If holiday shopping has you stressed out, give someone else or yourself the gift of experience. This week in the Twin Cities, if holiday music is your thing, Caitlyn Smith will give your Christmas a Christmas tuning over at the Fitzgerald, while at the Center for Irish Music, a journey of holiday harp music awaits. Ice Climber has a solstice evening of music planned at Can Can Wonderland, and Robert Donsker releases his new photo book at the White Bear Center for the Arts. Also in this week’s events, Trylon screens the classic “The Shop Around the Corner,” and Cornbread Harris serves up your Sunday jam at Palmer’s.
Robert Donsker book launch and signing
Photographer Robert Donsker captures the understated beauty of Midwest landscapes in “Spirit of the Prairie,” his second book. Using both black and white and color, Donsker uses the poetry of light and shadow for this ode to prairie beauty. Donsker launches the book on Thursday, Dec. 21, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the White Bear Center for the Arts (free). More information here.
Can Can Winter Solstice
Head to Can Can Wonderland for a night of puppetry and experiments in atmospheric, ethereal sounds with hints of folk and a psychedelic bent. It’ll be a theatrical, sensory-stimulating occasion featuring bands Ice Climber, Whispered the Rabbit and Din Din, with puppetry by Trap Doors and Others. Friday, Dec. 22, at 9 p.m. at Can Can Wonderland ($13). More information here.
Caitlyn Smith – The Christmas Show
Cannon Falls, Minnesota-born Caitlyn Smith has written songs for a host of big names in country and pop music, from Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers to Miley Cyrus and John Legend. Based in Nashville, she also is making waves as a singer in her own right, earning national press for her emotional songs and the ways she’s pushing the boundaries of country music. She’s performing in St. Paul this week along with Jordyn Shellhart, for a Christmas-themed evening of music. Friday, Dec. 22 at 8 p.m. at the Fitzgerald ($35-93). More information here.
‘The Shop Around the Corner’
Before Nora Ephron penned “You’ve Got Mail,” which was yet another vehicle for Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan to display their onscreen chemistry, Ernst Lubitsch produced “The Shop Around the Corner,” starring the great Margaret Sullavan and Jimmy Stewart, with a very similar plot. Both are based on a Hungarian play called “Parfumerie” by Miklós László, which itself holds hints of “Cyrano de Bergerac,” the play. Basically, the story looks at how different people can be when they are intentionally constructing an image of themselves through words than they might be in real life. In any case, it’s a lot of fun, and worth seeing on the big screen at the Trylon Cinema. Friday, Dec. 22, and Saturday, Dec. 23, at 7 and 9 p.m. ($8) More information here.
‘The Harp and the Holly’
Harpists Stephanie Claussen and Hannah Flowers double team the harp delights for this holiday show featuring tunes from England, Ireland and around the world. Fill up on tea and cookies as you marvel at these two musicians playing Christmas harp duets. Saturday, Dec. 23, at 4 and 7:30 p.m. at the Center for Irish Music ($30). More information here.
‘Church of Cornbread!’
If you’ve got guests for the holidays, why not head to Minneapolis’ most iconic dive bar, Palmer’s, and treat them to the legendary Cornbread Harris, who holds the Church of Cornbread there weekly. Take in great tunes in a great atmosphere for the darkest night of the year. Sunday, Dec. 24, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Palmer’s (free). More information here.
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