With their eleventh studio album “Little Rope” fresh in the minds of fans, Sleater-Kinney returned to St. Paul’s Palace Theatre Saturday with an enthusiastic crowd for a blistering 90-minute set.

On a cold day with a dreadful amount of snow looming, an hour before doors were set to open there were roughly just a dozen people in line. Half an hour later, the line became huge, presumably because of fans wanting to beat the cold.

Tim Riebel, age 42, got in line early and made it to the barricade. 

“I’ve seen them on every tour starting with ‘Dig Me Out’ to ‘The Woods,’” Riebel said. “This is my first time seeing them since they’ve come back together.”

Sleater-Kinney’s on-stage decor and visuals have a reputation for being top-notch, with two chandeliers hanging above their instruments. The band took to the stage and started with the song “Hell,” the album opener from “Little Rope.”

A remarkably ferocious track on record, on Saturday night it sounded as if the band was just getting warmed up before they would give their audience a showcase of nearly 30 years worth of brilliant music.

Sharing lead vocal duties, Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker’s voices sounded as strong as ever live. Tucker, one of the most talented singers in all of rock, showed off the incredible prowess of her voice on classic songs like “The Fox,” “Jumpers” and “Dig Me Out,” among many others. Brownstein, on the other hand, calculatedly gave the audience tastes of her powerful screams on “Jumpers” and even the band’s slow ballad “Modern Girl.”

Brownstein, as usual, was exuberant as she shuffled and danced across the stage expertly jamming out on the guitar, usually with a smile on her face.

The band championed their latest LP “Little Rope” by playing nine songs from it, almost the entire tracklist, live. Songs like “Small Finds,” “Don’t Feel Right” and “Untidy Creature” were standout performances during Saturday night’s show. A strong album on its own, the band effortlessly brought the material to life.

The best songs of the night, however, were many of the band’s classic songs from their decades-spanning career. Always boisterous in a live setting is “Dig Me Out,” the titular track from the band’s 1997 masterwork. The energy in the crowd was boiling as the band played the loud, high-tempo punk masterpiece.

From their 2005 magnum opus “The Woods,” the song “Jumpers” was also one of the best songs performed over the night for similar reasons — there was a tangible excitement in the crowd as both Brownstein and Tucker belted out powerhouse vocal performances.

In addition to the band’s classics, they also made sure to highlight some of the other great material they have written since they reunited in 2014 after a nearly 10-year-long hiatus. The band treated the crowd to two tracks from their 2015 comeback album “No Cities to Love”: the album’s title track along with “A New Wave.” 

“A New Wave” is one of the most fun songs in the Sleater-Kinney catalog, and the band brought it out with enthusiasm.

Additionally, Sleater-Kinney played a couple of songs from their much-overlooked 2019 album “The Center Won’t Hold.” While viewed by many at the time of release as a departure in sound for the band, the songs “Hurry on Home” and “The Center Won’t Hold” were warmly received by the audience when the band played them live.

On the “Little Rope” tour, Sleater-Kinney changed up the setlist every single night, something Brownstein said the band has never done before. The ever-changing variety of songs seems to be rewarding for fans and the band; it is something any band of the caliber of Sleater-Kinney should be doing on tour.

At the Palace Theatre, Sleater-Kinney proved once again that they are one of the very best bands to come out of the 1990s by reviving old classics in between stellar brand-new songs. Thirty years and 11 albums into their career, Sleater-Kinney are still killing it.

Nearly a year after releasing her sophomore LP “My Soft Machine,” rising singer-songwriter Arlo Parks headlined an all-ages show at First Avenue’s Mainroom for the first time on Friday.

After opening for Clairo and Billie Eilish in 2022 and collaborating with Phoebe Bridgers on a track for Parks’ last album, Parks continues to prove that she is a force to be reckoned with as an artist.

With a backdrop of a studio-sized tape recorder and three vibrant backing musicians, Parks’ live set-up aimed to create the feeling of listening to a great band live in the studio.

On the studio recordings, many of Parks’ songs trend towards a more down-tempo, soft musical style with Parks casually singing eloquent, poetic lyrics over them. However, at her show at First Avenue, she and her band livened up much of the material to a surprising degree, somehow making the songs even more groovy in a concert setting.

