Sarah Harris
Patrick’s Cabaret

Sarah Harris has been the artistic director for Patrick’s Cabaret since October 2001. During her nearly five year tenure, she enhanced the Cabaret by expanding its repertoire of artists to include diverse new and experienced talent, especially from marginalized communities. Join Harris this weekend as she curates and emcees one last time before heading off to San Francisco, where she will pursue interests in film and community organizing for women of color. The extravaganza of artists—including Leigh Combs, Abigail Garner, Mankwe Ndosi, Amy Salloway, Valandra!, Matthew Harris and Leslie Ball—will present five minute pieces on subjects ranging from good-byes and breakups, to “us and them” and fear of flying. Strap yourself in and enjoy the ride. Different performers and a silent auction each night. 8, 9 & 10 p.m. $20. Also Sat. 5/21. $21. 3010 Minnehaha Ave. S., Mpls. 612-721-3595. Nancy Sartor

The Wailin' Jenny's
Cedar Cultural Center

Q: What do you get when three melodious Canadian solo singer/songwriters join forces? A: The Wailin’ Jennys. The vocal wall of sound created by Annabelle Chvostek, Nickey Mehta (vibes) and Ruth Moody (voice) could be considered a new musical instrument. Their first collaboration, 40 Days, recently won a Juno (Canada’s Grammy). Breathtakingly gorgeous, there are hints of country and Appalachian music here, too. All three women have won converts at the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Opening is Jerree Small, who’s been lighting up Duluth stages with her early Michelle Shocked-style guitar and vocals, singing original material that is mature beyond her youth. 8 p.m. $12 adv/$15 door. 416 Cedar Ave. S, Mpls. 612-338-2674. Lydia Howell

Al Green
State Theatre

God knows how many seductions have taken place to the titillating sounds of Al Green. For more than 40 years and through 30-some albums, the Reverend has been crooning sweet soul, R&B, pop and gospel tunes that have inspired multitudes to get down, stand up, shake it and shout “Hallelujah!” Showing no signs of slowing, Green is in the midst of a tour to promote his new Blue Note Records release, Everything’s OK. With a four-star review from Rolling Stone, the album has garnered favorable buzz in a music world not always kind to its elders. Whether you’re looking to get laid or get saved, couldn’t we all use a little more love and happiness? 8 p.m. $43 – $63. 805 Hennepin Ave., Mpls. 612-673-0404. Sartor

Kansas City Southern: A Tribute to Gene Clark
The Hexagon Bar

Anybody who’s ever seen local faves The Glenrustles or Ol’ Yeller play live (or just spent a half-hour shooting the shit with the band members) already knows about frontman/songwriter Rich Mattson’s deep-seated love and respect for the music of Byrds co-founder Gene Clark. Clark, who wrote such classics as “Eight Miles High” and “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better,” as well as a veritable cornucopia of his own rootsy solo material, passed away in 1991, but his music lives on in the sound of bands like Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Flatlanders and, of course, Ol’ Yeller. Mattson, who was inspired several years ago to form KC Southern after a visit to Clark’s grave, plans to make this loving tribute an annual or semi-annual event, and a quick peek at the lineup and special guests appearing tonight proves that he’s not the only Gene fan on the scene. Along with longtime mates Keely Lane and Dale Kallman, Rich will share the stage with the likes of Dave Beckey (The Autumn Leaves), pedal steel whiz Bill Quinn, singer/guitarist Chris Mirski (The Youngers, Saw Boss), Jon Hunt (Landing Gear), Chris Dorn (The Beatifics), and several surprise artists. Don’t miss this true-blue tribute to one of rock’s most enduring and influential pioneers. You’ll definitely feel a whole lot better after this one. 9 p.m. Free. 21+. 2600 27th Ave. S., Mpls. 612-722-3454. Tom Hallett

Youth Military Recruitment Protest
Hennepin & Lagoon

A high school newspaper editor recently went undercover, posing as a dropout as he talked to a military recruiter at his school. In the end, the recruiter was exposed for offering to lie about the student’s graduation and for assuring him that they could beat the drug test. Manipulation, false promises about college money, deception about job assignments or lies about enlistment length are just some of the techniques that military recruiters employ in order to make their monthly quota. In addition, Pentagon- created computer war games are marketed to kids from age nine and up. Youth of color, the poor and working-class—those unable to afford college and living in economically depressed areas—are often the main targets of recruiters. Youth Against War and Racism has called a National Day of Action to resist the militarization of public schools. Gather at 2 p.m. and march at 2:30 p.m. to the Lake St. military recruiting station. Hennepin & Lagoon Aves., Mpls. 612-760-1980 YAWR.org or against.war@gmail.com. Lydia Howell

