Your VIP pass to DFW’s nightlife, sports & party scene.
(Getty Images)
3. CHINESE NEW YEAR: What do the Mayans know about 2012, really? We know it's gonna be a good year because it's the Year of the Dragon. Among the DFW Chinese New Year celebrations is one in Asia Times Square, 2615 W. Pioneer Parkway in Grand Prairie, where there'll be entertainment, food vendors, raffles and more. 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; free. And at the Crow Collection of Asian Art in Dallas, there's an "After Dark" event to celebrate, with martial arts demonstrations, music, kids' crafts and more. 6 p.m.-midnight Friday; free. Visit www.crowcollection.org.
Tool: The first show for this re-formed cerebral metal band from the '90s sold out quickly, and -- whoa, the second one sold out, too! But here's hoping you can work some last-minute ticket magic, or cozy up to a friend with an extra seat. The band's stop-motion video for Sober is still one of the best music videos ever. Guys, when are you going to open up to iTunes? 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Verizon Theatre, Grand Prairie. $50-$85. 800-745-3000; www.ticketmaster.com.
KidFilm Festival: The USA Film Festival's 28th annual KidFilm has, you know, lots of lovely animated films, including a tribute to the anime work of Studio Ghibli, a preview of footage from Dr. Seuss' The Lorax (which features the voices of Zac Efron and Taylor Swift), and a salute to children's author and illustrator Peter Brown, who'll be at the event to sign books. 12:30-6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Angelika Film Center, 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane, Suite 230, Dallas. $5 per program (some events free). 214-821-6300; www.usafilmfestival.com.
Chinese New Year: What do the Mayans know about 2012, really? We know it's gonna be a good year because it's the Year of the Dragon. Among the DFW Chinese New Year celebrations is one in Asia Times Square, 2615 W. Pioneer Parkway in Grand Prairie, where there'll be entertainment, food vendors, raffles and more. 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; free. And at the Crow Collection of Asian Art in Dallas, there's an "After Dark" event to celebrate, with martial arts demonstrations, music, kids' crafts and more. 6 p.m.-midnight Friday; free. Visit www.crowcollection.org.
Live and Let Die: The Music of Paul McCartney: The Beatles' music is a hot commodity for the performing-arts stage, and this event features a four-piece band playing with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. It focuses on "the cute one's" songs, as well as his solo material. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Bass Hall, Fort Worth. $27-$79. 817-665-6000; www.fwsymphony.org.
American Ballet Theatre: The country's premiere ballet company returns to Dallas for two nights, presented by TITAS. The programs will differ slightly each night, but expect classics like Seven Sonatas, Duets and Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux. And, of course, both nights end with Paul Taylor's Andrews Sisters music-set Company B. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Winspear Opera House, 2403 Flora St., Dallas. $12-$150. 214-880-0202; www.attpac.org.
Django Reinhardt Festival: Arts Fifth Avenue's biggest event of the year, a tribute to Gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, returns for its ninth year. Settle in for films, workshops and performances by music groups from North Texas and Austin. Doors open 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Arts Fifth Avenue, 1628 Fifth Ave., Fort Worth. $20 per night, $45 festival pass; daytime workshops have additional cost. 817-923-9500; www.artsfifthavenue.org.
Giant: The 1956 film starring Liz Taylor, Rock Hudson and James Dean is a classic, but for the premiere of this musical, you might want to catch up on the Edna Ferber novel on which it's based. The Dallas Theater Center and New York's Public Theater are co-presenting the show, which has a score by Michael John LaChiusa and features Broadway actors Aaron Lazar, P.J. Griffith, Kate Baldwin and Dallas native Dee Hoty. Previews began Jan. 18; opens Jan. 27 and runs through Feb. 19. Wyly Theatre, 2400 Flora St., Dallas. $15-$95. 214-880-0202; www.attpac.org.
Lone Star Westerns Film Series: This festival, timed with the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, pays tribute to the king of Western film, John Wayne. And they're all early works, from 1934. The remaining films, which show at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, are The Star Packer (2 p.m. Sunday) and Blue Steel (2 p.m. Jan. 29) in the museum's Oak Room, 1600 Gendy St. Free with Stock Show admission. 817-255-9540; www.fwmuseum.org.
Merle Haggard and Loretta Lynn: They're not performing together or even in the same city, but these country legends will keep our country theme going for sure. Merle tears up Billy Bob's, while Loretta graces the stage at Dallas' Winspear Opera House. Merle Haggard: 10:30 p.m. Saturday. $35 reserved, $15 general. 817-624-7117; www.billybobstexas.com. Loretta Lynn: 7 p.m. Sunday. $38-$75. 214-880-0202; www.attpac.org.
Arts & Letters Live: The Dallas Museum of Art's annual literary festival begins this week. Events, which range from author lectures to short-story readings, run through June, and the one to try and nab tickets for (good luck) is "Wit & Wisdom: Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel," featuring the two humorists. 7:30 p.m. Saturday. 1717 N. Harwood St., Dallas. The venue, Horchow Auditorium, is sold out, but you can watch a live feed in other parts of the museum for $10-$20. 214-922-1803; www.dm-art.org.
The Civil Wars: Another killer concert this week, the acclaimed and Grammy-nominated Nashville duo of Joy Williams and John Paul White. Don't believe us? Check out their 2011 album Barton Hollow. 8 p.m. Saturday. House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St., Dallas. $20-$22. 214-978-2583; www.houseofblues.com.
Maz Jobrani: The Iranian comic and actor, who too often gets the thankless roles of terrorists in TV and film, does a stint at the Addison Improv this weekend. Jobrani is one of the founders of the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour, which featured Middle Eastern-American comics. 8 p.m. Thursday; 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday; 6:30, 9 and 11:30 p.m. Saturday. 4980 Belt Line Road, Suite 250, Dallas. $25. 972-404-8501; www.improv.com.