by staff
We only have half a month left of summer. Don’t fret! There’s still tons going on. (When isn’t there?) We’re talking rap parties, arty parties, dancey parties… our heads are positively spinning. We’ll sleep when we’re dead, we say.
xo, l’étoile
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16TH
Artist Talk: Luke Aleckson and Justin Quinn
@ MAEP Gallery
2400 3rd Ave. S
Minneapolis
7–8:30 pm / All Ages / FREE
This week, the MIA’s all-local MAEP Gallery offers the opportunity to hear the artists from their current “U.N.P.A.C.” (which stands for Uniform Non-coding Parallax Autostereogrammic Cyclopti-cryptograms – of course) exhibition speak in depth about their current show and individual art practices. Luke Aleckson’s explorations present dual images that when experienced together create optical illusions that transcend the sum of their parts. Through complex abstract wood sculptures viewed in pairs, the artist’s stereogram installations resolve into alternate “inserted” images. Artist Justin Quinn toys with the notion of writing, information and encoded meaning in “Deeper Wonders Than the Waves.” By replicating pages from classic literature with words replaced by thousands of letter E’s and then bending and morphing them into unrecognizable shapes, he implicitly questions the meaning of even the more profound examples of written communication. Both these artists invite their audience to look well beyond the surface of their works, which make for an intriguing experience that is thought provoking. Make sure you keep your questions ready, as a Q & A session will follow each artist’s talk. -Anthony Enright
Click HERE for the MAEP Galleries site
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16TH
MIA Third Thursday: Art Perchance
@ Minneapolis Institute of Arts
2400 Third Avenue S
Minneapolis
6–9 pm / All Ages / FREE
To coincide with their Third Thursday series, the MIA will host Art Perchance this Thursday with outdoor carnival games of skill and luck, giving you chances to win an original works of art by local artists. The ten witty carnival games are based on art in the MIA’s collection, such as Hoopla Doryphoros, Fool the Guesser, and ARTcentration. While you’re there enjoy a beer and some great local music then stay for the MAEP Artist Talk explained above. -Anthony Enright
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16TH
The Ultimate Master of Words
@ Open Book
1011 Washington Avenue S
Minneapolis
6:30 pm doors, 7 pm tournament / All Ages / $10, $5 Loft members
Take the basis for the game Balderdash, mix in a few of your favorite brilliant locals, add a dash of mendacity and you have the makings of an epic belletristic tournament of wits and words. Here’s how it works: 12 contestants concoct fake definitions to real, yet bizarre words while three judges decide whose fabulized definition is the ultimate teaser. Contestants include wordsmith heavyweights the Tangential’s Jay Gabler, Peter Bognanni, writer Dennis Cass, MPLS.TV’s Chris Cloud, Sierra DeMulder, Sally Franson, Sarah Stonich, Wits’ John Munson, Maggie Ryan Sandford, Poet Nation’s Hersi Shirwa, Minn Post’s Andy Sturdevant and Emily Weiss, with judges Marianne Combs, Lorna Landvik, Anatoly Liberman and emcee Jeff Kamin. Get down early to grab a drink, snag a good seat and let the wordslingin’ battle begin. -Juleana Enright
Click HERE for the Loft Literary Center site
THURSDAY, AUGUST 9TH
l’étoile magazine presents “Project Runway” Weekly Viewing Parties
@ moto-i
Second Level
2940 Lyndale Avenue S
Minneapolis
8 pm screening / All Ages / FREE
We here at l’étoile have always been big Project Runway fans, and this season features one of our very own – Minneapolis fashion designer Raul Osorio. Join l’étoile and cheer on Raul while you sip cocktails, including $3.50 house wines and $4 good-luck cocktails, every Thursday on the second floor of moto-i. Vote for Raul as Fan Favorite throughout the duration of the season by tweeting hashtag #teamraul. The winner gets $10,000 at the end of the season, and Raul has promised to throw a huge party if he wins – and everyone’s invited! (One tweet per user will be counted as a vote within a five-minute period, so you can vote a lot. Vote here.). -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Facebook invite, HERE for Todd O’Dowd’s Q&A with the designer for l’étoile, & HERE for Todd’s recap of last week’s episode
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16TH
Mike Mitclan + Serengeti w/ Deep Sea Guts + Tony Trimm + Ander Other
@ Icehouse
2528 Nicollett Avenue S
Minneapolis
11 pm / 21+ / $7
