Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and beyond.
THURSDAY 2.29
Italian Film Festival of Minneapolis/St. Paul
The Main
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there are a lot of film festivals in these parts. Not complaining—just saying that a casual filmgoer can’t make it to all of them, so it’s important to highlight the ones that really offer something special, like this year’s Italian Film Festival of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Now in its 15th year, the festival will open tonight with La Chimera, the latest from director Alice Rohrwacher, whose Happy as Lazzaro cemented her as the pre-eminent contemporary Italian cinema auteur. Other films of note include Carolina Cavalli’s well-reviewed Amanda, and the latest from the filmmaking great Nanni Moretti. And if you’re in the mood for something a little less recent there’s the 1974 comedy C’eravamo Tanto Amati as well as the Fellini classic 8 1/2. 115 SE Main St., Minneapolis; times, ticket prices, and more info here. Through Sunday—Keith Harris
FRIDAY 3.1
Grand Opening Weekend
A Bar of Their Own
Minnesota’s first all-women’s sports bar opens this weekend, and folks are stoked—just look at the likes and comments this announcement racked up! To that end, if you plan on being among the first to snag a barstool and celebrate A Bar of Their Own’s debut, you’ll probably want to show up early (ABOTY opens at noon Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday) or expect a bit of a wait. No reservations this weekend; they’re bracing for long lines and lots of interest. Can’t make it? You’ll have plenty to watch next week, when the women’s Big 10 tourney kicks off on March 6… it’s sold out for the first time in history after smashing attendance records in Minneapolis last year. Man, I can’t wait to watch the trolls squirm when this bar is a massive success. 2207 Franklin Ave. E., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Em Cassel
WINGAPALOOZA
Dark Horse Bar & Eatery
Dark Horse’s celebration of drummies and flats returns to Lowertown for one night only, with a special menu of wings dreamt up by their staff. If you’re among the first 100 folks in the door, you’ll take home a free bottle of Cry Baby Craig’s hot sauce (never forget my City Pages investigation into how CBC took over Twin Cities restaurants, which has been nuked from the internet along with the rest of the CP archives). But everyone gets to enjoy some of the finest wings St. Paul has to offer, in inventive flavors you won’t find on the menu on just any Friday night. Free. 5 p.m. 250 E. Seventh St., St. Paul; more info here.—Em Cassel
Cat Power Sings Dylan
Fitzgerald Theater
Even as a big-time fan of both Chan Marshall (Cat Power) and Robert Zimmerman (Bob Dylan), I approached last year’s Cat Power Sings Dylan with low expectations—how many more interpretations of those endlessly re-interpreted songs do we need, really? Well, joke’s on me because that faithful run through Dylan’s classic 1966 acoustic/electric Royal Albert Hall performance serves as a gorgeous companion to the original. Things really could’ve really gone any direction with these 15 songs; lord knows Dylan sometimes chops ‘n’ screws his own source material to the point of barely being recognizable. But, in the end, the reverence with which Cat Power approaches this vital Dylan era comes off like a fully committed love letter with an obvious hook for fans: At 52, Ms. Marshall’s smoky voice sounds as outstanding as ever. A sneezin’ jelly-faced woman she ain’t! Don’t believe me? Check out this Tonight Show performance of “Like a Rolling a Stone.” $59.50+. 7 p.m. 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul; find more info here.—Jay Boller
SATURDAY 3.2
Jess Williamson
Parkway Theater
Various gems are scattered in the discography of Jess Williamson, though the L.A.-based singer-songwriter evolved into her finest form with last June’s Time Ain't Accidental. On it, the Texas-born indie vet embraces twang, constructs a cohesive universe of cosmic heartache, and cements herself as an S-tier lyricist. Top to bottom, it was far and away my favorite album of 2023. Williamson, similar to her Plains bandmate Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee), is able to deliver emotional haymakers via expert inflection and detail—find me a more devastating song than “Stampede.” But she’s also funny, paging through Raymond Carver at a poolside bar during a doomed romantic rendezvous, and musically adventurous, deploying drum machines and horns to liven up the country-folk foundation of her songs. Fans of Townes and Lucinda should run—not walk!—to The Parkway. $25-$35. 7 p.m. 4814 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Disconcé⏤Night of 1000 Beyoncés
