Scene march 2016

jeremy messersmith . heiruspecs . romantica . possessed by paul james . charlie parr 4 onthefloor . lowest pair . de la buena . the bambir . people brothers band . los colognes the heavy set . apollo cobra . little fevers . land of blood and sunshine farewell milwaukee . gospel machine . christopher the conquered . pho . cloak ox bad bad hats . the ultrasounds . surf zombies . mikkel wright & the wrongs . frog leg general b & the wiz . ruben . wheelhouse . al church . oh my love . gloom balloon them coulee boys . mike munson . deece productions tribute shows FONT: P22JohnstonUnderground Lato

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Shattuck-St.Mary’s

MARCH 2016 / VOLUME 4 / ISSUE 3

14

Faribault, MN ACOUSTIC ROOTS SERIES PRESENTS

CHRISTIAN HOWES AND SOUTHERN EXPOSURE THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016

Violinist Christian Howes is one of those rare artists who brings jazz to the violin. His music explores different areas of Europe, as well as embracing Afro-Cuban rhythms, and South American influences. His latest project, the album Southern Exposure, brings together some terrific jazz musicians, and includes another instrument not often associated with jazz – the accordion. The result of this unusual instrumental pairing is a unique and complimentary sound. www.christianhowes.com

FESLER-LAMPERT PERFORMING ARTS PRESENTS

THE NATIONAL PLAYERS

AMERICA’S LONGEST RUNNING TOURING THEATER COMPANY, BRINGS TWO OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S WELL-KNOWN PLAYS (A TRAGEDY AND A COMEDY) TO THE NEWHALL AUDITORIUM STAGE. www.nationalplayers.org

12 6 So It Goes In SoMinn

17 The TimeLine

7 SoMinn SOUND

24 Tribute

8 The 88th Academy

26 CD Reviews:

Owatonna “Broad” hits it

big, scores a column in SouthernMinn Scene.

Anyone given the name “fangirl” should wear it with pride as a warrior of music knowledge and commitment.

Awards: Movies, Murkiness, and the Magic 8 Ball

Our third annual Academy

Awards preview leans

heavily on everybody’s

favorite modern oracle.

12 Quiet On The Set

A behind the scenes

glimpse of what it’s like to

report on the filming of a movie.

14 The Very Real World of

“JULIUS CAESAR” Monday, March 21, 2016

“Beware the Ides of March”, warns the Soothsayer in Act One. The Romans venerate their leader, but Brutus sees that Julius Caesar may be too powerful for the good of the nation. Shakespeare’s masterful examination of conspiracy, assassination, and its fallout remains hauntingly timeless. What do you do when one person becomes greater than one’s nation?

8

Dead Larry

Through tunnels of

nothing, real tragedy and

intergalactic funk, Dead Larry is a band that

preaches positivity to

anybody who will listen.

The SoMinn’s most comprehensive calendar of

things to be SCENE.

A farewell to David Bowie, Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister and Glenn Frey.

• On her third album, Vicky Emerson puts everything out there and gets great results.

• Ellis brings us some lessons about our own nature, wrapped in a mid-nineties country/folk groove.

• An elegant and knowing, goodbye from a fully developed artist, Blackstar ranks among David Bowie’s very best.

• On their new album The Pines break out of their “Midwestern band” shell in a surprising direction.

29 Sportsball

Minnesota sports are Zooey Deschanel.

30 The Bearded Life

Music from and Inspired By.

16 Amy’s TV Crush

Why it’s getting harder and

harder to watch live TV.

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“A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM” Tuesday, March 22, 2016

SPECIAL TWO SHOW SHAKESPEARE PACKAGE: ADULTS $25, STUDENTS $15

SSM Box Office: 507-333-1620 www.s-sm.org • feslerlampert@s-sm.org All pricing: Adults $15 • Students $9 All Performances at 7:30 pm in Historic Newhall Auditorium.

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Scene Southern minn

Shakespeare’s most mischievous comedy throws unrequited lovers, warring fairies, and amateur thespians into a mysterious forest and sets a trickster Puck loose on them all. When a love potion gone wrong starts to confuse everyone, who will wind up chasing whom?

ABOUT

Publisher & Editor: Rich Larson, 507.645.1104, rlarson@southernminnSCENE.com Calendar listings: 507.333.3130, editor@southernminnSCENE.com Advertising: Faribault & Kenyon - Mark Nelson, 507.333.3109, mnelson@faribault.com LeSueur & Waseca Counties - Chad Hjellming, 507.645.1110, chjellming@northfieldnews.com Lonsdale - Lori Nickel, 507.744.2551, lnickel@lonsdalenewsreview.com Northfield & South Metro - Jay Petsche, 507.645.1120, jpetsche@northfieldnews.com Steele County - Ginny Bergerson, 507.444.2386, gbergerson@owatonna.com Copyright 2016 SouthernminnSCENE.com retains the publication rights to all content produced or supplied to the SCENE. Use of said materials without the written consent of SoutherminnSCENE.com is prohibited.

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AUTUMN VAN RAVENhorst Autumn Van Ravenhorst is a staff writer and columnist for SouthernMinn Scene. Drop her a line at AVanRavenhorst@owatonna.com

Q

So it goes in SoMinn

Welcome To me

ueue the melodramatic jazz and deep, sensual voice speaking from a distance.

We are going to embark on a long, enlightening journey through the eyes of a mid-twenties woman, experiencing the turmoil of love, loss and misery, who finds herself . . .

Just kidding.

My name is Autumn Van Ravenhorst—which is Dutch for “valiant steed.”

Okay, that isn’t true either.

In all seriousness, I am a forthright broad filled with sweet sarcasm. I use the term “broad” because it is less respectable than “lady” and more respectable than other terms commonly used for a female. “Broad” has just gotten a bad rap because, well, men.

Sorry, fellas.

This is my first column. In case you missed Rich’s introduction or the frequent appearance of my lengthy last name, I have been contributing to this amazing publication for over a year now.

It all transpired from being a nervous college student wondering if a piece of paper would do me justice in the “real world,” or if I was going to be turned down because I was a naïve millennial with no experience.

I shouldn’t say “hand” because this is truly an honor that was bestowed upon me after many nights of uncontrollable sobbing (By Rich, of course).

Editor’s note: this is true I thought for a long time about how I was going to woo everyone with my first shot. What is the best way to set the tone for this column?

Should I stick to the movie theme and talk about the Academy Awards (something I know nothing about)? No thanks; I would ruin it for the qualified writers ahead of me that have taken on the subject.

No. Instead, I’ve decided to hit you with all the feels straightaway, just to get it out, because it is not something I do very often. This is me: I procrastinate. I always have and for the most part it has worked out pretty well for me.

Though recently—err, today—I found out this habitual procrastination and forgetfulness may be a bit destructive. Let me be clear though, I will probably never stop being late on most things. I will snooze my alarm until my morning becomes a race against the clock, routinely ask our editor for a deadline extension and forget to pay Carol, my egg lady, until a week after having already received my eggs. It is highly unlikely any of that will change.

However, I feel this pattern has snuck itself into other areas of my life, and that is why I am bringing this all up.

Right now, I am riding shotgun back home to Owatonna. I just left my grandpa’s funeral—he passed away The Boys: “Yeah, I am a mom. I am certainly not going to turn this into on Sunday, a ‘Mommy Column’ but these two heathens are an enormous part of my Jan. 24. And life. It’d be a little weird if I didn’t talk about the faces I see every single where was I on morning at least once.”

Jan. 23? At my great-grand It was over a plate of bone-in wings (which I ma’s funeral. You may have read about her in the look like a savage trying to eat, by the way) that January 2015 edition.

I became determined to find a way to write for I dwaddle with my emotions. I like to wait Scene (because, you know, it’s awesome). I sent until the last possible moment to be sad. I put off off an email to the editor saying “Hey, I want to being sad so much so this week, that after notifywrite for you, or be an intern, or something.” ing everyone at work I would be taking Wednes The editor, looking for someone to take over day (today) off, I told several people at the end duties he no longer wanted, hired me. of the day on Tuesday, “See ya tomorrow!” That’s Little did I know that just a scant time later right—for a fleeting moment, I forgot about my that editor would hand me his column space and grandpa’s funeral, even after just getting done say, “Your turn.” with my grandma’s. Not because I don’t care,

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But with these thoughts of pushing forward, and definitely not because it wasn’t important. It is simply because I put off feeling anything this trying to establish oneself somewhere, figuring week. I don’t like to think about it. out what it is you want to do—you lose sight of a It’s like when you wake up in the middle of lot. I mean, can you really plan out your life? Is it the night and you think someone (or something) even humanly possible to plan out the next 50+ is there, so you close your eyes a little tighter. I years? No, I don’t think it is. would much rather not see it and let it go about I had been dead-set on moving for a while, its business. I think to myself, “I don’t know who or what you are, but go ahead and do what you and leaving Southern Minnesota. This resulted need to do. Haunt my hallway; take my wallet. in my not enjoying much of anything. Over the I don’t care. But my bank account is low, just so time I have written for Scene, though, I have you know.” come to understand what this chunk of land has I am sure most people around me this week to offer. (That’s about as saccharine as I get, by were like, “Geeze, she doesn’t seem too bothered the way; enjoy it. Or don’t. I certainly wouldn’t by it.” Oh, I am. It seems odd to overlook such a tragic and poignant occurrence in one’s life, but want my brief sentimental foolishness to dub me it can be done. as some woeful sap.)

Don’t worry—when the day came to lay him For real, though. There will always be someto rest, “Amazing Grace” filled the church and I thing you love and something you hate about completely lost my shit. where you are.

Stick with So it goes, as me, I am going Kurt Vonnegut somewhere with this. I am would say—that not just using is my comic this space to relief for everytalk about by thing. I come ineffectual copfrom Oregon; ing skills. the Pacific All of these thoughts came Northwest is my rushing in homeland. But today, in addias I watch those tion to a host of who I love pass other random on, learning reflections—this about the parts is something I of their life they am known for.

What came are so incredibly after the realizaproud of (even tion of how if it is something awful I am at so small as my handling these The Half Dollar: “When you’re a kid and you think everything is so cool and rare, so you give it to your grandpa grandpa’s flowsituations was, because he surely will think the same. Even if he didn’t, ers that grew what the hell my grandpa kept this in his wallet. I now keep it in my from Minnesohave I been wallet.” doing the last ta’s wholesome few years? I soil), I begin to am busy, man. ponder. I look back on the days (and nights) I And I hate that word—busy. What does that even have spent finding the top 10 monthly attracmean? I dislike using it because it has become an tions of SoMinn. And with all of that, I am going excuse. I felt a wave of guilt for not seeing him as to take it easy and relish where I am. much as I should have. Families are so disjointed that it is nearly impossible to see everyone you I think I’ll stick around here for a little while. need to before you don’t have the opportunity That includes this page so, let’s get to know each anymore. other, eh?

Aside from being “busy,” I have been focused on what I think I should do, rather than what I have done. Don’t get me wrong; I will see new places and experience new things. I can’t stand being comfortable, unless I’m snuggled deep into my couch with a cookie sheet of deep-fried pickles and a substantial serving of ranch.

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n

S.O. Minn SOUND

SARAH OSTERBAUER Sarah Osterbauer is a die-hard music lover. When she does her budget each month, food comes after concert tickets. Find her on twitter @SarahOwrites.

#NowPlaying

Daughter - On their second full length, the London trio create lush full melodies surrounding Elena Tonra’s devastating vocals. They maintain their dark beauty all the while expanding, filling in any open crevices they missed the first time around.

Wet - Yet another electropop band breaking down the barrier between R&B and electronic, lead singer Kelly Zutrau’s voice is sweet and desperate.

In defense of the

and the importance of mourning

‘N Sync

There’s a place in the world for a fangirl At the height of the 90’s boy band craze in Minnesota, tween and teenage girls stood in long wrapped lines for concert tickets, for a glimpse of ‘N Sync at MOA, for any chance at winning items autographed by their chosen ones. Girls flocked to shows in spades, dressed in homemade shirts with their favorite “boy” emblazoned on them, with earrings, necklaces, lanyards, hats and the like, all professing their fandom like cool badges of honor. In elite circles they exchanged their knowledge of the band, the queens of which knew inside information no one else was privy to. It was the best way for a pubescent girl to expend all of her hormoneinduced energy and I was deep in the thick of it. I was a fangirl.

Today the term fangirl has acquired an air of mocking, as though extreme devotion and thirst for knowledge about one band is something to be ashamed of.

Because fangirls AJ McClean take it too far?

Because fangirls aren’t serious about their fandom?

Because a girl who likes a band because the boys are cute can’t also possibly mean she knows something about the music? Because being willing to fork over piles of money, or go to extremes to see your favorite band should be seen as some kind of an embarrassment. Amirite? No. Fangirls know how to stand up for something they love. They search out information about their favorites with urgency and zeal. They show up in droves and do not back down. They have passion and fire in their bellies that guide them toward the light of loving music. These girls have have the buying power to make or break bands. They are fiercely loyal and ambitious. Anyone given the name “fangirl” should wear it with pride as a warrior of music knowledge and commitment. And any boy worthy of such a name should smile upon anyone who gives it to him.

In Mourning

I skipped school the day ‘N Sync was at MOA. They weren’t even performing, just sitting at a table in the rotunda signing autographs. The line, which was more of an organized crowd than a line, wound so far down the lane it went around the corner and beyond, to where the rotunda was no longer visible. Other activities that solidified my fangirl status included but were not limited to making boy band mix tapes, tape recording every talk show episode they ever appeared on (this was preDVR mind you), road tripping to Milwaukee to see them, and sitting outside of a Cub Foods for hours to buy concert tickets. I also wrote a letter to A.J McLean telling him we were perfect for each other because we both liked tattoos and Chinese food.

In the end he turned out to be the only member of BSB with a drug problem, no doubt my letter brought him great joy.

When someone you love dies, there’s an inherent human need to mourn the loss. Each person does it in their own way, and sometimes the result can be more visible in some than others. When it’s a person close to you, the protocol is easy. You cry, you go to a wake or funeral, sometimes that includes a burial. You get to pray, listen to, write or give a eulogy. You get to hug those who are also in mourning and feel together in your sadness. But when the person who dies isn’t someone you knew in person, or isn’t even someone you ever saw in real life, yet, you feel like this person knew you, knew your heart, knew your soul, knew all the words and colors that made up your insides that no one else you knew in real life could see. When this person dies, how do you mourn them?

And is it wrong or weird to do so?

On January 10, 2016, one of the most influential and David Bowie far reaching artists

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this world will ever see was taken from us. People quickly took to the internet to express their deepest condolences, sadness, grief and hurt over the loss.

These weren’t David Bowie’s friends, family or even colleagues. These were fans. They made shrines, posted videos, quotes, watched his movies, sang his songs, all in an effort to remember his legacy, celebrate his accomplishments and grieve over the terrible loss of work that we will never see.

Inevitably when masses hit the interwebs all in the name of one person or one story, people feel the need to pass judgement. Because everything on the internet is begging for another person to make a comment, right? I never understood judging people for their chosen method of mourning. When a loss happens, we must grieve. We must acknowledge the absence to move forward. People process it in their own way. You have to take what you feel and expel it into something tangible that you can let go.

In the aftermath of the death of Scott Weiland, the mother of his children wrote an open letter to his fans, painting a rarely seen picture of the STP frontman as a chemical dependent absent father. Some were not shocked by this as Weiland’s affinity for drugs was Scott Weiland common knowledge.

What was surprising and sad, was the way people chose to judge her motives for publishing such a letter. And while she did mention that she is writing a book, it was obvious that the main objective was for the public to know the full picture of this man that they admire so much. She wanted people to know that his fame, fortune and talent came with a price.

And that rock stars and musical geniuses can still be deadbeat dads. This doesn’t lessen his musical accomplishments or his genius. And she didn’t say she wanted people to think less of him, only to know more about what kind of a man he was.

Many musicians come into contact with chemical dependency during their careers and some of them lose their families because of it. It’s trite but true, musical geniuses are people too. Acknowledging their demons should help you to understand where their art was coming from and possibly make you appreciate it more.

At the end of the day, we need to remember that grieving is a necessity. It appears in various forms and we should see any form of grief as an opportunity to be a comfort for someone. We should allow those near us (even if only in terms of a music community) to express their thoughts freely without judgement. We’re in this together.

Broods - Yet another electropop band breaking down the barrier between R&B and electronic, lead singer Kelly Zutrau’s voice is sweet and desperate.

Go See

Cloud Cult - Mar 4 at Mayo Civic Center.

James Taylor - The man, the myth the legend graces SoMinn with his presence May 31 at Verizon Wireless Center.

Communist Daughter - Our dear Mid West Music Fest friends join us Sat Feb 27 at the Northfield Arts Guild as a part of their 411 Concert Series.

This Happened Kanye - He changed the name of his new album from Swish to Waves.

Apparently that’s a BFD. RIP - We began 2016 with a number of big losses: David Bowie, Signe Anderson (Jefferson Airplane), Glenn Frey (The Eagles), Alan Rickman, Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots). Say a prayer, play a song, toast your glass to these fine gentlemen.

Editor’s Note: Since Sarah wrote this, we have added Paul Kantner (Jefferson Airplane), Edgar Froese (Tangerine Dream) and Maurice White (Earth, Wind & Fire) to this horrible list. Rest in peace all.

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| M A RCH 2 0 1 6

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The 88th Academy Awards:

Movies, Murkiness, and the

Magic 8 Ball

By Kate Pehrson and Liv Tollefson editor@southernminnscene.com

I

n general, the current slate of big Oscar nominations has us in murkier territory than in years past. Though there seem to be solid locks for best actor and actress, the outcome for directing and best picture is not as clear. Although the awards should be given on the basis of merit, we know that isn’t always the case: politically, the Oscars are a bit of a middle school popularity contest, with a nice surprise every now and then.

Knowing this, and now having seen all the films in the “big four” categories, we feel this year’s Academy Awards will turn out to be a ceremony of acknowledgements to those who deserve an Oscar not only for their work this past year, but also as a tip of the hat to the nominee’s previous contributions to film. Additionally, although major changes seem to be underway to change the demographics of the Academy, for the time being the membership is predominantly white, male, and over 50. This means that generally, awards are given out somewhat conservatively, and are seen as the culmination of an intensive awards season that includes acknowledgements from film critics, the press, and various industry guilds and groups.

So, without further ado, we give you our best predictions below, which, as you must understand are the results of our exhaustively hard work to provide top-tier investigative cinematic analysis, and an article that adheres in the strictest manner to the daring vision of this publication, reflects a firm commitment to our calling, as well as that of a decades-long friendship built on mutual distrust and jealousy, a few bottles of wine, and answers we mostly gleaned from an leaky Magic 8 Ball we found in the linen closet.

CATEGORY: Directing THE REVENANT: Alejandro G. Iñárritu A masterpiece of sure-handed directing, “The Revenant” is a film that is in almost every way the exact opposite of the director’s award-winning “Birdman” of last year. Filmed in snowy, mountainous regions of Argentina and Canada, Iñárritu showcases nature’s extremes as far away from Broadway’s alleys and catwalks as you can imagine. For two and a half hours, the audience is witness to a world where survival depends on knowledge of ways to stay warm, willingness to eat what is available, and the wisdom to avoid or conquer that which wants to kill you. The filming conditions in this environment were so brutal that some involved in the shooting referred to it as “The Forevernant”. But perhaps that’s where genius lays – the willingness to go “that” far to execute your vision and having the right people willing to follow you to the bitter end. It was 1950 or so the last time the Academy awarded back-to-back directing Oscars, but given the sheer epic awesomeness this film, we think Iñárritu will walk away with the prize.

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD: George Miller When we first saw how popular and critically acclaimed this film was, we were honestly a little skeptical. Then we watched it. 30 years after the last Mad Max film, George Miller directed this fourth installment using all the new bells and whistles of filmmaking technology at his fingertips. A far cry from his last directing venture, “Happy Feet 2”, “Mad Max: Fury Road” immerses the viewer in a world of relentless noise, dust, fumes, blood and yes, fury. Conceived as a rock opera, Miller’s adrenaline-fueled cinematic experience uses every sense available to transport the audience into his vision. Composed almost entirely of sound and picture, no wordy dialogue introduces you to the protagonist who conserves his resources to fight for survival, or the antagonists who expend theirs to prove their power. To be sure, this is not a film for everyone, but this rocket ride is certainly worthy of praise. Up until the Director’s Guild Awards, we thought Miller had the edge, but this may not quite be the 70-yr-old director’s day in the sun.

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THE BIG SHORT: Adam McKay

ROOM: Ed Guiney, Producer

Adam McKay is an all-around funny guy, known best for his writing, work with long-time partner Will Ferrell, and movies like “Anchorman”. This irreverent comedic touch was just the thing to pull off what is essentially a two hour economics lesson. “The Big Short” is an ensemble film, peppered throughout with fantastic performances, amusing and educational side-trips, and some seriously complicated money matters. McKay’s directorial choice of breaking the fourth wall with a narrator that floated between the worlds of the big banks and the common person, and also through random celebrity cameos, was brilliant comedic relief to the content’s dry and depressing finances. McKay brings us into the conference rooms, garages, lobbies, bars, strip clubs and meet-and-greets where the pieces of this puzzle were slowly put together, and builds our astonishment and anger along with the characters. With this nomination, the Academy tips its hat to McKay’s achievement, but ultimately we think he will be passed in favor of others with more experience.

This is a masterful film about an uncomfortable story that takes audiences on an emotional journey. A stellar adaptation by the author laid the foundation and set the tone for an exquisite film. “Room” is a 10x10 space that is home to Ma (nominated Brie Larson) and also the literal world to her 5-year old son, Jack (amazing Jacob Tremblay). The relationship with her son, how they interact in that space, how she protects Jack and creates a world and childhood for him is all-encompassing, even as she plots the escape. As mothers, and as viewers, we were uncomfortable and tense, even though trailers alerted us of their eventual freedom from captivity. It felt authentic and transcended the screen – not by breaking the fourth wall, but by completely utilizing it. Half the movie is Room, Half the movie is out-of-Room, adjusting to the real world, away from World. No longer in survival mode, we are taken on a journey of dealing with post-trauma and allowing yourself to finally feel. An amazing story, top-notch acting, this tender film is a thing of beauty - and a possible Dark Horse – but probably not a win this year.

SPOTLIGHT: Tom McCarthy

SPOTLIGHT: Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin and Blye Pagon Faust, Producers

Another outstanding ensemble piece, Spotlight is a look at the journalistic work it took to move the problem of systemic child abuse in the Catholic Church into the public eye. Although the headlines behind the abuse of children by priests in the Boston archdiocese are shocking and disturbing, the work that it took to uncover the story and its scope was a long and tedious. Investigative journalism involves door-knocking, phone-calling, interview conducting, note-taking, gathering, copying, filing, meetings and deadlines. In the wrong hands, this script could have been dry and dull and done a disservice to the victims who are the ultimate protagonists in this film. Instead, McCarthy, previously lauded for work in independent films such as “The Station Agent”, engaged us and had us rooting for the Boston Globe and the four journalists who broke the story in 2002. That being said, we felt the overall directorial style of the film was just didn’t push any boundaries of artistry and falls short when compared to others in the category this year.

ROOM: Lenny Abrahamson For Lenny Abrahamson, this adaptation of the bestselling novel “Room”, is our one dark horse for the year – this is an amazing film. The author of the book, Emma Donoghue, wrote the screenplay as well, and many critics have cited this as being an example of how to bring a book to the screen. As the audience, we are never not engaged: Abrahamson is always moving to the next thing, the next thing, building tension, tension, tension, and then providing relief. And then creating the next thing. He uses the effects of film to go in tight and close and pull back, utilizing space and light and tension and his filmmaking tools to transcend the screen and bring us in - even in just a small room – using all of the space and the close-ups when we need to feel it. An up-and-coming director, this nomination is an acknowledgement and invitation.

CATEGORY: Best

Picture

THE REVENANT: Arnon Milchan, Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Mary Parent and Keith Redmon, Producers Up for 12 Academy Awards, “The Revenant” is a masterful study in juxtaposition between beauty and brutality: the grunts and groans of one man against the rushing of streams and the blowing of blizzards. Mother Nature is clearly the biggest foe that Leonardo DiCaprio’s Hugh Glass has to fight. Bereft of fellow humans or warm shelter, he is just another predator/prey, subject to the elements like every other thing on the planet. Based on historical fiction rather than the actual historical account of Glass’ survival, this is nevertheless one of the finest examples of what a team dedicated to executing a shared vision can accomplish in film. The director, the star, the co-stars (Tom Hardy, up for supporting actor), the cinematographer (likely winner Emmanuel Lubezki), all committed to enduring what was necessary to bring this artistic vision to life. Filmed entirely outside and using only natural light, we’re pretty sure the grimaces on the actors’ faces aren’t fake. On a side note, we feel it’s important to note the treatment of American Indians in this movie for what seems a realistic and compassionate take. Iñárritu has filmed a movie that is an endurance test of its own, and not for the faint of heart, but we feel that in terms of artistic merit, “The Revenant” is the best of the bunch.

