Thursday news and reviews
Here's a look at the arts stories making headlines...
Music
The Hold Steady at First Avenue
After playing two local shows over the Fourth of July weekend, the band returned to a sold-out First Avenue to close out 2010.
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- Loren Green, City Pages
The Copper Field at Aster Cafe
Michael Grey's voice is not exactly beautiful. Grey's voice is powerful in a way that surprises you; it has a gritty, hard edge to it, far more callused and unpolished than what you would expect for a guy with just a guitar and a microphone.
- Natalie Gallagher
Television
More local possibilities for 'Idol' Season 10
Looks like there are more local "American Idol" connections in the show's upcoming season, which kicks off Jan. 19. As previously reported, Maplewood's Matt Sato was featured in a "Idol" promo on Fox, singing before the judges.
- Amy Carlson Gustafson, Pioneer Press
Theater
The Twin Cities' best theater productions of 2010 - A year in review
It was a solid year for theater in the Twin Cities. Good and great shows were produced at theaters of all types and sizes, with only a few eye-gougingly bad ones along the way. In fact, a couple of dozen other productions probably lurk just beneath these 10 shows.
- Ed Huyck, City Pages
Scrimshaw Brothers ring out 2010 with a case of denial
The Scrimshaws will be joined by Tim Uren, Eric Webster, and Shanan Custer for the show, which promises to not only look back at the past year, but also features "one ukulele song and a male Lady Gaga impersonator named Lord GuyGuy."
- Ed Huyck, City Pages