A track that is catchy and upbeat on its own, “Weightless,” established a synergy between Parks and her band towards the beginning of the show with their live rendition living up to the studio version.

Later came “Caroline,” one of her most popular songs from her stellar 2021 debut album “Collapsed in Sunbeams.” The track opens with musical verses that conjure a dreary feeling of sentimentality, before launching into one of her most anthemic choruses: “Caroline / I swear to god I tried / I swear to god I tried.”

The crowd singing along loudly to “Caroline” was one of the most energetic moments of the Friday night show. With an added drum breakdown toward the end of the song, the band showed they could add those little moments to Parks’ live show that made all the difference.

While Parks brought energy to the stage the entire night — roaming all over the Mainroom’s stage, dancing along to the music — the crowd at First Avenue was surprisingly low energy in contrast to the performers, especially considering the vigor Parks and her band were displaying on stage.

“Eugene,” Parks’ most-streamed song on Spotify, echoes the guitarwork of Radiohead’s Johnny Greenwood on their 2007 classic “In Rainbows” with its quiet, gentle instrumental. The band remarkably added a guitar solo towards the end of the song, yet another instance of the band adding little parts to each song that make the track more engaging live.

Another song Parks performed live that features an anthemic chorus is “Hope,” also off “Collapsed in Sunbeams.” Parks and her band did not reinvent the wheel with this live rendition but rather stayed true to the song’s trip-hop aesthetic that is present on the album. While Parks and her band had many moments on Friday night where they made little additions to songs, with “Hope,” they kept it simple and it worked just as well.

The show’s energy climaxed for the last two songs of the main set, “Sophie” and “Devotion,” for which Parks strapped on an electric guitar for the first time that night. Closing out the main set with “Devotion,” Parks and her band were as energetic as ever while performing the rockiest song of the night. Parks energetically strummed her guitar as the three band members gave it their all before the encore.

With even more live material to pull from this time around, Parks’ show at First Avenue’s Mainroom was much more memorable than her show at the 7th Street Entry next door in 2021. With a tight-sounding live band that brought a considerable amount of energy into Parks’ songs, possibly teasing a more energetic third album from her, the future looks very bright for Arlo Parks.

Opening in 1968 as the Whole Coffeehouse, what is now known as the Whole Music Club at the University of Minnesota was born. 

Nestled in the basement of Coffman Memorial Union, the historically all-ages venue has hosted a myriad of legendary musicians and bands amongst a sea of up-and-coming artists that have taken the stage there over the decades.

Hippies flocked to The Whole in the 1970s to see up-and-coming songwriters that would later become famous, such as Tom Waits, Bonnie Raitt and Townes Van Zandt, to name a few.

Jon Bream, music critic and reporter for the Star Tribune since the mid-1970s and former staff member of The Minnesota Daily, remembers the Whole from the early 1970s. Despite being labeled a coffee house, Bream said the venue was more significant than that. 

“The Whole wasn’t like the little coffee house gig, it was more like the showcase club gig,” Bream said. “It was a pretty prestigious place back in the early ‘70s.”

Bream said the venue was an appealing place for college students to see live music, and said it was comparable to seeing a band in a bar, except without needing to be of drinking age.

“First Avenue existed back then in the early ‘70s, but I couldn’t get in as a college student,” Bream said. “You got to see some high-quality musicians on the rise or long-established names who were maybe past their prime, but still of historic significance, while you’re in college without having to pay steep prices.”

Bream said the Whole was an important part of the Twin Cities music scene. 

“If you look at the roster of people that played there in that era, it’s a very impressive roster,” Bream said.

Tom Waits performed at the Whole multiple times throughout the ‘70s as his career was rising, before he got outlandishly experimental in the 1980s with landmark records like “Rain Dogs.” 

Sue Johnson, a 65-year-old woman from Apollo Beach, Florida, saw Tom Waits perform at the Whole while she attended high school in Anoka, Minnesota.

“This guy comes out in his look with an upright piano and the floodlights hit. He blew me away,” Johnson said. “It was really one of those moments where it just changes you. It really drove me more to playing and singing.”

