Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010

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Twin Cities New Wave Celebration featuring the Trapezoids

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Jay Gabler

About me

Jay Gabler (jay@tcdailyplanet.net) is associate editor of the TC Daily Planet. He works with Mary Turck to develop original content for the Daily Planet and to share content from media partners. He also serves as arts editor; in that capacity, he edits the Daily Planet's unique Arts Orbit blog as well as writing the Arts Orbit Radar newsletter and his own blog.

Jay Gabler grew up in Duluth and St. Paul, where he graduated from Nativity of Our Lord Elementary School and St. Agnes High School. He went on to earn an undergraduate degree in education from Boston University and graduate degrees in sociology and education from Harvard University. With colleagues, he has published several academic research articles and a book, Reconstructing the University. His next books, Sociology for Dummies and a revised edition of the Insiders' Guide to the Twin Cities, are forthcoming in 2010.

He now lives in Uptown Minneapolis. In addition to his work at the Daily Planet, he is an arts correspondent for Go2 Media and teaches at Rasmussen College. He is seen weekly on MTN's Freaky Deeky.

Column:

Front Row Seat

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Articles recommended

BOOKS | It's funny 'cause it's true: "News, Nudity & Nonsense" collects the (second) best of Vice Magazine

By Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet

The Daily Planet is by no means prudish, but still, I find myself hard-pressed to describe the contents of News, Nudity & Nonsense—the second volume of highlights from Vice Magazine—in a publication that I know my parents, my aunts, my neighbors, and (of course) my bosses read. Whatever that leaves you imagining might be in the book...yep, it's in there. [Be warned, or get excited: A somewhat more detailed description of the book's contents appears after the jump.]MORE »

Arts Orbit Radar 3/11/10

By Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet

What's happening this week

Thursday, March 11

On the radar: In a sterling hip-hop double bill, the Twin Cities' own Muja Messiah opens for the Wu-Tang Clan's GZA at the Triple Rock.

Under the radar: As part of its 100th birthday celebration, the Southern Theater pays tribute to the vaudeville performers who filled its stage in the early years.

Friday, March 12

On the radar: Dave King isn't a household name outside the world of jazz aficionados, but over the past decade and a half the percussionist has quietly become one of the Twin Cities' most widely esteemed musicians. The Walker is paying tribute to King in a two-day event that begins tonight with a concert featuring King's two greatest bands, Happy Apple and the Bad Plus. They'll also be joining together in an unusual appearance as supergroup Bad Apple.MORE »

Under the radar: The mad minds of Four Humors Theater have concocted a new play called Welcome to Dystopia, which premieres tonight at Bedlam. It's a dark sci-fi premise, but given that this is Four Humors, you can reasonably expect a little levity as well...and you can definitely expect some partying, as the theater turns into a dance club after the curtain drops.

Arts Orbit Radar 3/4/10

By Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet

What's happening this week

Thursday, March 4

On the radar: "In the 80s," reads the promotional copy for Our Way: Johnson and Rydberg, Myron Johnson and Mitch Rydberg "were the Diaghilev and Stravinsky of Minneapolis." A little grandiose? Sure, but come on: this is dance!

Under the radar: Okay, now that the 90s are two decades past, can we get started with the ska revival revival? Please?! The English Beat and Fishbone are ready and rarin' to go, which they'll prove tonight at the Cabooze.

Friday, March 5

On the radar: Names in musical theater don't get much bigger than that of Stephen Sondheim, who will be at the State Theatre tonight chatting with Star Tribune theater critics Graydon Royce and Rohan Preston. Names in unsettling fantasy don't get much bigger than those of Lewis Carroll, Tim Burton, and Johnny Depp, all of whom are involved in the a certain movie opening today in 3D IMAX nickelodeons across the country.

Under the radar: Booze, all-you-can eat pancakes, nude body painting, and emerging art: it's a can't-miss combination, right? Apparently, since the Pancakes & Booze Art Show has become a national phenomenon, the inaugural Minneapolis installment of which takes place tonight.MORE »

THEATER | A "New Breed" of theater takes the stage at the Southern: SuperGroup, Mad King Thomas, and Lamb Lays With Lion

By Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet

This morning I previewed Abstract Resistance, a big new show at the Walker Art Center. One of the reasons shows like that are so interesting to see and to write about is that they're not just about the individual works of art—they're also about the curatorial vision that brought them together. The Walker curates its performing arts schedule in a similar manner: how do the pieces work together and shed light on one another? It's a promising direction to explore in the presentation of performing art, and it's the direction the Southern Theater takes with Minneapolis New Breed, a three-company showcase "curated" by Jon Ferguson, the Southern's theater programming director.MORE »

Southern Theater

SOS: Save our sculpture

By Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet

Since our Arts Orbit blog was founded two years ago, followed by our Arts Orbit Radar newsletter and ArtsOrbit Twitter account, we've illustrated all of them with an image of the Daily Planet logo cradled in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden's Spoonbridge. I chose that image to represent our arts coverage because the Oldenburg/van Bruggen Spoonbridge and Cherry has become the signature icon of our local arts scene. The Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board are requesting state funding to repair and renovate the 22-year-old Sculpture Garden, and your voice can make a difference in whether or not that funding is granted.MORE »

Walker Art Center

VISUAL ARTS | "Abstract Resistance" is not futile, argues new exhibit at the Walker

By Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet

When contemporary artists get political, it's often not pretty. Not only because the work itself is gory—sometimes, it is—but because to get political is to raise a specific real-world issue about which one would presumably like some specific set of actions taken, and that kind of explicit argumentation is at odds with contemporary art's self-assumed mandate to defy form and bugger expectations. That's the tension that curator Yasmil Raymond explores in Abstract Resistance, the major new exhibit opening Saturday at the Walker Art Center.MORE »

Walker Art Center

Arts Orbit Radar 2/25/10

By Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet

What's happening this week

Thursday, February 25

On the radar: Heiruspecs launch a college scholarship fund for graduates of their alma mater—St. Paul's Central High—with a benefit concert at (where else?) the Central High Auditorium.

