Open Studios in NE, Colson Whitehead, Evan Clark Does ‘Jesse Ventura’: This Week’s Best Events

Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and beyond. 

TUESDAY 11.10

Steven E. Jones

Moon Palace Books

Tom Wilson may not be the first name to spring up when you think of great record producers, but throughout the ’60s, this Black staffer at Columbia University consistently found himself at the center of the action. Steven E. Jones’s Everything is Everything: Tom Wilson and Pop Music in 1966 sets out to learn why, and to restore Wilson’s contributions to the public record. By that landmark year, Wilson had already run a jazz label that released albums from Sun Ra and Cecil Taylor, worked on Dylan’s first five records and got “Like a Rolling Stone” on tape, and produced Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence.” He would go on to salvage the recordings that would become The Velvet Underground & Nico and worked with Frank Zappa’s the Mothers of Invention. The ’60s, man. Free. 6 p.m. 3032 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris 

WEDNESDAY 11.11

Harriet Tubman & Georgia Anne Muldrow

Icehouse

The jazz-rock trio Harriet Tubman doesn’t make it into the studio that often, with their last record as a group the remarkable The Terror End of Beauty in 2018. Soul vocalist Muldrow, on the other hand, has dropped five albums since then. They meld exquisitely on their 2026 album together, Electrical Field of Love, which doesn’t so much range between genres as glance off them as it goes about its melodic, textural, rhythmic, and lyrical explorations. Muldrow’s voice occasionally explores pure vocal sounds rather than words, and is as much a part of the gestalt either way—this is a no band + singer album. Guitarist Brandon Ross, bassist (who currently splits his time between Minneapolis and Brooklyn), and drummer J.T. Lewis all play off Muldrow, as vocalist and keyboardist, just as she responds to them. This is Tubman’s first local show since they played Icehouse in 2022. P.S. I finally cracked Gibbs’s book How Black Music Took Over the World, and I’m ready to be challenged. All ages early show; 21+ evening. $30 advance, $40 at the door. 6:30 & 9 p.m. 2528 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris

Talking Volumes: Colson Whitehead

The O’Shaughnessy

The most accomplished U.S. novelist of his generation? Colson Whitehead is definitely in the ring. He recently finished up “The Harlem Trilogy,” a fictionalized survey of that storied NYC neighborhood ranging from the late ’50s into the ’80s as seen from a crook’s perspective, with Cool Machine, and he’ll discuss that novel and more with MPR’s Catharine Richert tonight. Whitehead has also had great luck with adaptations of his work: Barry Jenkins was entrusted with The Underground Railroad, RaMell Ross had a visionary take on Nickel Boys, and Graham Yost, the fella behind Justified, is currently adapting “The Harlem Trilogy” for Apple TV. Don’t pass up this opportunity to catch the only person to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction twice and review Digable Planets’ debut for the Village Voice. $32.75–$37.75. 7 p.m. 2004 Randolph Ave., St. Paul; find more info here.—Keith Harris

Kelsey Cook 

Acme Comedy Co.

Did you know Cook, who recently leveled up, is One of Us? It’s all true, every word of it: This year the Spokane native married Minnesota comic Chad Daniels (lives here now, thus One of Us), and her Fitzgerald Theater-taped new special, Happy Hour, premiered this past summer via Netflix (big deal, hence leveling up). Tonight, the funny and relatable local returns to the clubs for a run of sold-out Acme shows—Kelsey, you’re a theater act now! But no, we would never discourage a talented standup vet from performing at one of the best stages in the country, which happens to be in her adoptive hometown. All shows are sold out. 7:30 p.m. Wed.; 8 p.m. Thu.; 7 & 9:30 p.m. Fri.–Sat. 708 N. First St., Minneapolis; find more info here.Through Saturday—Jay Boller 

