April 26, 2014, Saturday - Bluegrass Brunch at Aster Cafe

Time: 11:00am - 1:00pm, Free

Location: Aster Cafe, 125 Main Stree SE

Today: Chris Silver

Chris Silver plays roots music, but it doesn’t stop there. Chris’ music is transcendent and his originals travel a huge landscape of experience and place. He has created a new sound with traditional roots music at the core. As a musical risk taker, his focus has been on his original sound, adding layers not usually found in traditional music providing a rich texture to his music including slide guitar and intricate global rhythms. Chris is as comfortable with his Vintage Martin D-18 as he is with his Fender Tele. His eclectic approach in playing his original acoustic, blues, folk and jam band music has shaped Silver’s songs to the point that they could be compared to Ry Cooder’s early ’70s work. In a given set, you are as likely to hear a song by Lowell George, The Meters, Bill Monroe, and of course, his own compositions. Chris spent five years touring with the acclaimed bluegrass band Stoney Lonesome, and when Kate MacKenzie left the band in 1994, she asked Chris to tour with her. Chris and Kate toured coast-to-coast for three years playing major festivals including The World Expo in Japan, The Strawberry Music Festival in California, The Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival, and numerous appearances on National Public Radio’s A Prairie Home Companion. One thing is for sure, his energy is infectious and he’ll leave you wanting more.

April 26, 2014, Saturday - 13th Annual Marcy Arts Gala at The Soap Factory

Time: 6:00pm - 11:00pm

Location: Soap Factory, 514 Second Street SE

13th Annual Marcy Arts Gala

You’re invited to celebrate and support arts-infused education in Minneapolis at the best party in town! The Marcy Arts Partnership is hosting its 13th Annual Marcy Arts Gala.

The Soap Factory, a historic industrial factory repurposed to exhibit works by national emerging artists, has again generously agreed to host the event, which will feature silent and live art auctions; wine and beer raffles; food and drinks; live music; and exciting and unique entertainment. The night will include a tasty array of beverages and local food including appetizers, entrees and desserts with global influences that mirror the diversity of Marcy Open students. Entertainment will be provided by the amazing MU Daiko Drummers, DJ Overzealous and more! Tickets are $40 before April 24, and $45 at the door.

To purchase tickets, visit http://marcy.mpls.k12.mn.us/Marcy_Arts_Partnership and click on Marcy Arts Gala. Event details and updates at: https://www.facebook.com/events/463004403800007/

April 25, 2014, Friday - Live Music at Crooked Pint

Time: 10:00pm

Location: Crooked Pint Ale House, 501 Washington Avenue South

Tonight: Salsa del Soul

Salsa del Soul is a Twin Cities-based, nine-piece orchestra performing various styles of dance music from the Spanish-speaking regions of the Caribbean.

April 25, 2014, Friday - Live Music at Aster Cafe

Time: 9:00pm $8

Location: Aster Cafe, 125 Main Stree SE

Tonight: Dizzy Hat 

Like a pick-up basketball game,  Dizzy Hat came together spontaneously just over a year ago when bassist and fledgling singer-songwriter Steve Katz was looking for a way to channel his musical demons. Steve had played with Peter Vircks (sax) and Rick Nair (percussion) on jazz dates and Lindsay Paine (guitar) and Rick  in blues/ funk ensembles over the years, but they never played together as a unit. The idea of a dark, nicotine-stained B-side cover band with originals slowly filling the void came into view after a handful of pints in early 2013.  Just over a year later,  the bandmates can barely tolerate one another, but that isn’t going to stop them from playing the Aster Café and, with any luck,  getting into a recording studio sometime this spring.
 
Dizzy Hat has the honor of having celebrated, national recording artist/ Fed Ex driver Mary Cutrufello join them on the 25th. The results could be virulent.

April 25, 2014, Friday - 4th Annual Downtown Greening Awards at Central Library

April 24, 2014, Thursday - Dining Out For Life at Local Restaurants

JOIN US FOR THIS YEAR'S DINING OUT FOR LIFE ON THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014! It is our 20th anniversary!

