by staff
This weekend, there literally COULD NOT be more to do – tons of great live music, great art, and epic dance parties await you. Art book nerds can get their fix at the Walker’s “Over-Booked” art fair, heritage fashion geeks can get their rocks off at the NorthernGRADE Men’s Market, and hip hop heads get a whole day of jams at the Hip Hop Harambee block party. So jump on your chariot, be it a car, bike, cab, or public transit – and get out and enjoy the early fall weather!
xo, l’étoile
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH-SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH
“Over-Booked: A Chapter from the NY Art Book Fair”
@ Walker Art Center
1750 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis
Opening reception 5-9 pm Thursday; various events throughout the weekend / All Ages / FREE admission Thursday
Art nerds, we need you to sit down before you read this paragraph. You are in serious danger of swooning. This weekend the Walker presents “Over-Booked,” a three-day fair of the very best art books, featuring a book exchange, a pop-up shop, even an open house at The Walker Library. Partnering with iconic New York bookstore Printed Matter, “Over-Booked” features a rotating selection of the partners’ vast, but thoughtfully edited collection of art books, bringing them all together in a visual feast that might suck you in all three days. But kick off the weekend at the opening reception, that you might peruse the collection with a cocktail. But don’t spill. BONUS: Alec Soth and Brad Zeller fans are going to want to catch their book signing on Saturday at noon. -Beth Hammarlund
Click HERE for the Walker Art Center site
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH
Beethcake Art Closing Party
@ Modern Times Cafe
3200 Chicago Avenue S
Minneapolis
7 pm / All Ages / FREE
We fell for Lindsay Rhyner – aka Beethcake – after seeing her zany, colorful, embroidered knits at last winter’s “Sashay Shanty” at the Art Shanty Projects on Medicine Lake. Now, the fiber artist is eschewing wearables in favor of wall-hung textiles in a textured, technicolor palette. She’s hosting a closing party tonight for her latest art show with tunage from DJ King Tutne, dissonant noisemaker Acetic Ascetic (aka Dead Actress), Jess of Dust Buns’ bumpin’ electro side project Diva 93 and Kansas City sexy electronic dance music project Scammers, plus a special appearance by the mysterious Count Daquila, “college-themed” drinks and snacks (it’s back to school time!), photos available from Beethcake’s last art show, and a hot glue party. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH
MinnAnimate Festival
@ Ritz Theater
345 13th Avenue NE
Minneapolis
7 pm / $5
For those of you who haven’t heard, anime will finally be hitting Minneapolis this weekend during the first ever MinnAnimate Animation Festival featuring local artist John Akre. The event will highlight the premiere of Akre’s animated feature, Walker and Driver, along with a collection of Minnesota-made animation shorts. Stop by, be a part of history and support local anime. -Chelsea Streich
Click HERE for the MinnAnimate Festival site
JON: Sept 13: Nobunny at Turf Club
turfclub.net
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH
The Corin Tucker Band
@ 7th St Entry
701 1st Ave N
Minneapolis
8 pm doors / 18+ / $12
Fans of riot grrrl’s angst-ridden Heavens to Betsy and indie rock’s Sleater-Kinney (Tucker’s first bands) will definitely not want to miss tonight’s set, if only for nostalgia’s sake. Now nearing the big 4-0, the veteran Olympia-bred rocker has witnessed a heavy slew of changes: saying goodbye to long-time band Sleater-Kinney and a new outfit The Corin Tucker Band. This month welcomes the release of the bands sophomore album Kill My Blues which reunites Tucker with her riot grrrl sonic roots. Clara Salyer’s new group, Prissy Clerks – winners of Vita.mn’s Are You Local? best new bands contest in 2012 – open. -Juleana Enright
Click HERE for the First Avenue site
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH
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 “Lady Parts” is, in fact, 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 Jäger’s good lookin’ bar staff. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH
“Five Beauties Rising: New Works by Willie Cole”
