MUSICHeliotrope V Art-A-Whirl weekend is fast approaching, and with that come many exciting events. If you made it out last year, perhaps you passed by the Ritz for their first year hosting Heliotrope, Flaneur Productions‘ annual three-day exhibition of contemporary underground music. Now, mind you, last year wasn’t Heliotrope’s first year — this year marks … Read more
It was on the far right, literally. A tiny block of space someone had purchased to help The Rake live another day. Pay up, and you can paste your sign/add your link/sing your song on my web page/television/telephone/window/door/floor/car/bus/butt/etc… In the ultimate capitalist pervasion of everyday life, this heat-seeking piranha of an ad jumped at me, … Read more
Every hero needs a sidekick. Tombstone had Hammerhead, Batman had Robin, Thundarr the Barbarian had Princess Ariel and Ookla, and Paris Hilton had everyone. Repeatedly. Now, in the twilight years of his life, John McCain yearns for the same sort of comforting companionship that comes from a bosom buddy who can double as an effective … Read more
I have always wondered why certain cars remain off limits to men of a particular age. What makes a Red Corvette more age-appropriate than a Mini Cooper? (Forgetting the conventional wisdom that posits the Corvette as "gold chain"—a sentiment unmasked as a simple prejudice with the Z06, a true American Beauty in red.) Or, for … Read more
We finally have a new Call for Artists page on our website. You can access it directly through the More for Rake Readers links at the bottom of each page. Be sure to check in periodically for new listings. To submit a listing, send your description via email with Call for Artists as the subject … Read more
Before the Rains, the first English language film by Indian director Santosh Sivan, is a surprisingly effective, accessible, and beautiful riff on familiar themes. Set in British-controlled 1930s India during a growing nationalist movement, the film is about love and self-destructive ambition in the face of a rapidly changing country. Despite the two-cultural-groups-that-just-don’t-understand-each-other formula, which … Read more
Originally written for Realbuzz There’s something deliciously lame about Clay Aiken’s new album, On My Way Here. On all his previous outputs, Aiken’s milked his boyish, Pee-Wee-esque persona, happy to satisfy both the teenie-boppers and their wannabe moms. On this release, though, young Clayton is trying to mature. Sadly, it seems he’s playing dress-up in … Read more
It could have been so good. That was the biggest disappointment – not how bad it was, but the discrepancy between its actual and potential levels of quality. I’m speaking (writing) of The Ballad of Josef K, a puppeted interpretation of Franz Kafka’s The Trial, on stage now at the Illusion Theater. When reviewing (or … Read more
Carol and I got really lucky last night. We were on our way back to the Cities from visiting her folks on the farm, not too far from Decorah, when we decided to stop for dinner in Rochester. I wanted to check out Söntés, the new tapas bar and restaurant at 4 3rd St. SW, … Read more
Be sure to check out our Great Commuter Challenge slideshow and find out who won yesterday’s race. We also have a great piece on The Films of Carlos Reygadas, and a new fiction piece by David Dorle (with nudity even — tasteful as it is). BOOKS & AUTHORSRaking Through Books This month’s Rake happy hour … Read more