Halloween Treats, Local Exhibits, and Lil Uzi Vert Concert in Mpls!

Buenos dias, 

Isabella here greeting you this morning. As the state turns golden yellow, at NewPrensa we’ve been enjoying classic Halloween films like The Shining, Halloween, The Rocky Horror Show, Hocus Pocus, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Exorcist, and more. For film aficionados, I recommend visiting the Main’s Midnight Mayhem on November 4th to watch The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). We’ve also been planning costumes and Birthdays, ‘cause why not celebrate both? Some say that those born on Halloween are clairvoyant or have “the sixth sense” – which is also a great movie. 

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While horror films don’t scare me, our reality does with the new House Speaker, Mike Johnson, being the fourth speaker. He’s a Louisiana Republican known for his strong conservative views, particularly against the LGBTQ+ community. He recently announced an “aggressive schedule” and claimed that Congress will work exceptionally hard to move swiftly several legislation. We’re now waiting to see their next moves.

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Indicted Minnesotans face charges for involvement in a lucrative stolen catalytic converter scheme, including interstate transportation of stolen property, money laundering conspiracy, and false statements to a financial institution. This scheme, initially carried out by street-level cutters, generated $21 million in revenue for the defendants between May 2020 and October 2022. Replacing a catalytic converter can range from $300 to $2,500 plus any labor costs, according to AutoZone.

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On a lighter note, for my fellow aesthetes, there’s two exhibits I recommend you go see in Minneapolis.

“In Our Hands: Native Photography, 1890 to Now” at MIA offers a captivating journey through the camera lens, inviting visitors to explore the rich tapestry of First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and Native American cultures. What sets this exhibit apart is that Native photographers themselves share their powerful narratives, emphasizing resilience, empowerment, and heritage celebration. It challenges outdated narratives, showcasing the ongoing impact of Native communities in various realms and reminding us that their cultures are vibrant forces shaping the world today. Beyond its visual allure, the exhibit provides a space for reflection, education, and unity, symbolizing inclusivity and collaboration. Open until January 14, 2024, this is an opportunity to connect with the past, present, and future of Native photography. A hand extended to a remarkable cultural journey.

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I also want you to visit Mexican-American artist Patricio De Lara’s exhibit “Headbomb” at the Public Functionary in Northeast Minneapolis. “Headbomb” navigates the delicate balance between contrasting emotions of joy and fear, delving into the realm of fragmented comprehension and human connection. Patricio De Lara employs the deliberate use of distraction as an artistic method to craft a diverse array of paintings and drawings. This approach encourages exploration of various visual styles and allows for the emergence of unexpected pieces through shifting attention. The result encompasses Post-it note sketches, towering 6-foot canvases, freeform stream-of-consciousness drawings, narrative oil paintings, and portraits on discarded cardboard. Open until November 4th, 2023 from 12pm to 6pm, this is an amazing opportunity to explore and reflect on a range of source materials and distorted representations of reality.

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Last weekend, the Twin Cities enjoyed a great selection of live music including multiple sold out shows. Minnesota native Adam Young, behind Owl City and the smash hit Fireflies, performed at the Uptown Theater, which reopened earlier this year. Downtown Minneapolis featured several shows, one being Joji, who performed at Target Center, one of the stops on his Pandemonium Tour. At the historic First Avenue and 7th St Entry, Monster Rally opened for popular indie group TV Girl. The Fillmore featured Men I Trust and Micheal Seyer. Upcoming artist Peter McPoland also performed at Varsity Theater. There were shows all over for all sorts of different music tastes.

You may be asking where I was this weekend. I had the opportunity to see my favorite artist, Lil Uzi Vert, perform the opening show for their Pink Tape Tour at The Armory, which was sold out.

For those who don’t know who Lil Uzi Vert is, they came into the rap scene in 2016, during what was known as the “SoundCloud era” for rap. This brought a new wave of artists to the spotlight, including artists like Lil Yachty, 21 Savage, and Playboi Carti, just to name a few. Since then, Lil Uzi has grown exponentially and boasts a massive fanbase across much of the youth and young adults, leading to them becoming a common headliner at larger rap festivals like Rolling Loud and Summer Smash. Lil Uzi is an icon not only in the music industry, but also the fashion industry. On their Instagram, you can often find them expressing their creativity through colorful outfits, often mixing and matching different designer brands. 

Lil Uzi Vert chose to start their tour with a stop in Minneapolis, and for that, I am very grateful. This was the first time that Lil Uzi performed most of the songs from Pink Tape, meaning we were getting a truly exclusive experience. This was my fourth time seeing Lil Uzi Vert since 2018, and they never fail to impress me. The stage was very creative and there was pink everywhere, which made for an awesome visual experience. I have been to several shows at The Armory over the last few years, and they continue to impress me. You really can choose the type of experience you want to have, as it is so large and open, and they have an elevated platform that goes almost all the way around the floor. This allows for those who want to watch in a more relaxed, calm manner to watch from a distance without the fear of getting trampled by the energetic, young crowd. While I almost always spend my time in “the pit”, I can understand wanting to experience less chaos.

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That’s all from us, we’ll see you next time.

-Isabella and Mateo

Hit play on the Spotify icon below for NewMusica’s Latine/Hispanic Heritage Month playlist, a playlist by the NewPrensa team that brings you NewTaste and NewVibes. New updated playlist coming November 1st!

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