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A slew of old faces to the music industry are proving they’re still kicking when a trio of seminal acts take the stages of St. Paul this weekend. (Two of which are sold out.)

Tonight, former Hüsker Dü co-frontman Grant Hart headlines a show at the Turf Club with fellow Twin Cities semi-legendary garage rock trio Rank Strangers. Hart is in the midst a musical comeback since his excellent 2009 album Hot Wax. He is in the thick of making a concept album based on John Milton’s epic poem “Paradise Lost.” The album’s producer also happens to be Rank Strangers leader Mike Wisti, Hart’s chief collaborator on the album. The show will double as a benefit for Hart, who recently suffered a house fire. With Fortified Five (ex-Knife World) and Slip City Widows. (9 p.m. Friday. $6. 21-plus. Turf Club, 1601 University Ave. W., St. Paul. 651-647-0486.)

Then on Sunday, two national rock acts go head to head – The legendary Pixies at the Roy Wilkens Auditorium and former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell at the Fitzgerald Theater. It’s been seven years since the night the Pixies kicked off their reunion tour in Minneapolis after a three-day practice session at the Fine Line Music Cafe. By now, the second incarnation of the band has lasted longer than the first, though the band (said to have influenced Nirvana and the grunge genre in general) haven’t released a new album together since 1991. (Here’s a twist for you: The Pixies have listed Hüsker Dü as a key influence to their sound.) (7:30 p.m. Sunday. Sold out. Roy Wilkens Auditorium, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul. 651-989-5151.)

Meanwhile, Chris Cornell could just as easily list The Pixies as an influence for his grunge band, Soundgarden, and his later hard-rock outfit with members of Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave. Though the Soundgarden album Seasons was recorded by Cornell as a solo piece, reviews for his last album, Scream, deemed it awful at best. He may fare better on this acoustic songbook tour. In any case, the guy has one of the few voices around that could match Robert Plant for metal-ness. (7 p.m. doors, 7:30 p.m. show. Sunday. Sold out. All ages. Fitzgerald Theater, 45 7th St., St. Paul, 651-290-1200.)

More shows this weekend in St. Paul:

Friday:
Willie Murphy at Minnesota Music Cafe
The legendary West Bank folkie is still going 40 years later.
9 p.m. Free. 501 Payne Ave., St. Paul, 651-776-4699.

My Lady Four (CD release) at Station 4
Long awaited, highly anticipated show from the Minneapolis melodic rock five-piece. With the Teddy Holidays, This Is Breathing, Liz Akhavan.
5 p.m. $10. All ages. 201 E. 4th St., St. Paul. 651-224-6372.

Charmin & Shapira (CD release) at Artists’ Quarter
Charmin Michelle and guitarist Joel Shapira combine traditional and modern jazz styles to create Charmin & Shapira.
9 p.m. $10. 408 St. Peter St., St. Paul. 651-292-1359.

Saturday:
The Goondas, Skoal Kodiak, Torch the Game, Hot Rash at Turf Club
The Goondas have been bringing their gritty, old-school sound with a rockstar-pulse that vibes through the hipster-heavy Minneapolis scene since 2008. Skoal Kodiak, on the other hand, beckons the smooth groove of reggae-meets-the early ’90.
9 p.m. $6. 21-plus. 1601 University Ave. W., St. Paul. 651-647-0486.

Calamity & the Owl, Courtney Yasmineh, James Loney, the Psychedelic Friends Network at Wild Tymes
Folk and singer-songwriter sets.
9 p.m. Free. 18-plus. 33 W. 7th Pl., St. Paul. 651-224-8181.

After checking out the lineups this weekend at the Turf Club, I’ve decided I may as well set up a cot and camp out.

Rock & Roll Spring Break

Whether or not you’re heading to South by Southwest next week (you know I am), you’ll want to check out tonight’s SXSW Sendoff. Though Vita.mn and City Pages have already thrown their sendoff parties at the Varsity Theater and First Avenue, respectively, the Turf’s version focuses on up-and-comers over big names – with a couple of national acts thrown in. Organized by Christy Hunt of Pink Mink and the Von Bondies, the show takes place concurrently between the main stage and the basement Clown Lounge (thankfully reopened recently after a short-lived closure).

