Brooks blues
- Thursday in the Empire: Ronnie Baker Brooks, an acclaimed Chicago-raised blues musician with venerable musical roots, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Empire Arts Center for the next concert of the Budweiser Blues Series. Come early to enjoy the cash bar and socialize. Tickets: $18 in advance, available by calling (701) 777-4090; $20 at the door; $3 discount for Empire members. About the artist: Brooks grew up in the company of some of the greats of the genre, including his father, Lonnie Brooks, as well as Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Junior Wells, Eddie Clearwater and the late Koko Taylor. (His father is one of the 2010 inductees into the Blues Hall of Fame.) Brooks enlivens blues-rock with deep soul and modern hip-hop vocals and funk rhythms, according to his online biography. His recordings include "The Torch" and "Take Me Witcha." To hear Brooks sing "Time Will Tell": Go to www.youtube.com , enter Ronnie Baker Brooks Time will Tell.
Dueling Saxes
- Tonight in EGF: The Dueling Saxes -- Maury Finney, Minnesota Rock and Country Hall of Fame; Chuck Schumacher, from Nashville with seven years at WE Fest; and Gary Emerson and his rockin' piano -- will play from 8:30 tonight to 12:30 a.m. at the American Legion Club, East Grand Forks. Admission: $5.
'Kimberly Akimbo'
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- Continuing tonight in Fire Hall: "Kimberly Akimbo," a black comedy presented by Greater Grand Forks Community Theatre and directed by Chris Berg, continues at 7:30 tonight and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in Fire Hall Theatre, Grand Forks. Cast: Sharon Bures, Pat DeMars, Heather Helgeson, Ryan King, Mare Thompson, Additional shows: 7:30 p.m. May 13-15. Tickets: Adults, $15; students, senior citizens and military, $12; group rates available. Call (701) 777-4090.
Night life
- This weekend in GF/EGF: Here's some of what's going on this weekend. All events are in Grand Forks unless otherwise noted. Friday: Echo Plane, Long Haul Saloon; Inside Out Strings, Crosstown Lounge. Friday and Saturday: Bethany & the Bandits, Diamond Lounge; Kid Hollywood, Big Daddy's; OCD, Charlie Brown's; Matt Strand Group, Sanders 1907. Saturday: Heroes and Thieves, Sensations; Yukon Jack, TJ's Sports Bar; Hyentite, Crosstown Lounge; Nice Pupils, Hub Bar. Sunday: The Auctioneers, American Legion Club, East Grand Forks.
Bookstore storytime
- Storytimes for May: The UND Bookstore has announced its schedule for storytime in May. Saturday, 11 a.m.: "Would You Rather Be a Bullfrog?," "Wacky Wednesday," "I Wish I had Duck Feet." May 12, 10 a.m., and May 15, 11 a.m.: "True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!," "Tikki Tikki Tembo," "The Pied Piper's Magic." May 19, 10 a.m., and May 22, 11 a.m.: "Miss Brooks Loves Books!," "Emperor of Absardia," "The Bog Baby." May 26, 10 a.m.: "A Bad Case of Stripes," "Be Glad Your Nose Is On Your Face." Info: (701) 777-2746.
Mother's Day concert
- Sunday in Kem Temple: The 64th annual Mother's Day Concert will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Kem Temple featuring the Central High School Centralian Chorus and Madrigal and the Red River High School Concert Choir and Madrigal. Admission: Free.
Mall moms and daughters
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- Saturday in Columbia Mall: Are you the image of your mother? Is your daughter a ringer of your yearbook photo? Columbia Mall at 11 a.m. Saturday invites mother and daughter duos to the fourth annual Like Mother, Like Daughter lookalike contest in its Macy's court area. Moms and daughters will post before a panel of judges, who will score on facial features, wardrobe, creativity, and hair similarities. Last year's winners Anita Zavalney of Park River, N.D., and Mary Ellen Smith of Grafton will attend to hand off their crowns to the 2010 winners. Prizes: A mall shopping spree from various mall businesses. To enter: Visit www.shopclumbiamall.com . Pre-registration is required. Info: (701) 746-7383.
Springfest
- Saturday in University Park: Springfest, a day of music and fun in University Park, will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday featuring the bands RHS, India Ink and Jon Wayne and the Pain. All are welcome; attendees will be wristbanded so those 21 and older can purchase beer, which will be sold for $3 per 16 ounces. Other refreshments and food will be sold. Outside containers are not allowed. Admission: $5.
