by staff
This weekend is a good one for music fans. Indie country holdovers the Old 97s are in town on their “Too Far To Care” 15th Anniversary Tour, as are indie rock legends Dinosaur Jr., grunge/psych legends the Smashing Pumpkins and Japanese cartoon punks Peelander-Z. It’s also a good weekend for dancing with shows from Chicago’s Hood Internet, soul nights Hipshaker and Hotpants, and dance nights Wants Vs. Needs, Hands High and more. So get out there, hear some great music, and don’t forget to wear your dancing shoes!
xo, l’étoile
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18TH
MAEP: “Broc Blegen & Binod Shrestha” Opening Reception
@ Minneapolis Institute of Arts
2400 3rd Avenue S
Minneapolis
7-9 pm (runs through December 30) / All ages / FREE
Fresh off the heels of the politicized “This Will Have Been” exhibition at the Walker, you will have the chance to again ponder reappropriation and political turbulence at the MIA this weekend for the opening of Broc Blegan’s “Coming Out Party” and Binod Shrestha’s “Remnants and Ruminations” in the MAEP Gallery. Blegan’s cheeky “George W Bush Monument” – an inflatable testimony to the dethroned president placed in D.C. moments after Obama took office – gives you an idea of the artist’s conceptual repertoire. Shrestha gives voice to marginalized Nepalese political figures through broken and scarred earthenware. The artist’s firsthand experience of Nepalese civil war and bloodshed inform his abstract, organic and haunting works. Both artists explore political perceptions, perspectives, and transience in a way that just might encourage museum-visitors rethink the permanence of “China’s Terracotta Warriors” soon to visit the MIA. -Chloe Nelson
Broc Blegen "Bruce Nauman, Run From Fear Fun From Rear"
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18TH
MIA’s Third Thursdays: Open Portfolio
@ Minneapolis Institute of Arts
2400 3rd Avenue S
Minneapolis
6-9 pm / All ages / FREE
Peruse and purchase work from upcoming Twin Cities printmakers, like Christopher Alday’s whimsical prints on found paper. Even the most vehement scribe would hesitate to tarnish the paper creations from Raychel Stenibach with even word, she juxtaposes the earthly and ethereal so beautifully. Minneapolis-based neo-new wave band CLAPS will perform the free events, with refreshments for sale and coupons for a free drink at Icehouse while they last! -Ryn Gibson
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18TH
“Il Tempo Vola”
@ Dakota Lodge
1800 Stassen Lane
W. St. Paul
6:30 pm doors, 7 pm show / All ages / VIP $20, GA $8 in advance or $10 at the door
The Italian “Il Tempo Vola” means “time flies,” the theme of this pre-Halloween fashion show and tea party from local neo-Victorian lines. KMK Designs and Scoundrelle’s Keep celebrate their new collaborative line with a tea party-themed fashion show. The evening also includes an emerging designer showcase with six up-and-coming names. VIP tickets are $20 and include reserved seating and swag bags that include some pretty products from local beauty line the Elixery. -Alexandra Katz
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18TH
Dinosaur Jr. w/ Shearwater
@ The Cabooze
917 Cedar Avenue S
Minneapolis
7:30 pm / 18+ / $25
That Dinosaur Jr. would reunite with their original lineup – J Mascis, Lou Barlow and Murph – is remarkable enough. Even more remarkable is that they’ve managed to stay together through three modern-era albums (with no fighting!) and maintain their high level of quality, songwriting-wise. At this point, you know what to expect from the band to some extent — the candied melodies are still there on I Bet On Sky, their latest, surrounded by the pummeling layer of guitar fuzz (tho nowhere near the level from the first few albums) and rough-and-ready playing the band has always been known for. The contrast between Mascis’ pop writing and Barlow’s idiosyncratic tunes is still there, and remarkably none of it sounds remotely out of date given the sudden hipness of the Dino sound (see: Yuck and their ilk). Openers Shearwater play a kind of angular new-wave-influenced, slightly-progressive brand of indie pop colored by dark moods and a Talk Talk-ish attention to details. A great night of songwriting. -Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the First Avenue site
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18TH
Old 97s “Too Far To Care” 15th Anniversary Tour w Rhett Miller + Salim Nourallah
@ First Avenue
701 1st Avenue N
Minneapolis
6 pm / 18+ / $22
Too Far To Care, the Old 97′s third album, is now 15 years old. At the time, the combo of punky energy, indie sensibility and country twang sounded future-thinking. Now, after years of alt-country and No Depression music, it sounds almost quaint – imagine thinking honest, balls-out country might take over for the gloss of Nashville’s establishment (it didn’t, but, you know, it totally did). It stands, however, as a great example of that genre – pretty close to what Jay Farrar was doing at the same time, a combo of ’90s indie songwriting and some old-fashioned bluegrass and first-wave country, with a fine helping of emotionalism on top and some terrific songwriting to boot. Not as forward-thinking as Wilco, nor as morose as Farrar’s Son Volt, it’s a sprightly, frequently celebratory record – the kind of thing you’d listen to late night at Lee’s Liquor Lounge with a cute girl/boy and a cold can of PBR. You know, a great night. This tour finds the band playing the album all the way through – if you were a fan back in the day, it’s a great celebration; if not, it’s a good way to discover ‘em. -Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the First Avenue site
