Weekend What's What 10/1-10/6

THE ENDLESS PARTY

Despite the sheer exhaustion that lingers over the l'étoile staff post-fashion week, the show must go on! And go on it does with a busy weekend that's majorly heavy on the awesome -- we can't help but perk up! Thursday alone is jam packed with enough cool events to convince us it's Friday, while Friday and Saturday, of course, hold their own in the fun department. We're especially giddy this week, however, as we've scored a coveted spot on the Metro 100 List -- a roster of the 100 coolest things in the Twin Cities according to Metro Mag. We've also received a nod to our Editor in Chief in Minnesota Monthly's "Best of 2009" issue. We feel so fancy! Click HERE to read all about it.

xo-l'étoile




THIS PAST WEEK ON L'ETOILE:

Check out numerous recaps of MNFashion Week by our diligent and tireless fashion editor, Jahna Peloquin, HERE, HERE , HERE and HERE. And mini one from Kate HERE.

See MNFashion Week photos by our staff photog, Stephen Stephens HERE.

Peep Rob Callahan's recap of the Upper Midwest Emmys HERE.

Read Kate Iverson's interview with Nobody writer/director Rob Perez HERE.

Check back later for more recaps and images from our Styling Challenge at Charmed Life!


THURSDAY OCTOBER 1ST

Metro 100 Party

@ 13th Avenue & University
Northeast Minneapolis

6­-9pm / $40

Celebrating the release of their annual Metro 100 issue (in which we're included!) focusing on the cities' best food, art, and fashion, Metro Magazine is hosting a fall block party like none other at the exciting cultural hub spanning 2 blocks on 13th Avenue in Northeast. There’s a critical mass of artistic awesomeness happening in this area, and Metro invites you all down to party with the galleries and merchants on the hottest block in town, along with epic local rockers Solid Gold no less! Sample delicious fare from the Modern Café and Anchor Fish & Chips (which will finally be opening this weekend, yay!) Indulge in beer and martini samples, hit up Shuga Records for an all day musical affair celebrating the opening of their new stage, and catch a special mini-performance of the Ritz Theater’s Valley of the Dolls. They’ll even give you a map to explore the neighborhood. See you there!

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR THE METRO MAG SITE



THURSDAY OCTOBER 1ST

Pretty Little Houses: Joynoelle Runway Show

@ Gallery 13
811 LaSalle Ave
Minneapolis

7pm/$35 general admission/$100 VIP

Designer Joy Teiken hosts this fashion, dance and art event showing off her Spring 2010 ready-to-wear and bridal collections. Get there by 8pm to see the fashion show. The art show is curated by Gallery 13, munchies are provided by Cocoa & Fig, drinks by Crispin and dance entertainment is courtesy The Minnesota Schubert Center, which is also benefiting from the proceeds of this event. A little something for everyone.

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR THE JOYNOELLE SITE



THURSDAY OCTOBER 1ST

Poster Mart/Died Young, Stayed Pretty

@ Walker Art Center
1750 Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis

5pm-9pm/free

The Walker does a great job of tying in the local scene with their special events. To accompany Sound Unseen’s presentation of Died Young, Stayed Pretty, a documentary about underground poster culture, the Walker hosts local rock poster collectives Flora Fauna and Spy Print Lab. Minneapolis native and Village Voice cartoonist Ward Sutton pieces are on display and up for grabs. Bring your pocketbook, buy some prints, and after the film, bring them to the after party at the Kitty Cat Klub to show off to your jealous friends.




THURSDAY OCTOBER 1ST

Nobody: World Premiere

@ State Theater
824 Hennepin Ave.
Minneapolis

7:30 pm/ $16.50-26.50 general, $10 student rush tickets, $86.50 VIP

Us MPLS peeps love (and I mean L-O-V-E) our city. And we go even wilder when we seen its beautiful turf on the big screen. So, it's no wonder that the premiere of the latest comedy from screenwriter Rob Perez (40 Days and 40 Nights) is just cause for rolling out the red carpet. The film – shot on location in good ol' MN – follows the befuddled sculptor/geeky hot-stuff protagonist, Lindeman (Sam Rosen) on his comedic quest for a catalyst of inspiration. On his journey, Lindeman tries his luck at the city's goth, gay, vegan and intellectual scenes, and we can't wait to see what local digs Perez threw in the film. Nobody's killer indie soundtrack features new music from Ryan Miller of Guster, and tracks from The Silver Seas, Fruit Bats and Tokyo Police Club to keep audiences' heads bobbing along. Plus, we hear Rob Perez, Ryan Miller, and MPLS-grown actors Josh Hartnett (the film's exec. producer) and Sam Rosen, are all expected to be in attendance for the premiere!

