Central Track Contributor
Prepare To Invade.
If you remember, Back to the Future II took place in October 2015, and, just like the movie predicted, something pretty closely resembling a Hoverboard just hit the market.
Other predictions they made, though, seem a bit less likely. For instance, at 10-1/2 games back in their division, it doesn't look like the Chicago Cubs are poised to win this year's World Series.
On the other hand, we're pretty good at predictions ourselves. One surefire bet is that perusing our following list of suggestions will lead to a pretty killer three-day weekend. — Cory Graves
Friday
AnimeFest at Sheraton Dallas Hotel
AnimeFest is here! That means that fans of anime will get together and ogle disproportionate drawings of the human form (it bugs me, sorry). For the next four days, fans of giant heads and eyeballs can gather to look at the people who draw the giant heads and eyeballs, and maybe get that person to sign a picture of a giant eyeball. — Chelsea Upton
Motorhead at The Bomb Factory *UPDATE: Motorhead has dropped off this bill, and Saxon and Crobot have been moved to Trees. — CG
We still — as of this writing, anyway — haven't heard whether or not this show is going to go on as planned. Earlier this week, Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister cancelled shows in Utah and Denver after suffering altitude sickness. He then tried to give it a go in Austin, only to pull the plug on that one four songs in. The next night's San Antonio show was then scrapped, too. Or, well, it went on without Motorhead, anyway. That might happen here, too, and the Saxon and Crobot combo is a fairly sturdy one still. In any case, that bit where Lemmy told the press he was “still indestructible” last week, no longer looks to be the case.
Turbo Kid at Texas Theatre
There's a small but awesome subgenre of movies that pay homage to the look of older movies. My buddy calls them “modern retro” films, which I think sums it up pretty well. Most notable of these are the works of the Canadian film collective Astron 6, with its Manborg and The Editor films. Another effort that fits nicely into this model is director Jason Eisner's Hobo With a Shotgun. Now, following in the footsteps of those films, we have directors Francois Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Kari Whisse, and Turbo Kid, their love letter to post-apocalyptic movies. Set in the distant future of 1997, Turbo Kid follows “The Kid,” a scavenger trying to survive in this toxic wasteland, and his fight against the local crime boss. — Javier Fuentes
Nickelback at Choctaw Casino
Nickelback isn't the most well-liked band on the planet, but it still might be one of the absolute biggest bands on the planet just the same. The band's sold 50 million copies of its albums worldwide, and its last four releases have debuted in the top 10 on the Billboard 200. It's an interesting conundrum, that the most hated band in America is also the one selling the most copies of its albums. When we asked Scott Stapp, frontman of the similarly reviled/successful rock band Creed, about the phenomenon last year, he equated the band's haters to the Tea Party — that they're just the vocal minority. Sure, he's a certified wackadoodle, but the man makes a good point. — CG
VIP Wrestling presents: “Setting the Bar 2” at Knights of Columbus
Most amateur wrestling events don't feature steel cages — or falling WWE and TNA stars either, for that matter. Alas, Evan Bourne (Matt Sydal), Charlie Haas, Jessy Soresen are but a few of the (sorta) recognizable names on this card. Oh, and a 20 man battle royale, to boot. — CG
ZZ Top at Music Hall at Fair Park
Even though Houstonians like to claim ZZ Top as their own, two-thirds of the group actually grew up in North Texas. Drummer Frank Beard (ironically the only member of the band without a beard) was raised in nearby Irving, while bassist Dusty Hill spent his formative years in East Dallas. A track from 1975's Fandago! album even gives a discreet nod to our fair burgh. In a 1985 interview with Spin, Hill explained that “tush” — an Americanized version of the Yiddish word “tuchas” — had a double meaning back in his hometown of Dallas. Per Hill's interview: “Tush, where I grew up, had two meanings. Tush is also like plush, very lavish, very luxurious. So it depended on how you used it. If somebody said, “That's a tush car,' you knew they weren't talking about the rear end of the car. That's like saying, 'That's a cherry short.'” The more you know. — CG
Raiders of the Lost Ark at Inwood Theatre