Why? Radio
- New show broadcast Sunday: "Why? Philosophical discussions about everyday life," a radio show broadcast on 89.3 FM in Grand Forks and other Prairie Public radio stations, will air at 5 p.m. Sunday. The guest will be Martha Nussbaum, the Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics, appointed in the philosophy department, law school and divinity school at University of Chicago. The topic: ""Empathy, the Constitution and Sexual Orientation." Should America allow gay marriage? Are demands for civil rights by homosexuals analogous to earlier movements for equality? How have personal attitudes, particularly disgust, shaped law in the U.S.? Send questions: This episode will be pre-recorded Saturday. Send questions in advance to askwhy@und.edu . Or join the show in its chat room, www.whyradioshow.org/whylive.html . Host: "Why?" is hosted by UND professor of philosophy Jack Weinstein and is sponsored by the Institute for Philosophy in Public Life at UND. Info: www.whyradioshow.org/ .
Central Band
- Monday in Central High School: The Grand Forks Central High School spring band concert will be at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Central auditorium, Grand Forks. Yearend awards will be given. Admission: Freewill offering for music camp scholarship fund.
Senior High band
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- Monday in EGF: The East Grand Forks Senior High School band will present a concert at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the East Grand Forks Performing Arts Center. Admission: Free.
Red River band
- Monday at RRHS: The Red River High School spring band concert will be at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the RRHS gym featuring the Varsity, Concert and Symphonic bands. Pre-concert music will begin at 7:10 p.m. with the Clarinet Choir and Percussion Ensemble, both of which won Outstanding Performance Awards at the EDC/state music contest. Main program: "Fanfare Nueve," John Fannin; "Night Dances," Bruce Yurko; Spring and Winter from "The Seasons," Philip Sparke; "Colonel Bogey March," Kenneth J. Alford. Awards: Three senior band awards will be given and seniors will be recognized. Conductors: Chris Larsen, Bruce Morlock. Admission: Free.
Orphan train
- Tuesday in East Grand Forks: East Grand Forks Campbell Library will host Ann Zemke, author of "They Named Me Marjorie," at 7 p.m. Tuesday to talk about her book about her grandmother and her life after coming to the Midwest on an orphan train. From 1854 to 1929 an estimated 250,000 children rode so-called orphan trains from New York and other overpopulated areas to new homes, mostly in the Midwest. Some children were orphans; others were abandoned, while others were put on trains by their parents who hoped, wherever they ended up, they would have a better life. Zemke's presentation uses a quilt she made in memory her grandmother. Sponsor: Minnesota Humanities Center. Info: (218) 773-9121.
ArtSee
- Thursday at North Dakota Museum of Art: The Greater Grand Forks Young Professionals will showcase regional art for the community at ArtSee from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at North Dakota Museum of Art. The event features the work of up-and-coming artists as well as established artists. Come and enjoy paintings, pottery, photography and digital media art in a lively and unique atmosphere, and see artists create works of art live throughout the evening. Admission: Free; free beer, wine and hors d'oeuvres. Live music by Jarrod Schell and Matt Strand. Info: (701) 746-2720.
City Band concert
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- Thursday at United Lutheran Church: The Greater Grand Forks City Band will perform its first concert of the year at 7:30 p.m. May 13 at United Lutheran Church, Grand Forks, with a variety of music and a solo, "Rainbow Ripples," by Brad Larson on xylophone. Larson, the son of Jerry Larson who plays trumpet for the City Band, is a product of the East Grand Forks schools and played with the band all through high school. This month he'll graduate with a music performance degree from UND, where he studied with Professor Mike Blake. Admission: Free.
Senior High Choir
- Thursday in EGF: The East Grand Forks Senior High School Choir Concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the East Grand Forks Performing Arts Center. Admission: Free.
State Fair
- Aug. 26 through Sept. 6 in St. Paul: The Minnesota State Fair has added Wisconsin-based roots-rock band BoDeans and country superstar Carrie Underwood to its concert series. Aug. 26: BoDeans with special guest Big Head Todd & The Monsters will perform at 7 p.m. Aug. 26. Tickets, $28, go one sale at 11 a.m. Saturday. Aug. 31: Carrie Underwood is set for 7:30 p.m. Aug. 31. An opening act will be added; Tickets, $59, $49 and $39, will go on sale at noon Saturday. Shows already on sale: An Evening with RUSH, Aug. 27; "Weird Al" Yankovic, Sept. 1. Tickets available through: Ticketmaster, call (800) 745-3000. Info: www.mnstatefair.org .
