ItemWorld: Lizzo and Letterman, big-band Dylan and Mark Frost's 'Twin Peaks' return

To paraphrase Eminem's "Lose Yourself," it looked as if Lizzo lost herself in the moment and was never, ever going to let David Letterman go. The Minneapolis rapper made her network TV debut Tuesday night on CBS' "The Late Show," performing her extra-grindy single "Bus Passes and Happy Meals." Backed by Doomtree producer/beatmaker Lazerbeak and Har Mar Superstar drummer Ryan McMahon, she made some sly moves, including a vogued-out pose near the start and some synchronized dancing with co-vocalist Sophia Eris. Her most audacious move, however, came when Dave reached out to shake her hand — and she reached in for a full-on bear hug, which Letterman seemed to get a kick out of. The real-life Melissa Jefferson wore a black T-shirt that read, "I Feel You André," a nod to the message-adorned shirts André 3000 has been wearing at OutKast reunion shows. Afterward, Lazerbeak offered this account of what went down behind the scenes: "A good reminder to anyone going on late night TV: Make friends with the sound effects guy. He mimicked a Letterman monologue for us during some down time and let us hit all the different buttons (gong, explosions, etc.). Also learned the combination of sounds it takes to create the punch line of the 'Dave throwing a pencil at the camera' bit. Everyone at the show was a total pro and super welcoming to our whole crew. Surreal day."

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

It sounds like the ultimate Minnesotan rock 'n' roll fantasy: Band releases a song online, goes on a Boundary Waters canoe trip and comes out of the woods to find the response to the newly issued track has gone wild. "The track was getting 15,000 plays a day on our SoundCloud account," claimed guitarist Brady Lillie of dancey pop-rock quartet the Step Rockets, referring to his band's viral hit "Kisser." Issued last summer, the song just crossed the 1-million-plays mark on Spotify, and the band is just getting around to releasing more music. It takes over 7th Street Entry on Saturday (9 p.m., $10) to tout the three-song CD/single "Phantom Flower," and then heads east to play the CMJ Fest and tour dates with K. Flay. Here's to more BWCA trips, too.C.R.

In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre has a new hand at the helm after a fiscal crisis that saw the 40-year-old company cut staff and programming. Catherine Jordan started Monday as interim executive director, replacing Loren Niemi. Jordan, honored by Artspace in May for community leadership, has more than three decades of nonprofit experience, starting with WARM Art Gallery and most recently Circus Juventas.

ROHAN PRESTON

One of the first questions fans may ask when they find out 12 Rods is playing a reunion show Jan. 16 at First Avenue is, "Which 12 Rods?" The answer: basically every version. The Twin Cities alt-rock band is promoting a reissue of its fourth and final record, 2002's "Lost Time," via Chigliak, a new label run by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. Obviously the lineup that made that disc will play, including co-founding brothers Ryan and Ev Olcott, drummer Dave King, bassist Bill Shaw and guitarist Jake Hanson. But a Facebook post said the concert will feature "nearly every other" musician who went through 12 Rods' ranks, including Christopher McGuire and Matthew Foust.C.R.

The Minnesota Orchestra is going back to the future for artistic advice. Asadour Santourian, vice president of the Aspen Music Festival, is helping music director Osmo Vänskä, musicians and artistic staff develop the orchestra's 2015-16 classical season. If the name sounds familiar, it's because Santourian was the orchestra's director of artistic planning from 1991 to 2000. He'll retain his position in Aspen and continue to live in Colorado. Vänskä said he values Santourian's relationships in the music field and his knowledge of the orchestra.

You can read all of Bob Dylan's lyrics for free on his website. But if you're old school, you might want to fork over $200 for "The Lyrics: Since 1962," a 960-page annotated tome edited by Dylan scholar Christopher Ricks and being published Oct. 28 by Simon & Schuster. Only 3,000 copies were printed. There's also a limited boxed edition of 50, numbered and signed by Dylan. The cost: $5,000. Check it out at www.dylansignedbook.com. I.W. wonders if it's made of Spanish leather.

Jon Bream

Dylan's music in a recital hall? With a jazz band? At the university from which Dylan dropped out? Yes, yes and yes: Wisconsin vocalist Janet Planet performed big-band versions of Dylan tunes Tuesday with the University of Minnesota's Jazz Ensemble I at Ted Mann Concert Hall. "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" had sort of a Steely Dan vibe, while "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" channeled Maria Muldaur-like Southern blues sass. The high point was a jump swing reading of "Leopard-Skin Pillbox Hat," but Planet — who teaches jazz at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis. — seemed to favor "Yes or No," a Wayne Shorter instrumental featuring her sax-playing husband, Oshkosh, Wis., native Tom Washatka, who wrote many of the arrangements. "That was hot. I hadn't heard that one," she announced. "Weren't you paying attention at soundcheck?" asked U bandleader Dean Sorenson. "I wasn't paying attention," confessed Planet. "I was doing my hair."J.B.