@ Highpoint Center for Printmaking
912 W Lake Street
Minneapolis
Opening reception 6:30-9 pm, runs through October 13th / All Ages / FREE
What started as a series of ironing boards inked and printed intaglio style has since expanded to include a thoughtful celebration and exploration of color. Willie Cole took the obvious next step after ironing boards and began a color study using an imprint of an iron. It’s hard to pick favorites, but we’re most excited to see the intaglio ironing boards, described as “evoking church windows and grave markers.” That’s a lot of dark and light to see in one installation. Bonus: Five of these are sold as a limited edition suite entitled “Five Beauties Rising”; the other 22 are available individually in very limited editions. -Beth Hammarlund
Click HERE for the Highpoint Center for Printmaking site
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH
The Expletive Poster Show
@ Light Grey Art Lab
118 E 26th Street
Minneapolis
7-10 pm / FREE
This is, without a doubt, a night for the grown-ups only. Typographers, illustrators and designers – including Adam R. Garcia, Andres Guzman, Jesse Lindhorst, and others – will be showcasing posters of their favorite phrases and expletives for one night only. This gallery will feature artwork that is sure to make you smile, cringe and blush. Join in for plenty of good laughs, and as an added bonus, if you come dressed for the event in an article of clothing that fits the theme, you’ll receive a one-night-only custom print! Be sure to swing by around next Tuesday evening for a discussion on the history of the F-bomb by English MFA candidate Deanna Larsen. -Chelsea Streich
Click HERE for the Light Grey Art Lab site
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH
“Exactitude: Christina Empedocles and Pamela Valfer”
@ Burnet Gallery
901 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis
Opening reception 6–9 pm, runs through November 11th / All Ages / FREE
Meticulous detail and painstaking craftsmanship connects the works of Christina Empedocles and Pamela Valfer in “Exactitude,” the new show opening Friday at Burnet Gallery. Both artists explore the concept of memory and reality with not quite literal images that flirt with oddity and question the nature of truth. In Valfer’s hyper-real, hybridized work, imaginary landscapes blend the realistic with the fictional in surprising ways. The artist juxtaposes scenic natural elements with urban landmarks to create jarring images that hover on the edges of what is possible, exploring veracity and the imperfect nature of memory. Empedocles uses nearly photo-realistic three dimensional images that are not quite complete, but rather obscured or sometimes partially hidden. By providing only part of the story in each work, the artist allows the viewer to ponder the possibilities of what is left untold and finish the story in their own minds. In addition to local ties both artists have received loads of national and international attention. Their art is thematically and technically impressive and the work is highly complementary, making this the must see exhibit of the week. -Anthony Enright
Click HERE for the Burnet Gallery site
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH & SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH
The Soap Factory $99 Sale
@ Soap Factory
518 2nd Street SE
Minneapolis
7 pm-10 pm Friday / $20
9 am-noon Saturday / FREE
Want cool art but don’t wanna pay a bundle for it? Well, you’re in luck! Part fab fundraiser, part aesthetic melée, The Soap Factory’s $99 Sale features 5×7” original, signed artwork donated from 150+ artists from across the country; one size and one flat price. Hone in on the next great artist, or just buy whatever strikes your fancy. Peruse through work by Tim Carroll, Jaime Carrera, Lillian Egner, Charlie B. Ward, Scott Stulen, Jehra Patrick and many, many more! Plus, get down to tunes by DJ Tell It to My Heart, enter the raffle for prizes, tour the current exhibit “Why We Do This,” sip on Surly beer and wine, and enjoy complimentary nosh from Chowgirls Catering. Come back the following day for the Morning After Sale for free and rifle through the remaining works priced at just $66 – it’s a “morning after” event you don’t have to feel sheepish about! -Staff
Click HERE for the Soap Factory site
