Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and beyond.
WEDNESDAY 8.14
Ice Spice
Armory
She redefined rap slang during one of the more celebrated come ups in recent memory, but after a string of unenthusiastically received singles Ice Spice’s stock seems poised to devalue faster than JD Vance’s. Her long overdue album debut Y2K! has been met with what Wikipedia might euphemize as “an uneven reception,” and, as usual, the backlash is overstated. Her work is slight (the “bonus” version of the new album clocks in at just 25 minutes) but such is pop in the age of TikTok, where the distinction between a sound clip and a hit is blurred if not obliterated. Her brattiness is intact—I wish she wouldn’t rhyme about “poopy,” but “Think you the shit, bitch? You not even the fart” is just the right level of juvenile, and producer RIOTUSA remains one of the most ingenious beatmakers working the line between rap and pop. With Cash Cobain. $46 and up. 8 p.m. 500 S. Sixth St., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
THURSDAY 8.15
Sound for Silents
Walker Art Center
The practice of screening silent films with new original scores performed live has really taken off in recent years, with groups like Dreamland Faces and the Poor Nobodys turning a trip to the movies into a multimedia event. And each summer, the Walker offers its own spin on the practice, allowing musicians to select silent films from the Walker’s Ruben/Bentson Moving Image Collection to interpret musically. This year composer deVon Russell Gray presents a work called in the year of the parable, performed by an ensemble that includes local notables Ariadne Greif, Davu Seru, Nathan Hanson, and Andrew Broder. There will also be a hillside sound installation from James Everest and a DJ set from Sarah White. Free. 7 p.m. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
FRIDAY 8.16
Pryes Summer Music Festival
Pryes Brewing Company
Pryes opened the doors to its Mississippi-adjacent taproom in 2017, and they’ve been slingin’ beers and pizzas on one of the best taproom-patio combos in the city ever since. But this’ll be the inaugural year for the Pryes Summer Music Festival, a standout two-day affair. On Friday, that means tunes from New England-based Sublime tribute band Badfish and folk/blues/funk from Florida’s Ries Brothers (that’s pronounced “rees”). Lotus will be jamming on Saturday, along with Dizgo from Indiana and local funk rockers Mikel Wright and the Wrongs. $12. Music starts at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and 2 p.m. on Saturday, and the brewery is open ‘til midnight. 1401 West River Rd. N., Minneapolis; tickets and more info here. Also Saturday—Em Cassel
Kramarczuk's Kielbasa Fest
Utepils Brewing Co.
Music festivals not so much your jam? Then perhaps we can interest you in… a kielbasa fest? Of course, there’ll be music here too, specifically of the Eastern European variety, thanks to Saturday performances from SlovCzech Band and the Ukrainian Village Band (Harbour & Home will bring the Americana vibes). But this is ultimately a sausage fest, with special events including a Friday meat raffle and pierogi eating/sausage kicking/sausage relaying competitions Saturday. Oh, and I forgot to mention: The live music lineup includes someone who goes by “Doctor Kielbasa.” Free Fri.; $8 Sat. 5-10 p.m. Fri.; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sat. 225 Thomas Ave. N., Minneapolis; tickets and more info here. Also Saturday—Em Cassel
Santigold
First Avenue
No one who listened past the playful swoops and sing-song tunes on Spirituals, beyond the melodic bass lines and Caribbean lilt, all camouflaging the darkness of its lyrics, should have been too surprised when Santi White canceled her 2022 tour. From “My Horror,” for instance: “Think I got a, a hole in my head/I think all the numbness finally sank in/It's making my head decay.” It speaks worlds of White’s instincts as an artist (not to mention her psychological self-awareness) that throughout the album she marshals her musical ingenuity as a defense against her depression rather than sulking about it. Like the lady says, “You'll rise back up if you just shake.” And apparently she shook all she needed to and she’s risen back up. With Troy Baker. 18+. $40. 8 p.m. 701 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
Deeper Blues Launch
Cedar Cultural Center
One of Racket’s most anticipated books of the summer hits shelves this week, and you can celebrate its launch at the Cedar. In Deeper Blues: The Life, Songs, and Salvation of Cornbread Harris, journalist Andrea Swensson takes you deep inside the life of a Minnesota music legend. Swensson spent two years interviewing Harris, going to his shows, and, incredibly, helping to arrange a reunion between him and his estranged son James Harris III (a.k.a. Jimmy Jam), who will appear alongside the author and subject of the book at this event in Cedar-Riverside. Want to read an excerpt from Deeper Blues? You’re in luck: We shared one of its chapters last month. $30/$35 at the door. 7 p.m. 416 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis; tickets and more info here.—Em Cassel
SATURDAY 8.17
Uptown Porchfest
Uptown, Baybee!