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18TH
Regina Spektor w/ Only Son
@ State Theatre
805 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis
7:30 pm / All ages / $38.50 & $48.50
Regina Spektor, if you’ve never heard of her, is part of a klatch of female singer-songwriters – see also Fiona Apple, Amanda Palmer, etc. – who weave non-rock influences (Tin Pan Alley songwriting, jazz, and of course ’60s folk music) into a breed of totally idiosyncratic songwriting characterized by a sharp, interesting wit. Her latest, What We Saw From The Cheap Seats, is an engaging listen – nowhere near as morose/insane as Fiona Apple can be, of course, but still interesting as hell, with a sharp way with melody and unafraid of both beats and a little humor. Listen, for example, to the almost Roger Waters-y cynicism of “The Party,” or the bubbliness of “Don’t Leave Me (Ne me quitte pas).” She’s also a piano whiz, and her live shows spotlight her classically-trained piano abilities. -Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the Hennepin Theatre Trust site
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18TH
Wake Magazine‘s Homecoming Show feat. Umami + Red Daughters + Art School Girls
@ Triple Rock Social Club
629 Cedar Avenue
Minneapolis
8 pm doors / 18+ / $5
U of M’s Student-run magazine Wake is celebrating Homecoming Week a week late, and they’re skipping the frat party and dipping out of campus in favor of a down ‘n’ dirty rock show at the T-Rock. The lineup includes Red Daughters, who play a kind of aggressive mashup of skittering indie pop and the soundtrack to the best Western movie you’ve ever seen. Their songs are absolutely laden with organ and guitar angularity, not a million miles from where Kings of Leon probably should have ended up if they hadn’t gone horribly wrong, with a bit of rural Band-isms thrown in for good measure. Also on the bill are Umami, playing a similarly distorted, electronic based music, heavy on the live percussion and the rock and roll posing, almost like a darker, danker Talking Heads. Opening are Art School Girls, a new project featuring members of hip hop crew Audio Perm. -Staff
Click HERE for the Triple Rock Social Club site
NIGHTLY THROUGH OCTOBER 31ST
The Haunted Basement
@ Soap Factory
514 Second Street SE
Minneapolis
6 pm-midnight / 18+ / $22
Okay, so you’re the kind of fellow who’s lulled to sleep by The Exorcist. You think The Shining is for pussies. The Japanese horror collection is mere child’s play. Yeah, we get it, you can handle your horror…when safely ensconced by your giant LCD screen. But how brave, my little friend, will you be with there’s nothing standing between you and your worst nightmares? Enter: the Soap Factory’s long-awaited, long-feared Haunted Basement. Believe us, the artists behind this event don’t mess around. They painstakingly work to make every detail – every dim-lit bedroom, every satanic scene, every vomit stench – as terrifying as possible. As if the basement of the Soap Factory old digs isn’t scary enough, renowned local theater director Noah Bremer in collaboration with special effects makeup artist Kristen Leigh, the smell engineers from the St. Croix Sensory, and a talented team of local artists and costume designers join forces to scare the living shit out of you while highlighting the grotesque perversion of the mundane. Tickets sell out quick. So get yours now, or we’ll just assume you’re a weeny. -Juleana Enright
Click HERE for the Soap Factory site
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18TH
Nato Coles & The Blue Diamond Band Tour Kick-off w/ Sand Creeps + Strong City + The Right Here
@ Hexagon Bar
2600 27th Avenue S
Minneapolis
10 pm / 21+ / FREE
The perennial dive Hexagon Bar will play host to a rowdy group of gentleman playing punk rock in a variety of tasty flavors this weekend. If you missed headliners Nato Coles and the Blue Diamond Band singing your favorite jingle at their Grumpy’s live karaoke gig, do not fear! You can hear them jangle and revive good ol’ Minneapolis rock n’ roll before they take off on tour. On hand will be Springsteen-esque odes to the heartland and all the power chords fit to print. Opening for the Blue Diamond Band, Cedar Falls natives Strong City bring angst-driven pop punk, Sand Creeps grunge it up, and The Right Here balance out the medley with some rockabilly-meets-punk twang. Raise your PBR to some rock-solid head-banging joviality. -Chloe Nelson
FRIDAY OCTOBER 19TH
“Fusion+Fashion”
@ Aria at Jeune Lune
105 North First Street
Minneapolis
7 pm doors, 8:30 pm show / $55 IIDA members, $45 IIDA student members, $75 non-members
The local chapter of the International Interior Design Association is back with another edition of its annual charity event, Fusion+Fashion. Not your average show, designers are challenged, Project Runway-style, to create couture from a “built environment.” The outfit in question can be made of anything that is not naturally occurring. Pantone Color of the Year, Tangerine Tango, is this year’s color scheme, and the audience is encouraged to wear all back to offset the bright stage. Appropriately, Project Runway alumni, including locals Raul Osorio and Christopher Straub, will be judges. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to People Serving People, a local homeless shelter. -Alexandra Katz
Click HERE for the IIDA Northland site
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19TH-SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21ST (RUNS THROUGH OCTOBER 28TH)
Ballet of the Dolls present “The Peruvian Nightingale”
@ Ritz Theater
345 13th Avenue NE
Northeast
