by admin
This weekend, take in live music, art, and longboarding at the Stone Arch Festival, sweat it out at Wants vs. Needs’ three-year anniversary and Hipshaker soul dance nights, and play it cool at album release shows for Demographics, the New Monarchs, and Flavor Crystals. And who knows, we might just get nostalgic for midnight movies and take in a screening of Ghostbusters at the Riverview Theater. Really, it doesn’t matter what you do – summer is here, let’s pretend it’s never leaving.
xo-l’étoile
THURSDAY, JUNE 14-SUNDAY, JUNE 17TH
New Works 4 Weeks: “Peabohemia: Old Songs” + “Dances for Deborah & Rebecca”
@ Red Eye Theater
15 W 14th Street
Minneapolis
8 pm / All Ages / $15 or $8 for students
Start your weekend off creatively and jump into the middle of a month-long multidisciplinary art festival featuring new and developing projects by theater, dance and performing artists. This weekend’s lineup features the premiere of “Peabohemia: Old Songs,” a nostalgic musical reimagination of ’70s and ’80s pop hits by original Red Eye Theater member Stephen Peabody. The other announced production, Deborah Jinza Thayer’s “Diana Takes a Swim,” has been changed to a tribute to Thayer and fellow dancer Rebecca Surmount, who were both recently injured in an accident. It will feature performances by Penelope Freeh with Christine Maginnis, Foxy Tann, Rueda de la Calle, Sharon Picasso and other friends of the dancers. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Red Eye Theater site
Stephen Peabody in "Peabohemia"
THURSDAY, JUNE 14TH
Live Letters presents: An Evening With Friends
@ private loft
Minneapolis
7-10 pm / All Ages / $10
A private loft, intimate concert and an evening with friends, sounds like the perfect Thursday night, right? Live Letters is introducing a first in a series of distinctive live music events in the Twin Cities, with each evening featuring a different artist or band who will then choose other artists to join them for intimate sets. For the first Evening With Friends, Gabriel Douglas of the 4onthefloor will play host to a limited number of guests in a private loft in Minneapolis, which you won’t find out until after your purchase your tix online. -Alexandra Katz
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
THURSDAY, JUNE 14TH-SATURDAY, JUNE 16TH (continues through June 24th)
Wilhelm Bros. & Co. presents CLANDESTINO (secret; illegal; underground)
@ Mixed Blood Theater
1501 S 4th Street
Minneapolis
7:30 p.m. / All Ages / $15
Get ready, get set, and let’s go! This Friday, Wilhelm Bros. & Co. presents “Clandestino (secret; illegal; underground),” an original, multi-cultural and bilingual play that explores immigration, interpretation and cultural identity. As you get lost in the creative and in-depth plot, which revolves around “a girl from Postville, Iowa, her father, an immigrant from Guatemala, a Rabbi from Brooklyn, his daughter, and an interpreter,” enjoy live music, a diverse range of ethnicities, and art delivered to you in a wide range of languages. If you can’t catch the show this weekend, try again next weekend – it’s said to be a must-see. -Stefani Arden
Click HERE for the Mixed Blood Theater site
THURSDAY, JUNE 14TH
Nightosaur Album Release Show
@ Triple Rock Social Club
629 Cedar Avenue
Minneapolis
8 pm doors / 18+ / $5
Thursday night at the Triple Rock celebrates one of Minneapolis’ best heavy bands, Nightosaur, and the release of their album Spaceaxers. This metal band has a name that describes them perfectly: a Jurassic rock sound that is heavy and epic. They keep more on the classic side of heavy, sounding like like Iron Maiden or earlier Metallica, but with their own twist and turns and ripping guitar solos and equally bad ass lyrics. Their live show also show classic heavy metal swagger with lot of headbanging, showy guitar soloing and the band mantra is “shirts or beards, never both.” Also playing are shoegaze mainstays Gospel Gossip, the hard-rocking STNNNG, and Red Desert. -Danielle Morris
Click HERE for the Triple Rock Social Club site
THURSDAY, JUNE 14TH
Hipshaker
@ Kitty Cat Klub
315 14th Avenue SE
Minneapolis
9:30 pm / 21+ / FREE
