POETRY Nina’s Cafe Breaks the St. Paul Poetry Scene
Todd Boss is a true down-home-boy-made-good story; from his humble roots on a Wisconsin cattle farm, he has gained the title of “poet laureate” of Nina’s Cafe in St. Paul, not to mention a bit of other recognition. His swoon-inducing “The Hush of the Very Good” was selected as one of Poetry magazine’s 24 best love poems, his first collection (Yellowrocket) comes out next year, and his work has also been published in such reputable forums as The New Yorker and New England Quarterly. Join him this evening, along with other area poets, as they read their works round-robin-style in another installment of the “Verse and Converse” series. Tonight features local poetry standouts Deborah Keenan, Jim Cihlar, and William Reichard.
7 p.m., Nina’s Cafe, 165 Western Ave., St, Paul; 651-292-9816.
BOOKS & AUTHORS Trucker Love
You have to love a good truck love story. Huh? Come on now; you know how it is: spending every evening in the garage, the driveway, or the street; heading to the Mall of America every weekend, only to hit the auto parts store; paging through magazine after magazine pining for parts. Well, forget all that. We’re talking about something a touch more sophisticated here. Best-selling author Mike Perry (of Population 485) is back with another amusing memoir. Truck: A Love Story recounts his attempts to restore a 1950s Harvester truck, while cultivating his own food and discovering romance. Get a glimpse into “small-town living, laundry tips for bachelors, and the results of his own mis-firing brain.” Meet Perry in person this afternoon, and have him sign your book.
“Imagine 30 percent of America unable to heat their houses, or gasoline $20 per gallon at the pump. It’s running out, and 90 percent of what’s left is in the Middle East. This is a fight to the death.” Sound vaguely familiar? These are the opening lines of the Syriana trailer on YouTube. A great commentary on American interests in the Middle East, Syriana offers up a political thriller with a message. Fittingly, tonight’s screening is hosted by the Libertarian Party of Minnesota. But don’t worry — you can use as much or as little brain power as you wish. The camera work is beautiful. The acting is superb: George Clooney won an Oscar for his role as CIA undercover operative Bob Barnes. And the film effortlessly delivers the message without disrupting your entertainment.
7 p.m., Liberty Center, 799 Raymond Ave., St. Paul; 651-646-8980; optional $5 donation.
GALA Minnesota SAGE Awards for Dance
Last week the Ivey Awards celebrated local theater. This week, we’re celebrating local dance with the third annual Minnesota SAGE Awards for Dance. Enjoy a social hour before the gala, then settle in as Masters of Ceremonies Judith Howard and Morris Johnson host a gala event chock-full-o-performances by past SAGE honorees: Brian Sostek, Morgan Thorson, and the Minnesota Dance Theater performing a work by Wynn Fricke. Awards are selected by an anonymous group of peer panelists in the following categories: performance, performer, design, special citation, and people’s choice. This year’s SAGE Award recipients will receive a commissioned work by Twin Cities visual and ceramic artist Josh Blanc.
British singer/songwriter, multi- instrumentalist, and visual artist Natasha Khan is perhaps best known for touring with Bjork, but the 28-year-old holds her own. Tonight, you can experience her band, Bat for Lashes (with Ginger Lee, Abi Fry, and Lizzy Carey) for yourself. Expect a lot of instrument swapping and switching, marching band drums, desert guitar, ballet school piano, harpsichord, sub-bass snarls, hand-claps, and naive beats.
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