Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and beyond.
MONDAY 10.14
Sabrina Carpenter
Target Center
This has been Carpenter’s year. “Espresso” is one of those truly effervescent pop hits that doesn’t care whether you like it or not, her delivery of “don't embarrass me, motherfucker” on “Please Please Please” never loses its bite, and the boastful “Taste” just gets better when you get to picture her gory duel with Jenna Ortega in the video. The summer of Sabrina culminated recently with the album Short n’ Sweet, and its non-singles have plenty of fun to offer as well, with Carpenter yearning for “a boy who's jacked and kind” on the countryish “Slim Pickings” and demanding “Where art thou? Why not uponeth me?” on “Bed Chem.” Amy Allen, who has co-writing credits on every track, must have something to do with the cleverness here, but her own album has little of the same magic. So give the star her props. The smart ‘n’ sexy Amaarae, whose Fountain Baby was the R&B album of 2023, opens. Tickets are weird Live Nation prices. 7 p.m. 600 N. First St., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
Chromeo
Palace Theatre
I certainly did not think I needed a new Chromeo album in 2024. The sell-by date of this Montreal duo’s smoothly sexed up, slightly dinky funk seemed long past. But Adult Contemporary is simply a collection of great dating and mating songs, with no excess vocal personality distracting from the tunes. “I graduated my way out of situationships,” boasts Dave 1, though there’s a downside to maturity too: “Rest can be better than sex,” he tries to convince his honey after a long day of enduring “late stage capitalism,” just before some insta-Chic strings kick in. Where lots of dumb guys feign smarts by brooding, Chromeo won over dummies by pretending they were romantic lightweights. But their secret was never their schtick—it was their songwriting. With The Midnight and Girl Ultra. 18+. $47.50/$75. 7 p.m. 17 W. Seventh Place, St. Paul; find more info here.—Keith Harris
WEDNESDAY 10.16
Twin Cities Art Week
Various Locations
While most art fests stick to one artist loft, neighborhood, or city, anything goes for TC Art Week, a five-day celebration of art, artists, and artsy things. The schedule features over 30 happenings, including gallery tours, artist talks, movie screenings, and parties. That includes a screenprinting demonstration with artist/MCAD professor Piotr Szyhalski (they’ll also be collecting new or gently used winter wear donations), zine making at the Walker, hands-on family fun at Free Ink Day at Highpoint Center, a 40th b-day party for Bockley Gallery, and Mary Gibney will discuss her dreamy bar-scape paintings with Bill Lindeke and Andy Sturdevant at Rosalux. Public Functionary, Soo Visual Arts Center, All My Relations Gallery, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Hair + Nails, and Interact Gallery are a few other participating locations. Find the full schedule here. Through Sunday—Jessica Armbruster
Superchunk
First Avenue
The indie-rockiest of ’90s indie rockers are celebrating the 30th anniversary of Foolish on this tour. And that album, recorded right (near) here at Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, is well-worth celebrating. But! I would like to take this occasion to share my considered judgment that the albums Superchunk released since they began recording again are actually better—more focused, catchier, more engaged with the world, and less, you know, slack—than their Clinton-era classics. That view is not shared by the rest of the Racket staff, but since I was there the first time around, really, who are they to say? Anyway, it’s one of the greatest comeback stretches in rock, indie or otherwise, and that’s not taking anything away from Foolish. In closing, harrumph. With Quivers. $25/$30. 8 p.m. 701 First Ave. N., Minneapolis: find more info here.—Keith Harris
THURSDAY 10.17
Twin Cities Film Fest
Marcus West End Cinema
This summer, Minneapolis asked Sundance to consider considering us when considering a new location for the indie film fest. That didn’t pan out, but hey—there’s still Twin Cities Film Fest. Now in its 15th year, this enduring celebration features over 140 flicks screened over 10 days. Of those movies, over 20 will be free to attend, and over 70 will also be available for folks who prefer to stream at home. The full schedule is out, and includes Nickel Boys, based on Colson Whitehead’s award-winning novel of friendship in a Florida reform school; Amy Adams’s Night Bitch, where a new mom takes up running… and turns into a dog (or something? Unsure!); and Steve McQueen’s Blitz, where a boy sent off to safety in the U.K. countryside during WWII tries to make his way back to East London. This year’s special themes also include a series of pieces on the American healthcare system, documentaries on climate change, and collections focused on woman, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and Minnesota filmmakers. Other happenings: red carpet fun, special happy hours, and parties. 1625 West End Blvd., Minneapolis; find showtimes, prices, and more info here. Through October 26—Jessica Armbruster
