Rock the Garden strikes again

With its picturesque location and backing from the coolest museum (the Walker) and radio station (89.3 the Current) in town, Rock the Garden has heretofore been a foolproof formula. Well, except for maybe the year indulgent electro-pop band MGMT headlined (2010). So it was daring for organizers to mess with the formula and book so many Minnesota-bred bands, which have strictly played opening slots in years past.

How's this for daring, though? A punky hip-hop group -- the first rappers ever booked at RTG -- going on before a bluegrassy string band, both following an Afrobeat-influenced experimental group, with two straight-up, guitar-heavy rock bands for the opener and headliner. That's how widely Saturday's RTG lineup reached.

That Afrobeat-spiked band, New York's tUnE-yArds, was the only group without local ties, and indeed it fulfilled the role of discovery that Rock the Garden has served in promoting envelope- and genre-pushing new bands of the day.

Here are the most memorable moments during the rest of Rock the Garden 2012:

Howler doing Huskers: A band that has said less than amazing things about its hometown to the press, young Minneapolis pop-punk band Howler kicked off the show with a makeup-kiss of a cover song, Hüsker Dü's "Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely."

Trampled by Turtles not alone singing "Alone": The Duluth-bred string band also chose a bold opening tune, their mellow and serene new single instead of one of their rapid-fire crowd-pleasers (such as "Wait So Long," which came last). It was a had-them-at-hello moment as half the crowd joined in on "Alone," about as close as RTG has ever gotten to a campfire singalong.

Hip-hop makes its debut: Hard to believe that no rapper has ever performed at RTG. Doomtree's opener "Boltcutter" cut right through the proverbial barriers, though, and the seven-member collective was soon treated like typical rock stars. They even beat rap stereotypes by cleaning up their act for the Current's live broadcast, though Dessa did joke about suffering from "pent-up obscenities."

P.O.S. makes the case again for "Get Down": As he did at Soundset and the Blowout concerts, Doomtree rapper P.O.S. turned the event into an all-out dance party with an electro-bouncing show-stealer of a song that hasn't even been released yet (it's on his record coming out Sept. 18).

The Hold Steady's "Killer" finale: Coming off an extended hiatus, Finn & Co. seemed a little off for much of the night, and it didn't help that they pulled heavily from the poorly received 2010 album "Heaven Is Whenever." They hit their stride in the end, though, with "Stay Positive" and the closer, "Killer Parties," dedicated to late Soul Asylum bassist Karl Mueller.

• Chris Riemenschneider

'Project Runway' tabs a local

Another year, another Minnesotan on "Project Runway." Last Friday, Lifetime announced the cast for the 10th season of the fashion reality show, and it includes Minneapolis' own Raul Osorio. The 27-year-old, California-born designer spent most of his childhood in Honduras, having moved to Minnesota seven years ago. He's the fifth local designer to appear on the reality show (after Danielle Everine in 2011, Christopher Straub and Ra'mon-Lawrence Coleman in 2009 and Katy Gerdes in 2006).

Since debuting at "Voltage: Fashion Amplified" in 2010, Osorio has made a strong impression on the local fashion scene, thanks to his slightly androgynous, matador-inspired menswear and his feminine-yet-confident women's wear.

Along with Friday's announcement came the reveal that the first challenge would be taking place that same evening with a public runway show in New York's Times Square. The 16 designers showed a total of two complementary looks each: one created at home, the other created at Parsons the New School for Design in one day with only $100.

The designers of each look were not revealed, but we're placing bets that Osorio was behind a tailored jacket and pant look featuring leather detailing and a bow-front, lace blouse, which was very similar to some of the looks in his fall 2010 collection, "Pale Rider." Its corresponding look, an ultra-feminine ivory lace cocktail dress, was equally strong. "Project Runway's" 10th season premieres July 19 on Lifetime.

• Jahna Peloquin

Dylan finds the direction home

It might be time for Bob Dylan to get a checkup at the Mayo Clinic. Last seen in his home state on the night of the presidential election in 2008 -- the winner of which just awarded him the Medal of Freedom a couple of weeks ago -- the Hibbing/Duluth native will return with his band to perform in Rochester at the Mayo Civic Center's Taylor Arena on Aug. 21. Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster for $49.50 (general admission) and $55 (reserved). That election night gig four years ago was a haggard but somewhat historic November 2008 concert at Northrop Auditorium (at the University of Minnesota, from which he famously dropped out to head for New York).

• Chris Riemenschneider

Northeast adds another brewery

Last week, 612Brew announced it will open its years-in-the-making brewery at the corner of Broadway and Central Av. NE. It joins a handful of breweries that have already staked a claim in the area, including Indeed, Dangerous Man and Northgate.

The thirty-somethings behind 612Brew (Adit Kalra, Robert Kasak, Ryan Libby and Jamey Rossbach) announced their intentions to open a brewery well over two years ago. But a lot has changed in those two years, namely the Surly Bill.

If they were going to have a taproom (and everyone needs a taproom), the place had to be presentable. They found just the spot in the Broadway Building, an old factory space peeking out at the elevated Central/Broadway intersection. Developer Peter Remes (the guy behind the Ice House building on Eat Street) is planning a full restoration of the 60,000-square-foot warehouse, with 5,000-square-foot 612Brew as its anchor tenant.

• Tom Horgen

Vegas-based ultralounge/arcade in works

It sounds like the shuttered Karma nightclub space in downtown Minneapolis finally has a tenant: Insert Coin(s), an ultralounge that's a mix between a dance club and a video game arcade. The concept has one other location in downtown Las Vegas that's a favorite hangout for athletes and visiting celebrities. Owner Chris LaPorte said he's signed the lease and is hoping to open in late 2012. The building's owner, Ned Abdul, said they are still in negotiations.

Don't expect another Gameworks, though; Insert Coin(s) is not a family fun center, LaPorte said. "We call ourselves interactive nightlife," he said. There's a dance floor and DJs performing every night. The Vegas location has 60 fully restored classic arcade cabinet games, as well as gaming consoles at the bar.

• Tom Horgen

From Duluth to downtown

Duluth's landmark Fitger's Brewhouse is expanding southward. "Our goal is to bring a taste of northern Minnesota to the heart of downtown Minneapolis," said co-owner Rod Raymond. He and Tim Nelson are purchasing the historic North Loop building that last housed Trocaderos (107 3rd Av. N.) and plan to open a neighborhood-hangout-style place in late fall or early winter. It will feature six to eight house-brewed ales, along with food and live music. One hitch: The brewery won't be up and running for the first six months, so the bar will import Fitger's brewmaster Dave Hoops' top-rated Duluth-made ales, along with "guest taps" such as Summit, Fulton and Surly.

• Rick Nelson