Thursday, March 31, 2011

Weekend What's What 3/31-4/2

KICK UP YOUR HEELS

Show yourself some love this weekend! After all, you've been working too hard, and in our opinion, you deserve some good old-fashioned R&R. The weather's lovely and while its not quite bikini season yet, enjoying the fresh air is something we can't wait to do--between awesome parties, rock shows and art exhibits, of course! This weekend is all about you, so shake the SADS, wusses, and live some life.

xo-l'etoile


THURSDAY MARCH 31ST

DJ Dick Pic

@Clubhouse Jager
923 Washington N
Minneapolis

9 p.m./21+/Free

Minneapolis’ hottest airhorn blasting bitches are taking over Club Jag tonight! The sassafrass duo of Maggie Morrison and Machen Davis--otherwise known as DJ Dick Pic--will fill the Clubhouse with all the titillating tunage you can take. Tonight's party is bittersweet, however, as Minneapolis bids adieu to Canada-bound Jager bartendrix and Waxx Maxx front-babe, Nicole Brenny. On top of that, l’étoile music editor and saucy drink slinger THE BITCHELOR will be commanding the bar top, throwing out the tastiest of booze left and right until the sun rises (er, until the bar closes). Come say TTFN to the lovely Nicole, drink some dranx, dance like a fool and generally whoop it up. It is Thursday after all.

Click HERE for the Facebook event


THURSDAY MARCH 31ST

Food Pyramid, Burnt Ones, Baby Boys & Mr. Hide

@ Hexagon Bar
2600 27th Ave S
Minneapolis

9 p.m. / 21+ / Free

Travelling all the way from the sunny side of the country in San Francisco, the Burnt Ones are in town for one night only at the Hex! Their pyschadelic garage-rock funk will get you higher than—well, than a lot of other things, let’s just put it that way. After them, you can trip out with the rollicking electronica that is Food Pyramid. Openers are Mr. Hide and Baby Boys, and they are worth showing up early for—so do!

Click HERE for the Facebook event



FRIDAY ART PICK: MIRANDA JULY


What's l'etoile looking at this week?

If you’ve seen the 2005 film Me and You and Everyone We Know, then you’ve already witnessed the quirky genius of Miranda July. And if art imitates life, then July’s work reminds us that contemporary society is not only a bizarre place to exist, but it’s out of its mind, full of off-placed nooks and crannies in the form of unusual people and so-strange-they-could-only-be-true situations, permanently dusty with the grit that comes with being perfectly imperfect humans. Equal parts filmmaker, artist, writer, performer, and eccentric (okay, we’re editorializing a bit here, but you’d have to be to see the world the way she does), July’s work conveys explores human emotions with superhuman keenness. At once light and humorous as a knock-knock joke and heavy as an elegy, the voice of July’s creations speaks straight to parts of the soul you might not even realize were there. Definitely an artist to follow wherever she goes – and believe us, that’s a bold statement.

Click HERE for the Miranda July site

The Hallway from The Hallway on Vimeo.


FRIDAY APRIL 1ST

Miles Mendenhall + Conrad Ventur + Lisha Bai

@ Franklin Art Works
1021 E Franklin Ave
Minneapolis

6-8:30 p.m. / free

Carbon prints, a kaleidoscopic Nina Simone and optical illusion architecture, tonight’s triple solo show has it all. In the main gallery, witness as local artist and print extraordinaire, Miles Mendenhall reawakens the rare – yet hardly antiquated – art form of carbon printing. For tonight’s show, Mendenhall premieres a set of large-scale carbon prints in which the artist digitally altered black-and-white photographs into abstract and inchoate molds. In the screening room, catch a video installation from New York-based projection artists, Conrad Ventur featuring a recording of Nina Simone’s tragic ballad “If You Knew” fractured through a pivoting pendant prism and evoking the melancholy sentiment so prevalent in Simone’s librettos. Also on view is a vinyl floor installation from New York artist, Lisha Bai comprised of black and white linoleum tiles intersected to mimic waves. Featuring a live set from local three piece electronic band, Food Pyramid and guests and additional video projections by Ventur.

