The forecast this weekend looks a bit dreary, but that certainly won't stop us from enjoying ourselves. With all the amazing events going on any given weekend, Twin Citians always manage to have fun, rain or shine--are we right? We have faith that something as trivial as "weather" couldn't possibly get between you and a good time, especially when there are epic outdoor block parties to be experienced. That said, we'll see you on the street (perhaps with a cute vintage umbrella in tow).
xo-l'étoile
Photo by Eric Eul for l'etoile
THURSDAY AUGUST 11TH
2nd Annual High Heel Dash
@ Peavey Plaza
Nicollet Mall & 11th St
Minneapolis
4 – 8 p.m. / $20 to register, free to peep
Ladies and gents, here's hoping you've prepped your calves over the summer because the Aegis Foundation's 2nd Annual High Heel Dash is back and believe us when we say it's not for the feeble of tarsals. The gender-bending, fashion-wielding race welcomes guys and gals to compete in a 25-yard dash across Peavey Plaza to raise money for two amazing charities: the Emergency Foodshelf Network and Project Footsteps. The catch? Each contestant must sprint donning not their good ol' Nikes but a fierce pair of 3 inches or taller high heels. Oh là là! And just in case you were wondering, Nicollet Mall will be closed for the event, so don't worry about plowing down innocent mall walkers in your glamorous stint of athletic prowess. Register inside Peavey Plaza at 4 pm and enjoy a few DJ spun tunes from Party Unit to limber up yer bones before the 6:30 p.m. race. Join the dash or come down and cheer on the brave racers; either way you don't want to miss this hilarious sight.
Click HERE for the Facebook event
THURSDAY AUGUST 11TH
Project Runway Weekly Screenings
@ Thom Pham's Wondrous Azian Kitchen
in the Caterpillar Lounge
533 Hennepin Ave S
Minneapolis
8 p.m. / Free
Join l'etoile and Thom Pham's Wondrous Azian Kitchen each Thursday as we host weekly 8 p.m. screenings of Project Runway Season 9 in the Caterpillar Lounge! This season features one of our very own: talented local designer Danielle Everine! Cheer Danielle on whilst sipping stylish drink specials (including the $6 special "Everine Fizz") and noshing upon Pham's delectable bar menu. Danielle herself, as well as season six contestant Christopher Straub, plan to flatter us with appearances from time to time as well, so bring your autograph books! Afterward, choose to stick around for DJs and dancing, or follow us over to the 331 Club for our sister blog LOL/OMG's monthly meetup (details in the listing below).
Click HERE for the Facebook event
THURSDAY AUGUST 11TH
LOL/OMG Social Media Meetup feat. Sexcat and Umami
@ 331 Club
331 13th Ave NE
Minneapolis
9 p.m. / 21+ / Free
Join LOL/OMG for our next Social Media Meetup/Tweeup at the 331 Club this Thursday. We've whipped up an awesome lineup for the occasion that will surely inspire joyful tweets of epic proportions. Socialize with your Twitter/Facebook/Foursquare/etc friends IRL, drink some cheap dranks, nerd out, shamelessly hit on people, whatever...just be sure to tweet it so we can LOL/OMG you later! Featuring the slinky sounds of Sexcat and Umami. Official hashtag: #LOLOMG
Click HERE for the Facebook event
FRIDAY ART PICK: TYLER JENSEN'S 30 FILMS IN 30 DAYS PROJECT
What's l'etoile admiring this week?
Local filmmaker Tyler Jensen – known for his collaborations with Renaissance man Jaime Carrera and his beautiful music videos for Dark Dark Dark – knows a month is a terrible thing to waste. That’s why for the last bit of his summer – and sadly his last hurrah in MPLS – Jensen’s taken quite the austere project: 30 films in 30 days. Before the Minneapolitan leaves for greener pastures he vowed to write/shoot/edit and post one short flick everyday for an entire month. Already over an impressive 23 films, Jensen’s pieces range from shorts inspired by Tales from the Crypt and the ‘ethics of Roger Corman” to an Ed Wood feel, always incorporating local faces from designers down to hot, hot bands. Check out the films so far and stay tuned for the rest by following Jensen’s Vimeo channel and don’t forget to “like” the project on Facebook. Viva la local film!
Click HERE for Tyler's Vimeo channel
Kiddie Pool from Tyler Jensen on Vimeo.
