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The Management

Photo from I Can Has Cheezburger?

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 11, 2007 03:02 PM | Comments (0)

 

Jay Leno to shoot in Twin Cities tomorrow

Comedian Mo Rocca and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno crew will be filming a segment in Minneapolis-Saint Paul tomorrow, according to a press release: "Because the cities are the site of the 2008 Republican National Convention, Rocca will talk with local residents about what to see and do in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, how they are preparing for the election and their thoughts on the influx of politicians coming to their cities next September. He'll also interview Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak while commuting to work on his bike and Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman as he plays the bagpipes... [on Thursday, July 12], Rocca and crew are scheduled to film along Nicollet Mall, in the Warehouse District, around the Chain of Lakes in Minneapolis, at the State Capitol building, in Rice Park, and at Xcel Energy Center--the venue for the convention." (Whoops, missed the MNSpeak thread.)

Posted by Pete Scholtes at July 11, 2007 02:53 PM | Comments (0)

 

The Fine Line could barely contain the Polyphonic Spree

The Polyphonic Spree / Fine Line Music Café / July 10, 2007
Text by Sarah Askari | Photos by Daniel Corrigan

John Lennon's "Gimme Some Truth" is actually a pretty sour ditty, if you take a look at the lyrics—which you really got a chance to do at the Polyphonic Spree show. The stage was screened off by an enormous swath of crimson fabric, and the words to "Gimme Some Truth" were projected onto it as the song played in the background. "I've had enough of watching scenes/Of schizophrenic, ego-centric, paranoiac, prima-donnas," complained Lennon. Hey, the staff at the Fine Line probably feels the same way.

Read the rest of Sarah Askari's review, and check out Daniel Corrigan's photographs, in our gallery section!

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 11, 2007 11:52 AM | Comments (0)

 

Answer: He's the St. Louis Park teen who's going to be on Jeopardy! next week

Jeopardy! Productions Inc.

The Jeopardy! Summer Games Teen Tournament starts next Monday and runs through Friday July 27, featuring 15 kids from around the country competing for a $75,000 grand prize. One of the youngest in contention for that college nest egg will be 15-year-old Aiden Pink (shown above with host Alex Trebek) from St. Louis Park. We tried to get Pink on the phone and grill him about the capital of Burundi and from what animal's milk do we get mozzarella, but summer break has found Pink out of the country. We wish him well with that whole answering a question with another question thing—good practice for future relationships. Jeopardy! can be seen locally on KARE 11 at 4:30 pm weekdays.

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 11, 2007 10:14 AM | Comments (0)

 

The rain couldn't stop the first annual Black Dog Block Party

Black Dog Block Party / Station 4 / July 8, 2007

Desdamona and Ill Chemistry / photo by James Dankert

Ain't this a bastard: finally, something big happens musically in Lowertown, and residents—along with assorted Twin Cities fans of free, great local music—are rewarded by getting a deluge of rain dumped on them. Shortly after Adamno Divine's opening set finished christening the first annual Black Dog Block Party—held outside downtown St. Paul's artist-friendly coffee shop, and booked to feature a who's who of local hip hop and indie-funk artists—word got out that the thunderstorm that was beating the crap out of Minneapolis was headed across the river, and the whole deal would have to be shut down.

Fortunately, there was a backup plan: as hostess Desdamona and beatbox/fast-rap virtuoso Carnage (aka Ill Chemistry) occupied Black Dog patrons with an impromptu rain delay performance (and called out a Minneapolis coffee shop—which shall not be named—for their anti-poetry policy, threatening to do a walk-through/drive-by reading just to spite them), equipment and musicians alike both hustled a few blocks up to Station 4, the closest (and possibly only) indoor venue that could reasonably host the proceedings.

