Things To Do This Weekend.

Party With Us.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if, in lieu of putting a case on your smartphone, you just covered the thing in bouncy balls? Yeah, probably not. Still, somebody out there did, putting their ball-covered phone to the test by dropping it off a parking garage. It didn't go well.

It might be a stretch to say so, but going out this weekend without a plan is kind of like jumping off a parking garage protected by nothing but bouncy balls. Don't crack your, um, screen. Just peruse the following events and consider ya neck protected. — Cory Graves

Friday
Central Track's Fourth Anniversary Party at Dada
Hey, here's a fun (maybe, I don't know) thing to remember about the earliest days of Central Track's existence: In our first few months of operations, we were so damn happy to not just immediately have crumbled under the weight of our own expectations that we not only threw ourselves a celebration once we reached six months of existence, but we also even did so when we hit the notable-by-no-standards four-month mark. We were young and stupid then. Still are, in many ways. But doing this thing for four years now, which we've somehow pulled off at this point? That's a wholly legit thing worth celebrating, we think. Think about it: Central Track has been up and running for as long as most of us were in high school or college. And, aside from that being a one hundred percent bonkers truth, it also means we're ready to graduate up to the next level and more fully face the harsh realities of the real world — whether we're even fully ready to do so. We'll do just that with this bash, which features performances from Quaker City Night Hawks, Sam Lao, Picnictyme and War Party. — Pete Freedman

Carly Rae Jepsen at House of Blues
Who would have guessed that the girl that put out “Call Me Maybe” would follow that up with one of the best albums of last year? What Jepsen did with Emotion is what Taylor Swift tried to do with 1989, only better executed in every conceivable way. It's an album that rejuvenates the pop music of the '80s and '90s and gives it a modern update. The production is fantastically complex and layered, oftentimes sounding like something Daft Punk would have made. The best way to describe her music is like it's the musical version of getting ice cream with a really cute date, it's so sweet you can practically taste it. — Paul Wedding

Kid Cudi at The Bomb Factory (Sold Out)
Fresh off of releasing the worst album of 2016, Kid Cudi will be playing at The Bomb Factory in front of a sold-out crowd. Dude done lost his damn mind. — PW

Jay Pharaoh at Arlington Improv
The impression master, Jay Pharoah, will be letting loose at Arlington Improv. His live sets are more risky than his skits on Saturday Night Live, because he can get away with it. Television has its limits. Yet, that talent and humor he brings to his impersonations of Eddie Murphy, Will Smith and Chris Tucker is well on display in his live sets. He'll be playing two shows a night for three nights. — RA

Robert DeLong at Trees
Robert DeLong is an electronic music producer most well-known for the song “Long Way Down.” He combines his intricate orchestration of electronic sounds with his own underwhelming vocals, to predictably mixed results. Colours and Repel the Robot open. — PW

The Big Lebowski at Inwood Theatre
For the next two nights, the Inwood is hosting midnight screenings of everybody's favorite stoner-dude-mystery-comedy hybrid, The Big Lebowski. For our money, it's the Coen Brothers' best film, Fargo be damned. With two late-night showings this weekend, there's really no excuse not to catch one or the other. Hell, you even have time to bowl a few frames before the show if you really want to do The Dude proud. — Jordyn Walters

Beautiful Thing at Texas Theatre
Beautiful Thing (1996) takes place in the London suburbs, and follows two teenage boys who have a hard home life. Both of the boys' parents are abusive physically and verbally. Ste is beaten regularly by his father and finds comfort staying over with his neighbor, Jamie. The two form a bond that is elevated from friendship to love. This very emotional movie depicts some the strife and beauty typical of young love. — RA

We From Dallas at RBC
Dallas has long struggled to put its hip-hop scene on the national map, standing firm in the belief that its product could compete with that of other, more nationally recognized hip-hop hotbeds littered throughout the country. Over the course of this film's 87 minutes, a group of local filmmakers put that reputation on blast. — Anton Schlesinger