With the slew of buzz this year surrounding Jurassic Park 4, it's important to not forget about other Spielberg works that still have love going for them, like the first of the Indiana Jones trilogy, Raiders of the Lost Ark, that'll be showing this weekend at the Inwood. Yes, trilogy. Y'know, before it got ruined by that monstrosity of a fourth installment. — Chris Escarfullery
Ex-Cult at Crown and Harp
Previously known as Sex Cult, Ex-Cult creates a sound all its own by combining elements of several historic genres: '60s psychedelic rock, '70s post punk and '80s U.S. hardcore. The band heads up a bill that also includes Slimy Member and War Party. Hot damn. — Evan Henry
Son of Stan at Shipping & Receiving
To celebrate its two-year anniversary, the Fort Worth bar where Leon Bridges recorded his debut record is putting on a mighty string of shows this weekend. Kicking it all off is this one, which features 817 heavyweights Son of Stan, Oil Boom, The Longshots, Oh Whitney, Shake the Moon and Animal Spirit. You're not going to see another one that strong until next Fort Worth Weekly's music awards showcases — or, well, tomorrow night. — CG
Five-Year Anniversary at The Rail Club
Open three years to the day earlier than S&R, Fort Worth's Rail Club is holding an anniversary bash of its own this weekend — albeit one with a much heavier bent. To wit, Warbeast headlines this one, along with the likes of Rabid Flesh Eaters, Wake the Fear, BlackStar Republic, Adrenal Asphyxia, Core of Desolation and Reaper Crew. — CG
Black Taffy, Sean Miller, Kent Evans, Triangulum, Joshua Westerman at Pariah Arts
Perhaps you've seen Donovan Jones roaring against This Will Destroy You, the Austin/ Dallas-based noise rock outfit, known to destroy eardrums of local listeners. But did you know Jones also does music solo under the Black Taffy name? It's this minimal, ambient dub project that has a way of consuming listeners whole. To further top this event, visual artist Sean Miller gives a go at sound art, Kent Evans and more pour droning ripples out beyond anything previous. Best of all, it's all local art coming at you, so bask yourself in it. — EH
Dracula at Winspear Opera House
Bram Stoker's Dracula is probably the most popular vampire story ever written. I mean, it's been recreated so many times for the screen and stage (not all of which should've been but, hey, you can't win 'em all). Regardless, Texas Ballet Theater's rendition of the Franz Liszt classic looks pretty legit. With tenured choreographer and artistic director of the theater, Ben Stevenson, behind the scenes, it's worth checking out. It runs through the 13th at the Winspear, before moving to Fort Worth's Bass Hall for a weekend-long run in mid-October. — Diamond Victoria
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert at Texas Theatre
Watch as the Texas Theatre screens 1994's The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of The Desert, a journey of drag queens travelling across the desert to perform their beloved act of cabaret search of their own true happiness, on the big screen. — EH
15th Anniversary (Pt. 2) at AllGood Café (Free)
AllGood Cafe is turning 15, which means that you might see a chicken-fried steak taking advantage of its driver's permit on the roads soon. To celebrate the occasion, AllGood is putting on two shows, the first of which went down last weekend, and now this one, which sees The O's headlining, with Madison King, Dante Martinez and Joshua Ray Walker also on the bill. It's a free show, so order up some food. — HDB
Godfrey at Addison Improv
It's the “Make 7-Up Yours” guy! No, not that one. The other one. — Stephen Young
Western Star at Twilite Lounge (Free)
Western Star isn't a Texas band, per se. But there's plenty of Lone Star attitude in the band's sound all the same. That's because, despite the outfit's Northeastern ties, its Southern charm is more than just some put-on. At the core of the group sits the brothers Max and Nick Jeffers, whose father bought some land in his old hometown in East Texas a few years back and began converting it into a cattle ranch. The brothers formed their band in the summer of 2013 while working at that ranch, even writing some of the songs for the band's upcoming debut LP while stringing barbed wire fences and the like. Later that fall, Western Star played its first show in Austin during ACL weekend. So Western Star's members are fairly familiar with our state. And it was this familiarity, not to mention their father's childhood connections, that led to Old 97's lead guitarist Ken Bethea producing the band's upcoming record last fall — something Bethea's never previously done till now. For more info on this show, read our interview with Bethea here. — CG
Ron Morelli at 3028 Main St.
