The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

READINGS
Dobby Gibson Book Launch

The latest installment of the popular Rain Taxi Reading Series will feature "local on local action" as Twin Cities poet Dobby Gibson releases his second book of poems, Skirmish, through Minnesota's own Graywolf Press. This much-anticipated follow up to his award-winning poetry book, Polar, is described as "making sense of everything from the machinations of the media to the gliding of leaves on the Mississippi River." Tonight, Gibson will read from his new collection and host a lively reception at The Loft. To sweeten the deal, attendees who purchase Skirmish at the event will receive a "fortune" crafted by the poet himself!

Friday, 7 p.m., Open Book/Loft Literary Center, 1011 Washington Avenue S., Minneapolis, Free

EXTRA: If you're down for some late night poetry action, follow the crowd over to photographer Sean Smuda's studio at 10:30 p.m. for an homage to legendary local poet John Berryman. Readings of Berryman's work by numerous Twin Cities writerly types, including Dobby Gibson, will ensue, along with wine and beer (served merrily by yours truly). Click HERE for directions/address, ring buzzer #08.

MUSIC
A Paper Cup Band's CD Release Party

A Paper Cup Band's new album will be officially released tomorrow at the Hexagon Bar.  On their MySpace page, they list their genre as Folk/Breakbeat/Punk, and that amalgamation is as precise as anything I could come up with on my own. (It also says the music sounds like "two guys kissing.") So while songs like "Drunks and Poets" are fairly folksy old-school, with syncopated rhythms and lyrics about loss of love, one can't help but notice that the acoustic guitars at the beginning of the track have turned electric by the end. And those lyrics about loss of love: APCB nails it down pretty hard with incisive originality. -Max Ross

Read the rest of the article by Max Ross HERE.

Friday, 9 p.m., Hexagon Bar, 2600 27th Avenue S, Minneapolis, Free

ART
Get Lucky

Soo Visual Arts Center's annual fundraiser is always highlighted in neon on our social calendar, with a big, shiny gold star next to it. This year's theme is "Lucky Seven and the Seven Deadly Sins," in honor of SooVAC's 7th anniversary. And it would definitely be a sin not to snap up some of this amazing work from the area's most buzzed-about artists! Bid on art in the silent auction which will feature over 30 works by local luminaries such as Twenty-Seven, Rob McBroom, Amy Rice, Gregory Euclide, Jennifer Davis, Angela Strassheim and many more (including your own Secrets of the Day columnist who moonlights as a photographer). Other auction items will be available as well, including restaurant certificates, tickets to the Guthrie, and lots more. Indulge in decadent food and drink, mingle with art world movers and shakers, and sin your heart out to benefit this treasured local art gallery!

Saturday, 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., Soo Visual Arts Center, 2640 Lyndale Avenue, Minneapolis, $25

EXTRA: Form + Content Gallery opens their 2nd Anniversary group show tonight as well!

FILM
Army of Darkness

Attention cheesy sci-fi/fantasy/horror/comedy film fans: The Uptown Theater is showing one of your favorites tonight! Stay up late to revisit the third installment of the notorious Evil Dead trilogy, Army of Darkness. Bruce Campbell once again stars as Ash Williams in this campy cult flick set in medieval times. In order to return to his own time, Ash must retrieve the Necronomicon, a magical book that accidentally re-releases the evil dead, due to Ash's fumbling. Throw in an evil twin, an army of the undead, a chainsaw, and plenty of bad special effects and you've got yourself a perfect date night -- if your date is cool, that is.

Saturday, Midnight, Uptown Theater, 2906 Hennepin Avenue, Uptown Minneapolis, $9

DANCE
Ballet Hispanico

Spice up your Sunday with one of the most invigorating dance performances of the season! Critically acclaimed Ballet Hispanico makes a stop at the Ordway this evening to recreate the vibrant era of the Palladium Ballroom in 1950s New York City, where moves like the Mambo, the Cha Cha, and the Merengue first began to take the country by storm. Also featured in tonight's performance is a piece entitled Ritmo y Ruido, choreographed by Tony Award Winner Ann Reinking. A sultry and rhythm-fueled dance experience, Ritmo y Ruido is set to hip-hop and Afro-Cuban beats by musicians Philip Hamilton and Tobias Ralph.

Sunday, 7 p.m., The Ordway, 345 Washington Street, St. Paul, $25-$35

EXTRA: Save 25% on full price tickets to this performance! Use promo code: "RAKE" when ordering to unlock the discount online HERE or by phone at 651.224-4222. Offer subject to availability, not valid on previously purchased tickets.