21 Things To Do in Dallas This Week

Wednesday


Sculpting a seemingly timeless vacuum between noise, metal and classical minimalism, Earth’s music is nothing if not brutally austere. This is metal ruthlessly denuded. With all the superfluous components deleted, all the ornate plumage slashed and burned, rock is given a new form, a sound-for-sound's sake gauntlet that’s equally worthy of the avant-garde concert hall as the harshest noise venue. What you’re left with is bleak, bewildering and oddly gorgeous, a stark landscape of just texture and riffs — riffs that are alarmingly large, mercilessly slow and inhumanely heavy. After birthing the drone metal genre in the early ‘90s, Earth has since explored more melodic and bluesy territory, shifting from the extraterrestrial environs of their early days to somewhere closer in our orbit. With their first record in four years having just dropped, an album bandleader Dylan Carlson has described, surprisingly, as “sexy,” there’s no telling what to expect from this performance, save for something imbued with otherworldly beauty. With Helms Alee, 7 p.m. Wednesday, at Club Dada, 2720 Elm St. Jonathan Patrick

Thursday


The closest resemblance to a fringe festival around the local theater community is the annual Dallas Solo Fest, eight one-person shows happening June 6-16 in the intimate Theatre Too, 2800 Routh St. in the Quadrangle. One-person short theater pieces by local and non-local performers feature a mix of subjects, ranging from storytelling and cabaret to drag and historical biography. It's produced by Audacity Theatre Lab and artistic director Brad McEntire, who will also appear in his latest one-man work, Cyrano A-Go-Go. Visit DallasSoloFest.com for tickets (all seats $15) and showtimes or call 214-888-6650. Reba Liner

Gender and rebellion are two relevant topics today. That’s why it’s a true delight that Theatre Three, 2800 Routh St. in the Quadrangle, is staging The Armor Plays: Cinched and Strapped by Selina Fillinger. Cinched takes a gander at the past, popping in on a dinner party for nobles, before Strapped jumps to a dystopian future to explore the lives of warriors. The juxtaposition offers a vibrant look at gender roles and what the future might hold for men and women. The Armor Plays run Thursday through June 30, with a preview 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 9, and an opening night with reception at 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 10. Regular showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $25-$35. Call 214-871-3000, or visit theatre3dallas.com. Merritt Martin

Friday


The award-winning Deep Ellum hip-hop soul band Cure for Paranoia has helped take the historic neighborhood worldwide. The group, made up of Tomahawk Jones, Jay Analogue, Stanley Francisko and Cameron McCloud, left their hometown seeking shelter from a rumored deadly scourge that would destroy the planet. The end of the world didn’t happen, but the birth of their band did. Since then, the group has taken home several Dallas Observer Music Awards and played at three of Erykah Badu’s Birthday Bashes. Their aggressive funk fusion will bounce off the walls of The Free Man, along with more solid sounds from Chilldren of Indigo and Electrik Ants. 10 p.m. Friday, at The Free Man, 2626 Commerce St., $10 at prekindle.com. Jacob Vaughn

When virtually anyone with a smartphone can reach out to find news, videos, people and even software define radio on the internet, why would anyone want to bother with ham radio? Oh, don't get angry, amateur radio guys. That's merely a rhetorical question from a man whose father was a dedicated ham operator. Many early Saturday mornings I spent as a boy, bored comatose and yawning, dragged unwilling from bed to hold a rope or a ladder while Dad climbed trees to string another antenna so he could locate some stranger and ask him how the weather was in his part of the world. Dad certainly enjoyed himself, despite bitter, sotto voce grumbling from his youngest. So, here's to him and all the other amateur radio operators who'll gather this weekend for Ham-Com Amateur Radio Convention at the Plano Event Center, 2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway. It'll include talks, classes, a flea market and scores of vendors pitching radio-related gear. If they're "lucky," maybe a natural disaster will strike — God forbid — and the convention-goers can strut their stuff. It happens noon-5 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. Find more details at sites.google.com/hamcom.org/ham-com Patrick Williams

