Get amped, Dallas! There's about 20 ways to cool down this weekend -- from weird sound art and throw-back movies, to a Revenge of the Nerds costume party, drag theater and a massive video game marathon. (Something in here is worth braving your blistering steering wheel for, I swear.)
Share this list with your adventure crew and click on the event titles for more information. I'll see you out there. (I'll be the one playing an electric violin.)
Thursday, 8.1 Quakecon (Hilton Anatole, through Sunday) -- This BYOCPU computer party unites gaming junkies for a weekend-long festival. We wrote a guide for it.
Sound Materials, at the DMA (6 to 8 p.m.)-- Part of Oil and Cotton's educational portion of DallasSites: Available Space, this class explores sound mediums through discussion and demonstration. O&C's co-owner Kayli House Cusick presents the art of documentation through hand-written music notation; singer/songwriter David Karsten Daniels tweeks the tech of laptop and smartphone recording; performative sound sculptor/composer Martin Back will unveil the world of art instrument construction; and we'll get an eye and earful of tape music and the architecture of sound portraits from guitarist/composer Chaz Underriner.
PSWxEDU Workshop: Endurance + Ritual in Performance Art, at the DMA (7 to 8:30 p.m.) -- UT Arlington educator and local artist Dr. Benjamin Lima introduces this workshop, which serves as number two in a four part series on the medium. PerformanceSW founders and arts promoters Alison Starr and Courtney Brown will moderate the thing and you'll get a performance by Bobbye Eachus. RSVP is encouraged but not required.
Sonali Khatti: Break Away, at the Magnolia (6 to 9 p.m.) -- Never fall into the belief that art is without support in Dallas. This city's cultural shepherds have turned everything from hotels to movie theater lobbies into gallery spaces. Good ones, too. RO2 took over the programming of the Magnolia's concessions-area plaza earlier this year; they'll open Sonali Khatti's blend of India-inspired work tonight.
Summer in the Sky (7 to 10 p.m.) -- More fancy mix-and-mingle than a formal art show, Summer takes you up, up, up and into the Penthouse suites of 1400 HiLine. For one night you'll pretend you hold court, gazing out at Dallas.The rooms will be furnished with art, furniture and design elements from the city's most innovative contemporary dealers, furnishings you'll visually sample over cocktails. You'll RSVP to [email protected] for this one.
Friday, 8.2
Planet of the Apes (Texas Theatre through Sunday) -- "New things are stupid. Old things rule. Originals always crush remakes, reboots and sequels. Like, everyone knows they got Planet of the Apes right the first time." That's a quote by our freelancer Allison Perkins, who is correct in every respect. Texas Theatre knows it too, so they're showing the classic man vs. self vs. nature vs. time vs. ape film all weekend long. Plus, you can shout that line. (You know which one.)
Extended Market: Games, Vol. 1 (5 to 7 p.m.) -- We've previewed Rick Lowe's contribution for Nasher Xchange, Trans.lation: Vickery Meadow, a unifying cultural work. While those pop-up markets will certainly be the most visual elements, getting to that point requires discussion, shared experience and just breaking down for a little fun. That happens on Friday when you're invited to hang out under The Big Tree and play cards, dominoes or whatever else you like with the neighborhood. Just think: When you lose, it's still art.
Revenge of the Nerds Themed Party (Prophet Bar) -- It's more than a classic Big Guy versus Little Guy tale: Revenge of the Nerds is a series of clips, quotes and images that when collected, reinforce the adult human you've become. There'll be tricycle racing, roller-skating, cardboard cut-out picture structures and pie-throwing. Extra kudos to anyone dressed as the housecleaning robot.
I'm So Excited! (The Modern, Fort Worth through Sunday) -- This jubilantly titled release is Pedro Almodóvar's latest and is set entirely on an airplane. Join his high-flying crew this weekend at the modern and roam the museum's new acquisitions while you're there. (There's even a half-priced noon matinee on Sunday.) Congratulations, you've just found the perfect day.
Much More Than Human at Circuit 12 (6 to 9 p.m.; repeats on Saturday) -- Hey, you got surrealist elements in my cartoons! Described as "a representation of characters between cartoon and a surreal world; set in a motionless daily life," Much More Than Human is told directly to the viewer by Italy-based artist Nicola Leoni. It's got a short run (hence the two-day opening affair), punctuating Circuit 12's walls only through August 7. See it.
August Art & Coffee: Knowledge and Wonder (7:30 to 10:30 p.m.) -- It's Art.Love.Magic's monthly Buzzbrews meet-up, and it's an art show/hang out hybrid. See what's brewing in Deep Ellum on Friday.
Saturday, 8.3 AKIRASH: ODA -- This piece of performance art is being presented by CentralTrak artist-in-residence AKIRASH in conjunction with Paint, RO2's current exhibition. Read more about this at the link, but know that AKIRASH will walk from CentralTrak to Pegasus Plaza wearing an outfit made of water bottles, encouraging strangers to join the procession. At Pegasus Plaza, he'll perform ODA, meant to bring people outdoors and give comfort to the summer heat. Cocktails follow at RO2.
Forever Lovely (Stone Cottage Theatre through August 17) -- Life is challenging for third-rate Dallas drag queen Lovely Uranus. She's got a bunk weave, man trouble and a wardrobe that would make Phyllis Diller seek higher ground. Let her talk it out at this one-lady show. Hate Mail (Bath House Cultural Center) -- The grueling, soulless vacuum of customer service call banks is the backdrop for this 2-man piece of theater. It's a comedy, a romance and a reminder that really: things could be worse.
Coffee and Doughnuts -- It's a celebration of why we wake up each day. No, not love. Not career. Nope, it's coffee and doughnuts: those are what make our motors run. In addition to art about the terrible twosome, some work at this Basement Gallery show is also made of coffee. Oh, and there'll be lots of the namesake items in attendance for you to devour. There's a cover.
Sunday, August 3
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Baily present Dragons! -- The circus kicked off on Wednesday but c'mon: Sunday afternoon = Clown Time. Everyone knows that.
Summer Adventures at Fair Park -- A little real talk: Summer Fair is weird. It's a smaller, hotter, less-root beer-y version of Big Fair. Also, it's catered more to young ones with only, like, three legit rides for adults. The flip side of that: The folks who work at Summer Fair make it worth going. They'll spray you down with a garden hose when you ride the one, existing roller coaster. They'll cackle and dangle a rubber snake in your face as you cruise through the psychedelic haunted house. They'll even smile while they deep fry your corn dog, even though they're internally melting. Wear a swimsuit under your clothes, bring water shoes and ride unlimited turns on Kick It, because nobody else is there. It's 15 bucks.
Conversations with Creatives (Dallas Museum of Art; 4 to 5 p.m.) -- Arts Council Texas is a new group working to provide legal assistance to artists in Dallas and Fort Worth and they're giving a presentation at the DMA on Sunday. It's a must-attend for working creatives who want to learn more about their rights and how to protect them. Check it out, it's free.
Hitchcock Sundays (Sherlock's Baker St. Pub and Grill) -- Every Sunday in August Sherlock's tips its detective hat to the king of suspense by showing a different Hitchcock flick for free. Oh, there's free popcorn too, naturally. It begins this Sunday with the avian terror classic, The Birds.
PAINT: Into the 21st Century [Panel Discussion] -- Moderated by CentralTrak's Heyd Fontenot, contributing artists Akirash, Fannie Brito, TJ Griffin, Jeff Parrott, and DJ Perera discuss the tenacity of painting as a medium, despite the idea of its pending demise.
