Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
TUESDAY 9.13
Jimmy Eat World
First Avenue
Weirdly, and not in the Khalid Sheikh Mohammed sense, Jimmy Eat World will always be linked to 9/11. By that infamous date, the Arizona emo institution had already been slugging it out inside clubs and on major labels for years, yet they never landed a hit, even amid rock’s last mainstream heyday. That would all change with “The Middle,” the inescapable affirmation anthem that announced the arrival of their fourth album, Bleed American, in late July '01. Dreamworks panic-retitled the album six weeks later, and on September 13, 2001, Jimmy Eat World made their First Ave debut to an audience that was likely dazed and surely seeking escape. The group’s emotional edge has softened over the years, as the band fulfilled their lifelong radio-rock ambitions, though real heads will tell you that Clarity, their 1999 LP, is the greatest artifact the genre has ever produced. (Personally, I think Something to Write Home About and Through Being Cool are better.) Opening is Charly Bliss, whose 2019 album, Young Enough, was one of my year-end faves. $42-$45. 7 p.m. 701 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
WEDNESDAY 9.14
The National
Surly Brewing Festival Field
Matt Berninger remains dad rock’s greatest sad sack, his lyrics enacting the eternal battle between insight and self-pity that leads inevitably to a stalemate. The National have been largely mum since their 2019 album, I Am Easy to Find, which was like opening a window into their claustrophobic settings, with women guest vocalists completing the other halves of Berninger’s baritone monologues. Along with Berninger’s wife and writing partner, Carin Besser, they did find time to write the music for the Peter Dinklage vehicle Cyrano, which I guess is classier than a jukebox musical, if you’re keeping score. The band recently returned with "Weird Goodbyes,” a collaboration with Bon Iver. With Indigo Sparke. $51. 6:30 p.m. 520 Malcolm Ave. SE, Minneapolis; find more info here. —Keith Harris
THURSDAY 9.15
We Are Working All the Time
Weisman Art Museum
Polish-born, Minneapolis-based artist Piotr Szyhalski creates posters that look like propaganda. But instead of promoting patriotism, he challenges the status quo, as his pieces proclaim things like, “Seek Truth From Facts,” “Rise Up!,” and “I can’t Breathe. If It’s Not Covid, It’s the Police.” Szyhalski has been exploring “extreme historical phenomena”—think wars, labor movements, and protests against bad world leaders—since the '90s. In 2020, Szyhalski was set to have a retrospective exhibition at WAM. That show, of course, had to be postponed when the pandemic hit—an extreme historical phenomenon! During that time of lockdown and chaos, he entered another creative era, posting a new hand-drawn poster every day for 225 days. The resulting project, “COVID 19: Labor Camp Report,” was a hit, not just locally but internationally, with many pieces going viral. You can see some of these efforts in “We Are Working All the Time,” an epic exhibition showcasing Szyhalski’s 40-plus years of work, which includes posters, plates, installation, media, and other curious items. A public reception—the first real party that the museum has hosted since Covid—will be held this Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $25. Otherwise, you can see the show for free during museum hours until the end of the year. 333 E. River Rd., Minneapolis. Through December 31–Jessica Armbruster
My Chemical Romance
Xcel Energy Center
As My Chemical Romance embark on their much ballyhooed comeback tour, the opener choice is a nice nod to the emo king’s humble Newark origins. Around 2001, Thursday frontman Geoff Rickly, at the time a big-shot in the scene, more or less discovered the band his band will introduce tonight at Xcel. This tour is very much about legacy for MCR, a hyper-ambitious, style-swerving heavyweight of emo’s ‘00s peak that find themselves reassembling as their genre reemerges in the mainstream. Jon Caramanica, writing Sunday for the New York Times, approached rave status in his review of the band’s Barclays Center show, observing, “something about the My Chemical Romance mythos has deepened and hardened—it is now a misfit beacon.” Now in their mid-40s, the members still managed to growl, rock, and, ultimately, “triumph,” the critic concludes. Also opening: Homeless Gospel Choir, who’ll also play a much smaller room when they headline the Turf Club show on Monday. $146-$306. 6:30 p.m. 199 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; find more info here.—Jay Boller
FRIDAY 9.16
Pryes Fest
Pryes Brewing Company
Parking lot parties don’t end in Minnesota when the weather gets cooler. Thanks to Oktoberfest season, we’re just getting started, actually. This weekend, one of the biggest offerings will be at Pryes, as the North Side brewery is hosting a three-day party filled with tunes, beer, and food. The musical lineup is bountiful; acts include Tabah, Lady Midnight, Solid Gold, and Annie Mack. On tap : a variety of beers, including PryesFest, a seasonally appropriate small-batch Marzen lager, and the food menu features German treats like soft pretzels and sausages, as well as pizzas. Free; $140 VIP. 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. 1401 W. River Rd. N., Minneapolis. –Jessica Armbruster
Caitlin Peluffo
Comedy Corner Underground