In a 2008 Paste Magazine piece naming Denton, Texas, as “Best Music Scene,” Brave Combo was mentioned as the “Grand Pooh-Bah of Denton bands” — after all, how many other Denton-based groups were animated and featured playing on The Simpsons, or picked to play David Byrne’s wedding? Tonight offers fans a chance to celebrate 40 years with two-time Grammy-winning Brave Combo’s brand of polka and other dance-able styles of world music as the group’s genre-spanning, celebratory set is likely to include a mix of polka, rock, zydeco, ska, salsa, conjunto, cumbia, merengue, norteño and other styles. Formed near the end of the spring 1979 semester by a handful of North Texas State University (now UNT) students, after gigging hard all summer and seeing growing support from fans in North Texas, Carl Finch, Tim Walsh, Dave Cameron and Lyle Atkinson decided to turn Brave Combo into a full-time endeavor, and by August the band started recording their first studio album, a seven-track, double-7-inch EP, Polkamania. In September of ’79, Brave Combo played in front of a true polka crowd for the first time at Westfest the annual Czech music, arts and food event in West, Texas, which helped solidify a substantial regional cult-like following for the group. 8 p.m. Friday, at Andy's Bar, 122 N. Locust St., $10. Daniel Rodrigue

It’s extraordinarily unlikely, but what if the most beloved Dallas Maverick in team history — heck, the most beloved athlete in Dallas history — retired from basketball because he wanted to pull a Michael Jordan and attempt a career in baseball? At the Dirk Nowitzki Heroes Celebrity Baseball Game, you can imagine it’s true. Watch the Big German — who has a strike zone roughly the size of a professional jockey — play the American pastime along with two lineups full of local sports celebrities including Dak Prescott, Mark Cuban, Dwight Powell and more Friday at Dr Pepper Ballpark, 7300 RoughRiders Trail, Frisco. Pregame fun begins at 7 p.m., first pitch is at 7:30 p.m. and fireworks will light up the sky after the game. Tickets — proceeds from which benefit the Dirk Nowitzki Foundation and the Heroes Foundation — are $11 to $25 and $41 to watch from the Lazy River. More info is at heroesbb.com and tickets are at ticketreturn.com. Jesse Hughey

If anyone knows the formula for a successful pop song, it's Robin Thicke. The 42-year-old has penned many songs made popular by Christina Aguilera, Mýa and Michael Jackson, to name a few. But these days, Thicke's own voice, alongside his songwriting, tops the charts. He hasn't released a new album since 2014, but you can expect to hear some of his hits firsthand at Annette Strauss Square on Friday night. Atlanta-based singer-songwriter Summer Walker opens the show. 8 p.m. Friday, at Annette Strauss Square, 2304 Flora St., $39.75 and up. Diamond Rodrigue

It’s not lost on us that in the very season when we’re desperately trying to achieve a body standard attainable only to those with personal chefs and, like, determination, is the same time of year everyone wants to hold a food festival. Weekend to-do lists in the area are full of barbecues, ice cream socials and the mother of all food events: the 33rd Annual Taste of Dallas fest. Just give in now: beginning Friday, June 7, through Sunday, June 9, Dallas Market Hall, 2200 North Stemmons Freeway, Taste of Dallas boasts bites and beverages that will trump any and all anxiety about swimsuit season. Over 200 chefs, restaurants and vendors are cooking up the ultimate foodie experience, including samples, cooking competitions, beer gardens, a “Whiskies of the World” feature, a Sunday brunch and much more. Eat with abandon from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $12, with kids 12 and under admitted for free with a paying adult. Buy in advance at tasteofdallas.org. Jennifer Davis-Lamm

Eric Pulido's new solo project, E.B. the Younger, has made waves in the indie rock community. The Denton-based member of Midlake released his solo debut album, To Each His Own, back in March. You can hear tracks off the album as Texas Theatre hosts its famous "behind-the-screen" performances this week as part of the Oak Cliff Film Festival. Catch E.B. the Younger on Friday night after a screening of Strange Negotiations. Dallas-based singer-songwriter Jacob Metcalf opens. 11 p.m. Friday, at Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson Blvd., free. Diamond Rodrigue