Under the radar: Is it dance? Is it performance art? Is it theater? Yes, yes, and yes. The Southern hosts a three-for-one evening of work by a New Breed of artists. Over in St. Paul, Teatro del Pueblo launches its annual Political Theatre Festival—which this year takes place at Gremlin Theatre and at Intermedia Arts.

Friday, February 26

On the radar: Treehouse's claim to be "the last record store on earth" almost came one establishment closer to being true last summer when a tornado swiped the Electric Fetus, but the 35W beacon's still shining, and tonight at First Ave it's hosting a star-studded (and tongue-studded, and ear-studded) benefit show to recoup its reconstruction costs.

Under the radar: Ari Herstand, a trumpet-playing, live-looping, beat-boxing singer/songwiter who's also been cited by TC Jewfolk as being one of Minnesota's hottest Jews, plays a CD/DVD release show tonight at the Fine Line.MORE »

Now, Now Every Children; Gold Motel; Total Babe: At the Fine Line on Tuesday, the kids are alright

By Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet

The Fine Line is best known as a venue for nostalgia acts (Coolio, the Bangles), cover bands (Super Diamond), and other fare that goes down easy with the after-work loosen-the-tie-and-tie-one-on crowd, but on Tuesday night the club will showcase three young bands who only play as well as seasoned artists.MORE »

Fine Line Music Café

MUSIC | Ohlsson, Vänskä, and the Minnesota Orchestra throw Chopin a birthday bash, with guest appearances by Beethoven and Mozart

By Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet

At the center of the proscenium at Boston's Symphony Hall, high above the orchestra and the audience, hangs a medal bearing a single word: beethoven. There's no such iconography at our own Orchestra Hall—all we have for decorative details are those big cubes embedded in the wall. At Thursday morning's performance, though, busloads of schoolchildren leaning from the third balcony stood in as polo-clad cherubs.MORE »

Orchestra Hall

Arts Orbit Radar 2/18/10

By Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet

What's happening this week

Thursday, February 18

On the radar: During the folk revival of the 1960s, a group of Harvard students brought the legendary Sleepy John Estes to play blues in one of the college dorms—and were mortified to hear one of their peers cry from the back of the room, "Take it out to the alley!" A similar tension will be onstage today in St. Paul, as Penumbra presents the regional premiere of Black Pearl Sings!, a show about a white woman who brings a formerly incarcerated black woman to New York City in the 1930s to sing the blues for the swells.

Under the radar: "Some content may not be appropriate for children," warns the description of Bottled Chicken Justice, a sketch comedy show opening tonight at the BLB. I would think that goes without saying when two-thirds of a show's set consists of a rubber chicken and a bottle.

Friday, February 19

On the radar: Wilco seem to play Duluth every time they get the chance. Why? I dunno, but it's worth a road trip to find out.

Under the radar: The Fine Line hosts the annual Carnaval Brasiliero, featuring percussion ensemble Batucada do Norte, singer Dandara, and all the samba you care to dance. MORE »

The budget dance begins in earnest (not)

By Lawrence Schumacher, TC Daily Planet

From our friends at the Minnesota Budget Project's Budget Bites blog comes word that the Minnesota Senate under Majority Leader MORE »

Minnesota State Capitol

From the Editor's Desk

Now THAT'S citizen journalism!

By Mary Turck, TC Daily Planet

From covering the Academy Awards to suing for access to court records, TC Daily Planet citizen journalists are on the front lines. Citizen journalism is about covering news in our communities, but it's also about offering people a space and assistance to report on what they find fascinating.MORE »

MOVIES | From Runaways to pilgrims, the Walker showcases "Women With Vision"

By Lydia Howell, TC Daily Planet

The Walker Art Center's 17th annual Women With Vision Film Festival, March 12-27, reveals that education and drama are not mutually exclusive. History resonates in family histories. Iconic symbols reveal political, religious and personal values. At this year's festival, lines between factual and fiction film making seem to blur; often features having documentary-like elements and documentaries are as dramatic as fiction.MORE »

Walker Art Center

Free Speech Zone

The Free Speech Zone offers a space for contributions from readers, without editing by the TC Daily Planet. This is an open forum for articles that otherwise might not find a place for publication, including news articles, opinion columns, and announcements.

Burn Baby Burn The Credit Card Crunch

FREE SPEECH ZONE | A Different Kind of Youth Revolution

FREE SPEECH ZONE | Cyclops Invasion!

FREE SPEECH ZONE | Neighbors seeking support for potential off-leash dog area at Martin Luther King Park

FREE SPEECH ZONE | A Public Health Call to Action

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