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH & SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH
“Dim All the Lights”
@ Bryant-Lake Bowl Theater
810 W Lake Street
Minneapolis
7 pm / All Ages / $10 in advance, $15 at the door
In exploration of self, sexuality and Donna Summers, local dancer and artist Dustin Maxwell will join Madison-based dancer Gregory Grube in a shared evening featuring their most recent works as well as older, remixed pieces. Maxwell will be showing two pieces, including a reprisal of “Open Frontier,” which debuted at last year’s Queer Boys Night, and features the lithe Maxwell as a graceful cowboy with a surprising secret. For his part, Grube will explore the archives of modern dance and disco. Support independent dance from two ground-breaking choreographers, and join in for what is sure to be a memorable night. -Chelsea Streich/Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Bryant-Lake Bowl site
Dustin Maxwell
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH
Spyder Baybie and 2% Muck’s Twerk Fest 2012 w/ Audio Perm Disxo and Enola Gay
@ You-know-the-place
11 pm / $3
Get ready to get down ‘n’ grimey – Spyder Baybie and 2% Muck are throwing a sure-to-be-dirty dance party at everyone favorite unnameable sweat shack. You never know what to expect from clownish-yet-sultry rapper Spyder Baybie, who, at his best, channels a mollied-out Rick James. He and his beat-making cohort 2% Muck (who is known to pour 2% milk all over himself during performances) invited their equally durrrrty pals from the Audio Perm rap crew, DISXO (a crew made up of (Jason Anxious, Alissa Paris, 80H2O, DJ Just 9, Mike Frey, Charlie Smith of UMAMI, Miguel Hurtado of The Endeavors), former Chelsea Boys party boys Enola Gay, and DJs Muck and Witty. Get ready to twerk it. -Jahna Peloquin
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH
Hex Machine w/ Seawhores + Power Take Off + Blackthorne
@ Hexagon Bar
2600 27th Avenue S
Minneapolis
9 pm / 21+ / FREE
Its a loud Friday night of rock and roll at the Hexagon. Headlining the night is Hex Machine, a noise rock band on Learning Curve Records based out of Richmond, North Carolina. They play a grungy, grimy, loud, fast and hard style of punk rock. Holy riffs! Opening is Blackthorne, a new metal band in town featuring some experienced players – members of Songs of Zarathustra, Chiablo, Chariots, and Kill Sadie combine to make something they call “metal, hardcore, power violence.” Also playing in Power Take-Off, they play country tinged punk with heavy guitar riffs. Seawhores’ immense talent combines to make something that sounds like impending doom, the apocalypse, and make you feel like you are about to be swept up in a tornado. -Danielle Morris
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
Hex Machine
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH
Martin Dosh’s 1st Annual 40th Birthday Party & Drum Off
@ Turf Club
1601 University Avenue W
St. Paul
8 pm / 21+ / $10
It’s a big ole rhythm party at the Turf Club on Friday night. It celebrates the big 4-0 of one of the TC’s most distinguished musicians/drummers, Martin Dosh, and all the rest of them are showing up to join in. The super-diverse lineup includes everything from loud punk to joke rap, and of course, the drum off. It features four of the Cities’ most talented drummers: Dave King (Happy Apple, The Bad Plus), JT Bates (Fat Kid Wednesdays, Alpha Consumer, Marijuana Deathsqauds) Tim Glenn (Fog) and the Birthday Boy himself, Martin Dosh, (Andrew Bird, DOSH, The Cloak Ox). With those four playing the same stage, anything can happen. Also joining in the fun for the night are riff-tastic, LOUD rockers Zebulon Pike, rap duo Pizza Boys, Good Morning Gentlemen, Jel and DJ Odd Nosdam. And it’s all for a good cause! Proceeds from the show go to benefit local nonprofit buildingdignity.org, which provides educational opportunities, trains local leaders, and supports neighborhood-led development in poor communities. -Danielle Morris
Click HERE for the Turf Club site
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH
Buffalo Moon w/ Rupert Angeleyes + JT & The Sloppy Seconds + Sherbetty
@ Hell’s Kitchen
80 S 9th Street
Minneapolis
10 pm / 21+ / $5
