This Week in Geek (4/19/21–4/25/21)

Welcome to This Week in Geek, your guide to events of interest to the Minnesota geek community for the week of Monday, April 19, to Sunday, April 25.

Please note: Due to risks from the global COVID-19 pandemic, and in following current health guidelines recommending both social distancing and limited travel, this column will exclusively share virtual and drive-through events. During this time we will be including local, national, and international events, as well as separating them into weekly and daily categories. As time goes on and guidelines change, in-person events may be reintroduced.

One-Time and Weekly Events

Online Creative Night

What: Arts, Community
When: Monday, April 19, at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Google Meet

Let your creativity shine with drawing, painting, crafting, or whatever your heart desires at Creative Night, a weekly event put on by Crafty Geek and the Geek Partnership Society. This is a free event and a great opportunity to work on projects in great company.

Earth Day 2021

What: Community, Educational, Science & Tech, Music
When: Tuesday, April 20, through Thursday, April 22
Where: Virtual via Twitch, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook

Commemorate Earth Day with three days of free events focused on climate action. Day One kicks off with a youth climate summit hosted by Earth Uprising and the “We Shall Breathe” summit led by the Hip Hop Caucus. Day Two focuses on the importance of education and educators. Earth Day itself will emphasize the restoration of ecosystems while looking at emerging technology, natural processes, community action, and current efforts. Expect a mix of workshops, panels, performances, and discussions across all three days with guest leaders, activists, musicians, artists, and more.

Ted Rall and Pablo Callejo

What: Comics
When: Tuesday, April 20, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Crowdcast

Rain Taxi is hosting a conversation with author Ted Rall and illustrator Pablo Callejo about their latest graphic novel, The Stringer, which follows a war correspondent’s journey into independent journalism and social media. This event is free. Books are available to purchase online, and any order made through the referral link will support Rain Taxi’s virtual author-event series.

Tuesdays with a Scholar

What: Educational
When: Tuesday, April 20, at 1:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Join the Ramsey County Library and a guest scholar for an educational dive into their specialty every Tuesday through April. This week, Kim Heikkila discusses her book Booth Girls: Pregnancy, Adoption, and the Secrets We Kept.

Jess Phoenix presents Ms. Adventure: My Wild Explorations in Science, Lava, and Life

What: Books, Science & Tech
When: Tuesday, April 20, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via YouTube and Facebook

Author, volcanologist, and natural-hazards expert Jess Phoenix joins Magers & Quinn to discuss her memoir Ms. Adventure: My Wild Explorations in Science, Lava, and Life. This event is free.

Minnesota Zoo Virtual Yoga

What: Sports & Fitness
When: Wednesday, April 21, at 7:45 a.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Start your morning with yoga at the zoo! Each week the instructor teaches a yoga routine live from different exhibits around the zoo. These classes are appropriate for both beginners and experienced yogis. Each class is $8 for nonmembers, with reduced rates available for zoo members or when registering for multiple classes at the same time.

One Book | One Minnesota: Fourth Chapter Author Discussion

What: Books, Community
When: Wednesday, April 21, at 1:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

One Book | One Minnesota, a statewide book club for Minnesotans of all ages, opens its fourth chapter with a discussion of Slider by Pete Hautman. This event will feature author Pete Hautman in conversation with moderator Alayne Hopkins of the Minnesota Center for the Book.

Twin Cities Playtest

What: Gaming
When: Wednesday, April 21, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Twitch

This online-only playtest event ran by the Twin Cities chapter of the International Game Developer’s Association highlights in-development games by streaming them to Twitch, and by allowing participants to test them with a service called Parsec. See the event for all of the details on how to participate as a developer or a player.

Online Books & Bars: Leave the World Behind

What: Books, Food & Drink
When: Wednesday, April 21, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Books & Bars is an “open public book club show” hosted and moderated by former Minnesota Public Radio producer Jeff Kamin that provides attendees with “a unique atmosphere for a lively discussion of interesting authors, fun people, good food, and social lubrication.” The book being discussed this meeting is Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam. The next meeting’s book is Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

National Geographic Earth Day Eve

What: Community, Music, Science & Tech
When: Wednesday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual via YouTube

Countdown to Earth Day with a night of live music, special guests, and loving stories about our planet. Host Jessica Nabongo will be joined by Ziggy Marley, Dr. Jane Goodall, Willie Nelson, Yo-Yo Ma, Brian Skerry, My Morning Jacket, and more. The celebration continues with an after party on Tik Tok hosted by Jada G and the Disney+ premiere of National Geographic’s Secrets of the Whales.

Virtual Transmission

What: Music, Nightlife
When: Wednesday, April 21, and Saturday, April 24, at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Twitch

The popular Transmission dance night is moving to virtual space every Wednesday and Saturday. DJ Jake Rudh will be bringing New Wave, Alternative, and more ’80s-centric greats to the safety of your homes. So, dance, dance, dance to the radio (or, in this case, Twitch stream).

Twin Cities Geek Art Club

What: Arts
When: Thursday, April 22, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Discord

The Twin Cities Geek art club meets every Thursday evening from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on the Twin Cities Geeks Discord. Hop on voice or video and chat while you create art, then share your finished pieces on the #art-club channel! This event is open to all. You can join by visiting twincitiesgeek.com/discord.