FRIDAY AUGUST 12TH
Nicademus Art's Last Show
@ Nicademus Art
225 Snelling Ave N
Saint Paul MN
7 p.m. / Free
DC Ice, DWITT, MJ Heubach, Ron Brown, Biafra Inc, Christopher Bowman, Broken Crow, Mike Davis, Louis LaPierre – if you’ve been around the local art block, so to speak, you’ve probably heard of at least one (if not all) of these artists. But besides being amongst the Twin Cities’ brightest visionaries, this group of painters, illustrators, stencillers, and mixed media artists have another common denominator: each has shown at Nicademus Art throughout the gallery’s two year history. And for Nicademus’ final show, opening Friday, these artists (and then some) will be sending the gallery off right by decking its walls with art one final time. Party tunes will be provided by Radio K’s BK One, whose set will include some remixes from his upcoming Radio Cannibal album. Don’t miss this chance to be merry, hear exclusive tunes, and of course, say a fond farewell to the gallery.
BONUS: Those who seek owner Nick Kring's framing skillz needn't shed tears: He'll be moving his framing biz to another smaller location on Selby Ave soon, and will be offering the same kick ass custom services he does in the current space. Hurrah! Keep up on Nicademus' Facebook page here for details coming soon.
Click HERE for the Facebook event
FRIDAY AUGUST 12TH
Mystery Palace EP release show with DOSH and Soviet Panda
@ 7th Street Entry
701 First Avenue
Minneapolis
9 p.m. / 18+ / $8 adv, $10 door
Ryan Olcott, James Buckley, and Joey Van Phillips together sound like a musical dream team--which is essentially what you get in their collaborative electronica project Mystery Palace. With subdued, sexy beats that recall either the late ‘80s, Swedish pop or both, the music of Mystery Palace usually has no problem getting the party started and keeping it going all night long. This Friday, join Mystery Palace at the 7th Street Entry as they celebrate the release of their new EP, Nervio, with musical guests DOSH and Soviet Panda sharing the bill. Nervio is available for free download on the Mystery Palace website, and since you’re not spending any dough on the goods, you might want to invest in the sweet new MP t-shirts that will be debuting on Friday night at the show.
Click HERE for the Mystery Palace site
FRIDAY AUGUST 12TH
Lee's Liquor Lounge PA Appreciation Party
@ Lee's
101 Glenwood Ave
Minneapolis
8 p.m. / 21+ / $6
Any party celebrating pure, unadulterated, ear-searing, brain-melting VOLUME is one we can get behind. Enter the crazy cats at PBR, who hold sound as close to their hearts as they hold icy cold beer. The "orange, sparkly ridged monsters" that embody the small stage of Lee's will be dishing out hard sonic love tonight as hellcats Pink Mink, Crankshaft, and Fetch the Warden take the stage. Filling the sound waves between sets will be vinyl beat blasters Shannon Blowtorch, Truckstache, and Joe Holland, who will pushing the limits of your eardrums with everything from "Stravinsky to Slayer." And who can argue with that? Certainly not us.
Click HERE for the Facebook event
FRIDAY AUGUST 12TH
The Shellac Pack: 78 RPM DJs
@ Clubhouse Jäger
923 Washington Ave N
Minneapolis
9 p.m. / 21+ / Free
This Friday, the Shellac Pack, a group of 78 RPM record collectors, aficionados and DJs come together to share their love of lost sounds. This vintage radio show featuring the likes of DJs Al Haug, Drew Miller, Mick Novak, Scott Holthus, Mike Nickolaus, Brad Wrolstad, and Greg Carr will be accompanied with classic cartoons and films cascading off Clubhouse Jager walls. The gang is even packin’ a Mix Master (one of the first examples of dual turntables) to weave together a symphony of beloved 78s for your listening pleasure. Add drinks from Jager's ample bar and wha-la!
Click HERE for the facebook event
FRIDAY AUGUST 12TH
EXTRA LARGE Dance Party w/ Mike 2600 & Gigamesh
@ First Avenue Night Club (The Record Room)
701 First Ave N
Minneapolis
10 p.m. / 18+/ $3 in advance $5 at the door
This Friday, First Ave’s bringin’ you every worthy dance flavor under the sun: hip-hop, dancehall, disco, funk, electro and classic party banger tunes. It’s an Extra Large and extra special night of DJs and musical spontaneity, featuring Gigamesh and resident host-with-the-most Mike 2600. Gigamesh, a nationally recognized producer, has been creating synthesizer-heavy, dance floor-moving beats for several years now, while Mike 2600 is a 15-year veteran DJ, having rocked parties from coast to coast (and polished just about every dance floor available in the Twin Cities). Come dance with the duo and cash in on 2-for-1 drinks before midnight.
