Charlie Maguire
@ Cedar Cultural Center

Charlie Maguire will premiere his “Rough Trade” song cycle at the Cedar this Thursday. It’s a four-song cycle of life on the boats, mostly on Lake Superior. The songs are sweet like the spun sugar in cotton candy. There isn’t much of an edge, a little too much Minnesota Nice, but he’s a wonderful musician. And popular. He performs all the time: for Almanac on Channel 2, Jason Davis on Channel 5 and the National Park Service. 7:30 p.m. $12 adv/$14 door. Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave., Mpls. 612-338-2674. (Ed Felien)

Oil On Canvas
@ Red Eye Theater

Doesn’t everybody have a Modigliani print on their wall? Those narrow, oval-shaped faces of peasant women and bored nudes. Painting in Paris at the turn of the twentieth century, Modigliani was contemporary with Fauves, Impressionists, Expressionists, Cubists and, yet, not part of any movement. His portraits of women are achingly beautiful. They stand alone. Their own movement. Amedeo Modigliani’s life was, of course, tragic. His fragile health was ruined by hashish and alcohol. He died at 34. His romantic affairs, his decadence, his passion for life made him the quintessential artist. 15 Head, always an ambitious and daring theater company, is putting that life on the stage at Red Eye. Expect to be amazed. Apr. 22 – May 15. Wed. – Sat. 8 p.m. $19. Red Eye Theater, 15 W. 14th St., Mpls. 612-377-1200. (Felien)

Unguided Missile
@ The Turf Club

Unguided Missile are back in the public eye after keeping a lower public profile recently, working on finishing up recording the follow-up to their well received debut from last year, Time Well Wasted. A solidly rocking quartet that mixes the laconic Beck-ian vocals of guitarist Kurt Allis with occasional unexpected twists (keybords, banjo, the accordian) from second guitarist and Crazy Beast studio owner/respected local producer Ben Durrant, UM are a local band deserving of increased recognition. Judging by the quality of the audio snippets from LP No. 2 they have posted for download on their website, it’s only a matter of time before they get it. With Moon Maan (featuring former Afghan Whig guitarist Rick McCollum) and Tim Casey. 8 p.m. 21+. $3. The Corner of University and Snelling Avenues, St. Paul. 651-647-0486. (Rob van Alstyne)

Twin Town High CD Release Show
@ The Triple Rock Social Club

In what will undoubtedly be a concert for the ages, Pulse of the Twin Cities is honored to present the CD release show for Twin Town High Volume VI. Once again Pulse and a few other folks have banded together to come up with arguably the best local music compilation available. This year the CD boasts 22 exclusive tracks by 22 different artists (among them heavy hitters like Heiruspecs, Low, Big Ditch Road and Future Wives). How much does it cost? Zip. Where can you get your paws on one? Only at these CD release shows and future Pulse-sponsored events. Picking up a CD is reason enough to head on out, but don’t worry, there’ll be plenty of live music action to heighten your pre-CD-grab excitement. The lineup (all of whom appear on Twin Town High Volume VI) includes The Hang Ups, Haley Bonar, So Fox, Dosh, Kingdom of Ghosts and J.G. Everest (Everest at late 21+ only). Summit drink specials and quality rock all night long! 5 p.m. $6. All Ages. 629 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls. 612-333-7399. And again. 9 p.m. $6. 21+. (van Alstyne)

24-Hour Comic Day
@ Grumpy’s

Create a 24-page comic book entirely in one day. This was the challenge comic book guru Scott McCloud posed to a bunch of geeks at a comic con ten years ago. This year, hundreds of artists in 53 locations in the United States have decided to try it. In Minneapolis eight members of the Cartoonist Conspiracy will pit their skills against the clock in a Battle Royale. Afterwards, each artist will print up his or her own comic, as well as putting together an anthology of 24-hr comics from the Twin Cities. The artists will be hanging out at Grumpy’s throughout the day, with some “showroom dummys” taking turns creating masterpieces in the display window of Big Brain Comics. So why should any of this concern you dear reader? If you live for that moment the tri-athlete collapses, enjoy watching a matador get gored, and only go to races to see the car crashes, then imagine the thrill as you watch some poor schmuck with a warm pen in one hand and a cold cup of coffee in the other, in his 22nd hour of cartooning, drool running down his check as he draws cruel stories involving orphans. There’s nothing quite like seeing an artist snap right before your eyes. One moment he’s inking a fuzzy teddy bear, the next he’s dressed up like Napoleon screaming something about “taking the Laker’s Girls down a notch.” Be sure to bring a pen for autographs. Noon – midnight. Free. Grumpy’s Bar & Grill, 1111 Washington Ave. S., Mpls. 612-340-9738. www.catroonistconspiracy.com (Doc Pop)