After calling his Brooklyn neighborhood “an overrated cesspool,” L.I.E.S. founder Ron Morelli fled to Paris to run the label remotely, signing a few Parisian acts in the process. This weekend, he temporarily leaves the European club scene behind to play his grimy electronic-based jams for the Dallas kids. TX Connect, Teen Slut and iill also perform. — CG
Friday at Granada Theater
Alright, fine, everyone go ahead and say it with me: “Bye Felicia!” — CG
Saturday
Invasion Car Show in Deep Ellum
For the eighth Labor Day Weekend in a row, the Invasion Car Show will be back in Deep Ellum, all along Elm Street and right by Trees. Starting at 10 a.m., the day promises to be full of pre-1964 traditional hot rods and custom cars, along with a slew of everyday ladies dressed in their best pin-up girl outfits — some that could even make Betty Paige a bit jealous. A rockin' after-party at Trees follows. — Melissa Mackaly
Los Straitjackets at Trees
Speaking of rockin' after-parties, Tennessee's Luchador mask-wearing Los Straitjackets returns to the Lone Star state to play the Invasion Car Show post show. Though it's been over a year since the band's released any new material, 2013's Mondo Zombie Boogaloo is still a wonder of Mexican-inspired instrumental rock. — Lauren Rushing
Split Lip Rayfield at Gas Monkey Bar N' Grill
Mandolin-banjo-bass trio Split Lip Rayfield is a bluegrass meets cow punk outfit that… What's that, you say? You've already made your mind up about this one? Fine then. — CG
Quaker City Night Hawks at Shipping & Receiving
Somehow, the second night of S&R's b-day bash just might be better than the first, and holy hell that's saying something. Case in point, Quaker City, Telegraph Canyon, Jefferson Colby, Jake Paleschic, Western Star, Amber Lawrence, Katsuk, Wayne Floyd, Henry the Archer, Missing Sibling and Trai Bo all perform tonight. Happy birthday, indeed. — CG
Convoy & the Cattlemen, Vincent Neil Emerson at Dada (Free)
Between Convoy's breakneck take on Texas swing and VNE's aw shucks brand of honky-tonk, this pair of 817 acts will have little trouble transforming Dada into a full blown country bar for the evening. Lone Stars and well whiskey shots will only add to the illusion. This one's free, but you'll have to bring your sawdust for the dancefloor. — CG
Hank Williams Jr. at Verizon Theatre
When asked why he drank, rolled smokes and lived out the songs that he wrote, Hank Williams Jr once sang that those things are simply his family's tradition. Singing songs to all his rowdy, beer-swilling friends just runs in his blood. So, um, hope you're ready for some football. — CG
Madden 2016 Xbox Tournament at Granada Theater
Next weekend the Granada will begin another season of Dallas Cowboys watching parties on its big movie screen. In lieu of making folks sit though an excruciatingly pointless pre-season game, though, they'll spice things up with a Madden tournament on that same screen. It's $10 to enter, the bulk of which will be thrown into a pot for the winners. — CG
Bad Beats (Album Release) at J&J's
Lo-fi Denton boner punks Bad Beats releases its first full-length at this show. Also on the bill is Waco's Loafers, which released an EP of its own this week that was recorded at Fort Worth's Cloudland (nee Dreamy Life) Recording Studio. And after opening a comedy show down the street a week prior, War Party will swerve back towards its lane with this one. — CG
BaBoone Basement at 805 S. Trunk Avenue
Bands from Portland, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas and Denton will converge at this underground party, performing while Max Sven Broden and Michael Morgan provide visual projections. Bring your dancing shoes and your own beer, too. — CG
“The Smaller Exotics of Texas (or, how the Barren Ground Caribou Would Never Occupy the Same Space as the Javelina)” at Bath House Cultural Center
With a title like that, you just know the painters, videographers, photographers, sculptors and other artists participating in this exhibition have a quality sense of humor. An reception for the artists takes place from 7-9 p.m. Saturday, and the show runs through the 26th. — CG
