21 Best Things to Do in Dallas This Week: February 21-27

Tue 2/21
The Dallas Chamber Symphony presents "UnSilent Film: Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid," which offers a double bill of music and film at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21. First, the ensemble transports listeners to a dreamy fog-filled harbor with Ingram Marshall’s haunting and mesmerizing Fog Tropes before contemplating the oceans with Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Kevin Puts’ Seven Seascapes. A screening of Chaplin’s masterpiece The Kid follows the intermission. The silent film, which Chaplin wrote, directed, produced and starred in, is widely considered one of the greatest films of the silent era. Dallas Chamber Symphony presents The Kid with a world premiere of a new film score by Craig Safan. Dallas City Performance Hall, 2520 Flora St., 8 p.m., $19-$44, dcsymphony.org. — Daniel Rodrigue

Deathcore band Suicide Silence lost founding member and lead vocalist Mitch Lucker in 2012 after he died from complications from a motorcycle accident. But the band prevailed, and released several songs with some of Lucker's final lyrics. Their latest self-titled album is a means to redefine what Suicide Silence is, according to Eddie Hermida, the band's new frontman. It's the band's first album in three years, and second since Lucker's death, and is set to release Friday. But you can get a preview of what's to come at their show tonight at Trees. Trees, 2709 Elm St., 6:30 p.m., $21-$26, treesdallas.com. — Diamond Victoria

Wed 2/22
Well, despite what Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog who tells us if we should expect our heat bill to go up a few more weeks or not, says about more winter this year, it's plain to see things are warming up. And if you missed actual Groundhog Day earlier this month, why not enjoy the better one tonight at Oak Highlands Brewery? I'm talking about the 1993 comedy classic with the curmudgeonly Bill Murray. The taproom opens up once a month on Wednesdays for a classic film to go along with a tasty brew from one of Dallas' best beer makers. But unlike the film, this cinematic pairing only happens once. Oak Highlands Brewery, 10484 Brockwood Road, 6:30 p.m., free, see Facebook. — Diamond Victoria

In her decade-long project Through Darkness to Light — Seeking Freedom on the Underground Railroad, Jeanine Michna-Bales captures the landscapes freedom-seekers traveling north through the Underground Railroad had to endure in 1840. Her photographic journey tells of the roughly 100,000 slaves' fight for a better life. Under a veil of darkness, men, women and children found direction by learning star formations and noticing how moss grew on trees. Michna-Bales highlights the rough terrains and raging rivers through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan and Ontario, Canada. The exhibit runs through April 15. Photographs Do Not Bend, 154 Glass St., No. 104, 11 a.m.-5 pm., free, pdnbgallery.com. — Diamond Victoria

Thu 2/23
In conjunction with Richard Serra: Prints, the Nasher Sculpture Center (2001 Flora St.) presents Nasher Gallery Lab: Let’s Taco ’Bout Prints featuring Adrienne Lichliter from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23. Explore printmaking with local printmaking and paper artist Lichliter, who has shown all over the world and teaches drawing at Navarro College in Corsicana. Learn about pushing the boundaries of prints well beyond the edges of the page. Admission is free, but RSVPs are required. Nasher Sculpture Center, 2001 Flora St., 6-7:30 p.m., free, 214-242-5100 or nashersculpturecenter.org. — Merritt Martin

There’s no shortage of movements out there: political, economic, social, creative — you name it. But, beyond RSVPing to something on Facebook and then forgetting about it — how do you get plugged in? And more so, how do you push a movement forward to really create change? If these are questions that have been weighing heavy on your mind lately, the Momentum Conference is right up your alley. From 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, you can mix and mingle with the area’s biggest movers and shakers in an evening that emphasizes innovation, idea exchanges, inspiration and leadership. Speakers include community innovators, education pacesetters, artists, inventors and nonprofit leaders from DFW and across the country who will host roundtables and interactive conversations intended to light a sustainable fire under participants. Magnolia Hotel Dallas Park Cities, 6070 N. Central Expressway, 5-10 p.m., $49-$89, gomoco.org. — Jennifer Davis-Lamm

For their first studio album without ultimate, bad-ass guitarist Richie Sambora, Bon Jovi’s This House Is Not for Sale doesn’t seem to miss a beat. The classic rock band’s 13th studio album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 last November, making it the band’s sixth album to to do so. Phil X steps in for Sambora on lead guitar and the band has also added another member in the form of legendary session bassist Hugh McDonald. Dallas is Bon Jovi’s ninth stop on the tour promoting the album. At their packed Valentine’s Day show in Tampa Bay, Jon Bon Jovi quizzed the audience on local radio station facts and rewarded the winner with V-Day kisses. So in addition to a rousing rendition of “Livin’ On a Prayer,” Dallas fans can expect lots of audience engagement and all around showmanship. No promise that you’ll get to fulfill a lifelong dream of making out with Jon Bon Jovi, though. American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave., 7:39 p.m., $19-$367, americanairlinescenter.com. — Molly Mollotova