This year, 230+ participating restaurants in the Twin Cities, Duluth, Mankato and Rochester have agreed to donate a portion of their proceeds to:

The Aliveness Project, a local nonprofit organization that provides on-site meals, food shelf & other supportive services for individuals living with HIV/AIDS and their families.

Last year's Dining Out for Life raised over $255,000 in donations from restaurants, sponsors and individual diners! This year, our goal is $270,000!

For a list of this year's restaurants click on "Participating Restaurants" (to the left), or visit our website at: http://www.aliveness.org/. You may also contact us at 612-822-7946 or by e-mail at events@aliveness.org

The Aliveness Project on Facebook

Book a Dining Out for Life Reservation Online

April 24, 2014, Thursday - THE THREEPENNY OPERA at the Southern Theater (4 nights)

Time: 7:30pm

Location: Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Avenue South

Frank Theatre presents THE THREEPENNY OPERA, the groundbreaking 1928 musical theatre piece by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill that paved the way for the modern musical theatre. Featuring a score that includes one of the most widely recorded songs of the 20th century, "Mack The Knife." Set just before the coronation of the Queen, the plot centers on the escapades of the scoundrel Macheath who has swagger, a silver tongue and a way with the ladies. When Macheath marries the respectable and virginal Polly Peachum, the daughter of the merchant J.J. Peachum, a battle ensues, threatening to disrupt the underground economy fueled by Mr. and Mrs. Peachum. A series of betrayals and briberies lead to Macheath's public hanging, interrupted at the last minute by an over-the-top reprieval from the Queen. This satire of the decadence of 1928 Wiemar Germany and capitalist society about to collapse on itself is just as timely, horrifying and outrageously funny as it was upon its premiere.

THREEPENNY features a stellar cast, with Bradley Greenwald as Macheath, Gary Briggle as Mr. Peachum, Janis Hardy as Mrs. Peachum, Vern Sutton as the Street Singer, Molly Sue McDonald as Jenny, Suzie Juul as Polly Peachum, Kira Lace Kawkins as Lucy Brown, Jim Ramlet as Tiger Brown, and Laura Adams, Marisa Asp, Joe Botten, Adara Bryan, Tessa Flynn, Zach Garcia, Shavunda Horsley, Jen Maren, Elisa Pluhar, James Rodriguez and Grant Sorenson in a delightful assemblage of whores, gang members and other salacious characters. THREEPENNY is directed by Wendy Knox, with Musical Direction by Sonja Thompson, Choreography by Wynn Fricke, Set Design by Joe Stanley, Costume Design by Kathy Kohl, Lighting Design by Karin Olson, Sound Design by Sean Healey, Dramaturgy by Steve Matuszak and Stage Managed by Spency Putney.

Show Dates and Times:

Thursday, April 24 @ 8pm
Friday, April 25 @ 8pm
Saturday, April 26 @ 8pm
Sunday, April 27 @ 2pm

Thursday, May 1 @ 8pm
Friday, May 2 @ 8pm
Saturday, May 3 @ 8pm
Sunday, May 4 @ 2pm

Ticketing Info:
Tickets $25
Purchase tickets online via BrownPaperTickets.com

More Information:
More info can be found on Frank Theatre's website
-or-
Call (612) 724-3760 or email admin@franktheatre.org

April 24, 2014, Thursday - City Pages Best of the Twin Cities® Party at Muse Event Center

Time: 7:00pm until 10:00pm

 

Location:  Muse Event Center, 107 3rd Avenue North

 

City Pages Best of the Twin Cities® Party at Muse Event Center

Get tickets.

Join us as we celebrate our exceptional metropolis at City Pages Best of the Twin Cities Party® on Thursday, April 24th at Muse Event Center from 7-10pm. In honor of our biggest issue of the year, this annual bash will bring the 2014 Best of the Twin Cities® content to life in an evening full of glitz and glam fit for Hollywood’s Golden Age A-Listers. Featuring a red carpet entrance, complimentary food samples from winning Best Of restaurants, live jazz & swing music and more 30s and 40s entertainment, this is sure to be the most decadent soiree of the year!