VGM CONline

What: Gaming, Music
When: Thursday, April 22, through Sunday, April 25
Where: Virtual via Twitch and Discord

VGM CON, a yearly convention dedicated to the love of video-game music, is going online and raising funds for music industry professionals who are struggling through the pandemic. Expect four days of fun musical performances, panels with guests from around the world, Midwest Speedfest game marathons, a charity album jam, and more. General admission is free, but folks are highly encouraged to make a donation. VIP registration is also available for $25, which includes event swag and access to a virtual meet and greet with special guests. Funds raised will benefit the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.

GalaxyCon Live

What: Community, Convention
When: Friday, April 23, through Sunday, April 25; various times
Where: Virtual via video chat

GalaxyCon, a convention for fans of various genre properties, will be returning to live virtual events throughout the year. These events are a great way to bring the convention experience home with a mix of free and premium panels, chats, autographs, virtual shout-outs, and more. Check the website for full details and pricing information, but this week includes events for fans of Firefly, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Friday the 13th, and more.

Extra Life United

What: Gaming
When: Friday, April 23, through Sunday, April 25
Where: Virtual via Twitch and Discord

Play games and compete for donations to your local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Extra Life, the folks behind the annual charity gaming stream event, are hosting a weekend of video game tournaments and community competitions. Tournament games include Fall Guys, Among Us, Rocket League, and more. Additional competitions include cosplay and skateboard design. Registration is free and closes on April 22 at 1:59 a.m. CST. Spectators can also expect a few fun surprises with special guests including Jack Black, Tim Gunn, and more.

Vilification Tennis Cheers You Up

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Friday, April 23, at 10:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook

Vilification Tennis, a local structured-improv show focused on insult contests, is taking its show online with a night of comedy aiming to cheer folks up after a long and difficult year through their special brand of wildly inappropriate jokes. This show is free, but a virtual tip jar is available for those who’d like to contribute.

Independent Bookstore Day

What: Books
When: Saturday, April 24
Where: Independent bookstores everywhere

On the last Saturday in April, indie bookstores around the country celebrate Independent Bookstore Day with sales, giveaways, and more. Watch for our dedicated guide to what’s going on for Bookstore Day in Minnesota coming later this week, and check out the Independent Bookstore Day website for featured virtual events throughout the week.

Rock of Ages: The All-Star Reunion Concert

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Saturday, April 24, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Stellar

The Broadway musical Rock of Ages has assembled an all-star cast of alumni, musicians, and special guests for a one-night-only show. Performers include Constantine Maroulis, Laura Bell Bundy, Dee Snider, Kyle Gass, Dot-Marie Jones, Tom Lenk, and more. Tickets start at $33 and include access to the stream for 24 hours.

Profs & Pints: Pirate Queens of the Caribbean

What: Educational
When: Sunday, April 25, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Crowdcast

The Profs & Pints series continues with “Pirate Queens of the Caribbean.” Learn all about the infamous lives of Anne Bonny and Mary Read. This talk will be led by Dr. Rebecca Simon, an expert on Atlantic piracy with a forthcoming book chronicling the pirate duo. Tickets are $12.

Daily Events

MSP Film Society Virtual Cinema

What: Movies
When: Daily, various times
Where: Virtual via video stream

The MSP Film Society is continuing to make independent films available to the community while theaters are closed and under reduced occupancy through their virtual cinema. Check out their website for full details, including current and upcoming films, as well as ticket pricing.

Alamo Drafthouse OnDemand

What: Community, Movies
When: Daily, various times
Where: Virtual via Scener

The Alamo Drafthouse has taken its curated approach to film online to keep bringing the weird, great, bad, and amazing to the public in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. Check this space for live events like watch parties, exclusive releases, and more (only this time you’ll be required to provide your own snacks and drinks). Check the website for all of the current and upcoming films, events, and prices.

Sofi Tukker Presents Daily DJ Sets

What: Music
When: Daily, at 12:00 p.m., and Tuesdays, at 9:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Twitch, Instagram, and Facebook

House-music duo Sofi Tukker present live DJ sets every day that include popular dance tracks, original music, and community interaction. Noon sets are performed by the duo or guest DJs from around the world. On Tuesdays, Sofi Tukker plays an extended evening set. These shows are a great opportunity for a dance break, to interact with other music fans, and see new music evolve before it hits streaming services. Be advised that the music and hosts are not censored and this may not be the best livestream for younger music fans.

Kidz Bop Daily Dance Break

What: Family, Music
When: Weekdays, at 2:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via YouTube

Get your little ones moving with Kidz Bop’s daily dance break. Every weekday, they’ll be livestreaming a different dance-along video to help kids stay active and burn off some energy.

Met Opera Streams

What: Music, Theater & Comedy
When: Daily, at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual via video stream

Even though the Metropolitan Opera in New York has gone dark in these challenging times, the show will go on. “Each day, a different encore presentation from the company’s Live in HD series is being made available for free streaming on the Met website.” Check the website for this week’s schedule. Streams will be available for a full 23 hours and can also be accessed through the Met Opera On Demand apps.

So, which of these events will you be attending? What events would you like to see featured in the future? Let us know in the comments section below or contact us via email. And don’t forget to add your events to the Twin Cities Geek Community Calendar!