Besides seeing Tom Waits live, Johnson attended shows at the Whole frequently. 

“During that time in the ‘70s down at the Whole Coffeehouse, there were so many good musicians,” Johnson said. “If anyone could make it down to the Whole Coffeehouse, you’d huddle up and have a hot cup of apple cider and sit around these great musicians, and it was so intimate.”

In 1983, the name of the venue officially changed from “Coffeehouse” to “Music Club.” Around this time, the Whole Music Club shifted from booking mostly singer-songwriters to booking punk and local acts, including Minnesota greats like The Replacements and Hüsker Dü.

The Whole continued to adapt to the times into the 1990s, as it hosted alternative rock bands. One band they hosted was especially notable. In 1992, before the band saw immense commercial success with their 1994 album “Dookie,” Green Day played at the Whole with tickets costing just $4 for students.

Astrid Wood, a second-year computer science major at the University, has attended concerts at the Whole but wishes they hosted more shows there. She describes the Whole as a unique on-campus space with a punk rock vibe. 

“In the hallway on the way there, they have a bunch of framed posters of notable people. Being able to visually see that all over I felt was really cool,” Wood said.

Whether you are there for a show or just passing through Coffman in the middle of the week, it’s worthwhile to take a moment and walk through the Whole and take in the unique historic value of the venue conveniently located on campus.

After causing a stir in the realm of celebrity relationship gossip last year, Ariana Grande released a well-produced confessional album last Friday whose narrative focuses on the bittersweet end of one relationship and the euphoric beginning of another. 

Titled “eternal sunshine,” Arianators have theorized the title is a tribute to her current beau, Ethan Slater, because the album shares his initials. Even though there are no duds on the tracklist, “eternal sunshine” is far from Grande’s best work, despite being a good album. 

The album opener, “intro (end of the world),” opens with an old-time-y vibe. The sound of a vinyl record crackles and orchestral instruments gently ring out, setting the scene for a deeply personal record with an elegant aesthetic.

The album dives into Grande’s romantic life from the first line of its opening track, as Grande sings about feeling unsure in a relationship, “How can I tell if I’m in the right relationship?/ Aren’t you really supposed to know that s—?/ Feel it in your bones and own that s—?”

By track two, “bye,” Grande makes it abundantly clear she has realized it’s time to move on as she sings “Bye-bye / Boy, bye / Bye-bye / It’s over, it’s over.”

“bye” is a wonderful kick-start to the album. As the track starts with Grande doing vocal riffs over grandiose orchestration and flares of wah pedal-drenched guitar, the musical tone of the album is set before it turns into a punchy dance-pop cut. 

The album peaks when Grande carries captivating choruses with her powerful voice, given she has one of the strongest voices in modern pop. “supernatural” is a strong point on the album. While it isn’t the most flashy vocal performance, the song’s chorus is nothing short of elegant as Grande’s vocals sound effortlessly divine.

“the boy is mine” is a turning point on the album lyrically, as it seemingly retells the start of Grande and Slater’s relationship. Grande has faced scrutiny over the relationship, as Slater divorced his wife after going public about his relationship with Grande, even after fathering a child earlier the year prior.

The lyrics on “the boy is mine” feel pointed towards the controversy as Grande sings, “How can it be? You and me / Might be meant to be, can’t unsee it. / But I don’t wanna cause no scene. / I’m usually so unproblematic. / So independent, tell me why / ‘Cause the boy is mine.”

“the boy is mine” is yet another crowning moment on the album. Thumping bass and scattered house-style vocal samples make this moody banger especially lush in sound.

The very best song on the LP turns out to be its debut single, “yes, and?” an angelic dance-pop track that has musical call-backs to pop greats like Janet Jackson while still sounding totally fresh. Grande continues to reference the controversy surrounding her relationship at the end of the song’s bridge by singing “Your business is yours and mine is mine. / Why do you care so much whose d— I ride?”

Eleventh in the track list, “i wish i hated you” is pretty sentimental-sounding but strays away from being corny, mostly due to Grande’s powerful vocal performance as she coasts on top of the song’s beautiful background arrangement.