Who needs a stage when you have a porch? That’s the can-do attitude of Porchfest, a neighborhood happening where musicians take to lawns, patios, and porches for a day of chill jam sessions you can watch from the comfort of a lawn, sidewalk, or apartment window. This installment will be in Uptown, an area rich in musical talent even if it is sometimes a little short on small- or mid-sized concert venues (shout out to the Green Room, Granada, and the Uptown Theater for changing that). Find a porch to enjoy via this map. Free. 1-5 p.m.—Jessica Armbruster
Heiruspecs Summer Classic
James. J. Hill House
Heiruspecs are a St. Paul institution, a live rap band that emerged from Central High in the ’90s and, though now retired, reunites regularly to remind us why we miss them. Now in its second year, their block party is on its way to becoming an institution as well. This year the ‘Specs share the bill with rapper Greg Grease, jazzy indie band Rabeca, and Cutthroat DJs. Barrel Theory Beer Company will provide the intoxicants, and other food and drink will be available for purchase. Free; $40 VIP access. 4 to 9 p.m. 240 Summit Ave., St. Paul; find more info here.—Keith Harris
IndiaFest
State Capitol
It’s not fair time yet, but it sure is festival time in St. Paul this weekend. The big one will be over at the Capitol, where 20,000 guests are expected to convene for a celebration of Indian culture that runs all day and into the night. Local restaurants and food trucks will be setting up shop, offering delicious eats and drinks. The bazaar will feature a variety of local artists, makers, and businesses, while a kids’ zone will keep little ones entertained with games and live entertainment. In the evening the fest morphs into a dance party, with Bollywood tunes and other fun. Metro Transit is offering free rides to this event, and, if you’re feeling ambitious (and really hungry!), the Asian Street Food Night Market (see below) is about a five-minute walk away. Free. 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul.—Jessica Armbruster
Asian Street Food Night Market
Sears Parking Lot
An epic festival in a Sears parking lot? Hell yes. The ever-popular, always delicious Asian Street Food Night Market returns this weekend. The gang’s all here: fried egg rolls, crepes (both savory and fruity), sushi burritos, mini donuts, halo-halo, deep-fried stuffed mochi, shaved ice, boba tea—are you hungry yet? Add a beer garden, a live music stage, local vendors, a talent show, and a Lion Dance performance and you have a great way to spend a few hours consuming local Asian-American culture. Follow the org’s Facebook page for updates of what’s coming to the fest. Free. 3-11 p.m. Sat.; 1-10 p.m. Sun. 425 Rice St., St. Paul. Also Sunday—Jessica Armbruster
Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins, and Rancid
Target Field
Fun fact: Green Day and Rancid were buddies in Berkeley, California’s George Bush-era Gilman Street punk scene. Both acts, and I say this from live-viewing experience, continue to rock live. The Pumpkins surely have plenty of fan crossover, yet their bloated alt-rock and contentious frontman feel cut from a different cloth; Billy Corgan chose his band’s new guitarist, Kiki Wong, from a pool of 10,000+ applicants earlier this year. Green Day and Rancid’s lineups remain almost entirely unchanged, and the former group will be playing two of their classics—1994’s Dookie and 2004’s American Idiot—in their entirety. Opening are super fun all-girl punk band the Linda Lindas. $53-$943. 5:30 p.m. 1 Twins Way, Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Minnesota Renaissance Festival
Ren Fest Grounds
Huzzah, motherfuckers! It’s time for Ren Fest, the most anachronistic event of the summer. For the next few weeks folks will make the trek to Shakopee to enter a realm that is a mix of medieval (of course), a hunk of Renaissance (duh), a few splashes of 800s-era vikings and BCE Celts (sure, why not!), and, some weekends, a sprinkling of baroque and rococo (the more the merrier!). Whatever! The time is irrelevant, as long as it’s ye and olde. Attendees, mostly of the 2024 variety, will be able to enjoy the delights of the past. There will be entertainment, including goofy comedy acts, nail biting tightrope walking, lute players jamming out to metal tunes, and jousting. There will be vendors selling practical stuff (pottery, textiles, candles), New Age-y stuff (crystals, oils, incense holders), and wild oddities (drinking horns, daggers, tiny words written on rice). And, perhaps most importantly, there will be giant turkey legs as well as wine and beer (be sure to stop by the free tasting events to get buzzed for free). Fun inside the grounds is all about organized chaos, but you’ll want to plan your car situation beforehand by either reserving an onsite spot online or using the free park-and-ride system. Find more info on all of that at renaissancefest.com. $16.50-$24.95 presale; $18.95-$27.95 at the gate; $67.95-$108.95 season pass. 