What’s happening this week
On the radar: Is the Guthrie becoming a hip-hop hub? Is hip-hop being gentrified? Has that already happened? If so, is it a good thing or a bad thing? You could ask these questions, or you could just enjoy. Hot on the heels of a fun show by Mos Def, local luminary P.O.S. visits the Guthrie for a performance hosted by his Doomtree crewmate Dessa.
Under the radar: Think global, scare local! Tonight the Riverview presents a $3 double feature of locally-made horror films: Noah Tilsen’s Grinning Faces (“mashes together sex, violence and storytelling to create a trippy experience”) and James Vogel’s The City (“follows an aspiring screenwriter on a quest for his muse; but when a psychotic killer takes him under his wing, sweet inspiration turns to foul murder”).
On the radar: With only one album released, Mumford & Sons seem to have discovered the song of the sirens. Hear them once, and you’re a fan. Accordingly, their show tonight is one of the hottest music tickets of the year, having been perhaps the quickest sellout in the history of First Avenue.
Under the radar: 1419 is hosting a Satanic Fashion Orgy, with musical guests Poop Smeared Mirror and Cock ESP. Honestly—you can’t make this stuff up.
On the radar: “Halloween is just so easy,” l’etoile magazine editor Kate Iverson explained to me in a conversation this fall, speaking from venues’ perspective. “You just say, ‘We’re having a costume party.'” It’s true, which means that you can pretty much fall out your door in a wig tonight and find yourself in the middle of some party or other. There are lots of fun ones, but the one I’ll plug is what’s being billed as the “First Annual Uptown Halloween Costume Ball,” at the Suburban World Theatre. Why? Well, pure nepotism for one thing: my cousin Dan Vargas, owner of event sponsor VState, is one of the bash’s organizers. But I’m not just doing a cuz a favor, I’m doing you a favor—if you’ve been to one of Dan’s Crystal Balls on New Year’s Eve, you’ll know that the man does it up right. As befits a clothing shop owner, he also knows how to find the beautiful and well-dressed people, which is especially critical when it comes to costume balls.
Under the radar: I keep waiting for ska to come back. It’s gonna happen! And maybe tonight is the night. It’s Skalloween at the Acadia—which doesn’t immediately strike me as the most ska-friendly venue, but hey, skankin’ can happen anywhere. The show is free and open to all ages, so be prepared to step over some funky li’l zombies.
On the radar: Pink Hobo and ROBOTlove are advertising their second annual Monster Art Show as “the only Halloween party actually on Halloween.” It will feature “food, drink, maybe fire.”
Under the radar: I’m not sure what you’ll be doing with your Halloween afternoon, but I’ll be driving southeast to Plainview (go past Zumbrota, and if you hit Winona you’ve gone too far) to see the latest production by the elusive Jon Ferguson: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, created with writer John Heimbuch for the Jon Hassler Theater. That makes three johns I’ll gladly be pimped to.
On the radar: Indie rock bands can get away with being called the Fuck Knights, Rape the Willing, and Gay Witch Abortion, but the Muslims were forced to change their name due to what they characterized as “ignorant and racist” comments. They’ll be at the Triple Rock tonight under their new name: Soft Pack.
Under the radar: The Casket Cinema is giving a nod to the upcoming election with a double feature of fascinating off-the-beaten path political documentaries: Prom Night in Mississippi and Electoral High School.
On the radar: In a production that’s bound to be pure luxury vocally and visually, the Minnesota Opera presents Cinderella at the Ordway.
Under the radar: You know those people who are really comfortable with their bodies? Like, who walk around shirtless and pee with the bathroom door open? Well, they’ve got nothing on Eiko and Koma, performance artists who will be taking residence today in the Walker Art Center’s galleries for an installation called Naked.
On the radar: This week, several thousand ticket-buying zombies received a tip via e-mail that Andrew W.K.—the alt-rocker now, thanks to his debaucherous tweets, known as a “party aficionado”—will be hosting a wild Dos-Equis-sponsored freak show at the Cabooze that goes by the name The Most Interesting Show in the World. If you move quickly, tickets (which happen to be free) may still be available.
Under the radar: Two titans of design—national AIGA president Debbie Millman and high-end lo-fi designer James Victoire—meet in conversation at the W Minneapolis.
Daily Planet arts roundup
• Matt muses: Local radio host authors children’s book (blog entry by Meredeth Barzen)
• David Sedaris shows his animal side at the State Theatre (feature by Natalie Gallagher)
• Gaspar Noé’s Enter the Void: First-person, first rate (review by Erik McClanahan)
• Minnesotan wins $30,000 Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowship (feature by Barb Teed)
• Buddy Guy and Quinn Sullivan at the State Theatre: Time will tell (review by Dwight Hobbes, photos by Valerie Gallagher)
• Social Distortion, Lucero, and Frank Turner: Guys with tattoos and wallet chains have feelings too (review by Jay Gabler, photos by Meredith Westin)
• Deadmau5 at Epic: 3,600 Mau5keteers can’t be wrong (review by Bobby Kahn, photos by Jay Gabler)
• How the Light Gets In: Dean Magraw and Marcus Wise merge east and west (review by Dwight Hobbes)
• The Script stick to it at the State Theatre (review by Kate Gallagher)
• LCD Soundsystem at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium (photos by Jeff Rutherford)
• Sleigh Bells come as they are at the Triple Rock (review by Jay Gabler, photos by Meredith Westin)
• Five Nativities, five Christmas Carols, five Nutcrackers, and more: Your complete guide to holiday theater 2010 (feature by Jay Gabler)
• Rock of Ages stonewashes rock anthems of the 80s (review by Bobby Kahn)
• Whatever Happened to…Swan Lake? Something pretty horrible, that’s what (review by Betsy Gabler)
• MJTC’s My Name is Asher Lev weaves a rich and moving tale (review by Matthew A. Everett)
• Jawole Willa Jo Zollar explores early explorations into sensuality in new Urban Bush Women show (feature by Sheila Regan)
• Small wonders: A Streetcar Named Desire at Pioneer Place, Waiting for Godot by the Gonzo Group (review by Jay Gabler)
• BLM/Seifert/Flink CREATE a beautiful but hollow Woyzeck Project (review and photos by Jay Gabler)
• A strong production of Neil Simon’s Broadway Bound by Theater Or (review by Matthew A. Everett)
• The House of Spirits gets an unmissable bilingual production at Mixed Blood (review by Bev Wolfe)
• U of M Theatre Arts Department ventures into Undiscovered Country at Rarig (review by Jay Gabler)
• Santa, Coke, and Swedes: Exhibit at the American Swedish Institute opens November 6 (feature by Barb Teed, photos by Jeff Rutherford)
• With the Void, Full Powers: At the Walker Art Center, Yves Klein is forever blue (review by Jay Gabler)
• It takes three weeks to make a good food habit (blog entry by Amy Doeun)
• Twin Cities group plans for urban agriculture future (feature by Jeanette Fordyce)
• Parent Earth: Videos about food for families (blog entry by Andrew Ranallo)
• Sea Change at the Guthrie (blog entry by Amy Rea)
• Fogo de Chao: Our night of meat (blog entry by Jeremy Iggers)
• Rising hookah use spurs stigma (feature by Sadelle Schroeder)
• Growing flash mob phenomenon hits Northrop (feature by Laura Sievert)
• Overdue and still waiting for baby (blog entry by Amy Doeun)
• Serving free food on Cedar Avenue in Minneapolis (feature by Amanda Noventa)
• Rise ‘n’ shine: Megamall dog walk coming up (blog entry by Meredeth Barzen)
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