Serving the UMN community since 1900

The Minnesota Daily


Serving the UMN community since 1900

The Minnesota Daily

Serving the UMN community since 1900

The Minnesota Daily

Sommer Wagen

Sommer Wagen, Arts & Entertainment Reporter

Sommer is a fourth year currently battling senioritis. They study journalism with a minor in art, which is what brought them to the A&E desk. They hope to continue writing about art of all kinds once they’re done with this college thing. They love coffee, crocheting, and astrology, and this fall they’re watching Gilmore Girls for the 50th time.

All content by Sommer Wagen
Despite intermittent mainstream presence, Tinashe has proven she’s never really needed it.

Tinashe shows Minneapolis she’s more than a trend

by Sommer Wagen
Published November 18, 2024
Vitality Roasting's new Como location, which opened on Monday, Nov. 4, replaced the Black Coffee and Waffle Bar location that had been in the space since 2005.

Vitality Roasting brings coffee back to Como

by Sommer Wagen
Published November 12, 2024
Gatherings is just a 25-minute bus ride from the University of Minnesota East Bank campus via the 2 bus.

Gatherings Café serves Indigenous food with a side of knowledge

by Sommer Wagen
Published November 11, 2024
collage2

Twin Cities Collage Collective, ‘Collage is for everyone’

by Sommer Wagen
Published November 4, 2024
Breymer wanted to emphasize their journey getting top surgery and not so much the destination in their latest album, "When I Get Through." Courtesy of Simone Thompson

New colors of life with singer Breymer

by Sommer Wagen
Published November 1, 2024
Costumes aren’t required to celebrate Halloween, but they definitely make a spooky night out more fun.

A guide to last-minute Halloween costumes

by Sommer Wagen
Published October 30, 2024
Jason Nawrocki’s table at the second annual Midwest Queer and Trans Zine Fest on Sun., Oct. 20. Nawrocki was a vendor at last year’s inaugural fest. “I’m very emotionally invested in it,” he said.

Midwest Queer & Trans Zine Fest celebrates definitive queer art form

by Sommer Wagen
Published October 21, 2024
Unpacking why so many people go to Sally’s needs a story of its own.

UMN bars ranked by a local introverted queer

by Sommer Wagen
Published October 14, 2024
De Souza’s subdued solo set brought many to tears, including this reviewer.

Indigo De Souza brings solemn softness to UMN

by Sommer Wagen
Published October 14, 2024
Al’s Breakfast is worth the effort, but CrunCheese isn’t all it’s cracked up to be

The great Dinkytown food expedition

by Sommer Wagen
Published October 6, 2024
Copies of Minnesota Manga are available at The Book House in Dinkytown and Source Comics & Games in Roseville.

Minnesota Manga brings creators’ passions to life

by Sommer Wagen
Published October 1, 2024
Visitors of all backgrounds attended Saturday’s opening day of “Kara Walker: Harper’s Pictorial History of the Civil War (Annotated)” at the Weisman.

WAM and Kara Walker: What is history?

by Sommer Wagen
Published September 30, 2024
Velveeta described playing the Whole like playing a house show with a much better sound system.

Anita Velveeta and Sorry Mom: What the Whole was made for

by Sommer Wagen
Published September 23, 2024
University sophomore Xaria Williams sits in her living room at Radius Apartments in Dinkytown, which she collaboratively decorated with her roommates.

Avoiding ‘hospital lighting’ and other college living decor tips

by Sommer Wagen
Published September 23, 2024
Jordan Powell-Karis’s iconic wooden fist sculpture is the centerpiece of this exhibition steeped in emotion.

“Art and Artifact” — collective memory, collective action

by Sommer Wagen
Published September 15, 2024
De Souza will be the latest national act hosted by SUA on Oct. 12 at 7:30 p.m. alongside openers Susannah Joffe and Creeping Charlie. Courtesy of University of Minnesota Student Unions and Activities

Indigo De Souza coming to UMN

by Sommer Wagen
Published September 10, 2024
Visiting ArtScraps is like walking into an “I Spy” book come to life.

Colorful St. Paul secondhand craft supply store encourages eco-conscious creativity

by Sommer Wagen
Published August 2, 2024
The Future, Magus Books and Herbs, and MoonStone MPLS are just a few places where you can further your astrological knowledge.

Metaphysical Minneapolis and why astrology matters

by Sommer Wagen
Published July 30, 2024
Put your headphones on and expand your playlist with these covers.

Cover Collab: The best song covers that exist

by Isabella Caswell and Sommer Wagen
Published July 25, 2024
The exhibition is on view at the Schmidt Artist Lofts Landmark Gallery until Aug. 2.

STARGAZER: A whole universe in one small room

by Sommer Wagen
Published July 23, 2024
For Clairo, “the third time’s the Charm.”

