This week’s picks
Thursday, April 2
A recommendation from Lydia Howell: “At the Walker Art Center, discover Iranian-American director Ramin Bahrani at a free double-feature of his 2005 debut Man Push Cart (which won over 110 international awards) and his extraordinary 2007 follow-up Chop Shop about a homeless Mexican boy in NYC.”
Friday, April 3
It ain’t 1984 any more, or even 1999…there’s only one Minneapolis listening party for Prince’s new album. But still, there’s one! Show your Purple Pride at the Black Bamboo.
Saturday, April 4
What’s that? You haven’t heard of Legendary Punk Accordionist Jason Webley? Then you’d better get down to Bedlam Theatre tonight to see what all the fuss is about. (Pyrotechnics are a regular occurrence at Bedlam, but tonight may be the first time someone’s head explodes at the West Bank landmark. The l’etoile staff reveal that it’s a distinct possibility—among other eye-opening possibilities—when they are simultaneously faced with Jason Webley and Neil Gaiman.)
Sunday, April 5
Looking for a new restaurant to try? Jeremy Iggers has your back. His new Daily Planet blog is full of suggestions.
Monday, April 6
Lots of drama for a Monday night! There’s a Lonnie Carter reading at the Playwrights’ Center, the Twins are opening their season with a game against Seattle, and Agnostic Front—one of New York’s hardestcore hardcore bands—are playing at the Triple Rock.
Tuesday, April 7
Unless you’re really into prints and printmaking, you can skip the Minnesota Historical Society’s new book on the subject—but the associated show at the James J. Hill house is worth checking out.
Wednesday, April 8
When life hands you duvets, make ponchos—and when life hands you $45, buy a ticket to Grey Gardens at the Ordway.
For more event recommendations, see the Weekend What’s What from l’etoile magazine.
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Daily Planet arts roundup
It was a week of surprises in local music, as Less Than Jake, at Station 4, weighed in on domestic violence and the Rihanna situation and Zachary Miles Ojeda of the ZMO Trio revealed that Final Fantasy is one of his greatest musical influences. Less surprising were warm reviews of new EPs from Brother Ali and The New Congress. Looking forward, Dwight Hobbes previews upcoming shows by Black Blondie and Framework.
Musical spectaculars opened on both sides of the Mississip this week, and we were there. In West Berlin, Jean Gabler took a look at Rent, which is no less essential than it was before it became a period piece; in East Berlin, Rebecca Collins reviewed Grey Gardens and told the story behind the story. We also had a flurry of shameless plugs: Matt Everett recommended Mo Perry as Hedda Gabler (“Every time I’ve reviewed Mo Perry in a production…I never find myself saying, ‘Hmmm. Mo could have been better.'”) and Jewblatt, while Erica Mauter gave a shout-out to the Fringe’s Five-Fifths of the Brothers Grimm event and Dwight Hobbes recommended a reading of a play by Lonnie Carter, “the John Brown of playwriting.”
The Daily Planet’s Erik McClanahan interviewed Iranian-American writer/director Ramin Bahrani, who Roger Ebert has called the new great American filmmaker. Meanwhile, the African News Journal staff kicked off our Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival with a preview of the African films at this year’s MSPIFF.
I reviewed Minnesota Prints and Printmakers 1900-1945, which is no less—and also no more—than its title leads you to believe it is.
Jeremy Iggers reported on a fistful of new local restaurants: Zen, Mt. Fuji, Cowboy Slim’s, Sauce Spirits, Brasa, and Delights of India. In other comestible news, I had the scoop on an unexpected nightlife development: Drink’s debut of a new cocktail named after a (misspelled) Chinese philosopher.
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Jay Gabler (jay@tcdailyplanet.net) is the Daily Planet’s arts editor.
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