Soul record nights have abounded in the Twin Cities as of late, but Hipshaker is one of the originals. The night, which called Jitters home before heading to its current digs at the Kitty Cat Klub, nearing its ten-year anniversary and still going strong. Expect rare soul and R&B 45s spun by resident DJs Brian Engel and Greg Waletski will be joined by Jeffrey Eaton, who hosts his own soul/funk/reggae night, Pressure Drop, in Des Moines and was a regular back in the early days of Hipshaker at Jitters. It’s sure to be a hootenanny. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
THURSDAY, JUNE 14TH
The Return of Lady Parts
@ Clubhouse Jäger
923 Washington Avenue N
Minneapolis
10 pm / 21+ / FREE
It may sounds like a campy ’70s horror flick, but the suggestively titled “Return of Lady Parts” is, in fact, a celebration of the return of the Twin Cities’ hardest-partying all-girl DJ trio to its home at Jäger. Join Susannah, Syril, and Emily – AKA Lady Parts – for some sweet, sultry summer sounds, and be sure to enjoy the huge patio, the sure-to-be-sweaty dance floor, and drink specials ($2.50 PBR Tallboys and $5 Jameson) slung by the Bitchelor herself, Miss Robyn Lewis. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
FRIDAY JUNE 15TH-SUNDAY JUNE 17TH
Stone Arch Bridge Festival
@ 6th Avenue SE & Main Street SE
Minneapolis
10 am-10 pm Friday, 11 am-10 pm Saturday, 11 am-7 pm Sunday / All Ages / FREE
Art, music, food and cars along the riverfront make for a perfect Father’s Day tradition. With three music stages and 250 artists, there is plenty to hear and see at this year’s Stone Arch Bridge Festival. Kids can run and play in the family art park, dad can check out the car show, mom can soak up the artwork, and delicious fair treats along with specialties like crab fritters and baklava give everyone something to munch on. If family time isn’t your thing, you and your posse can jam out at live shows from Romantica, A. Wolf & Her Claws, Heiruspecs and others, check out a longboarding showcase, and get your fill of everything artsy. -Alexandra Katz
Click HERE for the Stone Arch Bridge Festival site
A. Wolf & Her Claws
FRIDAY, JUNE 15TH
“We Did What We Could”: New Work by Broken Crow
@ XYandZ Gallery
3258 Minnehaha Avenue S
Minneapolis
Opening reception 7-10 pm, runs through July 21 / FREE
Globe hopping stencil artists Mike Fitzsimmons and John Grider (AKA Broken Crow) are well known for their striking murals that grace walls locally and throughout the world. Their commitment to public art and recognizable animal imagery have made them an artistic force and influenced the public perception of what’s sometimes derisively referred to as “street” art. XYandZ Gallery’s “We Did What We Could” translates the vibrant energy of Broken Crow’s murals and public pieces into a new body of work that’s a bit more portable and collectable. The set of new paintings have familiar motifs of anthropomorphic animals with dramatic backgrounds and aggressive brushwork. It’s a fitting extension of the amazing murals Broken Crow recently produced as a commission by the city of St. Paul to compliment the new Central Corridor light rail project. With Broken Crow’s work already an important part of the Twin Cities landscape, and sure to be more so when the light rail opens, we’re pretty sure you’ll want to see this show and stake out one of their iconic pieces for yourself! Click HERE for Juleana Enright’s interview with Broken Crow for l’étoile. -Anthony Enright
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
FRIDAY, JUNE 15TH
“Welcome to the Jungle: Forest for Trees Pop-Up Show”
@ Cult Status Gallery
2913 Harriet Avenue S
Minneapolis
7–11 pm / FREE
Local photography collective Forest for Trees brings together a half dozen of the Twin Cities’ most exciting photographers to showcase both the depth of the medium and the range of talent on the local photo scene. From the lush and stark landscapes of Hilary Lund to Scott Demeranville’s close-ups of bubbles (abstracted to cosmic significance), these artists work speaks to the variety and openness of fine arts photography. Rhea Pappas stunning underwater photos are technically accomplished and burst with romantic and sensual appeal while Stephen Stephens’ dense and mysterious photos of man-made terrain invite scrutiny and contemplation. Tim White’s classically composed B&W photos are somehow achingly intimate while remaining slightly detached (as if abashed at their own proficiency) and Brian Hart’s light drawing techniques produce astoundingly intricate and surreal results. The Forest for Trees collective members are each carving out a singular niche as fine arts photographers. Come lose yourself in their unique and varied work. -Anthony Enright
