Outdoor Gear Swap, a Tiki Party, ‘The Tuba Thieves’: This Week’s Best Events

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

TUESDAY 3.26

The Electric Indian

TPT

Henry Boucha was an Ojibwe hockey legend from Warroad, Minnesota, and if you’ve never heard that name—or if you don’t know much about him beyond his Olympic and NHL career, when he was among the first Native-American hockey players at that level—this documentary from filmmaker Leya Hale should fill in the gaps. Boucha was a high school hockey star who went on to win a silver medal at the 1972 Olympics as part of the U.S. national team; he was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings, then came home to the North Stars in 1974. But his career was cut short by a high stick in the eye from Dave Forbes of the Boston Bruins—such an egregious attack that Forbes was prosecuted for aggravated assault (though not convicted). After some rough years, he found a new direction by rejoining his community and supporting Native causes. The Electric Indian debuts on TPT tonight at 8 p.m. when it will also begin streaming; find more info here.—Keith Harris

WEDNESDAY 3.27

Spring Open (Hot) House

Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center

Fire is for everyone, and we don’t mean that in a threatening way. Twice a year, this local arts center opens its doors for a showcase inviting folks to, um, get closer to fire. That means watching live fire art demos, including a metal pour, and hands-on activities for all (probably fire-free). In the galleries, folks can explore new work by students, as well as "re.tic.u.la.tion," an exhibition featuring pieces by studio residents Emily McBride and Emma Wood. A “fire jam” by Insphyre Performance, info on classes offered, and opportunities to commission work round out the event. Free. 6:30-9 p.m. 3749 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis.—Jessica Armbruster

THURSDAY 3.28

Kafui Attoh and the Uber/Lyft Revolution

East Side Freedom Library 

You’re not going nuts: The consent-manufacturing machine appears to be whirring on overdrive when it comes to the current Lyft/Uber minimum wage fight in Minneapolis. One side has a billion-dollar PR apparatus, the other has… a committed collection of drivers, many of them East African immigrants. For much, much, much more on the undertold side of this whole ordeal, author Kafui Ablode Attoh is visiting St. Paul’s East Side Freedom Library for a talk themed around his 2023 book, Disrupting D.C.: The Rise of Uber and the Fall of the City. In it, the New York-based urban studies professor argues that, per promotional material, “Uber’s success and growth was never a sign of urban strength or innovation but a sign of urban weakness and low expectations about what city politics can achieve. Understanding why Uber rose reveals just how far the rest of us have fallen.” In St. Paul, he’ll be joined by Minnesota Uber/Lyft Drivers Association (MULDA) founder Eid Ali, Sahan Journal reporter Alfonzo Galvan, and moderator Jennings Mergenthal. Free. 7 p.m. 1105 Greenbrier St., St. Paul; find more info here.—Jay Boller

Vingo

James Ballentine "Uptown" VFW - Post 246

Billy Joel waking up on a couch surrounded by water. Justin Timberlake using a fairy sculpture as a doorstop. Beyonce on a sidewalk with a bat. Jennie from Black Pink sitting on a jewel encrusted military tank. Can you name what music videos these images are from? If you’re someone who loves the visual aspects of music, then this is your trivia night. And yes, there is also a bingo element. Check in before 6:30 p.m., pick up a bingo card, watch and listen, and (hopefully) win prizes. Free. 6:30 p.m. 2916 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis.—Jessica Armbruster

FRIDAY 3.29

Alison O’Daniel: Are You Listening?