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sat.-Sun., plus Labor Day, September 2, and Friday, September 27. 12364 Chestnut Blvd., Shakopee. Through September 29—Jessica Armbruster
SUNDAY 8.18
Food, Liquor, Records
CC Club
The event title says it all, folks! Normally, the back patio of the CC is packed with binge-drinking chain smokers sparking up like their lives depend on it. But this Sunday, it will become a rock ‘n’ roll pop-up market. Hosted by MN Record Show, folks will be invited to shop new and used vinyl, miscellaneous memorabilia, and a collection of concert tees from rocker/writer/radio personality Lori Barbero, all with a cheap beer (or maybe a square of Heggies?) in hand. Free. Noon to 5 p.m. 2600 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis.—Jessica Armbruster
ONGOING
The Long Take
Trylon
This series brings you just what it says: movies featuring long, uninterrupted takes. And fittingly, it’s a long series, running throughout the summer. But though they all include at least one bravura sequence, these films offer much more than just flashy technique. Orson Welles’s Touch of Evil got things rolling in June, and works by international arthouse champs like Tarkovsky and Antonioni, modern movies featuring Asian greats like Hong Kong action master Johnnie To and Park Chan-wook, and flicks you can never see too often like Children of Men have also screened. The final two in the series: Sam Mendes's 1917 is this week, followed by Scorsese's Goodfellas next week. 2820 E. 33rd St., Minneapolis; find complete showtimes and more info here. Through August 27—Keith Harris
Colbert: Sexy, Sophisticated, Hilarious
The Heights
It Happened One Night is about as classic as classics come, a zany comedy and a reminder of how horny folks were for Clark Gable in an undershirt way back in the ’30s. I only refrain from calling The Palm Beach Story screwball master Preston Sturges’s best because I don’t feel like arguing with fans of The Lady Eve. Both are part of this month-long Colbert tribute, and neither would work without her. But lots of people know those movies, so I am here to praise Mitchell Leisen’s undersung Midnight, a comedy built from synopsis-defying twists and turns that also features Don Ameche as a Hungarian. The series is rounded out by Cecil B. DeMille’s Cleopatra, one of those Old Hollywood extravaganzas that’s more read about than seen these days, and the original Imitation of Life. (They’ll be showing the better known Douglas Sirk version as well, so you cineastes can compare and contrast.) $12. 3951 Central Ave. NE, Columbia Heights; find showtimes, ticket prices, and more info here. Through August 29—Keith Harris
Lowertown Sounds
Mears Park
Proper, functioning cities should rock. With the annual, free, weekly, outdoor Lowertown Sounds program St. Paul is privy to this in ways Minneapolis could really learn from. When this year’s lineup was announced, organizers noted that over half of the acts are new this summer. Non-musical offerings include great beer from Wabasha Brewing Co., Dual Citizen Brewing Co., Utepils Brewing, and MetroNOME Brewing, plus wine from Alexis Bailly Vineyard and a rotating cast of 20 food trucks. Free. 6-9:30 p.m. 221 5th St. E., St. Paul; find more info here. Weekly through August 29—Jay Boller
TC River Rats
Mississippi River
What is Ratagascar? It’s not a place (we checked); it’s not a movie about a vermin chef (we think). It’s this summer’s thematic show from the Twin Cities River Rats, the local water skiing crew that has been carving up the Mississippi River since 1979. Specifically, the Rats say, “Ratagascar is filled with adventure, including high-flying jumps, tall pyramids, powerful balancing acts, and barefoot tricks.” Hm, sounds a lot like all River Rats shows, but there ain’t a damn thing wrong with that. As always, this team of rivertop tricksters performs for free and for the whole family. Bring some chairs and blankets, buy some concessions, and enjoy a Minneapolis summertime institution. Free. 6:30 p.m. 1758 West River Rd. N., Minneapolis; find more info here. Thursdays through August—Jay Boller