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
Photo by Hilary Lund
FRIDAY, JUNE 15TH
Scott Wrobel w/ John Jodzio + Eric Vrooman
@ The Loft Literary Center/Open Book
1011 Washington Avenue S
Minneapolis
7–10 pm / FREE
Three of the Twin Cities’ most accredited short story writers come together at the Loft on Friday, promising to engage their audience with stories from their newest books. Scott Wrobel reads from Cul De Sac, a collection of inappropriate stories about middle-aged suburban guys in which a ragtag group of neighbors rail against inevitable change by subtly subverting their own mediocre existences. John Jodzio, Minneapolis’ Grand Master of Absurdity, reads selected shorts from his collections If You Lived Here You’d Already Be Home and Get in If You Want to Live. Eric Vrooman wraps up the lineup and shares his own edgy, off-kilter view of the world while reading from his published fiction. -Rob Callahan
Click HERE for the Loft Literary Center Tumblr
FRIDAY, JUNE 15TH & SATURDAY, JUNE 16TH
“Ghostbusters”
@ Riverview Theater
3800 42nd Avenue S
Minneapolis
11:30 pm / $3
If anyone keeps one away from weekend parties and awake for a midnight movie, it’s Bill Murray. And few Bill Murray comedies satisfy as much as Ghostbusters, the 1984 spook-laden delight that proved that big special effects and comedy could, if only for once, work. Brainy Egon Spengler (Ramis), geeky Ray Stantz (Aykroyd), and horny Peter Venkman (Murray) start up a paranormal service at precisely the right moment: an ancient demon is rising and wreaking havoc on New York City, paving the road to Judgment Day. But worse than the ghosts and malicious gods is the big bad government. Ghostbusters might be a rather conservative product of a glowing Reagan 1980s, as a small business is coming under fire from the EPA (embodied by the smarmy William Atherton). The film delivers on so many levels, most especially because of Murray’s scoundrel charm. Whether he’s trying to seduce a young co-ed during a telekinesis test (and sadistically torturing her male counterpart) or being slimed by an obese green gob of ectoplasm, Venkman is one of the great comic characters of the last few decades, a clown dancing on top of what could have otherwise been a middling affair. The alchemy was too precious to be duplicated for the over-poppy 1989 sequel, or director Ivan Reitman’s other stab at effects comedy, 2001’s Evolution. Aykroyd has been trying like hell to get Ghostbusters 3 off the ground, but his inability to lure Murray back into the fold should be a red light. Though maybe the older and somber Murray, of Lost in Translation and Broken Flowers, and Wes Anderson would be an interesting ingredient for a threequel about ghosts existing among the living. -Niles Schwartz
Click HERE for the Riverview Theater site
FRIDAY, JUNE 15TH
“Girl Walk // All Day”
@ First Avenue
701 1st Avenue N
Minneapolis
8 pm doors, 9 pm show / 18+ / $8 adv, $10 door
Take everything you know about dance films – think in the vein of All That Jazz, Fame, maybe even Flashdance – add an electronically updated soundtrack – yes, Girl Talk will do – and mix with epic ephemeral urban exploration, and you have the makings of the feature-length dance/music film Girl Walk // All Day. Directed by Jacob Krupnick, produced by Brooklyn’s Wild Combination and shot exclusively on the streets and urban scenes of NYC, the innovative film tracks a day in the life of three improvisational dancers and doubles as a cinematic homage to New York. Raved about by music media behemoths Pitchfork, Wired and SPIN for its music video facsimile, the film has been premiering throughout the country. Tonight, don’t miss its Minneapolis stop as Sound Unseen hosts an interactive screening of the 75-minute film, not to mention a killer dance party featuring guest DJ Kolby-Kobes (of Wak Lyf) and brilliant live choreography from modern dance company, Arena Dances. Bob Fosse would be proud. -Juleana Enright
