Arts Orbit Radar: 7/9/09

This week's picks

Thursday, July 9

On the radar: If four days seems like a lot of time for a film festival exclusively about bicycles, you haven't spent much time in the Twin Cities. And if the name Jeremy Messersmith doesn't warm your heart...same thing.

Under the radar: Garrison Keillor, Susan Marks (author of Finding Betty Crocker), and cake. How Minnesotan can you get?

Friday, July 10

On the radar: Local giants play against type today: the Guthrie becomes farcical, the Basilica rocks, and Black Francis appears in public.

Under the radar: The fact that SteppingStone Theatre is selling its new production The Nightingale by calling it "an affordable 'beat-the-heat' treat in our new air-conditioned home" probably doesn't mean that the show has no other virtues.

Saturday, July 11

On the radar: The Basilica Block Party concludes with performances by Tapes n' Tapes and the Hold Steady. Also, the Walker gets dirty and a few punks plan to tear it up at Target Center.

Under the radar: "Zinefest" sounds like Schell's attempt at a sweet carbonated malt beverage, but it's actually a DIY publishers' party in Stevens Square. At the other end of the Wedge (the neighborhood, not the co-op), Yid Vicious fire up their killer klezmer.

Sunday, July 12

On the radar: Sacre bleu! Eet ees Bastille Day! Why do you theenk I have thees outrageous accent, you silly king? What are you doing in Uptown? Mind your own business!

Under the radar: It's West Side Story meets Tom & Viv as four teams of poets slam it up at the Parkway.

Monday, July 13

On the radar: Remember that crazy film Shortbus? One of its stars, Jay Brannan, will be at the Triple Rock tonight doing his singer-songwriter thing. His supporting act tonight will be Far From Falling—but at other shows he's played with his Shortbus costar, a multi-instrumentalist who goes by the pithy moniker Bitch.

Under the radar: At Barbette tonight, it's Supreme Privacy, a jazz trio Dwight Hobbes describes as "musicians who must be heard to be believed."

Tuesday, July 14

On the radar: Want to get more use out of that Barbarella outfit you sewed for last weekend's CONvergence? Wear it to Clubhouse Jäger tonight for the weekly JägerCon; onscreen will be the cult classic Repo Man, which might cut a little close to the bone in this economy.

Under the radar: You thought you were done with booze cruises after senior week of college, but not so! Tonight a Mississippi riverboat overflows with "more than 120 wines, beers, ciders, malts, and”—oh, that's right—“light food."

Wednesday, July 15

On the radar: Bloody Ol' Mule, Boogaloosa Prayer, Dale Beavers, Dirty Trainload, "Porkchop" Holder, Poopdeflex, Reverend Deadeye, the Skirt Chasers, the Ten Foot Polecats, and—my personal favorite—Honkeyfinger: that's only a partial list of the artists playing the Deep Blues Festival, which kicks off tonight with a free show at the 331.

Under the radar: Black Blondie "killed" at the Uptown Pride Block Party, reported Dwight Hobbes. Tonight two-thirds of the band's core trio are at the Red Stag, where they're sure to at least maim.

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Music

We review outstanding performances by groups from near (Black Blondie) and far (The Heavy).

Movies

Duncan Jones's Moon landed at the Uptown last weekend; Erik McClanahan spoke with Jones this spring at MSPIFF. Hear their conversation.

Theater

The Fringe is coming up in, omigod, less than a month, and our bloggers' fingers are already flying fast and furious. Matt Everett writes about Dean Hatton as well as Maximum Verbosity, the troupe of Phillip Andrew Bennett Low—himself a Fringe blogger, who reviews the pre-Fringe profiles he's been publishing in the Planet—and John Munger previews this year's dance performances.

Meanwhile, there are a few other shows in town. Cirque du Soleil's Kooza is camped out in Lowertown, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is being revived at the Chanhassen, Girl Friday is doing Thornton Wilder right, and the National Theatre's production of Phèdre is onscreen at the Guthrie.

Dining

Jeremy Iggers brought Julio Ojeda-Zapata to Brasa St. Paul, which he told Jeremy felt just like home.

Books

My mom, who grew up in New Ulm, read Thomas Maltman's The Night Birds—a historical novel about south-central Minnesota in the 1850s and 60s—and found it eye-opening, if a bit convoluted.

Visual Arts

America's only two incorporated cities comprising almost entirely manufactured housing are both in Minnesota, and photographer Jared Watsabaugh has documented one of them in photographs about to go on display at Augsburg College.

Not a subscriber? Click here to get Arts Orbit Radar in your inbox every Thursday—and follow ArtsOrbit on Twitter for 24/7 updates on the local arts scene. For a new video on the local arts scene every weekday, bookmark the Daily Planet's 3-Minute Egg page. Cyn Collins is still recovering from her (successful!) knee surgery, but will be back in action soon. Meanwhile, look for a new column from André Salvadore next week.

Jay Gabler (jay@tcdailyplanet.net) is the Daily Planet's arts editor.

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