Headlining is, of course, Pink Mink – one of the best new live acts in town, thanks to the one-two punch of frontwomen Hunt and Arzu Gokcen alongside longtime local fixtures Charles Gehr on drums and Jacques Wait on bass. Detroit’s The Hounds Below is the latest project from Jason Stollsteimer that draws Roy Orbison and Otis Redding as influences. One man dancing machine Shane Shane is the frontman of Madison band Screamin’ Cyn Cyn and the Pons. JM Airis is a band started by the drummer of the New York band Dead Sparrows, with an album soon to be released by local label Totally Gross National Product. Also on the lineup: H.U.N.X., the newish inprovisational electronic project from To Kill a Petty Bourgeoisie’s Mark McGee and Lookbook’s Maggie Morrison which just completed a six-month-long Wednesday night residency at Nick and Eddie; Hastings 3000, one-man guitar god Joe Hastings (known to don a white suit and gas mask and perform remotely off-stage), and newbies Still Pacific.

The lineup:
Mainstage: Pink Mink (1 a.m.), The Hounds Below (midnight), JM Airis (11 p.m.), Still Pacific (10 p.m.)
Clown Lounge: H.U.N.X. (12:30 a.m.), Shane Shane (11:30 p.m.), Hastings 3000 (10:30 p.m.)

The details:
10 p.m. Friday, $7, 21-plus, Turf Club, 1601 W. University Ave., St. Paul, 651-647-0486, www.turfclub.net

Poster art by Lisa Luck

Then on Saturday, the ’70s-loving record spinners known as Hot Roxx have put together a showcase that challenges local bands to play their favorite tracks spanning the Fleetwood Mac catalog. So don your finest capes, medieval garb, and get ye down to the Turf for a magical, mystical eve.

The lineup:
Vampire Hands, Me & My Arrow, Nightinghales, Little Foot, and Invisible Boy, plus plus hand-selected musical delights by Hot Roxx DJ Jen Hughes.

The details:
9 p.m. Friday, $7, 21-plus, Turf Club, 1601 W. University Ave., St. Paul, 651-647-0486, www.turfclub.net

Tonight, St. Paul gets a taste of country-tinged Americana with a rock ‘n roll bent. The solid local lineup at the Turf Club (one of the best places to see a rock show in the Twin Cities, in this writer’s humble opinion) kicks off with John Swardson’s outfit Get Gone, hot off a CD release earlier this month. Swardson’s vocal style is somewhere between Patterson Hood and Social Distortion’s Mike Ness, with the music having a sort of Drive-by Truckers vibe with heavy, fuzzy guitars and sung-spoken, simple lyrics.

Grant Cutler

Second on the lineup is Grant Cutler & the Gorgeous Lords, an acclaimed local band from the former half of electro duo Lookbook. With his solo material (and backed by a venerable band that includes former members of Plastic Constellations and Askeleton), Cutler takes a surprisingly moody, low-key cue from the likes of balladeer Scott Walker and Leonard Cohen with baritone vocals and soaring melodies. Highly recommended.

The Western Fifth

Rounding out the night are Western Fifth, a band operating within the alt-country genre while subtly reinventing the idea of what that means. Obviously bred on Uncle Tupelo, Whiskeytown and the Twin Cities’ own Jayhawks, the band stays true to the character and songwriting at the heart of country while drawing more heavily on the “alt” side of the equation, thanks largely to singer Ryan Holweger’s J. Mascis-esque whine.

9 p.m., $6, 21-plus, Turf Club, 1601 University Ave. W., St. Paul, 651-647-0486, www.turfclub.net

The local music scene was all a-twitter this weekend due to the impromptu closing of the Turf Club right before a big show. But on Sunday, details emerged from Turf Club owner Tom Scanlon that the bar is simply changing management. 15-year Turf vet and now former manager Dave Wiegardt had a heavy hand in turning the Midway bar

photo from turfclub.net

into one Twin Cities most iconic music venues (even Lady Gaga stopped in when she was in town!) Reasons behind Wirgardt’s departure were not officially released, but word has it that a number of other staffers were let go as well to make way for a “new direction.” Taking the reigns when the club re-opens on January 11th is Josh James, a long-time Turf employee.

In an interview with City Pages’ music editor, Andrea Swensson today, James assured the local music community that the club will remain a mainstay for local music, and while changes are afoot, that the Turf we know and love is not going anywhere. Hopefully his words ring true and the beloved venue is spared from too many huge changes.

One sad development that is already in motion is the announcement that the club will now be closed on Sundays and Mondays, displacing longtime Turf staples like the monthly Riot Act Reading Series and the weekly 12-year-running jam session, Jazz Implosion.
Re-booking of displaced shows is currently being hashed out. Most notably, next Saturday’s big MC/VL goodbye show, which was re-booked today at the 501 Club for Saturday, January 8th, which ironically is the same date the Minneapolis music haven is set to close its own doors.