Walker Art Center

Director Alison O'Daniel, who identifies as d/Deaf/hard of hearing, begins a cinema residency at the Walker this weekend with two screenings of her 2023 debut feature, The Tuba Thieves. Riffing off a real-life event—in the early ’10s, an unexplained rash of tuba thefts hit L.A. schools—the film explores multiple tangents (the flight paths over L.A., the popularity of narcocorridos, and even a performance of John Cage’s 4’33) while following the everyday lives of a set of deaf characters. What makes it work brilliantly are O'Daniel’s formal choices, including genuinely entertaining subtitles and an insightful mix of spoken dialogue and sign language. A conversation with O’Daniel will follow both viewings. As part of her residency, O’Daniel will screen two other films next month that address deafness, sound, and communication: Compensation by Zeinabu irene Davis on April 19 and Michael Haneke’s Code Unknown on April 20. $15; $12 members. 7 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris

SATURDAY 3.30

Welcome Back the Herons 2024

Marshall Terrace Park

Caw, caw, caw! That’s how you say welcome back (or, really, anything at all) to a great blue heron, though we don’t encourage you to spook ‘em with loud noises at this annual birdwatching celebration. Each spring, a flock returns to their rookery along the Mississippi River in northeast Minneapolis as our townsfolk watch on via binoculars and cameras. You better believe a park ranger will be on hand to document the majestic birds’ journey, in addition to the general sense of community one feels craning their necks together toward a riverbank spectacle. Parking is limited; registration is encouraged. Caw! Free. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 2740 Marshall St. NE, Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller 

DISKO FEVER

Modist Brewing

Have you been in Modist’s new event space yet? Here’s a funky reason to check it out: the North Loop brewery and Backyard Boombox are hosting a disco night, featuring nu disco, disco house, and disco remixes from DJs Alboa, Stereogo, Davilla, Leadfoot, DJ Butter, Benny Nord x Ben Cline, SNRS, Brogo, and Z. Grab the Stephanie to your Tony Manero (or vice versa), break out the sparkliest ‘fit you own, and get ready to dance the night away. It’s gonna be a night of boogieing (how is that how that word is spelled?) and brews to remember. $10. 5:30 p.m. 505 N. Third St., Minneapolis; more info here.—Em Cassel

Triganol

Cedar Cultural Center

An incredible trio of Minneapolis musicians comes together for this performance. Anthony Cox (who’ll play bass, cello, and percussion) and Douglas R. Ewart (who’ll play winds, percussion, and a few of his own invented instruments, as well as contributing poetry) are both honored elders of improvised music, who’ve played with innumerable jazz legends. Drummer Davu Seru, in his mid-40s, is the relative youngster of the pack, and also one of the preeminent local musicians of his generation. Can’t wait to hear where this all goes. With Sarah M. Greer. $23/$28. 8 p.m. 416 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris

Tiki Night in the Tundra

11 Wells Spirits

Is winter the new spring? Is spring the new winter? This winter we got open patios, unfrozen lakes, and (probably) another boom in the rabbit population. So far, spring has brought us heavy snow and some freezing rain. (Stay safe out there, bunnies!) This weekend, 11 Wells is celebrating with an ironic tiki party typically held during the winter months. They’ll have their patio open, heated, decorated, and cleared of any icy debris. The menu will be decidedly tropical, with special cocktails to take the edge off the slushy mess we’re living in, the Egg Roll Queen stopping by to serve up treats, and warm tunes provided by Hot Pastrami, Black Widows, and The Swongos. Free. 3-10 p.m. 704 Minnehaha Ave. E., St. Paul.—Jessica Armbruster 

The Unruly Outdoor Gear Exchange

56 Brewing

We love the great outdoors. Camping, hiking, biking, canoeing—all of those -ings are a lot of fun, right? But unfortunately, they can also result in a lot of gear piling up in your basement/garage/overstuffed closets. Here’s another couple of -ings for ya: Spring cleaning! Do a little bit of that before the weekend hits, and bring the outdoor gear you don't use to 56 Brewing for a gear exchange facilitated by Unruly Women. The boots that no longer fit, the camp stove you stopped buying fuel for years ago, the trekking poles collecting dust… go trade ‘em for something you might actually use! Free. Noon to 3 p.m. 3054 NE Randolph St., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Em Cassel