Click HERE for the Facebook event
COOL LINK: THE BURNING EAR
What's l'etoile checkin' out on the web this week?
Sometimes we like to let our cool links speak for themselves, especially when they prove to be way more snarky than we are. Case in point: The Burning Ear, who describes itself thus: “And on the eighth day the Lord (of the Internet) said ‘Let there be a music blog that is not such a shit-show, that finds only the best tunes and delivers them to me in a timely and moderately entertaining manner.’ And then I said, ‘Oh, you don’t know about The Burning Ear? Duh.’” Don’t have time for music blogs? Agree with Pitchfork most of the time, but are afraid that if you read too much, you might start speaking in an affected tone? Want to believe that someone in the US of A can scout music from our side of the pond better than The Guardian can? Well, you heard the blog. Read it and weep – for pure mirth at getting to know more covers, new releases, remixes, and mashups than all your friends do and still having spare ‘net time to watch cute puppy videos.
Click HERE for the Burning Ear site
SATURDAY AUGUST 13TH
The Wild Plan
@ Matthews Park
Minneapolis
12 p.m. / Free
They’re U of M post-grads (and one current student), and they have a wild plan. Robust with stories, food, spectacle, picnic blankets, games, and Cat Stevens, this new kind of theater tour is swinging through Minneapolis this Saturday at Matthews Park in Northeast. The afternoon begins with an ultimate Frisbee tournament, followed by a barbeque, volleyball, and most spectacularly, a performance of Boy with a Moon and Star on his Head, a Cat Stevens jukebox musical directed by the Plan’s Ben Gansky. If that’s not enough rumpus, head to 2417 Pleasant later in the evening for a performance of Misanthrope, Or the Impossible Lovers, wild planner Eric Powel Holm’s original adaptation of Moliere’s script (show starts at 7:30 outside the house). Don’t miss this chance to frolic before the plan heads to Chicago, Columbus, and Cape Cod.
Click HERE for the Facebook event
SATURDAY AUGUST 13TH
Pizza Luce Block Party
@ Pizza Luce Uptown
3200 Lyndale Ave S
Minneapolis
Noon to 10 p.m. / Free
Of all the scrumptious Minneapolis block parties you’ll attend this summer, we have to say: Pizza Luce’s is like extra feta on mashed potato pizza – so good it hurts. This is partially because, well, literally, you could grab one of those heavenly slices right inside the door if you wanted to, and there will be local brews aplenty. It’s also partially because The Current’s Barb Abney is hosting, and she’s just as funny in person as she is on-air and on Twitter. But mostly, it’s because the lineup features some of the best tunes in town – and is almost ten whole hours long. Before happy hour even begins, you’ll have heard Koo Koo Kanga Roo, Mages, Phantom Tails, No Bird Sing, and The 4onthefloor and more. And it only gets better from there, with Spyder Baybie & 2% Muck and P.O.S. rounding out the night. See you there!
Click HERE for the Facebook event
SATURDAY AUGUST 13TH
David Lynch Night w/ Blue Velvet
@ Loring Theater
1407 Nicollet Ave S
Minneapolis
7 p.m. – 1 a.m.
When things shift between the macabre and the mundane, there can only be one word for it: Lynchian. Tonight, join Vita.MN for a night of "Lynchian" proportions as they present a screening of David Lynch’s cult tour de force, Blue Velvet. Before you bask in the film’s creepy glory and neo-noir feel, catch a pre-show happy hour at the Loring featuring a musical backdrop inspired by the eerie Blue Velvet soundtrack (as spun by DJs Grant Cutler and Greg Schaal, of course). Dress like your fave Lynch character – we know you have a Dorothy Vallens in you just itching to get out – and win prizes for the best dressed Lynchian. Not to mention enjoy delicious cold PBRs all night long. Severed ears not included.
Click HERE for the Facebook event
SATURDAY AUGUST 13TH
Gallery Performances: Hawthorne/Schlichting/Van Loon
@ SooVAC
2628 Lyndale Ave S
Minneapolis
performances at 7:30 and 9 p.m.
