Culturology 11-10: Bipolar Bears, Accidental Heroes

by Travis Ryder

This week, we visited with the members of the headlining band for Terrapin Fest.  Bipolar Bear includes Brian Laidlaw, Ashley Hanson, and Peter Frey.  They’ve been together since the spring of 2011, though all members have a deep musical résumé.  Their work is described as “electro-Americana” and they’re still working on their first recorded release while gigging in smaller cities in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  Listen: click here.

 On Veterans’ Day, the Reif Center presents The Accidental Hero, a tale of a Czech-American soldier’s deeds back in his homeland during World War II.  His grandson, Patrick Dewane, presents the true story.  Scott Hall spoke with Dewane last year, and we revisited the chat this week.

This Saturday’s Itasca Symphony Orchestra concert will carry forward the energy the group picked up from working with the conductor and musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra last month.  Maggie Anderson, 14, plays cello with the Itasca Orchestra.  She found it to be an inspiring experience.  Maggie and the rest of the Orchestra will be in action Saturday at the Reif Center in Grand Rapids.  We hear her comments in this week’s edition.

Thursday, November 10

Minnesota musician and writer Paul Metsa will play and read from his new book, Blue Guitar Highway.  This will be at Kaleva Hall, on the Finntown Flyway in Virginia, starting at 7:30.  On Friday, he'll sign books at Howard Street Books from 2 to 4, then play Zimmy’s at 7 p.m.  Saturday, he's at Comet Theater in Cook at 2.  Metsa will be in Grand Rapids on Tuesday night at the Library.

Saarens Productions presents the screwball comedy “Murder At The Howard Johnson’s” at the Masonic Building in downtown Bemidji.  There are shows Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Monday at 7:30 with a Sunday matinee at 2.

Friday, November 11

Artist Liz White works in acrylic, watercolor, and encaustic techniques.  She’ll have a studio open house Friday and Saturday from 1 to 5 at her studio, at 34383 Sipe Road, Grand Rapids.

Gifted guitarist Tim Sparks plays the Grassroots Concerts series at Journey Church in Nisswa.

Pequot Lakes Community Theatre brings old-time radio to life with a 1940’s Radio Hour.  This is at Pequot Lakes High School Friday and Saturday at 7:30, and Sunday at 2, and also next weekend.

The Bemidji State University Theatre presents David Auburn's Award-Winning "Proof" November 11th, 12th, 18th, 19th at 7:30pm, and November 20th at 2:00pm

On Veterans’ Day, the Reif Center presents The Accidental Hero, a tale of a Czech-American soldier’s deeds back in his homeland during World War II.  His grandson presents the true story.  Free admission for military vets.  The show starts at 7:30.

Saturday, November 12

Paintings, pottery, jewelry, stained glass, mobiles, sculpture, wood carvings, and leatherwork will all be available at an ART-filled Holiday Open House at Franklin Arts Center, from 10 to 4.  Kids can take part in printmaking with Jay Raymond in the cafeteria from 10am to noon. Cleo Kuelbs and Dennis Coryell will provide musical entertainment in the hall near the auditorium from 11 to 2. 

Brian Miller and Randy Gosa play songs of Celtic origin heard in turn-of-the-century logging camps in Northern Minnesota at Headwaters Unitarian Fellowship, Bemidji.  7 p.m.

Itasca Symphony Orchestra opens its season at 7:30, at the Reif Center in Grand Rapids, performing the Brahms Academic Festival Overture  and a work from American composer Howard Hanson.

Sunday, November 13

Bemidji Symphony Orchestra presents the second in their series of concerts this season.  They’ll feature Juilliard School flute instructor Carol Wincenc as a soloist on a new work from Christopher Rouse.  The program also includes works by Mozart and Elgar.

Stride jazz pianist Butch Thompson is at Centennial Auditorium in Staples for a 2:00 show.

Monday, November 14

Photographer Doug Ohman will share images and stories from his book Journey Down The River.  It’s a collection focusing on the people and places along the upper Mississippi.  He’ll speak at Brainerd Public Library at 6 o’clock Monday night.

Tuesday, November 15

Author Mark Seeley and photographer Don Breneman share their experiences found in their new book Voyageur Skies: Weather and Wilderness in MN's National Park.  6:30 at Central Lakes College Chalberg Theater in Brainerd.

Minnesota History Datebook

Nov. 8-10, 1913: The three-day Great Storm of 1913 kills 251 people on the Great Lakes (forty-four on Lake Superior) and sinks seventeen boats.

This week in 1919: Minneapolis is the site for the first convention of the newly-formed veterans’ organization, The American Legion.

Nov. 8, 1932: Minnesota citizens are allowed to vote for all nine of the state's congressional seats because the legislature had failed to reapportion the districts following the census of 1930.

Nov. 11, 1940: The Armistice Day Blizzard strikes, trapping hunters at lakes and drivers on roads. Forty-nine people die when temperatures suddenly drop from the sixties to below zero. Pilot Max Conrad of Winona earns hero honors for taking his Piper Cub up into fifty-mile-per-hour winds to drop supplies and lead rescuers to trapped hunters.

Nov. 10, 1975: The ore boat Edmund Fitzgerald sinks in Lake Superior, amidst 71-mile-per-hour gales and 12- to 15-foot waves. and twenty-nine crewmembers drown.