We dig Buffalo Moon’s delightful-as-hell (but wickedly funny and occasionally obscene) take on samba-psych – their 2010 album Wetsuit is magnificent, filled with skittering rhythms, hilarious titles and occasionally astonishing playing that recalls both the chilliness of Stereolab and the delightful imagination of Os Mutantes. Just as interesting is Rupert Angeleyes, who plays a kind of lo-fi psych-pop that recalls early Beck (when he was still interesting – you remember) or bits of Ween’s sound. Sherbetty is pretty similar, mining a cool living-room psych sound that reminds occasionally of the cooler/poppier bits of Elephant 6. And for our money, the one to seriously keep an eye on is JT and the Sloppy Seconds who play a cool, frantic garage soul that makes up for in thrills-per-minute what it lacks in technical ability. -Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the Hell’s Kitchen site
Buffalo Moon, photo by Emily Utne
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH
Aaron Freeman (Gene Wene)
@ Cedar Cultural Center
416 Cedar Avenue S
Minneapolis
7 pm / All Ages / $22 in advance, $25 at the door
True confession: I have always fucking hated Ween. I think their willfully destructive take on pop music smacked of dilettantism – no more than dabbling at any given genre (and often not very well) and then willfully subverting it at every possible turn, which would befine if their music was, at any point, consistently listenable and not just a toot and a giggle. If you feel like me or if you don’t (you probably don’t), you’ll adore Freeman’s new solo record Marvelous Clouds, a collection of super-sincere and really damn pleasant Rod McKuen songs delivered totally straight (not a hint of winky-winky, trust me). You’d think this was some kind of colossal gag – and that’s the problem with Ween in general – if it wasn’t so damn beautiful. This is terrific, ’60s-flavored pop music – think Leonard Cohen with a higher voice, with a little Scott Walker thrown in. I imagine it’ll be equally magnificent live, and I bet he throws in a couple-a Ween songs for the fans. -Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the Cedar Cultural Center site
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH
Saul Williams Spoken Word Tour w/ Dessa
@ Triple Rock Social Cub
629 Cedar Avenue
Minneapolis
7 pm / 18+ / $15
Acclaimed volcanic musician, performer and slam poet pioneer Saul Williams’ epic talent erupted after the success of the ’98 indie film Slam. Since then, the fearless street sermonizer has collaborated with everyone from Erykah Badu and Nas to Trent Reznor. Described as a “hallucinatory hip-hop alchemist,” Williams’ voracious spit hip-hop channels the spirit and cunning tongues of beatniks and shouts creds to early hip-hoppers Public Enemy. Tonight’s show cleverly pairs Williams’ with local rapper/singer tigress Dessa. Best bring your umbrella, because words will pour. -Juleana Enright
Click HERE for the First Avenue site
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH
Worldwide Discotheque
@ Clubhouse Jäger
923 Washington Avenue N
Minneapolis
10 pm / 21+ / FREE
Monthly all-vinyl DJ party Worldwide Discotheque features DJ Brian Engel of Hotpants and Hipshaker fame and DJ Steely Dan from the Kinda Cloudy Radio show on KFAI, so you know it’s got to be good. Get ready to get funky – the masterfully mixed and endlessly dynamic old-school beats set the tone for the evening, spanning genres including funk, Afro Beat, disco, boogie, salsa, reggae, highlife, Cumbia, boogaloo, rocksteady, dancehall and ska from Africa, South America, and Jamaica. This month, they’ll be joined by special guest Tarik Thornton (8KC, Funky 16 Corners), who’ll throw down a sure-to-be-funky set. -Staff
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH & SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH
NorthernGRADE Men’s Market
@ Architectural Antiques
1330 Quincy Street NE
Minneapolis
Noon-7 pm Saturday & 11 am-4 pm Sunday / All Ages / FREE
What: Guys get their shopping fix this weekend with the return of the NorthernGRADE Men’s Market, a bi-annual, two-day pop-up market geared toward hardy, American-made basics. Heritage brands such as Red Wing Heritage, Faribault Woolen Mills Co., Pierrepont Hicks Tie Co., and Duluth Pack will be on hand, as will offerings from local men’s shops Askov Finlayson and BlackBlue. There’s something for the ladies, too – Pierrepont Hicks offshoot Mrs. P. Hicks will have her handmade leather chukkas, wallabees and desert boots. Primo shopping time should be from 4 to 7 pm on Saturday, when DJ Jonathan Ackerman will provide tunage. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the NorthernGRADE site
