Clairo – singer, songwriter and poster child of bedroom pop – has returned with her sophomore album, “Sling.” This project demonstrates Clairo’s prowess as a writer, breaks the boundaries defined by her earlier works and incorporates some new musical elements that push her further and further beyond the bounds of an indie pop artist.

“Sling” is a poetic journey through a landscape of heavy, emotional themes, riddled with tender imagery and a sense of unabashed intimacy. With this project, Clairo makes it clear that there’s more to her artistry than simple pop beats, testing the waters of a completely different sound. However, the album takes this step cautiously, which ultimately made for very few memorable tracks.

Right off the bat, it’s obvious that “Sling” will convey a heightened level of musical maturity. The album’s opening track, “Bambi,” incorporates a new instrumental repertoire. Accompanied by steady saxophone and flute melodies, the song has somewhat of a folky edge. “Bambi” is successful in previewing Clairo’s direction for the rest of the album: moving away from the dreamy, lo-fi sound she once championed and trying something new.

Following “Bambi” is “Amoeba,” which has the potential to be the album’s radio hit. The track features upbeat percussion that pushes each verse towards a catchy, earworm chorus. In spite of this, the listener is still left unsatisfied by the song’s lack of a climax. This could be due to the contrast of Clairo’s soft, airy vocals against the funky instrumentation in the chorus, which makes for a mismatch of sounds that prevents the song from going anywhere.

Unfortunately, the remainder of the album’s runtime does not get much more musically exciting.

“Sling” really loses momentum around its middle. “Partridge,” “Zinnias,” and “Wade” continue the stylistic attempts introduced by the first two tracks, but all three seem to blend together and are ultimately forgettable.

Monotonous melodies aside, the album’s midsection is where Clairo begins to demonstrate her abilities as a songwriter. Her older works, like her first studio album “Immunity” and six-track EP “diary 001” are categorized by cute, light-hearted lyrics often centered around being a hopeless teenager in love. But Clairo is older now, and her experiences with relationships, with the music industry and with herself are becoming increasingly complex. She makes this clear on “Sling,” as her previous works didn’t even come close to the level of emotional depth and intimacy she conveys through this project.

It was clear that Clairo was going to be incorporating some heavier themes when she released the album’s only single, “Blouse.” The song is a tender yet devastating embodiment of desperation. Accompanied by a gentle, acoustic guitar, the track opens with Clairo’s description of a seemingly-normal encounter; she depicts sitting quietly at someone’s kitchen table, noting details like the placement of napkins and loose hair strands. The mood changes abruptly with the song’s hard-hitting titular line – “Why do I tell you how I feel? / When you’re just looking down the blouse” – which describes an objectification familiar to many. “It’s something I wouldn’t say out loud / If touch could make them hear, then touch me now,” Clairo repeats alongside orchestral swells, a desperate plea that becomes more heartbreaking each time it’s sung.

As the album winds down, Clairo continues to unpack difficult and complex subject matters with undeniable poetic ease. The eighth track, “Just For Today,” depicts the artist’s struggles with mental health and self-harm. The song also showcases her vocal abilities a bit more than the others, which works powerfully in tandem with the lyrics to make her experiences hit the listener with force.

Towards the end of the tracklist, the album slips back into its routine of simple melodies and soft instrumentals that don’t leave much of an impression on the listener. Although lyrically complex,“Reaper” and “Little Changes” don’t take many musical risks, relying on delicate guitar and piano accompaniments with which the listener is already familiar.

“Management,” the closing track, breathes some life back into the album with its increasing tempo and swirling orchestra. It stands out uniquely against the smooth melodies found in most of the previous songs, making it the grand finale that the album needed. It’s memorable, it’s dynamic and it gives the listener what the majority of “Sling” did not provide.

Ultimately, “Sling” proves that Clairo’s musical capacity does not fit neatly into a box; her talent extends far beyond bedroom pop and simple lyrics. The tracklist plays it safe with repetitive simplicity, which could leave some listeners unsatisfied, but it certainly makes us wonder what else Clairo will bring to the table in the future.

Grade: B

Clear your weekend plans, audiophiles! A big day for vinyl collectors and connoisseurs is just around the corner.

Record Store Day (RSD) 2021 will be observed by music fans on July 17. The day recognizes the importance of independent record stores, celebrating the culture and sense of community between patrons, staff and artists alike. With a slew of exclusive RSD titles coming out, participating record stores around the Twin Cities are gearing up for one of their busiest days of the year.