THE BIG SHORT: Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Producers To say that the factors leading up to the financial meltdown of 2007/08 were complex and varied would be an understatement. Attempting to wrap these factors up in an entertaining, educational and watch-worthy package is a big bite to chew, but “The Big Short” deftly leads us through a multipoint discovery process of a financial shell game played by big banks in America. A game that was short-sighted at best, and unethical at least, that led to the loss of thousands of homes, businesses and retirement accounts across the country and impacted the rest of the world. Starting and ending with a numbers guy – Dr. Michael Burry, who sees the crash coming by calculating when thousands of adjustable rate mortgage balloon payments will come due - the movie then introduces us to our narrator (who works for the big banks), an outraged bonds trader, and a couple of starry-eyed young investment whizzes. None of these characters ever meet, but all of them cross paths as they circle and close in on impending economic doom as numbers and humans begin to clash. It is Brad Pitt’s ex-trader survivalist who drives it home as he reminds his young neighbor whizkids that ultimately it’s is not just numbers – it’s about people and families. A great film, even with a win at The Producers Guild awards, we don’t think it’ll take home the top prize Oscar night.

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Unlike the characters who worked in near-isolation from each other in “The Big Short”, all the characters in “Spotlight” knew each other well and some since childhood. Boston may be a big city, but it’s a small town: a town of lots of Catholics, a town of small neighborhood loyalty, and big families. “Spotlight” is a compelling story of victims and institutionalized secrets, a story where a bunch of insiders in silent agreement to hide a barely-covered cooperative secret, are confronted by their friends when the pieces came together. Stanley Tucci plays Mitchell Garabedian, an “outsider” Armenian in a city of Irish Catholics, and a lawyer representing abuse victims of the powerful Catholic Church. A dedicated team of Boston Globe reporters, disturbed by the prospect that a something so disturbing and horrifying could have been cooperatively held by people in power for so long, decide that the story must be told. This is a solid film, and a hearkening back to movies like “All the President’s Men”, made an A-film by top-notch actors (Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams were both nominated for supporting actor, although the latter a bit quizzically in our opinion), a solid screenplay, a relevant topic and a worthy cause. It has won quite a few honors already, and is a possible win, but we don’t think it will edge out this year.

BRIDGE OF SPIES: Steven Spielberg, Marc Platt and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers While the Cold War has been over for a couple decades now, we found ourselves a little nostalgic for our old frenemy, the Soviet Union. Centering on the U-2 incident of 1962, Tom Hanks portrays insurance lawyer James Donovan, in what one critic called “full Jimmy Stewart mode”. Donovan is pulled in to defend accused Russian spy Rudolf Abel, and later to broker a deal with the Russians using Abel to trade for the young U.S. pilot who flew the U-2 spy plane. With Steven Spielberg at the helm, the Coen brothers on the script, and America’s best everyman in the lead, “Bridge of Spies” is the kind of movie we would expect from such a triumvirate of talent. The noir feel, the attention to period detail and costume, the set design, and the evocation of a different time were all excellent. As an actor, Mark Rylance is the standout in this film. His low-key and dryly humorous aging spy makes him a subtle but perfect foil to Hanks, a relationship which is ultimately the center of the film. Their roles as honorable pawns in a much larger chess game is a theme Hollywood likes to revisit often. This is one of those enjoyable films we see ourselves watching again, but not cinematically strong enough to win.

BROOKLYN: Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers This is one of the sweetest films we’ve seen in a long time, its comforting and gentle touch reminding us that while most immigrant stories are painful, not all are tragic. Against so many of the other films in this category that show how harsh and pitiless the world can seem, this one is reminiscent of old Hollywood films of the 50s, painted with a pastoral, soft light. Eilis (Saoirse Ronan) is a young Irish woman who is literally the hope of her family’s future, come to make a life for herself in America.

She is wooed by a young Italian Brooklynite who has a thing for Irish girls.

When she is called back to Ireland, we feel the pull of home as it envelops Eilis and she believes she can get a new start, but she and we eventually realize that some things never change. This film is pretty to look at, and is a pretty straightforward filming of a novel, but we were left wondering about the title, and hoping for a bit more exploration of that theme’s importance. A lovely little romantic film, but not a real contender in this category.

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD: Doug Mitchell and George Miller, Producers With ten Oscar nominations, Fury Road is second only to “The Revenant” for potential awards. The post-apocalyptic world presented here is so raw and ruthless that no matter how well-crafted, it will likely be difficult for many older Academy members to swallow. In two words, it’s probably just “too much”. This is an amazing film, with much about it to be lauded: from the design, the direction, the creativity, the commitment to the sound, editing and the balls-to-the-wall acting. Visually astonishing and aurally assaulting, the film does provide us with small breaks of contemplation but always brings us back to the literal race for survival. Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron (the latter snubbed in our opinion) proved their talents yet again, using looks, raw emotion and physicality to bring across characters that had almost no dialogue at all. Immortan Joe (Hugh KeyesByrne) adds another disturbing psychopath/egomaniac to the history of fictional warlords. Audiences loved it and it will likely head home with a slew of technical awards, but despite many wanting to see George Miller’s distinguished career honored with an Oscar for this film, the lack of meaty storyline takes it out of the running.

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THE MARTIAN: Simon Kinberg, Ridley Scott, Michael Schaefer and Mark Huffam, Producers This is a film that has grown on us over time. Enjoyable to watch, upon reflection we are impressed by its overall quality, relevance, and impact. “The Martian” is a well-made, enjoyable movie, with enough tension to keep us engaged, enough geeky humor to keep science nerds happy, enough Matt Damon humor and down-to-earthiness (pardon the pun) to appease his fans, and enough plot turns to keep us guessing. There’s a smart screenplay, a good story, and realistic science that doesn’t distract us and is sound enough to be plausible. Set in the not-too-distant future, “The Martian makes us feel this could really happen”, taking a futuristic concept and making it possible. The space program in America has taken a nosedive in recent years, and we don’t think that’s a good thing. Science is one of humanity’s coolest and most reliable tools for understanding the universe, and films like this that keep it fun and accessible are important for reminding us why we need it. Science itself is neutral, but when coupled with hope and optimism, as in this film, it reminds us why we need to keep demanding it. That being said, the Best Picture category often looks for a bit of gravitas that lies just outside the scope and grasp of this movie. “The Martian” will just have to be happy with being a really good film, totally worth watching.

CATEGORY: Actor

in a Leading Role

outgoing personality, and Einar realizes this is who he is meant to be. Unfortunately, the Academy rarely gives an award twice in a row, and with DiCaprio’s role gaining force far ahead of his competitors, we doubt Redmayne will go home with the Oscar, though as we said last year, we look forward to delighting in much more of him in the future.

CATEGORY: Actress

in a Leading Role

BRIE LARSON: Room Fairly unknown to the general public and not having meaty roles in the past, this was a gift to audiences – Brie Larson nailed it. A big part of this film is the relationship between Brie’s Ma and Jacob’s Jack – if she’s 60%, he’s 40% - and we think young Jacob Tremblay got snubbed. There was quite a search for this young actor, and he is the other half that makes this film remarkable, along with some fine screenwriting, adapting, and an amazing novel as a foundation. How Larson portrayed her relationship of being a mother with its roles of educator, protector, creator, and infused them with imagination to make Room “normal”, juxtaposed with portraying her other roles as vulnerable captive and victim was truly amazing. Larson showed breadth, depth, range, openness and accessibility in an uncomfortable but authentic performance that pulls the audience in but never overdoes it. Larson has a solid string of wins with this role, and we’re pretty sure this is a lock for her all the way through the little gold statue.

LEONARDO DICAPRIO: The Revenant This is the year for Leonardo DiCaprio. His total commitment to the role of Hugh Glass in what we now know were incredibly harsh filming conditions, and his creation of a character that we felt compassion for without sentiment or falseness was intense and amazing. We grimaced with every claw that pierced his skin or stone that broke his bone, we yearned for every molecule of heat he craved, and appreciated every bite of raw fish and bloody buffalo that he took. We felt every visceral punch to the gut that he took, physically and emotionally. Never fake or put on, DiCaprio created a whole man, not just a character. DiCaprio has been in major Hollywood films now for a few decades, has been nominated before with good reason: he is a solid, dedicated, seriously capable and worthy actor. For some reason, the Academy has snubbed some of his amazing performances in the past, but after seeing the dedication he put into making this film, we think the Academy is ready to give him the statue.

BRYAN CRANSTON: Trumbo Dalton Trumbo was a prodigiously prolific writer of Hollywood films for several decades, winning two screenwriting Oscars, but you probably didn’t know that until recently. Trumbo was one of many Hollywood workers who were blacklisted for their involvement with “red politics”, and as a result couldn’t get work. This 2 hour biopic is a look at the almost hilariously intricate backroom shenanigans going on in Hollywood during this time, and Cranston plays the hard-writing, chain-smoking, irate brow-furrowing writer to the hilt: Bryan Cranston isn’t afraid of taking on a character.

He helps us see the family man side of Trumbo, trying to make a living, but not afraid to take a stand for his ideals, justice and the underdog. Some have said Cranston made Trumbo into a caricature, and it’s true he may have indulged in some serious scene-chewing. This portrayal is worthy of a nod but not strong enough for the win.

MATT DAMON: The Martian It’s become a bit of a running joke that Hollywood loves saving Matt Damon. In a fun evolution of his plights this time, Damon plays Mark Watney, a botanist-astronaut who has to basically save himself after his crewmates leave him behind on Mars during a massive storm, believing him to be dead. Actually alive, he’s alone and far from home, but being a NASA-trained astronaut and scientist, immediately begins to calculate his odds for survival rather than freaking out. Watney’s sense of humor is endearing and keeps us rooting for him as he attempts to grow his own food, ration his supplies, jerry rig solutions, and video log his days. Damon is a beloved actor, and though we doubt this performance will bring home a statue this year, “The Martian” is a great reminder of why the Academy and moviegoers like him so much.

JENNIFER LAWRENCE: Joy Every year there seems to be a head-scratcher entry into one of the big four nominating categories, and for Liv and Kate, this was the one. Joy is the story of Joy Mangano, inventor of the Miracle Mop and skinny velvet hangers, and the story of a reluctant matriarch fighting family dysfunction, distrust, and jealousy as she creates an invention she hopes will save her home and soul. Even though Jennifer Lawrence, working again with David O Russell, aptly portrays Joy with spunk, determination, and doggedness, we don’t think this stretches her acting chops to the point of a nomination. We like Jennifer Lawrence, and though she is now the youngest actor to win 4 Oscar nominations, we think this is one of those times when merely being loved by Hollywood, audiences and the Academy gets you a nomination.

Hailed by some critics as a “masterpiece in understated acting”, Rampling is exquisite as Kate Mercer, wife of 45 years to Jeff. Living a quiet life in England, Kate and Jeff are retired, living with their German Shepherd, Max, quietly enjoying the week of their 45th anniversary party, their 40th having been canceled when Jeff got sick. When a letter comes for Jeff containing information about a tragedy that happened before he and Kate were together, she is supportive at first, but a streak of unexpected jealousy is quick to follow. Rampling shows us a woman going trying to go about her daily life, but her face and actions take on an increasing restlessness and unsureness. This isn’t a marriage of dysfunction, screaming and tears, but about the little moments that make up a marriage, secrets that partners keep from each other, ways that partners learn to communicate, and just a few days can set a whole life course to a new paradigm. Not a film that will speak to everyone, this is a fine acting performance and deserves attention.

Starting out to great critical reviews, this movie didn’t even remotely hit national box office expectations. This is a slightly controversial film of a controversial book, and with liberties taken by screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and more liberties taken by the slightly rebel director Danny Boyle, this film got a bit lost in the shuffle. That being said, Michael Fassbender was the shining beacon at the heart of a disjointed and odd film. He has an uncanny ability to get lost behind a character - rare for a leading man actor - so even though he doesn’t look like the real life Steve Jobs, that doesn’t really matter. Jobs is generally regarded as being a genius but also as cold, egotistical and an emotional jerk, if not outright abusive. The film overall suffered from being too cold and not all that compelling, and won’t bring home a win for Fassbender this year.

SAOIRSE RONAN: Brooklyn Ronan’s unlined, open and almost angelic face, innocent appeal and almost coquettish affect were appropriately fitting for this film. This film is not one that stretched deep or particularly wide, but attempted to tell a story of a certain place and time using a short span of one young immigrant woman’s life in post-war America. As we stated before, this film had a certain pastoral feeling to it, and the delicate features and nuanced performance of Ronan fit perfectly within this world. Striving to be a typical, romantic almost whitewashed ideal of an immigrant story, this film hearkened back to maybe the films of years gone by, and Ronan’s performance almost seemed to be an ode to the actresses of that time. Critically lauded in previous film performances, she is a fine young actor who will likely show up here again.

EDDIE REDMAYNE: The Danish Girl Chalk up another lovely portrayal to Eddie Redmayne, this time as Lili Elbe, the first patient to undergo gender reassignment surgery. Redmayne’s physicality is that of a certain type of British man: thin, high cheekbones, fragile, androgynous – think a young David Bowie – with hints of the adolescent tendency of not quite being comfortable in one’s own skin. Physicality was paramount to his Oscarwinning role as Dr. Stephen Hawking last year, and again here as he manifests the lovely feminine affectations as the painter Einar Wegener became “Lili”, the enchanting muse of his painter wife Gerta. As Lili comes out, so does a more

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In the vein of Eddie Redmayne’s role this year, this is a weighty role in the hands of an exquisite and worthy actor. Cate Blanchett plays Carol, the married but un-fulfilled wife of a well-to-do East Coast businessman, who finds herself smitten by a gamine shop girl, Therese, played by Rooney Mara.

Blanchett portrays longing, passion and yearning with the delicateness required of a woman trapped in “polite society” in a time before conversations about being gay were even on the radar, so to speak. Carol is married to a man willing to some degree to accept her sexual orientation, but he doesn’t completely understand it, and Carol is unable to compromise successfully. Because of this, she suffers consequences and Blanchett believably invokes the strain of these in subtle lines on her face and tension in her fingers as they light a cigarette. This is the Eisenhower world of white gloves, a well-kept home, the nuclear family, and money. Therese brings the bohemian black-beret intrigue Carol desires to be a part of, and the two need each other. Blanchett will continue to show up in this category, as she’s one of our best, but she won’t take the win this year.

CHARLOTTE RAMPLING: 45 Years

MICHAEL FASSBENDER: Steve Jobs

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CATE BLANCHETT: Carol

Kate Pehrson and Liv Tollefson are respected Twin Cities movie critics who, to this point, have not made a wrong Oscar prediction in these pages.

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Brian, the director, I was wearing a sweater with a dog on it—a and he travels a great distance to find her, because they are in love, sweater I save for special occasions, like my wife’s office’s Christmas or something. party, which I was attending later that afternoon.

And of all the locations in the world they could film The Last Love The meeting was somewhat impromptu, meaning I was not Letter, they picked Northfield—seduced by its small town charm. aware that the meeting was taking place when I was dressing myself in the morning.

3. The “Movies” During the meeting, a topic of Issue of This conversation (outside of the prosMagazine That pect that the trio was going to be filming a holiday romantic comYou Are Currently edy in Northfield) that continued Reading to come up was my sweater—as sweater with an illustration of a With a tight shooting schedule sad looking basset hound wearing for the film, the crew started a bowtie. production on January 11th, and This is how I became known were in Northfield for two weeks, and identifiable in other situafilming at various locales in the tions, like when Mike saw me a downtown area. few days later at my other job at And wouldn’t you know it, the bookstore in town, he said “I the March issue of the Southern didn’t recognize you at first withMinnesota Scene magazine is out your dog sweater.” Or, later, “movies”? once production was underway, And wouldn’t you know it, the Brian, after greeting me, would deadline for content is January ask, “You got your dog sweater 29th, and that’s how yours truly today? No?” ended up with this assignment, A positive way to look at this because my editor thought it was that at the very least, I was Director Brian Herzlinger, best know for his film “My Date would be hilarious to turn me memorable—if not for my winWith Drew.” (image courtesy of Twitter) loose on the set of a movie1, and ning personality, or my glorious write something pithy about the beard, then for my fashion sense, experience, despite my crippling or lack thereof, depending on your feelings about sweaters with depression, general anxiety, overall anhedonia, and the workload illustrations of basset hounds on them. that I have for my day job as a writer for the Northfield News.

“Find out what a key grip does,” he said to me, and chuckled, while I sat in his office.

2. The Movie

I scrolled through two years worth of mobile uploads on Facebook to find this photo to show you how great my sweater is.

By Kevin krein kkrein@northfieldnews.com

1. An Introduction I was the guy who wore the dog sweater.

Let me explain.

The morning I meet with Mike and Lori, the producers, and with

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The movie’s called The Last Love Letter, and when I describe it as a “holiday romantic comedy,” it’s a nice way of saying that it’s going to be a made-for-television movie that will air on either Hallmark or Lifetime or ABC Family sometime near Christmas.

If you are familiar with holiday movies that air on these networks, then you’ll understand that the plot sounds very familiar—like the combination of a couple of movies that you may have already watched— A young widow owns a bookstore/coffee shop called “The Bun Also Rises.” Her daughter writes a letter to Santa, asking for her mother’s happiness (in the form of a new boyfriend) for Christmas.

The letter is intercepted by Santa Ink, a company that specializes in responding to children’s letters to Santa. The task of responding falls onto a children’s book writer suffering from writer’s block. He’s moved by the child’s letter, apparently, and writes a long letter back that this young widow reads, who then writes back to him. The two strike up some kind of letter writing relationship (hence the title)

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4. Despite What You Think, I Cannot Get You A Part in The Movie Because I wrote the original story about the movie being filmed in Northfield once it was officially announced back in early December, and because my office phone number is associated with the story in the online version, I received a lot of calls—like, a lot of calls, from people asking me how they can get a part in, or audition for, The Last Love Letter.

5. “Have You Ever Been on The Set of A Movie Before?”

Despite what I originally thought, name dropping the producer and flashing my press pass does not get me onto the set right away.

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I have to wait to be escorted through the doors of the travel agency building by the Line Producer, Jillian. I wait in the crew’s warming tent, set up in a parking spot on Division Street. The tent smells like propane—it’s what is used to run the devices currently generating heat. It’s also where the craft services table is—a paltry smattering of cheese, little powered donuts, coffee, and bagels that are strewn about on a card table.

Once filming has temporarily halted while people move things around and position cameras, I am quickly escorted onto the set, and am sandwiched between the end of a desk and a wall—out of the way of all the teamsters who are carrying various lighting rigs, ladders, and other equipment.

“Have you ever been on the set of a movie before?” whispers Jillian, as she scrolls through her phone, seeing there is something more important to be dealing with than a writer from the Northfield News.

I tell her that I have not, and she proceeds to point with her eyes, and expects me to follow along, to who everyone is, and what they are all doing. I am certain that at least one of them is a grip—possibly the key grip. Though she does not identify who, if anybody, is the best boy.

At this current moment, everyone is rushing to set lighting for a scene where the male lead is reading a letter (the last love letter?) at his desk when he takes a phone call from his agent. The scene itself is probably less than five minutes in length, but has taken upwards of 15 to 20 minutes, or more, to prepare for.

Eventually, the actor, Mike, is in place, his face an unnatural shade of dark beige from all of the foundation he is wearing. As things are being finalized, before the camera rolls, I think to snap a photo on my phone—something to accompany this very story.

“You can’t take a picture of the actors,” Jillian scolds me.

I put my phone away, and never take it back out.

“I have an odd favor,” asks Mike, the actor, to Brian, the director.

This is later, when I am sandwiched in the back of a tiny office in the travel agency—this is where the camera monitors are located, and where Brian calls action, or cut.

“Can I borrow five bucks,” Mike continues. “All my cash is in holding and I need to get a latte or something. I can’t drink anymore of this coffee.”

Brian pulls out a thick, leather wallet and peels off a five dollar bill for his actor, but then the crew announces they are ready for the next shot—the same scene they’ve been working on, just filmed at a different angle.

Mike sits back in the chair, pretending to read the same letter he has been reading, pretending to answer the phone at the desk when the assistant director says “ring ring” from off camera.

I leave shortly after this take is completed. I never find out if Mike gets his coffee.

7. Observing and Reporting I find that, once people notice me on the set or are aware that I am from the Northfield News, I have to explain myself—like, what, exactly, am I doing there.

I tell people that I am observing and reporting, and that I also write the humor column for the SouthernMinn Scene magazine, and that my editor at the magazine wanted me to write something about being on the set of the movie.

I also find that even though I have a reporter’s notebook open, and a pencil in hand, I do not write much down in it, save for a tally of how many times I was asked if I was wearing my dog sweater, a reminder that I am not to take photos of the talent, and the instance

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The star of “The Last Love Letter,” Marguerite Moreau.

You may recognizer her as ‘Katie’ from “Wet Hot American Summer.” (Image courtesy of Internet Move Database)

that a production assistant was, for some inexplicable reason, tearing up pieces of paper for the entire time that a shot was being set up, only stopping when it was time for cameras to roll. The sound of scraps of paper being torn and placed into a cardboard box became incredibly distracting and somewhat unnerving.

I, for whatever reason, felt this was an important detail to note.

I also note that it takes roughly an hour to 90 minutes to prepare for a scene that equates to less than a minute of screen time.

8. Magic Why are we so infatuated with the entertainment industry?

That’s is the question I asked myself after two short visits to the set of The Last Love Letter—once, while the crew was filming in a travel agency that was converted into the office of “Santa Ink”; the other, watching a short scene filmed in my wife’s office building.

Like, what is the allure that draws us to film, and to think that the set of a movie is some kind of magical, romantic idea?

Because from what I observed, it’s not magical or romantic.

It’s mostly just a lot of people wearing carpenter jeans, standing around, waiting to move pieces of equipment when they are told to set up the next shot. Like, a lot of standing around and a lot of waiting. And then, suddenly, when it’s time to work—everybody snaps to it, and begins to hustle—holding onto their boom microphone, positioning something with the lights, touching up foundation on an actor’s face.

2016

Mike Faiola, the other star of “The Last Love Letter.” I sure hope he got his coffee. (image courtesy of Internet Movie Database)

But we, as a culture, are captivated by the entertainment industry because of its mystique. When we watch a movie, or a television show, we don’t see the key grip, or the best boy. We see a beautiful actor hitting their mark and delivering their lines. There’s the wiling suspension of disbelief that there isn’t 30 or more people, standing behind the camera, making it all happen.

For us, this is exciting. But to the assistant director, who takes himself way too seriously, barking out orders to the rest of the crew—to him, this is just another day of work.

This is what he does for a living.

And to us, it just happens to be slightly more exciting in comparison to our own lives.

I still don’t understand what the key grip does, but whatever it is, on the surface, it probably seems more exciting than what you or I do every day.

1- A slight aside: in my original interview with Mike, Lori, and Brian, on the day I wore the dog sweater, the role of the female lead had not been cast. In making table talk with the trio at the Chamber of Commerce (where the interview took place) the president of the Chamber, Todd, said he was excited at the possibility that Danica McKeller might be in the film—the woman best known as Winnie Cooper from “The Wonder Years.” The story my editor originally wanted from me was one that chronicled my attempt to try to have coffee, or something, with McKeller, and that the story would be called “My Date With Winnie Cooper.”

This obviously did not transpire.

Editor’s Note: We can still dream Kevin Krein writes the back page column for this publication. Follow him on Twitter: @ KevEFly or email him at kkrein@northfieldnews.com

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Dead Larry; (from left): Mark McGuiness, Joe Scarpellino, Josh “Shua” Felling and Ned Barclay. (courtesy Dead Larry)

The Very Real World of

By Kim Hyatt khyatt.owatonna.com

W

hen weird is wonderful and entertaining, call it Dead Larry, the band that makes beautiful music mixed with funk, techno, rock and reggae to bring the party to any venue, whether that’s in the middle of a forest or at the Iowa

City Yacht Club.

Dead Larry is a band unlike any other. And more than just a group of bros that wanted to jam at their local VFW growing up in Iowa City, — now in Minneapolis — members of the band are artists with so many badass, often times heartbreaking, stories to share through poignant, party-fueled lyrics.

For instance, the band’s name, Dead Larry — where the hell did that come from?

That was the first question I asked frontman Mark McGuiness after seeing the guys perform at Busters Sports Bar in Mankato.

The set included sea shanties, head banging, bassist Ned Barclay in a mask and fans getting down in the dead of winter, all per usual.

Actually, it doesn’t matter the season, Dead Larry always has well-attended parties from southern Minnesota to the outskirts of Chicago, Colorado and California.

Turns out the name Dead Larry is unique as the sound and lyrics.

On the band’s first full-length album, “Story Time”, the CD is inscribed with text that, at first glance, seems to be some seriously LSD- and liquor-infused fairytale.

“Gather ‘round children, it’s STORY TIME. Once there was an old man named Larry who died all alone in a mansion on a hill. His home was abandoned and everything inside untouched. But not for long. For one dark and funky night a band of friends found their way through a tunnel of nothing, and into Larry’s tomb-like home.

