Friday
Tim McGraw is at Gexa Energy Pavilion this evening, but the bigger news this week is that the facility needs nearly 7 million bucks to make it seem much less like Gexa Energy Pavilion. A rent-for-renovation trade deal struck with LiveNation should clear that up, but I hope they don’t completely transform the place. I kind of like that charming and somewhat classist split between the seats and the lawn, and find the venue to be kind of quaint on the occasional night I’m there. I don’t think that “quaint and classist” is in the venue’s mission statement, however, so I’m already preparing myself for a descending Jumbotron experience just in case.
The RoughRiders will welcome the Tulsa Drillers to Dr. Pepper Ballpark in Frisco tonight, and as we suggested in our August issue, attending likely means that you’ll have a 100% percent chance of seeing major league talent before your eyes. That would be due to the Texas Rangers’ nightmare season thus far, which is mostly due to injuries rather than a lack of will, although the latter has been up for debate in the local sports media. That starts at 7:05 pm, even though our events calendar says it starts at 7. We don’t have an option for 7:05, but I’ll get right on fixing that asap. Just get there at 7; you’ll be fine.
Update: There’s still time to catch a performance of Stiff, which is playing at Plano Children’s Theatre this weekend. Critic Lindsey Wilson sends this recommendation:
The creative folks over at Fun House Theatre and Film in Plano are living out every theater professional’s dream by killing the critic in Jeff Swearingen’s latest play, “Stiff.” The smart, zany, and well-crafted original script nods to the overly dramatic acting styles of the 1950s (young Jaxon Beeson sounds like a delightful cross between Clark Gable and Forrest Gump) in a zany peek behind the curtain at Off-Off-Broadway’s biggest flop. Besides the usual stand-out talent (all of them high school-age or younger), Swearingen’s on-point direction keeps the madcap action moving. Last performance is Sunday, so hustle up to Plano to say you saw these kids before they were famous.
Wilson participated, along with several other noteworthy local critics, in a make-believe documentary on the play’s deceased character, Mickey Blake. It’s worth a watch, and you can see that by going here.
Saturday
Loretta Lynn’s timeless country is a bit more my speed than the aforementioned radio pop of Tim McGraw. She’ll be at Bass Hall on Saturday, which I must say is an improvement in venue as well. You have to hand it to Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass; their humble little downtown experiment really worked.
Circuit 12’s large-scale mural event in the Design District took place outside last year, but then the curators got wise and moved it indoors. Artist James M. Rizzi has covered the gallery floor-to-ceiling with a piece that will be accompanied by smaller satellite works as well. Refreshments will be served and there will also be an area for skateboarding, should you be nuts enough to want to be in this oppressive heat. The event starts at 6 pm.
Sunday
The “Sundays on the Wet Deck” pool party takes place on the 16th floor swimming pool every sunday between now and the end of August. This week’s edition includes a showcase of the Made You Look boutique’s swimwear line, and DJ appearances from Willie Trimmer, Rev, and Melissa Richey. If you’re worried that this may be a private party, over 25,000 people are on the invite.
Perhaps before heading to the pool party, a recovery brunch is in order. So & So’s in Uptown is debuting their brunch menu, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there were some overlap between the crowd at these two events. We have a little preview of the menu over on SideDish. Don’t worry about eating before heading to the pool; you’re probably not going to swim anyway.
For more things to do, go here.