Click HERE for the Take-Up Productions site
FRIDAY, JUNE 15TH
OTR presents Marijuana Deathsquads + Me and My Arrow + Bollywood
@ Hell’s Kitchen
80 S 9th Street
Minneapolis
10 pm / 18+ / $5
Radio K and their Off the Record crew put together a killer line up of Minneapolis’ best weird and wonderful Friday night at Hell’s Kitchen. Up first are garage rockers Bollywood. Their sound is psychedelic throwback with with haunting beats and fuzzy vaguely electronic elements. Up next is epic pop orchestra Me and My Arrow, fronted my Jacob Grun, this band has included a large cast of characters and instruments. Spanning many genres this band, who has done an amazing cover of “Don’t Let Me Down’ for the MN Beatles project, has that classic sound, but also experiments with different electronic elements, including the voice-manipulating Helicon for a sound that is truly unique. Headlining is everyone favorite aural acid trip Marijuana Deathsqauds. Their live performance are mostly improvised and include a rotating cast of local all stars, playing in different formations and instrumentation. Each spellbinding and mind bending performance is usually better than the last. The best thing about a Marijuana Deathsqauds show is you never know who might be there or what’s going to happen. -Danielle Morris
Click HERE for the Hell’s Kitchen Underground site
FRIDAY, JUNE 15TH
Demographics Album Release Show w/ Baby Boys+ Grant Cutler + Gentle Lovers DJs
@ Kitty Cat Club
315 14th Ave SE
Minneapolis
9 pm / 21+ / $5
Our recent review of Demographic’s excellent new album, If Ever, asserts that it’s a gorgeous listen, if a bit sleepy – perfect for those late-evening candlelit listening sessions with that Special Someone (or a glass of wine, if you’re all alone!). They’ve put together an excellent release party bill, including the jagged, minimalistic pop of Baby Boys, the always-welcome, frequently trippy, electroinc songwriting of Grant Cutler, and Gentle Lovers DJs, who are about to begin a third-Thursday residency at Clubhouse Jäger. It’s gonna be a mostly chill evening, so be prepared to be in the mood for some killer songwriting and some mellow moods. -Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
FRIDAY, JUNE 15TH
Wants Vs. Needs 3 Year Anniversary
@ The Record Room at First Avenue
701 1st Avenue N
Minneapolis
10 pm / 21+ / $5
All right, sure, there’s a slew of dance parties around town ever weekend, but the monthly Wants Vs. Needs is nothing to scoff at – especially now that they’re celebrating year number three. The ultra-talented crew of Wants vs. Needs DJs Espada, Anton, Booka B and So Gold guarantee a no-frills night of hip-hop, disco, and R&B that should appeal to vinyl heads and those simply looking to get their groove on alike. And just for their anniversary, they’re bringing back your favorite shirt along with some other goodies. But, we need you to tell us what your favorite shirt is by voting HERE. They’ll remake the winner in a new colorway and give it away for free for early-comers. -Staff
Click HERE for the First Avenue site
FRIDAY, JUNE 15TH
BASEMINT
enter behind Crooked Pint
@ 501 Washington Avenue S
Minneapolis
10 pm–2:30 am / 18+ / $5
Join local grassroots promoters Hydrive and Basil Lee along with local DJ vet Jonathan Ackerman as they present a new dance night merging the exclusive vibe of a basement part with the accessibility of a downtown venue. Featuring all-nighter tunes from Jimmy2Times (Get Cryphy), Ackerman (Hotel, The Moon Goons, House Party 97 & Extra Large), hip house mixer Famuel (featuring Sam Baker, a MacBook, Ableton and a MIDI keyboard), and delightful dubstep from DJ H0 @SS Conrad (AKA Conrad Leber), expect basement-style chill zones, hot ‘n heavy drink specials and non-stop dance-ability. Enter behind the Crooked Pint for party action. -Juleana Enright
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
SATURDAY, JUNE 16TH
Cliché’s Hair Salon Night
@ Cliché
2403 Lyndale Avenue S
Minneapolis
7-9 pm / All Ages / FREE
Cliché is making guests out of a few favorite pests. This year, each stylist at the third annual hair styling event will design a look inspired by their favorite bug. Invite your favorite stylist along and see designs by Melissa Cable of Tres Jolie Salon, Melissa LaPlante of Sweeney Todd’s Salon, Andy of Audaciastyling and Amber Philips of Moxie Salon. Receive 20% off in the store on all clothing and accessories during the event. -Meg Junkermeier