THURSDAY 11.12

Full Moon Puppet Show

Open Eye Theatre

Perhaps you’re one of the many, many thousands of people who attended the BareBones Halloween Extravaganza in Powderhorn Park this year. Perhaps you thought to yourself, “Damn, puppets are incredibly cool. I should go see more puppet shows.” You’re not wrong on either count! And you’ll have an excellent opportunity to do so this weekend thanks to Open Eye Theatre’s ongoing guest artist series. This “rowdy adult puppet cabaret,” produced by Full Moon Puppet Arts, brings you three nights of uncensored theater—and if you’re wondering just how dirty a puppet show can get, let us recommend this Racket story from September. All shows are sold out. 7:30 p.m. Thu.–Sat. 506 E. 24th St., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through Saturday—Em Cassel

FRIDAY 11.13

Fall Open Studios 

Various Locations

Art-A-Whirl isn’t the only big annual open studio event in northeast Minneapolis. Every fall, a bunch of the big arts venues open their doors and encourage folks to come in and explore what the artists inside have been up to. We’re talking about hundreds of open spaces hosting special receptions, sales, pop-up markets, exhibitions, and parties—in each building. There’s Art Attack at Northrup King (1500 Jackson St. NE) with four floors of things to see and do. There’ll be over 100 artists at the spooky sounding Open Casket at Casket Arts at (681 17th Ave. NE; a casket-making company was the building's original tenant). Head down to the basement on Friday and Saturday for speakeasy-style cocktails from 45th Parallel Distillery. California Dreamin’ will be in —you guessed it—the California Building (2205 California St. NE) with six floors of fun, including demos and hands-on activities. Be sure to stop by “Delightful 20,” a show featuring friends and colleagues Jennifer Davis and Amy Rice, who are celebrating the anniversary of their “Delightful” exhibitions, which have been held in a variety of locations and cities over the last 20 years. Q.arma (1224 Quincy St. NE) is right by a few great breweries, Earl Giles Distillery, a ton of restaurants, and an ice cream shop if you want to make an evening of it. Finally, Art This Way at the Solar Arts Building (711 15th Ave. NE) has live music all weekend plus “ROLL CALL,” a group exhibition celebrating 14 years of artists in the building. Free. 5–9 p.m. Fri.; noon to 8 p.m. Sat.; noon to 5 p.m. Sun. Find more info here. Through Sunday—Jessica Armbruster

One Night With the Body 

Neverest Studio

You might know Evan Clark as one of the madmen in Murf, the bloody, glittery, local rock outfit that once catalogued an entire tour for Racket. Tonight’s all about talk, not rock—specifically, a motivational talk starring Clark as former Racket interview subject/Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura. Channeling the mantra "Build the body, master the mind, salvage the spirit,” he’ll perform the extremely “UNAUTHORIZED” one-man show with a level of commitment that’s something to behold. “This event is intended to be one-third comedic sensory overload, one-third Tony Robbins motivational speaking parody, and one-third ode to one of my favorite Minnesotans ever,” Clark tells us. Even if you don’t got time to bleed, you should make time to check out this peerless show. 21+. $20. 7 p.m. Fri.–Sat., Mon. 500 University Ave. W., St. Paul; find more info here. Through Monday—Jay Boller

Humbird

Fine Line

Siri Undlin is my kind of depressed person. Listen to the lyrics of Morning When It Comes and you can tell that the singer-songwriter who either fronts or is Humbird (one can never be sure of such things) wrote and recorded her/their latest album while emerging from some dark times. Yet her homespun pluck is undiminished, thanks in part to capable country-folk support from musicians based in Eau Claire, where Undlin now lives full time. Racket last caught up with Undlin three or four vibe shifts ago, in 2021, when she was showcasing her latest album, the pandemic-born Still Life. With Bad Posture Club. 18+. $29.44. 8 p.m. 318 First Ave. N., find more info here.—Keith Harris 