Tommy J & Sally
@ Hillcrest Center

It’s been a good number of years since the Twin Cities arts scene had the gumption to acknowledge—much less address—relations between Blacks and Jews. There’ve been some cosmetic forays at Intermedia Arts that were too busy being politically correct than actually confronting issues of conflict between the two groups. Well, now, we have the Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company production of Mark Medoff’s “Tommy J & Sally.” The premise reminds you of Ed Bullins’ “The Taking of Miss Janie” and LeRoi Jones’ “The Slave,” one of those the-white-man-is-bad-and-the black-man-is-good polemics. To wit: Black Tommy traps good-looking, famous and wealthy Jewish Sally in her apartment, insisting that her family has done him grievous injury and are due disastrous comeuppance. To Medoff’s credit, he did write the soundly crafted “Children of a Lesser God.” It could really turn out to be a worthwhile evening at the theater—especially since Kevin D. West, whose chops are strong enough to make iron look soft, plays Tommy. Jennifer Maren is Sally. Kurt Schweickhardt directs. Apr. 24 – May 16. Wed. – Thu. 7:30 p.m.; Sat. 8 p.m.; Sun. 2 p.m.; Also Sun. Apr. 25, 7 p.m. $15 - $18. Hillcrest Center, Hillcrest Center, 1978 Ford Parkway, St. Paul. 651-647-4315. (Dwight Hobbes)


Ela
@ 4th Street Station

It’s been a long wait (final recording wrapped a year ago), but one of the Twin Cities’ best kept rock secrets, Ela, is about to bust loose with the official CD release show for their debut album, Stapled to Air. Nine tracks of visceral but layered indie-rock with frontman Bill Caperton’s open-wound vocals and angular guitar playing augmented by the production and instrumental skills of Knol Tate (Askeleton) and the ass-shakingly proficient rhythm section of Peter Leggett and Sean McPherson (Caperton’s high school buddies also known for keeping it locked down in loved local Hip-Hop outfit Heiruspecs). Ela’s 12” single release show at the Triple Rock last month was hurt by some tough scheduling (going on stage at 12 am Monday morning tends to insure tiny crowds) but those in attendance were treated to a stellar performance with the band debuting new material in addition to blazing through cuts like the current Radio K staple “Razor Blade.” The boys are about to embark on a national tour following this slew of release gigs (with progressive Hip-Hop artists and Third Earth Records labelmates Dujeus? and Roosevelt Franklin from NYC), so get off your ass and catch them now before bespectacled Williamsburg hipsters start telling you what you missed in your own backyard. With End Transmission and Vox Vermillion. 8 p.m. 21+. Call for more info. Corner of 4th & Sibley, St. Paul. 651-298-0173 And again on Thu.. 4/29 at the 7th St. Entry. 9 p.m. $6. 21+. With Dujeus? and Roosevelt Franklin. 701 First Ave. N., Mpls. 612-338-8388.(van Alstyne)

Of Montreal
@ The 7th St. Entry

The indie-music hype machine surrounding the mythic Elephant 6 collective may have broken down—but Of Montreal soldiers on. Roughly six or seven short years ago nearly every college radio station and indie-music scribe had Beatles-loving Georgia connected indie-pop on the brain simultaneously. Artists like Apples in Stereo, The Olivia Tremor Control and Neutral Milk Hotel shared members, lifelong friendships and bounteous press clipping accolades. All that’s faded now (Kindercore records has closed its doors, most of the E6-ers have grown up and moved away to different cities) but the best musicians from those halcyon days, people like Of Montreal head Kevin Barnes, will not be deterred. Some men are willing to dedicate their whole lives to acid-laced psychedelic pop and non-sensical album titles like Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies, composed of equally absurd concept album story-songs—Barnes is one of those men. Barnes’ latest, Satanic Panic in the Attic, is a tad more measured and focused, recorded nearly entirely on his own and without the usual panoply of chamber-psych players he typically employs. Then again things can’t have gotten too serious if he’s still willing to pen a song entitled “Vegan in Furs.” With 12 Rods and the Umbrella Sequence. 9 p.m. $7. 21+. 701 First Ave. N., Mpls. 612-338-8388. (Nathan Dean)

Breakfast of Champions
@ Pillsbury House Theatre

Modeled after the nationally renowned 52nd Street Project, which originated in what was once called Hell’s Kitchen, NYC, Pillsbury House Theatre’s Chicago Avenue Project brings local youth together with theater professionals, giving them the opportunity to produce theater for a general audience. The Project pairs adult theater professionals with youth from South Minneapolis to create original theatre. “Breakfast of Champions” includes several short plays, each written for a specific youngster by a local playwright and features an adult professional actor working alongside. Heidi Hunter Batz, Director of Community Programming, who oversees the program, says, “Our youth do learn about theater, but it’s more of a mentorship program. The artists encourage the youth to have fun and work hard, helping them experience a feeling of success.” Mon. Apr. 26 – Tue. Apr. 27. 7 p.m. Free; no reservations required. Pillsbury House Theatre, 3501 Chicago Ave. S., Mpls. 612-825-0459. (Hobbes)

Charlz Newman
@ First Avenue

Charlz Newman keeps it pretty simple, an unabashed pop-rock group that knows how to connect with their audience. Brian Neumann, Eric Wilson, and Mark Charles blend their respective vocals together quite nicely on the group’s latest disc, released last week. A highly democratic (all three members contribute to songwriting) group, Charlz Newman are low-key charmers, you won’t find any big production values here or guys dying for stardom. They’re an ideal choice to headline yet another Developing Arts & Music Foundation (DAMF) benefit concert. With Red Room. 8 p.m. $3 adv/ $6 door. 21+. 701 First Ave. N., Mpls. 612-338-8388. (Louis Lenzmeier)