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH & SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH
Electric Fetus Garage Sale & Fall Festival
@ Electric Fetus
2000 4th Avenue S
Minneapolis
11 am-5 pm Saturday & noon-4 pm Sunday / All Ages / FREE
Record store mainstay Electric Fetus is kicking off the fall season with an all-day garage sale and outdoor music fest. The garage sale includes CDs, DVDs and vinyl – both new and used – marked WAY down, and up to 75 percent off gift department items, plus 15 percent off nearly everything in-store. What’s more on Saturday: food trucks from Nate Dogs, YumMi Bahn Mi and Birchwood Cafe, giveaways from Warner Music Group, a vintage pop-up shop from Blacklist Vintage and live music from John Mark Nelson, The Farewell Circuit, The Chalice, Bomba De Luz (which Jon Hunt features in his We Will Rock You column on teen bands HERE) and Phantom Tails. BONUS: Head back on Sunday to take an addition 50 percent off all already-marked-down garage sale items, plus an in-store listening party for the new Grizzly Bear release Shields. You can buy the CD and LP on Sunday – before you can get it anywhere else – and enjoy some free pizza, a free Grizzly Bear poster with purchase while supplies last, and the chance to win an Electric Fetus gift card. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Electric Fetus site
Bomba De Luz
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH & SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH
“The Return of King Idomeneo: A Picnic Operetta”
Saturday @ Blooming Heights Edible School Yard
1440 49th Avenue NE
Columbia Heights
Sunday @ St. Olaf Community Campus Garden
2929 Emerson Avenue N
Minneapolis
4 pm / All Ages / $10 to $20 (suggested donation)
In case you were wondering, an Operetta is pretty much an Opera albeit typically a bit on the lighter and more comedic side, so the tragedy will at least have a funny side. Think of it as the precursor to the modern musical, light, frothy and meant to entertain. Performance company Mixed Precipitation aims to bring this form into a socially engaging context by staging updated, unique versions of a classic Mozart Operetta in community gardens and parks throughout the Twin Cities. These ‘Picnic Operettas’ celebrate the urban ecosystem with a collaborative multi-disciplinary performance designed to engage both the audience and the venue. Now in its fourth year, the company presents The Return of King Idomeneo, a festive classically inspired tale that draws on Greek myth and legend. Never slaves to convention, Mixed Precipitation has interpreted the music with a 1950’s and 60’s doo-wop and street corner vibe, for something truly unique. The performances run through September 23rd in different venues, so if you can’t make it this weekend check out one of the future dates. -Anthony Enright
Click HERE for the Mixed Precipitation site
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH
“Through a Glass, Darkly” + “Don’t Make Me Care”
@ SooVAC
2638 Lyndale Avenue S
Minneapolis
Opening receptions 6-9 pm, runs through October 20th / FREE
Serena Cole is one of the many artists that SooVAC founder Suzy Greenberg, who recently passed away, put under her wing after discovering her work in 2006. So it’s only apt that the first show at the gallery following her passing would be one of the artists she helped develop over the years. The pair are said to have worked closely on this show, “Through a Glass, Darkly,” which investigates the psychological relationship we have with the unattainable, glamorous and dark imagery founds in fashion magazines through a series of portraits she calls “Black Mirrors” – and what that relationship says about how we view ourselves. Also showing in the Soo Local gallery (which spotlights fresh faces in the local art arena) is “Don’t Make Me Care,” a dual show featuring the electrifying, complex illustrations of Brian Downs – who you may recognize from his flyer art for local bands – and the collaborative work of identical twin brothers Jason and Jesse Pearson (who work under the moniker Dick and Wayne), who use photography and drawing to create memory-based narratives existing between the realm of fact and fiction. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the SooVAC site
