The 21 Best Things to Do in Dallas This Week

Twenty-one things to do in Dallas from Thursday, July 13, through Wednesday, July 19:

Thursday

In a world filled with music, one man is known for having scored all of your favorite movies. And no, it’s not Danny Elfman. The illustrious Hans Zimmer will stop by Dallas as part of his Hans Zimmer Revealed tour. The show is a walk through the works of the man who’s scored every movie from Driving Miss Daisy to Inception. The show will start with some of Zimmer’s earlier scores for films such as Gladiator, The Lion King and the first Pirates of the Caribbean (aka the good one), and move along to The Dark Knight Trilogy and Inception, with special guests sprinkled in between. Zimmer, a Grammy and Academy Award winner, will conduct. Zimmer has scored more than 150 movies, video games and TV shows over the course of his four-decade-long career. That’s a pretty lofty feat, given he was kicked out of eight music schools in his native Germany. Tickets sold out for the show’s European leg, so snag your tickets while you can. Verizon Theatre, 1001 Performance Place, Grand Prairie, 8 p.m., $55, verizontheatre.com. — Nicholas Bostick

So you've been to the Deep Ellum Wine Walk and the Bishop Arts District Wine Walk, but have you, my cabernet-guzzling friend, been to the Plano Wine and Art Walk? Downtown Plano can be quite charming, especially under the influence of a few sample-pours of vino. Purchase tickets online for $12 and then pickup your souvenir glass at check-in on the night of the event. Stroll, sip and shop your way through this tasting tour, with stops at participating downtown stores. Tickets (which can also be purchased onsite for $18) include live music and access to art exhibits. Downtown Plano, 1000 14th St., 5 p.m., $18, see Facebook. — Kathryn DeBruler

Cambodian artist Sopheap Pich straddles the line between autobiographical and visceral in his sculptures. His works acknowledge the complex identity of Cambodians and are heavily influenced by the genocide that tore the country apart in the late 1970s and early 1980s, which caused Pich’s family to flee to America. But his raw compositions rely on abstraction and conceptualization to relay their themes. He uses organic material native to Cambodia to construct his sculptures, which suggest powerful movement, remembrance and emotion. Pich has a fascinating tale to tell, and although his work speaks for itself, understanding his backstory and his process gives it far more gravitas. He’ll be at the Crow Collection of Asian Art, 2010 Flora St., for an artist talk tied into his exhibition Hidden Nature: Sopheap Pich at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 13. Tickets are $15 for the general public and $10 for Crow members; to learn more, visit crowcollection.org. Crow Collection of Asian Art, 2010 Flora St., 7 p.m., $10-$15, crowcollection.org. — Jennifer Davis-Lamm

Some might consider the two spotlights of the Chocolate and Art Show to be indulgences, but chocolate and art are necessities to a life lived well. The underground art show originating in Los Angeles offers a Dallas spinoff from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday, July 13, and Friday, July 14, at Lofty Spaces, 816 Montgomery St. Although the show is an import, it strives to showcase up-and-coming artists from the Dallas area, ranging from musicians to live-body painters. The event is for people 21 and older, and the $15 general admission ticket includes all the live demos you can take in, all the live music you can hear and, oh yes, gobs of chocolate. The show benefits the nonprofit Artists for Trauma, which uses art to help with recovery. Find out more about the show at chocolateandartshow.com and buy tickets at eventbrite.com. Lofty Spaces, 816 Montgomery St., 8 p.m.-2 a.m., $15, chocolateandartshow.com. — Merritt Martin

Most musical supergroups are destined for obscurity and relative mediocrity because there’s usually too many cooks stirring the pot. Remember Night Ranger and Tinted Windows? Probably not. The prosecution rests. However, there are those rare times when the right, truly awesome talents come together to create something beautiful. Queens of the Stone Age frontman Joshua Homme and punk pioneer Iggy Pop recently formed such a partnership in the California desert for Iggy’s final album, and Homme brought along some cameras to capture the partnership for the documentary film American Valhalla. The film follows the recording and the pair’s tour that leads them to a final performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson Blvd., will host screenings of the movie at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 13, and 6:30 p.m. Friday, July 14. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the box office or online at thetexastheatre.com. Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson Blvd., 7 p.m., $10, thetexastheatre.com. — Danny Gallagher

