweringly huge reggae producers/players Sly and Robbie, and they’re along for the tour, so expect a deep Rasta groove to rumble beneath Sinead’s breathy pipes as they mine the back catalogs of Marley, Burning Spear, Lee “Scratch” Perry and other reggae masters. This is the first show of her first U.S. tour in seven years (so much for her “retirement” from music), making it a big date for the Irish siren.

The Mexican wrestling masks this surf rock quartet dons for every performance make them look menacing, but these guys are pretty friendly. This summer, they ran a series of twist contests, encouraging fans to get onstage and dance. No one got pummeled by the band, not even the lousy dancers. The blistering pace at which they peel off their songs is their only act of aggression, and we’ll take any gimmicks they throw our way, since a couple of hours of instrumental surf–even really good surf–can wear a body right out. They’ll be here with Big Sandy as a special guest vocalist, which doesn’t sound like a natural pairing, but we think Sandy’s smart-ass twang should break up the waves in just the right way. 612-332-1775; www.first-avenue.com

Choral music sounds especially good in December, although the Rose Ensemble can get even the statuary at the stodgiest of churches to prick up its ears at any time of the year. Known for its magnificent renditions of Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque music, the ensemble specializes in obscure and unpredictable pieces, and its holiday programs are no exception. This year, it focuses on Mexican Baroque music–fanciful and exuberant songs that express the joy of the season without getting hung up on the holiness. A new recording, Celebremos el Ni–o, collects some of the best pieces from the ensembleÕs current songbook, but no CD can capture the way a live performance–the expanse of the stage, the power of all those huge lungs–can change the properties of air and space; that’s what this holiday tour of Duluth, the Twin Cities, and Stillwater is all about. 651-225-4340; www.roseensemble.org

This may be one of the last chances to see the legend. He’s already decided that his scheduled U.K. tour will be his last one there, and when an eighty-year-old performer says he’s weary of life on the road, we tend to believe him (certainly more than when we hear it from, say, Cher). King hasn’t said heÕs done with touring in the U.S., but at Orchestra Hall, he’ll be treated in appropriately kingly fashion for what is being billed as an eightieth birthday celebration–so why not see him now? After all, he’ll eventually be sitting home with his feet up, and it’s not like there’s an acceptable heir waiting to take his place. 612-371-5656; www.minnesotaorchestra.org

A long time ago we were very serious about going to art openings to take in whatever was on the walls (or hanging from the ceiling, or stuffed into a crack in the floor, or lurking beneath a staircase). Now, though, the crowds at such events are simply too distracting. But who’s complaining? Not us—especially if the scene includes men in chunky eyeglasses with crisp shirts underneath their jackets, and women who’ve gone to the adventurous outer reaches of their wardrobes for the occasion. For the simple, often solitary act of perusing art, one might as well come back another day; save opening-night receptions for studying the well-dressed human form.

This is one of those places you’ll be tempted to keep to yourself. Or maybe you’ll be okay sharing it with the lucky few deemed worthy–but then you have to decide: Does my co-worker deserve to know about Hot Plate’s outrageously yummy pumpkin buckwheat waffles? Is my neighbor witty enough to appreciate the paint-by-number collage and the Eric Estrada egg bake? But the restaurant’s good cheer is infectious, and you’ll soon realize that it’s impossible to be so stingy about dishes so generous, whether it’s the sourdough French toast, the BLT heaped with guacamole, or the beautiful Hot Plate burger topped with smoked tomato, spinach, and Brie. Besides, any restaurant that serves a Hotdish of the Day is meant to be shared with the world. 5204 Bloomington Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-824-4794

Snap! is the sassy younger sibling to Northeast Minneapolis’ stylish Pop!–a casual dining spot that makes us wish we’d had somewhere this cool to spend afternoons when we were in school. Generously topped pizzas boast names like Snaparoooskie and Shizaam, and hot hoagies come with or without red sauce (try the Far Out with spicy peppers and meats). The sundae creations are a blast from a past. We’re glad no one is tallying up the caloric damage inflicted by the Do the Hustle, a fudge brownie mess with coffee ice cream, toffee pieces, and butterscotch sauce. But that’s nothing compared to the Gilbertha option, for lovers and friends to share: twelve scoops and six toppings for twelve bucks. If Snap! were closer to the U, it would already be a campus institution. 2851 Johnson St. N.E., Minneapolis; 612-788-9800

You needn’t worry about proper pinky etiquette while drinking tea at Fox & Drake; they’ll forgive you if you don’t perfectly emulate Queen Elizabeth. You also needn’t worry about dry, tasteless pastries or soggy sandwiches. An afternoon respite here can include a proper roast beef sandwich with Stilton and chive mayonnaise, or a savory shepherd’s pie. Evenings bring a positively civilized menu of roasted Cornish game hen with a ginger sauterne sauce or an elegant warm duck salad with strawberries and oranges. Look for traditional Sunday roast dinners in the colder months and holiday teas throughout the year. 647 E. Lake St., Wayzata; 952-476-6200