Fri 2/24
This weekend, please everyone in your friend group by going to the Art of Music Gala. This unique event, hosted at the South Side Ballroom, combines live, interesting music acts with exhibitions of new and exciting artists’ works under one roof. The evening will feature live performances by saxophonist Jeff Coffin and 10-year-old Dallas singer and dancer Maya Delgado as well as exhibitions from artists like Dallas fashion designer Lucy Dang and sculptor Angela Mia De Las Vega. Tickets are $200 per person with special sponsorship tables available that include additional perks such as advertisements in the event’s program and a concierge for the evening. All of the proceeds will benefit the nonprofit group The Warren Center that helps families with children suffering from disabilities. South Side Ballroom, 1135 S. Lamar St., 7 p.m., $200, theartofmusicgala.com. — Danny Gallagher

Why not celebrate the hallowed Texas tradition of eating and drinking more than your fair share with a truly special dining experience? The House of Blues will host Boots & Beer on Friday, featuring four courses of locally themed dishes such as quail quesadillas, smoked bone-in short ribs with whipped parmesan potatoes and a flourless chocolate torte paired with fine brews from the Karbach Brewery. House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St., 8 p.m., $45, livenation.com. — Danny Gallagher

Kiss don’t play shows for the purists. If you understand why Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons prefer carrying on the Kiss brand with Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer instead of Peter Criss and Ace Frehley, then you should consider making the trek to this show. Yes, it's at a casino, but the venue itself is quite nice, and Kiss will make it an enjoyable event. On their Freedom to Rock tour, the band will be heavy on the hits and gags that they are known for (fireworks, fire-breathing, etc.). The show is sold out so if you have a friend offering you a spare ticket, take up the offer. It's meant to be fun and theatrical, which has been Kiss' aim for their entire career. Winstar World Casino, 777 Casino Ave., Thackerville, OK, 9 p.m., sold out, winstarworldcasino.com. — Eric Grubbs

Sat 2/25
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is a 1970 film directed by Russ Meyer and co-written by Meyer and Roger Ebert. And the fever dream of an exploitation film is almost exactly what one would expect from an inexperienced screenwriter, Ebert, and an independent X-rated filmmaker, Meyer. The colorful, campy cult-classic film — about the risqué misadventures of three young girls in a rock band who head to Hollywood and enter a scene filled with sex, “dolls” (slang for drugs) and rock 'n' roll — was initially given an X rating, but the film was later re-classified as NC-17. The film screens at 8 p.m. Saturday at Texas Theatre with a “Behind the Screen” concert following the film at 10 p.m. Appropriately, the bill features three local all-girl acts: Pearl Earl, Rat Rios and Afu. George Quartz will also be deejaying in the Texas Theatre Saloon. Tickets for the film are $10, and tickets to the concert are $6 — with a discounted bundle price of $14 available for both. Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson Blvd., 8 p.m., $6-$14, thetexastheatre.com. — Daniel Rodrigue

Texas Independence Day (from Mexico) is traditionally March 2, but the Ginger Man is celebrating a wee bit early by hosting its 10th Annual Texas Independence Day Charity Chili Cook-Off from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. Presented by Deep Ellum Brewing Company, the throw-down benefits SPCA of Texas and will feature its new Mobile Adoption Unit. Aside from the obvious grub and brews, there will be live music, giveaways, a silent auction and more. Meet adoptable potential best friends and prove your chili is the best. Tasting cups and raffle tickets will be for sale the day of the event (while supplies last), or register to cook at the pub (spaces are limited). Ginger Man, 2718 Boll St., noon-5 p.m., $10, thegingerman.com/uptown. — Merritt Martin

Tift Merritt’s music falls somewhere between folk and Americana, maybe even alternative country, but the real enduring trait of her nearly 20-year music career is poignant storytelling that speaks to everything from her days growing up in North Carolina to her times living in Paris, and more recently her experiences of motherhood. She’s often compared to other singer-songwriters such as Joni Mitchell and Emmylou Harris, and she’s worked with Elvis Costello and Sam Beam of Iron and Wine, who produced her latest album Stitch of the World. Her delicate voice and smooth guitar strumming will be a match for Three Links’ intimate setting. Three Links, 2704 Elm St., 6:30 p.m., $17-$20, threelinksdeepellum.com. — Mikel Galicia

No joke — just this morning we were sent an email forward that claimed if honeybees were extinct, humans would only survive four more years. If that threat (sometimes credited to Einstein, but that’s not solid) can end up in a poorly formatted missive from a conservative septuagenarian, the truth of the value of bees is getting around and thank goodness for that. The winged pollinators are tiny inspirations to live more cleanly and with greater respect for our planet. Denton Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center is doing its part by hosting a free workshop on pollinator gardens on Saturday. Denton Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center, 3310 Collins Road, 10-11:30 a.m., free, see Facebook. — Merritt Martin

Clear skies, lakeside views and green grass are enough to draw in legions of family-filled SUVs to Dallas Arboretum (8525 Garland Road), but the annual Dallas Blooms festival really ups the ante. Half a million blooming bulbs line the sidewalks and fill the gardens, and this year’s festival theme “Flower Power” gives visitors even more to love. Find groovy floral installations throughout, and let the color wash over you as the annual celebration of spring runs daily from Saturday, Feb. 25, through Sunday, April 9. Arboretum hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, $10 for children, and free for kids ages two and younger. Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland Road, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., free-$15, dallasarboretum.org. — Jennifer Davis-Lamm

