Culturology Calendar 12-15

by Travis Ryder

Thursday

Handel's "Messiah" performed by the Itasca Community Chorus, 3 to 5 p.m. at Greenway Auditorium in Coleraine; the chorus is combined with several area choirs.

The Grand Rapids Players’ auditions for the spring show, “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum,” are at 6 at the Playhouse up County Road A from the fairgrounds.

Musician Paul Metsa drops by the KAXE studios for a chat and to pick out some music on Centerstage Minnesota.  Then he crosses the parking lot to the Grand Rapids Area Library for a chat at 7 about his recent book, “Blue Guitar Highway.”

Chisholm musician Rob Wheeler performs Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Minnesota Discovery Center’s weekly music night, Acoustic Café. Admission is free Thursdays after 5. Appetizers, soups, desserts and hot and cold beverages are available to purchase. The exhibit “Ray Segar: One Man’s Quest for History,” MDC’s Community Gallery showing “Sketchers and Carvers,” and the Laurentian Northern Railroad Model Train Club display are open.

Itasca Orchestra and Strings Program presents a Student Concert, 7 p.m. at the Reif Center, Grand Rapids.

Friday

The Reif Center’s performing arts season continues with a puppet, rock, and yoga adventure called Monkey Mind Pirates  from the group Z-Puppets Rosenschnoz , 7 p.m. at 6:30.

The CLC Brass Ensemble will be performing during Sertoma Winter Wonderland at the Northland Arboretum.  The Wonderland is open tonight through Sunday, 5:30 to 8:30.

Friday and Saturday

Winnie The Pooh’s Christmas Tail, performed by the youth acting troupe at Central Lakes College in Brainerd, Adventure ‘N Theatre, directed by Dennis Lamberson.  Friday, 7:30 pm; Saturday, 2:00 pm; Saturday, @ 7:30 pm.  

Saturday

A group of 15 students at Northern Lights Community School have a long term project on the history and culture of Ireland. They have been studying Ireland for a year and a half and will be traveling there in April. One of their fundraisers is hosting a Murder Mystery Dinner called, “Next of Kin.” This is the fourth murder mystery dinner that the school has produced.  It will be December 17th at the Sawmill Inn in Grand Rapids. It starts at 6:00 PM. Tickets can be purchased at the Sawmill Inn.

Speaking of Ireland, hear Irish music from Two Tap Trio at Brigid’s Irish Pub in Bemidji starting at 8.

Saturday & Sunday

Vocal group From Age to Age presents O Magnum Mysterium, their annual Christmas tour featuring some of the world’s most enchanting holiday music. Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Brainerd & Sunday, 1 p.m., Union Congregational Church, Hackensack.  The Hackensack performance will be featured in a Christmas Day broadcast on KAXE, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.!

Sunday

Grand Rapids Area Male Chorus performs at 2 p.m. at the Edge Center for the Arts in Bigfork.

A Christmas Carol presented by Nebraska Theater Caravan, 7:30 p.m. at the Reif Center in Grand Rapids. The Nebraska Theatre Caravan has been touring Charles Jones’ delightful adaptation of A Christmas Carol since 1979, weaving traditional Christmas carols throughout the narrative.

Minnesota History Datebook

Dec. 16, 1884 Machinist William H. Fruen of Minneapolis is issued the first U.S. patent for an automatic liquid-dispensing vending machine. Fruen had settled earlier in the year at the western edge of the city. The discovery of a pure spring in a glen led Fruen to sell jugs, and then coolers, of fresh water and found the Glenwood Springs (now Glenwood Inglewood Water) Company.

Dec. 17, 1915 The Mesaba Transportation Company of Hibbing is incorporated. Owners Andrew G. Anderson and Carl Eric Wickman transport passengers and freight from Hibbing to destinations in Alice and Grand Rapids. A subsidiary is incorporated in 1919 to build, repair, and sell buses. These companies would eventually become Greyhound Lines, headquartered in Chicago.

Dec. 11, 1922 Hurricane winds in Duluth are clocked at 72 miles per hour.

(Source: The Minnesota Book of Days, MN Historical Society Press)

Culturology Calendar 12-8

by Travis Ryder

Thursday, Dec. 8

Acoustic Café series features the duo Bittersweet: Jay Hoiland and Mary Jo Grizzard play at 6 at the Minnesota Discovery Center, Chisholm.

