Rock That 'Stache at Bros On Broadway!

Just a few short days until Bros On Broadway, our Movember-ending celebration of the mustache and benefit for the Prostate Cancer Foundation. The excitement, much like the presence of a lip warmer, is palpable.

The whole shebang gets started at 5 p.m. this Sunday the 30th. Although neither are necessary, be sure to be rocking your mustache and dressing the part if you can – and be sure to coordinate with your team or your MoSista or MoBro. We’ll be awarding prizes in a number of categories, including:

*Best Rock Star Mustache
*Most Civilized Mustache
*The Salvador Dali Experimental Mustache
*The “E for Effort” Never There Award
*Best Mustache/Costume Combo
*Best Team Presentation

And, of course, we’re awarding a prize for the Best in Show. Does your mustache have what it takes? That will be determined by our panel of “mustachionado” judges: Kerstin Kealy, Jack Sunday, Sandy Buttweiler, KY, John Lamb and Mike Swanston.

Speaking of, we are pleased to note that we’ll be awarding prizes for mustaches and, in case you don’t have one, through a raffle. We’re talking serious prizes, folks, from generous supporters like Bernie’s Liquors, Silver Moon Supper Club, Straus Clothing, Take 2 Video, Usher’s House, Ace Hardware, Salon Why?, M.J. Capelli’s, a.k.a., Atomic Coffee, Zandbroz … and many more. We’re also awarding tickets to the upcoming Black Crowes show, the upcoming Old Man Winter festival (featuring Trampled By Turtles), and a Fargo Force game at the brand new Urban Plains Center. If that’s not enough, we’ll be giving away a night in the Big Dog Suite at the Hotel Donaldson, dinner for two in the HoDo Restaurant and a party for the winning fundraising team in Stoker’s. All this for growing a mustache or supporting someone who does? You bet.

Oh yeah. In addition to all of that, we’ll have food, fine beverages, the Vikings/Bears game and music from the Johnson Family Band, Amanda Standalone and Wasi the Magician, Bad Mojo, Blue Wailers, Flatlands and Jon Wayne. There will be face painting on hand in case you didn’t grow a mustache and photography-on-demand if you want documentation of the evening.

Tickets are a steal at $25. A ticket includes food and a complimentary beverage, and is available at the door or at www.fargostuff.com. If you raised over $100 as part of a Movember team, you get in for free. Come on out for a grand party before shaving that mustache on Monday morning. Call 701.478.1000 if you have questions.

Movember!

Give Funky Thanks to the Mindfunk Allstars

The Mindfunk Allstars (listen here on MySpace) rock space-age synth funk officially endorsed by NASA* and are just coming off a gig on the International Space Station* (above). If someone remade "2001: A Space Odyssey," they'd be on the soundtrack*.

*Probably not true. But what is true is the stankalicious groove laid down by our friends in the Mindfunk Allstars. Your rump need some pre-Thankgiving shakin'? We got the cure. Join us this Wednesday at 8:00 p.m., no cover, 21+.

Bras On Broadway, 2008

The 3rd Annual Bras On Broadway benefit and art auction, helping people in our area living with breast cancer, was held on Thursday, October 23rd. The turnout was wonderful, our donated art was incredible, and the event itself raised a grand total of $29,000 for the American Cancer Society. We thank everyone who donated, made a work of art, provided sponsorship or came out to the event.

We'd also like to thank everyone who modeled the wearable art. The bras were definitely the star of the show...


...but the non-wearable art was great, too, and deserved modeling as well...


...there was good music from Amanda Standalone and the Pastry Shop Girls (yes, that's a washtub bass)...


...and some solid blues from the Deb Jenkins Band...



...all in all, there were a lot of smiles and good times benefiting a great cause:


Another big thank you to Dave and Britta at Milestones Photography for their spirited photos. If you'd like to see more, please visit our Facebook page. Keep an eye out for next year's Bras On Broadway and, in the meantime, if you'd like to make a donation to the American Cancer Society or find more information, please visit their website at www.cancer.org.

This Feelin' That You're Feelin'? It's the Feelin'.

Modern rock music often sounds like a race to who can be more aloof. It's difficult to find emerging artists that qualify as genuinely uplifting or even engage a listener's emotional self.

