The suburbs have been a big player in the news cycle this week, as they seem to be siphoning all of the jobs and music festivals that some argue would be better off in Dallas proper. On Monday it was announced that Toyota is relocating its North American headquarters to Plano, in the very same week that the Suburbia Music Festival will also make its debut in the town. While that may be good news for a place that often makes headlines for all the wrong reasons, we have plenty to do around here as well.
Friday
Dallas has quite a mini-fest in one of its own city parks today, as JMBLYA will take over Main Street Garden, starting at 3 pm. I’ve stated before that this is a great setting for events of this magnitude, and occasionally downtown’s charm can even outshine the entertainment portion of the proceedings. In other words, musicians take note: This is an easy field to hit it over the fence. That likely won’t be necessary in this case, as A$AP Ferg, Riff Raff, and Chance the Rapper are extremely potent rappers all. A DJ set by the electronic group Purity Ring, will help to keep things delightfully off-balance.
In what is arguably the crown jewel of the TITAS season, Friday night’s glitzy Command Performance Gala at the Winspear features an international collection of some of the most intimidating figures of the dance world. Artists from the Paris Opera Ballet and Boston Ballet will perform Tchaikovsky’s multiple and beloved pas de deux, while Booker T. Washington’s Mykal Stromile will be a guest performer in a newly commissioned work.
Saturday
You could very well spend all weekend in the park if you so choose, as Klyde Warren, never to be outdone, will proudly demonstrate its attractiveness as a date destination with a new weekly film series. The theme focuses on Hollywood classics and begins with 1934’s It Happened One Night, Frank Capra’s pioneering contribution to the romantic comedy genre. If you’re looking to make someone feel less unsure about “swiping right” on Tinder, this might be a good place to start. A different movie will be shown every Saturday at 8:15 pm, for the remainder of May.
Speaking of romance, the legendary Tom Jones will be at the Granada on Saturday, and it must be one of your best chances at seeing a Vegas-sized act in such an intimate setting. I have heard that some of Jones’ more mature fans were complaining about the standing-room-only aspect of the show, but really how could you sit down during “She’s a Lady?”
Our own Peter Simek mentioned on FrontRow a few days ago that it’s a slow week for visual art, but there are a few noteworthy openings, such as 500X’s “New Paintings,” which features the work of Timothy Harding and Shelby David Meier. The exhibition focuses on painting, oddly enough, but that’s not as obvious as it sounds, as the discipline is considered through random math equations and commodification.
Sunday
Fair Park will be overrun with dogs this weekend, as the Dog Bowl will take place inside the Cotton Bowl on Sunday. Your pet is welcome to run free and participate in a variety of activities, though just the thought of letting my nervous little rat terrier partake in an “agility course” is making me shake as badly as he often does. There’s also a “pet-owner look-alike contest,” and I may have just given away how well I think Harvey Milkbone and I would fare.
For more to do this weekend, go here.