The album’s second to last song, “imperfect for you,” stands out because of its discordant guitar chords. The track has a heavenly chorus expertly accented by reverberated strings as Grande broaches the topic of radical acceptance in her relationship.

“ordinary things” ends the album off on an optimistic note, but it also feels climactic and powerful musically. It makes for a good conclusion of her seventh album, maintaining the album’s atmospheric production style as it sends the listener off on a feeling of finality.

“eternal sunshine” doesn’t quite hold up to her excellent 2019 LP “thank u, next,” but it is reassuring to hear Grande put out a cohesive, well-constructed project this far into her career, all while her voice remains as fantastic as ever.

Hot off the release of their sophomore album “3D Country” this June, Brooklyn-based art rock band Geese showcased their new record in brilliant fashion.

Arriving in Minneapolis as a tightly arranged musical quintet, the band’s one-hour show proved they can effortlessly re-create the feral post-punk sounds of their studio recordings in a live setting. It is not hard to imagine them taking the stage at First Avenue’s much bigger main room next time they are in town.

Letting loose as they opened their set, the band did a surprise cover of Bob Dylan’s “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35,” the opening track to Dylan’s 1966 masterpiece “Blonde on Blonde.” This felt like an homage to the Minnesota-born singer-songwriter, as Geese lead vocalist Cameron Winter replaced some of Dylan’s original lyrics towards the end of the song, melodically name-dropping Minneapolis and the 7th Street Entry. The band was having fun, starting their Saturday night show on a cheery note.

The vibe of the room changed immediately after as the band calculatedly transitioned into “Gravity Blues” off of “3D Country” with Winter passionately moving to the song’s low tempo. Winter began to show off his prowess as a vocalist, both crooning and yelling throughout the song.

Winter exuded a nonchalant swagger that felt like an odd duality of Will Toledo and Mick Jagger –– the latter of which he was channeling across the blues-tinged yelps that define the choruses of their latest album.

The night did not become chaotic until the third song in the set, “Mysterious Love,” a high-tempo cut from “3D Country.” The band displayed impeccable dynamics with quiet, spacy verses contrasted by loud choruses shaped by guitar squeals and Winter’s screams. The audience was especially engaged during the song’s ending refrain, singing along to Winter as he sings the lyrics, “Somе people are alonе forever. Some people are alone forever.”

The peak of crowd energy came mid-way through the set when the quintet played “3D Country” opener “2122,” the only song of the night where a mosh pit erupted. Winter screaming and singing the lyrics of the ear-wormy refrain “Get out, get under. Get out, get under” ignited the mosh pit like gasoline on a fire.

While mostly showcasing their new record, the group also performed the brilliant “Low Era” from their 2021 debut album “Projector.” The dreamy yet dissonant track practically took the room to another planet. The band effortlessly achieved the same magic they reached on the studio recording. Winter especially shined in this performance, showing off his vocal range by alternating from his falsetto in the verses to a deep baritone in the choruses.

After doing a musical 180 with the shift in sound from their debut album “Projector” to their 2023 record “3D Country,” Geese laid the groundwork for an eclectic, evolving discography. On top of their already established potential, after putting on an extremely engaging high-energy show with impressive musicality, Geese proved to be one of the most exciting rock bands in the country.

It’s midnight, and you are doing some last-minute cramming before an exam or maybe you are just hanging out with friends in your dorm, and you could really use a late-night snack. The University of Minnesota campus is relatively limited when it comes to food options that are open late (not including bars), however, there are a couple of local highlights in addition to some big chains present on campus.

As expected, Dinkytown takes the cake when it comes to the sheer amount of satisfying late-night options in a single neighborhood. With McDonald’s reopening soon on the same street corner as the storied “Drunkdonalds,” Dinkytown is set to remain the hot spot for late-night food while, on the other hand, Stadium Village lacks affordable options. 

Here are the top five places on campus where you can grab some late-night grub (open past 10 p.m.).

5.Insomnia Cookies — 402 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

While on the pricier side for the number of cookies you get (a single chocolate chip cookie will run you $2.85, and a six pack of regular-priced cookies costs $15.25), Insomnia Cookies are a delicious option for the greater campus area. While located in Dinkytown, they offer their own delivery service for online ordering — a service that makes sense for those in the dorms without a readily accessible oven. While their options are limited to cookies, ice cream and milk, the cookies are tasty on a late night of studying.

