Our Daily Bread
Walker Art Center

King Vidor’s production of “Our Daily Bread” has to be one of the most rare achievements of Hollywood director/producers. It’s a socialist realism melodrama that was so effective it must have set the mark for later Soviet filmmakers. The struggle is individualism, self-indulgence and decadence against collective responsibility and cooperation. Made in 1934, the film was meant to be released the summer before that year’s November elections. Upton Sinclair was the leading candidate for governor in California—a moderate socialist with a populist program. Distributors conspired to delay release of the film until 1935, and instead, showed “Man on the Street” interviews that were slanted to “red scare” Sinclair voters. The 1934 elections in Minnesota were significant as well. Floyd B. Olson was running for re-election as governor as a Farmer-Laborite. He stood up at the Farmer Labor Convention in the spring of 1934 and said, “I am what I want to be. I am a radical. I’m not a liberal.” The convention went crazy and the 1934 platform of the Farmer Labor Party had to be the most radical program any political party that ever held power in Minnesota ever proposed. The Preamble began: “Capitalism has failed and we mean to establish a cooperative commonwealth.” That summer Olson sent a questionnaire to ministers in the state asking what sort of programs Jesus would endorse if he were alive. Most ministers agreed that Jesus would’ve endorsed the ideas in the Farmer Labor Platform. Olson was able to use this information to counter red baiting, and went on to win and carry a Farmer Labor majority in the House. “Our Daily Bread” is a glimpse into the militancy and high hopes of radicals and progressives in the ’30s. It seems all too distant from our present political reality. Karen Morley, the female lead, was a beautiful and gifted actor. She was active in union struggles in the motion picture industry, and helped organize a tobacco workers’ strike in North Carolina. She was investigated by HUAC and refused to testify against her fellow workers. In 1946 she was blacklisted and never worked again. “Our Daily Bread” is part of the 13th Annual “Women with Vision” Film Festival at the Walker Art Center. 7 p.m. $8/$6 members. Festival pass $40/$30 members. 1750 Hennepin Ave., Mpls. 612-375-7600. ED FELIEN

Koalas Release Show
7th St Entry

It seems that nowadays you can’t play some sludgy metal without being ironic about it, but Koalas takes their skull-crushing seriously. Not so seriously they can’t have a gloriously dark and brutal song called “Cecil Otter is My Friend,” and anyone who’s seen them live knows they’re not particularly goth. There are no coffins or smoke machines. It shouldn’t be surprising—given drummer Lori Barbero’s history with Babes in Toyland—that their new disc harks back to a time when alt rock wasn’t about disco-punk but instead focused on stripping hard rock from its sexist and coroporate moorings. Rita Puskas’ vocals crawl up the walls with staggering intensity on the scathing “Fuck You Shitbag” while Barbero takes her own turn on the mic on the darkly pretty and almost shoegazer-ish “Hold Your Breath.” It’s enough to make you long for 2009, which is about the time flannel shirts tied around the waist and Doc Martens are due to make a comeback. Remember Doc Martens? Man, they were great. With Doomtree, Incommunicado and Drama Club. 8 p.m. 21+. $6. 701 First Ave. N., Mpls. 612-338-8388. STEVE MCPHERSON

The Dog’s Bollocks: A Neat Little Package
Bedlam Theatre

If you love avant-garde theatre at its best and didn’t catch the recently closed “To Shining Sea” at Bedlam Theatre, you blew it straight up the wazoo. But no need to jump off a building. Coming right up is “The Dog’s Bollocks: A Neat Little Package” by co-artistic director Maren Ward and company member Sarah Garner (who also perform), with a special appearance by veteran experimentalist Ben Kreilkamp. Also on-hand: the comic talents of Joe Evans and choreography by Lelis Brito. It’s billed as “a journey across genres, consulting various sages, fighting battles, performing musical numbers and employing distracting video techniques, all in a desperate attempt to avoid the pitfalls and torments of the self.” “The Dog’s Bollocks: A Neat Little Package” only runs for the weekend, so don’t procrastinate. 8 p.m. Fri., Mar. 10 is pay-what-you-can. Also Sat., Mar. 11 & Sun., Mar. 12. 8 p.m. $15 (no one turned away for lack of funds). 514 ½ Cedar Ave. S., Mpls. 612-341-1038. DWIGHT HOBBES

International Reggae All-Stars
Cabooze

There are release events and there are release events, but somebody may have to call in a construction crew to put the roof back on after these guys get done: the International Reggae All-Stars promote their latest CD, Bob Marley Remembered (FS Music), a galvanizing tribute to the historic icon. Recorded live last February at Luther’s Blues in Madison, Wisc., the album features poignant renditions of the haunting ballads “Waiting in Vain” and “Who the Cap Fit” that compel with riveting immediacy. Props where props are due: the boys in the Minneapolis-spawned band are premier front man/lead singer Lynval Jackson, gnarly guitarist Tenn Bennett, Ricky Douglas on pulsing bass, sweet keyboardist Steven Starks, pocket-locking drummer Brian Alexis and take-no-shorts percussionist Tony Paul. Minneapolis is a stopover on an extensive tour, so it behooves you to show up for the throw-down. 9:30 p.m. $7. 917 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls. 612-338-6425. HOBBES

Objects from Forgotten Places: Found Object Art Show
The Belfry Center for Social and Cultural Activities

