Cal Hopkins Amish Armada
Triple Rock Social Club

From feature films like “Kingpin” and “Witness” to exquisite documentaries like “Devil’s Playground,” there is a definite fascination with Amish people in our pop culture. No one pushes the boundaries quite like Cal Hopkins’ Amish Armada, though. This faux Amish band comes complete with a flag (think Misfits logo gone Amish) and costumes (fake beards, suspenders and the like) and an amazing schtick: They are the disciples of Hopkins, a holy man who has been leading the holy war against technology for over 100 years. Members have band names like Jebediah the Hunted and Living Dead Elijah Damned and devote their music to fighting the English (anyone not Amish) and their God, TechnoJesus. Their music is somewhere on the punk/rockabilly spectrum—Metroland.net calls it “paranoid-schizophrenic deathabilly”—but as with any great stage show, who cares what the music sounds like? They have an incredibly well-crafted show, replete with fake blood and obscenities, and are amazing to see in person. Plus, one of the bands they’re playing with is from Utah. Can anyone say “battle of the faiths?” With Ume, The Lonely Assassins and Six Six Crush. 10 p.m. $6. 21+. 629 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls. 612-333-7499. Michelle Lee

Women in Shadow and Light
Amazon Bookstore

Jan Goff-LaFontaine is a photographer and author dedicated to bringing awareness and healing through art. Using 35 mm and medium-format cameras, she focuses her attention on people, spending hours to capture a moment, then returns to her darkroom to make her large black and white prints. Jan’s work has been exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the United States in numerous solo and group shows, and is included in many private and public collections. Her work with Vietnam veterans was released in 2000 as a book titled “Reflections,” about their healing. Goff-LaFontaine will talk about her current collection, “Out of the Shadows,” and her latest book “Women in Shadow and Light: Journeys from Abuse to Healing.” 7 p.m. 4755 Chicago Ave. S., Mpls. Free. 612-821-9630. Nathan Dean

South by Southeast
First Avenue

As Bang TziaNeng Lis’ article on Hmong emcees in this very issue demonstrates, the Asian American community in the States might not have always made the biggest noise in music in general and in hip-hop specifically, but that’s not always going to be the case. DJs like Q-Bert and groups like Mountain Brothers have been around for a minute, and this event is sure to show that Asian American hip-hop’s come a long way from cameos on De La Soul Records when it comes to representing the Far Eastside. This showcase of Pan-Asian music is being put on by the Diverse Emerging Music Organization (DEMO) in collaboration with Nancy Ngo from the Asian American Journalist Association and promises local Asian artists from a broad range of genres, including hip-hop, acoustic pop and spoken word. Headlining the whole shebang will be Jin An-Yeung from the Ruff Ryders Crew, the first Asian American rapper to release a major label album, and other participants include hot up-and-comers Aphrill, featuring Toki Wright and Nomi, and Vietnam-via-Phillips poet Bao Phi, who is the only Vietnamese American man to appear on Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry. Also featuring Ed Bok Lee, Stolen Summer, Accelerated Love Affair and DJs Trevor, Tim Choi and 2.IT. 9 p.m. $5/$10. 18 +. 701 First Ave. N, Mpls. 612-338-8388. Steve McPherson

William Kent Krueger
Uncle Edgar’s Mystery Bookstore, Har Mar Mall Barnes & Noble

Award-winning mystery author and St. Paul resident William Kent Krueger continues his streak of absorbing crime novels with his latest, “Mercy Falls.” The former logger, construction worker, peace protester and journalist is also a charter member of the so-called Minnesota Crime Wave, a coalition of local mystery writers who meet and help promote each others’ work. Krueger’s sixth book is his fifth mystery featuring Cork O’Connor, the Ojibwe sheriff of fictional Tamarack County, Minnesota. Krueger will appear to sign his book. 1 p.m at Uncle Edgar’s, 2864 Chicago Ave. S., Mpls. Lecture and book signing 7 p.m. at Har Mar Mall Barnes & Noble in Roseville. Free. Dean

History of Uptown Minneapolis
Magers and Quinn Booksellers

Rarely are good books written in a couple of months by two college-age kids. But “Uptown Minneapolis,” by 22-year-old Thatcher Imboden and his 26-year-old sister Cedar Imboden Phillips, is an entertaining homage to the duo’s native neighborhood. The pictorial history, which covers the CARAG, East Calhoun, East Isles and Wedge neighborhoods, has been published as part of Arcadia Publishing’s 2,500-title “Images of America” series, which focuses on pictoral histories of urban American areas. The first line in the book comes from Prince, “Everybody’s going to Uptown, that’s where I wanna be,” and the same sentiment pervades throughout the work, which the authors spent their own money on to help publish. For more information about the book visit Arcadia publications at ArcadiaPublishing.com. 7:30 p.m. 3038 Hennepin Ave. S., Mpls. Free. 612-822-4611. Dean

The Jungle Book
Mounds Theatre

What’s interesting about the Mounds Theatre and its Performing Arts Youth Conservatory’s production of “The Jungle Book” is not only that they are the first company in the nation to be granted “official” rights from Disney to stage the play, but moreover that director Jefferson Fietek has elected to donate 100 percent of his salary for the show to a unique, local charity. Bundles of Love is an all-volunteer Twin Cities based charitable organization that helps infants and families—from providing clothing, bedding and accessories to assisting with funeral arrangements for those who have lost a baby. The all-youth cast performs Thursday through Sunday for the next two weeks, and patrons can also donate to Bundles of Love when they attend a show. Thu. – Sat. 7:30 p.m.; Sun. 2 p.m. $10 adults / $5 seniors & students. 1029 Hudson Rd., St. Paul. Tickets: 651-772-2253. Bundles of Love Charity at BundlesOfLove.org. Nancy Sartor