Area producers of original theater, take note: Minnesota Fringe Festival director Robin Gillette coming to Duluth.  The Fringe Festival is an 11-day performing arts festival that presents nearly 900 performances of 165 theater and dance shows in professional-grade Minneapolis-St. Paul venues. They select participants by random lottery, so it doesn't matter how much or little experience you have.  Dates are August 2-12, 2012.  Fringe staff members will be at the Zeitgeist Atrium, 222 E. Superior St, Duluth between 8 and 9:30 pm tonight.  Meet and learn more about how the festival works, and how to prepare an application.

Thursday through Sunday

You can take in the Sertoma Winter Wonderland display from 5:30 to 8:30 tonight through Sunday, with Sunday night including horsedrawn carriage rides.  Paul Bunyan Land has their enchanted pioneer village 6 to 9 Friday and Saturday.

Friday, Dec. 9

Actual Wolf (the solo act of Grand Rapids native Eric Pollard, who performs with Low, Retribution Gospel Choir, and Sun Kil Moon); 5 – 6:30 p.m., Brewed Awakenings, Grand Rapids.

KBXE Northern Community Radio Auction: drinks, appetizers and silent auction at 6 p.m., live auction 7 p.m., dance to Good Noise at 9, Bemidji Town & Country Club

Away In The Basement, a Church Basement Ladies holiday production, at the Tornstrom Auditorium in the Washington Building in Brainerd, 7 p.m.

Tim and Cindy Roggenkamp perform acoustic country and bluegrass at the Warehouse in Pine River starting at 7.

Friday and Saturday

The Nutcracker, presented by The Reif Dancers, 7 p.m. at the Reif Center, Grand Rapids.

BSU Madrigal Dinners, 7 p.m., Beaux Arts Ballroom on the campus.

Gospel, soul, and jazz from The Steele Family Christmas Show.  2 shows, Friday at 7:30 and Saturday at 2 at the Central Lakes College Theatre in Brainerd.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

Local production of “A Christmas Carol”, 7:30 Friday and Saturday,  2:00 Sunday, Chief Theater, Bemidji.

Saturday, Dec. 10

Family Fun Day: Holiday Card Ornaments, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at MacRostie Art Center; learn more at getlearning.org.  Then it's the Ho-Ho-Ho Down Country Christmas, 3 to 6 p.m. at Children's Discovery Museum; country hometown Christmas theme, games, food, crafts, entertainment, & hayrides. To learn more, call 218-259-9509 or visit www.getlearning.org.

Pine River has horse-drawn sleigh rides starting at 2:30 and a Parade of Lights downtown starting at 5.

The gypsy jazz of Clearwater Hot Club starts at 7 p.m. at Brigid’s Cross, Bemidji.

Sunday, Dec. 11

Elegant Historical Holiday Feast will be served at 1 p.m. at the White Oak Society in Deer River; reservations are required. Call 218-328-5728 or email info@whiteoak.org

Handel's "Messiah" performed by the Itasca Community Chorus combined with several area choirs, 3 to 5 p.m. at Greenway Auditorium in Coleraine.

The West Range Country Show follows at Greenway High School Auditorium at 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 13

The Santa Lucia Festival celebrates the beginning of the Swedish Christmas season, including the festival of lights, which includes a young maiden wearing a chandelier.  Also, breakfast will be served.  6 to 8 a.m., Beaux Arts Ballroom on the BSU campus.  Get your tickets by Friday at Kelsey’s Jewelry or Ken Thompson Jewelry.

Minnesota History Datebook

Dec. 8, 1886: Citizens of Browns Valley brawl in the streets of their town with farmers from Wheaton.  What started this fight?  Wheaton was the new county seat, and they were in town to pick up the Traverse County official records. The outnumbered "invaders" flee with only one load.  Eventually, all the records are moved to Wheaton without further battle.  There are accounts of these kinds of bitter and even violent county-seat disputes from a number of locations around the state.

Dec. 9, 1890: The University Avenue streetcar line from Minneapolis to St. Paul begins operation.  By 1954, it was out of service, replaced by buses.  But what’s old is new again: The Central Corridor light rail line will open to passengers along a similar route in 2014.

Dec. 7, 1941: Outside of Pearl Harbor, a crew primarily made up of reservists from St. Paul manned the destroyer Ward. That ship attacks and sinks a Japanese midget submarine, the first shots fired on the date of infamy.  Inside the harbor, Minneapolis-born Captain Franklin van Valkenburgh is killed on the bridge of his ship, the USS Arizona. He would be awarded the Medal of Honor by Congress.

