Robyn Hitchcock
@ First Avenue

Robyn Hitchcock has been making consistently quality pop albums for so long that it’s become all too easy to take the man for granted. From his days fronting the Soft Boys back in the early ’80s to the present, Hitchock’s pithy pop with a distinctively British bent has rarely missed the mark. Later years have found Hitchcock moving towards more laid-back acoustic terrain, and he couldn’t ask for a better pair of collaborators to get rootsy with than the cast he assembled for Spooked. Recorded in Nashville with highly lauded roots-music duo Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Spooked is Robyn Hitchcock like you’ve never heard him before—sounding damn near American at points and covering Bob Dylan. The extreme-Americana-makeover works largely because of his compatriots, but it’s a testament to the talents of all three musicians that Spooked is simultaneously identifiable as a great Robyn Hitchcock album and as something unlike anything he’s done before. With headlining act Jonathan Richman featuring Tommy Larkins and special guest opener Jesse Denatale. 6 p.m. $10 adv/$12 door. 21+. 701 First Ave. N., Mpls. 612-338-8388. Nathan Dean

The Weakerthans
@ The Triple Rock Social Club

Rock bands don’t come much brainier than The Weakerthans, a Canadian four-piece bridging the daunting gap between Emily Dickinson and Green Day—touring the nation with a bookmobile in tow in addition to the standard merch set-up. Led by former Propaghandi bassist John K. Samson (easily the most erudite interviewee I’ve had the pleasure of chatting up), the Weakerthans started off as prototypical pop-punkers in the late ’90s, but the subsequent years have seen a general mellowing and expansion of their sound. Their latest, Reconstruction Site, expands Samson’s already dynamic lyrics in addition to stretching their sound. Over its 14 cuts, Samson puts himself in an array of strange narrative positions, singing songs from the perspective of a retired explorer debating philosophy, a cat bent on getting its owner to shape up and an elderly Elks Lodge member. The various narrative guises work because Samson’s lyrics are as stunning as ever (“we waste our precious time marching in the picket lines that surround those striking hearts”) and set to a brightly melodic batch of tunes. With Piebald. 6 p.m. $10 adv/$12 door. All Ages. 629 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls. 612-333-7399. Also opening up for Matthew Sweet (see feature pg. 16) and the Velvet Crush on Fri., 11/5 at First Avenue. 7 p.m. $10 adv/$12 door. 21+. 701 First Ave. N., Mpls. 612-338-8388. Rob van Alstyne

Black Hippie Chronicles
@ Center for Independent Artists

Rasta bard David Daniels (“Malcolm X Meets Peter Tosh,” “I and I Roots Story”) is back and the CIA has got him. Center for Independent Artists, that is. He follows his spoken word CD “Talkin’ Roots,” which sold out its entire first pressing, with a new work for the stage, “Black Hippie Chronicles.” Says Daniels, “Reggae and Rasta speak about knowing one’s roots. Though historically there are the African roots, I was born and raised in America. There are many similarities between the Rasta way of life and the hippie way. Besides marijuana, there is the communal lifestyle and the nomadic in common. In America, many white hippies came from middle-class backgrounds. [They] were able to hide back into their families and mainstream America when the going got tough. I came from a black middle-class family where ‘assimilation’ was preached with penalties if one strayed from the path. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to chat with Spalding Grey when [he performed] at the Walker. I always enjoyed Spalding Grey’s material. For some reason after his death, to do this material in that style seemed to make sense.” Philip T. Hunter directs. Produced by The Hemp Channel and Third Stone. Fri. Nov. 5 – Sun. Nov. 7, 8 p.m. $10. Center for Independent Artists, 4137 Bloomington Ave S., Mpls. 612-724-8392 Dwight Hobbes


Venus of Mars
@ U Film Society

Gender-bending has swirled throughout rock and roll for years—from Little Richard to the New York Dolls, T. Rex and David Bowie. But did you know that Minneapolis has its own transgender Glam band? All The Pretty Horses, featuring lead singer Venus (aka Steve Grandell), have been playing local clubs for years. Now, Twin Cities’ filmmaker Emily Goldberg brings us a glam-rock documentary for the 21st century, highlighting the band in “Venus of Mars.” Goldberg rejects Jerry Springer-like voyeurism, yet delves into the uncharted territory of Venus/Grandell’s sexual identity. The film also chronicles the love story of Grandell’s 20-year marriage to writer Lynette Reinie-Grandell. The film premieres on Friday at Oak Street Cinema for the Get Reel Film Festival. Afterward, Goldberg, Venus and Reinie-Grandell will be available for a Q & A, then All The Pretty Horses take the stage at The Cabooze. Fri. Nov. 5, 9:30 p.m., Oak Street Cinema, 309 Oak St. SE, Mpls. Sat. Nov. 6 – Thu. Nov. 11 (no show on Tue. & Wed.), 7:15 & 9:15 (5:15 matinee on Fri. & Sat.). U Film Society, Bell Auditorium, 17th Ave. SE & University Ave., Mpls. 612-331-3134. Lydia Howell

Paul Westerberg & the Painkillers
@ The Pantages Theatre

Paul Westerberg’s been “back” for a while now, announcing the reclamation of his muse in full force on the 2002 double-album shot Stereo. That set of songs saw the former Replacements leader and college rock icon finally abandon the world of major labels and switch over to “basement-mode” playing all the instruments himself alone at home in the wee hours with just one edict guiding his record making principles (“the first take is the best take”). He hasn’t looked back since. It’s hard to argue with the man’s new method, since the just-released Folker is his fifth album’s worth of mostly top-flight material to see release in the last two-and-a-half years. This set of shows is highly anticipated as it represents the first gigs for Paul with a full band in eight years, and the lineup he’s assembled to play with him as the Painkillers is flat-out stunning (Kevin Bowe on guitar, Jim Boquist of Son Volt fame on bass and former Prince drummer Michael Bland). Should be interesting to hear how these guys shake up Westerberg’s past tunes in addition to seeing how a crack band interprets Westerberg’s loosely recorded new classics. Also on Sat., 11/6, Sun., 11/7. 8 p.m. $37. All Ages. 710 Hennepin Ave., Mpls. 612-339-7007. van Alstyne