Bonus: A limited # of VIP tickets are available which include premiere VIP seating, a movie poster signed by writer/director and an after-party at Envy with drink and hors d'oeuvres (must be 21+).

Read Kate Iverson's interview with Rob Perez HERE.




THURSDAY OCTOBER 1ST

Project Runway Weekly Screenings

@ Hell's Kitchen
80 S. 9th Street
Downtown Minneapolis

8-9pm Fashion Trivia with l'étoile
9-10pm Project Runway
10-11pm Models of the Runway

Come cheer on our hometown boy Christopher every Thursday at Hell's Kitchen -- Ra'mon has been auf'ed but we've got high hopes for Straub! Put on something snazzy and join us for weekly screenings of Project Runway, sponsored by l'étoile and Metro Mag! Show up early from 6-8pm for live music, drink specials and the full dinner menu, then play fashion trivia with Kate and Beth from l'étoile, who will be giving away sweet prizes including a $50 bar tab every week. From 9-11pm settle in and watch back to back eps of Project Runway and spin off show, Models of the Runway, live on Hell's big screen. Enjoy drink specials, fashionable revelry, and damn good food at Hell's Kitchen every Thursday with us! Parking: $5 parking in adjacent lot, or metered street parking.

Bonus: Christopher and/or Ra'mon will be joining us from time to time!

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR THE FACEBOOK EVENT



THURSDAY OCTOBER 1ST

If I Can't Dance, It's Not My Revolution!

@ Bedlam Theatre
1501 S. 6th St.
Minneapolis

10:30pm-2am/$10-15

l’étoile’s favorite radical bookstore needs your help! Arise! Bookstore Collective is a few years away from owning their building, but are having a little trouble paying their rent until then. Not just a bookstore, Arise! houses Women’s Prison Book Project, a library, and a community space for public events. Bands Hot Tony and Tender Meat start the disco dance party to get your cash flowing in their direction. Show up and spill your money out to let them know we love their garden-y backyard parties, their quirky events with cupcakes, their vast zine collection and their no-boss havin’ resource center. In the spirit of Emma Goldman, dance your pants off!

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR THE FACEBOOK EVENT



THURSDAY OCT 1ST-FRIDAY OCT 3RD

Tapes n' Tapes Minneapolis Tour

10/1 7th Street Entry
with Mystery Palace and Lookbook

10/2 Music Box Theater (acoustic show)
with Jeremy Messersmith and The Owls

10/3 Turf Club
with Chooglin' and Red Pens

9pm / 21+ / $10

If you still haven’t seen em, Minneapolis’ quintessential indie darlings Tapes n’ Tapes are going on a 3-night tour of the TC - the last local shows of the year before the boys start recording their new record. Putting on an especially exuberant show, Tapes never fail to deafen the room with their Pixies-esque floor stompers, fidgety hooks and galvanizing rhythms. Rocking the small stages they got their start on, Tapes will take a turn at the Turf, the Entry, and a special acoustic show at the brand new Music Box Theater.

Here’s a special sneak peek of one if the brand new songs and a taste of
what the acoustic show will sound like.

The ever-thoughtful Tapes crew have also thrown together a mixtape of some of their fave local bands for free download just for you!

Bonus points if you can name the sassy l'étoile pal "Insistor" is about!




FRIDAY ART PICK: XAVIER TAVERA: FARSAS

While this amazing at the exhibit at the Weisman has yet to have it's own opening reception (we're rallying to make that happen) we simply must insist that you go check it out. Xavier Tavera is one of Minnesota’s finest portrait photographers whose latest exhibition features three bodies of work in a stunning series illuminating self-identity. Tavera's work always moves us; it's brooding, moody, festive, touching and visually brilliant all at the same time. Go see this exhibit now! l'étoile hearts Tavera!

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR THE WEISMAN SITE



FRIDAY OCTOBER 2ND (THROUGH SATURDAY)

Burlesque of North America Factory Sale

@ First Amendment
1101 Stinson Blvd
Minneapolis

Friday 3-8pm / Saturday 12-5pm / Free

Out with the old, in with the new. Rare and classic posters, stickers, T-shirts, CDs and vinyl, all lovingly designed and silk-screened by our pals at Burlesque of North America are on sale at rock-bottom prices to make way for the 2010 models. Stop by their sweet Stinson studio and pick up that poster you’ve had your eye on or that t-shirt that’s been calling your name. Get ‘em while they’re hot!