They laid claim to the treasures within: the finest of fashionable linens from the 1970s, vinyl recordings from the golden age of music, and a bountiful cabinet of liquors. As these friends relished in their alcoholic [party] they armed themselves with musical instruments and started a celebration of Larry. The old man had left a legacy behind which he had no way of foreseeing. The band took Larry’s clothes and wore them to shows and sang of adventures and dreams. Larry died as Dead Larry was born, hatching new rhythms and schemes. Now, sit back, relax, and spend some time with your friends.”

But, it’s actually all true. The whole “tunnel of nothing” was actually some passageway through McGuiness’s grandparent’s attic to Larry’s next door in the same mansion-like development.

So, since 2008 Dead Larry has been listening to Larry’s music, wearing his clothes on stage and living in his spirit, because I’m pretty sure the booze is all long gone.

Relax, there’s more.

The band just recently released its fifth album, “Mona-Lisa

14

Stellarum,” which again is a funky, psychedelic party with some heartache involved. But this time death wasn’t distant like some old rich man that lived next door.

No, this album released October 2015 was inspired by two beautiful women the band lost and their names—Monica and Alyssa— morphed into Mona-Lisa.

“Mona-Lisa is a depiction of a woman not smiling, stranded in space on this foreboding planet,” said Andrew Bizek, tour manager.

Monica was McGuiness’s girlfriend who Ned Barclay (Michael Watson) died in a car accident in 2005, back when he was in a different band.

Alyssa was guitarist and vocalist Joe Scarpellino’s girlfriend, who is actually featured in a song on “As the Radio,” the band’s 2011

Joe Scarpellino (Michael Watson)

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album.

Scarpellino was with this girl for a while, through broken femurs in mosh pits and all. When Alyssa was 12 years old, she had a heart transplant that caused problems later in life up until her death in 2011. She was just 19.

“I wanted to get out of Iowa City for sure,” Scarpellino said.

So, the band moved to Minneapolis, only to be confronted with another death.

This time, McGuiness’s father.

“A lot of this album is dedicated to him,” McGuiness said. “Mona-Lisa, being a masterpiece, we wanted to make it for a long time. Stellarum is like the movie in a way with a different kind of narrative.”

“There’s a lot of death. It’s weird to express it in a way that’s fun to listen to,” Scarpellino said.

“A lot of songs are kind of, like, happy, but they’re actually about sad things,” McGuiness said.

When McGuiness isn’t melting faces with his voice, keys, synth and guitar, he’s a personal care assistant for his 12-year-old brother, Matthew, who is severely autistic.

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Mark McGuiness (Michael Watson) “I was the one that found my dad when he passed away and trying to explain it to my brother” was the inspiration for the song “Unexpected News,” McGuiness said, that actually features Matthew.

“We’re very honest in our music. We’re not trying to be anything but Dead Larry,” Scarpellino said. “When dubstep got popular we didn’t start doing that. I mean, I like cool noises, but…”

But, what is Dead Larry?

Bizek said as of late he’s been calling Dead Larry shows an “intergalactic funk dance party,” especially with a festival coming up this July in Lanesboro with Useful Jenkins, Space Monster, Aitas, Ginstrings, Neon Giant and Jon Eric. The party on July 30 is dubbed, “The Galactic Get Down Music and Camping Festival.”

Others describe the band as progressive rock, high energy, and dance.

In the band’s own words, “Dead Larry spreads a positive message to bring out a renewed feeling of passion and hope for

(Michael Watson)

anyone who listens.”

The group of four guys — Barclay, Scarpellino, McGuiness, and drummer Josh “Shua” Felling — with a vast range of influences relocated from the cornfields of Iowa to Minneapolis in 2011 to further explore their music.

It’s hard to pin down the sound, but comparisons have been made to Modest Mouse, The Talking Heads, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd.

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‘We put on a show, not just some songs,” McGuiness said.

“We got our set dance moves, it’s definitely a set with a lot of performance involved.”

All members of the band encourage a community of friends and family (known as “The Family of Funky Friends”) that continues to support and grow with Dead Larry throughout their adventures. Touring relentlessly across the country, Dead Larry is “a force to be reckoned with.”

“Dead Larry is amazing! They have that rare combination of incredible diversity and substance, while still dropping funky beats that keep your booty moving!” said Mark Murphy of WookieFoot.

Dead Larry just signed onto booking agency Hop Lite to reach new audiences across America, maybe even outer space, and one day ditch the daytime jobs to solely focus on music.

“It would be fun to play a European tour,” Scarpellino said.

“Sky’s the limit.”

Well, prepare for liftoff then, and hop aboard the Stellarum.

Find videos and photos of the band performing in bars, Harmony Park, 10,000 Lakes Festival in 2008, Mankato with Coolio and more, get “Mona-Lisa Stellarum” or other albums and merch, or check out tour dates at www.deadlarry.org

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AMY’S TV CRUSH

AMY MERRITT Amy Merritt is a respected television critic who can indeed spell not just disenfranchised, but also Stephanopoulous and snowpocalypse, much to the delight of her editor.

Superbowl,

politics

and the fatigue of live TV

T

here are very few reasons to watch television live, as it happens. But unless I’m re-watching Walter White’s slow demise or binge-watching one of my favorite teen dramas (which admittedly is often), I’m still a fan of clicking through the channels. It’s a great way to discover new shows (“Wow, How to Get Away With Murder is kind of awesome even though Scandal truly sucks. Who knew, Shonda, who knew?”); or to run across a movie you haven’t seen in ages (“Yay! Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban is on!”) It’s like a little gift.

Maybe you aren’t like me. You just TiVo the good stuff and rely on Netflix and OnDemand for the rest. That is an awesome way to be. But there are two major reasons we true-blooded Americans collectively turn to live TV—the Super Bowl, and the presidential debates. This year, over 115 million people tuned in to watch Peyton, Cam, and Coldplay. The most recent GOP debate in New Hampshire averaged 13.2 million viewers. Uh. We could talk about the difference between those two numbers, but that’s not really my point here.

I had a horrible dream last night. I’m in a massive, dark room. I squint my eyes and I can see a stage, podiums. I’m suddenly aware that there are people here…a lot of people, murmuring, whispering; but I peer out into the blackness and I can’t see them. Someone is whispering “Live

16

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Free or Die” in my ear, and a chill runs down my spine. At first, I think I’m back at my middle school spelling bee and everyone is about to find out that I’m just a sixth grader and I have no idea how to spell “disenfranchised.” (I know now).

Suddenly, a loud crack and the lights come up.

Chris Christie is yelling at Marco Rubio, and poor Marco is spinning in circles and muttering something about “Obama, Obama, he knows what he’s doing, he knows what he’s doing…” And just like that, it all stops. I’m in my living room watching George Stephanopoulos toss bright white softballs to Donald Trump. I’m yelling at them to stop, but they can’t. It’s compulsive. Somehow I know they will never stop. I wake up with a stifled scream in my throat and then I realize…

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I have total TV fatigue. It started months ago, when the election was still well over a year away and Face the Nation had nothing better to talk about than the viability of a bunch of potential candidates most of us had never heard of, plus Hillary. And then the Trump thing started. Don’t misunderstand, I don’t care who you vote for (well, I do, but this is not the format for talking about that). What I care about is the fact that like in my dream, I have no control. I’m helpless.

In January and February, I think I reached a breaking point. It’s not the Super Bowl’s fault. I get it—America, baby! But on Saturday mornings when I was looking for something soothing, it seemed like every channel was focused on what’s going to happen in the Big Game, the history of the Big Game, the commercials that disappointed

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us last year, the commercials to look forward to this year. Late night talk shows have puppies picking a winner, David Muir had GOP candidates picking a winner. That channel that plays super old game shows had reruns of Family Feud featuring NFL cheerleaders. I’m surprised Richard Dawson didn’t get arrested. The worst was the two hour special showing the top 50 Super Bowl commercials of all time. They don’t even make Doritos 3D’s anymore!

In a last ditch effort to escape the debates and the pundits and the football and the sportscasters, I thought it would be safe to find refuge in my local news…all they ever talk about is the weather, right? Like any good Minnesotan, I’m interested in the weather. I was even prepared for Ian Leonard to predict yet another snowpocalypse. But first, it was highlights of the last debate and Bernie’s appearance on SNL. Then, I was informed that Americans consume 1.3 billion chicken wings on Super Bowl Sunday.

Gross, guys. Gross.

Please understand, I am not anti-football or anti-“democracy-at-work.” I am just anti-bullshit and the desperate hype to keep us tuned in.

Frankly, I had enough of that with “Grease Live.”

The Super Bowl is finally over, and I tuned in for the very end of it because it’s fun to watch people win stuff. No matter what, I’m not sure I’ll feel the same way about the next President of the United States. So for the next eight months or so, I’m sticking to The Weather Channel, whatever I can TiVo, and Gossip Girl DVD’s, just in case.

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THE Add your event for FREE to the TIMELINE c a l e n d a r . G O TO w w w. s o u t h ern minn . c o mm / s c ene / c a len d a r & C l i c k + A d d a n E v ent

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 19-27: Family Finder Week: 19-Feb, 9:00 AM, Minnesota Children’s Museum Rochester, 1643 N. Broadway, Rochester, $0-$5.50.

Museum Admission: $5.50 Ages 1-101; Free Children Under 1. How many of each animal can you find? Join us in playing the Family Finder game this week at the Museum, and see how many of each animal you can find throughout the exhibit. Turn your answers in for a chance to win a prize! We continue with our Wednesday morning sing alongs at 11am and our Friday morning story time at 11am featuring Peter Rabbit. Bring along your hunting skills!

Mothers and More Weekday Playgroup: 19-Feb, 9:30 AM, Rochester Public Library, 101 SE 2nd Street, Rochester, Free.

Meet at the play area at the Rochester Public Library for a morning of indoor play. Dance party starts at 10am in the auditorium. If you are wondering if Mothers & More is right for you, we would like to invite you to join us to see if the group might be a good fit for you and your family. Prospective members are welcome to attend up to two events before deciding to join.

River Hills Home & Lifestyles Show: 19-Feb, 10:00 AM, RIVER HILLS MALL, 1850 ADAMS STREET, Mankato, Free. A Quality Event At A Premier Shopping Destination - The success of the River Hills Home & Lifestyles Show for over 20 years, has been the ability to reach new customers attending the show, as well as the malls retail customers with products and services. Providing Access To The Unreachable Invisible Consumer - Invisible Consumers are a demographic description of a growing population of well educated, high income consumers that rely on the internet, social media, satellite radio, and cell phones as providers of immediate information and entertainment. Increasingly, these individuals are unreachable through traditional advertising. The River Hills Home & Lifestyle Show provides access to this growing demographics.

MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition: 19-Feb, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free. Just in time for Valentines Day, a variety of fine jewelry and art jewelry will be featured in the MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition at the Northfield Arts Guilds Main Gallery, February 12 through March 12, 2016. This exhibition features recent work by Minnesota Jewelry Arts Guild jewelry artists from both the Twin Cities and out-state Minnesota. Visitors to this exhibition will see jewelry ranging from hand-sawn silver, forged and painted metals, sustainably-sourced gemstones and carved polymer clay. Artists showcased include: Bridget Clark, Susan Crow, Lindsay Locatelli, Ann Madland, Lisa Phelps-Havelin, Soren Priede, Danny Saathoff, Laura Stamper, Mel Tudisco, and Beth Williams. Join the artists for a wine, cheese and chocolate opening night reception on Friday, February 12, 7:00 to 9:00pm.

SocialICE - Rochester Minnesota’s Ice Bar: 19-Feb, 4:00 PM, Peace Plaza, 1st Ave

SW, Rochester, Free. When: February 18, 19 & 20, 2016 Times: Thursday 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm, Friday & Saturday 4:00 pm - 10:00 pm Where: Peace Plaza SocialICE Rochester Minnesota’s Ice Bar transforms the Peace Plaza in the heart of downtown Rochester to an outdoor ice bar experience. The event generates an artistic and sophisticated social gathering place complete with lighting effects, music, the Walk of Ice sculpture garden, drinks, and more. Come to SocialICE and you’ll experience seven 12-foot uniquely designed and themed ice bars each with a signature drink! This event is FREE to attend and open to the public.

Rochester Civic Theatre presents: Almost, Maine: 19-Feb, 7:00 PM, Rochester Civic Theatre, 20 Civic Center Dr SE, Rochester, $17-$24. Dont miss this touching and quirky romantic comedy about the magical excitement of love and romance in the middle of winter. Utterly endearing Its hard not to warm up to Almost, Maine. A crowd-pleaser. Broadway.com Suggested viewing age: age 10 and up.

Rochester Big Band ‘Love Is In The Air’ Dance: 19-Feb, 7:00 PM, Rochester Senior Center, 121 N Broadway Ave, Rochester, $5 . Tickets available in advance at RSC or at the door. The Rochester Big Band is a 15 piece swing and Latin band. They play music of the 30s and 40s, Glenn Miller, Gene Krupa, Count Basie, and also play some music of the 50s and 60s. In the past this group has played for many outdoor concerts, dances at the Blue Moon, Pine Island and senior centers around the area. They love to play music for any occasion! With their Latin tunes, a few waltzes and polkas, and music that you will remember, we invite you to sit back, listen or jump up and dance along!

Please join us! If inclement weather it will be cancelled and announced on TV and Radio.

Robin Hood: 19-Feb, 7:30 PM, Northfield Arts Guild Theater, 411 W. Third Street, Northfield, $10 . And if any of you ever suffers unjustly, come without fear into Sherwood Forest and ask for Robin Hood.

Robin Hood by Ivey Award-winning playwright Greg Banks. Good vs. Evil. Trickery vs. Heroism. Compassion vs. Greed. A sharp joke, a sly jab, a treacherous attack, a band of underground heroes rally for those who cannot. Robin Hood is a production of Purple Door Youth Theater, an educational program of the Northfield Arts Guild.

Harvey: 19-Feb, 7:30 PM, Little Theatre of Owatonna, 560A Dunnell Drive, Owatonna, $10-$14. Elwood P. Dowd is an affable man who claims to have an unseen (and presumably imaginary) friend Harvey whom Elwood describes as a six-foot, threeand-one-half-inch tall rabbit. Mary Chase received the 1945 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play about a man and his unseen friend.

507-282-8481 Dana Cooper, Sally Barris and The Dovetailers: 19-Feb, 7:30 PM, Crossings, 320 East Ave, Zumbrota, $19-$22. Nashvillebased Cooper and Barris will perform songs from their respective new albums, joining The Dovetailers for an In the round, Bluebird Caf style night of music. The Dovetailers, based in Pine Island, are Six Mile Grove frontman Sampson his wife, Heather Ritenour Sampson.

Fathom Lane w/Elizabeth Ghandour: 19-Feb, 8:00 PM, The Tavern Lounge, 212 Division Street South, Northfield, Free.

As they continue to work on their eagerly anticipated forthcoming new album release, Twin Cities based band Fathom Lanes

monthly residency continues with another magical evening of music. Over the span of two critically acclaimed full length albums (2013s Fathom Lane and 2012s Down

By Half) Fathom Lane has been getting international attention for their wonderfully indefinable sound. Joining Fathom Lane is up & coming singer/songwriter Elizabeth Ghandour, renowned for her hauntingly lovely Americana and folk performances.

Family Finder Week: 20-Feb, 9:00 AM, Minnesota Children’s Museum Rochester, 1643 N. Broadway, Rochester, $0-$5.50.

Museum Admission: $5.50 Ages 1-101; Free Children Under 1.

River Hills Women’s Weekend Show: 20-Feb, 10:00 AM, RIVER HILLS MALL, 1850 ADAMS STREET, Mankato, Free. A Quality Event At A Premier Shopping Destination - The success of the River Hills Home & Lifestyles Show for over 20 years, has been the ability to reach new customers attending the show, as well as the malls retail customers with products and services. Providing Access To The Unreachable Invisible Consumer - Invisible Consumers are a demographic description of a growing population of well educated, high income consumers that rely on the internet, social media, satellite radio, and cell phones as providers of immediate information and entertainment. Increasingly, these individuals are unreachable through traditional advertising. The River Hills Home & Lifestyle Show provides access to this growing demographics.

‘I Do’ Book Reading & Signing: 20-Feb, 11:00 AM, Harmony Public Library, 225 3rd Avenue Southeast, Harmony, Free. A humor filled book good for anyone who is married, planning on getting married, doesn’t have plans to get married, or can never see themselves ever getting married. Although there is a Bridal Checklist included at the end of the book, the stories are for EVERYONE: * If you are married, this book will bring back memories from your special day. * If you are planning on getting married, you NEED to read this book to avoid mishaps that have happened to others (learn from other’s mistakes.) * If you don’t have plans to get married, or you can never see yourself getting married (of course, never say never), you can have a number of good laughs... And should the occasion of a wedding ever enter your life with you being one of the participants, then you will be armed with the advice and knowledge of what ‘I Do’ has to offer to people who are about to take the trip down the aisle! 15 years of memories from 1,400+ weddings as a professional videographer.

Chapter titles include: * Where’s Grandma? * Can I Get Your Autograph? * Who Brought the Gun? * Calisthenics in Formalwear ‘This book is a page-turner! Once you pick it up, you won’t be able to put it down until you’re done!’ ‘Page 123 has goats!!! Because every wedding-related book should have a story about goats in it!’ ;-).

MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition: 20-Feb, 11:00 AM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free.

Gateway Science Fair 2016: 20-Feb, 12:30 PM, Mayo Clinic Gonda Building, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, $12 . For all 3-6 graders in public, private or home school in Rochester and surrounding communities who are interested in science! Before the Science Fair, think of a topic that interests you, and do an experiment at home to learn more about it. Explain your experiment with pictures, words, and graphs on a display board. Bring your board to the Science Fair to explain your project to reviewers who

Cloud Cult 8 p.m., Friday, March 4th

have a science background. You’ll see a fun Science Museum presentation and receive a certificate of participation, written reviews of your project, a snack, and a cool t-shirt! Registration deadline is January 27. Registration is through Rochester Community Education.

For all details, see our website at www. rochestergateway.com.

48th Annual Lake City Sportsman’s Club Ice Fishing Contest: 20-Feb, 1:00 PM, The Lake City Sportsman’s Club, 2200 South Oak Street, Lake City, $5 . The Lake City Sportsmans Club 48th Annual ICE FISHING CONTEST Saturday, February 20th, 2016 Lake City Sportsmans Club 2200 South Oak Street, Lake City MN 55041 Bingo 11:00am 1:30pm Ice Fishing 1:00pm - 3:30pm $5 Entry Fee Raffles, Games, Auctions, Food & More 11:00am - 4:00pm See our website for more information https://www.facebook. com/LakeCitySportsmansClub Join us for a family friendly event **NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCIDENTS** Questions- Please call 651-564-1082 or 651-380-7843 Gambling License # x-05760-16-001.

Eagle Bluff Skills School: Cheese Making for Novices: 20-Feb, 1:00 PM, Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, 28097 Goodview Dr, Lanesboro, $45 . $45 per person Instructor: Teresa Cerling You will learn how to make two cheeses: mozzarella and ricotta. Instructor Teresa Cerling will talk about different kinds of cheese and the different methods used to make them, as well as the importance of using the right milk. Handouts with sources of where to buy supplies will be shared. http://www. eagle-bluff-skills-school.org/classes/cheesemaking-for-novices-2/ registration required $45 per person Instructor: Teresa Cerling.

SocialICE - Rochester Minnesota’s Ice Bar: 20-Feb, 4:00 PM, Peace Plaza, 1st Ave SW, Rochester, Free.

Moonlight Snowshoe Tours: 20-Feb, 7:00 PM, Northfield, MN, , Northfield, $60.

A winter’s eve was never so spectacular and magical! Join local winter enthusiasts on a night hike with the moon blazing the trail overhead and soft candle luminaries guiding your feet down a snowy path. End your guided adventure with a bonfire, hot chocolate and laughter all around!. .

Rochester Civic Theatre presents: Almost, Maine: 20-Feb, 7:00 PM, Rochester Civic Theatre, 20 Civic Center Dr SE, Rochester, $17-$24. . .

Kevin Mac’s Classic Country Jukebox: 20-Feb, 7:30 PM, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave., Faribault, $10-$22. $10 Students/$17 Members/$22 Nonmembers. Before a single note leaves his lips or one chord is strummed from his acoustic guitar, country music artist Kevin Mac wins over audiences with his exuberant personality. In addition to being an incredibly talented musician, Kevin is a consummate entertainer.

He is charming, funny and down-to-earth, with a true knack for connecting with audiences of all ages!

Robin Hood: 20-Feb, 7:30 PM, Northfield Arts Guild Theater, 411 W. Third Street, Northfield, $10 . And if any of you ever suffers unjustly, come without fear into Sherwood Forest and ask for Robin Hood.

Robin Hood by Ivey Award-winning playwright Greg Banks. Good vs. Evil. Trickery vs. Heroism. Compassion vs. Greed. A sharp joke, a sly jab, a treacherous attack, a band of underground heroes rally for those who cannot. Robin Hood is a production of Purple Door Youth Theater, an educational program of the Northfield Arts Guild.

Harvey: 20-Feb, 7:30 PM, Little Theatre of Owatonna, 560A Dunnell Drive, Owatonna, $10-$14. Elwood P. Dowd is an affable man who claims to have an unseen (and presumably imaginary) friend Harvey whom Elwood describes as a six-foot, threeand-one-half-inch tall rabbit. Mary Chase received the 1945 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play about a man and his unseen friend.

507-282-8481 The Three Muscatelles: 20-Feb, 8:00 PM, The Tavern Lounge, 212 Division Street South, Northfield, Free. The Three Muscatelles are Susan, Dina and Cindy, performing ballads, folk, rock, pop and blues, covering tunes from Sara Bareilles, Jason Mraz, John Prine, The Beatles, Jonny Lang, Fleetwood Mac, Charlie Daniels and Elvis, among many others, along with Susan’s original tunes. Susan’s lead vocals have been described as powerful, angelic and lyrical, and are complemented by Dina’s crystal-clear harmonies. Dina drives the rhythm on guitar, Susan’s fingerstyle adds dimension, Cindy plays solos and backup on fiddle, covering the band’s broad set range with skill and versatility, and all take a turn on percussion.

Try Sled Hockey For Free Day: 21-Feb, 9:00 AM, Graham Arena Complex, 1570 Fairgrounds Ave, Rochester, Free. The Rochester Mustangs adaptive sled hockey team is hosting a try sled hockey day. Sled hockey is for persons with any physical disability that prevents them from playing stand up hockey.

Do you know of someone who would benefit from trying sled hockey or are you curious yourself? Join us on February 21st at Graham Arena from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and give it a try.

Our try hockey day is open to all ages and abilities, including able bodied individuals and is free. The Rochester Mustangs are currently looking to grow their team, so this is an opportunity for anyone who is curious about the sport to give it a try.

River Hills Home & Lifestyles Show: 21-Feb, 11:00 AM, RIVER HILLS MALL, 1850 ADAMS STREET, Mankato, Free.

Family Finder Week: 21-Feb, 12:00 PM, Minnesota Children’s Museum Rochester, 1643 N. Broadway, Rochester, $0-$5.50.

Museum Admission: $5.50 Ages 1-101; Free Children Under 1.

Robin Hood: 21-Feb, 2:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild Theater, 411 W. Third Street, Northfield, $10 (507) 281-6189 Harvey: 21-Feb, 2:00 PM, Little Theatre of Owatonna, 560A Dunnell Drive, Owatonna, $10-$14.

Rochester Civic Theatre presents: Almost, Maine: 21-Feb, 2:00 PM, Rochester Civic Theatre, 20 Civic Center Dr SE, Rochester, $17-$24. . . 507-282-8481 Minnesota Wild vs. Chicago Blackhawks: 21-Feb, 2:30 PM, Xcel Energy Center, , St Paul, $32-$317.

Biometric Screenings: 22-Feb, 7:00 AM, Hy-Vee South, 500 Crossroads Drive, Rochester, $45 . Dont wait for chronic diseases to sneak up on you. Take preventative measures by getting a health assessment by your HyVee dietitian. Get quick and accurate results on cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, body fat and body mass index. Your Hy-Vee dietitian will explain what the results mean to you. Screenings are $45 per person. Register for your biometric screening here: 2/22: https://www.hy-vee.com/stores/calendar/ event-details.

Heart Healthy Store Tour: 22-Feb, 12:00 PM, Hy-Vee South, 500 Crossroads Drive, Rochester, Free. Join your Hy-Vee South Di-

It’s hard to write anything about Cloud Cult without sounding like a sycophantic fanboy, so I’m just not really even going to try. This beloved Minnesota indie-rock band is everything we ask for from our artists. Steeped in originality and authenticity, they are a dedicated troupe who don’t preach their message as much as they live it.

If you don’t know much about Cloud Cult, their story is almost something that cannot be made up. Brought together twenty years ago by Craig Minowa, the band’s original recordings created immediate buzz in the record industry.

