Heat, the Monks, TC Hip Hop, and Sound Unseen

Two articles in today's City Pages:

Cold Rock a Party: Why Heat rap better without men

Living Like a Monk: How Minnesota musicians revived '60s rockers the Monks

As you can imagine, it's a good week to go out in Minneapolis...

WEDNESDAY

Sound Unseen opens (official site) and runs through August 24.

THURSDAY

City Pages 27th Birthday Party at the Cabooze. Maybe meet the new music editor?

FRIDAY

5th Annual Twin Cities Celebration of Hip Hop at First Avenue, a three-day festival with the official site here, more on Maria Isa here, and on last year's event here, here, and here. More at DUNation.com. DJ Pablo/DJ Verb X reggaeton afterparty in the VIP Room. (Blue Worm Records showcase in the Entry, too--official site.)

Heat (MySpace page), the subject of the above article, play a CD release party later the same night with Desdamona, Double Shot, Protegee, and many more, so club-hop over to the Spirell Bar.

SATURDAY

Sound Unseen madness. Sound Unseen Freeride, a public bike ride (complete with a "Bike DJ"), kicks off at the Cars R Coffins coffee bar and bike shop at 4:00 p.m. (3346 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612.822.4130, www.crccoffeebar.blogspot.com) and makes several stops at various parties before winding up at the Soap Factory (register for free beverages via email at evemarcellus@gmail.com). The festival's late-night dance party begins at the Soap Factory at 9:00 p.m. the same day, with Austin, Texas, electroclash band Ghostland Observatory, themed make-out rooms, films everywhere, and a collaboration involving Doomtree's Lazerbeak (21+, $15 includes complimentary drinks, 110 5th Ave. SE, Minneapolis; 612.623.9176, www.soapfactory.org).

More TC Celebration of hip hop.

SUNDAY

More Sound Unseen: A noon music and bowling event at Bryant-Lake Bowl--"Bands Vs. Fans"--allows you to compete on teams against Revolver Modele, National Bird, the Haves Have It, Friends Like These, Mystery Palace, the Alarmists, STNNNG, and Mel Gibson and the Pants (810 W. Lake St., Minneapolis; 612.825.3737, www.bryantlakebowl.com).

MC Lyte at the TC Celebration of Hip Hop (going on at about 9:45 at First Avenue). Then club-hop to...

Bushman at the Lounge.

NEXT THURSDAY

Gary Burger of the Monks performs at the Bryant-Lake Bowl with members of the Conquerors as part of Sound Unseen.