After it was first celebrated in 2008, RSD has since grown to include participating stores around the world. A notable part of the RSD celebration is the release of new records that can’t be found anywhere else; RSD Drops include specially created titles that are released only to indie record stores.

Due to COVID-19, this year’s drops were separated into two dates: June 12 and July 17. According to the RSD website, this was done as an effort to generate revenue for the participating stores “in the most fiscally and socially responsible way,” as well as to provide some flexibility to vinyl distribution companies during this time.

The list of drops coming on July 17 is extensive. It features exclusive works from big names in modern music, like Denzel Curry and Future, alongside musical icons from decades past, like Aretha Franklin and the Rolling Stones.

Over 30 record stores across Minnesota are participating in RSD 2021, and a handful of them are located right here in the Twin Cities.

Agharta Records

Located on University Avenue in St. Paul, Agharta Records is easily accessible via the Metro Green Line – perfect for all the University of Minnesota music enthusiasts.

Dylan Adams, the store’s owner, said that in the past, RSD has brought a decent-sized crowd to Agharta.

“Usually there’s a nice big line. What’s really cool is people are really determined to get certain things,” Adams said. “For the most part, I feel like if people wait in line, they will get what they want.”

Adams said Agharta will be opening early on RSD, and he encourages people to come together and support local independent record stores.

“This is just a celebration of music, records and record stores,” he said. “I want everyone to go to a record store on Record Store Day, whether it’s mine or someone else’s. We’re all in this together, and we’re all investing a lot for this day.”

Hymie’s Vintage Records

Whether you have a growing collection of early vinyls or you’re looking for the hottest new albums, Hymie’s on East Lake Street is another spot to check out on RSD.

Owner Adam Taylor said the shop will be offering a mix of exclusive RSD drops and rare collectibles he’s been holding on to. RSD at Hymie’s will kick off at 8 a.m., giving customers a few extra hours to browse the collection.

Taylor mentioned that RSD brings in a lot of business and support for brick-and-mortar record stores. “Last Record Store Day was about two months of sales in 12 hours,” he said. “For a lot of people, it might be one of the few times they actually go out to a record store, believe it or not.”

He said that RSD is not only important in terms of business, but also in the fact that it works to preserve and recognize the history of vinyl.

“It’s a recognition that vinyl is here. It never really went away … but I do think it’s validation that the format is quite possibly the best format for recorded music.”

Roadrunner Records

With its bright orange exterior, Roadrunner Records on Nicollet Avenue is hard to miss. This is especially true on RSD, when a line out the door can be found as early as the sun rises.

“They line up for the exclusives right at 5 a.m.,” said Keith Patterson, assistant manager at Roadrunner.

Patterson said the store will have at least 100 exclusive titles for sale, as well as new items from their own collection.

Davin Odegaard, a Roadrunner sales clerk, said that buying from a local record store provides a completely different experience than shopping for vinyl online. He said that not only can you pick up and look at the physical copies, but you can also converse with other patrons or record store staff, both of which can’t be said about ordering from Amazon.

“It’s a different way of going on your musical journey,” Odegaard said.

A full list of the participating record stores in Minnesota can be found on the Record Store Day website.

Ian Karp remembers visiting art museums with his grandpa when he was young. They would stroll through the exhibits and admire American landscape paintings, which were some of his grandfather’s favorites.

Now, 16 years later, he’s organizing his own exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia).

“The Fly Zine Archive: A Chronicle of Punk, Queer and Anarchist Counterculture,” organized by Karp, will be on display at Mia beginning July 15. The exhibition is free, and it will be open to the public until April 24, 2022.

The Fly Zine Archive (FZA) was compiled by Fly Orr, an activist, artist, writer and squatter based out of New York City, and it came to Mia in 2018. It consists of nearly 2,000 printed works – zines, comics, pamphlets and more – that Orr collected, created by “punk, anarchist, feminist and LGBTQ+ artists.” Spanning the 1980s to the present, the collection represents various themes that tied these communities together, like revolution, irreverence and empowerment.

Karp said he organized the exhibition around its central themes, grouping together works that represent ideas like anarchism, political resistance, protest and radical history, as well as gender, sexuality and identity.