They build a reputation for amazing live performances that include artists creating paintings on stage and an unwavering commitment to earth friendly practices. The band eschewed all contract offers from the big record companies, choosing instead to release their music through a label Minowa started, Earthology Records. Like much of the best art, the band’s music has been deeply affected by tragedy. Minowa and his wife Connie (one of the live painters) lost their two-year-old son, Kaidin, in 2002, and the following albums They Live on the Sun, Aurora Borealis, Adivice from the Happy Hippopotamus and The Meaning of 8 were heavily

Presentation Hall, Mayo Civic Center, Rochester A d d y o u r e v e n t f o r F R E E t o t h e T I M E L I N E c a l e n d a r . G O TO w w w. s o u t h ernminn . c o m / s c ene / c a len d a r & C l i c k + A d d a n E v ent

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Other Desert Cities 8 p.m., March 4-5, 10-12, 17-19 Rochester Repertory Theatre

“Families get terrorized by their weakest members.”

That frank piece of truth is a key line in Jon Robin Baitz’s 2010 play, Other Desert Cities. The comedy/ drama tells a familiar American Drama tale of family strife, secrets and denial. The prodigal child returns home, in this case Brooke Wyeth comes home to Palm Springs for Christmas, intent on exposing family secrets ad blowing the perfect veneer off of her anything-butperfect family.

The plot is something of a cliché in this day and age, but Other Desert Cities succeeds due to its playright. Jon Robin Baitz, the creator of TV’s Brothers and Sisters and a former ghost writer on shows like The West Wing and Alias, brings a smartness to his script that doesn’t pander with heavy handed soliloquies or large obvious metaphors. Instead, he gives the family an intelligence of wit and grace in the way they communicate with each other. There are no explosions, ghosts, or otherwise gratuitous moments of vulgarity in this script, which is another way to say, in most other hands, it would be boring as hell. Baitz however keeps things moving with his skills as a writer of dialogue.

The Rochester Repertory Theatre has a knack for taking on these script driven character studies and casting them with actors perfect for the roles. Just in the current season, their productions of Making God Laugh and the just completed Enchanted April are perfect examples. We are eagerly anticipating the results they get from fleshing out one of Baitz’ scripts.

– – Rich Larson is the publisher and editor of SouthernMinn Scene.

You can reach him at rlarson@southernminnscene.com.

influenced by that experience. Ironically, it was those albums that brought Cloud Cult to a much larger audience.

This is a band that lives solely on its own terms. They record in a studio on Minowa’s organic farm in Wisconsin.

They tour in a bio diesel fueled van. They have sold more than 100,000 albums almost completely on the strength of their performances, receiving only limited airplay on indieminded stations like 89.3 The Current in the Twin Cities and college campus radio across the country. There hasn’t been a truly independent band that was this successful since Fugazi.

They’re 11th album, The Seeker, was released on February 12 (which would have been Kaidin’s 16th birthday) and will be accompanied later this month by a feature film of the same name. Already on tour, with dates announced through the spring, this show at Rochester’s Mayo Civic Center is their one appearance currently scheduled for Southern Minnesota. We’re relatively certain there will be more opportunities to see them this summer, but why not grab the opportunity when you have it? Go see this band.

– – Rich Larson is the publisher and editor of SouthernMinn Scene. You can reach him at rlarson@southernminnscene.com.

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on Third

GET THE PARTY STARTED FOR

ST. PATRICK’S DAY MARCH 17 th Parade begins at 5:30p.m. on 3rd and Broadway

The Buddy Holly Story 7:30 p.m. March 10-13

(doors at 5 p.m., dinner at 5:30)

2 p.m. March 13 (doors at 11:30 a.m., dinner at Noon)

Kato Ballroom, Mankato

Join Us After for

FREE

CORNED BEEF & CABBAGE ALL DAY + SPECIALS ON GREEN BEER PITCHERS!

A long , long time ago/I can still remember how the music used to make me smile…I can’t remember if I cried/When I read about his widowed bride/but something touched me deep inside/The day the music died --Don McLean, American Pie It was February 3, 1959 when J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, Ritchie Valens and Buddy Holly boarded a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza (which, contrary to urban legend, was not named American Pie) in Mason City, Iowa bound for Fargo, North Dakota. The plane crashed a mere 15 miles after take-off in Clear Lake, creating the first real tragedy of rock ‘n’ roll as well as the first three legends of the era.

Of course, Buddy Holly’s legend looms the greatest.

He was just 23 when he died, but the legacy Holly left affected just about all the music that came after him. He was an enormous influence on The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Elvis Costello, Bruce Springsteen, The Grateful Dead… frankly the list is too long to enumerate; best to just refer you to the roster of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, and every member of the Country Music Hall of Fame born after 1950.

The story of the skinny, bespectacled teenager from Lubbock, Texas whose music had such impact in such a short amount of time would seem to be made for Hollywood. And in fact, Hollywood took notice, producing The Buddy Holly Story in 1978 and then Broadway got into the act in the early 90’s putting his story on the big stage. And that brings us to the Merely Players and The Kato Ballroom.

Mankato’s premier community theater troupe, The Merely Players, will stage The Buddy Holly Story at The Kato Ballroom, the very site of Buddy Holly’s January 25, 1959 concert in Mankato, just a week before he died. They’re actually turning the weekend into a dinner theater event, offering a full meal two hours before show time.

Whether you’re somebody who remembers that awful winter of 1959, or love to hear your grandparents talk about seeing Buddy Holly at the Kato Ballroom, or maybe you’re just a fan of all that great music, this has the makings for a pretty fun event.

– – Rich Larson is the publisher and editor of SouthernMinn Scene. You can reach him at rlarson@southernminnscene.com.

on Third

125 S. 3rd St. St. Peter • 931-9051 patrickson3rd.com 18

etitian, Jess Pavlinec, on a Heart Healthy store tour! See all the heart-healthy options available to you at Hy-Vee South.

Each tour will last about 30 minutes.

Please contact Jess at 507-289-7500 or jpavlinec@hy-vee.com to confirm your time or with further questions. Register here: https://www.hy-vee.com/stores/ calendar/event-details.aspx?e=93715.

Vibrant // Ladies Candlelight Dinner 2016: 22-Feb, 5:00 PM, Rochester Assembly, 4240 18th Avenue Northwest, Rochester, $25 . Ladies join us Mon or Tues Feb. 22nd and 23rd at 5 pm at Rochester Assembly Church for Ladies Candlelight Dinner 2016. Internationally known singer/songwriter Dara Maclean will be our guest, dinner is provided by Catering by Design. Come relax and enjoy a beautiful night at a beautifully decorated table, connecting with great women. It will be a night to remember. Purchase your ticket for $25 at www.ladiescandlelightdinner.blogspot.com.

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Time Trader Orientation: 22-Feb, 5:30 PM, Rochester Area Family YMCA, 709 1st Avenue SW, Rochester, Free.

We have group orientations the 4th Monday of the month at 5:30p.m. at Rochester Family YMCA. Time Trader is an organized exchange network through which members earn Time Credits (TC) for time spent helping other members.

One hour of service earns one TC. With TC, members can buy services they want or need. For example, if you give one hour of childcare, you can receive one hour of painting, accounting, transportation assistance, or a piano lesson, and the list goes on.

Toddler Tidbits: 23-Feb, 10:30 AM, Hy-Vee West Circle, 4221 W Circle Drive, Rochester, $5 . Join us for this toddlerfriendly class focusing on encouraging young children to try new foods! At each class, your Hy-Vee dietitian will invite your toddler to try new fruits and vegetables in different and creative ways.

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After each class, your child will receive an ‘I Tried It!’ sticker. After collecting 3 stickers, he/she will be given a fun and creative healthy prize! After the class, stay for lunch in our Market Grille - kids eat FREE every Tuesday with purchase of an adult entree! Market Grille | 10:30am 11:00am $5 per child - Register at Least 3 Days in advance at Customer Service.

Questions: Contact Sara Kelly, RD, LD at sakelly@hy-vee.com or 507-292-6004.

MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition: 23-Feb, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free.

A Slice of Life! Where There’s Will, There is a Way! Reflections on My Son, Will and His Cancer: 23-Feb, 6:30 PM, Assisi Heights Spirituality Center, 1001 14th St NW, Rochester, $10 .

In March, 2004, Will was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma brain tumor. He was only 5 1/2 years old. With the support of members from his parish and the staff at St. Francis of Assisi School in Rochester he bravely battled his brain tumor for 8 1/2 years. He lost the battle in October, 2012, at the age of 14. His beloved father, Tom Canan, has written a book about Will’s cancer journey.

Birds of Cuba: 23-Feb, 7:00 PM, Quarry Hill Nature Center, 701 Silver Creek Rd NE, Rochester, Free. Carrol Henderson and his wife Ethelle have led four field trips to survey birds in the national parks and protected areas of Cuba, which has more endemic bird species than the Galapagos Islands! Cuba is host to an impressive array of colorful birds like the Cuban Trogon, and the Bee Hummingbird, the smallest bird in the world. Carrol is a nationally-recognized professional wildlife biologist and author who specializes in the conservation of nongame wildlife and endangered species. He currently heads up the Nongame Wildlife Program for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Minnesota Wild vs. New York Islanders: 23-Feb, 7:00 PM, Xcel Energy Center, , St Paul, $32-$317.

Animal Secrets Scavenger Hunt Week: 24-Feb, 9:00 AM, Minnesota Children’s Museum Rochester, 1643 N. Broadway, Rochester, $0-$5.50. Museum Admission: $5.50 Ages 1-101; Free Children Under 1. Stop in for the last week of February and play our Animal Secrets Scavenger Hunt! This Museumwide scavenger hunt will help you learn all about the exhibit. We will also have an 11am sing along on Wednesday morning, and an 11am story time on Friday to say goodbye to Storyland. Storyland will be closing on Sunday, February 28th. Dont forget to crunch along the snowy sidewalk and visit Peter Rabbit in the garden one last time!

History Bits and Bites: 24-Feb, 12:00 PM, Blue Earth County Historical Society History Center, 424 Warren Street, Mankato, $0-$5. $5 for Adults Free for BECHS Members and under 18. Bring your lunch and learn a bit of history with our monthly lunchtime series. This month, Heather will present on Historical Blizzards in Southern Minnesota.

MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition: 24-Feb, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free.

Animal Secrets Scavenger Hunt Week: 25-Feb, 9:00 AM, Minnesota Children’s Museum Rochester, 1643 N. Broadway, Rochester, $0-$5.50. Museum Admission: $5.50 Ages 1-101; Free Children Under 1.

Mothers and More Weekday Playgroup: 25-Feb, 9:30 AM, Pipsqueaks Indoor Playground, 903 West Center Street, Rochester, $2 . Join us for a morning of indoor play. The cost is $2 per child, per day ( FREE for children ages 6 months and younger). If you are wondering if Mothers & More is right for you, we would like to invite you to join us to see if the group might be a good fit for you and your family. Prospective members are welcome to attend up to two events before deciding to join.

MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition: 25-Feb, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free.

‘I Do’ Book Reading & Signing: 25-Feb, 7:00 PM, Chatfield Public Library, 314 South Main Street, Chatfield, Free. A humor filled book good for anyone who is married, planning on getting married, or doesn’t have plans to get married. Although there is a Bridal Checklist included at the end of the book, the stories are for EVERYONE: * If you are married, this book will bring back memories from your special day. * If you are planning on getting married, you NEED to read this book to avoid mishaps that have happened to others (learn from other’s mistakes.) * If you don’t have plans to get married, or you can never see yourself getting married (of course, never say never), you can have a number of good laughs... And should the occasion of a wedding ever enter your life with you being one of the participants, then you will be armed with the advice and knowledge of what ‘I Do’ has to offer to people who are about to take the trip down the aisle! 15 years of memories from 1,400+ weddings as a professional videographer. Chapter titles include: * Where’s Grandma? * Can I Get Your Autograph? * Who Brought the Gun? * Calisthenics in Formal Wear ‘This book is a page-turner! Once you pick it up, you won’t be able to put it down until you’re

done!’ ‘Page 123 has goats!!! Because every wedding-related book should have a story about goats in it!’

Harvey: 25-Feb, 7:30 PM, Little Theatre of Owatonna, 560A Dunnell Drive, Owatonna, $10-$14.

Mark Kreitzer: 25-Feb, 8:00 PM, The Tavern Lounge, 212 Division St., Northfield, Free. The Tavern is proud to present multi-instrumentalist, awardwinning songwriter, and Minnesota Rock & Country Hall of Famer Mark Kreitzer, Presenting an array of original and cover tunes, Kreitzer has toured extensively around the Midwest and the world, including appearances at folk and bluegrass festivals and concerts, and on television and radio, including ‘A Prairie Home Companion. He brings his bluegrass chops to the world of modern folk and Americana music, combining smart and thoughtful lyrics with tight vocals and expert picking.

Animal Secrets Scavenger Hunt Week: 26-Feb, 9:00 AM, Minnesota Children’s Museum Rochester, 1643 N. Broadway, Rochester, $0-$5.50. Museum Admission: $5.50 Ages 1-101; Free Children Under 1.

MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition: 26-Feb, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free.

Freedom Through Forgiveness 2016: 26-Feb, 7:00 PM, Assisi Heights Spirituality Center, 1001 14th St NW, Rochester, $90 . This is a two-day event.

February 26, Friday: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

February 27, Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Relax in the quiet of sacred space at Assisi Heights. Discover what may be stumbling blocks to experiencing great freedom and joy in life. Shed the pressures of persistent resentments and angers. Let the process transform your inner self to know a lifted heart. Forgiveness is a choice! Learn the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation, the eight steps in forgiving one another and the five steps to forgive yourself.

Come home to a new self. Facilitated by Sister Linda Wieser.

Harvey: 26-Feb, 7:30 PM, Little Theatre of Owatonna, 560A Dunnell Drive, Owatonna, $10-$14.

Hosanna’s Pantry: 27-Feb, 9:00 AM, Hosanna Lutheran Church, 2815 57th St NW, Rochester, Free. Hosanna’s Pantry is a satellite food shelf of Channel One food bank in Rochester. A photo ID is required.

Coffee and treats are served while you wait to shop.

Animal Secrets Scavenger Hunt Week: 27-Feb, 9:00 AM, Minnesota Children’s Museum Rochester, 1643 N. Broadway, Rochester, $0-$5.50. Museum Admission: $5.50 Ages 1-101; Free Children Under 1.

Scrapbook/Card Class: 27-Feb, 9:30 AM, Hobby Lobby, 3900 Highway 52 North, Rochester, $40 . Join me in an exciting new class featuring both scrapbooking and cardmaking in one.

Make 3 - double page layouts, as well as a double page picture my life scrapbook page, and 9 cards (3 of each design) with scraps to spare. To sign up contact: Brittany.rask@gmail.com Phone: (920) 540-4984 Please RSVP 1 week prior to class to ensure project assembly Tuition $40.00 Will have you pre-cut prior to attending class using video: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=P4WNoC2I4t4&lis t=TLtdSy0B1Bsa8wNjAxMjAxNg If unable to attend available for shipping or pick-up Contact me if would like to purchase your own stamp. Supply List (bring to class): Paper cutter, Scissors, Stamp Blocks, Ink, Adhesives of your choice (which may include Liquid Glass, Glue dots, 3-D Foam, etc.) For images of projects visit: https://www.facebook.com/ctmhmemories Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ events/1104577406228096/.

MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition: 27-Feb, 11:00 AM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free. . .

Gregory’s Gift of Hope Adoption Event: 27-Feb, 12:00 PM, Chuck & Don’s Pet Food and Supplies, 2312 Crest View Drive, Suite B, Hudson, Free.

Gregorys is the only active no-kill animal rescue/re-home facility serving Western Wisconsins St Croix, Pierce, and surrounding counties. We will bring several different cats and dogs that are looking for their forever homes. You could find new love, today.. .

Haiku Meditation Experience: Seeing with the Heart: 27-Feb, 12:00 PM, Assisi Heights Spirituality Center, 1001 14th St NW, Rochester, $25 . Writing Haiku is a process of utilizing a modicum of words, a deepening of our contemplative or meditative experience. Haiku is unique in that it provides a vehicle to enrich the observation and subsequently communicate that observation. Working with Haiku form is an effective and dynamic approach that encourages the spiritual journeyers to keep their awareness sharpened and observation astute. Haiku is not just a type of poetry; it is a way of looking at the world with a heightened level of spiritual awareness and attentiveness. This is a meditation retreat, NOT a poetry class. No experience is necessary. A very user-friendly method of learning to write Haiku is presented and practiced. This class is taught by Thomas Roberts. Registration required by February 22.

Bingo: 27-Feb, 1:00 PM, American

Legion, 315 First Avenue NW, Rochester, Free. Bingo 1PM the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month. Kitchen open at 11:00 serving delicious foods! $1.00 and $2.00 cards.

The 8th Annual Grumpy Plunge: 27Feb, 3:00 PM, Slippery’s Bar And Grill, 10 Church Avenue, Wabasha, $0-$75.

Free to watch. $75 to plunge.. Mark Your Calendar For The 8th Annual Grumpy Plunge! The 8th Annual Grumpy Plunge is scheduled for Saturday, February 27, 2016. Last year 67 fearless plungers raised over $14,000. Will this be the year you commit to jumping into the icy cold water of the Mississippi River to support a good cause? The Grumpy Plunge fund-raiser benefits Great River Homes, Inc. and the Rotary Club of Wabasha. This is a unique opportunity for individuals, organizations and businesses to support the local causes and programs these two non-profit organizations provide right here in our community. And since the Grumpy Plunge will be a part of the 23rd Annual Grumpy Old Men Festival, you can make a day of it and enjoy all the fun events the festival has to offer! Even if you choose not to make the bone-chilling splash, you can always show your support by making a pledge to a braver soul.

The plunge will be held at Slipperys Bar and Grill on Saturday, February 27, 2016 at 3:00 PM. There will be awards, great costumes, and of course, bragging rights for plungers. Lone plungers or Teams with Themes are encouraged to participate! Begin collecting your pledges today and come to Slipperys between 1:30 and 2:30 PM the day of the plunge to register.

The minimum amount each plunger must bring to registration is $75. Pledge materials are available online at www. wabashamn.org, www.greatriverhomes. org, or you may pick up a pledge form at the Wabasha-Kellogg Chamber/CVB. Brrrr well see you there!

Moonlight Snowshoe Tours: 27-Feb, 7:00 PM, Northfield, MN, , Northfield, $60 . A winter’s eve was never so spectacular and magical! Join local winter enthusiasts on a night hike with the moon blazing the trail overhead and soft candle luminaries guiding your feet down a snowy path. End your guided adventure with a bonfire, hot chocolate and laughter all around!

The 411 Concert Series presents Communist Daughter: 27-Feb, 7:30 PM, Northfield Arts Guild Theater, 411 W. Third Street, Northfield, $25 . A few years ago John Solomon walked away from music. After a long struggle with addiction and a brief stint in jail he broke up his critically acclaimed band Friends Like These and moved to a small town.

Supposedly that was that Even though Solomon left music, music never left him.

After a long hiatus, he called some friends to come out to that small town and begin again. So was born Communist Daughter.

Harvey: 27-Feb, 7:30 PM, Little Theatre of Owatonna, 560A Dunnell Drive, Owatonna, $10-$14.

Latin Jazz: 27-Feb, 7:30 PM, Christ United Methodist Church, 400 5th Avenue SW, Rochester, Free. Rochester Chamber Music Society is excited to present its annual jazz concert, this year titled Latin Jazz. A six-piece ensemble consisting of Ralph Schornack, piano, Terrance Gresser, percussion, David Townsend, woodwinds, Russell Bergum, bass, and Anastacia Wells and Cori Anne Vought, vocals, along with RSP Gardner, producer-arranger, will explore styles of jazz influenced by various Latin rhythms and themes. The centerpiece of this concert will feature an arrangement of George Gershwins Cuban Overture, reduced from its orchestral original and employing the use of voices to represent instrumental lines. Rhythms from beyond North America will provide the evenings ambiance. As an added bonus, RCMS has partnered with Victorias Ristorante & Wine Bar for this concert. If you dine at Victorias on February 27 and mention RCMS, Victorias will donate 20% of your tab to RCMS. Visit our website rochesterchambermusic.org for more details. There is no admission charge for RCMS concerts.. .

Galactic Cowboy Orchestra: 27-Feb, 7:30 PM, Rochester Civic Theatre, 20 Civic Center Dr SE, Rochester, $17.50$22. $17.50 in advance, $22 at the door.

The Galactic Cowboy Orchestra has stretched their own musical limits since 2009 with album after album of intensely energetic Art-Rock (a blend of bluegrass, jazz, world-fusion, and rock.) The GCO appreciates and aspires to superior musicianship while combining their love of a good riff, hummable melody and groovy jam over a jazz/jazz-rock musical bedrock. These four fun-loving musicians don’t take themselves too seriously, but have a love of music. The band writes and performs music that excites them and has a blast doing it! Don’t miss their incredibly energetic live performance.

The Galactic Cowboy Orchestra sounds like Bela Fleck meets Rush, goes out to breakfast with John Coltrane, and gets home in time to go golfing with Jeff Beck.

Jay from St. Cloud, MN Tickets: $17.50 in advance, $22 at the door Don’t miss your chance to see this amazing, eclectic band perform incredible music at Rochester Civic Theatre! 507-282-8481 Blimp: Tribute to Led Zeppelin: 27-Feb, 7:30 PM, State Theater, 96 E 4th St, Zumbrota, $22-$25. No costumes. No ridiculous nonsense. Just the music, as

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Zeppelin would have played it on a stage.

It swings. It cries. It feels the blues. Blimp includes Collective Unconscious members and collaborators. Blimp plays the hits, including Rock n Roll, Heartbreaker/ Living Loving Maid, All of My Love, and of course, Stairway to Heaven.. .

Lonesome Dan Kase: 27-Feb, 8:00 PM, The Tavern Lounge, 212 Division Street South, Northfield, Free. The Tavern is very pleased to welcome back Mary Cutrufello, Hailed as a Texas honky-tonk heroine, a fiery Midwestern roots-rocker, and a powerhouse acoustic performer.

Connecticut-raised and Yale-educated, shes made records showcasing all facets of her identity as her musical journey has taken her from the East Coast to Houston and now to Minnesota. Not-to-be-missed!

Grumpy Old Men Festival: 27-Feb, All Day, Wabasha, , Wabasha, $3-$10.

Cost depends on event participation. Ice Fishing Contest Cribbage Tournament Hot Dish Luncheon Grumpy Plunge Minnow Races Ice Bar Ragetti’s Spagetti Feed.

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 5: Biometric Screenings: 28-Feb, 7:00 AM, Hy-Vee South, 500 Crossroads Drive, Rochester, $45 . Dont wait for chronic diseases to sneak up on you. Take preventative measures by getting a health assessment by your Hy-Vee dietitian. Get quick and accurate results on cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, body fat and body mass index. Your Hy-Vee dietitian will explain what the results mean to you.

Screenings are $45 per person. Register for your biometric screening here: 2/22: https://www.hy-vee.com/stores/calendar/ event-details.aspx?e=93696 o 2/23: https://www.hy-vee.com/stores/calendar/ event-details.aspx?e=93697 o 2/24: https://www.hy-vee.com/stores/calendar/ event-details.aspx?e=93698 o 2/25: https://www.hy-vee.com/stores/calendar/ event-details.aspx?e=93699 o 2/26: https://www.hy-vee.com/stores/calendar/ event-details.aspx?e=93701 o 2/27: https://www.hy-vee.com/stores/calendar/ event-details.aspx?e=93702 o 2/28: https://www.hy-vee.com/stores/calendar/ event-details.aspx?e=93703.

Animal Secrets Scavenger Hunt Week: 28-Feb, 12:00 PM, Minnesota Children’s Museum Rochester, 1643 N. Broadway, Rochester, $0-$5.50. Museum Admission: $5.50 Ages 1-101; Free Children Under 1. Stop in for the last week of February and play our Animal Secrets Scavenger Hunt! This Museumwide scavenger hunt will help you learn all about the exhibit. We will also have an 11am sing along on Wednesday morning, and an 11am story time on Friday to say goodbye to Storyland. Storyland will be closing on Sunday, February 28th. Dont forget to crunch along the snowy sidewalk and visit Peter Rabbit in the garden one last time!

A Gathering of Fly Fishermen: 28-Feb, 12:30 PM, State Theater, 96 E 4th St, Zumbrota, $6-$12. Adults $12 Kids 16 and under $6. Hall of Fame Fly fishermen will share their expertise and experiences. The event includes a silent auction and swap meet. All proceeds go to the Zumbrota State Theatre building project. 507-282-8481 Minnesota Wild vs. Florida Panthers: 28-Feb, 2:00 PM, Xcel Energy Center, , St Paul, $32-$317.

Jazz Jam with The D’Sievers: 28Feb, 5:30 PM, Rochester Civic Theatre, 20 Civic Center Dr SE, Rochester, Free.

