City of Music: MC/VL from MPLS.TV on Vimeo.

As we mentioned earlier today, Cinema and Civics is taking over Stevens Square Park again tonight with a live performance by Phantom Tails and a screening of Dr. Strangelove. To get us in the mood, MPLS.TV sent over this footage of MC/VL performing at the first Cinema and Civics event this year. Enjoy!

Photo by Mark Seliger

​As Minnesotans, we just love claiming people as our own. Prince? Ours. Garrison Keillor? OURS. Bob Dylan? TOTALLY OURS. HE WAS BORN HERE. So it's no surprise that every time the Hold Steady returns to the Twin Cities to play a show, we throw up our arms in a welcoming homecoming embrace. After all, lead singer Craig Finn is a born-and-bred native, and his earlier work in Lifter Puller earned him an increasingly nostalgic, cultish local following. And in the Hold Steady, Finn often uses Minneapolis and St. Paul landmarks as backdrops for his lyrical passages, paying homage to landmarks like the Southtown Mall, Payne Avenue, the Grain Belt Bridge, and "Penetration Park" in his songs.

But are the Hold Steady really local? Do we have any right do claim them as "ours"?

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Photo by Nick Vlcek

​Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings were easily our favorite act at this year's Rock the Garden, and looking back at this footage of her performance, it's easy to see why she won us over so quickly. Check out the clip of Ms. Jones and Co. playing "Got to Be the Way It Is" below, and head over to the Current's site for more videos from the outdoor festival they hosted along with the Walker Art Center earlier this month.

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​The posting on the Bedlam's site is rather brief and mysterious, but color us intrigued: A cast of performers will present the work of Radiohead "in an intimate cabaret style with lots of special surprises" this evening at the West Bank theater space. Not to be confused with local Radiohead cover band "What'sThat?," participants listed for tonight's performance include actor Phillip Callen, Twins music director Kevin Dutcher, singer and actress Adena Brumer, and longtime local musical performer Molly Sue McDonald.

Tickets for "This is What You Get When You Mess With Us" are $10 and tonight's show starts at 7:30 p.m.

Photo by Elli Rader

​Hallelujah for hump day. Here's a sampling of the music content that you'll find in the print edition of this week's City Pages, which hits stands today.

Ryan Paul & the Ardent prepare for EP-release
By Rob van Alstyne
We talk to the evolving singer-songwriter about his tumultuous past and finding redemption through his songs. RP&A will release their new EP tomorrow night at the Bryant-Lake Bowl.

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​Thanks to Tony from Red Daughters for passing along this freaky flyer (is that a mole-man or an evil otter?) for his band's tour kick-off show at the Triple Rock next week. The band will play this gig with Hunting Club and Battle Royale before heading out for a two-week tour; when they return they will focus on releasing their new record, Shaman Blessed.

Submit your flyers for consideration to aswensson@citypages.com.

Photo from Cinema & Civics 2010

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One of the better parts of a Twin Cities summer comes in the grossly underrated festivities over in Minneapolis' most densely populated neighborhood. As the sun goes down, the music and movies get started. That's right: tonight brings the latest installment of Cinema and Civics put on in Stevens Square Park, and they have a great line-up to sonically and visually assault attendees with (in the best way possible of course).  More >>

Local hip-hop group the Abstract Pack just dropped the first of two experimental music videos that were created using only an iPhone, and the result is surprisingly retro-inspired. The Pack's Dean "Rastar" Brewington says that using his phone to film the video had its advantages: "What I loved about this process was the iPhone's adaptability with lighting situations for a camera that is not of a traditional high-tech professional grade," he says. "It allowed me to create not only an 8mm film reminiscent to the treatment, but also to remain unassuming while recording."

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Justin Bieber is in town tonight. Have you heard? In addition to jamming up traffic downtown with his show tonight and getting Tony Fly all whipped up about his surprise appearance at the MOA yesterday, the Biebs just gave a "shoutout" to Twins first baseman Justin Morneau on his Twitter account.

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Jake Sullivan is BadNraD is the Duke of Bodacia, and all three of them have deigned us ready for "Bad Girl," a song so summer it really should be called "Sand Convertible Patio Drinking T-Shirts." Wait that's dumb. I'm over thinking it. Don't over think it.

And a bonus: if you're having trouble with the lyrics, just watch the singalong video!

You can download the song here, and find more information at BadNraD's website.