CLICK FOR THIS ART EVENT AND MORE AT MPLSART.COM



FRIDAY OCTOBER 2ND

Art for Choice

@ W hotel
821 Marquette Ave
Minneapolis

6:30pm-9:30pm/$25 pre-sale or $35 at the door

Thanks to local artists for making this the sixth year of this event to raise money for Pro-Choice Resources, who provide women and youth with sexual health information and services. If that’s not reason to start bidding on artwork at fraction of the original value, we don’t know what is. Amy Rice, Jennifer Davis, Tara Costello, Nick Harper, Alec Soth, Chris Mars, and about a million other artists donated their works for you to fight over, all in the name of a good cause. DJs Eros and TK spin until the '70s and '80s cover band Bellebottom gets the crowd grooving.

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR THE ART FOR CHOICE SITE



FRIDAY OCTOBER 2ND

Sound Unseen + Vision Models Mixer

@ Vision Models Studio
25 N. 4th St. Suite 501
Downtown Minneapolis

8 pm-midnight/ $3

The Sound Unseen's encompassing culture festival already covers film, art AND music, so why not throw in fashion? Tonight's social mixer is a true eclectic fete where film buffs, fashionistas, and music & art lovers alike can brush talented shoulders in artsy hobnobbing. Groove to hot electro tracks from DJ Real Talk Radio and guests, while enjoying specials on beer and wine and tasty appetizers from Tsunami sushi.

RSVP to soundunseen10@gmail.com to secure your spot on ze list!

For even more Sound Unseen events click below!

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR THE SOUND UNSEEN SITE



FRIDAY OCTOBER 2ND

Pierced Arrows

@ Turf Club
1601 University Ave
St. Paul

8pm / 21+ / $7

Dead Moon might not be around anymore, but we can at least see Fred and Toody Cole in their most recent incarnation. Total rock and roll with an edge of sweetness, this long-time rock couple found a drummer and continued the amazingness. Fred has been doing his thing since the '60s, so prepare to see a professional at work.

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR THE PIERCED ARROWS SITE



FRIDAY OCTOBER 2ND (EVERY FRIDAY IN OCTOBER)

Survivors of the Undead Plague

@ Brave New Workshop
2605 Hennepin Ave S
Minneapolis

10:30pm / $10

Fake guns! Hilarious creepiness! All month! Ahhhh! Really though, are you prepared in the event of a zombie attack? What about a zombie apocalypse? These educational survival scenarios will give you tips and pointers on what seems to be getting closer every day -- a zombie takeover. A double billing with Creature Feature, who improvise a monster film! Get down there this month — it’s a no-brainer. Runs every Friday in October.

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR THE FACEBOOK EVENT



FRIDAY OCTOBER 2ND

Get Cryphy

@ First Avenue VIP Room
701 1st Ave N
Minnneapolis

10pm / $3 / 18+

It is very important that you go to First Avenue’s Very Important Person Room tonight. Why? Because Plain Ole Bill, Mike 2600, Wezzy F. Baby (Winship), Jimmy 2 Times and Prof will be there, duh! Sweat your lights out this evenin' while dancing to the Cryphaholics special blend of electro, hip hop, Miami bass and a whole lot more. We're pretty sure you'll go insane with dancing pleasure with these boys!

Click here for the Facebook event!




FRIDAY OCTOBER 2ND

Future Classic: Mike Huckaby

@ Secret Location
Minneapolis
sign up for info/location HERE

The Hush crew brings us another all night, secret location dance party -- this time featuring Detroit's deep house master Mike Huckaby (Not to be confused with right-wing nutjob politician Mike Huckabee). Jams will be brought and dancing until the wee hours will ensue with additional beats provided by birthday boy Daniel Paul aka Ghetto and the legendary DVS1. Max capacity at this secret spot is 250 -- so get there early to secure your entry.

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR THE HUSH SITE



COOL LINK: POSTER CHILD PRINTS

l'étoile loves PCP! No, silly, not the controlled substance (why, what have you heard?), the L.A. based collective, Poster Child Prints! Keeping with our rampant poster art theme this week, this online mecca offers exclusive screenprints designed by rising and established artists -- providing you with a wonderful opportunity to beef up your art print collection in an eclectic range of styles at reasonable prices. A great resource for both the novice art collector and the enthusiastic aficionado, the PCP artists' roster includes legendary artist David Weidman (the illustrator behind the Mr. Magoo cartoon), Dalek, FriendsWithYou, Joshua Petker (love him!), Mike Giant, Mark Mothersbaugh and many more. Each limited edition print is personally signed and numbered by the artist making it that much more awesome. Get your order on now!