Free and open to the public. Come enjoy an evening of live jazz & open mic at the

Rochester Civic Theatre. John Sievers (trombone) and the DSievers will host a jazz open mic. Bring your instrument or your voice and sign up to play or sing a tune along with a live jazz rhythm section.

Musicians of all experience levels and all ages are welcome. Come with tunes in mind and bring changes for the rhythm section if you are playing an unusual tune or in an unusual key.

Remember When Coffee Club: 1-Mar, 10:30 AM, Blue Earth Historical Society, Heritage Center 415 Cherry St., Mankato, Free. Join us for the Remember When Coffee Club where history enthusiasts meet to discuss different topics. This month will be focused on Pets. Come share some of your favorite pet memories over coffee and tea.

MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition: 1-Mar, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free. Just in time for Valentines Day, a variety of fine jewelry and art jewelry will be featured in the MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition at the Northfield Arts Guilds Main Gallery, February 12 through March 12, 2016.

This exhibition features recent work by Minnesota Jewelry Arts Guild jewelry artists from both the Twin Cities and out-state Minnesota. Visitors to this exhibition will see jewelry ranging from hand-sawn silver, forged and painted metals, sustainably-sourced gemstones and carved polymer clay. Artists showcased include: Bridget Clark, Susan Crow, Lindsay Locatelli, Ann Madland, Lisa Phelps-Havelin, Soren Priede, Danny Saathoff, Laura Stamper, Mel Tudisco, and Beth Williams. Join the artists for a wine, cheese and chocolate opening night reception on Friday, February 12, 7:00 to 9:00pm.

Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche: 1-Mar, 7:00 PM, Xcel Energy Center, , St Paul, $32-$317.

MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition: 2-Mar, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free.

MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition: 3-Mar, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free.

MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition: 4-Mar, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free. 507-238-4900 Minnesota State Hockey: 4-Mar, 7:00 PM, Verizon Wireless Center Mankato MN, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Mankato, See Website. vs. Bemidji State. . (507) 387-8443 The Hunts: 4-Mar, 7:30 PM, Fairmont Opera House, 45 Downtown Plaza, Fairmont, $10-$20. Student $10.00 Adult $20.00. With a harmony-laced take on alt-folk that’s both breathtaking and sweetly ethereal. The Hunts are a Chesapeake, Virginia-based band made up of seven brothers & sisters who’ve been playing music together almost their entire lives. Ranging from ages 16-24, twin sisters Jenni and Jessi and their five brothers Josh, Jonathan, Jordan, Justin, and Jamison all learned to sing and play violin as little kids and spent much of their childhood performing throughout their community and now thru-out the country.

Dramatic Voice of the Baroque: 4-Mar, 7:30 PM, Zumbro Lutheran Church, 624 3rd Ave SW, Rochester, $10-$25. Lyra concerts arent usually associated with new worksuntil now!

Come along for the 21st-century premire of works by Johann Christoph Friedrich Bachincluding a harpsichord concerto and his cantata on the myth of Pygmalion, a story whose themes have inspired artists from Shakespeare to George Bernard Shaw. Joining Lyra to tell the story is

American bass-baritone Christopher Temporelli, who also makes his own 21stcentury Lyra debut.

Other Desert Cities: 4-Mar, 8:00 PM, Rochester Repertory Theater, 103 Seventh Street North East, Rochester, $22 . A Comedy/Drama by Jon Robin Baitz Brooke Wyeth returns home to Palm Springs after a six-year absence to celebrate Christmas with her parents, her brother and her aunt. She announces her plans to publish a memoir dredging up a pivotal and tragic event in the familys history a wound they dont want to have reopened. Drawing a line in the sand, she dares them all to cross it.

Eagle Bluff Skills School: Naturally Clean: 5-Mar, 9:00 AM, Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, 28097 Goodview Dr, Lanesboro, $50 . Saturday, March 5, 2016 9:00am-12:00pm $50 per person Instructor: Stephanie Davidson Homemade all natural cleaning products are inexpensive to make, just as effective as those store bought cleaners, and are better for you and your loved ones. Each of us will make our own set of natural cleaners for all of your cleaning needs to take home! We will also discuss the benefits of using our new natural cleaning set and share resources and recipes so that you can continue to make them at home and share them with friends and family!

Quarry Hill Bird Walk: 5-Mar, 9:00 AM, Quarry Hill Nature Center, 701 Silver Creek Rd NE, Rochester, Free. Join us on a casual walk through Quarry Hill Park.

Bring binoculars if you have them, some are available to borrow from the nature center. Dress for the weather. Families and children are welcome. Stay for any length of time. Walks usually last about one hour. Free and open to the public - no registration required. Audubon Leaders: Terry & Joyce Grier.

MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition: 5-Mar, 11:00 AM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free.

Eagle Bluff Skills School: Rock Climbing and Geocaching Adventure: 5-Mar, 1:00 PM, Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, 28097 Goodview Dr, Lanesboro, $40 . Saturday, March 5, 2016 1:00pm-5:00pm $40 per person Instructor: Colleen Kannen Looking for an afternoon of adventure?

This session will explore the basics of rock climbing, including belaying and climbing, and geocaching which is when you use a GPS unit to navigate around the woods. It will be limited in size to only a dozen participants. It is a great girls weekend activity or office adventure getaway. Your time will be split between Eagle Bluffs indoor climbing wall and our outdoor geocaching course. No experience or gear needed as well provide it all. Come ready to learn new skills and get some exercise!

Dinner of the Bluff: Nature, Culture, and Two Friends Talking with James Armstrong & Kim Chapman: 5-Mar, 5:00 PM, Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, 28097 Goodview Dr, Lanesboro, $25$30. http://www.eventbrite.com/e/ dinner-on-the-bluff-series-2016-tickets18612459367?ref=ebtnebtckt. Saturday, March 5, 2016 5:00pm $25 per person early bird/ $30 per person week of event *Buy the Series* for $100 per person/ $180 per pair (tickets for all five dinner at a discounted price) Kim Chapman has been working in conservation biology for over 30 years, currently as a consulting ecologist with Applied Ecological Services. James Armstrong has been writing about nature and culture for 30 years and currently teaches poetry, film and literature of the environment in the English Department at Winona State University.

7 T 3 H S ’ A N N O N Y UAL N E K Carriage & Cutter Day

The Odd Couple 7:30 p.m. March 11-12, March 17-19 2 p.m. March 13

Paradise Center for the Arts, Faribault J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, Ritchie It’s tough to single out one piece of work for a guy as successful as Neil Simon, but it’s fair to say The Odd Couple is his best known comedy.

The story of the friendship between fastidiously neat Felix Unger and the slovenly-bordering-ondisgusting Oscar Madison is timeless, whether the duo is played by Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau or Tony Randall and Jack Klugman (I have not seen the Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon pairing, but I’m guessing that works too.)

The original TV show was great, and I’m sure the new one is good too, but you just can’t beat the original. And that’s why we’re recommending that you get over to the Paradise Center for the Arts to see The Odd Couple.

The Paradise Community Theater company is one of two troupes that share the PCA space, along with The Merlin Players. While The Merlin Players may get a little more notoriety, the PCT has consistently produced great shows for years, including the recent God of Carnage, The Rocky Horror Show and 2015’s standout production of Amadeus.

The Odd Couple is directed by Kelly Huff, with a cast featuring George Hemphill as the slovenly sportscaster Oscar and Andy Velishek as tight-sphinctered Felix. Great space, great cast, great director and an all-time great script.

Why would you miss this?

– – Rich Larson is the publisher and editor of SouthernMinn Scene. You can reach him at rlarson@southernminnscene. com.

These two gentlemen will be joining us to share stories and spark conservations from their new book Nature, Culture, and Two Friends Talking. The focus will be on how cultural expectations--especially aesthetic ones--can prevent us from engaging with our native landscapes, and how a deeper understanding of natural processes can make us better stewards of our land. (507) 387-8443

7 p.m., March 11

The Wicked Moose Bar & Grill, Rochester

A d d y o u r e v e n t f o r F R E E t o t h e T I M E L I N E c a l e n d a r . G O TO w w w. s o u t h ernminn . c o m / s c ene / c a len d a r & C l i c k + A d d a n E v ent

the hidden track “(I Wanna Drive the) Zamboni” became an international cult hit and to this day is played in hockey arenas in Austin (Minnesota, of course), New York, Stockholm, Minsk, Vladivostok and anywhere there’s a break between periods for ice resurfacing.

They started in Austin, made it all the way to Late Night with David Letterman, and then downshifted to more of a part time organization. But they can still draw 10,000 people in St. Paul. Over the years they haven’t lost an ounce of their humble, SoMinn charm, from Randy Broughten’s engineer hat to Martin Zellar’s dimples. They only play a handful of shows each year now, but this appearance at the Wicked Moose has become something of an annual tradition. If you’ve been there before, you’ll no-doubt be there again. If you haven’t, what the hell are you waiting for? Go see the Gear Daddies.

– – Rich Larson is the publisher and editor of SouthernMinn Scene. You can reach him at rlarson@southernminnscene.com.

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ALL HORSE PARADE • 1:3OPM

Hundreds of horses & ponies of all breeds!

FOR PARADE REGISTRATION AND MORE INFO GO TO WWW.CITYOFKENYON.COM Special Attractions, located on Main Street starting at 10:00 am, Include:

o 10am t 1:30pm

FREE PETTING ZOO & PONY RIDES FREE HORSE-DRAWN WAGON RIDES

Minnesota State Hockey: 5-Mar, 7:00 PM, Verizon Wireless Center Mankato MN, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Mankato, See Website. vs. Bemidji State.

‘Tell Me A Story’: 5-Mar, 7:00 PM, Northfield Middle School Auditorium, 2200 Division St. S., Northfield, $10-$15. $25 for adults, $10 for students and seniors. Symphony Orchestra with guest

Gear Daddies Okay, so they’re not going to make it into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, nobody has ever called them the “voice of a generation,” and they don’t have a big fancy recording studio/sound stage/ performance venue where they can host all-night parties featuring their legendary friends. But the Gear Daddies are among the best bands ever to come out of Minnesota, and they are – with deference to the great Eddie Cochran – the greatest band ever to come out of Southern Minnesota.

All it took for them to earn that honor was two albums and 30 years.

Those two albums are so damn good. First there was Let’s Go Scare Al, featuring “She’s Happy,” “Drank So Much (I Just Feel Stupid),” and the classic “Statue of Jesus.” That was followed two years later by the (if I may) soundtrack album for my senior year at St. Olaf College, Billy’s Live Bait. The songs just tick off like a list of Minnesota’s greatest hits “Stupid Boy,” “Sonic Boom,” “Wear Your Crown,” “Time Heals,” “Goodbye Marie.” This album is so good that

SATURDAY, FEB 27

• Cannon Valley Shriners Clown Club Entertains • Booths and Food Vendors • Bake Sale at ACE Hardware 9am-1pm Hosted by Hauge Lutheran Church • Lunch at the VFW from 10:30am-3pm served by VFW Ladies Auxiliary • Silent Auction at the VFW from 10am-3pm hosted by the Kenyon Firefighters Ladies Auxiliary.

• DJ Music- Kenyon Muni. 9pm-1am • Kenyon Historical Society Tours of M.T. Gunderson House every 1/2 Hour from 11am-3:30pm • Various vendors throughout Main street

HAY RIDES & BONFIRE AFTER THE PARADE SPONSORED BY SCHWEICH’S HOTEL

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Boiled in Lead

8 p.m., March 29th

Oak Center General Store, Lake City We all love to go see and hear Irish music this time of year, but some of us like to hear it a little more amplified, and a little more sped up. In Boston that might mean heading out to Landsdown Street to check out The Dropkick Murphys. In L.A., that might mean going to see Flogging Molly, but here in Minnesota, that can only mean it’s time for Boiled in Lead.

Not as loud as the Murphys, and not as aggressive as Flogging Molly, they’ll get a crowd whipped up into a pretty good frenzy just the same. Once a product of the underground Minneapolis punk movement, BiL has taken their place as one of the elder-statesmen bands of the Twin Cities music scene. But after thirty years, and plenty of membership comings and goings (original vocalist Todd Menton returned to the fold a couple years ago), this band still puts on a hell of a show. The added treat to this event is the venue itself. If you’ve never had a chance to catch a show at the resplendent hippie palace that is the Oak Center General Store, you owe it to grant yourself this outstanding St. Patrick’s experience.

St. Patrick’s Day Eve Céili 5:30 p.m., March 16 Rochester Art Center

A what? How do you pronounce Céili? What is it?

Okay calm down. Just because you’ve never seen the word before doesn’t mean it isn’t cool. First of all, it’s pronounced kaylee. Secondly it’s an Irish social dance, which has to be pretty fun simply by definition.

There’s a bigger Irish community in Southern Minnesota than you think. It turns out not everybody is Norwegian or German. St. Patrick’s Day tends to be a big deal around here, with legendary parades happening in St. Peter, Rochester and (hand to God) New Ulm. This is something different, though.

Irish Fest Rochester (obviously the group responsible for organizing Irish Fest every August in Rochester) has teamed with the Rochester Art Center for a night of real Irish culture.

The evening will start at 5:30 as Megan Johnston, the newly installed RAC executive director gives a talk about Irish art history, this will be followed by a cocktail hour with entertainment provided by harpist Mary Schneekloth, Irish Stew and soda bread will be served at 7 p.m., and finally the Céili will begin at 8.

This is one of those traditional dances where one set of partners lines up to face the other set. Think Jane Austen.

There you go.

The dance will be led by the Twin Cities Céili Band along with Máirtín de Cógáin. Now, I’ll be the first person to admit that my taste in Irish music leans toward The Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly, but there is no denying that the music these guys play is amazing and would be incredibly fun to dance to.

So, look, if you’re tired of celebrating your Irish heritage by putting on a stupid little felt bowler hat and drinking beer with food dye in it, this might be something more up your alley. I think it looks like a blast.

– – Rich Larson is the publisher and editor of SouthernMinn Scene. You can reach him at rlarson@southernminnscene.com.

Ever Lost a File or had a Computer Die?

– – Rich Larson is the publisher and editor of SouthernMinn Scene. You can reach him at rlarson@southernminnscene.com. soloists Theo and DeWayne Wee, piano The Cannon Valley Regional Orchestra presents a fun and energetic event for all ages, the Childrens Concert! This concert will include: the Young Lutherans Guide to the Orchestra (music by Randall Davidson) with narration by Pastor Bruce Benson, Peter and the Wolf (music by Sergei Prokofiev) with narration by Philip Spensley and ballet dances by students from the Cannon Falls School of Dance, Carnival of the Animals (music by Camille Saint- Saens), featuring local celebrity musicans Theo and DeWayne Wee on the piano, narration by Patsy Dew, and dances from students in the Northfield Arts Guilds Dance Theater Company and Baile Folklorico Mexicano troupe.

Moonlight Snowshoe Tours: 5-Mar, 7:00 PM, Northfield, MN, , Northfield, $60 . A winter’s eve was never so spectacular and magical! Join local winter enthusiasts on a night hike with the moon blazing the trail overhead and soft candle luminaries guiding your feet down a snowy path. End your guided adventure with a bonfire, hot chocolate and laughter all around!

Songs of Wonder: 5-Mar, 7:00 PM, Rochester Civic Theatre, 20 Civic Center Dr SE, Rochester, Free. David Jordan Harris and Nirmala Rajasekar perform a concert of South Indian and JudeoSpanish music; includes excerpts from the oldest extant piece of notated Jewish music, improvisational performance on the veena, ancient Tamil Sangam poetry, plaintive Judeo-Spanish and

Hebrew chants from Jewish communities in Bosnia, Morocco and Turkey and new musical arrangements.

The Crown Jewels - The Music of Queen: 5-Mar, 7:30 PM, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave., Faribault, $10-$22. $17 Member / $22 Non Member / $10 Student. The Crown Jewels are an outstanding replication of one of the greatest rock bands of all time, Queen. Hailing from Minneapolis, this LIVE TRIBUTE (no backing instrumental or vocal tracks) performs all the greatest hits, arena anthems, and top ten singles that made Queen one of the most legendary rock bands of all time. 507-282-8481 BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet: 5-Mar, 7:30 PM, State Theater, 96 E 4th St, Zumbrota, $28-$32. For over 40 years, BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet have blended the rich Cajun traditions of Louisiana with elements of zydeco, New Orleans Jazz, country and blues to become the most esteemed Cajun group in music. Crossings brings the Grammy award-winning Cajun band to the State Theatre.

Other Desert Cities: 5-Mar, 8:00 PM, Rochester Repertory Theater, 103 Seventh Street North East, Rochester, $22.

WEEK OF MARCH 6 - 12: John Marshall Band Boosters Pancake Breakfast and Jammin’ Fundraiser: 6-Mar, 9:00 AM, John Mar-

shall High School, 1510 14th Street NW, Rochester, $4-$6. John Marshall Band Boosters are hosting a Pancake Breakfast and Jammin Fundraiser on Sunday, March 6, 2016 at the John Marshall High School cafeteria. The breakfast is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and will feature music from the John Marshall Jazz Band, John Marshall Marching Band as well as several ensemble groups. Tickets are $6.00 for adults and $4.00 for children ages 5-12 years of age; children age 4 and younger are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance from any band member, or at the door. John Marshall High School JM Band Boosters 1510 14th Street NW 507-328-5400.

BECHS Annual Meeting: 6-Mar, 2:00 PM, Blue Earth Historical Society, Heritage Center 415 Cherry St., Mankato, $0-$5. Free to BECHS Members $5 for adults. Join us for our Annual Meeting.

Come at 1 p.m. for behind-the-scenes look at what we do at the History Center.

The business meeting will begin at 2 p.m. followed by a presentation about the REA to correspond with our traveling exhibit, Electrifying Minnesota.

‘Tell Me A Story’: 6-Mar, 3:00 PM, Northfield Middle School Auditorium, 2200 Division St. S., Northfield, $10-$15. $25 for adults, $10 for students and seniors. Symphony Orchestra with guest soloists Theo and DeWayne Wee, piano The Cannon Valley Regional Orchestra presents a fun and energetic event for all ages, the Childrens Concert! This concert will include: the Young Lutherans

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Guide to the Orchestra (music by Randall Davidson) with narration by Pastor Bruce Benson, Peter and the Wolf (music by Sergei Prokofiev) with narration by Philip Spensley and ballet dances by students from the Cannon Falls School of Dance, Carnival of the Animals (music by Camille Saint- Saens), featuring local celebrity musicans Theo and DeWayne Wee on the piano, narration by Patsy Dew, and dances from students in the Northfield Arts Guilds Dance Theater Company and Baile Folklorico Mexicano troupe.

Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues: 6-Mar, 7:00 PM, Xcel Energy Center, , St Paul, $32-$317.

‘Stripped Down’ with George Maurer and Pamela McNeill: 6-Mar, 7:00 PM, Crossings, 320 East Ave, Zumbrota, $19-$22. Pianist-composer Maurer will host singer-songwriter McNeill on a naked stage as he accompanies McNeill and interviews her about her life and multifaceted musical career. Its just two musicians and a grand piano revealing McNeills inspirations and memorable moments through original songs and inspired covers.

Foundations of Health: Using Naturopathic Medicine to Maintain Optimal Health: 7-Mar, 6:30 PM, Galaxie Library, 14955 Galaxie Ave, Apple Valley, Free. Take the natural path to health by establishing restorative diet and lifestyle habits! During this seminar, hosted by the Lupus Foundation of Minnesota and presented by Dr. Kristin Becker, ND, participants living with lupus and other chronic conditions will gain a deeper understanding of how naturopathic medicine and the use of diet, exercise, stress management, and sleep can help reduce lupus flares and other autoimmune disease symptoms.

Free, but pre-registration is required

by Friday, March 4.To Register Contact Lupus Foundation of Minnesota Director of Education Sandy Parnell by email or call 952-746-5151/800-645-1131, ext.

105.About the Presenter Graduating from Bastyr University, Dr. Kristin Becker is a naturopathic doctor, registered with the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice.

She practices at The Natural Path to Health in St. Paul and the Southern Minnesota Outreach Clinic in Elysian, just east of St. Peter. 952-891-7045 MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition: 8-Mar, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free. Just in time for Valentines Day, a variety of fine jewelry and art jewelry will be featured in the MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition at the Northfield Arts Guilds Main Gallery, February 12 through March 12, 2016.

This exhibition features recent work by Minnesota Jewelry Arts Guild jewelry artists from both the Twin Cities and out-state Minnesota. Visitors to this exhibition will see jewelry ranging from hand-sawn silver, forged and painted metals, sustainably-sourced gemstones and carved polymer clay.

Artists showcased include: Bridget Clark, Susan Crow, Lindsay Locatelli, Ann Madland, Lisa Phelps-Havelin, Soren Priede, Danny Saathoff, Laura Stamper, Mel Tudisco, and Beth Williams. Join the artists for a wine, cheese and chocolate opening night reception on Friday, February 12, 7:00 to 9:00pm.

MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition: 9-Mar, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free.

Eagan Just Between Friends Free Admission Ticket: 10-Mar, 10:00 AM, Former Rainbow Foods Store, 15125 Cedar Avenue South, Apple Valley, Free. Are your kids outgrowing all of their clothing and your budget is tight? You can’t imagine paying retail?

Just Between Friends to the rescue. Be the hero of your family budget! Eagan/ Apple Valley Just Between Friends is a seasonal pop up children’s marketplace where families can buy and sell kids items to meet the growing needs for your

own kids. We will have Spring & Summer clothes, shoes, baby equipment and gear, baby and children’s furniture, maternity clothing, kids room decor, games, puzzles, books, electronics, kids sporting equipment, outdoor riding toys, indoor toys and so much more! Interested in selling YOUR gently used kids items with us? Anyone can join us and consignors earn 60-70% on their sales! Find all the details for how it works in our Consignor Info http://eagan.jbfsale.com/sellView. jsp and see what we accept & how to tag in our Tagging Tips Sheet! https://jbfsale. com/JBF/control/downloadLibFile?down loadFlag=toExecuteInsertDocDownload& mimeType;=&documentNo=763290399 For a complete sale schedule go to our website www.eagan.jbfsale.com.

MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition: 10-Mar, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free. 507333-1620 Minnesota Wild vs. Edmonton Oilers: 10-Mar, 7:00 PM, Xcel Energy Center, St Paul, $32-$317.

Christian Howes and Southern Exposure: 10-Mar, 7:30 PM, Newhall Auditorium, 1000 Shumway Ave, Faribault, $9-$15. Adults $15, Students $9. Acoustic Roots Music Series Violinist Christian Howes is one of those rare artists who brings jazz to the violin.

His music explores different areas of Europe, as well as embracing Afro-Cuban rhythms, and South American influences.

His latest project, the album Southern Exposure, brings together some terrific jazz musicians, and includes another instrument not often associated with jazz the accordion. The result of this unusual instrumental pairing is a unique and complimentary sound. www. christianhowes.com.

The Buddy Holly Story: 10-Mar, 7:30 PM, Kato Ballroom, 200 chestnut Street, Mankato, $32-$37. Tickets purchased before march 6 are $32. After March 6,tickets are $37.. Before the Beatles or the Stones ever played a note, rock and roll was forever changed by the bespectacled kid from Texas, Buddy Holly. This is the true story of Buddy Holly throughhis short yet spectacular career. Step back in time to January 25, 1959 when Buddy, Ritchie, and The Big Bopper played at the Kato Ballroom.

Listen to the classic songs: Thatll Be the Day Peggy Sue Chantilly Lace La Bamba and many more! All tickets include dinner and a show. Doors open at 5 p.m. Dinner served 5:30-7 p.m.

Other Desert Cities: 10-Mar, 8:00 PM, Rochester Repertory Theater, 103 Seventh Street North East, Rochester, $22 . A Comedy/Drama by Jon Robin Baitz Brooke Wyeth returns home to Palm Springs after a six-year absence to celebrate Christmas with her parents, her brother and her aunt. She announces her plans to publish a memoir dredging up a pivotal and tragic event in the familys history a wound they dont want to have reopened. Drawing a line in the sand, she dares them all to cross it.

Eagan Just Between Friends Free Admission Ticket: 11-Mar, 10:00 AM, Former Rainbow Foods Store, 15125 Cedar Avenue South, Apple Valley, Free.

Are your kids outgrowing all of their clothing and your budget is tight? You can’t imagine paying retail? Just Between Friends to the rescue. Be the hero of your family budget! Eagan/Apple Valley Just Between Friends is a seasonal pop up children’s marketplace where families can buy and sell kids items to meet the growing needs for your own kids. We will have Spring & Summer clothes, shoes, baby equipment and gear, baby and children’s furniture, maternity clothing, kids room decor, games, puzzles, books, electronics, kids sporting equipment, outdoor riding toys, indoor toys and so much more! Interested in selling YOUR gently used kids items with us? Anyone can join us and consignors earn 60-70% on

A d d y o u r e v e n t f o r F R E E t o t h e T I M E L I N E ca l e n d ar . G O TO w w w. s o u t h ernminn . c o m / s c ene / c a len d a r & C l ic k + A d d a n E v ent

their sales! Find all the details for how it works in our Consignor Info http://eagan. jbfsale.com/sellView.jsp and see what we accept & how to tag in our Tagging Tips Sheet! https://jbfsale.com/JBF/control/do wnloadLibFile?downloadFlag=toExecute InsertDocDownload&mimeType;=&docu mentNo=763290399 For a complete sale schedule go to our website www.eagan. jbfsale.com.

MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition: 11-Mar, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free.

Childrens Dance Theatre Presents The Mermaid: 11-Mar, 7:00 PM, Mayo Civic Center Presentation Hall, 20 Civic Center Drive SE, Rochester, $15-$18.

General Admission Seating Adults $17 (adv) | $18 (door) Children 12 under $15 (adv) | $16 (door). CDT presents The Mermaid, based on Hans Christian Andersens fairy tale The Little Mermaid. A story about a young mermaid with a very big dream, she longs to live above the sea and become human. Follow her journey in this underwater setting filled with beautiful jellyfish, colorful rainbowfish, adorable lobsters, and of course, the sinister Sea Witch! Experience this wonderful story through live performance. For 29 years, Children’s Dance Theatre has been inspiring imaginations through artfully staged theatrical productions. Charming sets and creative costumes set the stage for this full-scale production, under the direction of Matthew Keefe. www. childrensdancetheatre.org (507)281-3335 Rochester.cdt@gmail.com Show run time: 90 minutes Appropriate for all ages.

Gear Daddies: 11-Mar, 7:00 PM, The Wicked Moose, 1201 Eastgate Drive SE, Rochester, $20 . After nearly 30 years together, one of the most resilient and influential Americana/Rock bands ever to come out of the Twin Cities is reaching back to the greatest fans in the world. With headline performances ranging from The David Letterman Show to Austin, Texas’ South x Southwest Music Festival GEAR DADDIES has rocked fans from coast to coast. Over thousands of miles and countless venues from New York to Los Angeles to Phoenix to Denver to Kansas City to all over the Midwest (you get the idea) Martin Zellar, Nick Ciola, Randy Broughten and James Billy Dankert have galvanized a fan base across America with their unique brand of music and lyrics that exude an opportunity to re-live some of our own life experiences.

The Odd Couple: 11-Mar, 7:30 PM, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave., Faribault, $10-$15. $10 Students, $14 Members, $15 Non-Members. Neil Simons classic comedy returns to the Paradise Center stage in its original male version! Compulsive neatnik Felix Unger is thrown out of his house by his divorce-bound wife. Worried that Felix will try something desperate, his incorrigibly sloppy sportswriter friend, Oscar Madison, invites Felix to move in with him. Within a few days, this mismatched pair is on the verge of mutual murder.

Felix cannot abide Oscars slovenliness, while Oscar is driven insane by Felixs obsession with cleanliness. Theres a laugh a second in this foolproof comic situation, kept alive and healthy by some of the funniest dialogue ever written.

Merely Players present: The Buddy Holly Story: 11-Mar, 7:30 PM, Kato Ballroom, 200 chestnut Street, Mankato, $32-$37. Tickets purchased before march 6 are $32. After March 6,tickets are $3.

‘For the Birds’ Kevin Kling & Zeitgeist: 11-Mar, 7:30 PM, State Theater, 96 E 4th St, Zumbrota, $16-$19. With charm, delight and musical adventure, For the Birds unites the creativity of the Minnesota music and arts community in a combination of new music, poignant stories, verbal artistry and innovative direction. This chamber work debuted in 2010 and has since delighted audiences across Minnesota. It highlights St. Paulbased new music champions Zeitgeist, stories and poetry by humorist, writer and narrator Kevin Kling, and music by composer Victor Zupanc of the Childrens Theater Company.

Other Desert Cities: 11-Mar, 8:00 PM, Rochester Repertory Theater, 103 Seventh Street North East, Rochester, $22.

Eagan Just Between Friends Free Admission Ticket: 12-Mar, 10:00 AM, Former Rainbow Foods Store, 15125 Cedar Avenue South, Apple Valley, Free.

Rochester Home, Vacation & RV Show: 12-Mar, 10:00 AM, Olmsted County Fairgrounds, Rochester, MN, 1570 Fairgrounds AV SE, Rochester, Free. Looking to finally start that home improvement project? Have you always dreamed of packing your family into an RV and hitting the road? The Rochester Home, Vacation & RV Show is the perfect destination for you to browse the latest trends in multiple lifestyle categories. The best part, the event runs over three days, so you cant miss it!

MNJAG Jewelry Exhibition: 12-Mar, 11:00 AM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free.

Lions Club Carnival and Easter Egg Hunt: 12-Mar, 11:30 AM, River Falls High School, 852 Division St., River Falls, Food Shelf Donation Used Eye Glasses or cell phones. Come and enjoy a free family orientated event where children from 1 - 8 can play many different carnival games and hunt for Easter Eggs. There will be a bouncy house plus face painting.

A concession stand is available. Profits from the concession stand help pay for the event.

Shoe & Brew - Brewery: 12-Mar, 12:30 PM, Nerstrand Big Woods State Park, 9700 170 St. E, Nerstrand, $179 .

Snowshoeing and beer. Sounds like a fine day!! We start this adventure by exploring some of the hardwood forests of the Mississippi valley, passing over frozen rivers and taking in panoramic views. Then off to the local microbrewery to sample their fine offerings! This trip includes: snowshoe rentals, a guided trip through the forest, a beer tasting at the brewery, and a complimentary tumbler. You must be 21 or older, provide legal proof of your age. A State Park Pass is required to enter into any State Park in MN . By booking this trip, you are acknowledging this fact and that you are responsible for said pass.

Both day and annual passes can be purchased at any State Park (office or kiosk) or by calling the DNR. MN DNR: 651-2966157 State Park day or annual passes is required and is your responsibility.

Bingo: 12-Mar, 1:00 PM, American Legion, 315 First Avenue NW, Rochester, Free. Bingo 1PM the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month. Kitchen open at 11:00 serving delicious foods! $1.00 and $2.00 cards.

The Mermaid: 12-Mar, 2:00 PM, Mayo Civic Center Presentation Hall, 20 Civic Center Drive SE, Rochester, $15-$18.

General Admission Seating Adults $17 (adv) | $18 (door) Children 12 under $15 (adv) | $16 (door). CDT presents The Mermaid, based on Hans Christian Andersens fairy tale The Little Mermaid. A story about a young mermaid with a very big dream, she longs to live above the sea and become human. Follow her journey in this underwater setting filled with beautiful jellyfish, colorful rainbowfish, adorable lobsters, and of course, the sinister Sea Witch! Experience this wonderful story through live performance. For 29 years, Children’s Dance Theatre has been inspiring imaginations through artfully staged theatrical productions. Charming sets and creative costumes set the stage for this full-scale production, under the direction of Matthew Keefe. www. childrensdancetheatre.org (507)281-3335 Rochester.cdt@gmail.com Show run time: 90 minutes Appropriate for all ages.

Moonlight Snowshoe Tours: 12-Mar, 7:00 PM, Northfield, MN, , Northfield, $60 . A winter’s eve was never so spectacular and magical! Join local winter enthusiasts on a night hike with the moon blazing the trail overhead and soft candle luminaries guiding your feet down a snowy path. End your guided adventure with a bonfire, hot chocolate and laughter all around!

Childrens Dance Theatre Presents The Mermaid: 12-Mar, 7:00 PM, Mayo Civic Center Presentation Hall, 20 Civic Center Drive SE, Rochester, $15-$18.

General Admission Seating Adults $17 (adv) | $18 (door) Children 12 under $15 (adv) | $16 (door). CDT presents The Mermaid, based on Hans Christian Andersens fairy tale The Little Mermaid. A story about a young mermaid with a very big dream, she longs to live above the sea and become human. Follow her journey in this underwater setting filled with beautiful jellyfish, colorful rainbowfish, adorable lobsters, and of course, the sinister Sea Witch! Experience this wonderful story through live performance. For 29 years, Children’s Dance Theatre has been inspiring imaginations through artfully staged theatrical productions. Charming sets and creative costumes set the stage for this full-scale production, under the direction of Matthew Keefe. www. childrensdancetheatre.org (507)281-3335 Rochester.cdt@gmail.com Show run time: 90 minutes Appropriate for all ages.

The Odd Couple: 12-Mar, 7:30 PM, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave., Faribault, $10-$15. $10 Students, $14 Members, $15 Non-Members. Neil Simons classic comedy returns to the Paradise Center stage in its original male version! Compulsive neatnik Felix Unger is thrown out of his house by his divorce-bound wife. Worried that Felix will try something desperate, his incorrigibly sloppy sportswriter friend, Oscar Madison, invites Felix to move in with him. Within a few days, this mismatched pair is on the verge of mutual murder.

Felix cannot abide Oscars slovenliness, while Oscar is driven insane by Felixs obsession with cleanliness. Theres a laugh a second in this foolproof comic situation, kept alive and healthy by some of the funniest dialogue ever written.

The Buddy Holly Story: 12-Mar, 7:30 PM, Kato Ballroom, 200 chestnut Street, Mankato, $32-$37. Tickets purchased before march 6 are $32. After March 6,tickets are $37.

Rochester Symphony Orchestra & Chorale: Gloria!: 12-Mar, 7:30 PM, Lourdes High School, 2800 19th Street NW, Rochester, $5-$30. Britten Courtly Dances from Gloriana Vivaldi Gloria Poulenc Gloria Neustadter Toward Glory (RSOC commissioned world premiere) The orchestra opens with Brittens opera for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and the RSO Chorale joins in for Vivaldis most famous choral work and Poulencs inauguration tribute to JFK. The concert ends with a brand new RSOC commission

by Emmy Award-winning composer Garth Neustadter. Glory takes on all forms for this celebration of musical greatness.

Charlie Parr: 12-Mar, 7:30 PM, State

Stock up for Your St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations!

Chastity Brown 7 p.m., March 15

Mid West Music Store, Winona

7:30 p.m., March 16

Rochester Civic Theater, Rochester I’m not gonna lie: I have a bit of a crush on Chastity Brown. I’ve never actually met her, even though I’ve had a couple opportunities to introduce myself. Problem is every time I’m around her, I’m like a nervous, fumbling little fan boy, and when I’m in that sort of state it’s just best that I don’t talk to anybody. Nobody wants that from a 46-year-old man. Especially me.

The funny thing about it is, I do not get star struck. I’ll have a regular conversation with anybody from Brett Hull to Bono. So, what is it about Chastity?

I think it comes down to the fact that I just can’t believe she isn’t world famous, and every time I’m around her I want to tell her that. But she doesn’t need to hear that from me. She knows. She’s that damn good.

Chastity’s music is this epic combination of Appalachian folk, R&B, jazz, country, blues and rock. She has a perfect sense of melody and she’s one of the most intelligent lyricists I’ve ever come across, with a voice as unique as it is emotive. On stage she’s one of the most at ease performers I’ve ever seen. Her ability to communicate with an audience by telling a quick story with a wry smile is something to behold. Her graceful confidence is incredibly charming. Chastity has major league talent and it pisses me off that she isn’t a household name across the country.

There have been whispers about the new music she’s working on.

Rumors abound that there was an album that was just about finished when she had a revelation and scrapped the whole thing to start over.

History tells me that when that sort of inspiration hits an artist, watch out; something big is coming.

She’ll be at the Mid West Music Store(formerly Some Sum Studios) in Winona on March 15 and on March 16 she’ll be at the Rochester Civic Theater with Molly Maher & Her Disbelievers. If you’ve heard her music you know what I’m talking about. If you’ve seen her perform, you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t done either, well, he’s a perfect opportunity to see one of the very best singer/songwriters in the country, right in your back yard.

– – Rich Larson is the publisher and editor of SouthernMinn Scene. You can reach him at rlarson@southernminnscene.com.

Theater, 96 E 4th St, Zumbrota, $16-$19.

Charlie Parr’s heartfelt and plaintive original folk blues and traditional spirituals don’t strive for authenticity: They are authentic. It’s the music of a self-taught guitarist and banjo player who grew up without a TV but with his dad’s recordings of America’s musical founding fathers, including Charley Patton and Lightnin’ Hopkins, Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly.

Other Desert Cities: 12-Mar, 8:00 PM, Rochester Repertory Theater, 103 Seventh Street North East, Rochester, $22 .

WEEK OF MARCH 13 - 19: Eagan Just Between Friends Free Admission Ticket: 13-Mar, 10:00 AM, Former Rainbow Foods Store, 15125 Cedar Avenue South, Apple Valley, Free.

Are your kids outgrowing all of their clothing and your budget is tight? You can’t imagine paying retail? Just Between Friends to the rescue. Be the hero of your family budget! Eagan/Apple Valley Just Between Friends is a seasonal pop up children’s marketplace where families can buy and sell kids items to meet the growing needs for your own kids. We will have Spring & Summer clothes, shoes, baby equipment and gear, baby and children’s furniture, maternity clothing, kids room decor, games, puzzles, books, electronics, kids sporting equipment, outdoor riding toys, indoor toys and so much more!

Interested in selling YOUR gently used kids items with us? Anyone can join us and consignors earn 60-70% on their sales! Find all the details for how it works in our Consignor Info http://eagan.jbfsale. com/sellView.jsp and see what we accept & how to tag in our Tagging Tips Sheet! https://jbfsale.com/JBF/control/downlo adLibFile?downloadFlag=toExecuteIns ertDocDownload&mimeType;=&docum entNo=763290399 For a complete sale schedule go to our website www.eagan. jbfsale.com.

The Odd Couple: 13-Mar, 2:00 PM, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave., Faribault, $10-$15. $10 Students, $14 Members, $15 Non-Members. Neil

Simons classic comedy returns to the Paradise Center stage in its original male version! Compulsive neatnik Felix Unger is thrown out of his house by his divorce-bound wife. Worried that Felix will try something desperate, his incorrigibly sloppy sportswriter friend, Oscar Madison, invites Felix to move in with him. Within a few days, this mismatched pair is on the verge of mutual murder. Felix cannot abide Oscars slovenliness, while Oscar is driven insane by Felixs obsession with cleanliness. Theres a laugh a second in this foolproof comic situation, kept alive and healthy by some of the funniest dialogue ever written.. .

507-238-4900 Merely Players present: The Buddy Holly Story: 13-Mar, 2:00 PM, Kato Ballroom, 200 chestnut Street, Mankato, $32-$37. Tickets purchased before march 6 are $32. After March 6,tickets are $37..

Before the Beatles or the Stones ever played a note, rock and roll was forever changed by the bespectacled kid from Texas, Buddy Holly. This is the true story of Buddy Holly throughhis short yet spectacular career. Step back in time to January 25, 1959 when Buddy, Ritchie, and The Big Bopper played at the Kato Ballroom. Listen to the classic songs: Thatll Be the Day Peggy Sue Chantilly Lace La Bamba and many more! All tickets include dinner and a show. Doors open at 5 p.m. Dinner served 5:30-7 p.m.

Rochester Symphony Orchestra & Chorale: Gloria!: 13-Mar, 2:00 PM, Lourdes High School, 2800 19th Street NW, Rochester, $5-$30. Britten Courtly Dances from Gloriana Vivaldi Gloria Poulenc Gloria Neustadter Toward Glory (RSOC commissioned world premiere) The orchestra opens with Brittens opera for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and the RSO Chorale joins in for Vivaldis most famous choral work and Poulencs inauguration tribute to JFK. The concert ends with a brand new RSOC commission by Emmy Award-winning composer Garth Neustadter. Glory takes on all forms for this celebration of musical greatness.

The Mermaid: 13-Mar, 2:00 PM, Mayo Civic Center Presentation Hall, 20 Civic

A d d y o u r e v e n t f o r F R E E t o t h e T I M E L I N E c a l e n d a r . G O TO w w w. s o u t h ernminn . c o m / s c ene / c a len d a r & C l i c k + A d d a n E v ent

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Center Drive SE, Rochester, $15-$18.

General Admission Seating Adults $17 (adv) | $18 (door) Children 12 under $15 (adv) | $16 (door). CDT presents The Mermaid, based on Hans Christian Andersens fairy tale The Little Mermaid. A story about a young mermaid with a very big dream, she longs to live above the sea and become human. Follow her journey in this underwater setting filled with beautiful jellyfish, colorful rainbowfish, adorable lobsters, and of course, the sinister Sea Witch! Experience this wonderful story through live performance. For 29 years, Children’s Dance Theatre has been inspiring imaginations through artfully staged theatrical productions. Charming sets and creative costumes set the stage for this full-scale production, under the direction of Matthew Keefe. www. childrensdancetheatre.org (507)281-3335 Rochester.cdt@gmail.com Show run time: 90 minutes Appropriate for all ages.

Moon Mouse: A Space Odyssey: 13Mar, 3:00 PM, Fairmont Opera House, 45 Downtown Plaza, Fairmont, $10 . Marvin the mouse wants to be popular. Constantly bullied and picked on by the ‘cool’ rats, he is labeled as a loser and a geek. To get away from the continuous badgering, he retreats into his science books and a world of fantasy. He longs to have adventures, to be a hero. Join Marvin on the space adventure of a lifetime: a trip to the surface of the moon on his homemade rocket, where he meets a strange cast of misfit creatures, learns if infinite peril and awesome beauty. Life sized characters all in lights. A family friendly show that all ages will enjoy!

Free Concert of Rarely Heard Music!: 13-Mar, 5:00 PM, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 2124 Viola Rd NE, Rochester, Free. Free Concert of Rarely Heard Music! Description: Free concert of rarely heard avant-garde piano music!

Dr. David Shaffer-Gottschalk will perform John Cage’s ‘Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano’ on Sun., March 13 at 5:00pm at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 2124 Viola Rd. NE in Rochester. The public is invited to arrive anytime after 3pm to observe the ‘preparation’ of the piano by inserting nuts, bolts and other

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Don Shelby presents Mark Twain: Life on the Mississippi 7 p.m., March 19

Sheldon Theatre of Performing Arts, Red Wing It’s likely that no one person in history associated themselves with the Mississippi River more than Mark Twain. He was the Great River Philosopher of the late 19th Century, and his two novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, published in 1876, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, published in 1885 are the very definition of Classic American Literature.

He was as much a humorist as he was a novelist, and much of what he had to say about the world around him still rings true. Many people, in fact, consider him to be the first stand-up comic. He would regularly be hired to give humorous lectures and talks, and it is from these speaking engagements that Don Shelby has fashioned most of the script for his one-man show, Mark Twain: Life on the Mississippi.

There’s certainly a curiosity about this whole thing. Shelby was on WCCO TV as a reporter and news anchor for 32 years. Most people will still easily recall his distinctive voice and fatherly manner, and will want to attend this show just because it’s a side of Shelby they haven’t seen before. But Shelby has done this show for over 25 years and he’s become a master at settling the audience’s snoopy interest, getting them to listen to Twain himself, rather than Shelby as Twain, in short order.

These two men have a fair amount in common in that both are/were well-respected orators of their time, but Shelby is as passionate about the Mississippi as Twain was. So, this will be a fun night, to watch one man who loves the Mississippi speak as another man who loved it on a stage not 500 yards from the mighty river itself.

Go check it out.

– – Rich Larson is the publisher and editor of SouthernMinn Scene. You can reach him at rlarson@ southernminnscene.com.

objects to completely alter the sound of the instrument, creating a piano whose sound will resemble an Asian percussion ensemble.

This concert is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and heritage fund.

Alzheimer’s & Memory Loss Support Group Meeting: 15-Mar, 6:30 PM, Kingsway Retirement Living, 815 W Main St., Belle Plaine, Free. Third Tuesday of every month, at Kingsway Retirement Living, located on the campus of the Lutheran Home of Belle Plaine. For more information call Sarah at (952) 873-2161.

Northfield All-School Exhibition: 16-Mar, 10:00 AM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free. The walls are filled top to bottom with artwork from local students grades K-12! See the progression of fantastic arts education here in the Northfield community!

St. Patrick’s Day Eve Cili: 16-Mar, 5:30 PM, Rochester Art Center, 40 Civic Center Dr. SE, Rochester, $20-$50. $20 per person or $50 for a family. Join us for St. Patrick’s Day Eve on Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at the Rochester Art Center! The Rochester Art Center, in collaboration with Irish Fest of Rochester MN, will have a family evening of dance and Irish culture. The annual cili ( kay-lee) will include the Twin Cities Cili Band along with Mirtn de Cgin (http://www. mairtinmusic.com/). We will start the evening hearing from Megan Johnston, Executive Director of the Rochester Art Center on Irish Art History at 5:30 pm. Social starts at 6:30 pm with Irish stew at 7 pm. Ceili’ dance at 8 pm. If you can walk, you can cili!

507-282-8629 Chastity Brown: 16-Mar, 7:30 PM, Rochester Civic Theatre, 20 Civic Center Dr SE, Rochester, $19-$24. $19 in advance, $24 at the door. Throw all genres and hyphenates together you want to describe her indie,

roots & soul, rock, blues & country they are alright, and also not enough. Chastity Brown writes songs that are carried deep in the American psyche, the hunger, desperation and confidence that runs through our times.

Coming from Tennessee to Minnesota, touring the country, touring Europe, she has had half her own lifetime and million lifetimes gone before her to concoct her powerful sound. She’s been hailed by NPR, CMT, American Songwriter, The London Times, and Paste Magazine as a songwriter to watch and recently made her UK television debut on Later..with Jools Holland. Chastity pulls from a diverse cross-section of talent for her live shows, playing with Robert Mulrennan (guitarist/producer), Luke Enyeart (guitarist), keyboardist deVon Gray (Brother Ali), bass player Jef Sundquist, and percussionist Greg Schutte (Mickey Hart), resulting in restless, electrifying and enveloping performances.

Chastity’s new album is set to be released this fall. 507-282-8481

Northfield All-School Exhibition: 17-Mar, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free. The walls are filled top to bottom with artwork from local students grades K-12! See the progression of fantastic arts education here in the Northfield community!

The Odd Couple: 17-Mar, 7:30 PM, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave., Faribault, $10-$15. $10 Students, $14 Members, $15 Non-Members. 507-467-2905 Scotland Road: 17-Mar, 7:30 PM, Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave N., Lanesboro, $15-$35. The Commonweal Apprentice Company presents ‘Scotland Road.’ In 1995, a woman in old fashioned dress is rescued from the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. When asked where she came from, her answer is only one word: Titanic.

In a quest for the truth of her real identity, shes whisked away to an isolated facility for a week-long interrogation that reveals more questions than answers. Much like the iceberg that sealed the fate of that great ship, plenty lurks beneath the surface in this exciting roller coaster ride by our friend Jeffrey Hatcher, which the Minneapolis Star Tribune called an intellectual tour de force and superbly crafted mystery drama.

Other Desert Cities: 17-Mar, 8:00 PM, Rochester Repertory Theater, 103 Seventh Street North East, Rochester, $22 . A Comedy/Drama by Jon Robin Baitz Brooke Wyeth returns home to Palm Springs after a six-year absence to celebrate Christmas with her parents, her brother and her aunt. She announces her plans to publish a memoir dredging up a pivotal and tragic event in the familys history a wound they dont want to have reopened. Drawing a line in the sand, she dares them all to cross it.

Northfield All-School Exhibition: 18-Mar, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free. The walls are filled top to bottom with artwork from local students grades K-12! See the progression of fantastic arts education here in the Northfield community!

The Odd Couple: 18-Mar, 7:30 PM, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave., Faribault, $10-$15. $10 Students, $14 Members, $15 Non-Members. 507467-2905 Scotland Road: 18-Mar, 7:30 PM, Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave N., Lanesboro, $15-$35.

Samantha Rastles the Woman Question: 18-Mar, 7:30 PM, State Theater, 96 E 4th St, Zumbrota, $10-$18. Based on the works of 19th-century literary humorist Marietta Holley, Samantha, features farm wife and rustic philosopher Samantha Smith Allen as she soars into eloquence about many of the issues of the womens rights movement of her day. Through her dry wit and horse sense American humor, Samantha challenges the status quo and plants herself squarely on the side of sensible womens rights. Audiences are invited to celebrate Womens History Month with a funny female of yesteryear whose observations still resonate today.

Other Desert Cities: 18-Mar, 8:00 PM, Rochester Repertory Theater, 103 Seventh Street North East, Rochester, $22 .

4th Annual Austin Area FREE Baseball Clinic: 19-Mar, 10:00 AM, Austin Packer Dome, 1420 West Oakland Ave, Austin, Free.

Registration: 9:30 am Clinic: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm The clinic is open to all area boys and girls ages 8-12. Come to one or both session! There is no pre-registration and participants will need to bring their baseball gloves. Tennis shoes or turf shoes only.

No food, beverages, or candy is allowed in the Dome. This clinic is sponsored by the Austin All Stars Youth Baseball and Austin High School Baseball. For more information, please contact Tracey Murphy at 507-4388619 or Chris Gogolewski at 507-460-1825.