Could it be that voyeurism is at an all-time high? Youngsters spending hours each day playing high-tech peeping Tom on Friendster, MySpace, Hot or Not, and other such look-at-my-friend’s-picture sites. The abundance of Reality TV affords closet voyeurs way too much information about strangers’ lives. Found magazine, the catch-all repository for found art, flies off the shelves. It seems that we just can’t get enough of other people’s lives, and so-called found object art, which is kind of a more creative, do-it-yourself approach to voyeurism, is a great example of this. There’s nothing like reading other people’s middle-school letters or grocery lists to make you feel better about your own pathetic life—so you can bet that my reality-TV-watching ass will be at the Objects from Forgotten Places: Found Object Art Show at the Belfry. This new art space’s DIY aesthetic affords them the ability to do quirky, nonprofit-driven exhibits, and this show should be no exception. Anyone could submit, so hopefully that means anything could show up. I’ll have my peepers open. Chokecherry, Eatin’ Hogs Eye, Your Loving Tiger and the Local Motifs will play after the opening at 8:30. Opening 6:30 -8:30 p.m. Show runs through Mar. 25. 3753 Bloomington Ave. S., Mpls. 612-724-4293 or BelfryCenter.org. MICHELLE LEE




Howard M. Christopherson & Ernest Miller
Icebox Gallery

Photographer and Icebox Gallery owner Howard M. Christopherson has teamed up with clay artist Ernest Miller for a titillating show that pays homage to the female bod. From the Shadows features images from Christopherson’s extensive collection of nudes, which he’s been shooting since the mid-1970s. For this show he’s selected figurative work that not only highlights the sensuality of the female form, but also captures its strength and serenity through shape, texture, light and shadow. Making the 14-inch square images sepia-toned silver gelatin prints also adds a vintage feel. Miller’s clay work is the perfect complement. Though he’s known for creating voluptuous vessels, this show challenged him to move in a new direction. The resulting three-dimensional figurative pieces, all of which he completed in less than three months, are torsos awash in rich, earthy glazes that evoke movement and sensuality. On some of the pieces Miller pressed wedding lace to the clay before firing, adding a delicate, feminine texture to the finished sculpture. “This work is a departure for me,” he said. “The torso was chosen for its resemblance to a traditional clay vessel. After the thrown porcelain would start to dry, life would be given to the form by pushing, smoothing and carving. The glazes were made to grace the figures quietly, and respond to the subtlety of the forms and textures” That’s hot. Through May 6. Reception Sat., Mar. 11, 8 p.m. – midnight. Northrup King Bldg. #443, 1500 NE Jackson St., Mpls. 612-788-1790 or www.iceboxminnesota.com. NANCY SARTOR

The Wedding Present
400 Bar

I feel bad for any woman who’s been involved with David Gedge: Judging by his songs, he either cheated on you, broke your heart and then went on to immortalize it in song or you cheated on him, broke his heart and you still got immortalized in song. Either way, you’ll never live it down—not when Gedge plants his lyrical daggers inside of sticky, bittersweet hooks. After years of fronting the high-fidelity-meets-infidelity Cinerama, Gedge returned to the gritty, guitar-driven fold of his first band, The Wedding Present, who’ve been on hiatus since 1997. If you’ve been watching Tom Hallett’s space, you read his glowing review of Take Fountain, but I’ll sum it up for you: The Wedding Present are as toothy and toothsome as ever, Gedge spinning tales of heartbreak with clear- and cold-eyed honesty. You can bring your girl, but if Gedge has anything to do with it, you won’t be leaving with her. With Sally Crewe & the Sudden Moves. 8 p.m. 21+. $15. 400 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls. 612-332-2903. MCPHERSON

Darren Jackson
331 Club

The Hopefuls are hitting the road soon, but before they head out, you should really do yourself a favor and check out Darren Jackson doing his singer/songwriter thing at the 331 Club. It wasn’t so long ago that the 331 was a dingy place no one wanted to go, and then not so long ago, it was a classy place that nobody knew about. Now, it’s the place to be, and booking acts like Darren Jackson to serenade the scenesters and locals is sure to keep up its hot streak. As dark and confessional as the Hopefuls are bubbly and effervescent, Jackson’s alter-ego Kid Dakota is likely to provide the bulk of the material on display. Last year’s The West is the Future boasts one of the finest Minnesota-themed songs in “10,000 Lakes,” and there aren’t very many tunesmiths out there capable of taking inspiration from Dostoevsky, but that’s exactly what Jackson did on “Ivan.” Whatever Jackson has planned is sure to fortify you for this last push through winter until warmer weather comes our way. 9 p.m. 21+. Free. 331 NE 13th Ave., Mpls. 612-331-1746. MCPHERSON

Bromance with Capes-N-Tates
The Turf Club

Armed with laptops and iPods, Capes-N-Tates (better known as Bill Caperton of Ela and Askeleton and Knol Tate of Askeleton and Ela) are hosting this weekly night of crate digging, bouncing back and forth between obscure B-sides and, well, really obscure B-sides in an ever-escalating game of one-upsmanship which will only end when one of them reaches for his revolver. This won’t be Danceteria, kids. Reports from the front last week indicate that everybody was having a good time, except for one woman who felt obliged to remark that no one liked the music they were playing except for themselves. Don’t think for an instant that’s going to make them change their obscurantist ways. It’s free, the drinks are reasonable and—for the rest of the month—you can kill yourself softly with tobacco. What else can I say to convince you? Let me holla at you: Holla holla holla holla … 9 p.m. 21+. Free. Corner of University & Snelling Aves., St. Paul. 651-647-0486. MCPHERSON