Click HERE for this art event and more at mplsart.com


FRIDAY APRIL 1ST

Everybody is an Astronaut (MFA Thesis Exhibition)

@ Katherine E. Nash Gallery
405 21st Ave. S.
Minneapolis

6 p.m. / Free

“Everybody is an astronaut. You all live aboard a beautiful little spaceship called Earth.” While we wish we could take credit for such a cute quip (it was engineer/futurist Buckminster Fuller), the important thing is what it’s inspired: the title for the University of Minnesota’s M.F.A. Thesis Exhibition, opening at the Nash Gallery on Friday. And it’s a fitting title at that – this exhibition marks the one-small-stepping out of a new group of innovators into the art world. Artists include Jennifer Annable, purveyor of surreal ceramics, Jonathan Kaiser, Dark Dark Dark cellist and experimental media artist, and photographer Sam Hoolihan, who’s wasted no time in launching himself out there--his work will also be featured in Sunday’s “Pop Saw the Need” opening at Double Gallery. Sounds out of this world (sorry, couldn’t resist).

Click HERE for this art event and more at mplsart.com


FRIDAY APRIL 1ST

Where Tammy Tied the Knot

@ Loring Theater
1407 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis

7:30-11:30 p.m. / $25 full package, $15 party pass

Before Tammy Faye and Jim Bakker became the eccentric televangelical power dyad they’re infamous for, before the Praise the Lord Club, yes, even before the tattooed eyebrows, Miss Faye and Minneapolis department store restaurant worker, Mr. Baker, got hitched inside Loring Park’s own historic venue, the Loring Theater. To celebrate their opening season, the “modern day variety house” saddles up for a tribute to the queen of gaudy, rococo woman and her life with a full-fledged Tammy Faye Bakker event that includes cinema, a TFB facts & relevance forum and a 60’s-themed wedding reception bash. Catch a screening of the award-winning doc “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” narrated by the one and only RuPaul in the auditorium and listen as culture experts chat about Bakker as a female icon and a flashy staple in the gay community during the TFB symposium. Then get on down – bouffant, exuberant eyeliner and all – to a 1960’s themed wedding party reception where partygoers can shake their stuff to DJ spun 60’s hits as vintage gowns and flower boutonnieres pervade the stage. Tammy-wear highly encouraged so don’t forget your falsies!

Click HERE for the Facebook event


FRIDAY APRIL 1ST

The Brutes CD Release

@ Turf Club
1601 University Ave W
St Paul

9 p.m. / 21+ / $6

You know what you can never, ever have enough of? (Well, besides snow, of course.) Catchy, soul-petting indie-rock. The Brutes have had their new CD Wondrous Punch out on iTunes since February, but Friday night at the Turf Club marks the official release of their undeniably delicious album. They have the kind of sound that brings you back to the very best of the early 90’s while sinking their teeth solidly in the metallic indie sounds of the 2010’s. Join them on Friday with Blue Sky Blackout, The Beatifics, and Shimmy.

Click HERE for the Turf Club site




FRIDAY APRIL 1ST

331’s 6th Anniversary Party with WHOOMP (There It Is)

@331 Club
331 13th Ave NE
Minneapolis

10 p.m. / 21+ / Free

For the second night of their 6th anniversary bash, the 331 Club is flashing back to the 90’s with the 331 Club’s Urkel-inspired edition of WHOOMP There It is! Welcome back DJ Tanner, Dr. Dallas Dog-Pallace and MC Hang Time to the 331 dance floor as they bust out the best jams of the early '90s. Slap on your suspenders and hike your trousers up this Friday and head on over to the Clubhouse to boogie down and try their mango-y “Drunk Urkel”s for four bux then entire night.