Take a time warp to the castle of Dr. Frank N. Furter along with Brad and Janet in the sci-fi-horror-comedy-rock musical, The Rocky Horror Show, the stage production that inspired the cult-classic film adaptation, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Brookhaven College School of the Arts and Theatre Brookhaven, 3939 Valley View Lane, present Richard O'Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show. With memorable songs and outrageous situations, Rocky Horror’s enduring magic blurs the boundaries between stage and audience through audience participation. “Virgin guides” will be provided for the uninitiated. Dress in your finest fishnets, hottest high heels and glittery garments, but the event’s poster reads: “Please, no real food or glitter.” The show starts at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, July 16; 7:30 p.m. July 20, 21 and 22; and 2:30 p.m. July 23. Tickets are free, but seating is limited. Reserve tickets online at www1.dcccd.edu/bhc/bcsa-tickets. Brookhaven, 3939 Valley View Lane, 7:30 p.m., free, www1.dcccd.edu/bhc/bcsa-tickets. — Daniel Rodrigue

Friday

Never has there been a more pure promotional possibility than giving a rock band its own brew. Local rock/blues outfit Dead Flowers has hit the rock-and-roll PR jackpot in its collaboration with BrainDead Brewing, 2625 Main St. The partnership yielded the Dead Flowers Saison, a tart pale ale that’s laced with wildflower honey and chamomile. The ingredients are a nod to the band’s ability to be totally unbridled yet strangely soothing onstage, and the concoction is a fitting accompaniment to a rock show on a hot summer night. At 8 p.m. Friday, July 14, toast Dead Flowers with a glass of its brew during the BrainDead Flowers Release Party, featuring a live performance. Free downloads of the group’s new single, “For Healing,” will be released with the first 300 beers sold. Admission is free; for more information, search the event on Facebook. BrainDead Brewing, 2625 Main St., 8 p.m., free, see Facebook. — Jennifer Davis-Lamm

Kendrick Lamar is the best rapper alive, and he’s touring behind the best rap album of the year, DAMN. Released three months ago, DAMN. trades in grim political commentary, biting generational critiques and the belief the world is headed in all the wrong directions. It’s also luminous, inspiring, intensely intelligent and a platform for some of the most pure, virtuosic rapping listeners have been gifted all decade. Lamar’s wordplay and delivery, sometimes pungent and rowdy like a street brawl, sometimes smooth as silver-lined silk, are nothing short of intimidating — the way he slides and rolls, jukes and flips between beats is verbal acrobatics of the highest order. Amid its large-as-religion scale and piercing intimacy, there’s a real sense DAMN. is the type of record we’ll be unwinding, examining and re-examining for the next 50 years — one of the shimmery new pillars on which modern hip hop is being built. Lamar’s opening act, Houston-born Travis Scott, is no slouch either. A product of Kanye West mentoring and an architect of sweeping, multilayered, goth-like trap instrumentals, Scott might not be Lamar’s equal as far as rapping goes, but no one save for West is as inventive behind the studio console. American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave., 7:30 p.m., $97 and up, ticketmaster.com. — Jonathan Patrick

More than 150 years ago, Oak Cliff played host to a utopian French colony named La Reunion. Although the colony lasted just 18 months, La Reunion’s existence still influences Oak Cliff; the city’s annual Bastille Day block party, Bastille on Bishop, is the most explicit and entertaining example of that heritage. Traditional French cuisine, wine and games will flood the streets of the Bishop Arts District for a night celebration of French culture. Bastille on Bishop runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 14. Base tickets are $25, and each includes a souvenir wine glass and two tokens redeemable for food or drink; VIP packages are also available. For more information, visit bastilleonbishop.com. Bishop Arts District, Bishop Avenue at Davis Street, 6-9 p.m., $25, bastilleonbishop.com. — Jonathan Patrick

Haven’t we all looked forward to a time when La Cage Aux Folles elicits confusion as to why one of its main characters, Georges, must feign being straight? It’d be nice if audiences scratched their heads at how silly a notion it is to feel compelled to be someone you’re not in an attempt to gain acceptance. We’re not there yet, sadly, and that’s why we still need La Cage Aux Folles and its antics. The play has been doing hard work since the early 1980s to promote equality, change attitudes and give the LGBTQ community a grand dose of self-affirmation. The Uptown Players keep that train rolling with their production of the classic Fierstein/Herman musical at Kalita Humphreys Theater, 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd., which opens at 8 p.m. Friday, July 14. The show will be staged at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays through July 30; tickets are $10 to $50 at uptownplayers.org. Kalita Humphreys Theater, 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd., 8 p.m., $10-$50, uptownplayers.org. — Jennifer Davis-Lamm