April 23, 2014, Wednesday - Write Bloody Showcase at The Loft

Time: 7:00pm

Location: The Loft at Open Book (Performance Hall), 1011 Washington Ave S

Write Bloody Showcase featuring Khary Jackson, Sierra DeMulder, Miles Walser, and Franny Choi.

Write Bloody is one of the most exciting independent presses in the nation. With a DIY, rock-star approach to book publishing, Write Bloody is now partnered with over 50 authors and artists, and has published 90 titles. Write Bloody authors are diverse and out there—in small record shops and large colleges, in strange theaters and swampy bars—doing readings all across Europe and the United States. Going to a reading will one day be as common as going to the movies or to see a band and Write Bloody is currently paving the way. The Twin Cities is home to quite a few Write Bloody authors, and the Loft Literary Center is proud to present this local showcase along with special guest Franny Choi, who will be reading from her brand new book.

April 22, 2014, Tuesday - Holy Cow Publication Launch with Jane Yolen, Kate Green, and Susan Deborah King at The Loft

Time: 7:00pm

Location: The Loft at Open Book (Performance Hall), 1011 Washington Ave S

Holy Cow Publication Launch with Jane Yolen, Kate Green, and Susan Deborah King

Tourist in the Pure Land, Poems by Kate Green

Kate Green’s second full-length book of poetry spans thirty years of writing, an accumulation of lyricism layered with wisdom.

Dropping into the Flower, Poems by Susan Deborah King

In Dropping into the Flower, her fifth full-length collection of poems, Susan Deborah King, focuses in lush, sensual detail, on many varieties of flowers, celebrating their qualities and allowing them to speak to her imagination.

The Bloody Tide: Polemics, Politics, Poetry by Jane Yolen

Jane Yolen's new collection of sixty political poems presents us with a courageous perspective of our most troubling events: the Holocaust, the Boston massacre, endless war, global warming—all with a search for the moral imperative. Jane Yolen, often called “the Hans Christian Andersen of America,” is the author of over 340 books, including Owl Moon and The Devil's Arithmetic.

April 22, 2014, Tuesday - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead Opens at Guthrie Theater

Time: 7:30pm

Location: McGuire Proscenium Stage, Guthrie Theater, 818 Second Street South

The Acting Company in association with
the Guthrie Theater presents
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
by Tom Stoppard
directed by John Rando

The partnership between the Guthrie and The Acting Company enters its sixth year and provides an amazing training ground for up-and-coming actors to showcase their talents. Hamlet – Shakespeare’s story of a Danish prince’s search for vengeance, justice and truth – will play in repertory with Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, a reworking of the same tragedy from the point of view of two minor characters and their static existence in a world beyond their comprehension.

April 21, 2014, Monday - Mill District Neighborhood Assoc Meeting at the Mill City Museum

Time: 6:30pm – 8:00pm

Location - Mill City Museum, 6th Floor ADM Conference Room (Enter at 710 2nd Street South - Arrive early to assure a seat.)

AGENDA

6:30 - Welcome

6:40 - Jacob Frey, City Council Member / 3rd Ward Update
Council Member Frey joins us for an update and Q & A with MDNA members.

7:00 - Bob Lind, Minneapolis CPED / Downtown East Project Update
An update on the Ryan Companies Downtown East Project, including a request by Ryan Companies to the City of Minneapolis to create a Phased Development Plan (PDP) for purposes of pooling SAC credits (Sewer Availability Charge).

7:15 - Martha Archer, Executive Director, Mill City Farmers Market
A Look Ahead at the 2014 Mill City Farmers Market - Be the first to hear everything new in store for this year's Market from Executive Director Martha Archer.

7:25 - Doug Verdier / Crown Hydro Update
Doug shares new developments since the last update.