4. Raising Cane’s — 825 Washington Ave SE #103, Minneapolis, MN 55414 and 302 15th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

If you’re looking for a hefty fast food meal after dark, the two Raising Cane’s locations on campus are noteworthy because of their obvious accessibility, one right by Dinkytown and one in Stadium Village, providing chicken fingers to the bulk of University students and surrounding residents. For $11 you can take home The Box Combo, which contains four chicken fingers, along with servings of fries, Texas toast, coleslaw and a fountain drink. Totaling around 1,100 calories, you get your money’s worth if you are looking to load up on some fried food while on campus.

3. Mesa Pizza — 1323 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

A cornerstone of Dinkytown, Mesa Pizza has served scrumptious pizza by the slice to University students since 2006. Whether you are looking for a plain cheese slice, a meat-lover’s or the elusive macaroni and cheese pizza, Mesa Pizza is a good option for those who do not feel like paying extra for a pizza delivery service. 

Slices cost $5.50 while 12-inch pizzas range from $20-$23, 16-inch pizzas range from $25-$30 and 18-inch pizzas range from $29-$35.

2. Frank & Andrea — 1235 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

A step above Mesa Pizza in several regards: lower prices, a larger seating area, larger options for pizzas and a variety of cheesesteak sandwiches. 

Although the pizza is of comparable quality to Mesa, these characteristics set Frank & Andrea apart just a bit, even though both are convenient options. With most of Frank & Andrea’s 12-inch pizzas costing $16, you get more for your money as well.

1. Hard Times Cafe — 1821 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55454

The Hard Times Cafe has an exclusively vegetarian menu and is open until midnight seven days a week. 

Located on the West Bank, it is a classic cafe-style option for those looking for breakfast and also a late-night bite to eat. Their coffee is served for $1.50 for a medium cup (roughly half of what a medium cup of black coffee would cost at Caribou or Starbucks), with additional refills for a dollar each. For $4.50 you can get one of their “short orders,” which include buttermilk pancakes, eggs/tofu, toast and a bagel with cream cheese.

With a chill, home-y interior, it is a nice option to do some late-night studying and a cheap but quality meal. Do note that Hard Times Cafe only takes cash.

It’s midnight, and you are doing some last-minute cramming before an exam or maybe you are just hanging out with friends in your dorm, and you could really use a late-night snack. The University of Minnesota campus is relatively limited when it comes to food options that are open late (not including bars), however, there are a couple of local highlights in addition to some big chains present on campus.

As expected, Dinkytown takes the cake when it comes to the sheer amount of satisfying late-night options in a single neighborhood. With McDonald’s reopening soon on the same street corner as the storied “Drunkdonalds,” Dinkytown is set to remain the hot spot for late-night food while, on the other hand, Stadium Village lacks affordable options. 

Here are the top five places on campus where you can grab some late-night grub (open past 10 p.m.).

5.Insomnia Cookies — 402 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

While on the pricier side for the number of cookies you get (a single chocolate chip cookie will run you $2.85, and a six pack of regular-priced cookies costs $15.25), Insomnia Cookies are a delicious option for the greater campus area. While located in Dinkytown, they offer their own delivery service for online ordering — a service that makes sense for those in the dorms without a readily accessible oven. While their options are limited to cookies, ice cream and milk, the cookies are tasty on a late night of studying.

4. Raising Cane’s — 825 Washington Ave SE #103, Minneapolis, MN 55414 and 302 15th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

If you’re looking for a hefty fast food meal after dark, the two Raising Cane’s locations on campus are noteworthy because of their obvious accessibility, one right by Dinkytown and one in Stadium Village, providing chicken fingers to the bulk of University students and surrounding residents. For $11 you can take home The Box Combo, which contains four chicken fingers, along with servings of fries, Texas toast, coleslaw and a fountain drink. Totaling around 1,100 calories, you get your money’s worth if you are looking to load up on some fried food while on campus.