Click HERE for the 331 site




COOL LINK: MPLS SWAPPERS


What's l'etoile lookin' at on the web this week?

Wondering what to do with the cupboard full of pickled ginger you canned during these long winter months or just itching to have someone taste your DIY distilled vodka. Well, you’re in luck. Enter: MPLS Swappers. The first inaugural Minneapolis Food Swap was held just a few Saturdays ago at South Minneapolis’ Madame art space and was quite the hit. Part social meet-up, part sample room, MPLS Swappers is the perfect place to show off your canning skills while munching on homemade pistachio pesto. According to a recent article in the New York Times “food swaps popping up take their cues from the food co-operatives of the 70’s by restructuring food economies around face-to-face relationships.” And here we just thought they were a good place to meet adorable, food savvy hipsters! And in capitalist times of faux organic lifestyles and mock sustainable practices, it’s refreshing to find a local cause devoted to the turning home food production from “hobby to habit,” jumpstarts the dying barter system, raises a glass to local producers and adds a touch of neighborly love. The next swap meet is scheduled for May. Follow MPLS Swappers on their blog to get juicy tidbits and event details and get ready to share some local jarred goodness. Homegrow or bust!

Don’t forget to “like” MPLS Swappers on Facebook. Click HERE for the Mpls Swappers site

Photo by Scott Theisen, The Heavy Table:


SATURDAY APRIL 2ND

ARTCRANK MSP Opening Night Party

@ Shelter Studios
2112 Broadway St. NE #150
Minneapolis

5 p.m. / Free

In most places, the sound of birds chirping marks the beginning of spring. But Minneapolitans aren’t so Whitmanesque; for us, the click-click-whir of bicycles means spring has spoke-n. And with that, of course, comes a new season of ARTCRANK, the critical-massive, cycle-inspired poster art show we’ve been helmet-over-heels for since it started in 2007. Saturday’s opening night party at photographer Chris Sheehan’s Shelter Studios will feature Chowgirls eats and Fulton brews aplenty, along with a bike corral courtesy of Nice Ride and Dero Bikes. The Book of Right on will be powering tunes for the evening, followed by a DJ set by Joseph Pettini. And since ink and bike culture are pretty much joined at the hip, tattoo artist Charlie Forbes will be there to help you get your sleeve on. Check out the ARTCRANK site for a list of pre-parties and group rides. Ride on!

Click HERE for the ARTCRANK site

ARTCRANK 2010 Poster Show Minneapolis from red23films on Vimeo.



SATURDAY APRIL 2ND

Pop Saw the Need

@ Double Art Gallery
2441 Lyndale Ave. S.,
Minneapolis

6 p.m. / Free

If the exhibit’s Tumblr feed is any indication, then Pop Saw the Need goers are in for a delightful, albeit perplexing assortment of arty oddities. And really, that’s the whole point: at the heart of this exhibit, which brings together sixteen international and local artists, is “the spirit of discovery and serious play.” Expect all sorts of sillies and stories, things that aren’t what they seem, and an overall re-evaluation of how we view art and culture. Check out the show to discover what specifically that entails (and, perhaps, what need Pop saw). Participants include M. Curtis Allen, the man behind last Spring’s coffee mug and philosophy-inspired appropriations exhibit Sameness Over Time; local experimental visual and media artist Daniel Dean, and Knoxville-raised illustrator Hali Maltsberger, known for creating work that manipulates social structures and “makes fun of itself.” The exhibit is one night only, so do yourself a favor and don’t let it slip away.

Click HERE for this art event and more at mplsart.com

SATURDAY APRIL 2ND

Found Elements

@ Tarnish & Gold
1511 Marshall St NE
Minneapolis

7-11 p.m. / free

Tonight’s opening reception features new work from local photographers Emilie Hitch and Hilary Lund and showcases the behind-the-scene early moments in the launch of the creative collaboration and ad brand, Found Elements. Catch the intricate and intimate process and creative journey of four local ad/media professionals and the melded brainstorms of creating something both artistic and accessible to the community. Tonight’s show also features collaborations from Found Elements members copywriter, Kevin Hughes and ad/gd brand creationist/designer, Kyle Winters.