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR THE PCP SITE
"Sugarwater" by Joshua Petker



SATURDAY OCTOBER 3RD

Renegade Book Sale

@ Northrup King Building
1500 Jackson Street NE
#350
Minneapolis

1pm-7pm / Free

This ain't yo momma's book sale, that's for sure. Hosted by the ever-cool Paul D. Dickenson (punk poet, musician, and scene starter -- re: Speedboat Gallery circa 1993) this literary extravaganza will be brimming with tomes of the most edgy variety. Snap up sweet deals on art books, fiction, philosophy, poetry and more, plus CDs, videos, DVDs and LPs priced at $2 or less. Stock up on hip smarty-pants fodder at the NKB today!

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR THE FACEBOOK EVENT



SATURDAY OCTOBER 3RD

Wing Young Huie's Salon:
2009 Group Photography Exhibition

@ Wing Young Huie's Gallery & Studio
2525 Franklin Ave. S.
Minneapolis

6-9 pm / free

When Wing Young Huie isn't busy taking award-winning photographs of urban landscapes, he's mentoring local students of varied ages, genders and backgrounds. Tonight, join Huie as he opens the doors to his private South Minneapolis studio for an opening reception with 100+ emerging artists that this master has taken under his "wing."

CLICK FOR THIS ART EVENT AND MORE AT MPLSART.COM



SATURDAY OCTOBER 3RD

Contagious

@ Northrup King Building
1500 Jackson Street NE
#145
Northeast Minneapolis

7-10pm / Free

The Northrup King Building is on fire today! Book sales and art shows abound, and throwing their hats into the mix come some of our favorite artistic gals. Join local lovelies Tara Costello, Amy Rice and Jennifer Davis for this one-night-only exhibit of their pretty, pretty work. Definitely girl-centric, the creative creations of these three artists are quirky, sweet, tough and feminine all at the same time -- and most definitely contagious!

CLICK FOR THIS ART EVENT AND MORE AT MPLSART.COM



SATURDAY OCTOBER 3RD

Tectonic/Tapolia/Lahr

@ Sellout Gallery
Northrup King Building
1500 Jackson St. NE, Studio 456
Minneapolis

6pm-9pm / Free

Sellout Gallery knows good things come in threes -- their shows are always a triumvirate of talent. This month, Bruce Tapola shows paintings and sculpture exploring the meaning of images after their original context is removed. Tectonic Industries’ Danish artist Lars Boye Jerlach and Brit Helen Stringfellow play with modern myths and belief systems of popular culture in their mixed-media installations. and Jason Lahr’s paintings, drawings and installations merge text with appropriated images, focusing on popular culture, film theory and fiction. Neato! Runs through October 24.

CLICK FOR THIS ART EVENT AND MORE AT MPLSART.COM



SATURDAY OCTOBER 3RD

The Roaring '20s Party

@ Jungle Red Salon
1362 LaSalle Ave
Minneapolis

7-11pm / $5

Throw on your hottest flapper garb and Lindy Hop along to musical troupe Jazz Dudes while munching on apps by Solera at Jungle Red Salon and Gallery’s party celebrating legendary decade the Roaring '20s. Lili's Burlesque will give a special performance, and you’ll also have a chance to meet and greet Uptown city council candidate, Thriftyhipster.com’s Matthew Dowgwillo, who definitely has the l'étoile endorsement!

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR THE JUNGLE RED SITE



SATURDAY OCTOBER 3RD

Lookbook CD Release Party

@ Kitty Cat Klub
14th & 4th
Dinkytown

9 p.m. / 21+ / $5

Twin Cities electro darlings, Lookbook, definitely have something to celebrate! Their long-awaited new album will be released for public consumption (and obsession) this very evening at the Kitty Cat Klub. Not only will we be privy to a live performance of the synthtastically moody gorgeousness that the duo is known for, but we'll get to lay eyes on a brand spankin' new music video premiere as well. If we know Lookbook fans (and we know more than a few) this night will find many a starry-eyed lovely dancing their hearts out to the lush and melodic stylings of one of the best bands in town -- and loving every minute of it. Locals Zoo Animal, Shahs, and DJ Skullbuster kick things off.

BONUS: New Lookbook t-shirts!