It’s a big night of hip hop at the hottest new venue in town, Icehouse. Two big acts take the stage and promise to bring the house down. Serengeti, from Chicago, injects a bit on humor into his song and TONS of Chicago pride. Mike Mitclan, one of the Doomtree superheros, headlines the night. He brings a lot of skill, pride and heart to the stage, and his energy is infectious. Also playing are Deep Sea Guts, an experimental music project of Andrew Broder, Mark McGee and Ryan Olcott, as well as Tony Trimm and Doomtree cohort Ander Other DJing in between sets. -Danielle Morris
Click HERE for the Icehouse site
Mike Mictlan
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16TH
Brian Jonestown Massacre w/ Magic Castles
@ First Avenue
701 First Avenue
Minneapolis
6 pm / 18+ / $20
It’s weird to think that Brian Jonestown Massacre have been making their brand of off-kilter, fucked-to-the-core psych music almost as long as their ’60s touchstones had been when they started. But it figures: like the Velvet Underground before them, everybody who ever fell in love with their dark, droney, gorgeous damn music formed a band, and an entire genre – call it darkrock if you will, or don’t – sprung up around them. Their latest, Aufheben, features a killer lineup including Spacemen 3/Spiritualized bassist Will Carruthers and founding member Matt Hollywood on guitar, and still sounds exactly like you’d expect: droney melodies, jangly guitars, sincerely messed up bits sitting next to catchy bits and lots and lots of ’60s influence (the cool bits – the VU, Silver Apples, a shitload of west-coast psych, etc). Locals Magic Castles, known for an equally cool blend of psychedelic noise, open before heading out on tour with the BJM. Afterward, be sure to swing by the afterparty at Ginger Hop in Northeast, where BJM’s Ricky Maymi and Christian Fritz of local record label mpls ltd will DJ everything from 1960s French pop to modern swirling Asian dreamscapes including some of the latest indie releases from the Beijing label Maybe Mars. (10 pm, 21+, free, 210 E Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis). -Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the First Avenue site
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17TH
Vita.mn Music & Movies: Heiruspecs & “Wayne’s World”
@ Lake Harriet Bandshell
4135 W Lake Harriet Parkway
Minneapolis
Music at 7:30 pm, film at dusk / All Ages / FREE
It’s party time. And it’s excellent too. The Mike Myers and Dana Carvey Saturday Night Live characters of Wayne and Garth unexpectedly took over the world in 1992′s late spring, packing mall theaters with repeat viewers like myself (I think I saw it four times), many of whom had never even heard of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Producer Lorne Michaels feverishly tried to replicate the success: Coneheads, It’s Pat, Stuart Saves His Family, A Night at the Roxbury, The Ladies’ Man, and so on. The SNL movies smugly relied on the laziness of an easily bought audience, where one-joke sketch characters were stretched out for 90 minutes. But Wayne’s World works because it’s a fresh heartland story of failed rock ‘n’ roll suburban scenesters awed by the big city in the distance, a divide that perfectly suited the early ’90s when indie alternative rock moved beyond the brightly lit metropolis and into the placid burbs. Wayne hosts a cable-access talk show in his mom’s Aurora, Illinois basement, and is picked up by a big time Chicago executive (Rob Lowe – a perfect smarmy comeback after his infamous home video scandal). Wayne and Garth go from the small pond to big lake riches (well $5,000 at least): a beautiful girlfriend (Tia Carrere), saucy guitar spending, backstage passes to speak with a pedantic Alice Cooper, the teasing gaze of Donna Dixon, etc. But the DIY basement warmth of Wayne’s show is compromised with product placement and lame guests, and the boys’ friendship breaks down under fame’s weight. Moving the story along are effective gags and cameos (particularly Ed O’Neil as an icy donut shop owner), but you also can’t give enough credit to Myers and Carvey, who take hold of their characters like a new pair of underwear: “At first it’s constrictive, but eventually it just becomes a part of you.” The Mirthmobile gets into gear at Lake Harriet’s bandshell with longtime Minneapolis live hip hop band Heiruspecs performing before the film. -Niles Schwartz
Click HERE for the Vita.mn site
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17TH
A Night With Ina Grau
@ Ina Grau Studio
711 W Lake Street, Suite #603
Minneapolis
7-10 pm / All Ages / FREE