Keith Haring: Art Is for Everybody
Walker Art Center
Keith Haring was a hugely influential artist in the 1980s and, whether you know it or not, he still is today. The Pennsylvania-raised, NYC-based artist first gained notoriety in the early ‘80s for his subway graffiti art, adorning unused black ad space with crawling babies, barking dogs, and UFOs. A year or two later, he would emerge with projects above ground, including a billboard in Times Square, a mural on the Lower East Side, and the covers of Vanity Fair and Newsweek. His friends and collaborators included Madonna, Grace Jones, and Jean-Michele Basquiat. Regardless of his meteoric rise, Haring wanted his art to be approachable, accessible, and affordable, so he kept most of his pieces in the public sphere. Though his work was crowd pleasing, it was also political, whether it was celebrating queer love, calling for an end to apartheid in South Africa, or promoting safe sex. Though Haring died in 1990 from complications from AIDS, his prolific collection and enduring messages live on. For “Art Is for Everybody,” over 100 works and archival pieces will be on display at the Walker, including ephemera from his 1984 residency at the museum. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis. Through September 8—Jessica Armbruster
Pickup Truck Opera Volume Four: Faust
Various Locations
Now in its 16th year, Mixed Precipitation’s Pickup Truck Opera returns with a mashup of opera, Top 40 hits, and theater in the parks, gardens, and bluffs of Minnesota. This time they’re tackling Faust, Charles Gounod’s operatic take on the legendary tale where a man makes a classic “buy now, pay later” deal with the devil. This version takes place in the not-so-distant future when Dr. Faust strives to save people on our dying planet before Méphistophélès comes to collect. Add in some new wave disco tunes and Depeche Mode, and you’ve got a thoroughly modern take on a work penned in 1859. Find a list of locations and make reservations at mixed precipitation.org. $5-$45 suggested donation. Through September 15—Jessica Armbruster
Skyline Mini Golf
Walker Art Center
Speaking of stuff to do on rooftops, Skyline Mini Golf is also back this week. While some putt-putt courses aim for putting green realism others go full spectacle. At the Walker, it’s all about the latter, with holes featuring giant hot dogs, mirrored surfaces, tiny odes to the cities, and wacky opportunities to become an obstacle for putters yourself. Don’t expect to work on your handicap here; this course takes mini golf almost to the point of parody as you’ll find yourself testing your skills at ping pong, pool, and Plinketto. Just roll with the chaos–that’s part of the fun. $12 ($10 Walker members and ages 7-18); free for ages 6 and under with paid adult. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis. Through October 6—Jessica Armbruster
Movie Night at the Green
North Loop Green
Star Tribune columnist Jim Buchta recently wondered if the new North Loop Green, the new mixed-use tower overlooking Target Field, could be a “model for languishing downtowns.” But why take his word for it? You can judge the development for yourself at this ongoing series of outdoor movie nights, which takes place on the Green’s… greens (the grassy park along Washington Avenue). So far this summer, they’ve screened Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Little Big League, and the MN-made cult classic Drop Dead Gorgeous (a perfect film, we will not be hearing dissenting opinions). Free. 7:30 p.m. 240 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis; more info here. Through October 9—Em Cassel
Warehouse District Live
Downtown Minneapolis
The fate of Open Streets may be uncertain this season, but every weekend a part of First Avenue will be closed to cars—and not just for construction reasons. Described as “an enhanced pedestrian zone,” Warehouse District Live will offer things that big cities normally have in their downtown areas: food trucks, extended seating areas, and more public bathrooms. Wow! So do some bar-hopping, sit outside and eat, walk in the middle of the street, and wonder why so many exurban Twitter users are so scared of downtown. Free. 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Fri.-Sat. First Avenue, between Fifth and Sixth Streets, Minneapolis; find more info here. June 7 through October —Jessica Armbruster