From that perspective, MSP's Nick "The Feelin'" Mrozinski isn't just a breath of fresh air. He's like the first breath of air after emerging from the deep end of the pool. His specialty is piano-driven R&B through a voice that is fueled by the power of love ... but not saccharine. Think James Taylor mixed with Randy Newman and just a tiny touch of Tom Waits. Give him a listen here, on MySpace. We'll turn the lights down low and feel good with Nick tonight at 8:30 p.m. No cover, 21+. See you there.

(Sneak peak!)

November's Flavor of the Month - Purveyor's Dinner

The HoDo uses products from local growers whenever possible, a practice that ensures quality and provides a distinct sense of place. Join us on Wedneday, "Mo"vember 19th at 6 p.m. for an evening with a handful of these growers. You’ll enjoy a five course meal (menu below) prepared from their products and hear remarks from each. Featured growers: Brad Hersch of Whiskey Creek Bison, Renee Gopal of Echo Lake Farm, Noreen and Evan Thomas of Doubting Thomas Farms, and Dick, Dick and Linda of Bethany Farm. We appreciate their commitment to quality and we believe you will, too.

Call 701.478.1000 for reservations. The cost is $35/person.

***

Menu

Lyonnaise Salad
Frisee greens, bacon, croutons & a poached egg

Bison Carpaccio
Seared bison drizzled with olive oil &
served with red onions, hard cooked eggs & capers

Braised Beef & Pork Ravioli
Braised beef & pork in spinach pasta tossed with mushrooms,
finished with gremolata

Lamb Chop
Grilled lamb chop served with smoked chicken risotto & baby carrots,
finished with port wine demi glace

Squash & Cranberry Bread Pudding
Topped with crème anglaise

How Does Heatbox Do That?

Minneapolis's Heatbox knows his way around a microphone. That much is clear. Aside from smooth vocals, Heatbox brings a variety of beatboxing talents together with samplers to create a groove without instruments, borrowing equally from the sounds of hip-hop, reggae, doo-wop and a cappella. The effect needs to be seen as much as it needs to be heard:



Crazy. (And, is that an old NES power glove on his right hand?) Heatbox will be in the HoDo Lounge tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m. for an impressive one-man show. 21+, no cover.

Team MoDo - The Before Photo

Here is a good contingent from the Hotel Donaldson's own Movember team, MoDo. (From l to r) Top: Austin, Tim and Jason. Middle: Ben, Dale and (team captain) Josh. Bottom: Andy, Chad, Bill and Kris (your humble narrator). You can donate to our team, and benefit the Prostate Cancer Foundation, by going here and searching for our team. You can also donate to our competition, WoMoDo, the MoSistas of the HoDo.

We took this photo about four days into the growth period. Even with that head start, there's not too much happening above those upper lips. Dale is probably doing the best, but Ben's has its charms as well. Me, I'm learning that the difference between grooming a mustache instead of a beard is the difference between wielding a scalpel and operating a weedwacker. And, somehow, the effect makes your face look even mangier. Curious.

If this is your first exposure to Movember, you can find out more at www.movember.com or by reading previous posts here and here. It's not too late to register a team or as an individual - men and women are welcome to gather donations, mustache or not. Visit Movember to register a team. And, don't forget about Bros On Broadway, a benefit for the Prostate Cancer Foundation, on Sunday, November 30th.

If you'll excuse me, I have to pluck.

The Studious Ferocity of Fighting at a College Level

Maybe the word is "indiecoustic?" When in search of an applicable term to describe Fighting at a College Level, it seems best to resort to a portmanteau. Bismarck native and singer/songwriter Tyler Hartman, who goes by his band name, sports intricate acoustic guitar tactics and raw vocal intensity, sometimes landing among the pop sounds of David Gray, sometimes inside the emotionally-charged awareness of Conor Oberst. Mr. Hartman will be our guest this Thursday, November 6th, at 9 p.m. No cover, 21+.

A rather sad addendum to this show: according to his MySpace page, Tyler will undergo surgery to correct a degenerative lung condition called sarcoid. The recovery will take away Tyler's ability to sing for six to eight months, so this might be your last chance to see him for a while. Be sure to come out, hear his stuff, and wish him well.