8 pm / All Ages / $22.50 to $27.50
Choreographer Myron Johnson is one of the most established artists in the creative community, and since 1986, his ballet troupe Ballet of the Dolls have approached the artform with a sensibility that defies convention. Inspired by Peru and Yma Sumac, the choreography of their latest production, “The Peruvian Nightingale,” is both fanciful and organic. And as usual, the costumes and set design promise to be a visual feast. And since Ballet of the Dolls performs at the Ritz Theater, there are plenty of options for a sophisticated supper before the show or drinks with friends afterward. -Beth Hammarlund
Click HERE for the Ballet of the Dolls site
FRIDAY OCTOBER 19TH–SUNDAY OCTOBER 21ST
Sandbox Theatre presents “Beatnik Giselle”
@ Southern Theater
1420 Washington Avenue S
Minneapolis
8 pm / $30
Sandbox Theatre’s reputation for creating challenging, highly stylized works that blur the line between dance and narrative theater is sure to be enhanced with this provocative reimagining of the classic French ballet/ghost story Giselle. Created as an ensemble, Sandbox’s collaborative process has produced a dark, uneasy vision that merges the raw, gritty immediacy of the 1950s Beat Movement with the evocative tragedy of this grim love story while exploring issues of gender, sexuality, race and entitlement. With adult themes, salty language and frank sexuality, this stark piece is not for the faint of heart and intended for mature audiences. If you’re looking for a powerful and possibly transformative piece of local theater, the Southern is the place to be this weekend. -Anthony Enright
Click HERE for the Sandbox Theatre site
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19TH & SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
The Retros presents “Scarface”
Mueller Family Theaters, Willow Creek Cinema
Shelard Parkway
St. Louis Park
11:30 pm / $5.50
Off Shelard Parkway and 169, the Willow Creek Theater is one of the most pleasant of multiplexes outside the shadow of the city and in the calm of the suburbs. With a kindly staff of folks who seem to be working in a movie theater because they like movies (and some of the most economically feasible of concessions to boot!), the Willow Creek has always persevered to bring back the classics, relaunching their Retro Midnight series in full-throttle with Brian De Palma’s controversial 1983 remake starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee whose determination aids him in rising to the top of Miami’s cocaine business. Written by Oliver Stone, Scarface is a politically-charged portrait of gangs and the drug war, and to say it lacks subtlety is a gross understatement. But the film’s excessiveness in machismo and profane dialogue, in addition to Pacino’s deliciously over-the-top acting which savors the ock-iness of every f-word, shouldn’t make us watch Scarface as an epic of the wasted American Dream, but rather as a hilarious tragedy in the superfluous mode of Titus Andronicus. Like Miami Vice (which soon followed), Scarface is glitz and gore, shining white suits stained by red, mirroring the tempo of its prosperity-gospel times. The institutions of law and business are as inherently corrupt – and colorful! – as the thriving underworld. And yet for all of Montana’s unruliness, he’s a loveable teddy-bear (“I tole you! No wife and kids, man!), making Scarface a contradictory affair of social critique and audience hero-worship. But the sexist, racist, and homophobic stuff is an impediment only for those who don’t want to have good time. Scarface might be irresponsible, but it’s still one of the most sheer fun epics ever made. Its addictively quotable lines (of dialogue, not cocaine) only recently got a new bounce: “This country, first you get the money. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the binders full of women.” Thanks, Tony. -Niles Schwartz
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19TH
“Someplace Else” Opening Reception
@ Friedman Iverson
2609 Aldrich Avenue S #102
Minneapolis
(behind the CC Club)
6-10 pm / All ages / FREE
Arts-friendly law firm, Friedman Iverson continues to put their money where their mouths are with yet another cool exhibit. Stop in on Friday evening to lay eyes on work by artists Jonathan Hamilton and Steven Lang, whose respective mediums range from textural paintings to obscure photography. Hamilton, who holds a BFA and a certification in K-12 arts education earned his chops leading creative workshops for schools and other organizations and working as the Director of Visual Arts at Interact Center for the Arts and as an exhibition technician at the MIA – all the while honing his craft. Artist/writer Steven Lang, on the other hand, has made the rounds at some of our favorite local galleries including SooVAC and Rosalux; he also recently completed a residency at Elsewhere, the much-buzzed-about thrift store cum art space in Greensboro, NC. While you’re there, be sure to whip out your smart phone and contribute to the Instagram Photo Contest: Simply snap a pic with the hashtag #hipsterartgallery under the theme of “things you wouldn’t expect to see at a law office” to guide your artistic direction. The photos will be fed to a screen in the office and at the end of the night a prize will be awarded to the most imaginative photo! Complimentary snacks and sips will be provided along with fresh beats a la DJ Jake Luck of Yeti Records. -Kate Iverson
Click HERE for the Friedman Iverson site
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19TH-SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21ST (RUNS THROUGH OCTOBER 31ST)
The Butcher Shop: House of Gore!
