The Rake Magazine

What's impressive: The Walker Art Center's programming of "semipopular music" this season. Personally, I anxiously await the arrival of The Books, a duo of "recording artists" whose live performances have been known to fall a little flat on audiences' ears. But when it comes to laying down her credit card, a loyal fan doesn't discriminate between the catchy song bought for her iPod and a ticket to hear the low-def but nevertheless real thing. Of all the concerts in the WAC's music season, tonight's show probably falls the furthest from the "semipopular music" repertoire. Rather, cellist Maya Beiser will join with the VocalEssence singers as well as composer Eve Beglarian and visual artist Shirin Neshart to create something proponents of "contemporary classical music" like to call an "evening-length performance." In other words, there'll be film footage artfully set to the music this evening. The result: something of a cross between theater, concert, and music video. In any case, this is the kind of music--the kind that's made of acoustic instrument and un-amplified voice--that I still love to hear live. And I don't mind the eye candy either.

Other worthwhile happenings this weekend (both shopping-related): There's MCAD's Art Sale. And a group of clothing stylists, interior designers, and store owners are throwing a pretty great sale up in Northeast today and tomorrow, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.. I stopped by yesterday and, if you'll believe it, scored a vintage Diane VonFursteberg wrap dress for only $30. Find them at Patina Props: 2014 Central Ave. NE.

This month, we paid homage to all the fabulous, Minnesota-made jewelry that's available. Now you can see 'n touch it for yourself. One of my favorite boutiques in all of Minneapolis is throwing a jewelry trunk show this evening. Between five and eight p.m., you'll be able to check out necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings off local labels like Farahbean, Bella Designs, and La Belle Bijou. As I understand it, there'll be an opportunity to swig some champagne and snag a couple bonbons, too.

I never could bring myself to watch Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ. And I'm afraid that now, after doing just a hair of research, I feel much the same about Gibson's latest project, Apocalypto. No Fin de los Tiempos for me, thanks. A short history of my apocalypse fears: As a little Catholic kid, steeped in the traditions of mysticism (and unquestioning faith), I feared for the world based upon one of my older cousin's prediction that Ronald Wilson Regan was the anti-Christ. Note that there are six letters in each of his three names, said the cousin. Ronald Reagan was to bring about the end of the world on the sixth day of the sixth month of the sixth year of his presidency. My math might have been a little off, but I recall that I was quaking in my Roos on June 6, 1986. And years later, I all but hid on my closet in New Year's Eve 2000.

In any case, this latest Gibson flick takes inspiration from the fact that various biblical texts are in agreement with the old Mayan belief that the big end-all will take place on December 21, 2012, when, coincidentally, the earth and sun will align with the center of the Milky Way galaxy. There's a free preview of Apocalypto tonight at Oak Street Cinema, if you're into this sort of thing.

Assuming you do not have tickets to tonight's Bob Seger concert, and because plenty of us are plenty stressed about holiday shopping, you might consider focusing your energies on two important going-out-of-business sales. The pink palace of local luxury retailers, Alfred's Grand Petit Magasin, is closing its doors on or about Christmas Eve. The seminal clothing boutique, Josi Wert, is shuttering up too, but God knows when. What's important to know is that, for now, both stores have redlined everything. However, shopping will require of you a long lunch or sick time, as neither store is open past the evening rush hour.

What'd I do with the days off? I slept. I slept through the After-Thanksgiving sales, slept through my friend Sam's birthday party. The weird thing about getting enough sleep, and finally chipping away at that sleep deficit, is that it actually makes you feel more tired than ever. How'm I gonna drag my butt out of bed and to the Brazilian Girls show tonight?

If you don't already know of this band, you can get a little taste at their website. It's good, catchy music, but not exactly the sort of stuff that keeps sleepy heads on straight.