Entertainment shorts

Steve Johnson, the lead singer of Duluth band Sight Like December, will perform a solo show of barrelhouse blues 8 p.m. Saturday at the Eclectic Cafe in downtown Brainerd. He will perform originals and covers.

Admission is free.

For more information, consult www.sightlikedecember.com.

Celebration of Christmas music set at church

The Twelfth Night of Christmas Concert, a celebration of Christmas music, will be presented 7 p.m. Wednesday at First Congregational United Church of Christ, Brainerd.

Admission is free.

Participating community musicians include soprano Connie Christianson singing "Mary's Song"; tenor Duane Theilen singing "Song About Mary"; The Legacy Chorale Ensemble of Jennifer Pelowski, Sarah Aamot-Lundin, Shari Nelson, Sharon Tate, Grace Jones, Chad Nelson, Bob Nelson, Michael Lundin and David Pelowski; and the Brainerd High School Chamber Orchestra String Quartet of violinists Hannah Kreutfeldt and Heather Mastel-Lipson, violist Lindie Walker and cellist Alexandra Jones.

Choir Director Diane Hauan will lead the congregation in hymns and carols. Grace Jones and Laura Raedeke will provide organ and piano duets, accompanied by Lance James on the recorder. There will be opening and closing hymns accompanied by brass horns along with congregational singing of Christmas hymns.

Four Shadow to sing in Staples

STAPLES -- A cappella quartet Four Shadow will perform 7:30 p.m. Jan. 6 at the Centennial Auditorium in Staples.

Advance tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for students through the Centennial Auditorium box office at (218) 894-5416 or (800) 213-6877. Tickets at the door are $15 for adults and $7 for students.

Four Shadow has performed on NBC's "Today Show" and shared the stage with Huey Lewis, the Persuasions and Rascal Flatts. The group performs originals and covers by artists such as the Beatles, Paul Simon and Dave Matthews. Through humor, audience participation and personal stories, Four Shadow involves the whole crowd.

GRAA annual meeting set Jan. 22

LITTLE FALLS -- The Great River Arts Association's annual membership meeting will be 7 p.m. Jan. 22 at the arts center in downtown Little Falls. The public is welcome.

A short business meeting will include the election of board members. A gala event will celebrate the opening of the Community Collection exhibit, which features works collected by members of the community along with the stories of why the owner bought, created or values the work.

For more information, contact the GRAA at (320) 632-0960.

Unlimited Learning schedule announced

CROSBY -- Unlimited Learning's schedule through June 7 has been announced. All sessions will be held 1:30 p.m. Tuesdays at the Hallett Community Center in Crosby.

Admission is $6. Season memberships are $30.

The schedule is:

* "Terrorism!," presented by Lloyd Klein, Jan. 11.

* "Wolves, What of 'Em," Ben Wieland, Feb. 8.

* "Beyond the Camera Lens," Bob Manery, March 8.

* "Cutting Edge: Innovative Medical and Surgical Procedures," staff of Cuyuna Regional Medical Center, April 12.

* "Aspects of Aging in Today's World," part one, April 19.

* "Rags to Riches: The Hallett Story," Jeanette Smith and Paul Schliesman, May 10.

* "Tour of Four Hallett Landmarks," May 24.

* "Western Political Philosophy," Marritt Marquardt, June 7.

For more information, contact Shirley Hale at (218) 546-2616.

Great Decisions series to begin

IRONTON -- The Great Decisions program, sponsored by Unlimited Learning, will meet 12:30 p.m. the third Monday of each month at Gary's in Ironton starting Jan. 17.

For each topic, participants will read articles, watch a video and discuss and debate U.S. foreign policy. The Foreign Policy Association will provide the materials.

The material fee is $20 for Unlimited Learning members and $25 for non-members.

Upcoming topics include U.S. Intelligence (Feb. 21), Russia (March 21), Outsourcing Jobs (April 18), China (May 16), Sudan's Crisis in Darfur (June 20), Global Poverty Gap (Sept. 19), Middle East (Oct. 17) and Global Water Issues (Nov. 21).

For more information, contact Lance Barker at (218) 927-3042.

Anderson to perform at casino

ONAMIA -- Country musician John Anderson will perform 6 and 9 p.m. Feb. 3 at the Grand Casino Mille Lacs Events & Convention Center north of Onamia. The Kentucky Headhunters will open the shows.

Tickets, priced at $18 and $25, are available at the Grand Casino box office or through Ticketmaster at (651) 989-5151 or www.ticketmaster.com.

Anderson, originally from Florida, scored hits with "Wild and Blue" and "Swingin'" in the 1980s and "Straight Tequila Night" and "Money in the Bank" in the '90s.

The Kentucky Headhunters perform a mix of country and blues. Their hits include "Walk Softly on This Heart of Mine" and "Oh, Lonesome Me."