@ 1444 E. Reaney Avenue
St. Paul
5-11pm / All Ages, but intended for an adult audience / $5
Like a good scare? Willing to let strangers in frightening costumes grab at you? Got $5? Celebrate Halloween the way that it’s meant to be celebrated, in a dilapidated house filled with black lights, emotionally abusive actors and fake blood! Or is it real blood? Is it your blood?! Will there be spiders? Probably. Monsters? Certainly. A tent at the end filled with qualified professionals trained to help you cope with your agonizing case of PTSD? Probably not. The Butcher Shop: House of Gore! is not legally responsible for you being a wuss. -Beth Hammarlund
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19TH
Brute Heart performs a live score for “The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari” w/ MAKR
@ Cedar Cultural Center
416 Cedar Avenue
Minneapolis
7 pm doors, 7:30 pm show / All ages / $8
After the haunting success Dark Dark Dark achieved scoring Fritz Lang’s silent classic Spies at last year’s Summer Movies & Music series, the Walker decided to commission another local act to add some dark favor to the final film in this summer’s series. Brilliantly paired alongside the 1920′s German proto-horror film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Brute Heart’s experimental chamber-rock ensemble composed a perfectly ominous, yet unpredictable score for a film that dwells in the shadows of madness. A wildly sinister film full of “mystery, arty Expressionistic flourishes, moments of fun melodrama and sociopolitical undertones,” Dr. Caligari foreshadows Hitler’s regime by exploring the diabolical Dr. Caligari and his masterful control over a somnambulist, zombified life form. If you missed it the first time, or just thought it was too magnificent to be witnessed once, you’re in luck. Tonight, the Cedar collaborates with Brute Heart for a full-on Caligari experience – fittingly in time for Halloween – featuring Brute Heart providing the live score, insane set designs by Jonathan Kaiser, shadow projections by Christopher Allen and soundscapes by opening local project MAKR. Get your hands on a recording of the score and t-shirts! Let the darkness take you. -Juleana Enright
Click HERE for Paper Darts’ recent interview with the band
Click HERE for the Cedar Cultural Center site
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19TH
Yelawolf w/ Rittz + Trouble Andrew + DJ Vajra
@ Epic
110 N 5th Street
Minneapolis
9 pm doors, 10 pm show / 18+ / $25 GA, $35 VIP (21+ only)
Its a night of down and dirty hip hop at Epic on Friday night. The Alabama rapper Yelawolf will grace the stage and and the crowd will surely go buck wild. He’s a skinny, heavily-tattooed white, skater-looking dude who happens to be a super-talented rapper and a dynamic performer. His fans are all over the map – from juggalos, to suburban high school kids to hipsters and oldsters, a Yelawof shows brings all kinds together and whips them to a frenzy, particularly with his infectious hit “Good to Go.” It’s sure to be a wild night. -Danielle Morris
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19TH
Widowspeak w/ Magic Castles + Bollywood
@ 7th Street Entry
701 1st Avenue N
Minneapolis
8 pm doors / 18+ / $10
Picture yourself in a moody spaghetti western. You’re a strong-willed saloon keeper named Vienna with a volatile relationship with the townsfolk. You’re in love with a reformed gunslinger nicknamed “The Dancin’ Kid,” a restless cowboy with a jilted past. Your enemy is the sexually-ambitious Emma Small, head of the ruthless “justice” posse the McIvers set out for vengeance and a bloodbath…Okay, well maybe all of that is just the premise of ’50s film Johnny Guitar, but doesn’t it set the scene for the hollowed-out ache-y rock of Brooklyn-based Widowspeak? Singer/songwriter Molly Hamilton’s fatalistic croon resembles at best the bluesy swoon of ’90s haze goddess Hope Sandoval, with help from bandmates in the form of wistful guitar twang, abrasive guitar hooks, incessant codas and ’50s jukebox moodiness. They’re dreary but poppy; rusty with a skeleton of lace. Western longing at its best. Tonight, don’t miss a chance to sway and cry into your beer as Widowspeak takes the stage with openers Magic Castles and Bollywood. -Juleana Enright
Click HERE for the First Avenue site
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19TH
Radio K’s Off the Record Presents: Gigawatt XI w/ A. Wolf & Her Claws + Phantom Tails + Aaron & the Sea
@ Hell’s Kitchen
80 South 9th Street
Minneapolis
10 pm / 18+ / $5
Radio K steps out of the studio and into one of your favorite hangs for their bi-monthly K Gigawatt concert series. Handpicked by the hosts of Radio K’s “Off the Record”, the finely curated local lineup will perform at Hell’s Kitchen, and feature a mix of electronic influenced bands. A. Wolf & Her Claws, Phantom Trails, and Aaron and the Sea will all take the stage while you nosh on a wide variety of late-night bites, including actual menu item: State Fair cheese curds. Live music and night cheese? Life is good. -Emily Cain