According to Karp, zine archives are most often found in libraries rather than art museums, so Mia’s acquisition of the FZA is not only significant in breaking down barriers within the art world, but also in highlighting underrepresented voices. “Traditionally, all the culture that’s represented in the zines hasn’t been given space in the art museum,” he said.

Karp graduated from the University in 2020. He studied art history and classics, which combined his interests in visual and ancient culture and humanities. Prior to graduating, Karp held an internship at Mia, which is when he began working with the FZA and cataloging its thousands of items.

After working as an intern for a few months, Karp was offered a curatorial fellow position in the Department of Prints and Drawings back in 2019. Tom Rassieur, the John E. Andrus III Curator of Prints and Drawings, said Karp is relatively young to be in this position, as fellows are often graduate students.

“[Karp] has shown a remarkable intelligence and diligence that we truly value and admire,” Rassieur said. “He’s had a strong work ethic and is very bright, so it’s been a pleasure for all of us to have him.”

Rassieur mentioned that adding the FZA to Mia’s collection could bring attention to works that are made and delivered in a format that challenges the traditional conceptions of fine art.

“Especially in the world of prints and drawings, we’re often blurring the boundary between so-called high art and low art. There are people who see themselves as gatekeepers and standard-setters … but we want to mix it up,” Rassieur said.

Orr, who brought the archive into being, shared a similar sentiment.

“Zines and comics were looked down on by the ‘art world.’ The ‘art form’ was considered too messy, inconsistent and, in many cases, confrontational,” Orr said in an email to the Minnesota Daily. “Having this exhibition is very validating in that zines are now being given the respect that they deserve.”

Dustin Steuck is a visitor experience representative at Mia. They’re also a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ Staff Work Group, which centers queer voices and their needs. Steuck said the group serves as a resource for 2SLGBTQIA+ folks and pushes for various initiatives within the museum, such as promoting inclusive hiring practices and “queering the collection.”

When it comes to representation, Steuck said art and museums play highly influential roles. “For a lot of people, it can be their first access into something that’s beyond the identities that they occupy,” they said.

Steuck thinks the FZA exhibition has the power to do just that, as it focuses on representing narratives that have historically been excluded from dominant culture. “I think it’s going to be so impactful, especially at somewhere like Mia, in which a huge portion of our audience are older and more privileged,” he said. “I think it’s also a really great opportunity to cross generations and hopefully start conversations.”

Ultimately, Orr would like the exhibition to challenge its viewers’ preconceptions and spark curiosity.

“What I would like most is to inspire others to look beyond their own experience to see something new, to question themselves or others or to push themselves to create something new,” she said. “I’m sure that the audience, whoever they are, will be inspired in some way.”

Karp said he’s excited for people to be able to see such a special collection, as zines have certain qualities that make them stand out.

“What you see in zines, it’s hard to see elsewhere. The writing that you read in zines, you’re not going to find published on Twitter, and it’s not going to be in a blog,” Karp explained. “It’s personal, it’s diary-like, it’s very memoir-based … so in that way, it’s really a unique experience.”

With a collection of over 15,000 books, the shelves of Quatrefoil Library are rich in history and queer culture spanning decades.

But its legacy does not stop there.

Since Quatrefoil opened in 1986, the library has offered a variety of LGBTQ materials in an effort to protect these stories from erasure. As its collection expanded over the years, so did the library’s impact. Today, Quatrefoil operates as a gathering space for the Twin Cities LGBTQ community, bringing people together in a place where everyone is welcome.

Quatrefoil moved to its East Lake Street location in 2013 where it remains today. All of the books available are queer-focused, written by LGBTQ authors, or in many cases, both. The library offers a rich assortment for readers of all genres, with ever-expanding sections of both nonfiction and fiction materials.

Quatrefoil is gearing up for its annual Pride Book Sale. The library will have tents at the Twin Cities Pride Festival on July 17-18, where festivalgoers can purchase T-shirts, buttons, and of course, some great LGBTQ reads.

Claude Peck is a writer and former Star Tribune arts and news editor. After serving on the library’s Board of Directors for five years, Peck took on the role of Quatrefoil’s president in January 2021.

Peck explained that in recent years the library has been focused on expanding into a community center.

“We’re also a crossroads for ideas and events, and for people who are thoughtful and people who have things to say and argue about,” he said.

Quatrefoil encourages conversation and connection by hosting various queer book clubs, poetry readings, book launches, panel discussions, game nights and more.