Continue reading "The rain couldn't stop the first annual Black Dog Block Party"

Posted by Nate Patrin at July 09, 2007 09:44 AM | Comments (4)

 

I never meant 2 cause you a vacation day

Prince fans take to 7th Street for a coveted First Avenue ticket

Text by Rhena Tantisunthorn | Photos by Nick Vlcek

Kathryn Carucci (above) sacrificed a vacation day to be the first person in line for tickets to Prince's Saturday night aftershow at First Avenue, his first appearance at the club in twenty years. Carucci and her companions, Mark Marthaler and Kelly Magnuson, began camping out at 12:30 Friday afternoon, bringing the total number of hours that they'll be waiting in line for tickets to see his purple majesty to twenty-six and a half.

Continue reading "I never meant 2 cause you a vacation day"

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 07, 2007 08:30 AM | Comments (0)

 

Uptown Karaoke King Tom Wheaton

It might be difficult to imagine that a VFW could be an Uptown hotspot. But then again, if Uptown can make the outside of Rainbow Foods look mildly artsy, why not? Every Thursday through Saturday night, husband and wife team Tom and Judy Wheaton host TNT Karaoke until the wee hour of 1:30 am. Recent hit performances included a pitch-perfect rendition of Frank Sinatra's "My Way," as well as the standard drunken rendition of the Animals' "House of the Rising Sun." Drinks are usually pretty cheap—you'd be hard pressed to find something over $4 (specials go as low as $1.50), so if you need a glass of liquid courage before belting out Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" it won't break your budget. City Pages took a moment to speak to co-host Tom Wheaton.

Continue reading "Uptown Karaoke King Tom Wheaton"

Posted by Jessica Armbruster at July 06, 2007 03:58 PM | Comments (3)

 

The faithful flock to Sage Francis

Sage Francis / First Avenue / July 5, 2007
Text by Steve McPherson | Photos by Daniel Corrigan

As he takes the stage clad in black and sporting circular sunglasses, Sage Francis looks not unlike Dr. Robotnik from Sonic the Hedgehog. His "live band" consists of a guitarist (bearded, gangly, and entirely unlikely), opener Alias running some beatmaking machines in the back, and a woman named Dilly Dilly playing keys, bass, and—incredibly—a saw.

Read the rest of Steve McPherson's review, and check out Daniel Corrigan's photos, in our gallery section!

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 06, 2007 03:39 PM | Comments (1)

 

Prince afterparty at First Avenue Saturday

This just announced on Prince's website, www.3121.com: "Return 2 First Avenue: PRINCE LIVE: The official aftershow 4 Prince's Target Center event this Saturday will take place at First Avenue. Doors open immediately following the Target Center concert. Tix are $31.21 each, 18 & Over, and will be available on Saturday. We will post more details here soon." UPDATE at 7:30 p.m.: "Email from First Avenue: "Yes, the rumors are true! Return 2 First Avenue: PRINCE LIVE at First Avenue on Saturday, July 7, 2007. Tickets will go onsale on Saturday at 3:00pm at First Avenue. One ticket per person. The tickets are non-transferable. Doors for the event will open following Prince's performance at the Target Center. The permanent list will not be honored that night."

Posted by Pete Scholtes at July 05, 2007 03:14 PM | Comments (2)

 

Oak Street Cinema closing "for the summer"

Email from MN Film Arts: "Oak Street to Close for the Summer. Due to major construction on Oak Street and University Avenue, the Oak Street Cinema will close for the remainder of the summer as of Thurs., July 5. We will reopen after Labor Day. Special events already scheduled to run during the summer will occur as planned. These events include a screening of Sex Ed and the State, Tues., July 10, at 7 p.m. and the monthly Fearless Filmmakers screening on Wed., July 25, at 7:30 p.m. Check our website www.mnfilmarts.org in mid-August for a full fall schedule of the best art cinema in the Twin Cities." More background here and here.