“The Champagne Room” at CentralTrak
Performance art is so weird. “The Champagne Room” is no exception. The premise is that in this world of permanent bubblies, dance and cheap thrills exists a person named Champagne Jerry of the Champagne Room. Joining Jerry and his cohorts of performers is musician Neal Medlyn, who probably isn't a musician at all. Who knows? It's performance art, remember? It's sure to be entertaining to say the least with a full on concert wrapped in a album release wrapped in a suite of videos. Plus, it's free. — RA

Wax Ruins, Stealers, PVC Street Gang at Double Wide
This show is a great meld of a very loud triumvirate. PVC Street Gang is hopelessly distorted, but grooves on a bluesy bass line. Stealers feels like a firebomb in your chest. Kind of like being scolded in a steel factory. Wax Ruins, which headlines, is sludgy, dark and foreboding. Imagine Godzilla stomping out Tokyo while playing a bass shaped like the Hindenburg on fire. — RA

Jake Paleschic, Daniel Markham, Carson McHone at Fred's Texas Cafe
It's easy to get swallowed up by all the country and Americana acts in Texas. These three artists, Fort Worth's Jake Paleschic, Denton's Daniel Markham and Austin's Carson McHone seem to be treading water. Starting with McHone, she's a wonderful vocal talent who, if you close your eyes, you would think you were listening to an old honky-tonk album from the '50s. Markham is a bit more electric in his approach to Americana, incorporating bits of '90s grunge into the mix, but his storytelling sensibilities and Texas twang are very much in tact. Paleschic, of Fort Worth, is soulful rambler with a panache for making danceable tunes. —RA

Blue Man Group at Bass Performance Hall
You have to be a fantastic drummer to be a Blue Man. It also helps if you don't mind being dipped in vat of blue paint every night. Blue Man Group has been performing for what seems like an eternity, but continue to mesmerize audiences. Be the next to feel their awesome blue power. — RA

Geoff Tate's Operation: Mindcrime at Granada Theater
After 30 years of performing as part of the band Queensrÿche, Tate decided it was time for a name change. Operation: Mindcrime is a metal band currently working on a trilogy of albums, and released their first one, The KeyPW

Mountain Kid (Album Release) at Lola's
Mountain Kid is a collaboration of two Fort Worth bands, Head of Savage and The Royal Savages, looking to create unique, progressive music. Describing themselves as “Post Progressive Space Rock,” it's a pretty accurate descriptor as the group produces a sound that doesn't really fit into one slot, with blues-y guitars one one track, and ambient, complexly arranged sounds on another. Here, the band celebrates the release of the second part of its album. Animal Spirit, Pseudo Future and Cozy Hawks open. —PW

A. Sinclair at The Foundry (Free)
A. Sinclair is an Austin garage rock band that pretty much perfectly embodies that descriptor. The songs are fun, fast-paced and they do a great job putting together a sound that's both intense and electric. Catch them for free at West Dallas' favorite chicken spot. — PW

Bob Schneider at Kessler Theater
Long a mainstay in the Austin's music scene, Schneider brings his genre-bending ways to Dallas this weekend. You should check him out. He's known for being a great performer. And for once dating Sandra Bullock. He performs two shows at the Kessler on Friday. — H. Drew Blackburn

Riverdance at Allen Event Center
Riverdance is one of Michael “Lord of the Dance” Flatley's best-known works. With this tour, the production celebrates its 20th anniversary. So, if that's up your alley, and you tolerate the bagpipes, you might want to check it out. — PW

Tracy Lawrence at Billy Bob's
For more than 20 years, Tracy Lawrence has been writing some of the most famous country songs to come out, from “Time Marches On” to “Paint Me A Birmingham,” he has a unique voice that is instantly identifiable, and he generally comes off more authentic than most country stars. — PW

Joe Budden at The Live Oak
Joe Budden comes off like a commercialized rapper popped out of a record label's rapper manufacturing plant. He doesn't have much to stand out from every other rapper, and falls back to the common themes and motifs of whatever is popular on the scene at the time. It's boring and forgettable. — PW

Hellbastard at Three Links
Hellbastard, the first “crust punk” band, is a sort on the fringe of punk and metal, with the guitar-heavy, hard sound of metal, with fuck-you attitude lyrics. It's a band to listen to when you're angry at the world, society, politics, or whatever else pisses you off. Which is really the purpose of punk in the first place. Warwound, Nerve Damage, Tolar and Mouth Breather open. — PW