The combination of being a library and a place that brings the community together through activities is what makes Quatrefoil unique.

“Our events are often tailored to the crowd that might not come in here on a typical Saturday afternoon to check out a book,” he said. “I think it’s kind of a patchwork of wonderful things that people can do with this community.”

Paul Kaefer discovered Quatrefoil at a Pride event in 2016, shortly after moving to the Twin Cities. He said he and his partner “had no idea this kind of thing existed,” and that they thought the library was a “really cool place.”

Kaefer started volunteering with Quatrefoil in January 2017, and joined the Board of Directors in September of that year. Today, he serves as one of Quatrefoil’s vice presidents, and having an LGBTQ-specific library helped him find community. In fact, he said that many of his LGBTQ friends are people he met through the library.

“I came out as gay during college… but I didn’t feel like I had a big support network,” Kaefer said. “Until finding Quatrefoil, it felt more like I had to seek it out. I had to meet people individually, or have a friend who had a friend that I could become friends with.”

Kaefer also said it’s important that LGBTQ places exist for queer people of varying interests.

“[The] gay community exists outside of bars. I’ve definitely met more bookish people who would totally love to go to a book launch instead of going out partying,” he said. “That’s not everybody’s thing, so it’s cool to have a place that’s about preserving, collecting and sharing literature and history.”

David Lenander studied English at the University of Minnesota and worked at the University’s Health Sciences Library for over 30 years. He’s a member of the North Country Gaylaxians, a book club that meets monthly at Quatrefoil to discuss LGBTQ science fiction, horror and fantasy literature.

For Lenander, the library’s mission to preserve queer stories and make them available to others is a celebration of history.

“You don’t want to celebrate the awful things, but you want to celebrate the progress we’ve made,” Lenander said. “I hope that we can learn from history and do better, and I hope we can celebrate literature and poetry and all those things.”

The library introduced free membership on June 1 as a way to reduce barriers to patronage and make their materials accessible to all. “Q cards” are available for no charge, and upon signing up, members can check out Quatrefoil’s books, DVDs and other items.

Peck said he hopes this change will help young people and those on a tight budget who still want to use the library.

“Our idea was to just say everyone’s welcome,” Peck said. “We welcome and invite your patronage, and we want you to get involved.”

Minnesota is home to a variety of woodland creatures — turkeys, rabbits, deer, oh my! — and it’s nothing out of the ordinary to come across the occasional backyard visitor.

But it’s not every day that Minnesotans are greeted by a cold-blooded reptilian guest.

Grace Riley couldn’t believe her eyes when she found a bearded dragon wandering outside her home in the Standish neighborhood of south Minneapolis on June 5.

“It was like, ‘Am I seeing what I think I’m seeing?’ Like, this is my sidewalk, this is not a lawn decoration gone wrong,” Riley said.

A local reptile store, Twin Cities Reptiles, told Riley that the dragon could’ve walked a few miles around the city that day, touring the streets of Minneapolis on a dangerous adventure.

In hopes of finding the dragon’s owner, Riley posted about her discovery on Nextdoor, Instagram and Twitter. Although no one claimed the dragon as their own, Riley said her posts generated a lot of community support.

“We had all this enthusiasm for reuniting and thanking us for being the ones who picked it up,” she said. “It was pretty fun to see how kind and encouraging people were.”

Reptile owners on social media gave Riley advice on properly caring for the dragon for the time being. She said they were “eager to share their tips and tricks” and recommended things like calcium supplements, UVB lights and even salad recipes that their bearded dragons particularly enjoy.

Some community members offered to bring Riley the supplies she needed to take care of her new reptilian friend, including Katy Rex, who came across Riley’s post on Twitter. Rex is one of the founders of Tiny Dino Buds, a local nonprofit bearded dragon rescue.

After housing the dragon for a few days, Riley turned it over to the rescue’s care. Rex said that the dragon seemed to be in relatively good condition, aside from some fluid buildup in his lungs. The rescue is currently providing rehabilitation to help him return to his “happiest, healthiest self.”

Rex said her ultimate goal is to reunite the dragon with its original owners.

“For him to be an adult dragon that looks as healthy as he looks, he has to come from someone who loves him,” she said. “It was breaking my heart a little bit that somebody out there has taken such good care of him and doesn’t know where he is now.”

Ben Lowe, a University of Minnesota alum who earned his Ph.D. studying ecology, evolution and behavior, said the bearded dragon could have been more evolutionarily equipped to endure this urban trek than other reptiles would be, walking away with only minor health complications.