7:35 - Laurie Jones / Riverfront HOA Update
Progress report on this dynamic collaboration of Home Owners Associations.

7:40 Northern Spark Preview / Sarah Peters, Associate Director, Northern Spark Festival
The acclaimed arts event is back on the Minneapolis Riverfront this summer.  We'll see a preview of the exhibits and artists of this year's event.

April 20, 2104, Sunday - Midwest Photo Safari "Minneapolis Nights" on St. Anthony Main

Midwest Photo Safari "Minneapolis Nights" on St. Anthony Main

Join us on historic Main street near St. Anthony Main and Water Power Park for a 90 minute to 2 hour photo safari running Sunday evenings only. The session begins 1/2 hour before local sunset. Your confirmation lists the exact starting time.

Before we begin, we will have a short presentation covering basic principles of low light/night photography. When darkness sets in, this area comes alive with interesting lights. We will help you capture stunning night images you are sure to want to frame.

This safari is best done with a digital SLR or a better quality digital point and shoot with advanced scene modes. Your Safari guide / photographer will be carrying a Sony digital point and shoot to demonstrate the techniques we will be covering. For this safari, a sturdy tripod an absolute necessity... Midwest Photo Safari can provide pro-quality rental tripods on request. A remote shutter release is also very handy to have along, or you may use the "self timer" feature of your camera.

Pricing for this Safari is $84.00 (tax included, not including gratuity) per person with discounts for multiple persons

This Safari runs selected Sundays mid April through mid October.

April 19, 2014, Saturday - Artist Talk with Artist Talk with Katie Hargave, Alison Hiltner and Aaron Marx at The Soap Factory

Time: 12:00pm

Location: The Soap Factory, 514 2nd St SE

Join us for the second in a series of artist talks for Art(ists) On the Verge 5.

Listen to a podcast interview with Katie Hargrave, Alison Hiltner and Aaron Marx.

Learn more about the Art(ists) On the Verge 5 exhibition.

April 19, 2014, Saturday - Washburn A Mill Tour at Mill City Museum

Times: 1:00pm

Location: Mill City Museum, 704 2nd Street South

Fee: $14 adults, $12 seniors and college students, $10 children ages 6-17 and MHS members. Tour includes museum admission.

Reservations: required, call 612-341-7555 or register online.

Take an in-depth look at the historic Washburn A Mill complex and the award-winning Mill City Museum building. A museum interpreter will take visitors into the building’s many nooks and crannies, highlighting the lives of the men and women who worked there, how the building functioned during its peak flour milling years and the many changes to the building over time.

This is the only opportunity for a guided tour through the entire museum building and the only chance to see some of its non-public spaces. The tour includes admission to the museum gallery, Baking Lab, Water Lab and Flour Tower show.

April 19, 2014, Saturday - Fluxus Ruckus All Ages Open House at MCBA

Time: 10am–4pm

Location: Minnesota Center for Book Arts, 1011 Washington Avenue South

Fluxus Ruckus All Ages Open House in MCBA's studios and gallery

Free and open to the public.
 
This year our annual spring Open House is Fluxus-themed -- what does that mean? It means a party for the imagination, a feast for the senses, and tons of opportunity to interact, perform, and generate a creative hubbub.
 
Help re-create classic Fluxus performances and make cool stuff like do-it-yourself bookmaking, hands-on letterpress printing, a paparazzi photo booth, and rubber stamping with your feet! All are welcome to this day of fun and exploration!
 
Plus, you can check out Fluxjob, the exhibition that inspired it all, plus coordinated exhibitions Scored (where every day can be a performance!), and Fluxbox, filled with wondrous curiosities and peculiar oddities. Fluxus helped redefine what "art" can mean; in that spirit of reimagination and adventure, let the Fluxus Ruckus begin!

April 19, 2014, Saturday - Bluegrass Brunch at Aster Cafe

Time: 11:00am - 1:00pm, Free

Location: Aster Cafe, 125 Main Stree SE

Today: The High 48s

As traditional bluegrass bands go, The High 48s are about as non-traditional as they come.