Join Ina Grau for drinks, music and a raffle, giving you the chance to win a pair of women’s or men’s custom shoes. Luisa is soon heading back to Colombia to collaborate and oversee a project with Oscar Betancur. Betancur will work with Ina Grau designs to create new styles for women’s shoes. Her experience and innovation in shoe design is a staple to the function of the company and has made for unique input, so celebrate the art of custom footwear. The raffle is $10 and will be announced at 9:45 pm; you must be present to win. -Meg Junkermeier
Click HERE for the Ina Grau site
Ina Grau at Henhouse, Photo: Alison of Deuce Cities Henhouse
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17TH
Ad Hoc Black + Forest for Trees Photo Show
@ Ad Hoc Gallery,
88 S 10th Street
Minneapolis
7-10 pm / All Ages / FREE
This summer, emergent pop-up art gallery Ad Hoc Art has been endeavoring to create a central hub for artists and art patrons to create connections and engage the community in an interactive way. Via a highly visible storefront downtown on Nicollet Mall, the gallery has been an opportunity for arts patrons who may not typically seek out local art to happen upon objects of beauty, interact with the work of local artists, and perhaps be inspired to purchase local art. This month’s event features art from more than 50 artists, including an exhibition from photo collective Forest for Trees. 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. Come for the art, stay for the live music, tasty frozen treats, art films, and interactive exhibits. -Anthony Enright
Click HERE for the Ad Hoc Art site
Photo by Stephen Stephens
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17TH
We’re Not Ween + The Japhies
@ First Avenue
701 1st Avenue
Minneapolis
8 pm / 18+ / $5 advance, $10 door
Let’s go ahead and assume that you are a Ween fan, because if you’re not, you really should be. The much-beloved humorous experimental pop-rockers boast a devoted cult following, and now we finally have a Ween tribute band performing at First Avenue! We’re Not Ween, composed of members of E.L.nO., Sweet Potato Project, God Johnson and Food will hit the danceteria mainstage with special guests and classic rock enthusiasts The Japhies. First Avenue General Manager Nate Kranz will also be spinning whatever he feels like whenever he feels like it throughout the evening. Tickets are cheap and there will be beer and crazy people, so there’s really no good reason for you not to be there. -Beth Hammarlund
Click HERE for the First Avenue site
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17TH
F I X Launch Party w/ Kill the Vultures + No Bird Sing + Kristoff Krane
@ Triple Rock Social Club
629 Cedar Avenue
Minneapolis
9 pm / 18+ / $5 advance, $8 at the door
Tonight, catch the new cross-pollination collab from local experimental hip-hop groups Kill the Vultures, No Bird Sing and solo artist Kristoff Krane. Witness the same raw lyricism and genre-defying elements we’ve come to associate with the artists, as well as some fresh, boundary-pushing expression. Catch new tracks from the F I X members performed live plus individual sets from Kill the Vultures, No Bird Sing and Kristoff Krane. For a mini F I X fix, check out the band on Bandcamp here and get a free 3-album introduction featuring 41 tracks. -Juleana Enright
Click HERE for the Triple Rock Social Club site
F I X photographed by Kai Benson
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17TH & SATURDAY, AUGUST 18TH
Crush Fest 2
@ Cause Spirits & Soundbar
3001 Lyndale Avenue S
Minneapolis
6 pm doors / 21+ / $7
Its a huge weekend of music on the corner of Lake and Lyndale when Cause Spirits and Soundbar hosts a weekend-long blowout. The packed weekend of music hosted and curated by Cause regulars Dream Crusher, and they have pulled in their friends in the city plus a few others from out of town a truly eclectic bill. Friday’s lineup includes Friends By Fire; rapper Bleubird, hailing from Jacksonville, Florida; Brooklyn’s Hiawatha; Me and My Arrow; and Black Blondie. Saturday features Sex Cells (Dream Crusher’s Mo McNichols and Ashley Gold), Ghost Army, Taylor Kephart, Indianapolis’ Ko, Demographics, Hardcore Crayons, Fort Wilson Riot, Saltee, and which is sure to be a legendary set by Dream Crusher to close out the night. -Danielle Morris
Click HERE for the Cause Spirits & Soundbar site
Bleubird
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17TH & SATURDAY, AUGUST 18TH
Hipshaker 10 Year Anniversary
@ Kitty Cat Klub
315 14th Avenue SE
Minneapolis
9 pm / 21+ / $5 each night, $8 for both nights
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, who will be joined by original Hipshaker DJ Ron Wade as well as five veteran soul DJs who have been regulars at Hipshaker over the years: Andy Noble (Milwaukee’s The Get Down, King’s Go Forth), Marcos Prado (Dallas’ The Smoke, BlackGold Soul), Ben Mena (of the local soul night Hotpants), Dan McAllister (of KFAI’s Kinda Cloudy Radio, World Wide Discotheque), and Nick Soul (Chicago’s Windy City Soul Club). They’ll have 10th anniversary t-shirts, posters, and CDs for sale while they last. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17TH