Since bearded dragons are native to Australia, Lowe said, they’ve adapted to hot, desert conditions. During its summer season, Australia’s deserts are around 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit. This summer has already been a scorcher in the Twin Cities, as recent temperatures soared into the 90s. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the eight days between June 3 and June 10 marked the worst heatwave on record in Minnesota occurring anytime through the first half of June. Although these conditions were brutal for Minnesotans, they could have served as an advantage for the dragon.

“Our cities are all concrete and asphalt, and they tend to get pretty hot, so that could be something that would help one of these lizards tolerate wandering around on its own,” Lowe said.

A study in the Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia concluded that, on average, the daily distance traveled by a group of bearded dragons was 115 meters, or .07 miles. Although this is still an “appreciably greater” daily distance than other lizards, wandering a few miles would have been quite the achievement for the dragon.

Despite potentially missing its owner and feeling lost in the big city, the bearded dragon could have explored some pretty cool places on his south Minneapolis route that day.

If he wanted to stray from his typical diet of insects and vegetables, he could’ve grabbed a “Jucy Lucy” from the iconic Matt’s Bar & Grill, topping it off with something sweet from A Baker’s Wife’s Pastry Shop. He could have soaked up some rays in Powderhorn Park or cooled off in the Sibley Park wading pool before touring everything else the area has to offer.

Scott Johnson, manager of Twin Cities Reptiles, said the dragon was pretty lucky to avoid all potentially lethal dangers along his journey.

“He could have eaten bugs that were eating pesticides from the neighbor’s yard, he could get picked up by a bird of prey, he could get eaten by the neighbor’s dog,” Johnson said. “If he went for miles, he better get a lotto ticket.”

Good news, music fans: The next few months are going to be jam-packed with great tunes and mosh pits as concerts return to the Twin Cities.

As Minnesotans get vaccinated and the state lifts mask mandates, local venues have decided to open their doors and reintroduce in-person shows this summer, bringing back an aspect of pre-pandemic life for fans, artists and the venues themselves.

Ashley Ryan, director of marketing at First Avenue, said there are currently no COVID-19-related restrictions at the venue. First Avenue’s associated venues — 7th St Entry, Turf Club, Fine Line, Palace Theatre and the Fitzgerald Theater — are also following First Avenue’s lead.

“I think it’ll look and feel pretty normal,” Ryan said. “We feel like with what we’re hearing from the state, we can kind of get back to what would feel like business as usual.”

First Avenue recently announced a slew of shows scheduled for this summer beginning July 2, and Ryan said they’ve already seen strong ticket sales. “I think there has been a real collective feeling that you get when you go see a live concert that’s been missing for a lot of people,” Ryan said. “There’s just a lot of joy and emotion, and I think people are ready to have those experiences again.”
Live music has already returned to some Twin Cities venues, including West Bank’s own Palmer’s Bar. The outdoor patio at Palmer’s has hosted a handful of performances since April, which are scheduled to continue throughout the summer. On the calendar is Palmfest, a weekend of five shows that will begin Friday, July 30.

After being shut down for over a year during the pandemic, St. Paul’s Amsterdam Bar and Hall reopened its doors in April and brought live shows back at the beginning of June.

Brenda Peters, venue operations and entertainment manager at Amsterdam, said the venue has held free shows from local artists on its smaller stage. It will bring back larger, ticketed shows starting June 18.

Since shows have returned, Peters said the turnout at Amsterdam has blown them away. “People are just so eager to see music,” she said. “It’s kind of incredible.”

Following the current government guidance, there are no mask requirements or capacity restrictions in place at Amsterdam Bar and Hall.

Ethan Lambert is a third-year strategic communications student at the University of Minnesota. Lambert is a passionate music fan and serves as vice president of the University’s Music Sharing Club.

Lambert, who went to concerts somewhat regularly before the pandemic, is excited about their return. “I’ll definitely appreciate live music more when it’s back,” Lambert said. “It’s going to feel pretty surreal.”

He feels that shows are being reintroduced at just the right time, given the number of people that have been vaccinated. “If there was a concert happening tonight, because I’ve been vaccinated for a while, I would go,” Lambert said.

