DANCE No Tiaras, No Tutus — Ballet of the 21st Century Minneapolitans beware: The Chamber Ballet of Saint Paul is vying for the spot of "Minnesota’s premiere professional ballet company." Artistic Director Phillip Carman has crafted a Debut performance — featuring eight of the Twin Cities’ top dancers — that brings classical ballet into the … Read more
MUSICNew Orleans Piano Master Allen Toussaint If you know New Orleans R&B, you know this man. Allen Toussaint has been producing hits for half a century, teaming up with some of the country’s best musicians, and inspiring others to record his songs with great success. Bonnie Raitt recorded "What is Success," Warren Zevon recorded "A … Read more
Okay folks, I just finished a Three Pointer (entitled "Point Drought"), clicked on to my "node hierarchy" and promptly lost all the copy. If you have any impressions of the past two losses, feel free to put them down. I’ll add comments when I wake up in the morning. The computer system extends its apologies. … Read more
Yusheng means raw fish, but it’s pronounced the same as another word that means increasing abundance, which is why raw fish salad is eaten on Chinese New Years, when it is traditional to dine on foods whose names or shapes may augur good fortune in the year ahead. Yusheng, however, isn’t an ancient Chinese tradition … Read more
BOOKS & AUTHORS A Literary Lovefest at Raking Through Books Join us for tonght’s Raking Through Books, The Rake’s monthly happy hour book club, at Kieran’s Irish Pub. This month, local literati present their takes on love, hate, kissing, bittersweet meetings and partings, rants about family, whatever moves their hearts around Valentine’s Day. Guests include … Read more
I used to think hating Diablo Cody was only a regional pasttime. This is, after all, an area lousy with writers who have not written Writers Guild of America award-winning screenplays or gotten incredibly rich and famous or appeared on David Letterman. And sometimes, when the wind is blowing in the right direction, I swear … Read more
I watched the Grammy Awards last night, but it wasn’t Amy Winehouse nor Kanye West I wanted to see perform. My heart belongs to Morris Day and The Time, whose performance I eagerly awaited. I mean, how much fun was it watching Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Jerome Benton, Morris Day, Jesse Johnson, and the rest … Read more
Speaking of running into ex-crushes … There I was at the DMV, getting my license renewed when I thought I recognized the guy sitting in the row behind me. Because I was thoroughly primped for my photo-op (this time I swear it’s going to be a good pic), I felt a little bit psyched that … Read more
Hi, this is Steve Hendrickson, a local actor living in the Twin Cities and an Artistic Associate of Ten Thousand Things Theater (hereafter known as TTT). I’ve been asked by The Rake to do a blog on TTT’s upcoming production of Eurydice. TTT is the brainchild of Michelle Hensley, who founded the company in LA … Read more
MUSICCat Power Last time Charlyn Marshall played Minneapolis, her set was half songs and half nervous chatter, owing to the notorious self- consciousness that occasionally overshadows the subtle beauty in her music. But her 2006 triumph, The Greatest, has given the shy and sad kid a renewed sense of confidence that will only be further … Read more