The Reivers, Shallow Reign at Kessler Theater
Following its '90s heyday and subsequent breakup, Dallas rockers Shallow Reign will reunite this weekend for their first reunion show in four years. The band opens for Austin's The Reivers, a band that released its biggest hits in the '80s and has been performing periodically since reforming in 2008. — CG
The Art of Brian Maclaskey and Tony Diaz (Opening Reception) at {neighborhood}
Austin-based artists Maclaskey and Diaz will be showing an array of posters and screen prints they've cranked out at their acclaimed Industry Print Shop of late, including some new pieces just for this show. The artists will be in town Saturday, and the show runs through the end of the month. — CG
Dallas Zine Panel and Workshop at the Dallas Central Library (Free)
Is it just us or is the fourth floor of the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library one of the hippest hangouts in town of late? Next week, for one, they'll host a massive vinyl sale. In the meantime, ahead of Sunday's Dallas Zine Party in Oak Cliff, that event's participating artists — Randy Guthmiller (SHAPE Zines), Stacy Kirages (Modernizm), David LaBounty (Workers Write!), Sarah Welch (Mystic Multiples), Sandra Davalos (Cemetery Sisters) — will participate in a panel discussing all things zine culture. What's more, a collection of rare zines will be on display up there through September 26. — CG
Water Gun Fight at Klyde Warren Park
Man, Dallas is all about getting wet these days. I suppose there are worse ways to wind down the summer. Anyway, unlike that other recent water war, this one is no water balloons allowed. Just water guns, and non-realistic-looking ones at that. — CG
ESPN's College Gameday at Sundance Square
Ahead of Alabama taking on Wisconsin at the AT&T Death Star, ESPN's college football program will broadcast live some 15 miles away from Fort Worth's Sundance Square. The show will also feature a guest appearance from Brad Paisley, who will kick off a college tour the following day. — CG
Dirty River Boys, Crooks at Billy Bob's
El Paso's Dirty River Boys and Austin's Crooks share the main stage at Billy Bob's this Saturday. With a newly released sophomore LP, Crooks is especially compelling. Texas Monthly described the band as having a “hard-edged, and authentic country sound that also flirts with bluegrass, garage, Tejano, mariachi, and Southern rock,” which is even rowdier in a live setting. — CG
Slipknot at Gexa Energy Pavilion
Don't these guys know it's too hot to play an outdoor show in Texas in September while wearing masks? Aside from the out-of-their-minds headliners, Motionless In White, Lamb of God and Bullet For My Valentine also perform. — CG
Sunday
Of Montreal at Shipping & Receiving
Six albums into of Montreal's career the band made the dramatic shift from technology-shunning, '60s-aping to making some of the most interestingly chaotic, electronic-influenced pop music of the aughts. For the eight albums that followed the sea change in philosophy frontman Kevin Barnes took to writing and recording most of the works himself, partially alienating his friends, family and bandmates in the process, and discovering alter egos in the depths of his personality. Sure, Barnes struggles to reconcile the value he places on art versus how he treats those around him; and while those deficiencies may not make Barnes the greatest role model, they are part of what makes him one of the most prolific and interesting artists of our time. — CG
Passion Pit at House of Blues
You've probably heard the quirky tunes this group creates, as their band has emerged with the style “Indietronica” that has quickly got its roots in the realm of music and been popularized. This is evident by the huge slew of crowds they bring in. If you've never attended, the atmosphere definitely sides on upbeat side so expect bright lights and bubble- like lanterns. — Lauren Kuehmeier
Labor of Love Homebrew Competition at Deep Ellum Brewing Co.
