Design and style
Weekend What's What: Funkytown
It seems to be the winter dance party season opener this weekend! With both Friday and Saturday dominated by l'étoile-worthy club jams and secret location parties, you'll be hard-pressed not to run into an opportunity to get your "Butterfly" on. At this rate we'll be sweatin' right through the hard freeze! Of course, there's plenty of awesome art to go around and even a few can't-miss rock n' roll shows—so those with two left feet, fret not—we've gotcha covered!MORE »
Arts Orbit Radar: 11/19/09
What's Happening This Week
On the radar: Before the holiday Nutcracker daze sets in, treat yourself to a long cool drink of inventive contemporary dance at the Ritz, where Zenon Dance Company's 27th fall season opens tonight.
Under the radar: Quietly, two of the Twin Cities' best and most inventive playmakers are rolling out new productions today. At Bedlam, Jeune Lune co-founder Barbara Berlovitz is premiering Stories as Told in a Bed, a show about the experiences of her Lithuanian immigrant grandfather. (Among the ensemble of performers is our writer Sheila Regan.) Meanwhile, at the Children's Theatre, Jon Ferguson and a cast of young actors are performing Gregory Gregorson and the Magic Pinto Bean, a show that "contains extreme flatulence, troll dating, intimidating Boy Scouts, temporary paralysis, L.P. records, naked album covers, a mom of the wig-wearing kind, and talk of decorative ducks."
On the radar: "Hearing 1,000-plus people shouting 'sexy ass me' when Brother Ali performs crowd favorite 'Forest Whitiker' is still one of my favorite hip-hop moments," writes Justin Schell. If you can squeeze your sexy ass into Ali's sold-out homecoming show tonight at First Ave, you won't regret it.
Under the radar: Tonight at the Nash Gallery, spoken-word artist IBé will perform to celebrate the opening of Talking Suitcases, an exhibit of suitcases filled with handmade objects that tell the personal stories of a diverse group of Minnesotans.MORE »
"80 Years Young": In new exhibit, the American Swedish Institute tells its own remarkable story
The American Swedish Institute is ringing in its 80th year with a retrospective exhibit titled 80 Years Young: American Swedish Institute.MORE »
Arts Orbit Radar: 11/12/09
What's Happening This Week
On the radar: It's hard to pass up a chance to see the dance that the Washington Post calls "one of the seven wonders of the artistic universe," but be warned (or get excited): in costuming, notes Camille LeFevre, Martha Graham "certainly liked her men with buttocks bared."
Under the radar: MNfashion opens its holiday boutique tonight with winin' and snackin'. Stop by for a first look at the cool stuff Minnesota designers have created for you to tuck under the tree this year.
On the radar: The Seafarer, one of the darkest (but also, according to reports, funniest) of this season's holiday entertainments, opens at the Jungle. Downtown at First Ave, "national treasures" (per City Pages) Solid Gold headline a show that also features The Hood Internet and, just for good measure, Lookbook.
Under the radar: Tara Yule of the much-missed Pi Restaurant & Bar is convening a "Pi Family Reunion" tonight at BarFly. Pi patrons won't want to miss this chance to rub elbows (and, who knows, maybe more) with old friends.MORE »
Let him wear turtlenecks
Dear Cyn,
I saw your column last week about men drinking white wine, and I tend to agree. Here's where I draw the line, though: men in turtlenecks. I won't let my boyfriend wear them, but he thinks guys can make that look work. I don't think it looks "girlish," it just looks dweeby. Are you with me?
-PattyMORE »
Weekend What's What: The pre-holiday spirit
As we delve into November, we bid adieu to any possibilities of running around sans jacket—and we've come to terms with that (the first real snowfall, however, is another matter entirely). And what better to turn our focus to than the holidays? Thanksgiving is right around the corner, followed directly by the gifty season, and the Twin Cities artsy types seem to be easing us slowly but surely into the spirit of, um, buying their cool stuff. This weekend, hit up the Northrup King Building to peruse and purchase local art and related wares during Art Attack; check out The Affair at the Convention Center for festive tastings of chocolate, wine and the like; or stop into local boutiques such as Drama and Cliche to catch deals on fancy frocks for all the swanky parties that approach.MORE »
Arts Orbit Radar: 11/5/09
What's Happening This Week
On the radar: For most of human history, no one ever said, "Fo shizzle, my nizzle." Then Snoop Dogg said it, then everyone said it—and now, thank God, we're back to no one (except your awkward uncle) saying it. The West Coast drawler will be at Epic tonight, playing to a crowd of former frat boys, aging gangstas, and hipsters who face a tough choice between Snoop and A Fine Frenzy.
Under the radar: Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble isn't coming to Minnesota in the near future, but tonight we have the next best thing: Robaybat and Güvenç and Burk Orchestra, an all-star cast of local musicians who promise to lead "a musical journey through Greece, Turkey, into the Balkans, through Central Asia and Persia."
On the radar: This weekend's Art Attack gives you a chance to see the work of Northrup King artists without having to fight the Art-a-Whirl crowds. If you're looking for a crowd, try to squeeze in to the Paramore show at Roy Wilkins.
Under the radar: Lowertown has been pushing hard to compete with Minneapolis as an entertainment destination, and at least according to Sean McPherson, it's working. Tonight, the newly-anointed Lowertown Entertainment District hosts its first monthly First Friday open-studio event.MORE »
Arts Orbit Radar: 10/29/09
What's Happening This Week
On the radar: Unbelievably, there are still Miley Cyrus tickets available for tonight. This is going to leave her with no choice but to follow the Britney route and start getting skanky. Speaking of skanky, those man-whores Jim James, Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis, and M. Ward have all put their steady bands on hiatus to jump into a wild foursome at the Orpheum as Monsters of Folk.
Under the radar: Artist Lucia Hwang, writes the curator of her show opening today at Augsburg, "brings up the conflict that occurs when people cannot entirely accept or reject the world around them." Specifically, she does this with 365 rolls of toilet paper. They're right...I can neither entirely accept nor entirely reject that.
On the radar: Tiësto, the world's #1 DJ (more or less), is at Epic tonight with several celebrity collaborators "joining" him on video.
Under the radar: Alarmel Valli, one of the greatest living practitioners of classical Indian dance, performs at the O'Shaughnessy tonight. If you go, expect to rub elbows with the Twin Cities' most passionate dance connoisseurs.MORE »
Weekend What's What: Oh, the horror!
Halloween Weekend is officially here! Some of us are still trying to figure out what to wear, while others have their blood-soaked Lady Gaga suits primed and ready to go. The most whimsically terrifying day of the year is upon us and we simply can't wait to take it all in! Whatever you do this Halloween, be fearless and feel free to go completely overboard—that's what it's all about!MORE »
Weekend What's What: L'awesome
We can't think of a much more specific theme to the weekend aside from just plain AWESOME. Killer parties, mucho dancing, fantastical art (including a new gallery) along with plenty of rockin', rollin', and even some crazy puppetry to go around. Next weekend is Halloween, and that's a whole 'nother story (in fact, look for a huge guide from us come Monday), but this weekend certainly holds enough tricks and/or treats to inspire multiple costume changes!MORE »