Review: “Charm” by Clairo

by Sommer Wagen
Published July 21, 2024
At the F— the USA event, Pink Place invited attendees to “Come rage with us.”

Pink anti-patriotism: F— the USA at the Pink Place

by Sommer Wagen
Published July 9, 2024
Despite the time apart, members Henning Hanson, Cole Pivec and Daisy Forester said they haven’t missed a beat after reuniting. Photo courtesy of Dial Tone.

Re-Dial Tone: The Return of Dial Tone

by Sommer Wagen
Published July 8, 2024
Daily affirmation: “I will not accept a life I do not deserve.”

Review: “MaXXXine”

by Sommer Wagen
Published July 7, 2024
(From left to right) Mamé 007, Wari 007, Yoni Light and Don T., members of the Minneapolis ballroom collective Vogue Down, encourage two audience members battling in the performance category as part of their showcase on Friday, June 28.

Having a ball with Vogue Down MPLS

by Sommer Wagen
Published July 2, 2024
A skater performs tricks at the Friday Night Jamz event hosted by the Twin Cities Skaters Studio in uptown Friday, June 21.

Making the most of summer with a new hobby

by Sommer Wagen
Published June 25, 2024
The artist masterfully blends EDM, pop and hyperpop on a record that feels like a night out with her.

Review: “BRAT” by Charli XCX

by Sommer Wagen
Published June 12, 2024
These books reflect a variety of queer identities and experiences and are good reads for everyone, queer or not.

Pride Month Book Club: 5 LGBTQ+ books to read in June

by Sommer Wagen
Published June 11, 2024
Katja Johnson and her ceramic bananas, which she demonstrated how to make at the Mudluk Pottery table for the 2024 American Craft Fest in St. Paul.

Handcrafted community at the American Craft Fest

by Sommer Wagen
Published June 10, 2024
The little free library at the Como Corner Community Garden at the corner of Como and 22nd avenues implores visitors to “feed their minds.”

The hidden potential of Little Free Libraries

by Sommer Wagen
Published June 3, 2024
Local activist artists share their political prints, poetry and plans for future change.

Local art activism as a tool for liberation

by Sommer Wagen
Published April 26, 2024
Vicky Eidelsztein works her shift as a shop associate at the Minnesota Textile Center retail store in Minneapolis on Tues., April 9, 2024. Eidelsztein said she has been working part-time at the Textile Center, a national center for fiber arts, for almost a year. She is also a screenprinter and printed the "Fiber Art for All" design on T-shirts for the shop. (Sommer Wagen/wagen132@umn.edu)

The colorful world of the Minnesota Textile Center

by Sommer Wagen
Published April 14, 2024
Lead vocalist Rick X. Hoops performs alongside drummer Aerynne Holmes (back) and guitarist Fred Nolte (left) in "Queer Life: A Trans Narrative Recital" on Thursday. The GSC’s debut production recontextualizes musical numbers into a trans narrative.

Queer visibility, queer joy, queer life “is a Cabaret”

by Sommer Wagen
Published April 5, 2024
Third-year MFA Namir Fearce talks about one of his works with an attendee at the 2024 MFA Thesis Exhibition, Delta Passage. This vibrant and riveting exhibition shows the work of three third-year MFA students — Whalen Polkinoff, Namir Fearce and Calvin Stalvig — in the Katherine E. Nash Gallery of the East Regis Center for Art. Namir Fearce, Whalen Polikoff and Calvin Stalvig have been working together since 2021 and proudly expressed their love for each other at Saturday’s public program and reception.

Delta Passage: Being consumed by love and memory

by Sommer Wagen
Published March 31, 2024
The singer experiments with new instrumentation and sounds, but that experiment doesn’t pay off where it counts.

Review: “Bright Future” by Adrianne Lenker

by Sommer Wagen
Published March 28, 2024
Bohemian Press President Josh (right) tests a screen-print while Minnesota Daily Reporter Sommer Wagen (second from left) interviews club attendees. Printmaking as a medium is good for community-building because of reproduction-centered processes.

Art and community with Bohemian Press: A brief history

by Sommer Wagen
Published March 25, 2024
The biggest takeaway: “Be gay, do crime.”

Review: ‘Love Lies Bleeding’

by Sommer Wagen
Published March 17, 2024
Megan Finch created a space for open, engaging discussion of Black literary history.

Complexity of Black history through James Baldwin

by Sommer Wagen
Published February 29, 2024
Paramore’s impact reaches far beyond their historic Grammy win this year.

Starting a “Riot!”: How contemporary Twin Cities rock bands are pushing gender boundaries

by Sommer Wagen
Published February 20, 2024
The eStudio in Regis Center for Art on Feb. 9, 2024.

The hidden gem of the eStudio

by Sommer Wagen
Published February 12, 2024
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