Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
WEDNESDAY 5.9
J. Elvis Weinstein
Acme Comedy Co.
"I had some of my own trials lately. I had a kidney taken out not long ago, yeah,” Weinstein said from Acme’s stage some years back. “Because a bet's a bet. Actually I had kidney cancer…” With Weinstein, who began stand-up comedy as a Minneapolis teen in the late ‘80s, you’re obviously getting a polished, at-ease performer. But you’re also getting a master joke writer, as the 50-year-old comic worked on the original Mystery Science Theater 3000 cast (he voiced gumball machine Tom Servo) and wrote for cult classic Freaks and Geeks. Weinstein—who changed his name from Josh to avoid confusion with the great Simpsons writer—co-hosts the podcast Thought Spiral with fellow comedian Andy Kindler: “2 Jews, 2 Mics, 2 Hours. Spiraling weekly since 2017,” reads the tagline. $18-$33. 8 p.m. Wed.-Thu.; 7 & 9:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 708 N. 1st St., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
TUESDAY 5.10
EarthGang
The Fillmore
This Atlanta duo, like the larger Spillage Village crew they hail from, draw upon the 808s and kudzu style of southern rap royalty Dungeon Family. But Olu and WowGr8 are no retro dead-enders, just practitioners of a timely trap update of a tradition worth extending. Their new album, Ghetto Gods, shines a spotlight on local everyday heroes, and though it’s playful—in their company, even J. Cole loosens up a little—it’s not lightweight. The lyrics are well-observed and warm, serving up advice like “check in on your strong friends,” and the mood is lively but not purely escapist. With Mike Dimes. $35 and up. 6 p.m. 525 N. Fifth St., Minneapolis; find more info here. –Keith Harris
FRIDAY 5.13
Ta-coumba T. Aiken: Awakening
Dreamsong
Ta-coumba T. Aiken’s artwork is part of the Twin Cities. His pieces have been displayed throughout Hennepin Theatre Trust buildings, his collab with Seitu Jones is embedded in the sidewalks of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, his large-scale etched glass mural, Flow, can be found in the Capitol River Watershed District in St. Paul. His pieces, which include paintings, drawings, murals, sculptures, and other kinds of media, play with the abstract while also speaking to ancestry, activism, and Black histories. For “Awakenings,” his latest exhibition, the Lowertown-based artist will feature paintings and works on paper. It should serve as a nice sneak peak into what lies ahead for him, as he was was recently named a 2022 Guggenheim fellow. There will be an opening reception on Friday, May 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. 1237 Fourth St. NE, Minneapolis. Through June 25 –Jessica Armbruster
Amyl and the Sniffers
Fine Line
Amy Taylor must have known “I’m short, I’m shy, I’m fucked up, I’m bloody ugly!” was the lyric from Amyl and the Sniffers’ latest album, Comfort to Me, that all the critics’d quote, so why should I be the exception? She’s found a way to say “Here’s who I am!” that doesn’t have to be unique because it feels personal, and the band finds a similar identity as it rumbles underneath her rants epiphanies. Honestly, I'm more struck by her declaiming “I’ve got plenty of energy,” followed by “I don't like misery. It passes through my body. I never hold on to the misery or grief.” Amidst its big, brawling blurtiness, Comfort to Me has something like tunes, something like a groove, and something like flow. And where so many punks (like so many non-punks) like to pretend they know either more or less than they do, you gotta appreciate the honesty of “Capital,” which is anti- and isn’t sure what to do about it, because “I only just started learning basic politics.” With Upchuck and C.O.F.F.I.N. 18+. $25-$40. 9 p.m. 318 N 1st Ave, Minneapolis; more info here.—Keith Harris
Mothra vs. Godzilla
Trylon Cinema
They don’t make kaiju movies like they did in Japan in the 1960s. No CGI excesses, just two grown men going at it in suits, slowly fighting each other amid a miniature city. If that doesn’t sell you on this flick, then maybe the plot will: A typhoon leaves a mysterious space egg behind on Nishi Beach. The village nearby decides to sell the egg to Happy Enterprises, an evil corporation. Things get complicated when Twin fairies alert this movie’s Scooby gang–a journalist, photographer, and professor–that the egg belongs to Mothra, and Godzilla is coming to destroy it along with humanity. What ensues is the stuff of legends. Or, as one critic put it in 1964: "In spite of some clumsy model shots, Godzilla's fight with the giant moth and its caterpillar progeny is one of [production company] Toho's better efforts." $8. 7 p.m. Friday; 9 p.m. Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday. 2820 E. 33rd St., Minneapolis. Through Sunday –Jessica Armbruster
