We’re not sure what it takes for a national treasure like Mose Allison to cross over into the mainstream—or if that’s even a desirable thing. But we duly note the elevation of similar artists in recent years. If deserving old bluesmen like John Lee Hooker and B.B. King can pass into the lexicon of soccer … Read more
We’ve got to be honest with you and say that Georgia’s finest have been inducing yawns and indifference since their second album. Back when all they wanted to be was the second coming of the Byrds, we loved them. But as improbable as it sounds, somewhere along the line they got tagged with the “Best … Read more
Her big 1973 hit “Midnight at the Oasis” got new life when it was covered by the acid-jazz combo Brand New Heavies, but Maria Muldaur’s style of blues has been moving more and more away from both the new and the heavy. She’s proven especially adept at putting her own smoky stamp on the songs … Read more
Years ago, there was a wonderful series of albums called West Meets East that paired Ravi Shankar with violinist Yehudi Menuhin. A boondoggle in theory, the marriage of sitar and violin was as brilliant in the listening as it was prescient. Today, of course, these kinds of cross-cultural juxtapositions are as common and crazy as … Read more
Imagine this show as the gallery-crawl equivalent of everything the latest Charlie’s Angels sequel tried and failed to do. That is, girl power projected by three women who know how to be badasses and also know how to have fun doing so. What these three northern California artists share is probably greater than what divides … Read more
Really great theaters and their directors tend to select productions that inherently offer a commentary on the times. One of our favorite exercises is to figure out: Why this play? Why here and now? Well, we could hazard a few guesses as to why Joe Dowling has decided to stage Tennessee Williams’s most autobiographical play—and … Read more
If you’re not a fan of British humor, we’re afraid there isn’t much hope for you. Whether it’s John Cleese, Rowan Atkinson, AbFab, or whoever, you gotta give it up for the good people who brought us Land Rovers, shortcake, and the Ministry of Silly Walks. Eddie Izzard proves that comedy in the Queen’s English … Read more
When a restaurant has been around your neighborhood for more than 20 years … and you’ve sort of grown up with it, you sometimes forget why exactly it is that you keep coming back. Is it the service, the feeling that you actually know the people who own it, or the food? In the case … Read more
Todd Strand is in a world of hurt. It’s called Hennepin County Family Court, where he’s spent the last three chilly midsummer days in divorce trial proceedings, after almost three years of legal warfare. His personal tab—not including his wife’s legal fees—has already pushed past the $100,000 mark. Seven thousand dollars of that went to … Read more
RAKE READERS RESPOND TO STUART GREENE Oh Stuart, I’m afraid you’ve done more harm to your gender than simply violating a sacred trust. You’ve managed to succeed in adding yet another robust belch to the dirty-laundry list that includes, “loves the Three Stooges; won’t ask for directions; doesn’t wash hands post-urination; and is generally ruled … Read more