Culturology Calendar 11-17

by Travis Ryder

Thursday, November 17

The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota is in Grand Rapids this morning to talk about their Minnesota Main Street program.  This is a framework for revitalizing traditional business districts with an eye on retaining unique local character.  The session is on the third floor of Old Central School and runs from 8 to 10 a.m., everybody’s invited.

Jaques Art Center Christmas Marketplace opens Thursday.  The Jaques Main Gallery in Aitkin is transformed into a holiday shop overflowing with one-of- a-kind gifts for all ages.  The Jaques is also looking for artists for their juried exhibition, “Heads or Tails.”  Make sure the works you submit include a head or a tail!  Submissions are due November 30.  Learn more at www.jaquesart.com.

Pecha Kucha Night is an evening of short presentations accompanied by images. Expect nearly anything from the presenters.  Once you know the format, maybe you’ll be a presenter!  It’s at the New City Ballroom, a.k.a. the Hungry Bear, in Bemidji, starting at 6:30.

Local poets Susan Hawkinson, Loree Miltich, Jane Barrick, Teresa Alto, and Stephanie Kessler will read selections from the book Migrations.  It’s edited by Duluth Poet Laureate Sheila Packa.  Cellist Kathy McTavish will also play, Thursday at 7 at MacRostie Art Center, Grand Rapids.

The Greater Minnesota Legacy Chorale celebrates its tenth season starting this weekend. Performances will be at Crosslake Lutheran Church on Thursday at 7:30, and at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Baxter on Sunday at 3.  Repertoire for the show consists entirely of choral and solo arrangements of African-American spirituals. The concert on Sunday will feature the Brainerd High School A Capella Choir.

Friday, November 18

Pequot Lakes Community Theatre turns back the clock with a 1940s Radio Hour, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 and Sunday at 2 at the high school auditorium.

20 of the best chefs in the Brainerd Lakes area will showcase their craft Friday night.  It’s the Taste of the Lakes event at Grand View Lodge in Nisswa, and the event benefits Kinship Partners, starting at 5:30.

The award winning play Proof will be staged this weekend at Bemidji State.  Shows are at 7:30 Friday and Sturday and 2 o’clock Sunday.

The Mesabi Community Orchestra and Virginia High School Varsity Choir present two concerts featuring Thanksgiving and Christmas selections.  See them Friday at 7 at the Chisholm High School auditorium or Sunday at 2:30 at the Lutheran church in Eveleth.

Saturday, November 19

Lake Bemidji State Park hosts a winter tree identification session.  Master Naturalist Russ Bennett will show you how to tell deciduous trees apart WITHOUT the aid of their leaves.  The session starts at 10 Saturday.

The BSU Jazz Band will be in concert Saturday at 3.  They’ll feature trumpeter Kiku Collins, who has played with Beyoncé and Michael Bolton.  The concert is in the Fine Arts Complex on the campus in Bemidji.

Monday, November 21

Bemidji State art major Eli Balbach will have an exhibition of abstract compositions entitled “Abformalities” with an opening reception Monday from 1 to 4.  The show will feature a personal assessment of nationality and civilization.  Balbach’s work will focus primarily on oil paintings and other 2D mediums.  Balbach is originally from Bemidji. The show is at the University’s Talley Gallery running through Dec. 14.

Minnesota History Datebook

November 14, 1860 An early milestone in Minnesota telecommunications: Telegraph service reaches Minneapolis.  Now, the telegraph seems ridiculously old-fashioned today, but imagine the quantum leap this represented: instead of waiting days to hear of important events, news could reach the city in just minutes!

This week in 1984, Jackpot Junction Casino opens for business as a bingo parlor.  the first Indian casino in Minnesota, By 1988 it had become a fully operational casino.

November 18, 1993 The Weisman Art Museum opens at the University of Minnesota. Sculptor and architect Frank Gehry won an award from Progressive Architecture magazine for his design of the building.

New Welcome Signs at Red Lake by Artist Patrick Desjarlait

Four new signs welcome visitors to the Red Lake Nation.  The color pencil and ink artwork was created by Red Lake artist and High School art teacher, Patrick Desjarlait (right).  The artwork is entitled "The Council of Clans" and features the symbols of the Seven Clans at Red Lake:  Makwa (Bear), Mikinaak (Turtle), Awazisii (Bullhead), Waabizheshi (Marten), Migizi (Eagle), Ojiig (Fisher) and Ogiishkimanisii (Kingfisher).  You can here our interview with Patrick here. 

