It seemed to me, as I toured Northfield's used bookstores, that a little piece of the city is indelibly imprinted into each shop - - that perhaps some of the town's personality is stored between the yellowed pages and quiet aisles. Maybe it was because of the table dedicated to Jesse James that I found in As Time Goes By, the first of two stops on my walking circuit of Northfields downtown.
Holy sacraments and religious rites should be employed as metaphors to describe the Arcade Fire concert at First Avenue last Thursday. The nine-piece Canadian indie-rock group, whose appropriately titled debut album Funeral, rocked the heralded club with the fervor of fanatical preachers performing exorcisms, baptisms, blessed matrimonies and, of course, funerals. With violins, French horns and drum sticks aplenty, The Arcade Fire performed a divinely inspired 70-minute set.
Then the dumb blonde walks up to the bar and wails, "But I don't have my drivers license!"
If this sounds like the punch line of a bad joke, read on. It is, in fact, the twisted hilarity that began an exciting, spontaneous evening on Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis.
Any Ole who has ever driven down South Highway 3 has probably noticed a little restaurant on the side of the road called Tacoasis. Some braver Oles have even been known to stop and grab a bite at this tiny brick building with the red tin roof. The appearance of this hole-in-the-wall can most simply and accurately be described as ghetto.
The idea that the movie "Serenity" was ever even green-lighted is more than slightly ridiculous. To bankroll a large-budget film based on the television series "Firefly"; a series that shot only 13 episodes, six of which aired on Fox before cancellation, is almost completely unfathomable.
Earlier last year, the New Musical Express called The Bravery "Americas answer to Franz Ferdinand." At that time, the band was still unsigned, but the buzz surrounding the New York City based quintet had grown louder and louder after their month-long residency at Arlenes Grocery in lower Manhattan. Executives at Island Def Jam took notice: The Bravery were quickly signed to the label and released their eponymous debut album shortly thereafter.
You broke up for a reason. But at some point, the reason starts to get fuzzy (sometimes alcohol plays a part), and wham! You're in bed with your ex. How did you end up here?