Cliburn Festival at Scat Jazz Lounge
The Cliburn Festival celebrates the greatest of American roots music. Some of the featured musicians include Ralph Votapek, Spencer Myer, Henry Kramer, Ava Pine, Jonathan Beyer and the Attacca Quartet. Each day celebrates a different genre. Day two will feature jazz at the Scat Jazz Lounge. The third day will cover musical theatre at the Four Day Weekend Theater. Day four covers the music of Hollywood — hello, my honey! — at the Amon Carter Museum. And the fifth, and final, day is all about the classics at the Kimball. Tickets are $35 for individual concert days, $150 for general admission to all the concerts and $300 for VIP passes. — RA

Saturday
Ticketstock 2016 at Irving Convention Center
The Little Ticket, 1310-AM is holding its annual sports radio festival of sorts at the Irving Convention Center. All of your favorite talking heads will be there broadcasting live. There's also a chance to meet and receive autographs from former Cowboy, Terrell Owens, and current Maverick, Zaza Pachulia. Pat Green plays a free concert starting at 7 p.m. Getting into that show will require grabbing a free ticket beforehand, and those will start being handed out at the convention center's box office starting at 10 a.m. — RA

The Pin Show at The Bomb Factory
The Pin Show is an independent fashion show showcasing more than 160 walks from independent designers. The show is meant to put the cutting edge of fashion on display, from small-time independent companies to established brands. Music will be provided by Zhora, Sam Lao, Ronnie Heart and several others. — PW

Chief Keef at Gas Monkey Live
From the streets of Englewood in Chicago, is Keith Cozart. Who? Chief Keef, man. He was “discovered” by Kanye West, but he would have made it anyhow judging by the dude's skill. He's hooked up with numerous big names on tracks like 50 Cent, Gucci Mane, Wiz Khalifa and Rick Ross. Looking at his videos, it's apparent that Keef loves to blow blunts, sip from Styrofoam cups and hang outside of moving vehicles. Should make for an entertaining show to say the least. — RA

Pretty Things Peep Show at Kessler Theater
It's not really a peep show, other than a few scantily clad cast members. It's a circus show similar to Cirque du Soleil, minus the ridiculous acrobatics. The show features a lot of knife throwing, sword swallowing, puppets, whips, contortion, mind reading and burlesque. It's like a magic show with an S&M twist. — PW

“The Art of the Pop Portrait” at Level Gallery
“The Art of the Pop Portrait” is a collaboration between artists Jim Evans and Richard Duardo, both famous for creating vibrantly-colored, social commentary-ridden pieces of pop art and pop portraits akin to the works of Andy Warhol. Complementing their work is sculptures and furniture by Dakota Pratt, another Warhol-inspired sculptor and artist. — PW

Megadeth at South Side Ballroom
Megadeth is a thrash metal band considered one of the “big four” in metal (alongside Metallica, Anthrax and Slayer). Founded after guitarist Dave Mustaine was kicked out of Metallica, the band focuses on fast-paced, technical musicianship with a focus on political and religious commentary. The band has been going on for more than 30 years now and just released their 15th album, Dystopia. —PW

Denton Zine Fest at Rubber Gloves
The Denton art scene is thriving, at least as much as a small college town could thrive. To promote and increase its success, several small artists, writers, print and zine-makers from around the country are coming together at Rubber Gloves. There are many that say print is dying, and honestly they're probably right, but there's still a lot of great magazines and publications out there that deserve some appreciation. — PW

MZ Bossy Eyes (Album Release) at Dada
MZ Bossy is an Alaskan rapper releasing her second album, Eyes Wide Open. I think the biggest takeaway from this is that Alaska has a hip hop scene. — PW

Alejandro Escovedo, Daniel Markham, Birds of Night at Dan's Silverleaf
This concert is part of the Thin Line Festival, showcasing documentaries and local music. Alejandro Escovado is a new-to-Dallas singer-songwriter who's been playing music since he started with the punk rock group The Nuns in the '70s. Despite his origins, he plays a vast range of music, from punk to rock to country. He's a musician focused on singing and playing what matters to him without restraining himself to one genre. Daniel Markham and The Birds of Night open. — PW

