Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
MONDAY 10.3
Stökefest
Bauhaus Brew Labs
It’s Monday night—are you stöked? How stöked? Would you say you’re stöked about mountain biking, and potentially celebrating mountain biking with Stöke MTB? How would you feel about a special themed menu from Kramarczuk’s, paired with beers from Bauhaus Brew Labs? Would you be into hearing house music from a handful of area DJs and connecting with mountain-biking businesses and community members like One on One Bicycle Studio, Trailbot, Mettle Velo, Yardi, and Minneapolis Bike Parks? And winning raffle prizes from some of said guests? What if proceeds from the raffle went to benefit the ultra-rad Twin Cities Adaptive Cycling? ÖK, how stöked are you now? Free. 5-9 p.m. 1315 Tyler St. NE, Minneapolis.—Em Cassel
TUESDAY 10.4
Sudan Archives
Fine Line
One-woman-band Brittney Parks is a classically trained, Cincinnati-born, L.A.-based violinist with a background in, yes, the music of Sudan. That’s a lot of modifiers for an artist to juggle, but she does so deftly. On her latest, Natural Brown Prom Queen, her beats flow easily, with double-time hand claps occasionally livening things up, and her tunes stream into even more dazzlingly unexpected rivulets than they did on her 2019 album, Athena. She has a gift for toying with restraint and release, emitting the least exhibitionist “I just wanna have my titties out” you’ve ever heard and reserving one of her sweetest melodies for a line about how her Chicago cousins will fuck you up. Never less than her own unassuming self, she’s lost in her music but never precious about it. She expresses herself but she never strains to be heard. She’ll make you listen close so you don’t miss anything, and you’ll be glad you did. With Lulu Be. $20-$40. 8 p.m. 318 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
Steve Lacy
Myth Live
Well, this is one of the less expected success stories of the year. Lacy, the guitarist for the brilliant R&B band The Internet, has a hit single, “Bad Habit,” a catchy, warbling little thing off his second solo album, Gemini Rights, and it’s projected him from midlevel appreciation to actual stardom. There’s something charming about how far above his weight dude is punching—he ain’t got Luther’s pipes or Prince’s licks, but he knows a thing or two about how R&B works. Just promise me that if you think he’s onto something here, though, you’ll check out The Internet. PS: This may be one of your last chances to pay your respects to the Myth Live—Maplewood is itching to tear the club down and replace it with apartments, and this is one of the final shows it still has on the books. All ages. $60 and up. 8 p.m. 3090 Southlawn Dr, Maplewood; find more info here.—Keith Harris
Painting Show
HAIR+NAILS
For this group show, the rules to were simple: Each piece must be 60x40 inches, on stretched canvas, and a painting. Though they admit they’re playing a little fast and loose with the show’s definition of that last one–one piece even incorporates braided hair and barrettes–19 artists have created 19 paintings for “Painting Show.” Participants range from the formally trained to self-taught, and include Bruce Tapola, Rachel Collier, Ryan Fontaine, Emma Beatrez, and Jonathan Herrera. You can see the new pieces for yourself in a rare Tuesday-night artists’ reception from 7 to 10 p.m. 2222 1⁄2 E. 35th St., Minneapolis. Through October 23—Jessica Armbruster
William Basinski
Cedar Cultural Center
Among the more celebrated ambient artists of his generation, Basinski made his name with the self-explanatorily titled The Disintegration Loops. A masterwork of aural decay, Basinski’s reflections on 9/11, captured in the sound of deteriorating tape recordings, got him pegged as a dour (not to mention highly conceptual) sort. But that’s hardly the emotional extent of his work. Basinski’s latest. “...on Reflection,” a collaboration with Janek Schaefer, is a genuinely pretty set, a collection of crisp piano loops that are near-melodic without losing the am-I-listening-or-zoning element essential to ambient. Recommended not just to the generally ambient-curious but also to very hip massage therapists. Adding a casual electro-pastoral touch, there are even some quiet bird tweets that made me pause the stream to make sure there weren’t some poor winged fools outside my window who didn’t realize it was October in Minnesota. With Portal iii. All ages. $25/$28. 7 p.m. 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
THURSDAY 10.6
10,000 Laughs Festival
Various venues
The brainchild of Comedy Corner Underground owner Bob Edwards, 10KL is more of a loose constellation of stellar comedy bookings around town rather than a proper “festival.” This year’s standout headliners include: Bobcat Goldthwait, Jackie Kashian, Mary Mack, the Sklar Bros, Ian Karmel, Michael Ian Black, Dulcé Sloan, and Kate Willett. Talented locals like Bryan Miller, Ellie Hino, and large shoe salesperson Maggie Farris are among the hosts who'll hold things down for 70+ smaller acts performing at The Southern, Palmers, CCU, Red Sea, Parkway Theater, and Sisyphus Brewing. Launched in 2011, the fest now has support from Mystic Lake and seems stronger and larger than ever, to which we say: hell yeah. Given the scope of this thing, it’s really easier just to check out the complete lineup/logistics, which you can view here.—Jay Boller
