Dallas Symphony Orchestra: The Best of John Williams
Jun. 23–25
Meyerson Symphony Center
Williams’ scores for films including Star Wars, Jaws, and Jurassic Park have become as iconic as anything Beethoven wrote. Even if some of Williams’ blockbuster popularity is intrinsically tied to visions of dinosaurs and aliens, his music is built to stand the test of time, and will hold up just fine outside of the multiplex. Epic in its scope, intimate in its emotional appeal, the composer’s work captures the widescreen awe and sense of adventure of the movies.
Chuck Klosterman
Jun. 20, 7:30 p.m.
Horchow Auditorium at the DMA
The bestselling cultural critic is just as comfortable talking about KISS as he is issues of cosmological import. In fact, for Klosterman, KISS is an issue of cosmological import.
Demetri Martin
Jun. 15, 8 p.m.
Majestic Theatre
The instruments and whiteboard may scan as gimmicks, but Martin’s one-liners—each a masterfully crafted comedic koan—are hilarious with or without the props.
The Polaroid Project
Jun. 3–Sept. 3
Amon Carter Museum of American Art
Before the advent of Instagram, instant film enjoyed a long heyday, as evidenced here in an exhibition documenting decades of expression and experimentation in the medium.
A Little Night Music
Jun. 8–Jul. 2
Theatre Three
Sondheim’s most adult musical has “Send in the Clowns,” a complex love triangle that contorts itself beyond any recognizable geometric shape, and a waltzing pace that keeps you tapping your feet.
Sigur Ros
Jun. 7, 7 p.m.
The Bomb Factory
The Icelandic post-rock band sounds a lot like its home country, or at least like our romantic conception of the place. The falsetto vocals, sung in a made-up language, and the dreamy, glacial instrumentation do seem to call to mind a frozen, magical island.
Jonathan Safran Foer
Jun. 13, 7:30 p.m.
Horchow Auditorium at the DMA
The acclaimed novelist (Everything Is Illuminated) will talk about his newest book, Here I Am, a brilliant account of a marriage and an international order falling apart.
Index Festival
Jun. 3
Panther Island Pavilion
Little has changed but the name of what was once Untapped, a festival specializing in an enormous quantity of craft beer sampling, paired with live music.
Something Rotten!
Jun. 13–25
Winspear Opera House
A musical comedy about the creation of the first musical, Something Rotten! is loaded with references for Broadway geeks and Shakespeare fanatics, but its jokes are broad enough for anyone.
Metallica
Jun. 16, 6 pm
AT&T Stadium
Last year’s Hardwired…to Self-Destruct was quietly (relatively speaking, for one of the world’s biggest and loudest rock bands) Metallica’s best album in decades. But, look, we get it: You just want to hear “One” and “Enter Sandman.” You will.
The Golden Age of Mexican Cinema
Jun. 4 & 18
Dallas Museum of Art
This film series, held in conjunction with the museum’s wildly popular Mexico 1900-1950 exhibition, puts together double features of the country’s most influential movies.
TITAS: Ballet BC
Jun. 10, 8 pm
Winspear Opera House
This Vancouver dance company works with some of the world’s most distinctive contemporary choreographers and mounts performances for an international audience.
Hood
Jun. 29–Aug. 6
Wyly Theatre
Expect “steal from the rich, give to the poor” to get a catchy musical phrasing in this world premiere about English folklore’s most famous hero in green tights.
The Joy Formidable
Jun. 14, 8 pm
Club Dada
The Welsh Trio tends to stack its amplifiers and tune the guitars to “squall,” creating storms of tempestuous rock that wouldn’t sound out of place on the alternative radio of the ‘90s.
Br’er Cotton
Jun. 9–Jul. 1
Trinity River Arts Center
Kitchen Dog Theater premieres this play, an exploration of race in America, ripped directly from the headlines. It follows a teenager named Ruffrino, moved to action by the police killings of young black men around the country.
Future
Jun. 24, 7 pm
Starplex Pavilion
Rap music’s hardest working space cadet has a knack for turning dark nights of the soul into undeniable hip-hop bangers. We worry about the guy. But pain’s rarely sounded this good.
Turtle Creek Chorale: In Your Dreams
Jun. 2–4
Moody Performance Hall
The men’s chorus goes big for its final show of the season, promising a multimedia mix of entertainment for the eyes and ears, including a few new works.
Com Truise
Jun. 7, 7 p.m.
Trees
If the Starship Enterprise’s house band ever discovered Tangerine Dream, it would sound an awful lot like Com Truise, whose retro-futuristic sound feels tailor-made for ‘80s sci-fi movies.
Tour de Fat
Jun. 17, 4 p.m.
The Bomb Factory
Fans of Fat Tire beer, the music of the Jamestown Revival, local bicycling nonprofits, or all of the above will find plenty to like at this festival partly benefitting Bike DFW.
(Sandy) Alex G & Japanese Breakfast
Jun. 11, 7 p.m.
Club Dada
A goofier and less tragic version of Elliott Smith, the prolific Alex G is joined here by Japanese Breakfast, a project that shares his affinity for lo-fi recording and heartsick hooks.
Hurray For The Riff Raff
Jun. 2, 8 pm
Trees
The folk act must have been dipped into a bayou somewhere in Louisiana before crystallizing its unique sound, a masterful blend of old roots and new soul.
Texas Ballet Theater: Alice in Wonderland
Jun. 2–4
Winspear Opera House
We’d follow Texas Ballet Theater down any rabbit hole, especially when the company is adapting a story as beloved as this one.
Taste of Dallas
June 10 & 11
Fair Park
Dozens upon dozens of restaurants and Dallas’ culinary finest all gather to eat, drink, and cook. New this year at the food festival: a Live Fire area with grilling demonstrations on burning hardwood.
How much fun is too fun? Jimmy and Suzie are about to find out after it seems they’ve been seemingly stranded on Donkey Beach, a happenin’ spot where the party never stops and the magical donkey knows more than it lets on. A Danielle Georgiou Dance Group joint.