Adeem the Artist
Turf Club
Adeem is at the forefront of a generation of queer country songwriters, and maybe what makes them so revolutionary is that you might not know that from listening to most of their new album, Anniversary, which sounds like forthright heartland singer-songwriter rock. But throughout these songs, Adeem hooks up with (and occasionally falls for) both men and women—the most moving cut here is about a “One Night Stand” they wish would be more. “Don’t do us like Jesus,” they implore Christians on “Nightmare,” while “Wounded Astronaut” is an extended apology to the women they’ve wronged in the past that’s never self-serving. The revolution begins in your own actions, after all. With Harley Chapeau. $17/$20. 8 p.m. 1601 University Ave. W., St. Paul; find more info here. October 17—Keith Harris
Franz Nicolay
Subtext Books
Franz Nicolay isn’t just the on-and-off keyboardist for the New York City band the Hold Steady. In addition to a varied musical career, he’s also a published author of some esteem. He followed up his debut, The Humorless Ladies of Border Control, a rock travelog about touring Eastern Europe, with a novel, Someone Should Pay for Your Pain. His newest book, Band People: Life and Work in Popular Music, combines techniques to analyze making music as a career and as a job. It’s a little reportorial, a little theoretical, and a little memoiristic. Tonight he’ll be in conversation with author and Racket contributor Michaelangelo Matos. Free. 7 p.m. 6 W. Fifth St., St. Paul; find more info here.—Keith Harris
Eliza Blue
White Squirrel Bar
You might remember Eliza Blue from her constant gigging in the Twin Cities through the ’10s. These days, the folk singer-songwriter tells Racket she “spends most of my time herding sheep and writing about it. I just released my second book and I am coming to Minnesota next month to sing some songs, tell some stories (and sell some yarn from my flock).” As you might have deduced, Blue has since relocated to a ranch in western South Dakota, where she tends to those sheep, hosts a SDPB TV show plus a podcast, and writes books like Little Pasture on the Prairie, a new compilation of her smart, heartfelt syndicated columns. She’ll be promoting Little Pasture tonight at White Squirrel with fellow South Dakotan Christopher Vondracek, our favorite Strib ag reporter. Free. 5:30 p.m. 974 Seventh St. W., St. Paul; find more info here.—Jay Boller
FRIDAY 10.18
Grace Kuhlenschmidt
Parkway Theater
Kuhlenschmidt is stirring plenty of industry buzz as The Daily Show’s first-ever “senior lesbian correspondent.” Propelled by her “taut, maniacal monologue”-style viral videos, the NYC comic landed one of the coveted “New Faces” prizes at Montreal’s 2023 Just For Laughs Fest, and enjoyed two small roles in two excellent shows—HBO’s Search Party and Peacock’s Killing It. (Seriously, watch Killing It.) The 29-year-old comedian is currently killing it on The Daily Show, with memorable field pieces like her recent Walz-centric visit to the DNC. $25-$30. 7 p.m. 4814 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Anime Fusion
Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West
While it’s not explicitly billed as a spooktacular event, the “This Is Halloween” framing of Anime Fusion—a nonprofit volunteer-run con that celebrates all things anime—suggests as much. “Whether you’re a newcomer to the genre, or a die-hard fan of the classics, Anime Fusion is the place to celebrate what you love!” organizers promise. The three-day blowout will feature cosplay contests, special guests, drag shows from House of Hades, cosplay-centric burlesque from Midnight Minxes, and performances from Japanese drumming crew Taiko Troupe. And, of course, there’s a vast and deep itinerary of geeky goings-on over the inclusively geared weekend, including board games, video games, boffer rooms, dancing, karaoke, and a whole lot more. $25-$60. Friday through Sunday. 3131 Campus Dr., Plymouth; find more info here.Through Sunday—Jay Boller
21 Years of Trash: A Mistress of the Dark Celebration
LITT Pinball Bar