Read more about the Turf’s temporary closing on City Pages here; read Andrea Swensson’s interview with new manager Josh James here.

In the wake of the recent benefit and tribute show for St. Paul-bred emcee Mikey “Eyedea” Larsen at First Avenue, two additional fundraisers and memorial concerts are set to take place this weekend in the rapper’s hometown, one month after his death.

(Photo: B Fresh)

This Saturday, check out another side of Larsen with the “EYE Will” exhibition opening at Nicademus Art and Framing on Snelling Avenue in St. Paul, featuring his own visual art displayed alongside work by Michael Gaughan, James Penfield, Booka B, Louis N LaPierre, Jeremy Ylvisaker, Satori, and George Tompson. The free exhibition runs through December 10.

Immediately following the opening, the “EYE Will” party moves over to the Turf Club with live sets from Face Candy, Kill the Vultures, Kristoff Krane, No Bird Sing, Carnage, Guitar Party, Sector 7G, and Mr. Dufaux. Tickets for the Turf Club show will be $10 at the door or $8 if purchased at Nicademus Art and Framing. Both the “EYE Will” exhibition and the show are benefits; all art and ticket sales go to the Micheal “Eyedea” Larsen & Family Fund.

Next Thursday, December 2, a group of “St. Paul’s Finest” will gather at Station 4 for a follow-up to First Avenue’s memorial show, which organizers hope “will give anyone who couldn’t attend November 9 celebration to be a part of his legacy/memory.” Performers at the Station 4 show include Sensory Motel, Sota Boys, Eden, Elliott Graber, Conner Allen, Murphey’s Midnight Rounders, and “special surprise guests.” There will be a suggested donation of $7-10 collected at the door, which will benefit Larsen’s family. Additionally, Station 4 will donate $1 from each drink sold to the memorial fund.

Jay Farrar

After finding critical (if not commercial) success with ’90s alt-country band Uncle Tupelo and the slightly more rocking Son Volt, chief songwriter Jay Farrar has taken to the solo road. Coupled with his work for the two seminal bands, his 2001 solo album, Trace, was a huge influence to a burgeoning alt-country scene. Beyond his established talents as a songwriter, his solo work reveals an able guitarist and harmonicist, and distinctive vocalist. Fans of his former bands should find much to like with Farrar’s solo work, which expands on traditional American roots music with a bluesy kick. His most recent recording is the 2009 soundtrack to One Fast Move or I’m Gone about Jack Kerouac’s time spent at Big Sur, a collaboration with Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie and Postal Service). The show is one of just eight Midwestern dates (as he’s currently based out of St. Louis, Missouri), so it’s likely he’ll perform a mix of songs from both albums as well as some new, unreleased songs. Bobby Bare, Jr. opens.

8 p.m. Friday, $16, 21-plus, Turf Club, 1601 University Ave. W., St. Paul, 651-647-0486, www.turfclub-net

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

It’s almost hard to imagine now, but there was once a time when breast cancer benefits were serious and somber affairs (and for good reason). But thanks to some creative party planning, and capitalizing on the kitschier aspects of the body part in question, breast cancer benefits are some of the hippest parties in town. After all, what better excuse is there to party than for a good cause?

Racktacular II poster by Adam Turman

Probably the first benefit of its kind to hit the club circuit is Racktacular, which debuted to bombastic success last summer. Organized by Donette Ambrosy, a one-time Victoria’s Secret lingerie designer, the event combines burlesque, rock ‘n roll, and its crown jewel, an Art Bra contest.

Lili's Burlesque

Joining Ambrosy once again is Lili’s Burlesque, whose ladies will be donning the winners of the MNfashion-juried Art Bra contest. The roster includes such well-loved performers as Lili’s owner Nadine Dubois, Ophelia Flame, Sweetpea, Coco Dupree, Gina Louise, and Karen Vieno Paurus, plus two Chicago starlets, Frenchie Kiss and Sasha Darling. Lili’s “houseboy” Switch the Boi Wonder will be on hand to help emcee.

Communist Daughter

In between, take in live sets from local buzz-band Communist Daughter and electro-popters Alpha Consumer, or get your hands on one of the Art Bras by bidding in the silent auction (a perfect decoration for your boudoir, or for doing your own private show!). Tickets are $10 at the door, with all proceeds going toward the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

9 p.m. Saturday. 21-plus. Turf Club, 1601 University Ave. W., St. Paul, 651-647-0486‎, www.racktacular.com.