Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and beyond.
TUESDAY 11.5
Election Night Watch Parties
Various Locations
No matter what happens on Tuesday, it’s going to be stressful. Are we about to become a fascist dictatorship? Maybe! Will there be attacks on the capitol? We shall see! Will we go to bed knowing who’s been elected President of the United States? Hopefully! No matter what you do this day, please please please go vote (here’s a handy link to how and where). Do it for democracy; do it for your community; do it for the free sticker. If you don’t want to be alone tonight (who does?), think about meeting up with your patriotic friends at a watch party. Dual Citizen (725 Raymond Ave., St. Paul) will have beer specials, red and blue slushies, and eats from Las Twins Mexican Cuisine. Du Nord (2700 E. Lake St., Minneapolis) and Tap Society in Kingfield (4555 Grand Ave., Minneapolis) will also have drink discounts and results aired on a big screen. Downtown, Roxy’s Cabaret (1333 Nicollet Mall) will have two-for-one taps and free shots whenever a swing state is called. Pimento Jamaican Kitchen (345 Wabasha St. N., St. Paul) will be hosting a party with HUAC-Twin Cities, or stop by A Bar of Their Own (2207 Franklin Ave. E., Minneapolis) for sports and politics. But no matter what you do today: VOTE.—Jessica Armbruster
Knocked Loose
The Armory
I never miss a chance to see Knocked Loose when they roll through the Twin Cities, it’s just that—and I’m so sorry—they tend to tour with some of the worst bands imaginable. Nightmare blunt rotation lineups. But not so this time around; the biggest band in hardcore right now heads to the Armory this week with support from The Garden, Drain, and Militarie Gun. The Kentuckians’ latest LP, You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To, is one of the best heavy records of 2024, and it gave us the tremendous TikTok trend of guys throwing ass to “Suffocate.” But listen—we won’t judge ya if you just want to go holler along to the “arf arf” song. There’s no better election night distraction than this! All ages. $39+. 5 p.m. 500 S. Sixth St., Minneapolis; tickets and more info here.—Em Cassel
WEDNESDAY 11.6
David Sedaris
State Theatre
The MPR crowd has this one frantically triple-circled on their calendars. But I don’t mean to talk shit: Sedaris is great; I still think about him feeding his own tumor to snapping turtles almost monthly. The 67-year-old humorist/author/brother to the incomparable Amy Sedaris is touring in support of his recent children’s book (huh!), Pretty Ugly, in addition to 2022’s Happy-Go-Lucky, a reflection on his relationship with his dead father. The razor-sharp satirist should have plenty of off-the-cuff material to work with, considering this show comes in the wake of—gulp—Election Day. $59.50-$69.50. 7:30 p.m. 805 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
FRIDAY 11.8
Art Attack/Open Casket/California Dreamin’/Fall Open Studios
Various Locations
There are four open studio events in northeast Minneapolis this weekend, but really, it’s one massive event with four different names. Think of it as the Art-A-Whirl of the fall, but slightly less intense. At each location you'll find an astounding four to six floors of stuff to explore, with special gallery receptions, exhibitions, sales events, studio tours, demonstrations, and and other fun. There will be live music, performances, and pop-up lounges in the basements and open areas of buildings, and all events have a bar, pub, or restaurant within walking distance (if not already in the dang building). Pick one and make a casual afternoon of it, or aim for a marathon do them all. Free. 5-9 p.m. Fri.; noon to 8 p.m. Sat.; noon to 5 p.m. Sun. California Building, 2205 California St. NE; Casket Arts Building, 681 17th Ave. NE; Northrup King Building, 1500 Jackson St. NE, Minneapolis; Q.arma Building, 1224 Quincy St. NE. Through Sunday—Jessica Armbruster
Twin Cities Con
Minneapolis Convention Center
Minnesota hosts a wide variety of nerd conventions throughout the year, but Twin Cities Con is the big one. The one that draws the biggest celebs, the widest variety of fandoms, and the most diverse crowds. The lineup, as always, is pretty dang fun. Ian Freakin’ McDiarmid will be here, for example. When he isn’t blowing Shakespeare out of the water onstage he’s known to (magnificently) chew through scenery as Emperor Palpatine. Hayden Christensen, one of several Darth Vaders (RIP James Earl Jones), will also be here. Brooklyn 99’s Stephanie Beatriz and Orange is the New Black/Doom Patrol’s Diane Guerrero will be stopping by, as will Lou Diamond Phillips. Tom Kenny, the voice of Spongebob Squarepants, will be there, as will a ton of actors from Hazbin Hotel. If you’re a Boy Meets World fan, you’ll also be in for a treat with Rider Strong, Will Friedle, and Danielle Fishel scheduled, too. In-between meetups and talk you can explore the artist alley, drink a beer while shopping from niche vendors, snap some cool cosplay pics, and make new friends at late-night screenings and room parties. Find tickets and more info at twincitiescon.com. $10-$50; $55-$70 for a three-day pass. Noon to 7 p.m. Fri.; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sat.; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sun. 1301 Second Ave. S., Minneapolis. Through Sunday—Jessica Armbruster
Zainab Johnson
Camp Bar
Johnson scored a spot on Variety’s 2019 “Comics to Watch” list,” which if we’re being honest, is more than you can say for yourself. The Yemeni-American comic was born and raised in Harlem, where she was one of 13 (!) kids in a devout Muslim family. After moving to L.A., she has appeared on HBO, Last Comic Standing, and as a cast member on the Greg Daniels-created Amazon series Upload. The Los Angeles Times called her 2023 Amazon special, Hijabs Off, “laugh-out-loud, thoughtful, and honest.” Very funny locals Ben Katzner and Randall Reid open. $17-$25. 7 p.m. Fri.; 6 & 8:15 p.m. Sat. 490 Robert St. N., St. Paul; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Lit in the Lot: Parking Lot Party