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR THE LOOKBOOK MYSPACE



SUNDAY MUSIC PICK: WASHED OUT

Washed Out is the one-man dream-pop project from Ernest Greene, who crafts impossibly gorgeous pop that mixes up woozy synthesizers, droney shoegaze textures and funky, sometimes danceable beats, evoking Frenchies M83. For the most part, it’s almost impossible to understand what Greene is singing about, enticing his audience to use their imaginations. With only one 12” and one cassette under his belt, Washed Out is quickly garnering all kinds of buzz - Husker Du’s Bob Mould counts himself a big fan, and so do we!

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR THE WASHED OUT MYSPACE



TUESDAY OCTOBER 6TH

JagerCon: Sci-Fi Tuesdays

@ Clubhouse Jager
923 Washington Avenue N.
Minneapolis

Every Tuesday
10 p.m. / 21+ / Free

Join hosts Kate Iverson (l'étoile magazine, Secrets of the City) and Beth Hammarlund (l'étoile magazine, A Tiny Machine) every Tuesday Night for JagerCon! JagerCon is a weekly sci-fi party featuring screenings of classic nerdy movies and television shows -- topped off with 2-4-1 cocktails all night served by Star Captain Paul!

Mingle with like-minded sci-fi geeks, discuss D&D strategies, and use that Captain Picard impression you've been perfecting to pick up chicks at the bar. Snort-laugh the night away while bragging about your MMORPG addiction and enjoy a cozy, nerd-friendly environment.

Upcoming Events:

NEW SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED!

Oct 6th: They Live
Oct 13th: Planet of the Apes
Oct 20th: Communion
Oct 27th: Jason X: Jason in Outerspace
Nov 3rd: Westworld
Nov 10th: Cocoon
Nov 17th: Class of Nuke Em' High
Nov 24th: Legend

This week's flick is THEY LIVE!


GUEST BLOGGER: A TINY MACHINE

Beth Hammarlund recaps fashion week and really needs a nap.

I need a nap

MNfashion week came to a close this weekend after having one of its most successful and engaging weeks to date. Like many others, I am completely exhausted, and am fantasizing about spending this evening wrapped up in a blanket, drinking tea, and preparing myself for the cold months ahead.

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR THE TINY MACHINE BLOG



GUEST BLOGGER: LE PETIT CONNAISSEUR

We are always amazed by the energy of our fashion editor, Jahna Peloquin. Check out her weekly fashion roundup on her blog, Le Petit Connaisseur de la Mode!

Local Fashion Round Up 9.28

With MNfashion Week and New York Fashion Week behind us and a surprise elimination of a local from Project Runway, there is a ton of local fashion news in this edition. This past MNfashion Week was quite possibly the biggest and baddest (in a cool, vintage MJ kind of way) yet!

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR THE LE PETIT BLOG
Image by Kara Nesvig/MN Daily


Editor in Chief: Kate Iverson
Contributing Writers: Lacey Prpic Hedtke, Robyn Lewis, Juleana Enright, Rob Callahan, Kate Iverson, Beth Hammarlund, Jahna Peloquin

Astronaut. Wife. Reunion.

By Rob Callahan



Ten years ago they became the band that made pop music cool again, layering Christian Erickson's ethereal, ambient arrangements, synth stylings and rhythmic rollercoasterings solidly together with the brooding, breathy harmonies of singers Angela Orluck, Amy Turany and Janey Winterbauer. Rounded off on stage by Tim Ritter on bass and Peter Anderson on drums, they were Astronaut Wife. An unlikely and unplanned troupe of players, the band became a near overnight staple in the Twin Cities music scene as they notched their belts with Minnesota Music Awards, garnered local radio attention and drew capacity crowds to some of the city's most notorious venues. Fast tracked to fill the void left by the departure of the local legends of the eighties and nineties, they were the band all the cool kids had earmarked as the next big thing and they lived up to that expectation until, with a gradualness that stood in sharp contrast to the rapidity of their rise, the band virtually dematerialized.

For years, the absence of Astronaut Wife on the stages of the Twin Cities was lamented and the lack of new material left the city's scenesters wondering when, or even if, they would have their beloved band back again. Now, as the group's founding members gather for drinks and discussion on the patio of an undisclosed downtown night club, those questions are being answered. Astronaut Wife are coming together to let the city in on the secret of where they've been and, more importantly, that they're back.



“You have to make choices.”

-Christian Erickson

Erickson, the lyricist and band leader, leans casually in his chair and surveys the setting. His aura of calm confidence is augmented by his two companions' similar airs. Orluck and Winterbauer bring their own formidable presences to the table and, together, the three emit coolness like quasars emit X-rays. They exchange knowing glances, unspoken inside jokes and emotive shared remembrances as they perch on the event horizon of a social singularity, letting the gravity draw them in and, as the topic of their long absence from the studio and stage comes up, they open up about about what's kept them so busy over the last five years.