Steve Martin and Martin Short
Orpheum Theatre
Steve Martin, famously, became a cultural sensation as a stand-up comic in the ‘70s, then he simply quit. Decades of movies, shows, and banjo concerts would follow, sure, but he’d never return to the artform he mastered as a young man. So these live gigs with super pal Martin Short, which you can get a sense of on Netflix’s An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life, are as close as you’ll get to seeing Steve Martin and a mic. That’s not to short sell the Martin/Short comedy duo; there’s something adorable about the septuagenarians touring the world, constantly busting each other’s balls, and riffing on Hollywood. That chemistry will be on full display at the Orpheum for You Won’t Believe What They Look Like Today!, where they’ll be joined by pianist Jeff Babko and Steve’s frequent bluegrass collaborators, the Steep Canyon Rangers. Somewhat curiously, Martin and Short recently teamed with Selena Gomez on the critically lauded crime-mystery series Only Murders in the Building, though don't expect a Minneapolis cameo from the 29-year-old singer/actor. $79-$199. 8 p.m. 910 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
St. Paul Art Crawl: Lowertown
Various Locations
The St. Paul Arts Crawl used to be a three-day event. This year, however, it’s morphed into a five-week festival, concentrating on a specific neighborhood or artists’ space each weekend. This week the fun is in Lowertown, one of the biggest legs of the series. There are 10 main participating locations, including the Northern Warehouse, Tilsner Artist Lofts, 262 Studios, the Union Depot, and the Northwestern Building. Come see what Lowertown artists have been up to during the winter months, shop from guest artists and pop-up vendors, and take in live music and performances. Up next: The final installment will take place at the Rossmor Building June 24-25. Find more details at stpaulartcollective.org. Free. 5-9 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Through Sunday –Jessica Armbruster
SATURDAY 5.14
Minnesota Tabletop Market
Minneapolis Cider Company
Makers markets and antique marts aren’t just for vintage clothes, furniture, or artisanal items. The Twin Cities even have one for board games. This Saturday, the Minnesota Tabletop Market returns, with folks selling second hand board games, role playing books, and miniatures from eras of yore. You can also score new board games from local makers, who also often show up to these events. Added bonus? You can bust out your new find in the brewpub and play your inaugural game while drinking a cider and snacking on crepes from the food truck stopping by. Free. Noon to 3 p.m. 701 SE Ninth St., Minneapolis. –Jessica Armbruster
Open Season: Spring Brewery Party
Falling Knife Brewing Company
Here’s a little poem I wrote for you about Falling Knife’s big huge spring blowout bash: “Roses are red, knives are falling, if you don’t go to this patio party, you’re fucking up, dahling!” But seriously folks, this springtime celebration has everything: burgers from Parlour, pizzas from Red Wagon, Up Coffee with the cold press and tea, Meteor with seltzer drinks, mango slushies, jello shots, bottle releases. They’ll be walking around taking polaroid photos as you enjoy cover bands playing Queens of the Stone Age, Misfits, and more, with DJ Truckstache performing in between sets. And the bonfires will be lit… just in case there’s still a little springtime chill in the air. We probably missed something, so just take a look at the event page here and make sure you don’t miss it. $5 (benefits Community Driven). 1-10 p.m. 783 Harding St. NE, Minneapolis—Em Cassel
SUNDAY 5.15
Pints For Provision
Bauhaus Brew Labs
Provision Community Restaurant is one of just a handful of pay-what-you-can restaurants around the U.S., and when the Lyn-Lake cafe opened in October of 2019, it was the only one of its kind in Minneapolis. Of course, opening in late 2019 meant they were around juuust long enough for the pandemic to shut the whole operation down a few months later. Thankfully, Provision is back in action as of last month, in a redesigned space that’s cozy, colorful, and as always, “come as you are, give as you can.” Ahead of its grand reopening on June 1, they’re heading to Bauhaus for a fundraiser featuring food, live music, a silent auction, and of course, all the Wonderstuff and Lounge Wizard brews your little heart desires. Find more info and snag tickets here. 4:30-7:30 p.m. $20-$55. 1315 Tyler St. NE, Minneapolis.—Em Cassel
