Author: rakemag

Though you may not be familiar with it as yet, this annual Christmas show has already attained veteran status. This is only the second year it’s been staged publicly, but writer/director Michael Sommers has been putting it on for family and friends for 17 years. Based on medieval passion plays and featuring a set based on illuminated Gothic manuscripts, Open Eye’s pageant retells the Christian nativity story through the eyes of an unusual perspective character: Lucifer. The story goes back and forth between the hardships of Mary and Joseph, the earthy, double-entendre prone shepherds, and the Devil’s arguments with The Other Guy about the proper role of evil. Adding to the near-Shakespearian feel, it’s all told in rhymed verse. Kevin Kling stars as the bewildered Joseph, whose marriage isn’t turning out the way he thought it would. (Still recovering from a nasty motorcycle accident, Kling says working on this show “has been a tonic.”) Southern Theater, (612) 340-1725, www.southerntheater.org

It’s admirable that the collaboration between these three giants of the opera world has lasted so long, not to mention a good thing for popular music in general. When Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, and Jose Carreras first got together 12 years ago, the unexpected appearance of a supergroup of opera was such an artistic and commercial smash that it may have singlehandedly reversed opera’s long, slow decline into obscurity. Purists sniffed that the shows were all about booming bombast and big personalities, and that pop success was luring Pavarotti in particular to spend too much time collaborating with rock stars. The Tenors couldn’t care less about such highbrow carping. Part of the reason they joined up in the first place was that they all love soccer: Their first trio performance was at the 1990 World Cup. It is true that Domingo is the only one still in peak voice, but the combined showmanship of the three will surely make this a night to remember. Xcel Energy Centre, (651) 265-4800, xcelenergycenter.com

Dave Ray is an all-around mensch, and it’s a crying shame that he’s been afflicted with a pretty serious battle with cancer. In any case, friends, let’s not mince words: You will not get too many more chances to see the legendary trio that played a big part in establishing the Dinkytown folk scene of the 60s—the same one Mr. Bob Dylan sprang out of. You want to see a piece of living history? Get thee to First Avenue and pay your respects to these giants of Minneapolis music, white blues, and flat-picking folknik fun. First Avenue, (612) 332-1775, first-avenue.com

One of the reasons we’re not too worried about covering the latest and greatest whosies and whatsits here in the Broken Clock is that we want to reserve space for the timeless, the classic, the perennial favorites. A great sin of the present generation is assuming that local heroes the Jayhawks have done nothing notable since Hollywood Town Hall, or since cofounder Mark Olson ditched the band. But listen: Smile, which came out in 2000, was every bit as hummable, memorable, and collectible. We have it in our CD player right now to prove it. Many critics were not so much pleasantly surprised by Smile as they were wholly knocked on their asses. We don’t know whether there’s a new record in the works or not, but we’re pleased Gary Louris still makes his home here, and is showing no sign of corruption in the pure, clear folk rock he seems to generate effortlessly. For all their evil ways, major labels still have their pride—and the fact that they continue to support franchise players like the Jayhawks is cause enough to celebrate peace on earth and goodwill toward the Man. Don’t let the holidays distract you from what’s really important—this happy hometown gig from a local treasure.

As with so many local artists, we townies seem to be the last to know about T Lee’s creations and kudos, unless you’ve discovered her at the Uptown Art Fair. Now we can take a closer look at her original designer jewelry at her new retail store in the freshly chichi southern quarter of Northeast. But you may want to move fast, since her status as a rising star has been officially established this year with the winning of three big-deal national design awards, including the JCK Las Vegas Rising Star Award. Her specialty is woven strands of gold and platinum, and her current collection is simple, beautiful and timeless. Check out the grand opening weekend November 29–December 1. T Lee, (612) 789-2656., www.tleegold.com

The first thing we noticed when we walked in the door of this repurposed north-suburban Pannekoeken Huis was the inviting fragrance of spice and curry, just the thing to perk up our appetite after a logy post-Gophers game nap. There are more than 100 items on the menu, all South Indian vegetarian and many strictly vegan. The daily lunch buffet, with two dozen items, is a great way to sample a wide swath. If you’re a carnivore who thinks vegetarian food can’t be hearty or flavorful, a meal here will cure you of that misapprehension. Case in point: the mulligatawny soup, a rich broth that’s surprisingly robust. The menu includes many varieties of dosai, a rice/lentil crepe, and our tablemate had high praise for her house special, the cheese dosai with chickpeas. Our food was well complemented by a variety of sauces, and the coconut went especially well with the spicier fare. South Indian cuisine can be extremely fiery, and we decided to dive in for the hot version of the gobi manghuriani—marinated cauliflower sauteed in ginger, garlic, and chili. About a third of the way through, the top of our skull was on fire and our wimpy Nordic palate forced us to stop eating. But it was so tasty, we’re ordering it again next time—perhaps the mild version, washed down with a large bottle of Taj Mahal beer. 4920 Central Ave. N.E., Columbia Heights, 763-574-1113, www.udupicafemn.com