Trash Film Debauchery, everyone’s favorite celebration of all things campy, gorey, sleazy, silly—and yes, generally trashy—turns 21 this year. And to celebrate, they’re throwing an Elvira-themed bash at LITT. Elvira costume contest? Check! Free Elvira pinball all night long? You betcha. Plus, there’s an outdoor screening of Elvira: Mistress of the Dark and your first chance to sample War Pigs’ newest beer, Waking The Witch. Free. 21+ after 8 p.m. 2021 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis; more info here.—Em Cassel
SATURDAY 10.19
Twin Cities Book Festival
Minnesota State Fairgrounds
This biggest book party of the year? Right here, at Rain Taxi’s annual book fest. From morning to dinnertime, the fairgrounds will be turned into a warehouse party for authors, booksellers, publishers, and fans of reading—you’re reading right now, so that must be you! During the day, the sellers’ floor will feature new releases and bestsellers from local shops and printhouses, whether you’re looking for a mystery thriller, romantic fluff, historical nonfiction, or investigative journalism. The full schedule and list of participating authors is available online, and special events leading up to the big day include readings from Katherine Packert Burke (Still Life) and Alejandro Puyana (Freedom is a Feast) at Magers & Quinn, poet Dobby Gibson at Open Book, and award-winning children’s author Kate DiCamillo at the U of M. For more details, check out twincitiesbookfestival.com. Free. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1265 Snelling Ave. N., St. Paul.—Jessica Armbruster
Drop Deadlift Gorgeous
Solcana Fitness
Solcana's Drop Deadlift Gorgeous event is back in 2024, with a goal of empowering, supporting, and creating visibility about the importance of trans inclusion in sport. This specific sport? It's deadlifting, baybee. More than 100 of the strongest folks around (we're talking physically and mentally) will descend upon Solcana's Minnehaha Avenue gym and deadlift a loaded barbel while the enthusiastic crowd (that's you!) cheers 'em on. They've also got a food truck, raffle prizes, and a DJ, with an afterparty at Arbeiter Brewing from 1 to 6 p.m. And all of the funds raised by this volunteer-run event will support the PFund TRANSCEND Campaign. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free. 3016 Minnehaha Avenue, Minneapolis; more info here.—Em Cassel
Mike Birbiglia
State Theatre
The most famously poor-sleeping comedian on Earth! Birbiglia might feel ripped from the carefree Obama era, when his affable storytelling comedy made him a hit with the This American Life crowd. In 2016, the Massachusetts comic wrote/directed/starred in the pleasant indie hit Don’t Think Twice and, around that same time, he enjoyed a long run on Orange Is the New Black. But here’s the thing: Birbiglia can’t and shouldn’t be defined by that time period or his many iterations of Sleepwalk With Me; as a standup comic, Birbigs is as sharp as ever, as evidenced by his very funny 2023 Netflix special, The Old Man & The Pool. $39-$69. 805 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Taste of Asia
Northtown Mall
Don’t get too excited—Asia Village, the Asia Mall-like shopping center that’s headed for the Northtown Mall in Blaine, hasn’t actually opened yet, and won’t for a while. But Taste of Asia invites you into the space ahead of that opening. Roughly 30 food and drink vendors will be there slingin’ everything from sushi to mini donuts to ice cream to Taiwanese sausage (see ‘em all here), and there are dozens of performances from musicians and dance groups (find that list here). It oughta get you stoked for the eventual Asia Village opening, which is planned for sometime in 2025 or early 2026. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday; 12-5 p.m. Sunday. Free, but you can register here for a chance to win prizes. 398 Northtown Dr. NE, Minneapolis; more info here. Also Sunday.—Em Cassel
ONGOING
Sever’s Fall Festival
Sever’s Farm
Folks, we live in a corn state. In fact, Minnesota is the fourth-biggest corn producer in the country, producing 1.5 billion bushels annually. So it makes sense that one of our most enduring fall traditions involves heading out to Shakopee to get lost in a corn field. You can do that at Sever’s, which has hosted an epic maze each year since 1997. The challenge takes about 30 minutes, but there’s plenty to see and do once you escape, with corn pits for kids to dive into, obstacle courses, a zip line, and friendly goats and llamas in the petting zoo. $16-$26; $45 season pass. Find tickets and more info at seversfestivals.com. 3121 150th St. W., Shakopee. Through October 27—Jessica Armbruster
Are You With Me?