Saturday

Belgium has brought us a great many things: great chocolate, great cheese, great waffles. But perhaps the greatest export that this fine European nation can boast is its beer. Enjoy a selection of eight expertly picked Belgian beers at the Ginger Man's Annual Belgian Tasting, which includes food pairings. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased in advance by calling 214-754-8771, or in person at the pub. Ginger Man, 2718 Boll St., 3 p.m., $40, thegingerman.com. — Kathryn DeBruler

Billed as the convention “Putting Comics Back Into Comic Cons,” North Texas Comic Book Show returns this summer featuring tables, racks and long boxes full of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, as well as a wide-ranging selection of toys, action figures and other comic collectibles. The North Texas Comic Book Show runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 15, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 16, at Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas, 500 W. Las Colinas Blvd. The weekend boasts an eclectic guest list of comic artists, writers, inkers and others, including Amazing Spider-Man artist Mark Bagley, Ren & Stimpy artist and co-creator Bob Camp, Chew artist Rob Guillory, inkers Mark Morales and Jay Leisten, and Arthur “The Zombie King” Suydam. Expect hordes of costumed heroes and heroines for the cosplay contest that kicks off at 1 p.m. Sunday. General admission is $15 for single day tickets or $25 for both days. Children age 11 and younger get in free with a paid adult admission. Tickets are available online or at the door. For more information, visit comicbooksdallas.com. Irving Convention Center, 500 W. Las Colinas Blvd., 10 a.m.-5 p.m., $15-$25, comicbooksdallas.com. — Daniel Rodrigue

Whether it’s on pizza, in a salad, on a sandwich or just sitting by its lonesome, one cheese seems to have universal admiration: mozzarella. This is why cheese-making classes at Paula Lambert’s Mozzarella Co., 2944 Elm St., are so dang popular. They aren’t limited to hand-pulling and sculpting wonderfully squeaky balls of mozzarella, either. From noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 15, class members (limited to 20) also learn to make fresh ricotta and queso Oaxaca. The class features a wine and cheese tasting. Every student takes home a keepsake apron, all the cheese he or she makes and, naturally, all that ooey-gooey knowledge for future endeavors. It’s $75 per person, which includes a tour of the Mozzarella Co. Register by visiting mozzco.com/classes or calling 214-741-4072. Mozzarella Co., 2944 Elm St., noon-2 p.m., $75, mozzco.com/classes. — Merritt Martin

It’s OK. You’re a market junkie. The first step is admitting it. The second step is continuing to support local vendors. From art marts to farmers markets, you’ve got a passion for gliding down the rows, browsing the wares and taking home baskets of local goods. Keep up that game from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 15, at the Highland Park Village Local Artisan Market. The seasonal neighborhood market at the corner of Preston Road and Mockingbird Lane has you covered on Dallas-Fort Worth’s finest offerings, from fizzy probiotics (Mother Apple Cider Infused Beverages) to macarons (Bisou Bisou Patisserie) to body goods (White Rock Soap Gallery). Need tamales? No problem. Have pets? Shop for them too. It’s free to attend, and there will be samples, but let’s not joke around: You’ll be spending money. Visit hpvillage.com. Highland Park Village, Preston Road at Mockingbird Lane, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., free, hpvillage.com. — Merritt Martin

K. Michelle has made herself a star in two of the toughest, most fickle industries by staying true to herself. When she made her R&B debut in 2009, her music immediately resonated with listeners, thanks to its positive messaging and honesty, earning her a loyal fan base. She was offered a reality TV spot on Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta in 2012 and quickly became a favorite on the show, so much so that she was asked to join the Love and Hip-Hop New York edition to boost its ratings. The series is known for its many dramatic moments, but Michelle tried to keep the focus on her music. She ultimately walked away, saying the show is scripted and dishonest. The focus will be 100 percent on her music this month when she headlines the Music Hall at Fair Park with fellow R&B singer Tank and comedy star Lil Duval. Music Hall at Fair Park, 909 First Ave., 7 p.m., $79 and up, liveatthemusichall.com. — Mikel Galicia