Northfield All-School Exhibition: 19-Mar, 11:00 AM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free.

Minnesota Wild vs. Carolina Hurricanes: 19-Mar, 1:00 PM, Xcel Energy Center, , St Paul, $32-$317.

Mark Twain: Life on the Mississippi: 19-Mar, 7:00 PM, Sheldon Theatre, 443 West 3rd Street, Red Wing, $22-$35. Advanced Tickets $35.00 - $22.00 Add $3 per ticket day of show. Former WCCO news anchor Don Shelby returns to the Sheldon Theatre with his fascinating portrayal of Mark Twain. Us-

ing material drawn from Twain quotes, stories and history, this one-man play celebrates life on the Mississippi from the perspective of a riverboat captain and one of Americas greatest literary figures. Shelby’s Mark Twain amazes with his wit and sensibility, and remarkable ability to spin a tale with homespun humor and exquisite detail.

Dan Newton: 19-Mar, 7:30 PM, Chatfield Center for the Arts, 405 Main Street South, Chatfield, $15 . Dan ‘Daddy Squeeze’ Newton has been playing offbeat accordion music since 1987, when he won the Nebraska State Accordion Contest at the Czech Festival in Wilber, Nebraska. He has used the squeeze box for playing all kinds of music not normally associated with free reed instruments, as well as standard accordion material. Daddy Squeeze also enjoys mixing up styles and genres that don’t generally seem compatible. ‘Music out of context’, or ‘Ethno-clectic Bop’ is the result of his gender-bending experiments with Celtic, Tex-Mex, Creole, Blues, Jazz, Scandinavian, Polka and pop music. Dan’s fresh approach to the much-maligned squeeze-box and his mind-boggling repertoire of both original and traditional material will change the mind of the most hardened accordion skeptic, and delight the fan of the instrument. He draws influences for songs and tunes from such sources as French Musette, Gypsy Swing, Cajun, Jug band, Tex-Mex and Cumbia. Dan calls this global gumbo ‘ethnoclectic’ music.

‘Daddy Squeeze’ happily crosses musical borders with ease, often mixing styles with results like the ‘Yohnny B Goode Polka’ (a hilarious look at what Chuck Berry’s music might sound like had he grown up in Minnesota)or a French language waltz version of the rock and roll chestnut ‘Wild Thing’. Dan’s original songs about thrift store shopping, coffee, hi-top sneakers, heartbreak, and joy are delivered with a voice that is captivating, expressive and encourages harmonizing. He mines gems from the repertoires of icons such as Gus Viseur, Gus Cannon, Bo Carter, Jo Privat, Clifton Chenier, Bob Wills as well as a few nuggets written by his friends and fellow musicians of today. Dan ‘Daddy Squeeze’ Newton entertains and enlightens his audiences with stories and colorful anecdotes about the accordion’s history and his experiences making a living by playing and singing with the instrument he loves. Accordion lovers walk away from Dan’s shows knowing they’ve heard their favorite instrument presented in a fresh and new way, while the squeezebox skeptic will realize that there is much to love about the accordion when it’s in the right hands. 507-467-2905 The Odd Couple: 19-Mar, 7:30 PM, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave., Faribault, $10-$15. $10 Students, $14 Members, $15 Non-Members. . .

507-697-8000 Scotland Road: 19-Mar, 7:30 PM, Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave N., Lanesboro, $15-$35.

Choral Arts Ensemble: Mostly Mozart with Maria Jette: 19-Mar, 7:30 PM, Christ United Methodist Church, 400 Fifth Ave SW, Rochester, $17-$28. Joined by the incomparable Maria Jette, and accompanied by chamber orchestra, Choral Arts Ensemble will sing a program including the gorgeous Mozart Vespers, K 339.651-388-8700 ‘Love is a Rose: A Tribute to Linda Ronstadt’: 19-Mar, 7:30 PM, Zumbrota State Theatre, 88 E 4th St., Zumbrota, $28$32. Ronstadt is an American treasure!

Pamela McNeill Productions (‘Rumours and Dreams: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac’) brings this show packed with reverence, power and emotion. Hear When Will I Be Loved, Blue Bayou, Heatwave, Youre No Good, and more!.

Boiled in Lead: 19-Mar, 8:00 PM, Oak Center General Store, 67011 Highway 63, Lake City, $15 . One of the Twin Cities’ most beloved Irish bands returns to the Oak Center general store for their traditional post St. Patrick’s Day show.

Charley Pride: 19-Mar, 8:00 PM, Jackpot Junction Casino, 39375 County Highway 24, Morton, $30-$55. Main Floor $55 and $45, Risers $30. Becoming a trailblazing Country Music superstar was an improbable destiny for Charley Pride, especially considering his humble beginnings as a sharecroppers son on a cotton farm in Sledge, Mississippi.

His unique journey to the top of the music charts includes a tumultuous detour through the world of Negro league, minor league and semi-pro baseball as well as many long

years of labor alongside the volcanic fires of a smelter. But in the end, with boldness, perseverance and undeniable musical talent, he managed to parlay a series of fortuitous encounters with Nashville insiders into an amazing legacy of hit singles and tens of millions in record sales. From the bus station in Nashville, Charley walked straight over to Cedarwoods office and by sheer luck ended up meeting Jack Johnson, who had been actively searching for a promising black Country singer. Johnson made a simply produced recording of Charley performing a couple of songs and then drove him straight back to the bus station with the promise of a management contract. Johnson quickly made good on that promise and it was the beginning of a working relationship that would start off slow, but prove to be very fruitful over the next decade. Johnson ran into significantly more resistance than he had anticipated as he shopped around the crude demo recording that he had made of Charley to the record labels in Nashville.

It wasnt until 1965 that forward progress was made. Charley came to Nashville and Johnson introduced him to producer, Jack Clement. Clement gave Charley seven songs to learn (including The Wabash Cannonball, Night Train To Memphis and Just Between You And Me) and within a week they cut two of these songs The Snakes Crawl At Night and Atlantic Coastal Line during an afternoon studio session with top-notch session players. Even with the professionally produced sides, Johnson and Clement continued to have a difficult time as they shopped Charley around to the Nashville labels. But finally in 1966, Chet Atkins decided to trust his ears and signed Charley to RCA Records. Atkins took Charley under his wing, nurtured his talent and oversaw a shrewd promotional campaign that successfully navigated the racial challenges of mid-1960s America. Although Charleys first couple of singles failed to jump-start his career, Just Between You and Me caught fire in 1967, breaking into the Top-10 Country chart and garnering Charley his first Grammy nomination. What happened next is Country Music history. Charley Pride quickly became Country Musics first AfricanAmerican superstar. Between 1967 and 1987, he amassed no fewer than 52 Top-10 Country hits and went on to sell tens of millions of records worldwide. In 1971, Charley won two Grammy Awards related to his Gospel album DID YOU THINK TO PRAY Best Sacred Performance, Musical (Non-Classical) for the album, as well as Best Gospel Performance Other Than Soul for the single Let Me Live.

Later that year, his #1 crossover hit Kiss An Angel Good Mornin sold over a million singles and helped him to win the Country Music Associations Entertainer of the Year award and the Top Male Vocalist awards of 1971 and 1972. It also brought him a Best Male Country Vocal Performance Grammy Award in 1972. Some of Charleys unforgettable hits from his 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s output include All I Have To Offer You Is Me, Is Anybody Goin To San Antone, Amazing Love, Mississippi Cotton Pickin Delta Town, Burgers And Fries, Roll On Mississippi and Mountain Of Love. After parting ways with RCA Records in 1986, Charley spent the remainder of the decade releasing albums on the 16th Avenue Records label.

Other Desert Cities: 19-Mar, 8:00 PM, Rochester Repertory Theater, 103 Seventh Street North East, Rochester, $22. 507732-5210

WEEK OF MARCH 20 - 31: 4th Annual Austin Area Free Baseball Clinic: 20-Mar, 12:00 PM, Austin Packer Dome, 1420 West Oakland Ave, Austin, Free.

Registration: 11:30 am Clinic: 12:00 - 2:00 pm The clinic is open to all area boys and girls ages 8-12. Come to one or both sessions. There is no pre-registration and participants will need to bring their baseball gloves. Tennis shoes or turf shoes only. No food, beverages, or candy allowed in the Dome. The clinic is sponsored by the Austin All Starts Youth Baseball and Austin High School Baseball. For more information, please contact Tracey Murphy at 507-4388619 or Chris Gogolewski at 507-460-1825.

Scotland Road: 20-Mar, 1:30 PM, Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave N., Lanesboro, $15-$35. The Commonweal Apprentice Company presents ‘Scotland Road.’ In 1995, a woman in old fashioned

dress is rescued from the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. When asked where she came from, her answer is only one word: Titanic.

In a quest for the truth of her real identity, shes whisked away to an isolated facility for a week-long interrogation that reveals more questions than answers. Much like the iceberg that sealed the fate of that great ship, plenty lurks beneath the surface in this exciting roller coaster ride by our friend Jeffrey Hatcher, which the Minneapolis Star Tribune called an intellectual tour de force and superbly crafted mystery drama.507-467-2905 Choral Arts Ensemble: Mostly Mozart with Maria Jette: 20-Mar, 4:00 PM, Christ United Methodist Church, 400 Fifth Ave SW, Rochester, $17-$28. Joined by the incomparable Maria Jette, and accompanied by chamber orchestra, Choral Arts Ensemble will sing a program including the gorgeous Mozart Vespers, K 339.

Minnesota Wild vs. LA Kings: 22-Mar, 7:30 PM, Xcel Energy Center, , St Paul, $32-$317.

Northfield All-School Exhibition: 23-Mar, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free. The walls are filled top to bottom with artwork from local students grades K-12! See the progression of fantastic arts education here in the Northfield community!

Northfield All-School Exhibition: 24-Mar, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free.507-467-2905 Minnesota Wild vs. Calgary Flames: 24-Mar, 7:00 PM, Xcel Energy Center, , St Paul, $32-$317.

Scotland Road: 24-Mar, 7:30 PM, Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave N., Lanesboro, $15-$35.

Northfield All-School Exhibition: 25-Mar, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free.507-467-2905 Lady Parts in Art: 25-Mar, 5:30 PM, Arts Center of St. Peter, 315 South Minnesota Avenue, St. Peter, $18 . Join us for a walk through the history of art that focuses on womens anatomy, from Venus of Willendorf to Judy Chicago to thelargelabiaproject.com.

Following the presentation, the instructors will lead a no-skills-required painting exercise for participants to make their own original piece to take home. A body-positive creative learning experience for women curious about their bodies, the creative process and art. BYO refreshments. Materials included.

Scotland Road: 25-Mar, 7:30 PM, Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave N., Lanesboro, $15-$35.

Hosanna’s Pantry: 26-Mar, 9:00 AM, Hosanna Lutheran Church, 2815 57th St NW, Rochester, Free. Hosanna’s Pantry is a satellite food shelf of Channel One food bank in Rochester. A photo ID is required. Coffee and treats are served while you wait to shop.507-467-2905 Northfield All-School Exhibition: 26-Mar, 11:00 AM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free.

507-697-8000 Bingo: 26-Mar, 1:00 PM, American Legion, 315 First Avenue NW, Rochester, Free. Bingo 1PM the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month. Kitchen open at 11:00 serving delicious foods! $1.00 and $2.00 cards.

Scotland Road: 26-Mar, 7:30 PM, Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave N., Lanesboro, $15-$35.

Claudia Schmidt With Dean Magraw: 26-Mar, 7:30 PM, Crossings, 320 East Ave, Zumbrota, $18-$20. Claudia Schmidt brings her incredible voice to bear in a concert with Dean Magraw. Schmidt’s silky-smooth voice and charismatic stage presence and Magraws seemingly endless positive energy radiate through the music and on to those lucky enough to hear it. Together, these well-known, highly regarded and veteran touring musicians put on a show that touches every human emotion. .38 Special: 26-Mar, 8:00 PM, Jackpot Junction Casino, 39375 County Highway 24, Morton, $20-$45. Main Floor $45 and $30, Risers $20. After more than three decades together, 38 SPECIAL continue to bring their signature blast of Southern Rock to over 100 cities a year. And at each and every show, thousands of audience

Lady Parts in Art 5:30 p.m., March 25 Arts Center of St. Peter

I’m a man, and I have no business writing about this.

I even feel a little bit like a creeper bringing this one up.

If my highlighting this event is off putting to you, then I apologize. However, I’m not just a man, but a big fat man, and while I can and should do more to take care of myself, I will always be a large individual, and frankly, I like it that way.

Because of that, I’m a huge fan of the Body Positive Movement. We are who we are, and each of us was given a unique gift. Love who you are. Celebrate it.

So, to that end, I want to bring this event to the attention of all the women readers of SouthernMinn Scene. The ACSP is offering this event as a “body-

22

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positive creative learning experience for women curious about their bodies, the creative process and art.” If supporting events like that isn’t one of the key missions of this magazine, I don’t know what is.

This empowering event is for women only, 18+ and will be given by local artist Juana Arias and the MNSU LGBT Center director Jessica Flatequal.

Everyone should feel good about who they are, and they should celebrate that.

Thanks for listening.

– – Rich Larson is the publisher and editor of SouthernMinn Scene.

You can reach him at rlarson@southernminnscene.com.

A d d y o u r e v e n t f o r F R E E t o t h e T I M E L I N E ca l e n d ar . G O TO w w w. s o u t h ernminn . c o m / s c ene / c a len d a r & C l ic k + A d d a n E v ent

http://AutumnRidgeChurch.org/arts.

The Autumn Ridge Church Arts Series 10th Anniversary Season! 3611 Salem Road, SW, Rochester, MN AutumnRidgeChurch.org http://AutumnRidgeChurch.org/arts Continuing the tradition of the finest of world-class Christian artistry on the Autumn Ridge stage, the Arts Series is pleased to announce its spring concert artists for the tenth anniversary season. Thursday March 31, 2016, 7 PM An unforgettable night with three of the finest rising stars of modern Christian music: Josh Wilson http:// youtube.com/watch?v=tutZkXDSalo and Jason Gray http://youtube.com/ watch?v=V4bB7BUxBbY live in concert with JJ Heller http://youtube.com/ watch?v=BEzmXhhkWgk Autumn Ridge lobby ticket presale (reserved seats $15 and $25 artist circle): Saturday February 6: 3:30 - 7:30 PM Sunday February 7: 8AM - 1 PM Then online starting February 8 at: echoconcerts.com information at www.AutumnRidgeChurch.org.

Minnesota Wild vs. Ottawa Senators: 31-Mar, 7:00 PM, Xcel Energy Center, , St Paul, $32-$317.

Scotland Road: 31-Mar, 7:30 PM, Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway

Ave N., Lanesboro, $15-$35. (507) 288-8880 Oleanna by David Mamet: 31-Mar, 7:30 PM, Jane Early Center for the Performing Arts, 320 Maywood Ave, Mankato, $10.

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Northfield All-School Exhibition: 29-Mar, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free.

Minnesota Wild vs. Chicago Blackhawks: 29-Mar, 7:00 PM, Xcel Energy Center, , St Paul, $32-$317 .

Northfield All-School Exhibition: 30-Mar, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free.

Oleanna by David Mamet: 30-Mar, 7:30 PM, Jane Early Center for the Performing Arts, 320 Maywood Ave, Mankato, $10 . A college student, Carol, drops by her professors office in an effort to gain his help to do better in class. John, the professor, in the midst of buying a house to celebrate his nomination for tenure, at first seems distant. As the first meeting progresses it seems as if a bond has been made.

But appearances can be deceiving, especially for John.

Northfield All-School Exhibition: 31-Mar, 12:00 PM, Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St., Northfield, Free.

507-467-2905 Josh Wilson, Jason Gray, JJ Heller Live In Concert!: 31-Mar, 7:00 PM, Autumn Ridge Church, 3611 Salem RD SW, Rochester, $15-$25.

‘‘

members are amazed by the explosive power of the bands performance. Their many Gold and Platinum album awards stand in testament to the endurance of a legendary powerhouse. With sales in excess of 20 million, most associate the band with their arena-rock pop smashes, Hold On Loosely, Rockin Into the Night, Caught Up in You, Fantasy Girl, If Id Been the One, Back Where You Belong, Chain Lightnin, Second Chance, and more Timeless hits that remain a staple at radio, immediately recognizable from the first opening chord, and paving the way to their present-day touring regimen.

Time Trader Orientation: 28-Mar, 5:30 PM, Rochester Area Family YMCA, 709 1st Avenue SW, Rochester, Free.

We have group orientations the 4th Monday of the month at 5:30p.m. at Rochester Family YMCA. Time Trader is an organized exchange network through which members earn Time Credits (TC) for time spent helping other members.

One hour of service earns one TC. With TC, members can buy services they want or need. For example, if you give one hour of childcare, you can receive one hour of painting, accounting, transportation assistance, or a piano lesson, and the list goes on....

June 4, 4, 2016 2016 June

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TRIB As The World Falls Down (Farewell to the Goblin King)

By Daniel G. Moir editor@southernminnscene.com

F

or the lost and disaffected, David Bowie was an eloquent spokesman. For the fashion world, he was the appointed avatar. His work was both obtuse and accessible. Among his many descriptors, the only one that would be out of place is “normal.” David Robert Jones was born on January 8, 1947 into a seemingly normal existence in an uneventful South London suburb. However, there was nothing “normal” about the artist he would become. To call him a musician only tells part of the story. To refer to him as an Icon seems almost too small.

David Bowie was the rarest form of creature, one whose entire existence, including the very nature of his death was a fully realized artistic statement.

If an artist’s job is to reveal that which is hidden and to suggest a new way of thinking, Bowie used his work as a spotlight to challenge and demand change.

He could pull off the unabashed melodic pop of “Modern Love” or creep the living hell out of you with “Ashes To Ashes.” That both hit the Top 40 was his unique gift. Constant reinvention was his method.

For all his keen intellect, Bowie was someone that would not have understood what the word compromise meant. It was simply beyond him. Not everything worked, but even

The Singing In Your Head

his abject failures were interesting and served a purpose.

Whether as the Thin White Duke, Jareth the Goblin King in Labyrinth or the singer in Tin Machine, Bowie was always all in. His last work, “Blackstar” now stands as his final proof.

Like many others, I was anxious to hear “Blackstar” upon its release last Friday on his 69th birthday. If the unexpected release of “The Next Day” in 2013 after nearly a decade of silence was a backward glance summation of his career, his vision on “Blackstar” was a confident musical look into the future.

While many may pour over this last work in search of clues and signs of his sense of impending mortality, such a search misses the larger picture. That he was human and facing death was one of the few “normal” things that can be attributed to him. To listen to “Blackstar” is to witness an uncompromising artist deliver his elegant artistic conclusion on his terms, while remaining uniquely consistent.

David Bowie’s triumph was not in the classic songs he created. It was not in Ziggy and the multiple characters he embodied. It wasn’t in his paintings, his fashion designs or willingness to bend societal rules. David Bowie’s truest form of art was himself. There will never be another one quite like the Starman.

Daniel G. Moir has forgotten more about music than all the rest of us know

By Daniel G. Moir editor@southernminnscene.com

T

here is a telling moment in the 1994 comedy “Airheads” when Brendon Fraser’s character, Chester ‘Chazz’ Darvey questions the “Record Executive” (played by Harold Ramis) sent by the Police to negotiate the release of the hostages held

by Darvey’s band in exchange for a record deal. When Ramis’ character gives the “wrong” answer on where he stands on the Van Halen/David Lee Roth split, Darvey challenges him again questioning “Who’d win in a wrestling match, Lemmy or God?” The Executive thinks he has this one nailed when he confidently responds “Lemmy.” Steve Buscemi is quick to respond “Trick

question! Lemmy IS God!” For a number of Metalheads, Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister was certainly held in as high a regard. Never to be confused with the prettiness of Hair Metal, Lemmy was not only the aggressive hard hitting frontman and bassist for Motörhead, but Rock’s definitive living embodiment of “Heavy.” He never eased from this widely respected stance over the band’s 40 year history, which produced 23 studio albums and countless live performances.

As the only member of the band to appear on all Motörhead releases, Kilmister paired with guitarist “Fast” Eddie Clarke and drummer Phil “Philithy Animal” Taylor to record the seminal 1980 album Ace of Spades and the classic live follow-up No Sleep ‘til Hammersmith.

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UTE Glenn Frey: peaceful, easy feelings and a complicated man

Motörhead’s blend of punk, hard rock and metal was a leading pre-curser to Thrash Metal bands like Metallica and Megadeth.

Lemmy and the band earned their reputation and the respect of the metal community by consistently delivering straightforward meat & bones hard rock on their albums.

Kilmister’s unique, raspy vocals sounded as if he had been gargling with bits of broken glass.

And while he never explained his nickname’s origin, it was later rumoured to have originated from his childhood habit of borrowing money from his friends for vending machines with requests of “Lemmy a quid til Friday.”

Never a band associated with the traditional metal power ballad, Motörhead’s last album, 2015’s Bad Magic, delivered just that with the song “Till The End.” In a track that certainly puts the power before the ballad, Kilmister seems to sense his own limited time when he closes by singing: “In your life you’ll be amazed at all the love you lose

You can’t never live that life again The one thing you will never lose Is the singing in your head That will still be with you until the end”

By RICh LARSON editor@southernminnscene.com

W

hen I was first trying to win the heart of the woman who would become my wife, I made my guitar-playing buddy learn to play the classic Eagles song “Peaceful, Easy Feeling.” One night we walked into the college dorm study lounge where she was working and proceeded to serenade her with that sweet melody and those impossibly perfect lyrics.

The line about sleeping in the desert “with a billion stars all around” was the perfect sentiment to not just express my feelings for her, but also to simply get her attention. And you know what? It worked.

In a sense, then, I have Glenn Frey to thank for 23 years (and counting) of marriage, my family and a large chunk of the happiness in my adult life. I am much obliged.

But that is not why I’m so sad to hear the news that Frey has passed away at the age of 67.

I am, of course, broken up over the fact that I just lost one of my favorite bands. His death means the end of the Eagles, a great American, Hall of Fame group that brought country and rock music together with astonishing harmonies and meticulous songcraft.

But that’s not quite it, either.

The worst part of this is the fact that we’ve lost a man with a rare gift; Glenn Frey was a songwriter who instinctively knew how to frame emotions in simple words and heartfelt music. He knew how to capture – and deliver - those peaceful, easy feelings.

I have actually publicly repudiated Frey. I never

n o i t a tes in

Just like Lemmy.

Daniel G. Moir has forgotten more about music than all the rest of us know combined.

Reach him at editor@southernminnscene.com

D

met the man, but in all of the interviews with him that I have seen and read, I found him to be kind of a jerk. A refreshingly honest jerk, to be sure, but a jerk nonetheless. I blamed him for the high price of concert tickets. In the spring of 1994, I paid $45 to go see John Mellencamp at Target Center. That fall I paid $145 to see the Eagles on their first reunion tour, and before I knew it, every big show that came through town after that was upwards of $100 per ticket (the Rolling Stones came through town a year later and were charging $425 for tickets).

More recently, I held him in contempt for the way he treated some of his former bandmates in the Eagles, particularly Randy Meisner and Don Felder. The guy struck me as an arrogant bully. But I never met the man, so I only have the filtered and sometimes biased lens of journalism through which I can judge his character. I also believe it isn’t right to speak ill of someone on the day he dies, so I will leave all of this aside for now. Besides, it’s like Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you say or do, but they will not forget how you make them feel.”

I did not know Glenn Frey personally, but I was intimately acquainted with his music. Starting on the day in 7th grade when Jenny Lauinger broke my heart and started dating Ben Klasky, Frey’s first solo hit “The One You Love” (this is so long ago that it was still on the charts) was there to give my poor thirteen year old soul comfort.

A few years later when I was in the process of break-

ing up with my first “real” girlfriend, I again took some comfort in Frey’s easy melodies and simple words.

Meisner was the singer, but it was Frey who wrote “Put me on the highway/And show me a sign/And Take it to the Limit/One More Time.” It’s funny where you’ll take inspiration and find courage to move forward. I found mine on Side 2 of the Eagles One of These Nights album.

This is not a guided tour through my adolescent love life, I promise you. This is more to say that Glenn Frey achieved something incredibly difficult; he created music that was both intelligent and accessible. Yes, he was guilty of writing some overly synthed and saxed out pop songs (“The One You Love” included), but more often his music was something you could hear and feel. Frey had a gift for capturing the feeling of a moment and delivering it in the simplest of terms. “Already Gone” is the perfect kiss off song. “Take It Easy” is that exhilaration of setting out on your own. “Heartache Tonight” is THE song for those Friday nights when you just want to go get drunk and blow off steam from a bad week. Everybody over the age of 16 has looked into a pair of “Lyin’ Eyes.”

It’s been a long, long time since the Eagles were a “cool” band. Over the coming days you will no doubt read and hear some pretty distasteful things about Frey’s character. That’s fine, he was a public figure, so it’s all fair game. But I have to say two things: first, if the use of melody to communicate a message is somehow “uncool,” then we should probably just give up on music altogether. And while there is no doubt that Frey was a complicated guy, his heart was always on his sleeve and that allowed him to talk directly to each of us with his music.