Hailing from Long Beach, New Jersey, by way of Kirby, Texas, Clint Black is coming to Dallas for some boot-scootin’ fun. The silk smooth baritone took his inspiration from the likes of Waylon Jennings, George Strait and Willie Nelson, so it comes as no surprise that Black was a fixture on the country music charts in the ’90s and early 2000s. Black’s style is a far cry from the bro-country pop that seems to be the genre du jour nowadays, opting to sing a more traditional brand of country filled with lonely nights, ruined relationships and the occasional beer. His last album, On Purpose, was a welcome surprise after a nearly decade long gap between albums, and luckily lived up to Black’s legacy, reaching number 13 on the Billboard U.S. Top Country Albums chart. So if you’re looking to dust off your dancing boots, then this is a show guaranteed to get you and friends two-stepping into the night. Billy Bob's Texas, 2520 Rodeo Plaza, Fort Worth, 9:30 p.m., $16-$55, billybobstexas.com. — Nicholas Bostick

Sun 2/26
As part of their Texas Instruments Classical Series, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents Richard Strauss’ unforgettable tone poem Also Sprach Zarathustra. Iconic on account of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Strauss’ intensely vivid tone poem is that thunderously triumphant music you hear in the film’s opening moments, just as the sun peers out from behind planet earth. Imaginative violinist Vilde Frang is set to perform Benjamin Britten’s decadently ambitious Violin Concerto. Bohuslav Martinu’s The Frescoes of Piero della Francesca completes the bill. Jakub Hrusa conducts. Performances take place at 7:30 p.m Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 23 through 25; and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora St., 2:30 p.m., $19 and up, mydso.com. — Jonathan Patrick

Everyone should celebrate Mardi Gras before they die. You wear silly costumes in public. You yell and humiliate yourself for worthless beads and trinkets. You eat and drink things that your doctor orders you to avoid the rest of the year until your body cries for mercy. If you can't make it to New Orleans to celebrate, Poor David’s Pub and KNON 89.3 FM have the next best thing. Their 16th annual Mardi Gras Gumbo Party kicks off at 4 p.m. Sunday, and will give you enough fresh gumbo and drinks to give you reason to find absolution on Ash Wednesday. The evening will also feature live music by zydeco groups including JB & the Zydeco Posse and the Grammy award-winning Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band. Poor David's Pub, 1313 S. Lamar St., 4 p.m., $20-$35, ticketfly.com. — Danny Gallagher

The Bible & Beer Consortium hosts monthly theological debates and lectures around the DFW area in beer-soaked bars and music venues. This month’s event features Dr. Luke Barnes and Dr. Matthew Titsworth debating "Materialism and Theism: Do Fine-Tuning Arguments Succeed?" Barnes is a postdoctoral researcher at the Sydney Institute for Astronomy, University of Sydney, where he specializes in topics ranging from cosmology to galaxy formation, and Titsworth teaches physics for majors and non-majors at University of Texas at Dallas and at Collin College. The Door, 2513 Main St., 6 p.m., free,  thebibleandbeerconsortium.com. — Daniel Rodrigue

It’s time again for Erykah Badu's annual birthday blowout. “The First Lady of Neo Soul” and unofficial queen of the Dallas music scene is set to perform alongside her famed funk/soul/hip-hop supergroup the Cannabinoids. Apart from the artist’s birthday, this event celebrates the 20th anniversary of Badu’s seminal masterpiece Baduizm. With thunderous bass, lush jazz instrumentals and her lilting, smoky vocals, Badu’s future-looking debut set in motion waves that are still rippling through popular and underground music alike. To this day, Badu’s energizing creative spirit and inspiring persona make for unbelievable live performances, the sort you tend to brag about for years to come. Any event celebrating Erykah Badu is in turn a celebration of our city’s unique arts community, an opportunity to bring Dallas together to consider our music scene’s many accomplishments and rejoice in our ever brightening future. Bomb Factory, 2713 Canton St., 8 p.m., $43, thebombfactory.com. — Jonathan Patrick

Mon 2/27
It’s not an uncommon saying that a delicious meal can be like a symphony of flavors. It’s befitting then that the annual Symphony of Chefs event benefits KidLinks, a charity that funds therapeutic music entertainment and music therapy in hospitals for children and their families. Some of the city’s top chefs (Richard Chamberlain, Tiffany Derry, Samir Dhurandhar, Nick Hurry, DJ Quintanilla, Duni Borga, Tida Pichakron, Gianni Santin and others) will present an hors d’oeuvres reception, a seated four-course dinner with tableside preparation and a dessert reception on Monday at Union Station. Each course is paired with wine or a special cocktail. Fitting with the theme, guests will be treated to live musical entertainment, as well as a live auction of chef and culinary experiences. Individual tickets are $1,000, with table sponsorship still available. Union Station, 400 S. Houston St., 6:30 p.m., $1,000, thekidlinks.org/soc.html.com. — Merritt Martin