Friday
Toki Wright
Varsity Theatre
1308 Fourth St. SE
8:30 p.m.
$11
Rhymesayers hip-hopper Toki Wright epitomizes socially conscious rap. Whether heâÄôs contributing to local nonprofits or boosting the morale of war victims in Northern Uganda, itâÄôs wholly evident that the sharp-tongued MC thinks outside of himself.
Philanthropy aside, he delivers an explosive live show, one that you should definitely experience for yourself this Friday at the Varsity.
Saturday
âÄúRock for SocksâÄù featuring Me and My Arrow, The Goondas and Pictures of Then
Cause Spirits and Soundbar
3001 Lyndale Ave. S.
9:30 p.m.
$6/$3 with a pair of socks
In the spirit of giving socks back to the community, this Saturday you, benevolent music lover, have the opportunity to drink and rock out for a cause at Cause. On the lineup are Brit-poppers-born-American Pictures of Then, rock âÄònâÄô roll collective Me and My Arrow and fiery rock rabble-rousers The Goondas. This group of acts is destined to rock your socks off, so bring an extra pair, for real âÄî youâÄôll get discounted admission.
Sunday
The Deep Dark Woods
7th St. Entry
701 First Ave. N.
8:00 p.m.
$8/$10
ThereâÄôs nothing like rounding out a debauchery-filled weekend with a mellow folk show at an intimate venue like the Entry. Canadian folksters The Deep Dark Woods promise just that, but thatâÄôs not to say itâÄôs going to put you to sleep. Embracing an array of influences from psychedelia to pop to roots to gospel, the diverse instrument- heavy group is sure to temporarily diminish the anxiety of your inevitably procrastinated homework.
CULTURE TO CONSUME
Listen to this: âÄúHelplessness BluesâÄù by Fleet Foxes
It may not be cutting edge news since it surfaced on the web a couple weeks ago, but if you havenâÄôt yet heard the title track from Fleet Foxes upcoming LP âÄúHelplessness Blues,âÄù nowâÄôs the time. Chock full of the bandâÄôs typical forest-y, meandering harmonies, the vocals remain rock-solid. However, thereâÄôs a noted step away from the hazy dreamlike production of their earlier records and a step towards a more crude interpretation of acoustic folk. Based on this single, change is a good thing.
Drink this: Growler from Harriet Brewing
Minneapolitans are some especially lucky drunks because some of the most kick-ass breweries exist right in the neighborhood. Now thereâÄôs another. Introducing: Harriet Brewing. Though theyâÄôre still amid the early stages of establishing their business, you can test out their tasty wares by purchasing growlers directly from their Minnehaha Avenue location.
Eat this: Lunch at Blackbird Café.
A more fitting ornithological title for this delish Nicollet Avenue lunch spot would be the Phoenix Café because just a year after it burned to ground, it has been resurrected to a superior form. The spacious new digs boast much of the same grab-bag menu that makes the Blackbird so appealing in the first place (I mean, where else can you choose between pad Thai or a BBQ pork sandwich?). No matter what you decide on (I recommend the house-made banh mi), youâÄôll probably feel grateful that this charming local eatery has risen from the ashes.
Watch this: Music video for âÄúAll of the LightsâÄù by Kanye West
Alright, IâÄôm worried about Kanye West. His typically over-the-top Twitter feed has been utterly dead (for his own wacky social networking standards at least) despite the fact that he has a brand new music video that he could be tirelessly exalting. A seizure-inducing assault on the eyeballs complete with cop-car dancing and steamy footage of a nearly-topless RiRi, as youth in the reign of King West, itâÄôs sort of your pop-culture civic duty to watch it. So do it already.
Read this: âÄúEndgame: Bobby FischerâÄôs Remarkable Rise and Fall – From AmericaâÄôs Brightest Prodigy to the Edge of MadnessâÄù by Frank Brady
Frank BradyâÄôs accomplished a literary checkmate yet again, publishing a second profile of AmericaâÄôs mad chess genius Bobby Fischer. A poignant and detailed look at the life and inner-turmoil of the hyper-astute player, Brady reclaims the integrity of hater-labeled âÄúchess geeksâÄù everywhere by unveiling the true complexity and allure of the timeless regal board
