Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and beyond.
MONDAY 11.3
David Byrne
Orpheum Theatre
When David Byrne came to the Orpheum in 2018, I sat out his shows for what seemed like a justifiable reason at the time: I wasn’t crazy about his latest album, American Utopia, and I honestly wasn’t keen on any of the solo albums he’d released since deciding his genius was too vast to be constrained by Talking Heads. Well, I’m not too hot about Byrne’s latest, Who Is the Sky?, but I’m not gonna make the same mistake again. Lots of hard-to-impress friends called the Orpheum gig the best show they’d ever seen, and on the evidence of the concert film he released in 2020 (no Stop Making Sense but come on, what is?) I was a dummy. And honestly, Who Is the Sky?, recorded with the Ghost Town Orchestra, is intriguing if for no other reason than you can hear several of the songs ("She Explains Things to Me," "What Is the Reason for It?”—“it” being love) as Byrne publicly addressing the autistic tendencies he (like many of us) has long suspected he possesses. But who cares about the new record? He’s a master showman, and he’ll deliver. $301.45. 8 p.m. Mon.-Tue. 910 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through Tuesday—Keith Harris
TUESDAY 11.4
Saint Paul Almanac Volume 14
Boneshaker Books
Now in its 14th iteration, the Saint Paul Almanac isn’t a traditional almanac. You won’t find detailed weather predictions, crop planting suggestions, or info on moon cycles. This almanac is more of a cultural document, capturing the thoughts and feelings of the community each year. Past editions have included poetry, straightforward journalism, and thought-provoking essays on the state of living in St. Paul. This year’s edition is no different, with bits of memoir from Sherry Quan Lee, art from Ta-Coumba T. Aiken, award-winning sidewalk poetry, pieces from activists Dr. LaVonne Moore and Clarence White, and so much more. Readings featuring contributors will be held at various locations throughout the season, including this week’s installment at Boneshaker. Free. 6-8 p.m. 708 W. 26th St., Minneapolis; find a complete schedule of readings here.—Jessica Armbruster
FRIDAY 11.7
“miniARTure 2025”
Otherworldly Arts Collective
There’s something magical about small-scale art. Not only is it super cute, but it also requires a lot of skill. An artist who works in a teeny-weeny medium has to maintain a steady hand, command an uncanny attention to detail, and possess an understanding of scale with no room for error. You can see examples of this varied genre at OAC this week, where tiny-art makers will convene for “miniARTure,” an annual show featuring pocket-sized pieces. Past shows have included palm-sized sculptures, paintings barely bigger than the gallery label, and dollhouse-scaled items. So cute! So skilled! Free. 6-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 451 NE Taft St., Minneapolis; find more info at oacmn.com. Through Saturday—Jessica Armbruster
Twin Cities Con
Minneapolis Convention Center
Fall is convention season, and Twin Cities Con is easily the biggest fish in the pond. There’s no niche here; this is a gencon all the way. The celebrity lineup, as always, is filled with names you know, including Brendan Fraser (The Whale), Rosario Dawson (Josie & the Pussycats), Alyson Stoner (Camp Rock), Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad), Amy Jo Johnson (the Pink Power Ranger), and pro wrestler Mick Foley. Between meetups and talks you can explore the artist alley, drink a beer while shopping, snap some cool cosplay pics (always ask first!), and make new friends at late-night screenings and room parties. $50-$70 daily ($10 kids); $95-$128 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; find tickets and more info at twincitiescon.com. Through Sunday—Jessica Armbruster
Pitch-A-Friend
Inbound BrewCo
It’s cuffing season, my single sweeties—now that we’ve set the clocks back, you’re running out of time to lock down that situationship before winter arrives in earnest. And if you’re not even entangled in an ongoing situationship? Well, it’s time to fix that for sure. Enter Pitch-A-Friend Twin Cities, the series that invites folks to literally pitch their single friends, like with a PowerPoint presentation and everything. This week’s event at Inbound is “nerd night,” where everyone being pitched is a self-proclaimed nerd. Looking for tips on being your best wingmanning Don Draper? “Tell us what they’re looking for in a person, because that might spark interest,” Jackie Carper, Pitch-A-Friend’s Twin Cities chapter lead, told Racket earlier this year. “And tell the crowd what people can’t see with their own eyes, and what makes them a good friend, because that’s what makes them a good partner.” 21+. Free. 7 p.m. 701 N. Fifth St., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Em Cassel