7th St Entry
Some Saturday nights you just feel like dancing to Beyoncé. Some Saturday nights you just feel like seeing some drag artists perform. And some Saturday nights you just feel like going to the Entry. Well *Laurence Fishburne voice* what if I told you that you could do all of those things at once this Saturday night? DJ OMIGIGI’s latest installment of Disconcé dance ‘n’ drag night, dubbed “Night of 1000 Beyoncés” (that’s an awful lot of Beyoncés to fit in the Entry—if you go, please make sure this count is accurate) will feature the nutritiously named Lady Cummeal Cassadine, as well as Cariño and Priscilla Es Yuicy. Given Bey’s recent country move, I predict there will be more than a little yee and possibly even some haw on the agenda. $13/$15. 9 p.m. 701 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; more info here.—Keith Harris
CoHi Con
Murzyn Hall
You can go all out and wear the most complex cosplay in your closet or just show up in flannel PJs. Both are acceptable attire at CoHi Con, a sci-fi, anime, and gaming get-together hosted by 2D Con and HeightsNEXT. This decidedly chill convention features a day of hands-on crafts, board gaming, and new video games to play. There will be art vendors and other makers, and there will be a cosplay contest for those who celebrate. The family-friendly event concludes with more adult fare, including a cash bar and karaoke starting at 7 p.m. $5-$25; click here for tickets. 10 a.m. to midnight. 530 Mill St., Columbia Heights.—Jessica Armbruster
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Palace Theatre
I guess Isbell’s a movie star now—his reserved turn as Bill Smith in Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon was pretty impressive. Back at his day job (well, night job) he’s touring behind his latest, Weathervanes, which is grim and desperate even by Isbell’s gritty standards, with even the softer moments regretful. “Cast Iron Skillet” sprinkles homey aphorisms in a tale of doomed interracial love, “Save the World” grapples with parental anxiety in the age of school shootings, and several songs about splintering or busted relationships acknowledge the strain of a harshening world outside. If Isbell sometimes seems ready to succumb to the fatalism that lesser songwriters begin with as a tenet of faith, he travels an honest path to get there. And not to get too biographical about things, but the recent end of Isbell’s marriage to Amanda Shires likely played some role in the album’s bleak tone. Opening is Palehound, whose album Eye on the Bat showcases El Kempner’s deepening songcraft and muscular guitars that spiral upward like a power-pop Built to Spill. $69.59-$135. 8 p.m. 17 W. Seventh Place, St. Paul; find more info here.—Keith Harris
The Sneaker Travelers
Minnesota State Fairgrounds
One big question will hang over this convention/swap: Will the $9,000 golden Trump sneakers have found their way to the fairgrounds? Unlikely, but there’ll be no shortage of shoes available at this nationally roving sneaker-head event, which promises robust buying, selling, and trading opportunities for shoe enthusiasts. It's not limited to footwear, either, with vendors set to unload vintage T-shirts, trading cards, toys, and a whole lot more. Let’s say you’re out of touch and first need a primer on how sneaker culture took over the world. This National Geographic feature, timed to the release of Ben Affleck's recent sneaker-focused movie Air, explains how shoe collecting became a $79 billion global industry. $20-$300. Noon to 5 p.m. 1265 Snelling Ave. N., St. Paul; find more info here.—Jay Boller
SUNDAY 3.3
Standup Sundays: Free Comedy Show
Fair State Brewing Cooperative