Prophets and Outlaws is a Texas band that properly demonstrates its diverse musical roots. They reference country music, not as flip-flop-wearing, beer-swigging banker bros, but instead as gritty songsmiths with a penchant for sharp and detailed storytelling. They incorporate elements of the blues, but do so in subtly harmonious ways, shying away from long, drawn-out guitar solos and smirk-filled covers. And, they can flat-out jam with the best of any of the recent neo-soul revivalists out there touring today, with their tight five-part harmonies and urgent swagger providing hooks catchy enough to get listeners out of their seats and up on the dance floor. In short, their music is fun and exciting, vibrant and enriching, with memorable songs comprising the bulk of their often raucous live performances. 8 p.m. Friday, at The Kessler Theater, 1230 W. Davis St., $20-$34. Jeff Strowe

Saturday


Tailgating Parrotheads can rejoice, as Jimmy Buffett makes his return to Dallas proper for only the second time since 2006's Party at the End of the World Tour. The burger-loving margarita enthusiast has played Toyota Stadium in Frisco for the majority of the past decade but this year returns to Fair Park’s amphitheater of ever-changing names, the Dos Equis Pavilion. The change may have disappointed some but as a firsthand witness to the carnage left in the wake of Buffett’s 2006 show, also at Dos Equis Pavilion, it’s fair to say those in attendance won’t notice the difference by the end of the night. For those unaware, these shows attract droves of party people both modern and from decades past, all looking to engage in the same beach-bum lifestyle that Buffett’s brand embodies and makes Sammy Hagar eat his heart out every morning. They’ll start the party in the parking lot and litter the venue with coconut bikini tops, inflatable rafts and ironic salt shakers. People just can’t help getting excited when a real star takes the stage. 8 p.m. Saturday, at Dos Equis Pavilion, 3839 S. Fitzhugh Ave. Nicholas Bostick

It's summertime and that means you've got no more excuses. That bike you bought yourself is not meant to be the most expensive coat hanger in your house. Put it to good use this Saturday at the Collin Classic Bike Rally in Plano. The race starts at 7:30 a.m. in Oak Point Park, 5901 Los Rios Blvd., and will take riders over the Lake Lavon dam to a riders village where guests can enjoy live entertainment and food from Raisin' Cane's Chicken and The Original Chop Shop and beer from the Karbach Brewing Co. Tickets are $60 per rider and $65 on the day of the race. VIP packages are $100 and include access to a private tent, parking, food and beer. All proceeds will go to the Boys and Girls Club of Collin County. Riders can register for the race online at bgccc.org/events/collin-classic-bike-rally. Danny Gallagher

Pop, punk, Chief Keef fandom and — yes — emo are the pillars that prop up Juice WRLD’s emotionally damaged, heart-on-your-sleeve raps. His lyrics are full of poignant if simple ruminations on love like “can’t take back the love that I gave you” and “you gave me a heart that was full of mistakes.” Given their universal appeal and naked honesty, it’s a shame these lines are often buffered by dumb bars like “all girls are the same” and “I cannot change you, so I must replace you.” This push and pull between earned wisdom and proud ignorance fuel nearly every track in Juice WRLD’s discography, an arc populated by blunt brokenheartedness, self-medicated drug use and an impossibly seductive delivery that’ll have you repeating your least favorite one-liners for weeks. Taken in pieces, Juice WRLD’s art might scan as banal and boorish, but when it’s pumping through a set of headphones, it’s hard not to empathize with the rapper’s enchanting candor, hard to deny there’s not something special going on here. The gnarly — and just plain fun — Ski Mask The Slump God joins for added effect. 8 p.m. Sunday, at The Bomb Factory, 2713 Canton St., starting at $55 at ticketfly.com. Jonathan Patrick

