Near the entrance of this Northeast gallery, there’s a photograph of a rabbi studying the Torah, which nicely encapsulates the theme of this month’s show—that the printed word, far from being the opposite of the image, is itself a visual icon with special power to unlock life’s mysteries. As a nice counterpoint, just a few … Read more
Joe Pastoor’s fine article [“Beer Town!,” July] omitted one aspect of the new Grain Belt Beer: the taste. The original Grain Belt was the first beer I ever tasted. The enchanting, spicy bouquet from one bottle poured into a glass could fill the entire kitchen at home; a few pitchers could fill an entire tavern … Read more
Amy Hartman’s tales of horror about the adult cabaret industry [Letters, July] have about as much relationship to reality as George Bush’s tales of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.Randall TigueMinneapolis
The exciting thing about a night of works in progress is that you never know what you’re going to get, and it’s possible that the performers might not quite know either. The downside to that—well, it’s obvious, but the risk is worthwhile. 3 Legged Race’s fifth annual Blizzard invites five groups of artists from around … Read more
I went to Benchwarmer Bob’s and picked up my first copy of The Rake, and I found the article about Ray Dandridge [“Stranded on Third,” July]. It was most interesting to me, since he is the only ballplayer I ever asked for an autograph. It’s still a vivid memory, climbing out of the stands at … Read more
Though it is nearly 20 years ago now, some of us are old enough to remember the Official Preppy Handbook. It told girls called Muffy how to adjust their pearls, push pennies into their penny loafers and pursue men in tartan trousers (which they called plaid pants). The other day I came across the British … Read more
Tedeschi’s breakthrough came with her sophomore disc, Just Won’t Burn, which despite the title caught fire with blues fans, prompting numerous Bonnie Raitt comparisons and a Grammy nod in 2000. The followup, last year’s Wait for Me, picked up another nomination and, more important, showed significant improvement in her arrangements, adding a healthy touch of … Read more
Being a poet in America makes as much sense as a butt full of pennies. That’s one of the pleasures of being a poet in America. There’s something wonderful, something perversely subversive about being disconnected from the world of goods and services and John Maynard Keynes, if only for an hour or two every now … Read more
Steely Dan fell out of favor in the 80s and 90s, especially at the peak of alt-rock’s conquest. Jazzy pop-rockers Donald Fagen and Walter Becker were seen for what they apparently were: Studio mercenaries who worked their magic in velour control rooms. Besides, they were effectively retired. Remember, there actually was a time when rock … Read more
It certainly seems as though the local jazz scene’s center of gravity is shifting west, what with the Dakota’s reported plan to relocate to Minneapolis in the fall, and this brand-new club on Ninth and Marquette. (St. Paul, never fear, will still have the AQ and its own new blood, Brilliant Corners.) The Blue Star … Read more