In a genre created and dominated by artists from the South, The High 48s were born and raised in the Upper Midwest. In a music scene where playing standards is the norm, The High 48s are a band of songwriters who perform their own material in addition to the “festival favorites.” And in a tradition where most musicians pick their first bluegrass tunes before graduating from Saturday morning cartoons, The High 48s are relative latecomers to bluegrass who found a passion for the music after playing rock, alternative country, indie rock, punk and jazz.

Since arriving on the Minnesota bluegrass scene in 2006, The High 48s have achieved national recognition, taking first place in the prestigious RockyGrass Bluegrass Band Competition in Lyons, CO, (the first band from the Upper Midwest to win the honor), touring the national bluegrass festival circuit and earning the respect of bluegrass musicians and audiences North and South.

April 18, 2014, Friday - River Protection Standards for the Mississippi in the Twin Cities at McKnight Foundation

Time: 8:00am – 9:30am

Location: McKnight Foundation, 710 Second Street South

River Protection Standards for the Mississippi in the Twin Cities

In the Twin Cities, the Mississippi River is protected by standards. At this Forum, Daniel Patrik and Suzanne Rhees of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will discuss the process that has developed these standards for the section of river known as the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area (MRCCA)--which shares the same boundary as the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. We will hear a summary of the existing rules, their history and why they need to be updated; as well as a review of the 2009-2010 public process and the draft rules that resulted from it. The rules are currently under redevelopment again, after new direction was set by the Legislature in 2013.

Come hear--from the project managers--about the key challenges to updating 35-year-old regulations, and how you can get involved in the rulemaking process! Light breakfast provided. Free. RSVP to lark_weller@nps.gov.

April 18, 2014, Friday - Mentor Series: Jerald Walker at The Loft

Time: 7:00pm

Location: The Loft at Open Book (Performance Hall), 1011 Washington Ave S

Mentor Series: Jerald Walker

The 2013–14 Loft Mentor Series in Poetry and Creative Prose presents nonfiction mentor Jerald Walker reading along with program participants Elizabeth di Grazia (nonfiction) and Pamela Schmid (nonfiction).

A graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, Jerald Walker has published in magazines such as Creative Nonfiction, The Missouri Review, The Harvard Review, Mother Jones, The Iowa Review, and The Oxford American, and he has been widely anthologized, including multiple times in The Best American Essays. Walker is the author of Street Shadows: A Memoir of Race, Rebellion, and Redemption, recipient of the 2011 PEN New England/L.L.Winship Award for Nonfiction and named a Best Memoir of the Year by Kirkus Reviews.

Elizabeth di Grazia with her partner created a home in Richfield, MN and eleven years ago, welcomed two infants, completing their family. She is a contributing and founding member of the blog, WordSisters, In it together - from Inspiration to Publication! She has been published in many literary publications and was a 2013 recipient of a Next Step Grant. She earned her MFA at Hamline University.

Pamela Schmid is the creative nonfiction editor for Sleet magazine. Before receiving her MFA degree from Hamline University, she spent more than a decade reporting and editing for the Star Tribune and The Associated Press. Her poetry and prose have appeared in Sweet, Sleet, and Rock Paper Scissors. She lives in Saint Paul with her husband and son.

April 18, 2014, Friday - Live Music at Crooked Pint

Time: 9:00pm

Location: Crooked Pint Ale House, 501 Washington Avenue South

Tonight: Rolling Stoners

Beware, these red-blooded ramblers have the goods. In short, a manifest revelation of early era Stones style calamity.

Beware, these red-blooded ramblers have the goods. In short, a manifest revelation of early era Stones style calamity. Come spend the night together and tumble down some hot toddies. You won't see Stones costumes, but you will feel and experience their essence. So stand up and get down while the Rolling Stoners light it up. Just remember that your mother is never off limits. After all, it's only rock n roll.