The Crawl: News and notes from the scene
Donnie Dirk's Zombie Den rises from the dead
When the notorious Stand Up Frank's -- a north Minneapolis bar infamous for its stiff drinks and scary shootouts -- closed earlier this year, we wouldn't have believed in a million years it would be reimagined as something called Donny Dirk's Zombie Den.
New owner Leslie Bock, of Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge and Saint Sabrina's Parlor in Purgatory, has totally transformed the tiny bar into something best described as classy kitsch. The bartenders all dress like Simon Pegg in "Shaun of the Dead" -- white button-up, red tie and blood stains. The friendly female servers wear long black gowns. Again: This is a classy zombie joint.
The bar's name falls right in line with Bock's other businesses. She said she's just adding another member to the messed-up family. "Donny Dirk is the rebel that just got out of jail and he's just trying to straighten his life out," she said.
Bock had been negotiating with the previous owner before Stand Up Frank's shut down April 25. She moved in five days later and began the extensive remodeling. Getting a liquor license wasn't easy. The city wanted to be sure that "I wouldn't repeat the problems of the past," Bock said. She doesn't think drug dealers and prostitutes will be too interested in a building that's been repainted bright green and promotes a geeky zombie motif. Bock has also complied with the city's request for tighter security: Two bouncers watch the door and the parking lot, and there are a half-dozen security cameras.
"I mean, a lot of people were scared to come here," Bock said.
Gone are the linoleum floors, beat-up bar stools and old beer signs. Here are the highlights of her remodeling:
• The floor is covered with casino-grade tiger-striped carpeting. Ridiculous.
• The walls feature brown, custom-made smoked mirrors. "Very hard to find, I might add," Bock said.
• All of the booths and bar stools are covered in plush Vegas-style tufted vinyl.
• Hanging above the bar is a green neon sign that reads, "Undead Frank Lives."
Frank's legend also lives on in one of the "specialty" drinks, a $3.75 humdinger called R.I.P. Frank (basically a shot of liquor on ice). If you want something a little fancier, try the Donny Dirk signature cocktail, which is the bar's version of a chocolatey Alexander. This week, the bartenders began offering the "Weird Science" interactive cocktail, which is a drink you design yourself.
Did we mention they have a Batphone? Donny Dirk's doesn't have a kitchen, but if you want to order off Psycho Suzi's menu, you can ring them on the red Batphone and they'll drive your food over.
To complete the makeover, Bock has darkened the place by covering the windows with black drapes. "We want it to feel like Vegas, where you're never sure what time it is," she said.
- Tom Horgen
Mad about 'Mad Men'
DJ Jake Rudh is known as the man behind "Transmission," the popular indie/New Wave dance night at Clubhouse Jäger. He's also a huge fan of AMC's "Mad Men." Rudh said he's fallen in love with the clothes, the cocktails and the attitude of the hit TV show, which dramatizes Madison Avenue's ad culture in the 1960s. To celebrate Sunday's season 3 premiere, Rudh is throwing a themed "Mad Men" party at Jax Cafe. "This is the party I'm going to be most proud of," he said. Rudh even entered a photo of himself to an online "Mad Men" casting call. The winner, picked by series creator Matthew Weiner, will get a walk-on role on the show. Before Tuesday, fans could pick their favorites at madmencastingcall.amctv.com, where Rudh appeared to be ranked near the top. "I guess I am a superfan," Rudh said.
- Tom Horgen
Fleet Fox flip-flops on Target
Fleet Foxes might not be getting an exclusive Target deal anytime soon. At the four-fifths bearded Seattle quintet's sold-out First Avenue show Sunday, frontman Robin Pecknold marveled at how his cousin who lives in Minneapolis "can walk from her apartment to a Target store without ever going outside," which sounded like a good plug for the local retail giant. But then jokester drummer J. Tillman double-dog-daringly shot back, "I think I could live here without ever going into a Target store." After an unfavorable response from the crowd, Tillman sheepishly admitted, "OK, I was in there today."
More bands-going-shopping news: Silversun Pickups filled in the adoring crowd Monday at the State Theatre on their excursion to the Electric Fetus. "It's one of the best stores around," raved frontman Brian Aubert, who picked up the new Wilco release there. Aubert also offered praise for 7th Street Entry, where he said his Los Angeles-reared band had "some of the best shows of our career." In short, he summarized, "We're massive fans of this city."
- Chris Riemenschneider
Computer blue
New rule: If you're an indie dance-rock band that performs with prerecorded backing tracks, you have to at least be able to press the start button at the right time before selling out a club in Minneapolis. Too bad the rule wasn't in effect yet at Passion Pit's packed set last Friday at the Triple Rock, during which the Boston-area quintet had one backing track start too early, and another stop about 30 seconds into the song. "Uh ... computer?" frontman Michael Angelakos quipped in the latter case. The widely X-wristed crowd, though, still gave the show an ecstatic reception.
- Chris Riemenschneider
Tapes save on gas
Dan Wilson and Tapes 'N Tapes have issued their fall tour plans, and in both cases their "tours" won't take them outside the Twin Cities metro area. Wilson has booked five straight nights of shows in intimate rooms starting Sept. 22 with the Bryant-Lake Bowl, followed by the 318 Cafe in Excelsior (Sept. 23), the Acadia Cafe (Sept. 24) and the Dakota (Sept. 25-26). Look for ticket info at www.danwilsonmusic.com. As he explained recently, the shows are meant to be a break from -- and tryout for -- the work he has been putting in on his next solo album.
It's a similar between-albums scenario for Tapes 'N Tapes, who will also play smaller-than-usual rooms starting Oct. 1 at 7th Street Entry, followed by the newly reopened Music Box Theater Oct. 2 and the Turf Club on Oct. 3. Tickets to all three shows ($10) can be bought at First Ave outlets.
- Chris Riemenschneider
Straight to video
VHS isn't totally dead, but it will be soon. A group of Twin Cities filmmakers led by Evan Cook just wrapped their comedy "Gattesco's" -- filmed entirely on VHS. The crew is throwing a fundraiser at Kieran's Irish Pub on Sunday, calling it an "Irish Wake for VHS." The bar's owner, Kieran Folliard, has known the group since they were kids. For $15, attendees will get a sneak peek at the film and two pints of Finnegans, plus Doomtree rapper Mike Mictlan and a couple of local comedians. Folliard said the film crew might even have a coffin on hand. "You can't have a wake without a coffin," Folliard said.
- Tom Horgen