3. Mesa Pizza — 1323 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

A cornerstone of Dinkytown, Mesa Pizza has served scrumptious pizza by the slice to University students since 2006. Whether you are looking for a plain cheese slice, a meat-lover’s or the elusive macaroni and cheese pizza, Mesa Pizza is a good option for those who do not feel like paying extra for a pizza delivery service. 

Slices cost $5.50 while 12-inch pizzas range from $20-$23, 16-inch pizzas range from $25-$30 and 18-inch pizzas range from $29-$35.

2. Frank & Andrea — 1235 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

A step above Mesa Pizza in several regards: lower prices, a larger seating area, larger options for pizzas and a variety of cheesesteak sandwiches. 

Although the pizza is of comparable quality to Mesa, these characteristics set Frank & Andrea apart just a bit, even though both are convenient options. With most of Frank & Andrea’s 12-inch pizzas costing $16, you get more for your money as well.

1. Hard Times Cafe — 1821 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55454

The Hard Times Cafe has an exclusively vegetarian menu and is open until midnight seven days a week. 

Located on the West Bank, it is a classic cafe-style option for those looking for breakfast and also a late-night bite to eat. Their coffee is served for $1.50 for a medium cup (roughly half of what a medium cup of black coffee would cost at Caribou or Starbucks), with additional refills for a dollar each. For $4.50 you can get one of their “short orders,” which include buttermilk pancakes, eggs/tofu, toast and a bagel with cream cheese.

With a chill, home-y interior, it is a nice option to do some late-night studying and a cheap but quality meal. Do note that Hard Times Cafe only takes cash.

It’s midnight, and you are doing some last-minute cramming before an exam or maybe you are just hanging out with friends in your dorm, and you could really use a late-night snack. The University of Minnesota campus is relatively limited when it comes to food options that are open late (not including bars), however, there are a couple of local highlights in addition to some big chains present on campus.

As expected, Dinkytown takes the cake when it comes to the sheer amount of satisfying late-night options in a single neighborhood. With McDonald’s reopening soon on the same street corner as the storied “Drunkdonalds,” Dinkytown is set to remain the hot spot for late-night food while, on the other hand, Stadium Village lacks affordable options. 

Here are the top five places on campus where you can grab some late-night grub (open past 10 p.m.).

5.Insomnia Cookies — 402 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

While on the pricier side for the number of cookies you get (a single chocolate chip cookie will run you $2.85, and a six pack of regular-priced cookies costs $15.25), Insomnia Cookies are a delicious option for the greater campus area. While located in Dinkytown, they offer their own delivery service for online ordering — a service that makes sense for those in the dorms without a readily accessible oven. While their options are limited to cookies, ice cream and milk, the cookies are tasty on a late night of studying.

4. Raising Cane’s — 825 Washington Ave SE #103, Minneapolis, MN 55414 and 302 15th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

If you’re looking for a hefty fast food meal after dark, the two Raising Cane’s locations on campus are noteworthy because of their obvious accessibility, one right by Dinkytown and one in Stadium Village, providing chicken fingers to the bulk of University students and surrounding residents. For $11 you can take home The Box Combo, which contains four chicken fingers, along with servings of fries, Texas toast, coleslaw and a fountain drink. Totaling around 1,100 calories, you get your money’s worth if you are looking to load up on some fried food while on campus.

3. Mesa Pizza — 1323 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

A cornerstone of Dinkytown, Mesa Pizza has served scrumptious pizza by the slice to University students since 2006. Whether you are looking for a plain cheese slice, a meat-lover’s or the elusive macaroni and cheese pizza, Mesa Pizza is a good option for those who do not feel like paying extra for a pizza delivery service. 

Slices cost $5.50 while 12-inch pizzas range from $20-$23, 16-inch pizzas range from $25-$30 and 18-inch pizzas range from $29-$35.

2. Frank & Andrea — 1235 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

A step above Mesa Pizza in several regards: lower prices, a larger seating area, larger options for pizzas and a variety of cheesesteak sandwiches. 

Although the pizza is of comparable quality to Mesa, these characteristics set Frank & Andrea apart just a bit, even though both are convenient options. With most of Frank & Andrea’s 12-inch pizzas costing $16, you get more for your money as well.