SATURDAY 11.14

Minnesota Roller Derby 

Roy Wilkins Auditorium 

Remember the roller derby craze of the ’00s, back when Elliot Page and Drew Barrymore teamed up for Whip It? Well the sport is alive and well today, thank you very much, and tonight Minnesota Roller Derby kicks off its 23rd year with a season-long theme of celebrating our fine state. For the first bout, defending champion Bodies of Water face off against two-time champs Wednesday Warnings under the thematic banner of "Grumpy Cold Skaters." Nice. Then the Roller Vortex will take on the Maul Rats in game two. The theme for bout No. 2 come January? “Camp Minnie.” $18/$20 door (kids under 9 free); season passes available. 6 p.m. 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; find more info here.—Jay Boller 

Trip Around the Sun 12

Insight Brewing Co.

Twelve years is a heckuva run for a brewery, and, with the just-announced closure of the similarly named Inbound after 10 years, it’s as good a time as any to support the local breweries you love. Insight’s celebration will include the release of their barrel-aged imperial stout, Gravity Well, and the re-release of their collab seltzer with Dessa, We F*cking Love Our Neighbors. There’ll be beer- and space-themed tattoo flash thanks to Green River Tattoo, live music in a heated tent, and fire pits, although looking forward to the forecast… you might not need to worry too much about staying warm. Also on the agenda: concert ticket giveaways, food trucks (Angry Line Cook, Rosa Frida), and a vintage Insight merch sale. Free. 1–8 p.m. 2821 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Em Cassel

SUNDAY 11.15

It Wasn’t Meant to Be Perfect: An Evening With Gaelynn Lea and Friends

Ordway Theater

Duluth experimental folk violinist and disability activist Gaelynn Lea assembled this event, billed as “a celebration of Disability Culture.” Two of Lea’s disabled friends, storyteller Kevin Kling (a frequent MPR commentator) and Gabriel Rodreick (better known under his performing name of Freaque), will perform short sets and then discuss disability with one another. To cap off the evening, Lea herself will play and read from the memoir that gives the evening its title. $10–$40. 7 p.m. 345 Washington St., St. Paul; find more info here.—Keith Harris  

ONGOING

Open Ice Skating

Children’s Theatre Company

The weather this fall has been historically hot, and that’s not good news for winter sports enthusiasts. But this month, there will be at least one sure thing for folks who’d like to hit the ice. Last week, Minneapolis's Children’s Theater Company announced that it will be turning its fourth-floor rehearsal hall into an ice rink that will be free for all (but, hopefully, not a free-for-all), with 30-minute skate sessions that can be reserved online. That’s right, on the fourth floor. Don’t worry, building insurers: It’s a chemical rink, not a water-based one. The rink will be open for about three weeks, concurrent with winter productions Twelve Kinds of Ice and Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Bring your own skates or borrow a pair. 2400 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through November 22—Jessica Armbruster

“Cream of the Crop: The Second Harvest”

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Last year, for the first time, the Minneapolis Institute of Art exhibited a selection of crop art from the Minnesota State Fair. “[Crop art is] an interesting crossover between folk art and fine art, it’s a kitschy Minnesota tradition, and it’s something sort of uniquely Minnesotan,” Rob Bedeaux, Mia’s head of marketing and communications, told Racket at the time. “Cream of the Crop,” as the show was perfectly titled, was a hit. It was so popular that Mia brought the show back this year, with more than 20 pieces of art, including five that won best in show ribbons from the fair. 2400 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through November 29—Em Cassel

“Roots”

All My Relations Arts

This fall/winter exhibition from All My Relations Arts showcases Native artists from across the regions of Turtle Island, the name many Indigenous peoples use to refer to the Americas. It’s part of a new juried series that will “shed light on how the Western colonial construct of borders was designed to divide Native nations and perpetuate cultural divisions through the systematic removal of Indigenous peoples from their ancestral homelands,” according to AMRA. The first exhibit in this series focuses on the Midwest region. 1414 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through December 12—Em Cassel