Item World: Local news and views 9/16

Overcoming obstacles

When she finished college, Jennifer Egan worked for two years on a first novel, eventually getting up the nerve to send it around, mostly to other writers and relatives. The book was "truly awful," she said, and those who got a copy "tended to fall out of touch." "Like who?" asked interviewer Kerri Miller. "Like my mother," Egan shot back. Egan spoke Wednesday at the Fitzgerald Theater as part of the Talking Volumes book club's new season. She has published four novels and a book of stories and this year won the Pulitzer Prize in fiction for "A Visit From the Goon Squad." In St. Paul, she talked about writing novels in longhand, about the "mysterious alternate universe" she enters when working on a book and about overcoming a severe fear of public speaking, including the use of beta blockers. "You could call it better living through chemicals," she said. I.W. noticed no visible evidence of her phobia.

Minne-apple of Foo's eye

Somebody just go ahead and give the Foo Fighters honorary Minnesota citizenship. The veteran alt-rockers made good on a promise to play a garage show for about 75 lucky local fans Tuesday afternoon, and picked a place befitting a September up north: Pine Tree Apple Orchard in White Bear Lake. "It was an absolutely great day," confirmed Patrick Cool, 25, of Edina, one of the winners from radio station 93X treated to a nearly 90-minute set there and lots of hang time with the band. Oh, and some apples. The Minne-centric flavor continued Wednesday night for 13,000 at Xcel Energy Center, where frontman Dave Grohl brought up ex-Minneapolitan violinist Jessy Greene to be a Foo again for "See You" and afterward gushed about her playing. He also dedicated "This Is a Call" to Grant Hart and Greg Norton of Hüsker Dü, whom he talked to before the show. "This band wouldn't be here if it weren't for a band from this city," Grohl told the St. Paul crowd. "I wouldn't be playing guitar if it wasn't for those guys." And he's no apple polisher.

Mary Mary quite contrary

The great thing about being a living legend is that you can pretty much speak your mind without major repercussions. I.W. was reminded of that last week when we found ourselves chatting with Ed Asner at a party celebrating the upcoming season at the Fitzgerald Theater. Asner was in town for his one-man performance as Franklin Delano Roosevelt. By way of saying hello, we asked him what he thought of the announcement earlier in the day that Mary Tyler Moore would be getting a lifetime achievement award from the Screen Actors Guild. Asner, 81, hadn't heard the news and, based on his reaction, he didn't really seem to care. "She's changed," said Asner, who was once president of SAG and received its lifetime achievement award in 2001. "She's a Republican. Last time I saw her, she said Sarah Palin was a great lady."

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Pickers pig out

AKUS is the fans' acronym for Alison Krauss + Union Station but after the celebrated group's concert Tuesday at the Orpheum, I.W. thinks it might also stand for Alison and the Kut-Ups. Her sidemen joked about eating their way through the Twin Cities this week. Dobro dude Jerry Douglas said he sampled things up and down Eat Street (that stretch of Nicollet Avenue S. with lots of ethnic restaurants), and bassist Barry Bales went to Murray's for the Silver Butter Knife Steak. "I gained four pounds," he said. Krauss grilled him: "Did you use the butter knife?" Bales: "I just looked at it and it fell apart."

Theater commuter

Seth Numrich was like many youngsters with stars in their eyes when he appeared in a 1999 show with Youth Performance Company in Minneapolis. Numrich returns to his hometown Monday night as emcee of the Ivey Awards, where Twin Cities theater accomplishment is honored. He currently is in "War Horse," one of the hottest shows on Broadway. He flies here after a Sunday afternoon show and then has to get back for the Tuesday night performance.

Composer writes a wrong