Writers as Visual Artists
Outsiders and Others Gallery

Hot on the heels of its diverse, successful and super cute Teeny Tiny Miniatures show, Outsiders and Others launches a new exhibit featuring the artwork of half a dozen local writers. Aptly titled Writers as Visual Artists, the show explores how artists transcend creative boundaries, moving from words to images. Says executive director Yuri Arajs, “This show will celebrate the work of writers as they explore outside the boundaries of their training. [It’s] a chance for people who ordinarily express themselves with words to communicate with images.” Get a first-hand look at what poets, songwriters, copywriters, journalists and playwrights are creating beyond the printed page. The show opens Saturday and runs through Sept. 17. Reception 7 – 10 p.m. 1010 Park Ave. S., Mpls. 612-338-3435. Liberty Finch

The Sheikh
Scott & Troy’s 1029 Bar

Admit that you watch pro-wrestling (or that you actually like it) and watch noses of the supposedly open-minded wrinkle like you just farted. That’s snobbery for you: if they don’t have a taste for it, then it simply must be distasteful. For the rest of us this will be a helluva rasslin’ event. Legendary heel (and bad guy) The Sheikh has come out of retirement to headline “Backlot Brawl” right here in Minneapolis. Well actually, he’s promoting his autobiography “Sheikh of Baghdad: Tales of Celebrity and Terror from Pro Wrestling’s General Adnan” (Triumph Books), written under his true name Adnan Alkaissy. It details not only his career in the ring, but aspects of his life, such as being a childhood friend and minister of national health for Saddam Hussein (the real guy). Also on the bill are longtime Minneapolis residents and Midwest favorites The Sheriff and Buddha. This oughta be a lot of fun. If you wanna go but are worried about what your friends might say, the promoter is offering (for a nominal fee) maps of a secret route to the show so nobody’ll know where you’re going and nose-and-mustache disguises so you won’t be recognized while you’re there. 1 p.m. $7. 1029 Marshall St. NE, Mpls. Dwight Hobbes

Samantha Smart
May Day Books

Thomas Jefferson understood that free, public libraries are essential to a democracy. Working-class people, women and African-Americans have long relied on public libraries to access the education denied to them. Librarians have consistently fought censorship, and today they’re challenging the component of the Patriot Act that allows surveillance of what people read. With budget cuts slashing operating hours and closing libraries, Samantha Smart was inspired to organize the preservation of her neighborhood Nokomis branch, and ultimately to run for the Minneapolis Library Board. Come to a literary lunch of cool summer treats and hear poetry by Jules Nyquist (co-host of KFAI’s literary show “Write On Radio”) and Erin Lynn Marsh (the Loft). Plus see the film-version of Lorriane Hansberry’s Tony award-winning play “Raisin in the Sun” (the play also won the Pulitzer, making Hansberry the first African-American to win for playwrighting). Remarkable performances by Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee illuminate this story of a black family trying to buy a home in a de-facto segregated Northern city, an issue still relevant today. 1:30 p.m. $5 - $10 (all proceeds go to Smart’s campaign). 301 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls. (basement of Hub Bicycle). 612-333-4719. Lydia Howell

Smog
The 400 Bar

Bill Callahan and his ever-rotating crew are Smog. And depending at what point you’ve caught the man on his musical journey you might be convinced he’s an electronically manipulated balladeer (2000’s bleep-blip heavy Dongs of Sevotion) a slow-burning rocker (the so-dark-you’ve-got-to-draw-the-shades-when-you-put-it-on maneuvers of 2001’s Rain on Lens) or trad. leaning folkie (this year’s acoustic and uncharacteristically warm-sounding A River Ain’t Too Much to Love). Regardless of what indie luminaries are backing him up on record (an honor shared in the past by the likes of Jim O’Rourke, Joanna Newsome and members of Tortoise and the Dirty Three), Callahan’s gallows humor and flatly intoned drawl remain at the heart of any Smog record. Fifteen years on from his home-recorded beginnings, Smog remains an enigmatic showman and musical chameleon any fans of eccentric leaning singer/songwriters would do well to check out. With Matt Jennings. 9 p.m. $10. 21+. 400 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls. 612-332-2903. Rob van Alstyne

Hothouse Flowers
Fine Line Music Cafe

It seems that true, talented Irish rockers are a dime a dozen these days. These groups are typically U2 wannabees who think they can duplicate the supergroup’s worldwide dominance, but often fail in doing so mostly because they try to imitate U2’s sound and lack their own unique flavor. There is one notable exception to this rule, and that is Hothouse Flowers. These guys from Dublin have been around almost as long as the Bono-led super power. However, they set themselves apart from many Irish groups by combining Celtic sound flavors with what you might hear on Christian radio stations. You wouldn’t think that Gospel and Celtic sounds would combine so easily, but somehow this group manages to do it in a smooth, successful way. With last year’s Into Your Heart album, they investigated how love (in all its various forms) has played an important role in each band member’s life. It was a welcome fresh set of material for their many fans in the United Kingdom, as well as their cult fans in the United States who are thrilled that they are now touring here. 8 p.m. $17 / $19. 21+. 318 First Ave. N., Mpls. 612-338-8100. Louis Lenzmeier