The Wake

So many of my favorite Friday nights begin sprawled out on red satin sheets. This is a luxury that I am not often afforded, so you can understand my delight when I discovered Ari Herstand’s Happy Hour Happenings at the Varsity Theater in Dinkytown. It’s tough to find a more perfect marriage of great local music, a gorgeous venue (air mattresses!), free admission, and killer drink specials.

Ari’s happy hour performance at the Varsity Theater is an acoustic pop/rock genre bending treat from one man, one guitar, one trumpet, one piano, and one loop station. His fusion of folk, hip-hop and jazz breathes much-needed warmth and verve into the acoustic rock formula. You may have OD-ed on Dave Matthews Band in the smoky haze of freshman year, but Ari has enough raw talent and charismatic energy to drive you into an acoustic addiction relapse. (He also has enough teeth in his smile to appeal to the 15-year-old girl in all of us.) The lyrics are positive and intimate, and Ari’s angelic vocals tug at your heartstrings like an episode of Dawson’s Creek. His emotionally evocative performance is punctuated with politically provocative commentary. He plugs Feingold for president in 2008 with a gentle and enthusiastic optimism.

Ari has become an artist to watch in 2006. His infectious popularity was evident in the fact that he nearly sold out his CD release show for Baby Eyes without any previous releases to his name. Ari is humbled by his fans’ overwhelming support. “Most people aren’t going to give up an entire Friday night and pay $5 for an artist that is basically unknown and who doesn’t have any music out there,” he says. Ari does have some impressive credentials—he has played the trumpet at Carnegie hall, shared venues with Ben Folds Five, Ben Harper and Buddy Guy, and has just returned from playing two shows at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas. Ari has had a lifelong love for music and performing. His influences include Dave Matthews Band, Damien Rice, John Mayer and, yes, even Eminem.

Ari Herstand’s Happy Hour Happenings can be enjoyed on the second Friday of every month from 5-7:30 p.m. Each evening begins with performances from up-and-coming Twin Cities area artists, hand-picked by Ari himself, followed by Ari’s 45-minute performance. The events are all-ages (two-for-ones on non-alcoholics too!). April’s Happy Hour Happening is unfortunately cancelled, but you can catch Ari with his full band on Friday, April 7 with God Johnson (also at the Varsity). Watch for the next “Happening” on Friday, May 12.