Sunday

The best place to enjoy vegan-friendly ice cream and get a nice buzz going at the same time is Ice Cream Wasted. The famed shop has been dishing out delightful desserts from its location in Plano for the past few months but is now expanding its reach to Dallas’ Bishop Arts District. At noon Sunday, July 16, join others who are 21 and older for a celebration of all things yummy (and boozy, with free 80-proof ice cream shots) at the new location, 509 W. Davis St. There will be giveaways, dancing and a chance to meet the shop’s creator. But if your sweet tooth is calling, you better get there before the other 10,000 “interested” parties on the event’s Facebook page do. The grand opening is free to attend, and more information can be found at icecreamwasted.com. Ice Cream Wasted, 509 W. Davis St., noon, free, icecreamwasted.com. — Diamond Victoria

Proof of instant film's comeback into pop culture is everywhere. For some, it’s an alternative, funkier way to take selfies, and for others, it’s a serious passion. No matter your reason for snapping instant mementos, the Instant Film Society, Dallas’ group of instant film buffs, hosts the Denton at Dusk Polawalk and Scavenger Hunt at 6:15 p.m. Sunday, July 16, for instant film enthusiasts to attend. The rain-or-shine night kicks off at Denton Camera Exchange, 117 Piner St., for hobnobbing with other photographers and provides the opportunity to purchase a camera or film from the shop. The Polawalk, which includes a scavenger hunt, allows attendees to snap one-of-a-kind instant photos and begins at 7 p.m. in Denton’s downtown square. At 8:30 p.m., judges and attendees will meet in a “top-secret location which includes drinks and eats” before winners are announced at 9 p.m. The event is free to attend. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page. Denton Camera Exchange, 117 Piner St., 6:15 p.m., free, see Facebook. — Diamond Victoria

Monday

The 16th annual Asian Film Festival of Dallas, a celebration of Asian and Asian-American filmmaking and culture, is in full swing this week with more films than ever. Seventy short films and full-length features illuminate the screens of Angelika Film Center Dallas, 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane, from July 13 through July 20. What makes this year’s festival unlike any before is the addition of a women’s showcase featuring films directed and produced exclusively by women. Consider catching the festival’s lineup of five exceptional films and documentaries, including Gods Behind Mountains, Duckweed and Memoirs of a Murderer, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Monday, July 17. Each screening costs $12 and can be purchased at the box office or at asianfilmdallas.com. Angelika Film Center, 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane, through July 20, $12, asianfilmdallas.com. — Diamond Victoria

Tuesday

If America’s national parks could wear boots, they’d be shaking in them right now. The Trump administration is proposing cuts to the National Park Service. No one who’s actually been to one of America’s national parks would consider it an extravagance. Writer Terry Tempest Williams documented and described the serene beauty of the nation’s parks in her newest book, The Hour of Land: A Personal Topography of America’s National Parks. Williams will appear at the Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood St., at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 18, to talk about her book and travels. Tickets are $40 per person, $30 for DMA members, and $20 for students and educators and can be purchased online at dma.org. Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood St., 7:30 p.m., $20-$40, dma.org. — Danny Gallagher

At 76, Neil Diamond still plays marathon sets. Touring under the banner of his 50 Year Anniversary World Tour, he's playing many of his biggest hits as a solo artist and a songwriter, including "Song Sung Blue," "Cherry Cherry" and "I'm a Believer." But he's not afraid to touch deeper cuts like "Dry Your Eyes" and "Stones," either. He embraces the kitsch of his stage shows with his wardrobe choices and by encouraging sing-alongs to "Sweet Caroline." His voice is in fine form, and he's still got the panache that makes people want to fill an arena. He’s a legend in all kinds of ways. American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave., 8 p.m., $19 and up, ticketmaster.com. — Eric Grubbs

Wednesday

It’s amazing how many fields of study can be adapted into thrilling and gripping mystery novels. Kathy Reichs, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s department of anthropology, has turned her field of study into 18 New York Times bestselling books, including several featuring the adventures of forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan that were adapted into the Fox TV show Bones. She’s also one of few forensic anthropologists to be certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology. Reichs will be at the Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood St., at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 19, for a Q&A as part of the museum’s Arts & Letters Live series. She’ll discuss her writing, including her newest thriller, Two Nights. Tickets are $40 per person, $30 for DMA members, and $20 for students and educators and can be purchased online at dma.org. Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood St., 7:30 p.m., $20-$40, dma.org. — Danny Gallagher