Click HERE for the Hell’s Kitchen site
BONUS: Check out Phantom Tails’ new video for “Only Your Eyes” below:
Alpha Consumer w/ Frankie Lee + Dosh DJ set
@ Icehouse
2528 Nicollet Avenue S
Minneapolis
11 pm / 21+ / $6
Friday is another excellent night of music at the ever popular new venue in town Icehouse. Alpha Consumer, one of the best super groups in Minneapolis, is comprised of JT Bates on drums, Mike Lewis on bass and Jeremy Ylvisaker on guitar. The prolific members of the band have played with other groups such as Happy Apple, Fat Kid Wednesdays, Marijuana Deathsquads, Guitar Party, Bon Iver and a bunch of other really good bands. They came together with Alpha Consumer to write to really good pop songs that have a slightly more lo-fi sound and ranges from ambient to loud-and-fast rock. Super good music from some of the Twin Cities’ super talents. Also playing is troubadour of sorts, Frankie Lee, who can be seen regularly backing the amazing Miss Molly Maher, and Martin Dosh will also be DJing throughout the night. -Danielle Morris
Click HERE for the Icehouse site
Alpha Consumer
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19TH
Hipshaker
@ Kitty Cat Klub
315 14th Avenue SE
Minneapolis
9 pm / 21+ / $5
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, is still going strong, basking in the glow of its recent ten-year anniversary and a new switch from Thursday to Fridays. Expect rare soul and R&B 45s spun by resident DJs Brian Engel and Greg Waletski plus special guest DJ Mike Elias, aka DJ Fathertime. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19TH
BOMP
@ Ground Zero
15 4th Street NE
Minneapolis
10 pm / 18+ / $5 with RSVP, $10 without
Get ready for a delirious dance fest. The raucous monthly dance night that formerly called the Bedlam Theater and Nick and Eddie home recently has been popping up at various locations throughout the Twin Cities, giving the dance night an anything-can-happen twist. For this month’s Halloween edition, it lands at an appropriately spooky place: goth club Ground Zero. The whole DJ crew is back in action: the Moongoons, Wzz Wnshp, Plain Ole Bill, Jimmy2Times and Shannon Blowtorch, so get ready to throw down. -Staff
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19TH
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 and Petey Wheatstraw plus ex-pat WvsN member Anton, who’s visiting from New York, 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
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19TH
HITMIX
@ Honey
205 E Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis
10 pm / 21+ / $5
Friday night is sufficiently packed with dance nights, but we couldn’t leave out HITMIX, a new night from the heavy-hitting duo of DJs Bach and Anthem Heart, who know a thing or two about throwing a banger. Expect a crowd-pleasing dance mix that’s sure to get your booty poppin’. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
West Bank Walking Tour
Starts @ Nomad World Pub
501 Cedar Ave
Minneapolis
10 am-noon / All Ages / $15 ($10 Minnesota History Center members)
Maybe you’ve moshed and Triple Doubled at the Triple Rock, drank waaaay too much coffee and indulged in vegan french toast at Hard Times, and disregarded cleanliness standards for a killer hot dog at the Weinery, but do you really know the West Bank? Dubbed “timeless” and “Minneapolis’ answer to the Haight Ashbury,” by Jim Walsh, the West Bank is one of the cities’ most soulful, story-matic neighborhoods whose halcyon music scene boasted expats like Bob Dylan and Bonnie Raitt, local legends Spider John Koerner, Lazy Bill Lucas, Judy Larson and Willie Murphy. Saturday, as part of the Minnesota History Center’s History Crawls, join your fellow West Bank enthusiasts for a walk down memory lane as the walking tour recounts the lore of the West Bank’s music scene. Leave from the Nomad, wander around Cedar Ave, hitting up neighborhood haunts like Palmer’s, the Triangle Bar and the original Electric Fetus, and don’t be surprised if you encounter some big West Bank personalities on your journey. Miss the tour the first time? Don’t worry the West Bank Walking Tour strikes again Saturday, October 20. Same time; same place. -Juleana Enright
Click HERE for the Minnesota History Center site
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
MPLS Tweed Ride
@ The Rose Gardens (start point)
4124 Roseway Road
Minneapolis
5:45pm – 2am / Free