FUNZEN: DJs Carter Grimes, Ken Hannigan & Josh Sundberg
@ Honey
205 E Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis
10 pm / 21+ / $5
Another month, another new DJ night – but we aren’t complaining! It was only a short time ago that the Twin Cities were in want of a place to go shake your tailfeather. The latest is FUNZEN (German for “to function” and “light up an area”), a new concept from the minds of Anthem Heart, who know a thing or two about throwing a dance party. But if you’re looking for a Top 40/dubstep/R&B playlist, you’ll have to look elsewhere – instead, the night is designed to create a space for the DJs to find a groove, mixing longer and favoring disco dubs and rare vinyl to the “hits.” It’s about time, we’d say. Tonight features Anthem Heart’s Ken Hannigan, DJ Carter Grimes (a regular at Too Much Love) and newcomer Josh Sundberg (aka the co-owner of local boutique Cliché). BONUS: If you’re in the vicinity of either Urban Bean or Cliche before Friday eve, grab a reduced cover ticket at the counter. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17TH
Wants Vs. Needs
@ 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, Booka B, So Gold & Petey Wheatstraw with special guest Willy Lose 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. -Staff
Click HERE for the First Avenue site
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18TH
Royal British Car & Fashion Show
@ AutoMotorPlex
8200 Audubon Road
Chanhassen
9 am-2 pm / All Ages / FREE
Now that the Olympics in London have come to an end, why not continue the trend of all things Brit? Come dressed in your favorite vintage garb and check out the Royal British Car Show. Included in the event will be a fashion show, authentic fish and chips, live British music, tastings of Browns Lane Cider and 2 Gingers and drawings for fabulous gifts. The event will be supporting the Wilder Foundation, a charity for homeless children. -Chelsea Streich
Click HERE for the Automotorplex site
SATURDAY AUGUST 18TH
“MOVE!”
@ Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts
6666 East River Road
Fridley
10 am – 11 am / Free (registration recommended)
The Mississippi River Fund’s mission is to strengthen the enduring connection between people and the Mississippi River. To do so, the organization sponsors various community events that help volunteers engage with the river and river related activities. Their monthly MOVE (Monthly Opportunity for Volunteer Enrichment) program is a great way to remind yourself of the amazing diversity and richness of the river that connects and enlivens our Twin Cities. August’s MOVE explores art on the Mississippi River with a history and review of the artists that have been inspired by the river for hundreds of years. Ranger Brian Goodspeed will discuss the creation of the Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts on the Mississippi River and give you an opportunity to see some exceptional art inspired by the mighty Mississippi.
Click HERE for the Mississippi River Fund site
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18TH
Buxtahooda: A Bar Game Olympiad
@ Various downtown Minneapolis locations
Begins at Hubert’s Sports Bar & Grill
600 N 1st Avenue
Minneapolis
2-7 pm / 21+ / $35 per team (5 players/team), free to watch
What is Buxtahooda? Invented by the “brains” behind the Zombie Pub Crawl, the Buxtahooda is an annual charity fundraiser benefiting Vikings Children’s Fund in which teams participate in a bar-game pub crawl through downtown Minneapolis. As if a good cause isn’t reason enough to join in, teams will be dressed in outrageous costumes and playing for the $500 grand prize while competing in events such as dizzy darts, ladder golf, and shuffleboard. Of course, the evening will culminate in a medal ceremony and dance party at First Avenue. -Chelsea Streich
Click HERE for the Buxtahooda site
BEGINNING SATURDAY, AUGUST 18 (RUNS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 28, WEEKENDS ONLY)
Renaissance Festival
@ Renaissance Festival Grounds
3525 145th Street
West Shakopee
9 am-7 pm rain or shine / All Ages/ $20-$80