Rosalux Gallery
“My paintings are inspired by the magical, in-between world of the bar, offering a no invitation necessary social setting for friends, acquaintances, and strangers,” artist Mary Gibney explains. She’s interested in many bar aspects (yes, beyond the alcohol): the camaraderie, the power dynamics, the visual clutter, the idea that “Anything Could Happen.” And she explores it in a colorful and overloaded style that often includes cats, skeletons, and ghosts. There will be a conversation with guests Bill Lindeke and Andy Sturdevant, authors of the local dive bar history Closing Time, on Sunday, October 20, at 1 p.m. 315 W. 48th St., Minneapolis; more info here. Through October 27—Em Cassel
Art & Artifact: Murals From the Minneapolis Uprising
Katherine E. Nash Gallery
When George Floyd was murdered by police on May 25, 2020, Minnesotans took to the streets in protests, building owners boarded up their doors and windows, and artists created art. “I just felt so hopeful seeing the boards, seeing the plywood murals coming up, seeing the art around 38th and Chicago,” Leesa Kelly of Memorialize the Movement told Em Cassel at the time. As businesses reopened, she and her org have worked on collecting these pieces made from humble plywood and spray paint, which otherwise would have ended up in the trash, destroyed from outdoor exposure, or crassly sold online. The collection is now at over 1,000 boards; this fall you can view a selection of artworks in their archives, curated by former MM intern Amira McLendon, at the U of M. 405 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis. Through December 7—Jessica Armbruster
Kara Walker: Harper's Pictorial History of the Civil War (Annotated)
Weisman Art Museum
First published in 1862, Harper’s Pictorial History of the Civil War collects numerous contemporary maps, portraits, and other illustrations from Winslow Homer that appeared in the magazine during the conflict. As you might expect, there’s a genteel coffee-table stateliness to the proceedings, ideal for Kara Walker to disturb with her trademark cut-paper silhouettes. Walker’s style, which draws upon exaggerated Black stereotypes and other crude graphics, has become so familiar over the years that it may no longer be as immediately startling as it once was, but this 2023 exhibit, organized by the New Britain Museum of American Art and The Museum Box, showcases her continued vitality. Free. 333 E. River Pkwy., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through December 29—Keith Harris
Unveiling 1,000 Nesting Dolls
The Russian Museum of ArtDid you know that the largest collection of Russian nesting dolls in the U.S. is located right off the Diamond Lake entrance to I-35W? Now that you know, how do you feel about that? The Russian Museum of Art will begin presenting its Matryoshka dolls (to use the proper Russian term) to the public; they’ll be on display until March 9. And since it’s likely been a while since you popped in at TMORA (I myself am always overdue for a visit), while you’re there, be sure to take in Alexander Viazmensky’s watercolors of Russian mushrooms, a recently opened exhibit, and a Women in Soviet Art exhibition that closes on October 20. 5500 Stevens Ave, Minneapolis; find more info here. Through March 9, 2025—Keith Harris