FRIDAY 10.7
Joyful Riders DJ Ride: Friday Night Lights Edition
Perennial Cycle
It’s your last chance to get in on one of Joyful Riders Club’s DJ’d rides in 2022—and this is a special-edition nighttime ride! That means bring your bike lights, and also all kinds of other lights: colorful holiday lights, shiny strands of disco ball lights, perhaps even… I don’t know, battery-powered LED flamingo lights? It’s all up to you. This is a round-trip, five-mile, slow-roll (5 to 8 m.p.h.) route, with ample time for dance breaks as you pass under bridges along the Midtown Greenway. With drum and bass tunes from DJ Dev (a.k.a., Eric Moran, who you might know from the plan to turn Victory Memorial Ice Arena into a roller rink). All ages. Free. 7 p.m. 3342 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis.—Em Cassel
Twin Cities Oktoberfest
Minnesota State Fairgrounds
You’ll be hollering “ich bin ein drunk!” at this 12th annual Germanic celebration of pounding Marzens, Pilsners, Kolsches, Porters, and Hefeweizens down at the ol’ fairgrounds. We’re talking brats and potato salad from Gerhard’s Brats, old-world pretzels from Aki’s Breadhaus, and Euro-style pancakes from Burbachs; suds galore from Utepils, Lupulin, and Hop & Barrel; and live entertainment from lederhosen-core bands Doctor Kielbasa (Fri.) and Alpensterne (Sat.), plus dance troupe SG Edelweiss. $10-$80. 5-10:30 p.m. Friday; 12:30-10 p.m. Saturday. 1621 Randall Ave., Falcon Heights; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Bill Burr
Target Center
Burr occupies a rarified place in the comedy world, one where he’s accepted and praised by both the meatheads (Joe Rogan, Adam Carolla) and the alt-nerds (Marc Maron, Judd Apatow). That’s an obvious testament to how fucking funny the 54-year-old Bostonian is, but also his savvy; Burr is an opinionated cultural critic of the Carlinian school, making his universal appeal all the more remarkable. On his latest (and quite good!) Netflix special, Live at Red Rocks, Burr tiptoes toward “cancel culture” without slipping into cheap-heat reactionary mode. $54-$109. 6:30 p.m. 600 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Sally and Tom
Guthrie Theater
Regardless of what dry history books tried to teach us in history class, the Founding Fathers were pretty questionable. Thomas Jefferson, for example, was a grown man when he started a “relationship” with Sally Hemings, the teenage daughter of two of his slaves. At the time, that shit flew in Paris, but upon returning to his Virginia plantation, Monticello, the two had to tread carefully. Through Sally and Tom, a world-premiere work debuting at the Guthrie, “we come to know the ways in which Sally Hemings and her other Black family members navigated hard truths of 1790 as well as the ways we are still navigating some of those truths today,” says playwright Suzan-Lori Parks. “We also come to understand how the white Jefferson family embraced some of the less-than-noble truths on which the founding fathers built America.” Parks is a heavy hitter of American theater; in 2002 she won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Top Dog/Underdog – making her the first African American woman to do so. 818 S. Second St., Minneapolis. Through November 6—Jessica Armbruster
SATURDAY 10.8
Smoke and Ground
Public Functionary
In 2019, Public Functionary closed their gallery at 1400 12th Avenue NE with the promise of returning bigger and better. And that’s exactly what they did. That same year, local artist Leslie Barlow joined the crew to helm PF Studios, a program offering mentorship, affordable gallery space, and other resources for (often low-income) BIPOC artists just starting their career. (You might recognize Barlow from this year’s official State Fair artwork.) Then, in 2020, the PFunc gang secured a much bigger space in the Northrup King Building. Now, you can check out their new 7,000-square-foot gallery and performance space at the official grand-opening, which will feature artists from Barlow’s Studios program. For this group show, curator Adrienne Doyle asked artists to consider the question: Where do our memories live in our landscape and how do they tie or sever us from place? See how different artists answer on Saturday, October 8, from 5 to 11 p.m. Northrup King Building, Studio 144, 1500 Jackson St. NE, Minneapolis. Through November 6—Jessica Armbruster
Fall Booya Fest
Bent Brewstillery
