Ok. This is just too funny to pass up. We just received a press release from the Minnesota Zoo, with some exciting — though strangely vague — news. The email reads as follows: For Immediate Release04.23.08 Rare Chinese Animal Born at the Minnesota Zoo News release & photo attached. Great, but what the heck animal … Read more
It is commonly accepted that the population of Europe would be declining in a pretty startling way if not for constant immigration. Unlike Americans, the people of Western Europe are simply not having very many children. Who can blame them? These are heady days for the European economy and I assume the citizens who work … Read more
Sitting in my living room, having a beer with a neighbor (and my love), and thought I’d share the chat. My neighbor, making small talk over his Corona Light, asks if we know that the Aborigines are killing themselves. "Ah, of course," I say. "It only stands to reason. Eventually we all begin to imitate … Read more
Four kids are sauntering toward Jeff Allen. Their arms are crossed and they look a little scared. "Hey guys," Allen says, affecting a cool older brother tone. "When do you go on?" "Eight minutes," says one of the boys. This is why they’re scared. Exactly eight minutes later, the quartet of three 16-year-olds and a … Read more
For 35 years, the Tricia Brown Dance Company has been pushing the boundaries of contemporary dance, offering bold and exciting work and choreography. This month, they bring three such works to the Twin Cities: Present Tense, Foray Forêt, and I love my robots. The first and last are newer pieces. Present Tense is set to … Read more
Off-Leash Area brings us yet another inventive physical-theater production — this time told through the voices of the Sonoran Desert. Two-time Ivey Award honorees Jennifer Ilse and Paul Herwig team up to direct Border Crossing, written by Jerome Fellow and Anishinaabe playwright Marcie Rendon, with an original score by Ben Siems. Rendon’s story follows a … Read more
This week is Passover. Christians everywhere are saying, "Great, I love Passover! Matzoh’s so fun!" Meanwhile Jews lament eight days of indigestion. What’s kind of interesting, if you’re into this sort of thing, is that more than any other (Jewish) holiday, Passover is based on a narrative. If one were to try and place the … Read more
Replacement fans, look out! Rhino Records has reissued deluxe editions of Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash; Stink; Hootenanny; and Let it Be — available as of yesterday. Listen to a sampling here. Here’s the lowdown from Rhino. This is where the legend of The Replacements begins. Rhino retraces the shambolic swath the … Read more
Yesterday was Earth Day, and somehow (and even unfortunately) it seems to have passed all too quietly. Is our Earth in such good shape now? I think not. And yet — despite the lack of attention — much is being done to try to remedy that. Recently, the Minnesota Legislature overturned Governor Pawlenty’s veto for … Read more
first published on realbuzz.com The crowd did not want to sit. I think it’s safe to say that, for the most part, these were the Converse-and-thick-glasses-wearing underground hip-hop fans more accustomed to the open floor space of First Avenue than to the rigidly rowed seating chart of the Fitzgerald Theater. So when Brother Ali came … Read more