1. Hard Times Cafe — 1821 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55454

The Hard Times Cafe has an exclusively vegetarian menu and is open until midnight seven days a week. 

Located on the West Bank, it is a classic cafe-style option for those looking for breakfast and also a late-night bite to eat. Their coffee is served for $1.50 for a medium cup (roughly half of what a medium cup of black coffee would cost at Caribou or Starbucks), with additional refills for a dollar each. For $4.50 you can get one of their “short orders,” which include buttermilk pancakes, eggs/tofu, toast and a bagel with cream cheese.

With a chill, home-y interior, it is a nice option to do some late-night studying and a cheap but quality meal. Do note that Hard Times Cafe only takes cash.

It’s midnight, and you are doing some last-minute cramming before an exam or maybe you are just hanging out with friends in your dorm, and you could really use a late-night snack. The University of Minnesota campus is relatively limited when it comes to food options that are open late (not including bars), however, there are a couple of local highlights in addition to some big chains present on campus.

As expected, Dinkytown takes the cake when it comes to the sheer amount of satisfying late-night options in a single neighborhood. With McDonald’s reopening soon on the same street corner as the storied “Drunkdonalds,” Dinkytown is set to remain the hot spot for late-night food while, on the other hand, Stadium Village lacks affordable options. 

Here are the top five places on campus where you can grab some late-night grub (open past 10 p.m.).

5.Insomnia Cookies — 402 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

While on the pricier side for the number of cookies you get (a single chocolate chip cookie will run you $2.85, and a six pack of regular-priced cookies costs $15.25), Insomnia Cookies are a delicious option for the greater campus area. While located in Dinkytown, they offer their own delivery service for online ordering — a service that makes sense for those in the dorms without a readily accessible oven. While their options are limited to cookies, ice cream and milk, the cookies are tasty on a late night of studying.

4. Raising Cane’s — 825 Washington Ave SE #103, Minneapolis, MN 55414 and 302 15th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

If you’re looking for a hefty fast food meal after dark, the two Raising Cane’s locations on campus are noteworthy because of their obvious accessibility, one right by Dinkytown and one in Stadium Village, providing chicken fingers to the bulk of University students and surrounding residents. For $11 you can take home The Box Combo, which contains four chicken fingers, along with servings of fries, Texas toast, coleslaw and a fountain drink. Totaling around 1,100 calories, you get your money’s worth if you are looking to load up on some fried food while on campus.

3. Mesa Pizza — 1323 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

A cornerstone of Dinkytown, Mesa Pizza has served scrumptious pizza by the slice to University students since 2006. Whether you are looking for a plain cheese slice, a meat-lover’s or the elusive macaroni and cheese pizza, Mesa Pizza is a good option for those who do not feel like paying extra for a pizza delivery service. 

Slices cost $5.50 while 12-inch pizzas range from $20-$23, 16-inch pizzas range from $25-$30 and 18-inch pizzas range from $29-$35.

2. Frank & Andrea — 1235 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

A step above Mesa Pizza in several regards: lower prices, a larger seating area, larger options for pizzas and a variety of cheesesteak sandwiches. 

Although the pizza is of comparable quality to Mesa, these characteristics set Frank & Andrea apart just a bit, even though both are convenient options. With most of Frank & Andrea’s 12-inch pizzas costing $16, you get more for your money as well.

1. Hard Times Cafe — 1821 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55454

The Hard Times Cafe has an exclusively vegetarian menu and is open until midnight seven days a week. 

Located on the West Bank, it is a classic cafe-style option for those looking for breakfast and also a late-night bite to eat. Their coffee is served for $1.50 for a medium cup (roughly half of what a medium cup of black coffee would cost at Caribou or Starbucks), with additional refills for a dollar each. For $4.50 you can get one of their “short orders,” which include buttermilk pancakes, eggs/tofu, toast and a bagel with cream cheese.

With a chill, home-y interior, it is a nice option to do some late-night studying and a cheap but quality meal. Do note that Hard Times Cafe only takes cash.

Capping off an extremely prolific few years where Drake released three solo albums, a collaborative album with 21 Savage and an extensive US tour celebrating his discography (à la Eras Tour), the Toronto rapper has finally released his eighth studio album after a delay and canceled tour dates.