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
SATURDAY, JUNE 16TH
The Rope w/ CLAPS + Blood & Sun + The Night
@ Cause Spirits & Soundbar
3001 Lyndale Avenue S
Minneapolis
8 pm doors / 21+ / $5
Ah, sweet – a night of deep, dark music. The Rope, if you’ve never heard them, play absolutely unabashed Darkwave music, that delicious combo of gawth and electronic music so popular in the ’80s. And they do it damn well, too – if you close your eyes, you can absolutely time-travel back to 1987 with a pair of creepers on your feet. If you couldn’t tell, we love ‘em. CLAPS play a similarly dark, deliciously angular form of electronic pop that evokes classic minimalist Human League. Blood & Sun, meanwhile, evoke such ’80s goth bands as Fields of the Nephilim, while the Night are classic electroclash with amazingly cool female vocals. -Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the Cause Spirits and Soundbar site
The Rope
SATURDAY, JUNE 16TH
Flavor Crystals Record Release Show w/ Chatham Rise + Pony Trash
@ Kitty Cat Klub
315 14th Avenue SE
Minneapolis
9 pm doors / 21+ / $5
The Flavor Crystals’ Three is absolutely growing on us. Our review from a couple weeks ago wasn’t sure whether the extremely atmospheric, extremely floaty record had the songwriting to back it up, but ultimately, who cares – it’s just gorgeous sounding stuff. At this gig – which promises a light show, so show up just for that, probably! – they’re backed by members of an increasingly-important psychedelic music scene in Minneapolis, including the extremely mellow but very excellent Pony Trash (featuring members of Poliça, STNNNG and Gospel Gossip) and Chatham Rise, who have the throbbing, sexy sound of early-’90s shoegaze down to an absolute art form. A great night of mind-blowing rock. -Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
SATURDAY, JUNE 16TH
The New Monarchs Record Release Show w/ BNLX + Fire in the Northern Firs
@ Triple Rock Social Club
629 Cedar Avenue
Minneapolis
8 pm doors / 18+ / $6
Our recent review of the New Monarchs’ latest, Stay Awake, calls it one of the best records of the year, and deservedly so. Distilling some bone-crunching industrial instruments into a potent stew of pop, rock and electronica, the band has crafted an album rich with songwriting and killer arrangements. We love everything openers BNLX do, of course, and shoegazers Fire in the Northern Firs are excellent as well, crafting some magnificent atmospherics to blow your mind to. A can’t-miss evening of music. -Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the Triple Rock Social Club site
SATURDAY, JUNE 16TH
Hands High Summer Kickoff
@ Honey
205 E Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis
10 pm / 21+ / $5
Put yo hands up in the air… again! Hands High celebrates the coming of spring with another fist raisin’, booty shakin’, groove-worthy dance installation at Northeast’s staple danceteria, Honey. Get down and dirty with DJs Plain Ole Bill and Fundo, who both just got back from tour, as they spins the hottest hip-hop and R&B grooves all night through. -Staff
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
SUNDAY, JUNE 17TH
Friends w/ The Parlour Suite + SPLASH!
@ 7th Avenue Entry
701 First Avenue N
Minneapolis
8 pm doors / 18+ / $10
Friends, the Brooklyn ensemble insisting serendipity as the cupid to their assembling, is throwing their bumping bass lines and synth melodies your way. Their latest album, Manifest!, was released June 4, and it features humble, low-key funk, blending ’80s pop with electronic beats and quirky percussion. Their underground pop vocals, offbeat techniques and avoidance of cymbals will have you hooked and dancing all night long. Even their album will tell you, they just want to be your friend. Opening will be husband-and-wife duo the Parlour Suite, a vintage pop sensation and boogie pop group SPLASH!. -Meg Junkermeier
Click HERE for the First Avenue site
Editor in Chief: Jahna Peloquin / Contributors: Juleana Enright, Anthony Enright, Jon Hunt, Rob Callahan, Niles Schwartz, Stefani Arden, Meg Junkermeier, Danielle Morris, Alexandra Katz, Jahna Peloquin