The three quickly agree that it just became increasingly hard to juggle the band with their other obligations. Janey and Christian married each other. She was getting work as a session vocalist, performing at Hootenannies and making up half of the Americana duo Janey Winterbauer and Mark Perlman ,and all while raising her two children. Christian divided his time between family, side projects and starting his own business. Angela started her own business as well while she concentrated on raising her baby, now twenty months old. Tim, also a parent, found himself taking the stage with other notable musicians like violinist Jessy Greene and bands Bella Koshka and Blue Sky Blackout. With everything else going on in their lives, time for Astronaut Wife had become limited.

“It was more like real life stuff that got in the way,” says Christian, “not necessarily a lack of desire to do it. There was just tons of other stuff going on and when you're not necessarily doing it as your primary career, you have to make choices.” He recalls having done the math in his head once and discovering that, between the four of them they had had a child, on average, once every seven months since 2001. Discovering the many joys and pitfalls of parenthood became a full time job for each of them in turn and, as family and life became more prominent parts of their lives, rehearsals and live shows were harder to plan. Planning, in fact, was something to which the band hadn't often had to give a lot of thought. Success had often seemed to come to them as extemporaneously as had their casual beginnings.



“It was an Accidental Band.”

-Christian Erickson

It happened on a night in late 1998, when Christian attended a show at the Fine Line where Angela was performing. After her set, he approached her with an idea. With a wistful tone, she recalls, “That was the night that he came up and said he had this project on the side, and he asked if I wanted to be involved.”

Janey adds, “That was the first time that anybody actually asked me to do something.” Angela nods, remembering that she, too, had never before been courted for her singing talents. “I just thought, 'Wow, you actually want me. You've seen me before and you recognize what I could do with you.'”

“The original idea was not that it was going to be a band. That formed totally by accident,” says Christian, whose original plan was one of recruiting whichever guest vocalist worked best for each of his new songs. “What I wanted to do was more of a Massive Attack thing, where I was just going to write a bunch of tracks and then get anyone I wanted to sing on them.” Having recruited Janey and Angela, he pursued singer Amy Turany as well. “She was in February, which made her the only one of us who was in a band that was at all popular at the time.”

“Then,” he recalls, “by total accident, we actually got together once to practice as a group. The three of them started doing three-part harmonies and really cool kind of girl group stuff and I just thought, 'Okay I guess this is a real band now. Fuck this guest vocalist thing. We should do this for real.” Amy left the project early on, but not before contributing vocals to the group's seminal tracks. The band made a home recording of their first single, "Cape Canaveral," and began to consider the feasibility of distribution as they were beginning to play their first shows. Then they prepared to surmount the many potential obstacles in their way.

At the time, the local music scene was waning and new bands were hard-pressed to find success. “We literally came into it at the very end,” says Christian. “One of our friends was the last guy in town to get a serious label deal as an indie rock guy. That kind of opportunity sort of dried up after that. So we literally started right on the cusp of the decline of the music business.” Without the means for widespread physical distribution, the band focused on the then-emerging technology of mp3s and made use of the expanding prevalence of broadband internet access to get their work out. “At that time people who were really serious about their rock careers were scared because they didn't know how they were ever going to make any money, and because we didn't care about that, we adopted [digital distribution] immediately. It was more about getting people to care and getting people to be interested in what we were doing. If we'd have had the means to give away cassettes back in the day we would have, but the problem was that the money had to come out of our pockets.”

Among the first to receive their digital single was Radio K, which Janey remembers as, “literally the only place that bands who weren't signed could get heard, and you didn't even have to have an in. You just had to have something that people liked.”

Angela adds, “It was supposed to be just a recording project, and then Christian sent it to Mark Wheat and it became a big thing.” Having gained the young Mark Wheat's attention, Astronaut Wife found themselves in alt radio heavy rotation and, catching the wind of their momentum, soared. Their single was released to mp3.com and to Napster, the latter of whom made them a featured artist. At the height of Astronaut Wife's online success, the band's website tracked a new hit every two seconds and their popularity later lead to inclusion on a Napster compilation disc. Not only were they an online success, but their name became more and more household on the home front, prompting Minnesota Music Awards and City Pages accolades to follow.

“It was weird,” says Christian. “None of us had ever been in a band that anyone cared about at all, and within those first two years we won the City Pages poll, we put out this thing that got [attention from] Radio K and we had major label record people flying in and coming to our shows. It was just crazy stuff that you didn't really expect to happen. It was really fun but it was also kind of weird because we were in cool bands before, but it wasn't anything that people cared about. There's just such a fine line between what people care about and what they don't.”