Michael McCarthy
St. Stephen’s Church

Michael and Andrea McCarthy are members of Pax Christi, a Catholic peace organization in Michigan. They went to Cuba in April 2001, brought medicine to nuns in Havana and participated in religious services. Last year an administrative law judge fined them $5,250 for defying the travel ban. They were offered a deal—$1,000 each if they would plead guilty—but they decided to test the constitutionality of the law and went before the judge. Michael is a physician’s assistant and Andrea is a nurse. They brought samples of medicine to Cuba as they have to Haiti and Mexico. They are devout Catholics, and they believed their trip to Cuba was a kind of missionary trip. “In the Gospel we’re called upon to make peace,” Michael said. Michael McCarthy and representatives of the Pastors for Peace Cuba Caravan for 2005 will speak at St. Stephen’s Church about their experiences. 7 p.m. Free. 2123 Clinton Ave. S., Mpls. 612-724-6150 or 612-276-0778. Ed Felien

Robbie Fulks
The 400 Bar

The alt. Country craze has come and gone more than once over the last decade, and even as many of those hailed as its greatest stars have shucked their copies of Sweetheart of the Rodeo in favor of Kraut-rock records (I’m looking in your direction Mr. Tweedy)—others have stayed true to the medium. Robbie Fulks has been playing traditional country with a modern lyrical slant to it for more than two decades. On his first album of original material in four years, Georgia Hard, Fulks returns to the Countrypolitan Roger Miller inspired sounds of his earlier recordings. With Sara Softich. 9 p.m. $8 adv/ $10 door. 21+. 400 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls. 612-332-2903. Nathan Dean

The Good Life
The Triple Rock Social Club

Are the home lives of these Saddle Creek guys really that shitty? Like his protégé Conor Oberst, Omahanian-turned-world-spanning-musician Tim Kasher seems to have a strong aversion to ever taking more than a two-week break between gargantuan tours. Not content to dominate the indie music spotlight with merely one band (that being the bone-crushingly cool orchestral-tinged metal of his band Cursive), Kasher long ago branched out with a side band, The Good Life, to channel his lower-decibeled-muse and take it into Mogis-abetted baroque folk terrain. The music on the most recent Good Life longplayer, the cheekily entitled Album of the Year, is indeed frequently sweet and airy, but the overall tone (thanks to a markedly woe-heavy lyric sheet) is just as acidic and bleak as anything off of Cursive’s landmark fly-on-the-wall-divorce-chronicle Domestica. In Kasher’s world the semi-protagonists are still deceiving, lying, getting black out drunk and self-shattering their dreams. It may make for a rough life, but damn if the man hasn’t managed to wring some great albums out of relationship rough patches. With Make Believe, The Zykos. 6 p.m. $10. All Ages. 629 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls. 612-333-7399. van Alstyne

Dolour
The 7th St. Entry

Currently Seattle’s best-kept pop secret, Shane Tutmarc and his revolving cast of buddies in Dolour are already much beloved in their home city, and ready to start winning converts outside of “Singles”-land. Each successive Dolour record has seen Tutmarc further refine his keyboard driven songwriting chops, and the lush and adventurous New Old Friends, released this fall on Damien Jurado’s Made In Mexico Records, finds Tutmarc working snuggly in a pop music sweet spot equal parts Fountains of Wayne and Beulah. If you thought energetic indie-pop was dead, Dolour have arrived just in time to let you know the error of your ways—and make your head bop while teaching the lesson. With Melodious Owl, The Catch. 9 p.m. $7. 21+. 701 First Ave. N., Mpls. 612-338-8388. van Alstyne

Headphones, The Crystal Skulls
The 7th St. Entry

Does the idea of Telev ision revisited a quarter century later and forced to whittle their magic into concise pop songs sound appealing to you? Yeah, to me too—and that’s just part of the reason I can’t seem to stop spinning the debut from Seattle’s next big thing, The Crystal Skulls. Far more than the-Strokes-with-sweaters-and-better-hygiene than some have made them out to be, the Crystal Skulls’ slightly jazzy and always-a little-off-kilter pop songs are would-be anthems for the awkwardly dancing set. Headlining the night are Headphones, the new electronic pop project from Pedro the Lion front man David Bazan and his buddy TW Walsh. Is anyone else more than a little bit suspicious that this project was perhaps “inspired” by fellow Washington State-er Ben Gibbard’s runaway success with his Postal Service sideproject? Unlike the Postal Service’s extreme-makeover on the Death Cab sound, Headphones pretty much sound like Pedro-the-Casio-Loving-Lion, the beats here just as slow and mournful as the rhythms of Bazan’s more organic material, and the old school synth and drum sounds are nowhere near “techno.” This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however, and any fans enamored of Bazan’s previous work will have no trouble acclimating to Headphone’s synthetic anti-groove. With Duplomacy. 9 p.m. $10. 21+. 701 First Ave. N., Mpls. 612-338-8388. van Alstyne