Posted by Pete Scholtes at July 05, 2007 03:06 PM | Comments (1)

 

The future shock of Dan Deacon

Dan Deacon / Triple Rock Social Club / July 2, 2007
Text by Nate Patrin | Photos by Daniel Corrigan

There is a scene, based largely in Baltimore, that calls itself "future shock." It has little to do with Herbie Hancock and even less to do with Curtis Mayfield and everything to do with giving punk rock an Atari lobotomy. Monday night's bill at the Triple Rock featured two of the main pillars of the scene—the Saturday morning Lucky Charms-and-Mountain Dew multimedia duo Video Hippos, and human tornado electronics-manipulator/showman de-luxe Dan Deacon. (What afrobeatists NOMO were doin' sandwiched between them, Lord only knows, but they were a bit of a much-needed palate cleanser and they covered Sun Ra, so there's no complaints here.)

Read the rest of Nate Patrin's review, and view Daniel Corrigan's photographs, in our gallery section!

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 03, 2007 09:13 AM | Comments (1)

 

A Thorny Pride

Dangerous chemicals, eye droppers full of water, intense fear of bugs—these are just a few of the things competitive rose growers deal with on a daily basis. In Otherwise Normal People: Inside the Obsessive and Thorny World of Competitive Rose Gardening master gardener Aurelia Scott describes a click filled with intense competitiveness; a world where gardeners hoard products for fear they will soon be banned from the country due to toxicity, where people attempt to train wild birds to eat beetles off of roses, and where improper pruning techniques could be the end of a season. City Pages took a moment to talk to the author about her experiences with rose enthusiasts in the floral underground.

Continue reading "A Thorny Pride"

Posted by Jessica Armbruster at June 29, 2007 03:03 PM | Comments (0)

 

Sarah White leaves Black Blondie, moves to Brooklyn

Fans of local neo-soul band Black Blondie have noticed a conspicuous absence recently: Co-singer and rapper Sarah White is no longer in the group. Meanwhile, her MySpace page features a new song about "leaving to Brooklyn." Reached by phone, White confirms that she plans to relocate to the New York borough in August, along with her boyfriend DJ Don Cuco, of the Current's The Rhythm Lab (89.3 FM). "There's not exactly a huge scene here for black women," says White, who spent six years as one of the few female African American MCs in local hip hop. "Women, we've all kind of competed with each other and not supported each other. I've had people say I make music like a white girl—I got that a lot when I first started. People thought I was trying to jump into a scene that wasn't supporting my race, which maybe it isn't." As the sole woman in the Interlock crew, White recorded an excellent 2004 CD with the group Traditional Methods, Falling Forward (Interlock). She plays her last local show on July 21 at Musicapolis 2007, in the parking lot of the Minnesota Center for Photography, opening for I Self Devine, Kanser, and Omaur Bliss. Update: here.

Posted by Pete Scholtes at June 29, 2007 02:16 PM | Comments (2)

 

The Black Keys come out of the past to rock the Fine Line

The Black Keys / The Fine Line / June 28, 2007

Text by Pat O'Brien

Better Than: R.L. Burnside being brought back to life

Ohio seems to be a place where, if you're a band, you want to be from another place and time altogether. Devo wanted to be from the future, Guided By Voices seemed like they would have been more at home in Mod '60s London, and now the Black Keys seem as though they could have sprung whole from the Mississippi Delta, circa 1950.

Continue reading "The Black Keys come out of the past to rock the Fine Line"

Posted by Corey Anderson at June 29, 2007 09:20 AM | Comments (2)

 

Japanese art-punkers turn the Entry into one big mosh pit

Melt Banana / 7th St. Entry / June 24, 2007

To a packed house crackling with energy, noisy Japanese art-punks Melt Banana took the stage and tore into their set without introduction. Soon bodies were flailing and flying into each other to the beat of rapid fire rhythmic twists and turns.

Read more of Christopher Matthew Jensen's review, and view more of Daniel Corrigan's photos, in our gallery section!

Posted by Corey Anderson at June 25, 2007 10:41 AM | Comments (1)