Item World: Local news and views 2/3

Baby talk

Park Square Theatre administrator Michael-jon Pease had no sooner announced that actor Dieter Bierbrauer would not appear in last Friday's opening performance of "Ragtime: The Musical" when a stagehand walked onstage and whispered in Pease's ear. "It's a boy," Pease told the sold-out house. Bierbrauer had missed Thursday's preview on a false alarm, and then returned to the hospital Friday just in the nick of time with his wife, Anna. With impeccably dramatic flair, the 7 pound, 7 ounce lad arrived and Bierbrauer was in Saturday's performance. At midweek, his name -- Seeley Paul Bierbrauer -- was announced.. --GRAYDON ROYCE

Take a spin

"The Voice" is coming to the Mall of America. Before you start anticipating a chance to meet Adam Levine or Christina Aguilera, take a deep breath. The appearance is being made by -- drum roll -- one of the chairs. One of the swiveling seats will be wrapping up a cross-country tour Feb. 11, in front of Macy's from noon to 6 p.m. Fans can sit on it and get a video of themselves taking a spin. --NEAL JUSTIN

Surly Nation speaks

It's not like Surly Brewing needs any more accolades, but the Brooklyn Center brewery's dominance in RateBeer.com's annual "Best" list deserves some kudos. The international beer rating website (made up of user reviews) has Surly ranked as the 11th best brewery on the planet. In RateBeer's "Best by Style" categories, Surly Furious was named the No. 1 India Pale Ale in the world. Three other Surly beers ranked in the top 10 in other categories. The high placement of Surly's brews is worth a toast: More than 140,000 beers from 12,000 brewers worldwide were tallied. --TOM HORGEN

Minnesota's finest

He really loves us

"I'm not blowing smoke," said New York singer-songwriter Eric Hutchinson before he heaped praise on the Twin Cities in general, Cities 97 in particular and his Twin Cities-bred sideman, Elliott Blaufuss. E. Hutch was in town Monday to preview his April 17 sophomore album, "Moving Up, Living Down." In a brief set at the Crooked Pint for Cities 97 contest winners, Hutchinson played the Beatley "Best Days," the vaguely gospel-soul "The Basement" and the poppy, hooky single "Watching You Watch Him." The new stuff sounds blatantly Top 40, a little bubblegummy for Cities 97 and not as irresistible as his breakthrough hit "Rock and Roll." Hutchinson will return with his full band on April 21 at the Fine Line to celebrate his new CD and, we're guessing, to praise all things Minnesotan. --JON BREAM

Constructive summer

When the Hold Steady took almost five months off last year, the band's Edina-reared frontman Craig Finn said he had two goals for the break: to record his first solo album ("Clear Heart Full Eyes," which will be celebrated Saturday at the Triple Rock) and to run a half-marathon. Unlike the made-in-Texas album, the unathletic-looking indie-rocker, age 40, came home to accomplish the run in last summer's Minneapolis Half-Marathon. "I've always been a runner but never in distances, so I definitely could only do 13 miles," said the resident of New York, where he said there are no half-marathons. His official time was 2:02:15, about the length of a typical Hold Steady gig at First Ave. --CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

One book, two cities

Paul-a-palooza