Patrick's dad, also named Patrick, was an acclaimed artist. Red Lake people and traditions were themes in much of his art like "Women and Blueberries" (above). 

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.

Movies to Watch this Winter from KAXE

Last Saturday on Between You and Me Jack Nachbar and Julie Crabb joined Heidi Holtan to talk movies.  Jack is a retired professor of Pop Culture who hosts movies at the Edge Center for the Arts in Bigfork.  This Thursday evening at 6:30 pm he's showing "On the Town" and will lead a conversation afterwards. 

Here's the list of movies that Julie, Jack & KAXE listeners compiled:

Holiday movies:
Pieces of April
Home for the Holiday
It's a Wonderful Life
A Christmas Story
Elf
Scrooged
Holiday Inn
White Christmas
Jeremiah Johnson
The Santa Clause
Love Actually
Miracle on 34th Street
Meet Me in St. Louis
Bad Santa

Frozen River
Fargo
The Station Agent
Sweet And Lowdown

Strong Heroines:
Silkwood
Erin Brockovich
North Country
Norma Rae

John Hughes movies:
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
Home Alone
National Lampoon's Vacation

Burt Lancaster movies:
Elmer Gantry
Come Back Little Sheba
Field of Dreams
The Swimmer
Trapeze
Crimson Pirate
The Killers
Local Hero
The Rose Tattoo
From Here to Eternity
Seven Days in May

other favorites listeners suggested:
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
The Way We Were
Dr. Zhivago
GiGi
Imitation of Life
Little Miss Sunshine
Groundhog Day
Out of Africa
Day of the Outlaw
Man from Snowy River
North to Alaska
Brassed Off
Winter's Bone
Romeo & Juliet
Moulin Rouge
Strictly Ballroom
Black Swan
Avatar
The Family Stone
SnowCake
Danny Deckchair
The Ref
Roxanne
The Jerk
Man With Two Brains
Mostly Martha
Reversal of Fortune
Damage
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Alfie
Annie Hall
The Big Chill
Fiddler on the Roof
Manchurian Candidate
Mystery, Alaska
African Queen
The Princess & the Cobbler
Singing in the Rain
Court Jester
The Man I Love
Zero Kelvin
The Last Place on Earth
Corner Gas
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
500 Days of Summer
I Love You Phillip Morris
Raining Stones
Wind that Shakes the Barley
Land & Freedom
Once
The Committments
Rebel Without a Cause
On Dangerous Ground
The Shining
Popeye
The Departed
The Sting
Shop Around the Corner
Insomnia
Culpepper Cattle Company
Outlaw of Josey Wales
The Greatest
Moonlight Mile
Rabbit Hole
The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid
High Noon
Our Vines Have Tender Grapes
Sweetland
Asphalt Jungle
Lawrence of Arabia
Memento
25 Hours
Don't Look Now

Goodbye Week?

by Scott Hall

During the professional football season each team plays 16 games over a 17 week period.  So each team has  a week off sometime during the season.  It's called "the bye week", and this was the Vikings' week off.   In the jargon of the sports media, the Vikings are "idle" today.

It's probably coincidence that this week may have been the beginning of a long good-bye to the Vikings.  The Governor and legislators didn't come up with a way to raise public funding to pay for a portion of a new stadium for the Vikings.  The Vikings' lease at the Metrodome may expire after this season.  If so, they are free to move.  It was a little over 50 years ago that the Minneapolis Lakers moved to the desert town of Los Angeles and kept the "Lakers" name.  After 51 years as the Minnesota Vikings, it seems the possibility of the Vikings following the Lakers to LA is more likely than ever.

The value of professional sports teams is hard to quantify.  I'm sure those who say "let 'em go" way underestimate the economic value of pro sports.  But as far as other values go, that is more subjective, and I am weary of the overhyped importance attached to the games themselves.  The hype and phony melodrama are most necessary to those who want to direct our attention to the messages of their advertisers.  By Monday, most of the games will mean less to us than the fortunes of the local high school teams.

So now, at least one Sunday during the pro football season, we have three more hours to take a nap, bake a pie, go hunting, play touch football, ride a bike, read a book.  In another year or two, will every Sunday be so full of promise?