Painting by Serena Cole
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH
The “Vote NO” Show
@ Patrick’s Cabaret
3010 Minnehaha Avenue S
Minneapolis
7:30 pm / All Ages / $10
The staff and board of Patrick’s Cabaret believe that marriage is a fundamental freedom that shouldn’t be denied to anyone…but they don’t stop there. In support of the stance against the MN Marriage Amendment the long-running local theater is hosting a one-night only performance showcasing some amazing GLBT and queer-identified artists dubbed The “Vote NO” Show. Saturday’s act features a poetic monologue from Lynette Reini-Grandell (the wife of transgender artist and musician Venus), spoken word from Howard Lieberman, a short story from Kohl Miner, a performance from local dancer Renee Copeland, an unconventional parenting story collab from April Sellers, Marc Debauch and Eduardo Parra and (in a very Todd Hanes-esque style) a video of Minnesotans discussing gay marriage via 80′s dolls from local video artist Pam Colby. “Vote NO” is sure to be a politically-charged show with an eclectic array of talent that should not be missed! -Juleana Enright For more on the event, check out Juleana’s interview with Patrick’s Cabaret Executive & Artistic Director Amy Hero Jones HERE.
Click HERE for the Patrick’s Cabaret site
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH
Dessa Lipstick Launch
@ Icehouse
2528 Nicollet Avenue
Minneapolis
8-10 pm launch party, 11 pm Coloring Time set / 21+ / $5 before 10 pm, FREE after
Though she’s known for her tomboy style, Doomtree emcee/wordsmith Dessa can rock a classic red lipstick like nobody’s business. With her namesake lipstick color for locally-made, vegan makeup line the Elixery, she’s giving you the chance to emulate her casual glamor. Best of all, Dessa will be donating her proceeds from the sale of the lipstick to educate and empower women in developing countries. She’s launching the lip color with a blowout bash at the Icehouse this weekend, where musical guests Aby Wolf and Ashley Gold will be backed by Dessa’s live ensemble of Dustin Kiel, Sean McPherson and Joey Van Phillips. Hip-hop/jazz improv collective Coloring Time (whose core members include No Bird Sing’s Joe Horton, Graham O’Brien and Bobby Mulrennan, Peter Wolf Crier’s Peter Pisano and Casey O’Brien from Face Candy) will round out the night. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Elixery site
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH
Al Church and State + Nightinghales + Puppies and Trains
@ Amsterdam Bar & Hall
6 W 6th Street
St. Paul
10 pm / 21+ / FREE
Local power-pop quintet Al Church and State – fronted by crooner Al Church – head up a lineup worth sinking your teeth into Saturday night. The Weezer-copping band’s sound has since evolved to include some touches of ’70s classic rock, with power chords and high-low harmonies galore. They’re joined by Brit pop rockers the Nightinghales, which features a lineup of long-time Twin Cities garage rockers who wouldn’t be out of place in the 1970s. They dig their inspiration from American blues-inspired British bands (the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, the Byrds) and channel it into some impressively tight, intense, rollicking live shows. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Amsterdam Bar & Hall site
Al Church & State
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH
Bob Mould plays “Copper Blue” & “Silver Age” (w/ All Eyes West)
@ First Avenue
701 1st Avenue N
Minneapolis
6 pm / 18+ / $25