Haven’t you ever wanted to be a princess or a knight just for a day? Go back in time and see how people lived, how they ate, what entertained them? Well, if playing renaissance isn’t your thing, you could at least enjoy it by gnawing on a turkey leg or watching a jousting match at the 42nd annual Renaissance Festival. With themed weekends like “Royal Ale Fest,” “Wine, Chocolate and Romance” and for the pet lovers “Ye Old Pet Fest,” the Ren Fest offers more than meets the eye. There are over 250 artisans on site selling anything and everything from the renaissance era hair wraps, fairy outfits, you name it. New this year is a fantasy from the sea, Mermaid Ambrosia. Follow her and the captain through Mermaid Cove. Just because there are new acts, it doesn’t mean your favorites have gone away, Puke and Snot will be on hand with their crude humor to make you laugh…or gag. Still if none of this interests you, think of the people watching! Besides the State Fair or MSP Airport, the Ren Fest tops the list for interesting people. -Alexandra Katz
Click HERE for the Renaissance Festival site
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18TH
Fleet Night: The 2012 World Series Gay Softball Danceria
@ Minneapolis Armory
500 6th Street S
Minneapolis
9 pm – 2 am / $15
Ladies and gentlemen – erm, well only the gentlemen on this one – it’s that time again; Fleet Night! Not familiar? Well for one night only our landlocked metropolis may in fact feel like a coastal port during the legendary fleet week madness as hundreds of home grown ‘sailors’ converge on the Minneapolis Armory to help the visiting participants of the 2012 World Series of Gay Softball close out their festivities. With hundreds of participating teams from all over the United States, there’s sure to be a packed house for this event. This promises to be the kind of massive dance party that happens once in a lifetime, so we’re fairly certain the armory will be bursting at the seams with some sweaty jock (oops, we mean sailor) dancing. There’s no specific dress code, but feel free to get into the Fleet Night spirit with you best nautical outfit and get ready to show these visitors a hot time in the cold city. -Anthony Enright
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
SATURDAY, AUGUST 17TH
Invisible Things w/ Is/Is + Web of Sunsets + Rollerblade
@ Turf Club
1601 University Avenue
St. Paul
9 pm / 21+ / $7
Invisible Things – Jim Sykes on drums, Mark Shippy on every other damn thing – play a kind of deeply disturbed, primitive, dark brand of psychedelic noise-jazz. Drones abound on their forthcoming debut album Home IS the Sun, and melodies do not; guitars roar and burble and drums pound, click and randomly tap, and everything sounds made up on the spot, which lends a kind of cobbled-together genius to the occasion. We love openers Is/Is more than we can say – their Facebook page describes them as “witchgaze” and that’s as good a descriptor as any – this is some dark damn music in the best possible way. And Web of Sunsets is made up of members of Heavy Deeds and Is/Is and apparently plays “acid country,” which automatically makes us prick up our years. Looks like a good ‘un. -Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the Turf Club site
Invisible Things
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18TH
Late Night at Icehouse f. Toki Wright + Mayda + Lizzo & the Larva Ink
Icehouse Minneapolis
2528 Nicollet Avenue
Minneapolis
11 pm / 21+ / $7
God, we love seeing nights like this: forward-thinking R&B/hip-hop bills that actually push the boundaries of the genre rather than taking the easy route (as happens so often in 2012 Minneapolis). Rhymesayer “emerging artist” Toki Wright reminds us a lot of early Common back before he got all commercial-minded or a more aggressive late-’90s Mos Def, blending a smooth (and smart as hell) flow with classic R&B hooks and intriguing samples. Long a sideman/opening act to Brother Ali, we think he’s got the potential to be the best of the Rhymesayers crew. We love Mayda, who is a potent R&B voice in a tiny package with a collection of magnificent songs. And newcomers Lizzo & the Larva Ink are fascinating. Lizzo’s got a great voice and a tongue-in-cheek personna, and The Larva Ink (aka Johnny Lewis) backs it with a fascinating electronic-tinged bed of soul. -Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the Icehouse site
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18TH
West Bank Music Festival
@ Various Venues (including Palmer’s, Cedar Cultural Center, Acadia
Cafe, Red Sea, Nomad, Triple Rock Social Club, Whiskey Junction and
the main, outdoor stage)
3-10 pm outdoors, 10 pm-2 am indoors / All Ages or 21+ indoors / $5
The West Bank has always been home to a bizarre collection of bars – you’d call ‘em divey if you didn’t know better, and if they weren’t constantly hosting interesting nights that frequently trump the