Fair State Brewing Cooperative
About a month ago, Fair State announced that their lovely backyard beer garden was going away because the outdoor space was no longer available to lease. That stinks! But the cooperatively owned brewery isn’t done with outdoor fun—who needs a beer garden when you’ve got a parking lot, baybeee! A two-day Lit in the Lot party takes over beginning on Friday, when they’ll have s’mores all day, plus beer poking and fare from the Amazing Momo Dumplings food truck. Saturday is an even bigger affair, with free screen printing (BYO shirt), Que Tal Street Eats, local maker pop-ups, and live music from Ahem, Cult Vibes, and Lifestyle Shakes. It’s all followed up with an outdoor movie screening from 7-9 p.m. Free. 4-9 p.m. Fri.; 1-9 p.m. Sat. 2506 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis; more info here. Through Saturday—Em Cassel
SATURDAY 11.9
Minnesota Roller Derby
Roy Wilkins Auditorium
It’s one of the most brutal sports out there, and it’s on wheels. Yep, the Minnesota Roller Derby is back for its 21st season. This season there will be blood, broken bones, and beer as teams try to send their jammer around the track without getting knocked on their ass. Tonight’s bouts include four teams: Bodies of Water, Wednesday Warnings, Roller Vortex, and Maul Rats. The theme is "9 to 5," so expect an extra dose of Dolly on the soundtrack. $17/$19. 6 p.m. 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; find tickets here.—Jessica Armbruster
Prairie Fire Choir
The Cedar
With all these highfalutin, new-fangled touring acts coming through town each week, it’s easy to forget the musical treasures that exist right here in the Twin Cities. Don’t make that mistake with Prairie Fire Choir, the ever-changing vocal collective of 70+ members who belt out a cappella classics from the likes of Leonard Cohen, Queen, Fleetwood Mac, Kimbra, Metallica, and Bill Withers with joy, skill, and an eye toward social justice. The crew’s 13th season wraps up tonight, and special member Meghan Kreidler of Racket rocker faves Kiss The Tiger will be singin’ right along. This finale, like all show’s this year, will benefit reproductive rights nonprofit Our Justice. $25-$30. 8 p.m. 416 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
SUNDAY 11.10
Billie Eilish
Xcel Energy Center
As brother Finneas pursues his love of lush textures and the star herself gets so torchy you might think she’s got another musical Billie on the brain, Eilish’s latest album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, often hits soft. But it still does hit, with the singer finding comfort in her own body and fending off internet rumors as she… hmm, what’s that euphemism again? Ah yes, “explores her sexuality.” Sometimes, those explorations are sweet, as on “Birds of a Feather,” but I’m more partial to the carnal “Lunch” (“it’s a craving not a crush”), the furthest into the red Billie has pushed her libido—at least until she popped up on the remix of “Guess” slavering about how she wants to get in Charli XCX’s undies. With Towa Bird. $199.50+. 7 p.m. 199 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, Minneapolis; find more info here. Through Monday—Keith Harris
ONGOING
The Defiant Roles of Anna May Wong
Trylon
The first Hollywood star of Chinese descent has been increasingly celebrated over the past few years. Her face has been minted into a quarter, her image molded into a Barbie, and her story recounted in two recent biographies with somewhat overstated subtitles: Katie Gee Salisbury’s Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong and Yunte Huang’s Daughter of the Dragon: Anna May Wong’s Rendezvous with American History. Wong’s film career itself is one of hard-fought partial victories against racist compromises, and this series collects many of its high points. Wong holds her own against Marlene Dietrich in Josef Von Sternberg’s Shanghai Express (1932) and demonstrates her star appeal in the silent Pavement Butterfly (1929), with original accompaniment by the great Katie Condon. In Daughter of Shanghai (1937) she heads a cast of East Asian actors (a rarity in the era of yellowface); in King of Chinatown (1939) she does not—her father is played by a white guy who made his name as Charlie Chan—but she still busts stereotypes through her performance. $8. 2820 E. 33rd St., Minneapolis Find complete listings and more info here. Through November 26—Keith Harris
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
Night Trains
Twin City Model Railroad Museum
Halloween is over, and you know what that means: It’s Night Trains season at the Model Railroad Museum! If you’ve never been to the Model Railroad Museum, this is the way to experience it. They’ll turn down the house lights and let the miniature train models show off their cozy glow while they weave through towns that are buried in blizzards or lit up with holiday decorations. It’s quaint as hell; you’re gonna love it. There are some special nights on the books—we hear Santa shows up on December 14 and 21—and did we mention that the museum turns 90 friggin’ years old this year? No better time to visit this St. Paul gem. $15; free for children four and under. 3-7 p.m. Saturdays (check online for bonus nights). 668 Transfer Rd., Suite 8, St. Paul; tickets and more info here. Through February 22—Em Cassel
Unveiling 1,000 Nesting Dolls
The Museum of Russian Art
Did 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 Museum of Russian 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