Deep Ellum Brewing Co.'s fourth annual Labor of Love homebrewing competition takes place this Sunday. Law prevents them from selling tickets, but those interesting in attending can join their home-brew club, LOL Homebrew Society, as festival admission is free for members. Oh those silly TABC dinguses. The event takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. — Porttia Portis
Dallas Zine Party at The Wild Detectives
Representatives from a couple dozen zines and micro-publications from Dallas, Houston and Oklahoma will converge in Oak Cliff this weekend to make a case that print is, in fact, not dead. — CG
Millencolin at Gas Monkey Bar N' Grill
Nineties Swedish skate punks Millencolin released its eigth LP this spring, its first in seven years. The album harkens back to the band's fastest, earliest material. Sweetening the pot, The Riverboat Gamblers, Samuel Caldwell's Revenge and Fat by the Gallon open. — CG
Flea Market at Double Wide
There are plenty of flea markets that happen every Saturday and Sunday, so what makes Double Wide's flea market — which only happens the first Sunday of every month — special enough to make it to our events page? Well, for one, Easly Slider Truck will be there. And there will also be some pretty interesting drinks served at the market, including a jerky-infused Moonshine Bloody Mary. So, yeah. May be worth checking out. — Carly Seitz
The Birds of Night, Danny Diamonds, Daniel Markham at Three Links
Quick, name the three best bands in Denton. For our money, these might be them. And all playing on the same bill, no less. And while The Daniel Markhams played this same stage last weekend, The Danny Diamonds' don't make it down to Dallas often at all. — CG
Raven at DFW Vintage Toys
Ex-WWE star/ECW heavyweight champion Raven, AKA Scotty the Body, AKA Scotty Flamingo, will drop by a Dallas toy store, where he'll happily pose for a cellphone pic for a cool $25. I'm sure there's some sort of market for that. — CG
Monday
DFW Free Day of Yoga
For the ninth year in a row, just about every yoga studio in North Texas will open their doors for free classes today. Whether you use the opportunity to try your hand at a new form of workout or just to check out some of the city's hottest new studios, you've got nothing to lose — except a little stress, maybe. — CG
DJ Yella Lil Eazy E at Hat Tricks
Straight Outta Compton just dominated the box office for a third straight week. And while NWA member DJ Yella didn't necessarily get quite the screen time he, perhaps, deserved, he'll get plenty of face time at this weekend's Lewisville appearance with Eazy E's kid in tow. — CG
Pickin' for Preemies at Billy Bob's
Save some babies and raise some dough for Cook Children's while listening to acoustic performances from damn near every Texas country act you can likely name. Prophets & Outlaws, Bonnie Bishop, Michael Padgett, Steve Helms, Mike Ryan, Brandon Rhyder, Sonny Burgess, Sam Riggs, Cody Canada, Adam Hood, Zane Williams, Roger Creager, Brandon Jenkins, Deryl Dodd, Randy Brown, Walt Wilkins, William Clark Green, Mike McClure Band, Josh Weathers, Bobby Duncan, Luke Wade, Charla Corn, Abbey Cone, Zac Wilkerson and Larry Joe Taylor are all playing this one. — CG
Rangers Labor Day Race at Globe Life Park
A 5K with a finish line at the home of the future 2015 AL West champs? There are about 162 worst ways we can think of to get some exercise this holiday Monday. — CG
Cover photo by Jonathan Stafford. To find out what else is going on today, this week and beyond, check out our events page.