Remember when Fair State declared bankruptcy earlier this month? Remember when co-founder/CEO Evan Sallee got candid with us about the many challenges facing his unionized, cooperatively owned northeast Minneapolis brewery? Well we’re happy to report that, in a follow-up email to Racket, Sallee said Fair State is already feeling the community support as it battles through Chapter 11; taproom attendance is reportedly up, as are sales of beer and THC drinks. But we’ll still take this opportunity to really hammer home the message: If we want Fair State to exist well into the future, we gotta keep turning out. And the brewery’s monthly Sunday comedy showcase is a great excuse to do just that. Hosted by Grant Winkels (whose podcast, We Cool?, we profiled here) and Courtney Baka, the free event makes use of Fair State’s honest-to-god brick wall—where are we, the damn Comedy Cellar? No, no, calm down; you’re still in Minneapolis, enjoying a rotating cast of very funny locals while helping boost the bottom line of one of the city’s best beer destinations. Free. 7:30-9 p.m. 2506 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
High Society Market
Quincy Hall
Normally when I make my way to Quincy Hall it’s for a vintage shopping event or a makers’ market. This Sunday, however, the space will be used for a different venture. At High Society, folks will be able to shop and sample from a variety of THC and CBD products, from topicals like creams and oils to edibles like gummies and tinctures. Businesses setting up shop include Minny Grown MN (their Peach-of-the-Day gummies are one of my favs), Beeline CBD, and Hedquist Stoned Sodas. Free. 1-6 p.m. 1121 Quincy St. NE, Minneapolis.—Jessica Armbruster
ONGOING
The Fifteenth Film Noir Series: Neo-Noir
Trylon & The Heights
Noir is a pretty expansive genre to begin with, and neo-noir can be even more capacious. The 18 films that make the Trylon’s 15th annual noir festival seem chosen to highlight this genre’s elasticity. The series began last night with William Friedkin’s To Live and Die in L.A., which continues through Tuesday, and wraps up on February 29 (oh hey, 2024 is a leap year) with the unconventional Steve Martin musical Pennies From Heaven. The other selections stretch back to 1967 for the New Hollywood jumpstarter Bonnie and Clyde and Seijun Suzuki’s avant-yakuza flick Branded to Kill; the most recent film is Bi Gan’s slow cinema landmark Long Day’s Journey Into Night. Chinatown, maybe the most perfect neo-noir of ’em all, and the Coen Brothers’ Irish gangster flick, Miller’s Crossing, will show at the Heights. Don’t miss Bob Hoskins in The Long Good Friday (British gangsters are so grubby). Or Kathryn Bigelow’s sci-fi tale of police brutality, Strange Days. Or—dammit I knew I shouldn’t have started making recommendations, now it’s hard to stop. 2820 E. 33rd St, Minneapolis; find times, dates, prices, and more info here. Through February 29—Keith Harris
Multiple Realities: Experimental Art in the Eastern Bloc, 1960s–1980s
Walker Art Center
What does subversive art look like when the artist knows the government is watching? For a sampling of the creativity that arises under oppressive circumstances, take a cruise through “Multiple Realities,” an exhibition spanning two decades of work by artists from East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia. The collection, not commonly seen in the U.S., includes underground club photography, found objects turned into statements, witty scribbles, and images from performances with heavy nods to queer life, ironic humor, political dissonance, and, perhaps most important here, interpretative deniability. The exhibition opens on Friday with a Walker After Hours Party, followed by a free opening-day talk with pop-up performances in the galleries on Saturday. For a complete schedule of related events, check online. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis. Through March 10, 2024—Jessica Armbruster
Untitled 18
Soo Visual Arts Center
Now in its 18th year, “Untitled” is a curated gallery show where any artist is welcome to submit, regardless of medium, career level, or experience. What results is a curious collection that’s a joy to explore. This year’s show will feature 30 artists, all selected by curator Danielle Krysa. “For me, the connecting element is this: Whether the work is on the floor, suspended from the ceiling, or hanging on the walls, everything in this show makes me want to touch it,” she says of her selection process here. “I won’t, but I want to. You’ll see what I mean—there’s just so much TEXTURE." There will be an opening reception this Saturday, February 17, from 6 to 9 p.m. 2909 Bryant Ave. S., Minneapolis. Through March 24—Jessica Armbruster
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