ONGOING

Blood Memory: Candida Gonzalez

Public Functionary

How do you connect to your ancestors when you live thousands of miles away? In “Blood Memory,” south Minneapolis-raised artist Candida Gonzalez brings Puerto Rico to them via food, music, jewelry, and everyday objects. For this P-Func show, they’ve created six multimedia installations featuring collage, photography, and audio elements. Each section is dedicated to a different room of the home, including the kitchen and the bedroom, with participatory altars to help you invoke personal memories along the way. There’s an opening reception scheduled this week on Friday, March 22, from 6 to 10 p.m. (masks are required the first hour). Otherwise, you can check out the show during open hours Thursdays through Saturdays. Be sure to bring earbuds for your phone; this is an exhibition meant to be heard as well. 1500 Jackson St. NE, Studio 144, Minneapolis. Through April 13—Jessica Armbruster

Edible

Northern Clay Center

This ongoing exhibition at Northern Clay finds Asian-American artists incorporating the aesthetics of food into their (inedible) ceramic works. “Our relationship to what we eat is the most intimate possible: the food we consume literally constitutes our bodies, and the ways we consume it link us to each other, our loved ones, and our ancestors,” the organizers of “Edible” write. See artists explore that relationship in their work, from Brooklyn-based ceramicist Jacqueline Tse’s skull-studded porcelain desserts to Minneapolis-based multimedia artist Anika Hsiung Schneider’s dumplings and bai cai. Participating artists also include Ling Chun, Jennifer Ling Datchuk, and Cathy Lu. 2424 Franklin Avenue E., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through April 21—Em Cassel

The Other Four

Weisman Art Museum

Have you ever come across a tactile-looking piece of art at a gallery and wished you could reach out and touch it? Well, you can at the Weisman’s new group exhibition. “The Other Four” asks guests to rely less on sight and more on smell, taste, touch, and sound. So museum etiquette be damned, you’re welcome to sniff, listen, and grope these pieces to your heart’s content. (We’re not sure how taste plays into this show, but according to the press release that’s on the table as well.) The collection features 16 multimedia works by 21 contemporary artists, and that includes pieces exploring technology, performance, experimentation, and interactive play. “Most of us are so accustomed to the dominance of our sense of sight that we often forget it is operating… sometimes causing one to drift off into thought and miss the moment,” notes local artist John Scheurman, curator of the show. There will be an opening party this Thursday, February 8, from 7 to 10 p.m. with music, apps, and a cash bar (tickets are $20/free if you’re a U student). A free artists’ roundtable is also scheduled for 6 p.m Thursday, April 3. 333 E. River Pkwy., Minneapolis. Through May 19—Jessica Armbruster

Arctic Highways: Unbounded Indigenous People

American Swedish Institute

This winter, ASI is showcasing the work of 12 Indigenous artists from Sápmi, the Sámi people’s name for the arctic land they inhabit and travel, ranging from Alaska to Scandinavia to Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Russia. That may sound like a huge swath of land, but the connections are stronger than the miles here. “We are indigenous peoples who live in different countries and on different continents, and yet regard ourselves as peoples with kindred spirits,” the collective artist statement explains. “With this exhibition we want to tell our own story, through our own experiences, using our own forms of expression.” Pieces include photography, textile work, sculptures, and duodji handcrafts. The museum’s “first look” party this Friday, from 6 to 9 p.m. features live music, live reindeer, and hands-on art making. Tickets are $30 for the opening party, otherwise the show is free with admission ($6-$13). 2600 Park Ave., Minneapolis. Through May 26—Jessica Armbruster

Tetsuya Yamada: Listening

Walker Art Center
This winter, as performers from around the world will be heading to the Walker for its annual Out There Series, the galleries will be staying local, showcasing the work of ceramicist Tetsuya Yamada. For this survey, the Japanese-born, Minnesota-residing U of M prof will share over 65 pieces, including drawings, notes, and many, many everyday examples of ceramics–plates, vases, coffee mugs, and more. The title of the exhibition, “Listening,” refers to the instinctual choices an artist makes along the way to creating something. “The process might take me to places I didn’t imagine initially,” he explains. “This is the fundamental of studio practice for me.” There will be an opening reception this Thursday, January 18, with free admission from 5 to 9 p.m. and an artist’s talk at 7 p.m. (Stop by the Main Lobby Desk for tickets.) ​​725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis. Through July 7—Jessica Armbruster