I’ve heard it said a billion times by some people I genuinely respect that there is no point to looking back nostalgically in your own musical catalog – that way lies insanity, they say, and only in moving forward can progression really happen. I say: fuck that, and here’s proof – Silver Age, a deliberate attempt to capture the heavy-guitars-and-great-tunes approach of Bob Mould’s early-’90s band Sugar, is his best album since probably, well, Sugar. I’d argue that the electronic avenues he was exploring sapped some of the energy/passion outta his songwriting, turning it into a purely intellectual/personal exercise, and only in reclaiming the rock did he finally find some god-damn inspirado, delivering an album of completely solid, punky songwriting that recalls (and stands alongside, thank you) his best Sugar and Hüskers work. At this live show he’s playing Sugar’s masterpiece Copper Blue (which I think stands alongside any Hüsker Dü album you’d care to throw at it – yes, even Zen Arcade) and the entirety of Silver Age – it’s a can’t miss. -Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the First Avenue site
An Evening with David Byrne + St. Vincent
@ State Theater
805 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis
8 pm / All Ages / $39-$79
Unlike the Lou Reed/Metallica pairing (which, of course, I love, perversely), the collab of OG New Waver David Byrne and new blood Annie Clark aka St. Vincent makes total sense – both know their way around a herky-jerky polyrhythm, and both know how to marry that to a sense of melody/hook that elevates it beyond just dance-qua-dance into the realm of great songwriting. You’ve heard their alt-radio hit “Who,” a terrific slab of cool saxophone honking and magnificent harmony singing that sounds a bit more Byrne than Clark, honestly – their album, Love This Giant, is pretty damn consistent to those standards, veering between her-led and him-led songs pretty smoothly and working magnificently with that killer horn section to make some killer art-rock, both glacially slow/pretty and fast/angular. Honestly, it reminds me a lot of XTC’s Apple Venus Vol. 1, relying on horns/drums where that album used strings and neither album uses standard rock instrumentation. You figure it’s gotta be killer live. -Jon Hunt
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH
Hip Hop Harambee Block Party
@ Nomad World Pub
501 Cedar Avenue S
Minneapolis
2 pm-10 pm block party, 10 pm-2 am after party / 18+ / $10 in advance, $15 at the door
What the what?! Did someone sneak a peak at our early letter to Santa? Because this block party is straight off our wish list. The event stars the inimitable Talib Kweli (with live band!), a man who’s achieved critical and commercial success both as a solo artist, and also as a member of Black Star with close cohort, Mos Def. Then you’ve got Lizzo & Larva Ink, who can only be described as a modernized version of The Supremes layered over some seriously danceable beats, and supported by tight staccato raps. And you’ll be happy to know that Sims is performing as well, since the kids need their Doomtree fix. Fifteen musical acts are on schedule to perform, a hefty bill that practically guarantees you’ll walk away with a new favorite artist. It’s followed up by a bangin’ hip hop afterparty with That Dude Trey and Slam Dunkapher on the main level, and yet another house/electronic party upstairs hosted by Toki Wright. -Beth Hammarlund
Click HERE for the Hip Hop Harambee site
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH
BLACK’s 5 Year Anniversary Party #2: Todd Edwards
@ The Record Room at First Avenue
701 1st Avenue N
Minneapolis
10 pm / 18+ / $12
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 and techno music, both local and non. This month, they’re celebrating five years all month long with a series of weekly parties. This week’s edition curated by BLACK residents Particle People and Soul Identity, and features house legend and godfather of UK garage, Todd Edwards, who’s collaborated with the ever-more-legendary Daft Punk – Edwards co-produced, co-wrote, and sang on the Daft Punk song “Face to Face” on their breakthrough 2001 album Discovery. Also playing: Bryan Gerrad, Matt Veloce, and Havens + Hart (aka aka JD Havens and Aaron Bliss). -Juleana Enright/Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the First Avenue site
Todd Edwards
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH
Forever Young Homecoming Dance Party
@ James Ballentine VFW Post 246
2916 Lyndale Avenue S
Minneapolis
9 pm-2 am / 21+ / $5 with RSVP or before 10 pm, $7 cover after
