Time to vote in our Best of Big D Readers Choice survey. Tell us where you like to go for coffee, pizza, margaritas—otherwise known as the bottom tier of my personal food pyramid.
Friday
It wasn’t too long ago that South Dallas gospel-funk group The Relatives played a two-night show at this very venue, but tonight they’re back at The Kessler in celebration of their second full-length album, The Electric Word. When you consider the fact that they’ve been around for about 43 years, this is quite the accomplishment. They released a couple of singles in the ’70s that failed to chart, broke up, reunited, played a few gigs here and there. Dick Sullivan wrote a lovely piece about Dallas’ “lost musical legacy” on FrontRow, which you can read right here before the concert tonight.
Nova’s just so darn convenient that I usually can’t resist, but it’s my duty to tell you that Tillman’s Roadhouse in Bishop Arts has revived my favorite alcoholic beverage, the 87 Ways, which is some sort of delicious apricot/gin mixture. I only figured this out a couple weeks ago when I dragged a friend there to try those goat cheese tater tots I love so much. Don’t worry, he’s a convert, as you will be.
Also this evening, there’s an especially fun-sounding art opening out at the University of Texas at Dallas’ gallery, curated by local photographer and painter Kevin Todora. The artists include John Dickinson, Kevin Rubén Jacobs, and Bret Slater (there are many more) and tonight’s opening receptions promises kegs of Peticolas and “special guests.”
Saturday
It’s time again for the Festival de los Mavs, a full day of free family-orientated entertainment. The Mavs ManiAACs and Dallas Mavericks Dancers help the team celebrate Latino history and culture with bounce houses, activities for kids, and a performance by Dominican-American pop singer Kat DeLuna.
Meanwhile, just when I was about to give up, Upstart Productions (you never call, you never write…) has resurfaced with a vengeance. Well, a vengeance, and two new, original one-act plays written and directed by local director/artist/designer Bruce Coleman. Coleman also happens to have taught me theater, way back in my high school days, so everyone who’s been forced to listen to me go on about Tom Stoppard or something, you can blame him. First up is A Conversation With a (Potentially) Naked Man, billed as an almost-true story and tells the story of a lonely painter and his model-for-hire. Next is Larry Kramer Hates Me, a comedy about a new relationship plagued by the “baggage of boyfriends past.” Usually that spells doom, but what do I know?
The two separate stories take place in the same setting, a loft apartment in downtown Dallas, and they’ll be performed together as one evening of theater at The Green Zone. It’s seriously just a green, industrial-looking building; can’t miss it. In lieu of complaining about Off-site Kitchen‘s lack of a dinner hour, I’ll just tell you to go to Margaux’s Bridge Bistro down the road. Everything is delicious and you get to sit indoors.
Sunday
The Texas Theatre is showing The NeverEnding Story all weekend, which sounds like a nice trip in the way-back machine. And if you feel up to a little drive, the KNON Fort Worth Blues Fest is worth your time and gas dollars. We like that radio station so much we named them the best radio station in Dallas just a couple of years ago. Anyway, this is KNON’s fourth year to put on a day-long blues festival. Acts include Holland K. Smith with special guest Buddy Whittington, Larry Lampkin, Trainreck featuring Rev. KM Williams, Washboard Jackson and Jeff Stone, the Michael Lee Band, Robert Johnson’s Soul from Austin, Jackie Don Loe, and Kirkland James.
For more to do with your weekend, go here.