Do you hang out at GNC a lot? Are you a combat sports fanatic? Do you use the term “gym rat”? If so, this weekend’s 29th annual Europa Games is right up your alley. In addition to weightlifting, grappling, wrestling, power lifting and strongman competitions, this two-day family-friendly expo is one of the largest supplement, nutrition and athletic apparel trade shows in the world. There will be over 100 exhibitors selling and sampling goods ranging from health food and anti-aging products to sportswear and equipment. And who doesn’t like free samples? The Europa Games runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 8, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 9, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, 650 S. Griffin St. Tickets start at $25. More info at europaexpo.com. Jonathan Patrick

Jessica Anne Newham might not have realized it at the time, but at age 16 she created her now stage name — Betty Who — from a song she wrote (it does roll off the tongue pleasantly). The Australian pop star is a classically trained cellist since age 4 and self-taught pianist and guitarist. Her three studio albums, the latest being February's Betty, have jump-started a career that is still blossoming. Catch her at Canton Hall with pop duo Loote opening. 8 p.m. Saturday, at Canton Hall, 2727 Canton St., $26-$99. Diamond Rodrigue

As part of Kitchen Dog Theater’s New Works Festival, which each year presents staged readings of un-produced plays by some of the freshest voices in contemporary theater, the 18th annual Playwrights Under Progress (PUP) Fest features six plays by the finest young talents in DFW. Written and produced by high schoolers and developed through playwriting workshops, each play will be a world premiere. PUP starts at 1 p.m. Saturday, at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts, 2501 Flora St. This event is free. More info at kitchendogtheater.org. Jonathan Patrick

If you haven't noticed '80s electronic synth music making a comeback recently, you're not paying attention. With television shows like Stranger Things and the resurgence of instant film photography, it seems us pesky millennials are well on our way at grasping a simpler, albeit neon-coated, time. Musically speaking, electronic synth duo Night Drive are on par with this movement. They describe themselves as "modern synth-pop that explores the darker currents of abstract emotion," and find their inspiration through sci-fi cinematic landscapes. Catch them as part of Deep Ellum Art Company's Flowmoon series. 7 p.m. Saturday, at Deep Ellum Art Company, 3200 Commerce St., $13-$20. Diamond Rodrigue

Sunday


God sounds just like the actor James Mason. Never piss off Darth Vader in the Death Star's cafeteria. The difference between an imperial power and the peoples they conquered is that the latter group didn't have a flag — no flag, no country. These are just some of the insights actor, comedian and executive transvestite Eddie Izzard has brought to the world through a series of hilarious one-man shows. See the British comedian unleash a stream of rapid-fire words touching on — well, we don't know yet, but most likely he'll talk about everything. And audiences will laugh, loudly. Izzard brings his Wunderbar tour to the Majestic Theatre, 1925 Elm St., for two shows at 8 p.m. both Saturday, June 8, and Sunday, June 9. Tickets start at $47 at ticketmaster.com Patrick Williams

Monday


The critically acclaimed musical The Ballad of Little Jo tells the story of a woman who fled to the Old West after leaving her out-of-wedlock child behind in search of better opportunity. The script is based on the real life (and classic American-dream-with-a-caveat) story of Josephine Monaghan, who moved to a small mining town in Idaho in the mid-1800s, assumed a male identity as Jo and became a successful businessman. Runs from June 7 through June 30, at WaterTower Theatre, 15650 Addison Road. Tickets are $25-$42 at watertowertheatre.org. Eva Raggio

Tuesday


The Tony Award-winning British comedy, The Play That Goes Wrong, depicts a theater troupe’s disastrous attempts to put on a 1920s, Agatha Christie-inspired murder-mystery play. As the title overtly suggests, every step of the production process will be governed by Murphy’s law, resulting in endless mishaps: malfunctioning props, actors forgetting lines and a set falling apart faster than Moby’s career. The London (and later Broadway) hit show is slapstick-heavy and full of British humor. June 11-16, the Winspear Opera House, 2403 Flora St. Tickets are $35-$150 at attpac.org. Eva Raggio