Tom Coyer, a fan of local musicians, said he doesn’t have any concerns about COVID-19 in terms of attending concerts this summer, as he feels that things are trending in the right direction. “That’s really the whole point of everyone getting the vaccine,” Coyer said, “returning back to doing the things we were doing before.”

The Varsity Theater could not be reached for comment but has several events on the calendar. University music lovers can visit the beloved Dinkytown concert hall as soon as July 30, when Vintage Culture will take the stage.

The return of live music will also bring back an important aspect of pre-pandemic life for artists: performing.

Local indie musician Bob Kabeya — fans may know him as the lead singer of Miloe — is headlining a show at the 7th St. Entry on Sept. 9 and opening for the band “Beach Bunny” on their North American tour in fall 2021.

Kabeya said he’s looking forward to performing again, as it boosts his confidence as an artist. “It’s empowering to write these songs and then watch them exist outside of your brain and recognize that other people know the songs too,” he said.

After Kabeya released his “Greenhouse” EP in October 2020, he wasn’t able to perform his new music in person due to the pandemic. “It was a little bit weird to put out music without having shows,” Kabeya said. “I missed people and missed the energy.”

Whether it was an Animal Crossing hat, a “Hamilton” dish towel or a “Pulp Fiction” painting, GeekCraft Expo Twin Cities had something to offer for fans across a wide variety of niches.

After being rescheduled in 2020 due to the pandemic, this year’s GeekCraft Expo, held on June 5 and 6, brought individuals from all corners of the geek community back together again, creating a sense of connection between vendors and patrons alike.

Inside the Minneapolis Convention Center, patrons waited in line to enter the event. Some shuffled through their belongings and pulled out vaccine cards; upon doing so, fully-vaccinated attendees received a “vaccinated” badge to wear, though this was not a requirement for admission. After being checked in, patrons explored the aisles, spoke with exhibitors and browsed the assortment of unique and quirky items around them.

These events have been held across the country since 2016, when GeekCraft Expo was founded by comic book writer Daniel Way and former Ubisoft Community Manager Kimberly Matsuzaki. The markets offer a curated assortment of geek-themed goods produced by local makers and artists.

Way, who not only serves as the event director but also wrote Marvel comic books like “Deadpool” and “Wolverine,” said that GeekCraft was built with the goal of showcasing local small businesses in mind. “We want everyone who’s making this stuff to be able to do this full-time successfully,” Way said.

He explained that this element of craftsmanship contributed to the event’s popularity, as patrons can find functional items that are unique and not mass-produced.

“You can walk around GeekCraft and you can find things you’re going to need, like an oven mit,” Way said. “You can get one that’s made by hand and is extremely good and will last a long, long time, and it looks like the Infinity Gauntlet.”

Carly Beyer, a patron at the expo, said the event allowed her to “grow as a geek,” and created a sense of community among those in attendance. She said it can be hard to open up conversations about certain interests when you don’t know if the other person is interested in the same thing. But at the expo, this wasn’t the case.

“It feels like even though I don’t know a lot of people on a first name basis, it doesn’t feel weird to open any conversation,” Beyer said. “I don’t feel like I have to have an entire explanation prepared for a specific fandom, because they totally know it.”

Carsten Aloin has attended various conventions for over ten years, but this was their first time attending a GeekCraft Expo event. For Aloin, the appeal of the expo was the opportunity to interact with artists and makers in person, rather than simply buying from them online. They also appreciated how the event catered to an array of different fandoms.

“You get a much wider variety of items,” Aloin said. “Especially given that the term geek is very broad.”

Charlie Couture, the artist behind Zombie On Canvas, described his work as “a love letter for cult films.” His table at the expo displayed heavy pop art pieces depicting scenes and characters from “The Shining,” “Edward Scissorhands,” “Pulp Fiction” and a plethora of other iconic films.

The GeekCraft Expo was Couture’s first in-person art show since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and he said he felt a bit rusty.

“It sucks with the pandemic, where it’s like every art show feels like it’s a comeback show,” Couture said. “It’s a culture shock, for sure.”

University of Minnesota alum Wren Rivers has sold hand-painted, geek-themed kitchen towels since 2016. Her business, Crafty Rivers Emporium, offers various designs inspired by “Harry Potter,” “Doctor Who,” “Hamilton,” “Game of Thrones” and other popular fandoms.

This year’s expo gave Rivers a chance to reconnect with other businesses and customers that she recognized from past events.

“I like being able to see my nerdy, geeky people again,” Rivers said.