Hockey Night, Duplomacy
@ Big V’s

Hockey Night has spent so much time of late flying under the local music radar that I was surprised to recently learn that in fact only one member of their band relocated to NYC, and the rest still live here in the cities. Anyway, the band has been busy even if they haven’t been gigging here in town—they recently finished laying down the tracks for their sophomore album with ace producer Bryce Goggin (a man known for his work with tiny bands like oh … Pavement). So it looks like Hockey Night’s schizophrenic hodgepodge pop is angling for the big time. This is the band’s first local gig in seven months, so please remember to show the love and let them now they aren’t forgotten. Also rocking for the people is Andy Flynn’s recently re-tooled indie-pop band Duplomacy (which now includes Valet drummer Judd Hildreth). After self-releasing an EP earlier this year recorded with Pedro the Lion’s TW Walsh, Fynn’s Grandaddy-ish jangle-pop turned local heads almost immediately. He’s since found himself signed to the Twin Cities hot label of the moment, 2024 Records, and is planning on laying down tracks for the eagerly awaited debut full-length in the near future. There should be plenty of ace material to choose from, as Flynn’s been obsessively four-track recording for years (and I’ve been fortunate enough to hear some of the tasty results). With Ming TX, Valet. 9 p.m. $5. 21+. 1567 University Ave., St. Paul. 651-645-8472. van Alstyne

JG Everest, Spaghetti Western
@ The Bryant Lake Bowl

Is Italian-influenced, futuristic instrumental music your thing? Then have I got the band for you! Minneapolis outfit Spaghetti Western’s bold fusion of rustic Old World musical stylings with forward-thinking arrangements and decidedly 21st century sampling techniques is the kind of exotic hybrid of sound heard all too rarely. Led by former one-man band Michael Rossetto (a self-taught musician proficient at playing a wide array of instruments—among them the banjo, vibraphone and pedal steel) the band’s rounded out by a classically trained fiddler (Denise Guelker), a mandolin player with a B.A. in music education (Nicholas Lemme) and a “junkyard percussionist” who used to play bass in punk bands (Travis Even was formerly a member of Torra! Torra! Torrance!). This collision of disparate musical backgrounds and styles is Spaghetti Western’s calling card. Where else would one be likely to see a man playing an empty water jug by hand for percussion play alongside an effects-treated pedal steel and loop-based guitar riff? An equally maverick creative spirit drives the night’s headlining performer, JG Everest, the former curator of the Dinkytowner’s Crossfaded series and erstwhile Lateduster member. Everest is playing just the second local show in support of his excellent solo debut, Hush Money, which came out back in August (he’s been kept busy touring internationally with experimental electro outfit Neo Tropic the last few months). It should be interesting to hear how Everest brings the moody studio-heavy material of Hush Money, a layered and beautifully subdued record reminiscent of Chicago bedroom troubadour Owen, to live performance. A night not to be missed by music fans in search of innovative sounds. With Data General (Tim Glenn from Poor Line Condition). 8 p.m. $6 adv/$8 door. All Ages. 810 West Lake Street, Mpls. 612-825-8949. van Alstyne

Pinback
@ The Triple Rock Social Club

Pinback, sexy sounding San Diegoan symbiotic pop duo for the ages, are back with a new album, Summer in Abaddon, and it’s guaranteed to keep your ass shaking and head scratching for months. The latest installment in Rob Crow and Armistead Burwell Smith IV’s dispatches from the outer realms of progressive indie-pop, Abaddon sounds like two halves of a dynamically creative brain firing on all cylinders. The co-songwriting/singing multi-instrumentalists throw so much at the listener—frequently singing different verses simultaneously in a word flow so heavy it seems more akin to Hip-Hop than indie-rock—that it takes a fair share of spins for Abaddon’s multi-tiered melodies to fully sink in. The deep grooves are balanced by a hyper-active high end of tinkling pianos and skittery electric guitars intent on doing serious ear-tickling. In a world overrun with retro-pop imitators, Pinback sound like the future. With Aspects of Physics, The Lacerati. 8 p.m. $10 adv/$12 door. 21+. 629 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls. 612-333-7399. van Alstyne

Fair Trade Thanksgiving Dinner
@ SAPOR Café & SEWARD Café

For people who want to support local co-ops and small farmers, or who just don’t want to wait three weeks for Thanksgiving, the Domestic Fair Trade Group will hold two Fair Trade Thanksgiving dinners Saturday, Nov. 6 and Monday, Nov. 8. The Domestic Fair Trade Group works with Minnesota farmers like Full Circle Organic Co-operatives and the White Earth Land Recovery Project—the organization headed by Green Party former vice-presidential candidate Winona LaDuke —and matches them with local farmers who need a market for their crops. The group’s goal is to produce organic food while sustaining the environment and respecting human rights. Saturday’s is from noon to 3 p.m. at Sapor, 428 N. Washington Ave., Mpls. Speeches by local farmers and music by cowboy folksinger Pop Wagner $10 – $45. Monday’s (vegetarian) dinner is from 7 to 10 p.m. at Seward Café, 2129 E. Franklin Ave., Mpls. Music by local string band The Whistlepigs. $5 – $25. 612-879-7560 or foodjusticemn@yahoo.com. Brian Kaller & Lydia Howell