It’s booya season, baby! And nowhere is that more evident this weekend than at Bent Brewstillery, where they’ll be cooking up steaming kettles of the hearty stew with uniquely Upper Midwest origins. “Ours is made with smoked pulled pork, smoked chicken, and Andouille sausage to give it a Southern flare,” the Bent team notes. Additional Booya Fest features include: zesty cocktails, a ghost pepper twist on the seasonal Dark Fatha stout, the Signature on Wheels food truck, and a market with "arson artisans"... huh! Free. Noon. 1744 Terrace Dr., Roseville; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Harriet Bart: Reckoning
NewStudio Gallery
“We live in a broken world,” warns Harriet Bart. “‘Reckoning’ is a cautionary tale.” This time, the St. Paul-based, international artist cautions us through creating a unique, site-specific space filled with a variety of items. Some hold cultural significance (a bronze owl, a model of a barn), some have been found in nature (a burl, animal bones), and others have been tampered with in-studio (a gold-leaf embossed stone). Will you be able to decipher and heed the warning? The exhibition opens Saturday, October 8, with a free public reception from 5 to 8 p.m. 2303 Wycliff St., St. Paul. Through December 3—Jessica Armbruster
Cozy
Rosalux Gallery
Hygge. Cuffing season. Stocking up on wine, making soup in bulk, and going on baking sprees. Here in Minnesota, we’re really into prepping and setting ourselves up for success for long stretches of isolation, be it winter related or pandemic. But that doesn’t always stop the anxieties about the outside world from coming in. For “Cozy,” Terrence Payne’s new collection of large-scale drawings, the Minneapolis-based artist explores our longing for comfort while living with the trauma of raging plagues, political upheavals, extreme inflation, and other modern-era bullshit. Check out his new pieces at Rosalux’s opening reception Saturday, October 8, from 7 to 10 p.m. 315 West 48th St., Minneapolis. Through October 30—Jessica Armbruster
Owámni: Falling Water Festival
Water Works Park and Father Hennepin Bluff Park
If you haven’t had a chance to check out Owamni—the restaurant—yet, we get it… that place is one of the toughest reservations in town. (And it’s not likely to get less busy as the accolades keep coming.) But there’s also Owámni—the festival—which celebrates Indigenous Minnesota culture with Native music, art, artifacts, and more. As a bonus, the music-and-art-filled afternoon also includes a picnic in the park with food from Owamni by the Sioux Chef, along with an array of other vendors. Free. 1-5 p.m. 333 First St. S., Minneapolis and 420 SE Main St., Minneapolis.—Em Cassel
ONGOING
Rosy Simas Danse: She Who Lives on the Road to War
Weisman Art Museum/All My Relations Arts
Part art installation, part dance performance, She Who Lives on the Road to War examines potential paths to a peaceful future via indigenous history. The exhibit’s title is inspired by the life of Jigonhsasee, an ancient Haudenosaunee woman, known as the Mother of Nations, who once touted war between tribes but eventually changed her ways and advocated for peace. Can you imagine what that kind of turnaround would look like in today’s world? That’s kind of the point of this show, which encourages people to rest, grieve, and “consider how we can all work towards reconciliation during the dual pandemics of systematic racism and COVID-19.” You can see installations at both WAM and All My Relations Arts, and both venues will host dance performances during the show’s run. RSVP for free tickets and find the entire performance schedule here. Weisman Art Museum’s (333 E. River Rd., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis) show runs September 10 through February 5, while events at All My Relations (1414 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis) are from October 6 through December 15.—Jessica Armbruster
We Are Working All the Time
Weisman Art Museum
Polish-born, Minneapolis-based artist Piotr Szyhalski creates posters that look like propaganda. But instead of promoting patriotism, he challenges the status quo, as his pieces proclaim things like, “Seek Truth From Facts,” “Rise Up!,” and “I can’t Breathe. If It’s No Covid, It’s the Police.” Szyhalski has been exploring “extreme historical phenomena”—think wars, labor movements, and protests against bad world leaders—since the ‘90s. In 2020, Szyhalski was set to have a retrospective exhibition at WAM. That show, of course, had to be postponed when the pandemic hit—an extreme historical phenomenon! During that time of lockdown and chaos, he entered another creative era, posting a new hand-drawn poster every day for 225 days. The resulting project, “COVID 19: Labor Camp Report,” was a hit, not just locally but internationally, with many pieces going viral. You can see some of these efforts in “We Are Working All the Time,” an epic exhibition showcasing Szyhalski’s 40-plus years of work, which includes posters, plates, installation, media, and other curious items. A public reception—the first real party that the museum has hosted since Covid—will be held this Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $25. Otherwise, you can see the show for free during museum hours until the end of the year. 333 E. River Rd., Minneapolis. Through December 31—Jessica Armbruster