Everybody dance now...er, everybody choreograph now. Tonight, don't miss as the SooVAC presents stunning performances from 3 up-and-coming modern choreographers: San Francisco's Katharine Hawthorne, MN-based Chris Schlichting and MPLS-based Kristin Van Loon. Hawthorne's “Soundlines” mimics a “live video matrix” where the dancer's movements amplify and adapt to the sound waves. Plus, peep new work from veteran choreographer, Schlichting, whose work has premiered at the Walker, NYC's Danspace Project, Seattle's Velocity Center and San Fran's ODC and witness “Finishing Early,” the latest from Zenon Dance instructor and McKnight Dancer Fellowship and Sage Award winner, Van Loon whose avant-garde nods “edge between real and imaginary” and are always a charming treat to experience.
Click HERE for the SooVAC site
SATURDAY AUGUST 13TH
Har Mar Superstar
@ Cause
3001 Lyndale Ave S
Minneapolis
10pm / 21+ / $8
After spending the day soaking up the bands and booze at the Luce Block Party, head down to the official after party at Cause, which boasts a line-up zany enough to make heads spin. The sheer hilarity that ensues during a Shane Shane performance paired with the outrageous antics of Har Mar will have all of uptown in an uproar. If you like fun, this is something that you simply do not want to miss - we can't wait to see what happens!
Click HERE for the Facebook event
SATURDAY AUGUST 13TH
Night of 1000 Madonnas
@ 400 Bar
400 Cedar Ave S
Minneapolis
8 p.m. / $10
Looks like a little prayer has been answered – a night of avant garde, erotically-charged dance moves, and more Madonna songs than you could ever belt out in your car in one sitting. In honor of the diva’s 53rd birthday next week, some of the Twin Cities’ loudest and loveliest burlesque dancers and singers have created “Night of 1000 Madonnas,” set to strut the 400 Bar stage on Saturday. Polly and the Hot Buttered Crackers will host the evening, with performances by Polly FunkChanel, Mistress Jean Bardot, Pepper Sunshine, Sweet Lillybee, and more. Material girls and boys alike are bound to cherish such a celebration. And don’t be afraid to dress en vogue – prizes will go to the best-dressed Madonna.
Click HERE for the Facebook event
Madonna - Open Your Heart by jpdc11
SATURDAY AUGUST 13TH
Bombay Sweets LP Release Show
@ Turf Club
1601 University Avenue West
Saint Paul
9 p.m. / 21+ / $5
If it wasn’t enough that Bombay Sweets are releasing an LP from their own label Phantom Form, the icing on the cake is that it will be coming out as a as split color 12" vinyl with hand screen artwork by the wonderfully talented guys at Aesthetic Apparatus. (There will also be CDs and digital downloads available if you haven’t jumped on the vinyl revival train yet.) If that’s not enough, Bombay Sweets will be playing with the always entertaining Blind Shake, Birthday Suits, and Brute Heart, along with DJ John Reis. This Saturday, hike it to St. Paul’s legendary Turf Club for smokin' sets from some of the Twin Cities’ finest party-starters--and prepare your eardrums for ultimate pleasure.
Click HERE for the Facebook event
SUNDAY MUSIC PICK: CUT OFF YOUR HANDS
What's l'etoile listening to this week?
In a scene dominated by the hippest of Brooklyn and L.A., it’s refreshing to hear a solid bit of indie rock out of New Zealand. Around and about since 2009, Cut off Your Hands is riding the waves of their newly released second LP, Hollow, and for good reason: this post-punk inspired foursome does pure pop the only way it should be done, with galloping rhythms, fiery guitar riffs, and choruses that can’t help but get stuck in your head for days (not that you mind). Glittery and starry-eyed, Cut off Your Hand’s boppy rhythms are made more enchanting by wry, almost self-deprecating lyrics. Like The Smiths, The Killers, and any other number of great alt-rockers before them, they possess that perfect blend of imp, shimmer, and approachability. Here’s hoping their inevitable indie stardom suits them as well as we’d imagine.
Click HERE for the band's Facebook page
SUNDAY AUGUST 14TH
Hardland/Heartland: Book & Print Sale
@ Studio ALL ETC
512 E 24th St
Minneapolis
11 a.m. – 5 p.m. / Free
Don’t miss another rad sale from our fave folks at Hardland/Heartland. All afternoon getcher paws on books, prints, shirts, tapes and other one-of-a-kinds crafted lovingly by art geniuses Aaron Anderson, Eric Carlson and Crystal Quinn. Plus, as the Facebook event says, "Trades-R-Cool 2" so bring a treasure and see what you can swap!
Click HERE for the Facebook event
Editor in Chief: Kate Iverson // Contributors: Juleana Enright, Tara Sloane, Natalie Gallagher, Kate Iverson, Robyn Lewis, Jahna Peloquin, Stefani Arden
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