“We resonated with each other.”

- Angela Orluck

Within the first year, Tim and Peter joined the lineup and Astronaut Wife were a five-piece troupe. Their fan base grew quickly as the band wowed their live audiences and worked quietly on the new tracks. “We'd be trying to figure out harmonies in Christian's studio and he'd be standing outside the door,” says Janey, prompting a laugh from Angela as she sees where the anecdote is going, “Whenever we'd come up with something great he'd be outside shouting 'Yeah, that's awesome!'”

“They used to kick me out of the room,” recalls Christian, remembering the early days that Angela and Janey spent developing their trademark harmonies. He would stay just outside the door and listen secretly, ”then I'd open the door and be like, 'Yeah, do that.'”

“That used to scare the crap out of us,” Angela jokes, remembering those times fondly, “but we also resonated with what Christian was writing and the lyrics and melodies, and we resonated with each other as well.”

“You can never figure that stuff at all,” adds Christian, admitting he still doesn't fully understand how they became as big as they did. “There are a lot of people doing really, really good stuff that stay obscure.” Having expected but avoided obscurity themselves, the band soon found that their lives were changing. In the short time that they'd gone from unknowns to aspiring local legends, notoriety encroached upon their personal lives. Angela, who had to change her number due to fan harassment, remembers the difficulties they faced at the time but, despite them, is still overwhelmingly positive about her experience.

“It was an honor,” she says. “Coming from other bands in Minneapolis where you had to fight to get a show, to Astronaut Wife where people just wanted you.”

On the would-be local legend status, Janey muses, “I'd like to think that, but we don't have a star on the side of First Avenue.” Legends or not, their music never ceased to find radio airplay. “Last week,” she says, “I heard Bill De Ville play one of our songs and then he got on the mic and called it 'an oldie, but a goodie.'” She can't help but chuckle a little as she shares the story. Christian and Angela join in on the shared moment of lighthearted self-deprecation.



“We do this tag team thing.”

-Janey Winterbauer

Over the years, they worked hard to find a balance between family and art. Janey and Christian in particular, being part of the same family, found it an incredible adjustment at first. Says Christian, “The one thing that's really hard if you have kids is being in the same band together, because every time you practice and every time you play, you have to get a babysitter. One of the reasons it's taken us five years to get back together is it's easier for us to pursue projects on our own because there's always someone to hang out and do family stuff while someone else goes off.”

Janey agrees, “We do this tag team thing when one person goes out earlier, the other person goes out later, and everyone has their time out of the house. You make sure your rehearsals don't overlap.”

Christian adds, “Everybody's got weird schedules and it's harder to get people together. It used be like well, I could stay home and get drunk tonight or we could go work on music. That was an easy choice to make and it's much harder now. But I think you've got to keep doing it.”

The others nod in agreement as Christian continues, “I feel like kids are always a priority, but you can't encourage your kids to pursue their dream and the things they do for artistic reasons if you don't do that yourself. It's a part of being human, that you do stuff like that. If you're going to raise them to respect art, you have to be participating in it yourself in some way.” The sentiment resounds as each parent, in turn, recalls having taken the children along to sound checks and studio sessions.

Angela notes that she sometimes rehearses with the baby in the room. “We'll go down in the studio and we've got this little couch that she hangs out on. She's twenty months old and she's already singing along.”

“Both of our kids know some of our songs by heart because they're sitting there listening while I'm writing them,” says Christian, citing this payoff to support the assertion that it isn't always easy but it is necessary for everyone in the band to be role models, to show their children that being a parent doesn't mean giving up on your creative passions. It means staying true to them and being both persistent and patient with the process.

“From a mom's perspective,” says Angela, “you just have to be willing to give it time and, in not much time at all, you'll figure it out.”



“We never broke up.”

- Angela Orluck

In 2002 the band released Flying Saucer, a sharp, sonic safari into the wilds of their collective creativity that captured fans and critics alike in a state of aural pleasure, but the spans between live shows had already begun to stretch. Having never aggressively booked their own shows or planned for long-term success, they soon found themselves going for months between shows, then years. In time, an Astronaut Wife performance was solely a matter of the rare occasion when everyone was simply able to make the time and, finally, the shows stopped happening altogether. Casual observers began to speculate about the band's demise. The speculation, however, remained unfounded, as nothing had happened to herald an official disband. In every meaningful sense, Astronaut Wife were still together, quietly considering the ways in which to finish up songs they hadn't yet recorded and piecing new ideas together.