SATURDAY 11.8
Jens Lekman
Amsterdam
A rather predictable thing happened after Danish songwriter Lekman wrote a song called “If You Ever Need a Stranger (To Sing at Your Wedding)” 20 years ago—strangers started asking Lekman to sing at their weddings. Often enough, he complied, and some of his experiences became the creative material for his latest album, Songs for Other People’s Weddings. Lekman describes the characters he meets on these gigs—the just-married couple sharing a suit that fits them both who he gets stuck behind in the urinal line, the two single sisters at his table who remind him of The Simpsons’ Patty and Selma—while telling the story of his own deteriorating relationship. As always his speechlike tenor conveys a gentle humanism that his lyrics match, and the string accompaniments—more meringue than frosting—buoy the melodies rather than smothering them. 18+. $30. 7 p.m. 6 W. Sixth St., St. Paul; find more info here.—Keith Harris
Twin Cities Book Festival
Union Depot
Rain Taxi’s annual book fest is on the move. This year, it’s heading to St. Paul for a day of all things literary. The sellers’ floor will feature new releases and bestsellers from local shops and printhouses, whether you’re looking for a mystery thriller, romantic fluff, historical nonfiction, or investigative journalism. Featured authors giving talks and readings or participating in Q&As include Stephanie Burt (Taylor’s Version), who teaches classes on the poetry of Taylor Swift; fantasy author Eoin Colfer (the Artemis Fowl series, Firefox Moon); YA graphic novelist Shannon Hale; and Japanese manga artist Misako Rocks! (fun fact: She also illustrates Dan Savage’s “Savage Love” column). There will also be workshops, including sessions on typewriter poetry and manga drawing, a recipe swap with cookbook author Stephanie Hanson, and hands-on crafting. For more details and a free Metro Transit pass to the event, check out twincitiesbookfestival.com. Free. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 214 Fourth St. E., St. Paul.—Jessica Armbruster
Night Trains
Twin City Model Railroad Museum
Night—and I cannot emphasize this enough—Trains! This seasonal show at Twin City Model Railroad Museum is a winter wonderland of miniatures. The lights are turned down low, and everything has a warm glow as the vintage engines chug around their tiny landscape. It’s incredibly cute, wholesome winter fun, and while the trains typically run on Saturdays, there are bonus nights on Black Friday (November 28), and additional dates throughout December and January. Plus, we hear a certain Santa Claus plans to make an appearance on December 13 and 20… $15, free for children ages 4 and under. 3-7 p.m. 668 Transfer Road, Ste. 8, St. Paul; find more info here. Saturdays through February—Em Cassel
S.G. Goodman
Fine Line
In the centerpiece of her latest, Planting by the Signs, Kentucky singer-songwriter Goodman saves a snapping turtle from some jerky boys and ponders her smalltown upbringing. Three albums in, this is where Goodman’s writing catches up with her voice, which has a hardscrabble edge but works toward a lushness she deserves. She can get imagistic without being vague, and the album even closes with an eight-minute allegorical jam, “Heaven,” that never gets too clunky or wears out its welcome. Softie that I am, though, my favorite is the very straightforward "I'm in Love," symptoms of said amatory state including “crying at commercials,” “half hour conversations at the check out line,” and, of course, “dancing in my kitchen, singing into a spoon.” With Fust. 18+. $25. 8:30 p.m. 318 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
ONGOING
“Dyani White Hawk: Love Language”
Walker Art CenterWisconsin-born Minnesota resident Dyani White Hawk gets a major survey covering 15 years of work at the Walker Art Center this fall. Mostly working in abstraction, she explores her Lakota and European heritage using a variety of media. For “Love Language,” White Hawk’s work will be arranged in four sections, starting with paintings and quill- and beadwork, shifting to video installations featuring Indigenous languages and large-scale photography, and concluding with recent and new works of glass mosaics and beaded sculpture. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis; walkerart.org. Through February 15—Jessica Armbruster