Do you feel the need; the need for tweed? Well start feeling it because it’s that time of year again, time to enjoy the beautiful Fall weather and our lively biking city by donning your most dapper duds and darting to and fro with a flock of fashionable fellows (and ladies). You’ll get a nickel tour of the city including lovely parks, fine eating and drinking establishments, classic stone arch bridges (it’s a secret which one) and a penultimate dance party at NE hotspot Ginger Hop. Along the way you’ll get a chance to imbibe along the beautiful Mississippi River and take in the city while enjoying some cycling camaraderie. The tour includes a group photo and best dressed contest (dapperest gent and most fetching lady), so scour your wardrobe for an appropriately tweedy ensemble so you look your best. This yearly event seems to get bigger and more exciting every year and is a highlight of the autumn for most Twin Cities cyclists; come out and see what all the hub-bub is about! -Anthony Enright
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
Photo by CarlsQuinn
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
Yeti Records Mobile Unveiling Record Sale & Show
@ Brockway Stringed Instruments
4534 Nicollet Avenue S
Minneapolis
When owners Lisa and Jake Luck started Yeti Records in the fall of ’10, the intent was to be an all-used record shop catering to the local community that united indie music lovers, music makers, creatives and record diggers alike. With a slew of 50 cent sales, live in-store performances, musical story hours and Art Beer Records evenings featuring – you guessed it – local art, records and brewskies, one can definitely say they’ve lived up to their end of the bargain. This summer, the Lucks decided to swap the brick and mortar and take their biz to the streets with a mobile records shop. With the shop packed up, inventory downsized and the records truck loaded up with vinyl gems, Yeti is ready to embrace their role as first record truck in the Twin Cities. They unveil their mobile record shop with a sale and show this weekend, which includes live music from Paul Metzger and Tiny Fantasy. BONUS: Share the below flier with your Facebook and Twitter friends and tag them (@yetirecords on Twitter) in it, and they will send you a coupon for a deal at the event. -Juleana Enright
Click HERE for Juleana Enright’s Q&A with Yeti Records’ Lisa and Jake Luck for The Culturator
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH & SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21ST (THROUGH OCTOBER 31ST)
Chicka-Boom! BareBones Puppets Halloween Extravanganza
@ Hidden Falls Regional Park, North Gate
1305 Mississippi River Blvd S
St. Paul
7 pm nightly / All ages / Suggested Donation of $5 to $20
The Halloween season is in full swing. Thrift stores are packed with frugal costume shoppers and haunted houses have popped up on every corner. One of the spookiest destinations is without a doubt Chicka-Boom! the BareBones Puppets Halloween Extravaganza. With five shows to choose from, you’re sure to find a time to fit your busy Halloween schedule. Expect creepy puppets, fire stunts, death-defying stilts, reanimation, summoning of the dead and general necromancing. Okay, we might have gotten a little carried away there, but not by much! Puppets are freaky, man. -Beth Hammarlund
Click HERE for the BareBones Productions site
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
“Line Dance: Glass Block Photography by Polly Norman” Opening Reception
@ Fox Tax
503 1st Avenue NE
Minneapolis
6-10 pm (runs through December 7) / All ages / FREE
We love art with an inventive process. We love it even more when that process is so layered that it’s hard to tell what steps were taken to produce such an effect. Painter/photographer Polly Norman’s work definitely has us wondering. The process involves Norman photographing everyday objects and situations through a block of glass, then layering in photograms, and finally adding hand-painted elements to the actual archival print. The results are gorgeous, watery abstractions that own both elemental and structural qualities, with a quietly brilliant balance of color and light. Norman has shown locally, nationally, and internationally and was a finalist for the 2010 Bush Foundation Artist Fellowship and the 2004 McKnight Foundation Photography Fellowship. Be sure to put Fox Tax on your artsy itinerary this Saturday to catch a glimpse of this thoughtful, enticing work. -Kate Iverson
Click HERE for the Fox Tax site
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
The Smashing Pumpkins w/ Anberlin
@ Roy Wilkins Auditorium
175 Kellogg Boulevard W
St. Paul
7:30 pm / All ages / $45