goings-on in safer, sounder Uptown. West Bank Music Festival brings to mind the outdoor festivals the ‘Bank used to host back in the day – an eclectic collection of bands including Astronautalis, Bloodnstuff, Phantom Tails and the unbelievably awesome Sex Rays. The bands start early in the day outdoors, then move to the indoor venues – don’t miss the Triple Rock’s cool bill which includes Me And My Arrow, the awesome Greycoats and Red Fox, Grey Fox. Five bucks gets you in to the whole damn day, which is a deal you cannot beat. -Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the West Bank Music Festival site
Astronautalis
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18TH
Murder of Crows w/ Jack Campbell and Andy Ewell
7th St. Entry
29 N 7th St, Minneapolis
8 pm / 18+ / $10
Murder of Crows is one of Al Sparhawk of Low fame’s many, many musical personnae – this one, a duo with violinist/vocalist Gaelynn Lea, a sleepy, hushed, ambient instrumental group, mostly featuring Sparkhawk’s barely-strummed guitars and a ton of violin drones. He’s brought with him a couple of people from Duluth – Jack Campbell is a high school senior making albums in his basement that sound like a quirky, less angst Elliott Smith at times and a clearer-voiced Dino Jr. at others. And Andy Elwell’s album Brave Soul is a spooky, barely-there collection of beautiful, haunting songs that probably fall under the “Americana” banner but push at the edges of that genre. Interesting stuff all ’round. -Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the First Avenue site
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18TH
BLACK feat. Jon Hester + Mike Gervais
@ The Record Room at First Avenue
701 1st Avenue
Minneapolis
10 pm / 18+ / $5
Tonight, join the electronic DJs of BLACK for the darker side of First Avenue’s Saturday dance party – and we mean literally. Named for the black walls and floor of First Avenue’s Record Room, BLACK is a weekly showcase of some of the best EDM, both local and non. Tonight’s edition is extra special as MPLS expatriate, DJ/producer and world traveler Jon Hester takes a hiatus from hosting parties in Barcelona and Berlin and returns to showcase his signature style of energetic techno, house and maybe even an impromptu sax action. Known for his Minneapolis Convergence parties and label Timefog, Hester is definitely a dance floor tour de force and not satisfied until the whole room is shakin’ it. Prepare for some delicious electronic gems dished up tag team style by remix master/BLACK resident DJ Mike Gervais and Hester. -Juleana Enright
Click HERE for the First Avenue site
Jon Hester
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18TH
Hands High
@ Honey
205 E Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis
10 pm / 21+ / $5
Put yo hands up in the air… again! Hands High keeps the summer kicking 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 as they spins the hottest hip-hop and R&B grooves all night through. -Staff
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19TH
Hot August Night: A Tribute To Neil Diamond
@ Hymie’s Vintage Records
3820 E Lake Street
Minneapolis
1-6 pm / All Ages / FREE
I do not know what imaginary, shaft-shaped object Neil Diamond is pretending to clutch on the cover of his ’72 live album Hot August Night, but it’s clear that whatever it is, it is big and manlike, much like Diamond himself. Columbia Records is reissuing the album as a deluxe double disc featuring three new songs and a ton of “stage banter” (Will Farrell’s “Behind The Music” parody of Neil springs
madly to mind), and Hymie’s is celebrating with a day of Pure Neil. All Diamond, all day, plus a live performance by Neil Dynamite and the Heartlights (a Neil tribute group, natch), a coloring contest and a
screening of Saving Silverman (featuring Neil) on the big screen. Bring the kids, and let them bask in the big, big sound of pure chest hair. -Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the Hymie’s Vintage Records site
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19TH
Blind Shake, Dikes of Holland, Bombay Sweets
@ Hexagon Bar
600 27th Avenue S
Minneapolis
10 pm / 21+ / FREE
Headliners the Blind Shake traffic in the kind of stomping garage-punk that used to make the Mighty Mofos local contenders – tons of drum throb, head-whipping tempos, Dick-Dale-twang guitars and beautifully shouted vocals. Their first LP, Seriousness, could have come equally from 1961, 1981 or last year. Bombay Sweets are a twangy, mysterious sounding one-man outfit (with live backup). -Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
The Blind Shake
Editor in Chief: Jahna Peloquin / Header design by Caroline Royce / Contributors: Juleana Enright, Anthony Enright, Jon Hunt, Niles Schwartz, Danielle Morris, Meg Junkermeier, Chelsea Streich, Alexandra Katz, Jahna Peloquin