You can tell a lot about a comic by seeing who takes ‘em on the road. In the case of Peluffo, that list includes Maria Bamford, Fortune Feimster, Brian Regan, and, this October at Acme, Mike Recine. Raunchy, confident, and energetic, Peluffo earned her broadest stage in 2018 when she performed on Colbert’s Late Show, disarming the audience by introducing herself as “butch Lara Croft.” Expect the Bay Area-raised, NYC-based pro to blow the roof off this tiny basement venue. Peluffo will be all over the region this fall as part of the loosely organized 10,000 Laughs Festival, including that Acme run with the very funny Recine and at the Parkway opening for Ryan O'Flanagan and Josh Johnson. $15. 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 1501 S. Washington Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Lantern Lighting Celebration
Lakewood Cemetery
You don’t have to have loved ones buried at Lakewood to take part in this annual celebration of those we’ve lost. All are welcome to decorate a paper lantern (Lakewood will have the markers and other creative supplies) while food trucks serve food and musicians (this year it’s singer-songwriter Sarah Morris) score the scene. As night falls, you and the other attendees can release your lanterns on Jo Pond and watch them float, “illuminating our individual intentions, reflecting our collective impact and lighting up the night.” Reserve your lantern and find additional information here. Free to attend; lanterns are $7 in advance or $10 at the door. 5-8:30 p.m. Fri.-Sun. 3600 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis. —Em Cassel
A Tribute to Shania Twain
Turf Club
I love the way time turns pop upstarts into elements of a new country music tradition. In Shania’s heyday, the idea of a crew of mostly country- and folk-identified singer-songwriters toasting her at the Turf Club would have been sacrilegious. A quarter-century later, she’s just the latest in the long line of stars who modernized country music, with the great songbook to prove it. And so Faith Boblett, Jaedyn James, Jillian Rae, Laura Hugo, Leslie Vincent, Savannah Smith, and Siri Undlin will turn out to honor that heritage. As a little bonus, there’s not just a DJ set from Hold You Lady Tight Night, but line-dancing lessons. $15. 8:30 p.m. Find more info here. —Keith Harris
SATURDAY 9.17
Minnesota Thai 2020
St. Louis Park West End
When St. Paul’s Thai night market announced that it wouldn’t be hosting its summer festival this year, we were hella bummed. Thankfully, delicious Thai street fests offering all kinds of eats have been popping up in the suburbs over the past couple of months. One example: This weekend’s Minnesota Thai. The fall block party will host Thai food trucks and vendors cooking up street-style treats, while the beer garden will be pouring local brews. Onstage you’ll find a variety of performances, including pad Thai cooking demos, a fashion show, traditional music, and drag from Pangina Heals. This event will also have fun for kids, is dog-friendly, and is totally free. What more could you want? 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. 5376 Gamble Dr., St. Louis Park. –Jessica Armbruster
Powderhorn PorchFest
Various locations
True south Minneapolitans know PorchFest rocks—they don’t need no blurb telling ‘em as much. But for the uninitiated, this annual Powderhorn hootenanny is, in fact, a hoot, featuring exactly what’s promised in the name: live tunes from 12 local bands performing from three honest-to-god porches along 17th Avenue. There’ll be food trucks (Lil Dipper, Tibet Momo, Howasta Fried Bread Tacos, Dees' Pees & Catfish), vendors, and the Eastlake Brewery-curated Reverie Beer Garden. You just can’t beat drinking outside during early fall, folks. Click here to see the full genre-spanning lineup of local music acts, which includes headliners CiCi Bella, ShaVunda Thunda, and Chavez Orchestra. Free. 4-10 p.m. 3202 S. 17th Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. —Jay Boller
ONGOING
Artist Designed Skyline Mini Golf
Walker Art Center
Now in its 15th year, Artist Designed Skyline Mini Golf returns to WAC for another season of putt putt played in the sky. No really: You’ll be heading up to the museum’s rooftop to play these 10 holes, which means you’ll see gorgeous city views in addition to the spectacle of the quirky course. The new hole this year, Always Have Been Sewn, was designed by Asian American Organizing Project’s Youth Action Team, and was inspired by Hmong “story cloth,” a.k.a. a paj ntaub. Mini golf aficionado Tom Loftus also has two holes featured this year. $10. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday–Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis. Through September 25—Jessica Armbruster
Renaissance Festival
Festival Grounds
Huzzah! Ren Fest doth returneth to Shakopee, land of Valleyfair, Canterbury, and this historically accurate 15th-century village. Spending the day at the Fest is a choose your own adventure kind of thing, with plenty to see, do, and explore. Theater ranges from pun-tastic comedy to full-on Shakespeare, while a variety of bards will take the stage to play tunes of yore. Jousting is always a must-see, and you can try your own athletic skills at the archery booth. Folks looking for a real metal sword, viking hat, cosplay items, or really nice pottery peruse a variety of shops. Theme weekends are worth considering as well, as many offer special events like free wine and beer tastings. And yes, this fest sells beer and wine, so bust out your drinking horn if you got one. Find tickets and more info at renaissancefest.com. $15.50-$23.95 advance/$17.95-$26.95 at the gate; $63.95-$104.95 season pass. 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, plus Friday, September 5. 12364 Chestnut Blvd., Shakopee. Through October 2—Jessica Armbruster