After being critically panned with his 2022 house-influenced LP “Honestly Nevermind,” Drake backpedaled stylistically and played it safe on “For All The Dogs,” a tracklist dominated by his trademark atmospheric R&B sound as well as mainstream trends like rage rap and reggaeton. 

At 23 tracks, the album is too long despite some quality tracks. Without a focused central concept for the project, as well as a lack of musical variety in the second half of the album, the 84-minute runtime is simply not justified.

Starting off with a captivating and hypnotic orchestral soundscape, the album-opener “Virginia Beach” calls back to the iconic production of his lauded 2013 record “Nothing Was The Same” by using a reversed vocal sample, this time from Frank Ocean’s “Wise Man.” 

Despite some questionable lyrics like, “He gon’ find out that it’s on-site like W-W-W. On-site like dot-com, put a baby in you, you a hot mom,” Drake sets a dramatic tone for the album on “Virginia Beach” through the exquisite and almost haunting instrumental production.

After “Virginia Beach” comes “Amen,” featuring rising alt-rap artist Teezo Touchdown, who has had an eventful 2023 after having one of the most memorable features on Travis Scott’s “Utopia” and the release of his debut album in September. Teezo Touchdown adds a catchy melody to the track’s chorus through a collection of soulful vocal harmonies. While the feature is strong, the remainder of the song feels sonically vapid after the well-crafted opening.

As the album continues, Drake impressively starts rapping over rage-rap beats on the tracks “Fear of Heights” and “Daylight.” Echoing the production and vocal delivery of Playboi Carti’s ever-influential 2020 album “Whole Lotta Red,” Drake manages to pull off rapping in this style without sounding like he is desperately chasing the rage-rap trend. Remaining pretty melodic vocally, Drake changes it up a little bit by combining his signature singing with rage-rap beats. 

The moshpit-ready “Daylight” features a repetitive chorus signature to rappers like Playboi Carti, but at no point does it sound like Drake is trying to be someone he is not. It comes off as effortless, even if he wears his influences on his sleeve.

The strongest track on the album is “First Person Shooter” featuring J. Cole, which showcases a thumping trap beat garnished with samples of orchestral strings and ghostly-downpitched vocals. The track’s instrumental is extravagant and triumphant as Cole raps, “Love when they argue the hardest MC. Is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me? We the big three like we started a league, but right now, I feel like Muhammad Ali.”

Despite quite a few noteworthy tracks with tight production and impressive vocal performances from Drake, this album is riddled with truly eye-roll-inducing bars. Prime examples include the lyrics from the SZA collaboration track “Slime You Out,” “July, that’s when I found out you lied,” the lazy wordplay featured on “Bahamas Promises” with “You put the ‘No’ in monogamy” and a line depicting a down-bad Drake on “Members Only,” “I live like forty minutes from you, that sex drive is crazy.” On “Members Only,” Drake revisits an infamous lyrical theme from his 2021 album “Certified Lover Boy” with the line “Feel like I’m bi ’cause you’re one of the guys, girl.”

A song that stands out on the album, “8am in Charlotte,” is not safe from a cringeworthy line that feels beyond parody: “I say, ‘We gotta talk about us,’ I feel like Jordan Peele. Could tell I’m gettin’ under your skin like a orange peel.” By rhyming Jordan Peele with orange peel, it is obvious Drake is the most inventive lyricist of all time.

While some of Drake’s goofy lines on this album border on cringe-worthy, some are legitimately funny, like the ridiculous “Tried Our Best” line “I swear to God, you think I’m Shakespeare

That’s why you always wanna play, right?”

Overall, the album’s latter half lacks an original musical direction, as the down-tempo R&B production across “Slime You Out,” “Bahamas Promises,” “Tried Our Best,” “Drew A Picasso” and “Members Only” blends together in unremarkable fashion. Interestingly enough, Drake sticking to a sound comparable to the “old Drake” happens to show up on the album’s most boring tracks.

Despite being front-loaded and featuring some head-scratching lyrics, “For All the Dogs” is an enjoyable listen. However, the album would be considerably better with a much leaner tracklist. Drizzy should focus on quality over quantity.