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Today, Saint Paul Arts & Culture Director, Joe Spencer, dropped by the Turf Club to present the marathoning Mallman with an official proclamation handed down from none other than Saint Paul Mayor, Chris Coleman.

City Pages’ Gimme Noise Blog has been live blogging from the Turf since the beginning of Marathon 3, and had this to say:

Joe Spencer, the arts director for the City of St. Paul, is in the house with a proclamation.  Spencer joins Mallman onstage and reads a framed document verbatim.  It includes the statement “Whereas Mark Mallman is totally AWESOME.”  (Yes, it’s written in all caps on the official document.)

A roar of applause echoes through the room when Thursday, October 7th to Sunday, October 10th are declared Mark Mallman Days in the City of St. Paul.

“I don’t feel like I should accept this, but I will,” Mallman says humbly.  “I was just gonna quit!  Now I have to keep on rocking.”

Photo by Eric Hess for City Pages. See tons more fantastic photos and live updated commentary HERE.

Click HERE to watch the marathon streamed live on the web!

Now past the halfway mark on his epic 78-hour music marathon, local rock Mark Mallman doesn’t appear to be losing much steam. We hit up the Turf Club last night for a few hours to watch Mr. Serious get wild with a rotating barrage of backup musicians (There will be 75+ over the 78-hour span!).

Amidst standing on chairs, the occasional high-kick and nonsensical banter about alien abduction, Mallman’s rock n’ roll swagger has remained solidly in tact throughout the duration. The height of Friday night’s melee occurred when Har Mar Superstar, Jeff Quinn, Kermit Carter and sax man Dameun Strange rotated in, joining Mallman and drummer Sean Hoffman, who had been on percussion duty for the past several hours and remained in place until bar close due to a scheduled drummer who didn’t show up.

Mallman flailed about, roaring and gyrating right up until 2am, with the always charismatic Har Mar backing him up on vocals and guitar. A healthy crowd egged him on throughout, raising beers in the air and dancing like their lives depended on it.

After bar close, Mallman dialed it down for his second instrumental-only overnight shift, backed up by Mark McGee and Jehna Wilhelm of To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie. Still going strong as of 10:30am this morning, the rocker’s spirits are still high, despite showing plenty of signs of fatigue. His commentary is getting weirder as the marathon wears on, providing more-than-quotable sound bytes for fans and bloggers alike. At the time of this post, Mr. Serious is about 43 hours and counting into his marathon (or “Mallman’s Opus” as someone aptly put it last night), and if we know Mark, we know he’ll ride this “wave” until the end.

Fans are able to tune in via live feed to check out Mallman’s antics 24-hours a day HERE.

For some great play-by-play live blogging via City Pages’ Gimme Noise blog, click HERE.

Mark Mallman’s Marathon 3 runs through Sunday night at the Turf Club at 1601 University Avenue in St. Paul. The bar opens to the public at noon each day, with a $7 cover going into effect after 8pm. For more info visit www.turfclub.net or www.markmallman.com.

Local madman/pianist Mark Mallman has been known more for his stunts than for his well-crafted pop songs, thanks to antics like playing inside a refrigerator box for ten hours and jumping a ramp on a motorbike onstage. But more than anything, he’s been known for his iconic marathon performances – the first of which was a 26-hour performance in 1999, the second a 52.4-hour performance in 2004.

Mark Mallman

This time, he’s promising a 78-hours-straight performance, said to include more than 400 pages of lyrics and more than 100 different backup performers. Starting at 8 p.m. Friday, the indie rock hero will begin singing the song “Marathon 3,” and he’ll finish sometime Sunday. The rules: no sleeping, no audience between 2:15 a.m. and noon (when the venue is closed), just the odd bathroom/meal break and Mallman being himself: a musical treat, but totally off his rocker.

You can stop in any of the three nights, or watch it live at www.markmallman.com.

“Why,” we all ask? “Because,” says Mallman. Good enough of an answer for us.

Beginning 8 p.m, Friday through Sunday, $7, 21+, Turf Club, 1601 University Ave., St. Paul

On tap this weekend in St. Paul: a new residency from DJ Jonathan Ackerman, First Friday Happy Hour in Lowertown, a men’s fashion show, and Mark Mallman at the Turf Club.

Jonathan Ackerman

THURSDAY: DJ Jonathan Ackerman at Barrio Lowertown
Prolific beatmaker Jonathan Ackerman hops over the river for his first weekly residency – at the newly-minted Barrio Lowertown, natch. The hip Mexican fusion bar and eatery should provide the perfect backdrop for Ackerman’s eclectic sound, alternately hard-rocking and gently-grooving. While you’re there, take advantage of the night’s drink specials: $3 Barrio margaritas and $4 Red Bull vodkas. (9 p.m.-1 a.m. Free. 235 6th St. E., St. Paul. 651-222-3250.)

Artists' Quarter

FRIDAY: Lowertown First Friday Happy Hour
Every first Friday of the month, St. Paul’s independent art galleries and studios join forces for the First Friday open studio. Afterward, a bunch of Lowertown clubs and bars get into the mix with an evening happy hour. This month, the Artists’ Quarter will open early just for us Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. Enjoy live jazz music from McNally Smith College of Music students and free pizza compliments of Wild Tymes. The Artists’ Quarter is located in the basement of the Hamm Building. As usual, you can expect two-for-ones on select tap beers at The Blackdog Wine Bar & Cafe, The Bulldog Lowertown, Rumours/Innuendo, Senor Wong, Station 4, and Trattoria da Vinci. Just say “FIRST FRIDAY” to receive your discount. (6-9 p.m. Free. Various locations. Click HERE for more info.)

Also recommended: The 8hz label releases its first compilation with a lineup including many of the featured bands: Me and My Arrow, Fort Wilson Riot, Economy Team, Buildings, Phantom Tales, and Speed’s The Name. (9 p.m. $5. 21-plus. 1601 University Av. W., St. Paul. 651-647-0486.)

SATURDAY:

A look from Flirt boutique

Hunting Opener Party at Flirt
To celebrate the men being out of town for hunting opening, lingerie boutique Flirt is hosting a cheekily-named Hunting Opener Party. Indulge in champagne, cupcakes and 20 percent off one item, and sample products from Sunrider skin care and cosmetics. (3-7 p.m. 177 Snelling Av. N., St. Paul.)

A Ben Sherman look at Details

Men’s Fall Fashion Mingle
One of the very few all-men’s boutiques in the Twin Cities, Details Style Lab hosts a Men’s Fall Fashion Mingle. Male models will don the latest in fall and winter fashions, including looks from Ben Sherman, Skunk Funk, Cloth Logic, Bertigo, and the popular Bjorn Borg underwear line. (10-11:30 p.m. at Rumours & Innuendo, 213 4th St. E., St. Paul. 11:30 p.m.-1 a.m. at Camp Bar, 490 N. Robert St., St. Paul.)

Mark Mallman

Mark Mallman at Turf Club
Mark Mallman blows the lid off Turf Club with his madmen piano stylings. Boasting “the fastest piano in the Midwest,” Mallman should be up to his usual antics, which have included driving a motorbike onstage and playing from inside a refrigerator box for hours on end. He’s sure to dip mainly from his latest release, September’s The Invincible Criminal, as well as his catalog from over the past ten years. The Alpha Centauri and Total Babe open. (9 p.m. $6. 21-plus. 1601 University Av. W., St. Paul. 651-647-0486.)