Don’t say that Billy Corgan doesn’t invite the hate: publishing a book of banal poetry, resisting to play “the hits,” going on about God, Love, and Forgiveness while refusing to drop grudges and feuds with former bandmates and his photographic negative, Pavement’s Stephen Malkmus. Corgan entertains idiocy like only an emotionally and psychologically fragile genius can, and that gave him an edge over other alt-rock musicians. His bombast and production values were sneered at by the Steve Albinis of the world, but the neuroses and longings of the Smashing Pumpkins were real, twisted as they were elaborate. The Pumpkins’ early output of the soul-powered Siamese Dream, the colorfully epic Mellon Collie & the Infinite Sadness, and the soft nocturnal poignancy of Adore defined my youth. I remained faithful to Corgan long after the rest of the world moved on. Just as I was on the verge of finally breaking up with Corgan, thanks to some ill words directed towards ex-drummer Jimmy Chamberlain and a sudden embrace of Alex Jones conspiracy paranoia, he pulled me back in. The Pumpkins’ new album Oceania might be closer to Corgan the Awkward Sage than the sublime Rat-in-the-Cage, but it’s still terrific, pounding forth with momentum on tunes like “Quasar” and “Panopticon” and exuding the angst of an aging man in “The Celestials,” “My Love is Winter,” “Violet Rays,” and the album’s epic title track. Joined by guitarist Jeff Schroeder, bassist Nicole Fiorentino and drummer Mike Byrne, it’s possibly Corgan’s most effective effort of working collaboratively since Mellon Collie. On tour, Corgan again courts criticism and boos by playing the new album in its entirety before getting to the “hits.” But even in his sourest years, he’s been a dazzling showman of 150-plus minute performances and awesome stage presence, and Saturday promises some classic hits in addition to deeper cuts (“XYU” and “Soot and Stars” have been recently featured). -Niles Schwartz
Click HERE for the Roy Wilkens Auditorium site
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
Vogue|Trash: Costume Fashion Ball
@ Patrick’s Cabaret
3010 Minnehaha Avenue
Minneapolis
7 pm / All ages / $10 general admission, $20 VIP
If you’ve got it, flaunt it. Whether you’re modeling or spectating, the third annual Vogue|Trash Costume Fashion Ball invites you to strut your stuff, enjoy local avant-garde fashion and performance art, and boogie the night away- all in the name of philanthropy. The fashion show and benefit supports Patrick’s Cabaret, a one-of-its-kind arts organization located in the heart of South Minneapolis. For the past 25 years, Patrick’s Cabaret has provided an accessible, friendly space for artists to rehearse and perform their work. So kick up your heels, enjoy an adult bevy, and toast the town you do-gooder you. -Emily Cain
Click HERE for the Patrick’s Cabaret site
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
Peelander-Z w/ Electric Eel Shock + In Defence
@ Turf Club
1601 University Avenue W
St. Paul
9 pm / 21+ / $12
Things are bound to get wild this weekend at the Turf Club when Japanese punk rock band Peelander-Z comes back to town. The band’s May performance at the Entry featured everything from stunts with pots and pans, limbo, squid bowling, baseball playing, and even member Peelander-Red walking on the ceiling. Oh, and there’s the music. While the brightly-costumed performers, which bill themselves as a “Japanese Action Comic Punk band hailing from the Z area of Planet Peelander,” are currently on tour to promote their new album, Space Vacation, they haven’t been playing too many new songs on their latest tour. Instead, expect them to focus on favorites like “Ninja High School” and “Taco Taco Taco” – and who knows? Someone may end up hanging from the Turf Club ceiling. Japanese punkers Electric Eel Shock and locals In Defence open. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Turf Club site
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
Menomena
@ Triple Rock Social Club
629 Cedar Avenue S
Minneapolis
8 pm / 18+ / $15
Here’s what you need to know about Menomena: two guys (formerly three). Multi-instrumentalists, both, playing a dizzying array of instruments onstage to duplicate their dense tracks. Songwriting influenced a lot by quirky psych-pop groups like the Flaming Lips and (especially) Super Furry Animals (particularly vocally). Their latest album, Moms, explores the band members’ relationships with their moms across the course of ten strange, melodic, fuzz-drenched songs that run the gamut of moods from cheerful/bouncy to intense/dark/broody to throbby/dubby. It’s cool stuff, and if you’re a fan of quirky, non-traditional songwriting and arranging (as you should be), you’ll find a lot to like in one of their live shows, which can be intense and extremely entertaining as the band members shift from instrument to instrument, sometimes in the course of a single song. -Jon Hunt
Click HERE for the Triple Rock Social Club site
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
The Hood Internet w/ Koo Koo Kanga Roo + Lasers and Fast and Shit
@ 7th Street Entry
701 1st Avenue N
Minneapolis
8 pm doors / 18+ / $14