So, yeah, people will forget what you say and remember how you made them feel. That’s why the news from Monday afternoon is so damn heartbreaking. Frey didn’t necessarily make you feel good all the time so much as he made you feel like you weren’t alone. He was the guy who knew the right thing to say at the right moment. And that made you feel better.

Godspeed, sir. And thank you for those peaceful, easy feelings.

Rich Larson is the publisher and editor of SouthernMinn Scene. You can reach him at rlarson@southernminnscene.com.

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CD REVIEWS

By RICH LARSON editor@southernminnscene.com

O

Vicky Emerson’s ‘Wake Me When the Wind Dies Down’ showcases every bit of her talent

n first listen, the thing that strikes you about Vicky Emerson’s new album Wake Me When the Wind Dies Down, especially for those who are unfamiliar with her music, is her voice. Holy cow, this is a woman who can sing.

The problem is her incredible voice distracts from the fact that she’s also a fantastic songwriter.

Seriously, I had heard the album probably a dozen times before I thought “wow, these are really good songs.” It’s not an uncommon problem, but one that should be noted. On her new album, Emerson has developed a mostly rockabilly/ honky-tonk based group of songs, with somewhat sparse production, allowing her voice to take the spotlight. The result is an album that keeps on giving. Once the marvel of her vocals dies down a little, her songs reveal themselves to be smart and well crafted, replete with catchy hooks and standout lyrics.

Case in point is “Rattle Shake.” Set against a slow beat, a mournful fiddle and a fat toned Telecaster emerge underneath her understated delivery “Mesmerized by your sound/I was lost but now I’m found/Walkin’ on barbed wire/A

moth to the flame/Whisperer of fire/Seems to know my name/I hear your rattle shake.” Even on a cold January night, Emerson easily conjures up a lost-in-the-desert feel and the unease of giving in to desire against better judgment.

The not-quite-over-heartbreak song “Lyndale” further showcases Emerson’s strength as a songwriter. Starting with a stalker’s admission (“Followed your steps down Lyndale”) and later with a resigned “it’s time to let you go,” Emerson captures that moment when logic begins to overtake sentiment, if not hope. “You can swing from the tallest tree/And you can brave the roughest seas/When you turn yourself around/And you lose who you are/Point yourself North/You don’t have to go that far” she sings with a matter-of-fact melody. A shuffle beat and her world-wise delivery give the song a sense of optimism that would be missing in someone else’s hands.

The high point of the album is also the musical anomaly. Where most of Wake Me When the Wind Dies Down is down home Americana, “Silhouette” is startingly beautiful piece of neo-folk. A repeating guitar line interlaced with a mandolin evokes the song’s cold winter night setting. The gentle melodic refrain “I should be falling, falling, falling in love with you” is rife with the knowledge that woman in the song is frozen in a past she does not want to lose. The song is chilling, understated and haunting. On an album full of very good

By Sarah Osterbauer editor@southernminnscene.com

E

Ellis’ ‘Guest House’ is a throwback in all the right places

llis, may not be a name you recognize, but she is a folk veteran of sorts. The decorated songwriter who made her start early on in the folk circuit, is a native of Texas who migrated north to MN as a teenager. Now with the release of her ninth album, The Guest House, she shines as she reflects on all of life’s trials and triumphs.

Her distinctive voice is a little bit Dolly in tone and phrasing, and little Eva Cassidy in style and feeling. At times The Guest House is reminiscent of 90’s era country and pop. Ellis’s vocals are sweet, yet solid. She paints dreamy visuals; her songs are much like an old photo album full of polaroids that have darkened on the corners.

One of those photos is of a sea captain.

“Songs on the Sea” lets guitars set the rhythm, the finger picking bright and clear. They mimic the sound of the ocean, waves lapping against the side of a boat. The story of the sea captain would be the perfect accompaniment to an animated short, one of those with watercolor and simple single line drawings.

“Driving in This Storm” is easily my favorite track, and not just because it features breaker of a lyric, “there is more than meets the eye but

songs, this stands out as something special.

Emerson is assisted on this album by producer Matt Patrick, with whom she worked on her previous two albums, Long Ride and Dust & Echoes.

Clearly this partnership has hit its stride. Patrick has learned to tone down the arrangements and instrumentation, putting the focus on Emerson’s voice. However, he has found the perfect spots to reinforce that voice with Jake Armerding’s wellplaced fiddle and Aaron Fabrini’s sly lap steel guitar (“Runaway Train”), or adding just enough of his own voice in harmony (“Follow the Moon”).

Given Emerson’s considerable talent, a producer’s job would generally be to stay out of the way and let the artist shine. Patrick polishes these songs just enough for them to show their full luster.

The Minnesota music scene is full of incredibly talented women. From Barbra Jean to Katy Vernon, Mare Lennon, Molly Dean, Chastity Brown and so many others, we seem to have an endless supply of amazing women singer/songwriters around here. With Wake Me When the Wind Dies Down, Vicky Emerson takes her spot among the best. She may not be as heralded as some of her compatriots, but there is no doubt that she belongs.

Rich Larson is the publisher and editor of SouthernMinn Scene. You can reach him at rlarson@southernminnscene.com.

how do I tell that to my own brain, to my broken heart, bigger every time it falls apart”. It could have just as easily been a Lisa Loeb or a Natalie Merchant jam circa 1995 with the building chord progression and bouncey strumming pattern. It captures perfectly the feeling of a post break-up drive in the rain (because those kinds of drives never happen in the sun).

The title track “The Guest House” was inspired by a Rumi poem of the same name. It’s built on the idea that being human is being a guest house, where you’re the host of many emotions and events, every day new guests. The song encourages hope as Ellis sings “pain is not a sign that everything is going wrong” something that’s easy to forget when one event is causing great emotional stress.

As the album progresses things get more serious and somber. The bluntness of “I’m on Fire” might be where Ellis shows the most vulnerability. She cops to many unpleasant, yet human behaviors and questions whether or not she can overcome them. The song does a country style 180 two-thirds of the way through where the analogy of “fire” turns around. It’s a beautifully constructed song where Ellis is at her most raw.

The final song on the album, “Moab in November,” is an evening campfire jam. Again Ellis

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recalls that 90’s pop feel with the tempo and personality of the guitars. Almost makes you wonder when Edwin McCain is going to jump in with the harmony on the chorus. She ends it like a country song though, finishing with a final line that brings it all together.

The Guest House is one of those albums that works both as an event or the accessory to one.

It will go well as the soundtrack to your garden party, to an early morning coffee on the porch or reflective walk through nature. Ellis embraces all of life’s lessons and insists on ingesting and growing from them. She shares her experiences through vivid storytelling, creating pictures many can relate to. She empathizes with and acknowledges losses without letting them define her or bring her down. She feels pain but remains hopeful in the face of self-doubt. In a world of broken hearts she understands they have to break to know love. At the end of the day it’s all about accepting these experiences as guests in our house and becoming better from what they left behind.

Sarah Osterbauer is the SouthernMinn Scene music columnist.

She’s a music critic and loves to meet the people who make the city’s heart beat (and sometimes break). Follow her on twitter @ SarahOwrites.

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CD REVIEWS

By Daniel G. Moir editor@southernminnscene.com

E

David Bowie gives an adventurous and elegant goodbye with his futuristic last album ‘Blackstar’

very once in a great while, an artist comes along that upends convention. For nearly 50 years, David Bowie was such an artist. On his final album, released on his 69th birthday, just two days before he died, he once again defies convention to deliver a beautiful, enigmatic goodbye.

After a decade of silence, he released “The Next Day” on short notice in 2013. Where that album served as a summation of his work, Bowie’s last starkly looks into the future. On “Blackstar” Bowie creates with the confident fearlessness of a Vegas Gambler betting with the house’s money.

Sounds are unusual and show up in unexpected places. Stylistically it’s an experimental blend of Jazz, hip-hop elements and chant. Listening is like putting on a blindfold and settling into a taxi with no idea of destination, but remaining thrilled by the ride itself.

The 10-minute title track begins with a melody closer to chanting than singling. Bowie employs a high falsetto recounting images of burning candles in “the villa of Ormen.” The lyrics and musical sound of the track suggest both ritual and impending death. The music is a wild fusion of rock and free jazz by Saxophonist Donny McCaslin and his band mates, Mark Guiliana (drums), Tim Lefevbre (bass), Jason Lindner (piano) and Ben Monder (guitar) before congealing into a middle section that follows a more standard “song form.” After such an unusual

start, it is this “normal” section that sounds oddly out of place before deftly returning to the song’s original sound. It is a thrilling ride signaling that “up” may really be “down” and “left” may actually be “right.” Bowie confounds us once again.

It’s the third track, “Lazarus” that is the most jarring. Beginning with a simple guitar line over a pulsating drum beat that gives way to a mournful descending 3 note pattern played on McCaslin’s sax, Bowie’s characteristic voice enters into the mix singing “Look up here, I’m in heaven…” It isn’t until halfway through the track that the song turns on a major chord for a brief moment to gain strength and intensity. In retrospect, Bowie is coming to grips with his own mortality despite a confident and strong voice. At the time, listening to it during the few hours between its release and his passing, the clues of the 18 months of hidden illness hide in plain sight. The song concludes with moody guitar slashes against an eerie Cure-like bass line.

No Bowie album would be complete without something creepy, and “Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)” fits the bill perfectly. Drawing on a largely atonal melody, Bowie sings of Sue and reveals more questions than answers. Was Sue suffering from a terminal illness, despite being brought home after “the clinic called, the x-ray’s fine?”

Was she murdered by the singer who rides a train far from home before singing “Sue, I’ve pushed you down beneath the weeds.” It is only in the song’s conclusion when a note from Sue is found revealing that she “went with him,” leaving the narrator feeling the fool. The vagueness of the lyric leaves open to speculation as to if this is a

tale of a lover’s abandonment, a murder, or death following illness. In hindsight, I wonder if the character Bowie was singing about was himself.

“Dollar Days” is a wistful ballad that manages to look both forward and back at the same time.

He addresses fans, the music industry, and his desire to once again “push their backs against the grain and fool them all again and again” before giving way to seemingly acknowledge his own impending death. The struggles of his words find a partner in the expressive saxophone solo that accompanies his final lines.

The 7-track album ends with the invitingly warm “I Can’t Give Everything Away.” Harmonica lines reminiscent of “A New Career In A New Town” from 1977’s experimental “Low” album intersect with Bowie’s soothing vocal delivery and supple melody. Referencing the start of “the Berlin trilogy” as part of his artistic conclusion is both sad and emotionally satisfying. In much the same way that those three albums marked a new artistic beginning for Bowie, here he seems to suggest his next personal afterworld beginning.

Any of eeriness of the beginning of the album is washed away with McCaslin’s sax channeling Sonny Rollins in the exuberant phrases he affords.

Sounding both confident and comforting, Bowie ends by singing “I can’t give everything away” accompanied by sinuous guitar lines. That may be the case, but it also sounds like he didn’t hold too much back either…

Daniel G. Moir has forgotten more about music than all the rest of us know combined. Reach him at editor@southernminnscene.com

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CD REVIEWS

By RICH LARSON editor@southernminnscene.com

A

Not just another band from the Midwest

We buy by the truckload.

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s a band, The Pines want you to believe that they are the sound of the Midwest.

Their bio even says “the Midwest is to The Pines what Monument Valley was to filmmaker John Ford…the settings of, the characters in and the muse behind the songs.” Most of those songs deal with common Midwest themes like alienation, belonging and things bigger than our mortal shells. There is a quiet, dreamy quality to their music that is indeed Midwestern in spirit, if not obvious at first hearing.

But to say this band reflects the Midwest in their music is to discredit them. They are so much more than just a Midwest band. With the release of their new album Above the Prairie, The Pines have transcended location and roots, instead representing something much grander.

The core of the band is the two Iowa born singer/songwriter/guitarists David Huckfelt and Benson Ramsey. On their first three albums, particularly 2012’s Dark So Gold, the pair, with no small contribution from Ramsey’s keyboardist brother Alex, cultivated a sound that was understated, atmospheric and – a word I’ve used to describe the band many times – spooky. It may be a “Midwestern sound,” but it’s a very specific one. The Pines music is not the sound of combines harvesting sweet corn, nor is it the sound of a cold wind storming over a frozen lake. Their sound, I’ve always thought, was more like the feeling of an abandoned barn deep, deep in the woods. At midnight. Y’know, with a serial killer inside.

Shoegaze for the straw hat and banjo set.

That specific sound is still very much the foundation of Above the Prairie, but the description has shifted from “spooky” to “wonder.” What the band has done with this new album is take out some of those foreboding feelings without losing

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any of the gorgeously rich texture. You could call it a kinder, gentler view if you like, but the result is no less effective.

A major component of the Pines’ sound has always been Benson’s voice. He has a ghost-like quality that is small and distant but saturated in honesty and vulnerability. Ramsey is not a singer in the classic sense; he’s more of a “vocalist.” He knows where his strengths are and his songs play to them perfectly.

Another way of saying that is he has rarely taken chances. Until now.

On “Hanging from the Earth,” a frustrated song about the unknown, we hear emotion, even passion, in his voice. His lyrics have always been somewhat esoteric – and they still are – but now Ramsey is conveying a little more meaning by allowing the music, especially his vocals, to build to a crescendo. We hear it again on “Sleepy Hollow.” “I feel like I’ve been here before,” he sings, “A haunted house on the cosmic shore/I’d give anything for you to walk through that door/ And say take me to Sleepy Hollow.” We hear more conviction in that one line, than Ramsey has shown us in nearly decade of recording. The ghost is showing us that he’s as human as the rest of us.

Meanwhile, Huckfelt, who we will say is the more grounded of the pair, in voice and music, shines with some of his best material to date. A real high point of the album is “Come What Is,” an unusually optimistic song for this outfit. Could we even call this an honest-to-god Pines love song? “Trees dressed up in moonlight/Like they’re heading into town/My heart is in your keeping/ No more lost or found,” he sings. And later we hear “I found you hiding in plain sight/Kindness ruled the day/Wasn’t either late nor early/ Love without delay/Oh, I’ve never seen a night as bright as this/Now come what may, baby/Come what is.”

We also hear them branching out musically.

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Alex Ramsey has some major input to this album, especially his alluring instrumental piece “Lost Nation.” On “Here,” the band is joined by what can only be called the Red House Records All-Star Chorus, including Greg Brown, Iris Dement, Pieta Brown, Constie Brown, Seth Wenger and the Ramsey’s legendary guitarist father Bo (who also produced the album). Some of these experiments work better than others, but they reveal the band to be far more versatile and resourceful than they had been willing to show us in the past.

The band may be stretching into uncharted (happy?) territory with real success, but they still know how to wander those somber areas as well.

The album concludes with “Time Dreams,” collaboration with the very recently departed Native American activist and poet John Trudell (who passed away on December 8) and traditional Native American musician Quilt Man. As Trudell recites an original poem, the band sets a soft tone using a simple beat, a spare slide and plenty of minor chords. Meanwhile Quilt Man’s hypnotic chanting and singing weaves its way through the song like an elder spirit. The song is as lovely and graceful as it is striking and dramatic. If this is the last we hear from Trudell, it is a worthy farewell.

Some might say that Above the Prairie suffers a bit in comparison with its masterpiece predecessor Dark So Gold, but that would be unfair. It would have been easy for The Pines to sit back and make the same dark, haunting and beautiful sort of album as they have in the past. Truthfully, we as fans would have gladly accepted that. But by challenging their audience and showing that they will not be quite so easily pigeonholed, they’re showing that they’ve accomplished something quite remarkable: they’ve shown us that they’re even better than we thought.

Rich Larson is the publisher and editor of SouthernMinn Scene. You can reach him at rlarson@southernminnscene.com.

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L

ike most Minnesotans, after seeing the Vikings heartbreaking loss against the Seattle Seahawks, I try to heal my wounds by watching the Minnesota Wild. It’s the salve for the wound that Gary Anderson once gave you, but Blair Walsh opened it right back up*. But much to my chagrin, the Wild are once again in their January meltdown, which has been the Wild’s “quirky and cute” annual tradition since the dawn of time. (Or since the Wild were established in 2000)

If the Wild’s January shenanigans could be a person, it would most definitely be Zooey Deschanel. A light-hearted, quirky individual who tries WAY too hard, which really boils your blood but you still catch yourself watching their show from time to time, wondering why you still do this to

yourself. Come to think of it, you can rotate any Minnesota Sports team into this description. Minnesota sports are Zooey Deschanel.

In case you were wondering, the Wild have now lost eleven of their past 12, and 14 of the past 17. If math isn’t your thing, we are basically the Hockey equivalent to Martin O’Malley’s Presidential Campaign: nonexistent. Before you start to panic, there is indeed some shimmering hope in this pool of sadness:

the whole year, but when someone steps up to this magnitude, more players should follow suit(er) (ha, get it?).

3. We are still in it. The Central is becoming a force to be reckoned with once again. We can pull off a playoff spot, even though the Blackhawks, Stars, and Blues are in the top 5 for best record in all of the NHL. I keep on telling myself “This happens every January, they’ll be fine” but it’s currently February The Miss 6th and momma is Minnesota Wild All-Star goalie Devan Dubnyk. getting a bit anxious. The Wild resurgence is due 1. The offense has been abysmal but our deanytime now, and with this division one mustn’t fense has been top notch. We need to stop relying dilly dally. on this “a goal will do, Dubnyk will do the rest” All in all the Wild can’t just expect another mentality and pad that lead for him, less pressure Minnesota Wild resurgence, even though that’s on him the better. been their “thing.” The Wild have all of the pieces, they just need to make them fit. Get to work, boys. *In case you don’t watch sports: This one guy named Gary Anderson was a super duper good kicker for the Vikings back in 1998. With two minutes left, Gary Anderson, who had Minnesota Wild Defensman Ryan Suter. missed no kicks all season, missed 2. Holy crap, Ryan Suter, you beautiful beast a 38-yarder, in which of a man, thank you for stepping up and being we lost the game, essentially the teams MVP for the first half of the even though he kicked season. Suter is second on the team in scoring and ANOTHER field goal and second in all of the NHL for ice time. It would be made it. But only after nice to see this kind of brilliance from Suter last the Falcons scored with Son-Of Miss

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49 seconds remaining.

Flash forward 18 years later, but with only a measly few seconds on the clock Blair Walsh decided to aggressively miss at 27 yard field goal attempt, leaving Vikings fans to stare into the deep, tenebrous, obfuscous void of nothingness.

Do I still sound bitter?

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KEVIN KREIN

Music From andInspired

Kevin Krein is a writer and a cool rabbit dad. He used to own a lot of soundtracks; he doesn’t anymore. Follow him on Twitter: @KevEFly

T

he first compact disc I ever bought was the soundtrack to the motion picture Ghostbusters II. It seems worth noting that I was six years old at the time, and it also seems worth noting that I already owned the soundtrack on vinyl, but even at the age of six, it would seem that I felt compelled to own something on multiple formats.1 Shortly after that purchase came the soundtrack to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, impulsively bought from the K-Mart in my hometown. It goes without saying that that the next year, at age seven, I just had to have the soundtrack to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of The Ooze, complete with the generation defining

anthem “Ninja Rap,” recorded by my favorite artist at the time, Vanilla Ice. Later came the soundtrack to the movie Cool World, anchored by a pretty dope titular track from David Bowie, the CD itself is a regular who’s who of the electronic music scene of the early 1990s. The movie featured an aging Kim Basinger and was one of Brad Pitt’s earliest starring roles. It was, and still is, straight up garbage, and is something that my parents most definitely should not have taken me to see in the theater when I was, like, eight or nine years old.

In sixth grade, came the soundtrack to The Crow, and a cassette copy of the soundtrack to Natural Born Killers— purchased because it a) came with a Parental Advisory Explicit Lyrics sticker, and b) was executive produced by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails fame—my favorite artist at the time (I was eleven.)

The next year, I received the soundtrack to Batman Forever for my birthday. While the movie is practically unwatchable, the soundtrack still slays— where else will you hear U2, Seal, The Offspring, PJ Harvey, Method Man, and the Flaming Lips all in the same place?2 For Christmas that same year, I received the Angus soundtrack (a movie I hadn’t seen yet, and remember being underwhelmed with by the time I did see it.) I wanted the soundtrack specifically because it had a new Green Day song it (one of my favorite artists at the time)—it also turned out to be a real treasure trove of pop-punk hits by other artists I hadn’t heard of. It also had a great, unreleased Weezer song on it.

In high school came soundtracks to Tarantino movies like Jackie Brown, introducing me at age fourteen to artists like Bobby Womack and The Delfonics; or both volumes of the soundtrack from Grosse Pointe Blank, which served as an introduction to ska bands like The Specials and The English Beat and to

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seminal acts like The Clash—opening the door for me to purchase a copy of London Calling when I was fifteen.

In college, it was the soundtracks to films by Wes Anderson—one of the few directors who, at the time, really understood what the right music cue could do for a film, like the slow motion sequence of Gwyneth Paltrow getting off of the bus set to Nico in The Royal Tennenbaums, or the use of Sigur Ros’ “Starting Elf” and the songs of David Bowie in The Life Aquatic.

The importance of the soundtrack was not limited to just

me— for my mother, it was the soundtracks to The Bodyguard, The Big Chill (both volumes), and My Best Friend’s Wedding.

For my wife, the soundtrack to the movie Beaches was incredibly important to her childhood—a collection that, save for “Wind Beneath My Wings,” is rather self-contained, and really only makes sense after you’ve watched the movie, with songs like “Oh Industry,” and “Otto Titsling” being pulled directly from portions of the movie’s narrative.

There was the thrill of hearing a popular song you liked used to advertise a movie, and the disappointment that came when you saw the movie, only to find the song wasn’t actually in the movie at all—the same can be said for songs used in a movie, but not appearing on the soundtrack.

There are songs you remember from movies you’d rather forget—“Shoop Shoop” by Whitney Houston, from Waiting to Exhale, the splendor that is “I Believe I Can Fly” by R. Kelly from Space Jam, or to some extent, the miscast cover of “Heroes” from the Wallflowers, found on the soundtrack to that Godzilla movie from ’98.3 There was a time, growing up in rural Illinois in the 1990s, that the only places I bought records were at department stores that had entertainment sections— places like ShopKo or Wal-Mart. Those stores had designated areas that were dedicated to carrying soundtracks; now you’re lucky if a department store like that even carries CDs at all.

Are soundtracks even a thing anymore? Are they as big of a deal as they were 20 years ago? Do movies even bother to have that “one song” by a huge name artist that plays over the ending credits?

In an earlier draft of this piece, I had stated that I couldn’t even remember the last soundtrack that I went and purchased, but that changed when I picked up a copy of the just released (five months after the movie came out) soundtrack album to Straight Outta Compton — mostly because it was on sale for a very low price, but also because it

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collects a smattering of hits from NWA, et. al, in one convenient place. There was something so incredibly thrilling about hearing that music used in the film, though there is something slightly less thrilling about just hearing it coming from my stereo’s speakers.

There’s a radio station based out of St. Paul that, for a while anyway, had the slogan “Because every day

deserves a soundtrack.” I suppose if you listen to a lot of music, and have very specific memories attached with certain songs, you would agree with that.

By

of purchasing the Ghostbusters II CD (in the old longbox style packaging) from a Sam Goody in Rockford, Illinois.

Every day deserves a soundtrack, and every soundtrack deserves a day.

Some

of these movies you may have forgotten about, and in many cases, the soundtracks were exponentially (and more memorable) than the movies themselves. They may not have grown with you, but they were important enough, at one time or another, to be a part of your life and it seems that those memories are worth revisiting.

Remember the racks and racks of CDs in long box style packaging from the late 80s and early 90s? Man, those were the times....

Barely any of the soundtracks I’ve mentioned here have aged with me into adulthood; many of them had been either thrown away, or were traded in at a used CD store for a paltry amount of cash.

Every day deserves a soundtrack, and every soundtrack deserves a day. This month, and this topic, has provided me with a chance to revisit memories long since forgotten that I have associated with these soundtracks—listening to Love Spit Love’s gorgeous “Am I Wrong” from Angus on my very first discman over Christmas break of 1995, or the very act

1- I already owned the hit single from the film, “On Our Own,” on cassette single as well. It also seems important to point out that as an adult, I realized that in this song, Bobby Brown basically explains the entire plot of the movie during the rap breakdown section, thus saving you from actually having to watch the Ghostbusters II. Though you should watch it. It’s very underrated and better than what some might say.

2- The same could be said about the quality of the Batman and Robin soundtrack as well—including not one, but TWO songs (with very similar titles) from The Smashing Pumpkins, an original song by Robert Sylvester Kelly, and for some reason, “Foolish Games” by Jewel.

3- But how about that Puffy Daddy song “Come With Me” though? The guy says “Uh huh, yeah” a whopping six times at the beginning of the song. That’s impressive.

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