“There was never any reason other than practical reasons to stop,” says Christian.

“We never broke up,” Angela affirms.

“This isn't the Eagles, man,” Christian insists with conviction, echoed by Janey and Angela. “We never officially broke up in any bad way, we just sort of slowed down for like five years.” During those years, they all kept Astronaut Wife on their minds and in their conversations, silently planning for the next release while wondering if they'd ever actually find the time to pull it off, and so time passed until interest exploded online, sending a shockwave through the music scene with a Praxis Effect of buzz and anticipation, as accidentally as had been the band's original founding.

“I was working on this song,” Christian recalls, “and I thought it would be an awesome Astronaut Wife song. So, like an idiot, I just went up on Twitter and said, 'I'm working on a song. It'd be a great Astronaut Wife song. Let's get the band back together!' I was only half serious, and then a week later I was talking to Tim. He was booking a show and he's like, 'We don't have a band for this night, come on man, we should just get the Wife back together.'

“So three weeks ago it was a joke, and then a week later he had me thinking that it's a good idea, but I actually thought these guys wouldn't go for it,” he says of Janey and Angela, “so I made Tim pitch it. I said, 'I'll tell you what: You send the email and you explain it. Say why you think it'd be cool, and why you think we should do it,' and he did.”

Janey adds, “Then Club Jaeger tweeted about it and we had to back that up.” Within hours of the decision to reunite, word was spreading virally on the social media sites. There was no more wondering to be done, and no more considerations about when next to try. It was a matter of do or do not. There was no try.



“The tools are in the hands of everyone now.”

-Christian Erickson

Their return to the stage will find Astronaut Wife in an entirely new music industry. Where once the band had found putting on shows a difficult undertaking, the city's music venues are now practically tailor-made for them. “When we started playing shows, it would literally take three hours to set up for a show,” Janey remarks, “because the clubs couldn't handle the idea of us playing tracks through the monitors, but now it takes ten minutes.”

In many ways, the band's struggles to bring their new sounds and techniques to the stage inadvertently helped to pioneer a new wave of live musicianship and left venues awash in the demand for electronic music. The sea change that followed hasn't escaped Christian's attention. “We recently saw Lookbook play at First Avenue and I thought about when we used to play there. They used to look at us like we were from outer space. Now there's a ton of bands that are primarily electronic. They sound great, they show up with their gear, the sound guys know exactly how to mix it and make it sound money. It's just time and technology.”

Noting other differences between the today's scene and the late-nineties lull during which the band first rose to prominence, he adds, “Now the industry has come back up but not so much as a business. It's not so much about doing this so that I can get a major label deal. I think a lot of people do it because they love it, and I think that's cool. I think that's the main difference. The tools are in the hands of everyone now. Everyone I know, everyone who's serious about it. You can do everything on your computer sitting at a desk with one microphone.”



“I love the music that Christian writes.”

-Angela Orluck

The newer, friendlier industry bodes well for the band, who see more ease with which to balance their families and day careers against the tighter, more technologically efficient life one leads as a member of a modern pop band. When asked about plans beyond the reunion show, everyone responds with unrestrained optimism.

“I'm up for anything,” says Angela. “I love the music that Christian writes.”

Janey agrees, “It seems like we have a recording project in the future.”

Christian notes this as being the right time, adding “I would do it in a second. I think if we have fun doing this and it's not a total disaster, then we want to work on the new stuff. It was always great working with these guys. We've all thought at various times that we'd like to finish some of that old live material and there's some newer stuff that would be really, really cool, but that phone call just never got made. So the goal is to do at least one of those new songs before this show happens in the next three weeks, and put it up.” He delivers his last remark with a purposeful look across the table, where Angela sits.

She notices right away and shoots back, “You're looking at me like...”

“All you gotta do is come over and we'll do it,” he says, her sentence already finished in the unspoken language of great minds thinking alike.

“I'm here, I can do it,” she says with an enthusiastic smile.

“You're the secret weapon,” says Janey, mirroring the smile. “Go for it, girl.”


The Astronaut Wife reunion happens at Jagerfest 2009 Saturday, September 26th at Clubhouse Jaeger with opening bands Ultrachorus, The Red Pens and Blue Sky Blackout, and followed by a post-show Transmission Dance Party with DJ Jake Rudh.

Also, Christian and Janey will be onstage September 19th at the Hexagon, as part of the Susstones Showcase, also featuring Strangelights, To Reinvent, Two Harbors, and The Mood Swings.


Visit the Astronaut Wife myspace page HERE