Item World: Dierks Bentley, Hugh Laurie, Rick Riordan, Trampled by Turtles, Prince, more

Even though he grew up in Arizona, country star Dierks Bentley loves him some hockey. He told the crowd last Friday at Xcel Energy Center — where he has skated and performed before — that when he moved to Nashville at age 19, he fell in love with the Predators, the Nashville NHL team, and hockey, which he took up. But then he made a faux pas by saying "that [crap] with [Ryan] Suter wasn't cool." His comment elicited a roomful of boos. If you don't know, Suter, a Predators star, signed a free-agent contract with the Minnesota Wild last year. Bentley should have been sent directly to the Xcel penalty box.

Jon Bream

Among the fans at Brit's Pub Tuesday afternoon hoping their England soccer team would qualify for World Cup play was Hugh Laurie, who was in town for an evening concert at the Pantages Theatre. Laurie, best known for his starring role in TV's "House," strolled into the bar's clubhouse with a friend at kickoff and was not bothered by pub-goers. A friend of I.W. did chat up Laurie at halftime when they both stepped outside for cigarettes. Laurie had nothing but praise for Brit's Pub. He must have been equally impressed with the English team, which topped Poland 2-0. His enthusiasm for soccer remained apparent during his concert, where he had a Minnesota United banner displayed on the Pantages stage.

Neal Justin

Kerri Miller of MPR cut short her interview with young-adult literature star Rick Riordan at Tuesday's Talking Volumes event to accommodate his many curious fans. The night's Twitter feed said it all, with such comments as "my faith is restored in the future of paper, books and young readers" and "at least a hundred kids have their hands up, hoping to ask a question." One girl proudly announced, "I drove five hours to see Rick Riordan." We trust the actual driver was one of her parents. A teacher for 15 years, Riordan has had great success writing, with 35 million copies of his myth-based adventure books in print. "I have seen neither of the two movies" made from my books, Riordan told the throng. As for casting hero Percy Jackson as a half-god, half-human, Riordan said, "demigods are stuck between two worlds — much like middle-schoolers."

CLAUDE PECK

Another weekend, another Prince show. Maybe. This one is billed as "The Breakfast Experience: Pajama Dance Party." There is no promise that for $50 you will get a live Prince performance at Paisley Park, where the doors open at 2 a.m. Saturday (that's late, late Friday night). But 3rdEyeGirl's name is listed on the poster. Party till the sun comes up, urges the ad. On behalf of the late-night Paisley pilgrims, I.W. checked with the Perkins in Chanhassen, a mere 2 miles down Hwy. 5 from Paisley and open 24 hours on the weekend, to see what they plan to do with an invasion of Purple breakfast eaters. "We plan on doubling our staff," Perkins general manager Bill Mock told I.W. "We were impacted by the last concert [two weeks ago]. We're going to be prepared for this one."

So that's why there was a camera crew hanging around First Avenue in April. Trampled by Turtles have announced a new album and DVD combo, "Live at First Avenue," culled from their sold-out, three-night, 10th anniversary marathon there last spring. Due Nov. 12, the album features 11 tracks, including at least one apiece from each of their six studio records plus their remake of the Pixies' "Where Is My Mind?" The DVD offers eight more songs, including a cover of Ronnie Lane and the Faces' "Ooh La La." That First Ave stand found Trampled firing on all cylinders after a year of steady touring. It proved to be a truly Minnesotan affair, too, with 16 other local acts performing and the fact that a snowstorm broke out before opening night. Maybe they should've covered a certain Prince song instead.

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

Rail travel in bygone days was tres chic. People dressed for it — think the Orient Express, Anna Karenina, Eva Marie Saint in "North by Northwest." An upcoming fashion show at the once-again-elegant Union Depot in downtown St. Paul will bring the concepts of trains and fashion together again. "Time/Travel" will feature creations, ranging from vintage to futuristic, by eight well-known local designers, including Laura Fulk, Christopher Straub and Emma Berg, who said she was inspired in part by "the idealized vision of ourselves we get when we go on a trip." (7 to 8:30 p.m. Wed., Union Depot, $12- $28, timetravelfashionshow.eventbrite.com)

KRISTIN TILLOTSON