Red Bull
When Red Bull Attacks by Thane Tennison
July 29-Aug. 4
Flying Saucer on the Lake first anniversary party
Yeah, we know there's a Flying Saucer in downtown Fort Worth. And several other locations that are closer than the one in Garland. But the G-town beer haven is on Lake Ray Hubbard, and its one-year party includes rare beers on tap (Breckenridge FS 15, Avery 17, Rahr & Sons Stormcloud and an oak-aged Franconia), plus a luau-themed barbecue. How many times do you find a cookout on the lake where the beer choices rank higher than MillerBudCoors?
When: Noon-midnight Sunday
Where: Flying Saucer, 4821 Bass Pro Drive, Garland
Cost: Admission is free; your suds bill is up to you.
Info: www.beerknurd.com/stores/thelake
Shen Yun Performing Arts
Often the Chinese troupes that tour to big venues in the States are of the acrobatic variety. This outfit is different, focusing on the artistry of classical Chinese dance and music, most of which is inspired by myths, legends and 5,000 years of Chinese culture.
When: 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
Where: Bass Hall, Fort Worth
Cost: $80-$150
Info: www.basshall.com
Lee Ann Womack In our perfect world, Womack would be selling out stadiums like, say, some of her country music peers who owe their careers to a popular TV talent contest. But we'll take her in the smaller venues, too -- not that Billy Bob's is a dive. Womack, a beauty from Jacksonville is the real deal, surviving in a pop-country world despite her traditionalist leanings. Her 2005 album There's More Where That Came From is still in our rotation, and 2008's Call Me Crazy was almost as good.
When: 10:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Billy Bob's Texas, Fort Worth
Cost: $15-$20
Info: www.
Family Karaoke Usually, karaoke happens in venues where you have to suffer drunk hecklers from the back of the bar. But this spot, in the Korean sector of northwest Dallas, offers up private rooms. Each features comfy sofas, tambourines, microphones and TV screens, on which Asian videos play beneath the lyrics to whatever you're singing (we found the accompaniment to a Missy Elliot tune high-larious). The rooms cost, but it's worth it to sing, uninhibited, with just your friends. Don't be surprised if a group dance breaks out.
When: Open 6 p.m.-4 a.m. daily
Where: 11433 Goodnight Lane, Dallas
Cost: $20-$35 per hour depending on room size; $3 per song in the main room
Info: www.family
Red Bull Art of Can
If you've ever stacked beer cans in a pyramid and thought, "That's pretty cool," well, you were probably drunk. It's not impressive. But this exhibit is. It's more than aluminum cans stacked or glued together; they're molded, cut, melted and shaped into impressive sculptures. The artists must have drunk lots of the energy drink while staying up late to finish the things. The works were submitted by everyone from high-schoolers to doctors, and the finalists include Dallas artist Hai Nguyen. See them at the Galleria. Then have some Red Bull while you shop.
When: Saturday-Aug. 22
Where: Galleria Dallas, 13350 Dallas Parkway, Dallas
Cost: Free
Info: www.redbullartofcan.com
'Joan Rivers:
A Piece of Work'
"If I'm still alive at 6 o'clock, I'll come over." That's Rivers quoting the old men she dates. If you've never understood Rivers' appeal, or if you have, and can appreciate it, this documentary is a must-see. Our own Christopher Kelly gave it a five-star review and called it one of the best Hollywood behind-the-scenes docs ever.
When: Friday-Sunday
Where: The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, 3200 Darnell St., Fort Worth
Cost: $6.50-$8.50
Info: www.themodern.org
Pam Grier book signing We know we're not the only ones who bow at the feet of Pam Grier, who became famous as the title character of Foxy Brown and other 1970s blaxploitation flicks. She has had an enviable career (theater, TV -- most recently, Showtime's The L Word). In the 1990s, she made a comeback in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown. She'll sign her new memoir, Foxy: My Life in Three Acts, in Fort Worth on Friday and in Dallas on Saturday.
When and where: 7-9 p.m. Friday at The Dock Bookshop, 6637 Meadowbrook Drive, Fort Worth; noon-2 p.m. Saturday at the South Dallas Cultural Center, 3400 Fitzhugh Ave., Dallas
Cost: Free
Info: shop.dockbooks.com
Melissa Etheridge She has rocker cred, enough awards to fill a small boat and a scratchy voice that we still can't resist. The singer, who publicly survived a bout with cancer a few years back, comes to North Texas on the tour in support of her latest album, Fearless Love.
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday
Where: McFarlin Auditorium on the SMU campus, 6400 Hillcrest Ave., Dallas
Cost: $55-$100
Info: www.ticketmaster.com
The Actor's Den at Backbeat Café Backbeat is a coffee shop in downtown Dallas, but at nights, events such as hip-hop open mike and poetry slams break out. And for anyone who might have something a little more on the dramatic side, this first-Tuesday-of-the-month event offers a showcase for local performers to present their scene work. It's a lot more interesting than nonactors might think.
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Backbeat Café, 300 N. Akard St., Dallas
Cost: $5
Info: www.backbeatcafe.com
27b/6 There is so much junk out there on the Web, it's especially fulfilling when something as funny as this site comes along. It's from the wry, biting mind of Australian satirist David Thorne. His sendups of social networking and e-mail exchanges have become ridiculously viral, and his most recent brought us to tears. It was an exchange between a graphic designer and a woman who wants a poster created for her lost cat. Also highly recommended: "Overdue Account," which involves a drawing of a spider.
When: At your browsing leisure
Where: www.27bslash6.com/index.html
Cost: Free
'In the Zone' Unless you have kids, the idea of children's theater might make you roll those eyes all the way back. But Kids Who Care's original musicals are a different animal. Created each summer by local and visiting international students (this year from Israel, Italy and Albania) and often reworked throughout the season, the KWC shows are touching, funny and highly creative. This one deals with auditioning for a play, and if that sounds insiderish, know that there will be commentary for anyone interested in following those elusive things called dreams.
When: Thursday-Sunday
Where: Scott Theatre, Fort Worth Community Arts Center, 1300 Gendy St., Fort Worth
Cost: $12-$20
Info: www.kidswhocare.org
Critical Mass bike ride On Friday night, expect the streets of Fort Worth to be flooded with bicyclists. This "Critical Mass" gathers for monthly rides; it's the local version of an international movement to raise bike awareness and promote cyclists' rights on the road. Unlike some CM events (which have taken a confrontational bent), the Cowtown edition is intended to be more of a family-friendly evening to celebrate local bike culture.
When: 7-9 p.m. Friday
Where: Burnett Park, 7th and Lamar streets, Fort Worth
Cost: free
Info: subtextprojects.org
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