Click HERE for this art event and more at mplsart.com



SATURDAY APRIL 2ND

Spyder Baybie Raw Dawg & 2% Muck Record Release

@ Hells Kitchen
80 9th St S
Minneapolis

10 p.m. / 21+ / $5

Totally Gross National Product is on a serious roll this year, with vinyl releases from the most up and coming bands in the Twin Cities: Albert, Slapping Purses, and now Spyder Baybie Raw Dog's Grimeworld. This is the first official release from the drugged-out, ironic booty rap duo, whose fresh dubstep beats wrapped in hilarious, dirty-as-hell raps make for the ultimate party record. Label mates Marijuana Deathsquads and Slapping Purses round out this unfuckwithable party, so expect a night of total debauchery, hot chicks, booze, and epic music.

Click HERE for the Facebook event


SATURDAY APRIL 2ND

331 Club 6th Anniversary Weekend: Rockford Mules/Goondas/Fontanelles

@ 331 Club
331 13th Ave NE
Minneapollis

10 p.m. / 21+ / Free

Nestled amidst restaurants and art galleries on a bustling corner in Northeast lies what has become the anchor of Minneapolis' coolest block: The 331 Club. And guess what, it's their 6th birthday! For the last half-dozen years, our fave hipster dive has set itself apart by hosting free shows and events on their intimate stage - everything from burlesque to drunken spelling bees to Blingo to good old fashioned rock shows. Not to mention, the drinks are always cheap and served up by some of the best bartenders in town. This Saturday sees the club celebrating Northeast-style, featuring a Drunken Spelling Bee at 7pm, followed by live music by three of the 331's fave bands: the Rockford Mules, the Goondas, and the Fontanelles. Cheers, 331 Club!

Click HERE for the 331 site



SATURDAY APRIL 2ND

Mercurial Rage, BadNrAD, Retrospecs, DJ Grant Cutler

@ Kitty Cat Klub
315 14th Ave. SE.
Minneapolis

9 p.m. / $5 / 21+

We’re no strangers to dancing our heads clean off at the Kitty Cat Klub, and Saturday’s all-local line-up brings fresh opportunity. Plugging in are the ubiquitous DJ Grant Cutler; Retrospecs, whose brand of electro-blues sounds nothing like the music of yesterday; BadNrAD, the one-piece keytar wizard who claims he was “born into the world wearing neon sunglasses and a pair of hi-tops;” and Mercurial Rage, whose danceable tracks will have you bouncing and thrashing (quite possibly at the same time, whoa). See you there. We’ll try not to step on your feet.

Click HERE for the Facebook event



SATURDAY APRIL 2ND


Pegasus Grrrl Power

@ Madame Art Center
South Minneapolis

The new queer community art center may currently be flying under the local arts radar, but we predict it won’t be down there for long. A haven to artists & the queer (and queer-friendly) Madame plays host to some pretty awesome events, including tonight’s performance party, Pegasus. For the fourth installment, Madame’s Pegasus variety show buckles up for a bit of empowerment, grrrl style. Throw on some granny specs, dust off that kinderwhore dress and zip up a pair of your finest duct-taped combat boots for an evening chocked full of feminism with its roots in riot grrrl culture. You probably won’t see cameos from Kathleen Hannah or Corin Tucker but you will witness performances from locals Jamburglar, emcee host Anne W Erickson, the Real Hauswives of Hennepin County and an epic queercore L7 cover by special guest, Carlotta Spears that you won’t wanna miss. Rebel grrrls unite!

Click HERE for the Facebook event





Editor in Chief: Kate Iverson // Contributors: Juleana Enright, Tara Sloane, Natalie Gallagher, Kate Iverson, Robyn Lewis, Jahna Peloquin, Lauren Gantner

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