Descendents of the Williams S. Burroughs cut-up school of thought, Aaron Brink (ABX) and Steve Reidell (STV SLV) are the producers that comprise Hood Internet. Known for their mash-ups of indie rock staples with hip-hop hits, the end product is sometimes epic, at times awkward, but always has the ability to justify the fact that you know all the lyrics to Ke$ha’s “Tik Tok”. The Chicago-based duo comes to 7th Street Entry on Saturday night at the tail end of their fall tour to promote the release of their first original album, FEAT. Songs that pair indie darlings like Annie Hart (of Au Revoir Simone) with hip hop artists like BBU employ the cut-up sensibility that brought internet fame to their remixes. Hey, maybe using Burroughs to intellectualize your desire to listen to Ke$ha is not necessary. Either way, come on Saturday and dance as if no one’s judging. -Lizzy Shramko
Click HERE for the First Avenue site
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
Hotpants
@ Nomad World Pub
501 Cedar Avenue S
Minneapolis
9 pm / 21+ / FREE
Head over to the West Bank and get your body moving at long-running monthly classic soul record night Hotpants. Expect the usual mix of ready-for-the-floor, booty-shaking rare soul and deep funk 45s from Hotpants resident DJs Rambo Salinas, Dale Burback, Benjamin Mena and Brian Engel. It’s pretty much a die-hard soul fan’s wet dream. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
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
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
WAK LYF presents CRUSH: Haunted Hearts
@ Clubhouse Jager
923 Washington Avenue N
Minneapolis
10 pm / 21+ / FREE
The big-on-the-’net boys of DJ crew WAK LYF are back with another edition of their tropical-themed Jager monthly, CRUSH. Get ready to crush the dance floor with throwback jams plus current hip hop, R&B, house and chillwave from DJs Kolby-Kobes, Neuport and Slamdunkapher. This month, things get a spooky twist with a “Haunted Hearts” theme. Nothing like Halloween in Maui, right? With drink specials including $3 Mini-Apple craft cocktails, $2.50 Miller Lite tallboys and $5 Jamesons (until midnight), you’ll be plenty fueled up for the dance floor. -Jahna Peloquin
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
Forever Young Costume Dance Party
@ James Ballentine VFW Post 246
2916 Lyndale Avenue S
Minneapolis
9 pm / 21+ / $5 with RSVP, $10 cover after 10 pm
If you can’t wait for Halloween to break out your Starter Jacket and Air Jordans, make sure to join in for a celebration of all things ’90s at this super wicked event! Listen to the best ’90s hits by the Forever Young Crew: MC Jacobs, Cloud, Maychin, and Young Baby while doing your own version of the Carlton. Dress in your best garb for the costume contest and of course, bring the biggest Zach Morris-esque cell phone that you can find! -Chelsea Streich
Click HERE for the Facebook invite
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21ST
Halloween Prom feat. Caleb Hinz + Burn Fetish + Whistle Kid + Grown Ocean
@ Station 4
201 E 4th Street
St. Paul
5 pm / All ages / $6 advance, $8 door
We’ll admit we’re not as in-touch with the antics of the under-18 crowd as we ought to be (children being our future, and all), but a recent run-in with up ‘n’ coming 16-year-old Caleb Hinz definitely piqued our interest. A student of guitar for over six years, Caleb caught the music bug early on, eventually segueing into electronic music composition and production. In 2010 young Hinz put out his first two EPs and last summer followed them up with an 18-track album entitled Never Forget – an impressive feat by any standard. Using Abelton Live, Hinz crafts some seriously hot beats, throwing live instrumentation into the mix to keep things interesting. Tonight’s show at St. Paul’s Station 4 will be where he truly shines due to the energetic nature of his live performances – tweaking knobs never looked so rock n’ roll! This “Halloween Prom”-themed event also features sets from fellow youngsters Burn Fetish, Whistle Kid and Grown Ocean. -Staff
Click HERE for the Station 4 site, and listen to a selection of Hinz’ tracks below
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21ST
San Cisco w/ Chaos Chaos
@ Turf Club
1601 University Avenue W
St. Paul
7:30 pm / 21+ / $12 advance, $14 door
Officially making their debut in the States, Australian based indie pop group San Cisco is finally making their way to the Twin Cities. With the release of their EP Golden Revolver coming up on October 23, the band will be performing some of its most recent hits – including the impossibly catchy “Awkward” – and an even better addition to an already awesome night of music? Opening act of the evening Chaos Chaos, a sister duo with Asy and Chloe formerly of the band Smoosh. Come early, grab a seat and enjoy the tunes in what is sure to be a full house! -Chelsea Streich
Click HERE for the First Avenue site
Editor in Chief: Jahna Peloquin / Header design by Caroline Royce / Contributors: Juleana Enright, Anthony Enright, Jon Hunt, Beth Hammarlund, Niles Schwartz, Kate Iverson, Danielle Morris, Chelsea Streich, Alexandra Katz, Lizzy Shramko, Ryn Gibson, Chloe Nelson, Emily Cain, Jahna Peloquin.
