You earned it, dude. This gig’s for you. For your last long weekend before Thanksgiving there are plenty of ways to spend your hard-earned cash. I had my first taste of deep-fried candy bar on a stick at the State Fair last week, for instance, and it’s totally worth it if you can get past the idea of shedding a day of your life with every bite (and the unnerving sensation of thinking you’re biting into a corn dog only to taste Snickers).
Since this is an arts blog, not a health service, however, I’ll steer you to the underrated arts pavilion at the fair, as well. Two reasons 
to go: very few muscle shirts and a lot of frankly good photography, sculpture, and painting. As anyone who’s submitted art to the fair knows, it’s a selective judging process–most submissions don’t make the cut. This year’s big winner, though–an image of a banged-up child with the German Shepherd that recently bit her–seems to have won mostly because it’s easily the most provocative image at the fair (depending on how you feel about seeing a pig’s afterbirth in the animal birth center).
While there, don’t forget to check out Austin’s Derailers for free tonight and tomorrow. I’m also intrigued by the free concert at Minnehaha Falls tomorrow by a band called Patchouli–you gotta give the Wisconsin folkies credit for being up front.
Tomorrow (Aug 30) is the reception at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts for two exhibits on war: Megan Rye’s paintings inspired by her brother’s pics taken as a Marine in Iraq (“I Will Follow You Into the Dark”) and those of Megan Vossler, Justin Newhall, and Camille Gage (“War Mediated”).
And speaking of the MIA, Debbie Reynolds (actress/Carrie Fisher’s mom) is speaking at the MIA, on September 20. What about? Her collection of 3,200 film costumes. If you’re into Hollywood’s golden age, she’s got the goods: Marilyn Monroe’s dress, ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, etc. Is talking about clothes a little like dancing about film, though? There better be a chance to try the stuff on.
Also on the museum front, Walker PR maven Rachel Joyce has been moonlighting as DJ Nite Nurse, mixing a live version of the KFAI show Shake & Bake she does with Tony Paul every Monday night from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Nomad World Pub. It’s Afro-Beat, reggae, Latin, soul, Arabesque, and other world grooves…and it’s happy hour (2 for 1).
But perhaps the most altruistrically artistic way you can spend your money this week is by supporting Nautilus, the music-theater workshop that has incubated some of the best sung theater in the Cities with some of its best artists (Bradley Greenwald, the Baldwin sisters, et al). Its founder was honored at the Ivey Awards just last year, and now, apparently, they’re broke: they’re $3,000 short of their budget goal, but if you contribute by Friday, Aug. 31, your money will be matched.
You can also attend the release party for the latest CD by one of the area’s most accomplished vocal groups–the Grammy-winning Sounds of Blackness. The CD is called “KINGS & QUEENS: Message Music From The Movement,” the party is Sept. 4, 7:00 to 8:30 at
the Sabathani Community Center Auditorium in South Minneapolis. The CD addresses the “N” word, self-respect, self-denigration and domestic violence, with a portion of Best Buy sales going to the MLK Fund. Expect performances, food, and drink, though nothing on a stick.
(Images: from “War Mediated,” above–Camille Gage, Untitled; below–Megan Vossler, Platoon)
