Here is what happened in the A&E world since we last talked:

Lawrance Bernabo reviewed Chicago Sunday night at Symphony Hall and got a bit nostalgic for a slow-dance partner from back in the day.

Tony Bennett reviewed Bob Mould at Grandma’s Sports Garden and saw an adorable mosh pit.

Bernabo reviewed Renegade Theater Company’s production of “In the Next Room, or The Vibrator Play” and said director Anika Thompson played it just right.

And, because he’s a machine, Bernabo also reviewed Lyric Opera of the North’s production of “La Traviata.”

Meanwhile, outside the city limits: Low caused a bit of chatter with its super long song during Rock The Garden on Saturday. City Pages called it “one of the most polarizing performances ever to hit Rock the Garden.” Al Sparhawk told the Star Tribune: ““We weren’t really trying to do anything ‘punk’ or pull one over on people. We tried but couldn’t get Prince to come out and play guitar on ‘On My Own,’ so we came up with other plans.”

The Current posted about it on its live blog.

Meanwhile, here’s the Star Tribune review of the entire afternoon, which includes Bob Mould’s pre-Duluth show.

Here is what has happened in the A&E community since we last connected:

Lawrance Bernabo reviewed the Duluth Playhouse production of “God of Carnage” and dug it.

What immediately impressed me was how little time it takes for this stellar cast to take the script into the hallowed land where everything is funny. These are marvelously measured performances, understating the absurdity one moment and going for the jugular the next.

I went to the 35th Annual International Polka Fest at Black Bear, which seems to have an unspoken “No Mean People” rule. Okay, one woman got mad at me — but only when I confessed that I’m not a dancer. Here is what the event was like.

Bernabo reviewed a re-creation of Judy Garland’s 1961 performance at Carnegie Hall, as played by female impersonator Quincey Roisum and called it “ambitious, heartfelt, daunting, exciting and long.” 

The Budgeteer went on a walk through at the Tweed with artist Anne Labovitz, who has an exhibition of portraits at the UMD gallery.

The editorial pages were filled with A&E content including: Our View considers the online campaign to name a street for Telly Sevalas, (“No,” says Our View) which turns into a nice 101 on the former Kojak star’s connection to the city. Kat Mandeville asked readers, in her Local View column, whether Crispin Glover’s contribution to the Duluth Superior Film Festival romanticized the rape and torture of women. Robin Washington looked at ticket sales for the Dylan-Wilco-MMJ-Richard Thompson concert at Bayfront Festival Park — including $200-something being charged by secondary sources.

A larger-than-life Paul Bunyan goes on a rampage in “Axe Giant,” a creature feature that opens Friday at Zinema 2. (Photo courtesy of Cinema Purgatorio)

Here’s what you will find in this week’s Wave:

An independent creature feature gives beloved lumberjack Paul Bunyan a character makeover — and a deadly weapon — in “Axe Giant,” which opens Friday for a week run at Zinema 2. Here’s the story.

Big Top Chautauqua has shows ranging from longtime outlaw country legends to original musical theater to Duluth’s bluegrass export for this summer. Here is the full schedule.

This week’s Best Bets include the Playhouse’s performance of “God of Carnage,” “Duluth is Horrible” gets its premiere, a talk show-sketch comedy hybrid graduates to a local stage, Anne Labovitz has an exhibition at the Tweed, a female impersonator takes on Judy Garland and her 1961 performance at Carnegie Hall and the 35th annual International Polka Fest kicks off Friday at Black Bear.

Tony Bennett reviews Christoph Bruhn’s “Weekends on the Frontier.” 

Walt Disney’s “Iron Will” told the story of a 1919 dogsled race from Winnipeg, Manitoba, to St. Paul. The start of the race was filmed in January 1993 in front of Historic Old Central High School in Duluth, with the former school standing in for Winnipeg City Hall. (File / News Tribune)

Here’s what you will find in this week’s Wave (and elsewhere in the News Tribune):

Actor Mackenzie Astin will return to Duluth as part of an “Iron Will” reunion on Sunday at the Depot as part of the Duluth Superior Film Festival. Astin and others reflect on the movie made in and around Duluth about 20 years ago. (Also, on a personal note, I did not make it through my interview with Astin without mentioning the poster I had of him in my fort. So, failure. I was a big fan of his work on “Facts of Life.”)

Best Bets include the aforementioned film festival, the return of Black Label Movement, Michael Johnson performs in Cloquet, check out the Chicken Hat Plays and Three Bridges International Chamber Music Festival offers a free community concert.

Nicholas David, a Minnesota musician who appeared on last season of “The Voice,” will headline Fourth Fest at Bayfront Festival Park. And more park entertainment news.

Music reviewer Tony Bennett looks at Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank’s album “Number One Contender.” 

Here’s the lineup for the Chester Creek Concert series.

Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra music director Markand Thakar (center) greets DSSO board member Ruth Ann Eaton at the DSSO Spring Gala on Monday at the DECC. (Bob King / rking@duluthnews.com)

Here is what you will find in this week’s Wave:

The Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra’s longtime music director Markand Thakar has one more concert here before he walks “off into the sunset.”

Best Bets include: Scarlet Rivera kicks off Dylan Fest, and more Dylan Fest, two days of steampunk at the Depot, midnight screenings of “The Shining” playing with the documentary “Room 237″ (which is SUPER great, trust) and West Duluth gets a music festival.

Music reviewer Tony Bennett reviews Minneapolis artist Courtney Yasmineh’s new album.

Three Bridges International Chamber Music Festival is offering workshops for musicians.

David Moriera talks about the planned food fight that erupted during his recent artist’s dialogue at Duluth Art Institute in April. The institute is having an opening reception today for his exhibition. (Steve Kuchera / skuchera@duluthnews.com)

Here is what you will find in this week’s Wave:

Why did a bunch of art fans leave David Moriera’s April artist’s dialogue at the DAI reeking of Jell-O? Find out here!

Proctor native Sarah Stonich’s “Vacationland” — is it short stories? is it a novel? YOU DECIDE — is centered around an old resort in Northern Minnesota. Her huge tour of Minnesota libraries brings her to D-Town next week.

Best Bets include Wise Fool Shakespeare’s production of “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” a bunch of art stuff happens to end Visual Arts Week, UMD presents an opera, a longtime hard rock band plays at Clyde, a Minneapolis folk duo plays Teatro Zuccone, Nerd Nite happens and County Seat Theater considers the family road trip.

Music reviewer Tony Bennett calls Fever Dream’s album “delightfully chintzy breeze-pop” and says it is likely to go down as Marc Gartman’s “most enjoyable collection of tunes.”

Trampled By Turtles is scheduled to play the State Fair.

Crispin Glover is coming to town for the Duluth Superior Film Festival. You should probably watch this:

Also on the internet:

So: “One Man Lord of the Rings” is really something to see. You’ll cackle. It’s worth it to do a bit of homework beforehand. But if you don’t, whatever. You still get to see a cardio-capable actor get nutso for the trilogy.

Kickstarter roundup
Ryan Van Slooten is sitting on what he imagines will be his best album yet and has started a Kickstarter campaign so he can get into the studio. More info here.