After a summer hiatus, the most popular dance party in Uptown is officially ready to debut in a larger space at its home at the VFW. To kick the season off, hosts Chris Cloud of MPLS.TV and MC Jacobs are throwing the homecoming dance of your dreams. Dance to late ’90s and early 2000s tunes from your favorite artists of the time including OutKast, Salt N Pepa, Destiny’s Child, Chumbawamba, Blink 182, Aaliyah, Whitney, Nelly, Missy, JT, Kanye, Madonna and more, spun by Forever Young resident DJs MC Jacobs, Nah Nah F Dat, Maychin and Young Baby Ander Other. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Facebook event to RSVP
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH
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, SEPTEMBER 16TH
Littlefoot Vinyl Release
@ 7th Street Entry
701 First Avenue N
Minneapolis
8 pm doors / 18+ / $5
Sunday celebrates the vinyl release of Littlefoot, vocalist and musician Elizabeth McDowell. Though she lives in the Twin Cites, she has strong connections to the indie rock scene in Bologna, Italy, and is thus releasing her album Symbol Of Love on the Italian label Soothing Almonds Collective (distributed in the U.S. via Minneapolis’ Modern Radio Records). Littlefoot plays well-formed, electronic indie pop, with breezy, beautiful vocals. Both other-wordly and super accessible, this pretty pop music is reminiscent of defunct Minneapolis favorites Lookbook. Also playing are minimalist noise act Visions of Christ, beat makers Deep Sea Guts – which includes Fog’s Andrew Broder, Mystery Palace’s Ryan Olcott, and Votel’s Mark McGee – as well as electronic dance party starters Enola Gay (whose members you may remember from Chelsea Boys) and techno prog duo Lewis and Burnett (two former members of Moonstone Continuum). -Danielle Morris
Click HERE for the First Avenue site
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH
Cloud Nothings w/ Bloodnstuff + Chomp
@ Amsterdam Bar & Hall
6 W 6th Street
St. Paul
7 pm / 18+ / $12 advance, $14 at the door
What started off as a Wipers/Sunny Day Real Estate-inspired bedroom project of an 18-year-old Dylan Baldi became a full-fledged band after the self-titled debut garnered buzz and a subsequent tour. With their latest, Attack on Memory released early this year, the noisy Cleveland rockers balances their atonal, anti-melody sound with a slickly produced facade, complete with big choruses, a solid rhythm section, and plenty-o-screaming. The production comes courtesy of none other than Steve Albini, whose touch (most famously heard on Nirvana’s In Utero) is unmistakable. Opening are Twin Cities’ own hard-emo rockers Bloodnstuff, who make magically heavy, gigantic guitar-driven rock that sounds like the work of forty mighty men on stage – and of course, it’s just the two of ‘em whipping out that racket, and Ohio band Chomp, which features members of Spacer Ace, Cloud Nothings, Swindlella, Black Puddle Noise, and Total Babes. -Jahna Peloquin/Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the Amsterdam Bar & Hall site
Cloud Nothings
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH
The 9/16s Show
@ Icehouse
2528 Nicollet Avenue
Minneapolis
9 p.m. / 21+ / Free
Now this is what we call a super group, even if they only get together to play but once a year. Five birthdays will be rung in at tonight as the 9/16s wrap up a smokin’ set of some of their collectively favorite cover songs. The celebratory annual jam sesh features birthday boys (and girl) Jeremy Ylvisaker (Alpha Consumer, Dosh), Matt Darling (Honeydogs), Trent Norton (Honeydogs), Joey Van Phillips (Mystery Palace, Dessa), and Janey Winterbauer (Astronaut Wife, New Standards). “The birthright band” plays one set, once a year, so you best not miss out. -Staff
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH
MODE
@ Honey
205 E Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis
Monthly night MODE lets some of the cities’ most innovative DJs the opportunity to let their hair down and play music that is more geared toward lounging than toward the dance floor. This month’s lineup includes producer/rapper/DJ Enron Hubbard featuring Franz Diego of the monthly Turnt Up dance night, California DJ/live vocalist Hydrah, Too Much Love regular DJ B. Carter Grimes, and MODE resident DJ Westin. Check the vid crafted for this month’s edition below to get a taste. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
Editor in Chief: Jahna Peloquin / Header design by Caroline Royce / Contributors: Juleana Enright, Anthony Enright, Jon Hunt, Danielle Morris, Chelsea Streich, Beth Hammarlund, Jahna Peloquin.