Whiskey Folk Ramblers, Bad Mountain at Double Wide
Whiskey Folk Ramblers is a Morricone-esque country band from Dallas. The band's sound ranges from low-key melancholy pieces grounded in Americana roots to Spanish-influenced, dancey tunes with trumpet and playful guitar melodies. Also playing is Bad Mountain, a local Americana band in the same vein as Whiskey Folk, and sharing several of its members, with a hint of gospel. Earnest Matthew opens. — PW

High Fidelity at Texas Theatre
Remember those shitty John Cusack romantic comedies from the '80s? This movie is an apology for those movies, and it's marvelous. John Cusack plays a snobby, list-obsessed record store owner, alongside Jack Black and Todd Louiso, going through a bad break-up. And in order to help get through it, decides to go through each of his previous break-ups to see just what went wrong. The movie is a hilarious and authentic look at what causes and ends relationships. Definitely check it out. — PW

What is Cinema? Podcast Launch Party at Oak Cliff Cultural Center (Free)
THRWD magazine is enterprising a brand new film podcast, What is Cinema?, to be hosted by regular contributors Lee Escobedo and Patrick Patterson-Carrol and recorded at the Texas Theatre. The first episode will feature the owner of Spinster Records, David Grover. Basically, each show will deal with the films showing at the Texas Theatre, and High Fidelity will be the first film discussed on the podcast. Now, on to the party. Black Taffy will be performing a screwed and chopped set, dreampop/surf rockers Field Guide will slay the room and DJ Natural Hiiigh will be behind the decks. Admission is free and there will be complimentary food and drinks. — RA

Over The Rhine at Granada Theater
There have been many husband and wife duos in the history of music. Johnny Cash and June Carter, Mates of State, Captain and Tenille are just a few. One of the best, however, is Cincinnati's Over The Rhine. The duo's music is sultry and smoky, kind of like a dark speakeasy. Their brand of folk music borders jazz and country and is carried on the wings of Karin Bergquist's feathery voice. Jacob Furr opens the show. — RA

Anti-Flag at The Prophet Bar
This year being an election year, it's a good time to flex your political muscles. The time is good as any for Anti-Flag, War on Women and The Homeless Gospel Choir to get together for a killer show at The Prophet Bar. Anti-Flag released its 10th studio album, American Spring, last year, which seems like a wakeup call to Americans. But, then again, which Anti-Flag album wasn't? War on Women are raucous hardcore feminist band from Baltimore akin to Huggy Bear. The Homeless Gospel Choir is a one man band (Derek Zanetti) who wears its heart on its sleeve. — RA

“NOT PHOTOGRAPHY” at Erin Cluley Gallery
OK, so it is photography. But the idea behind the exhibition is that these six different photographers/artists are trying to push the boundaries of photography. Nowadays, everyone can call themselves a photographer thanks to the advent of mobile devices and Instagram filters. This exhibit completely changes the process and treatment of photography in an attempt to show its audience something new, something unlike photography. — PW

“HOT & WET” at Circuit 12 Contemporary
“Hot & Wet” is a new art exhibit showcasing work by several Houston-based artists. I can only assume the name was derived from Houston's climate. — PW

Admiral at Josey Records
Admiral is a pair of two teachers that sound a lot like a '70s rock band. A lot of ambiance and psychedelic sounds added to some traditional rock to make a pretty solid sounding group. With them at this free in-store event is Social Echoes, another band in the same psychedelic rock vein. — PW

Sushi Making 101 at Steel
You've probably had a sushi rolling party where all of your friends make rolls that resemble soggy logs of seaweed bursting with crummy rice. Well, if you'd like to impress those friends, take this Sushi-making class from Steel. They will teach you the art of making perfect rice, slicing perfect cuts of fish and creating those intricate little garnishes. The course includes a sushi-making kit, a recipe book and a complimentary drink. The course costs $50 per person. — RA

NerdyGeek Fashion Show at Roll2Play
This is a call for all you sew-ers and menders out there who have what it takes to take on the runway with your cosplay costumes. Roll2Play will be hosting a contest and fashion show featuring local talent. Cosplayers will also have to opportunity to talk shop with other cosplay enthusiasts. The event is open to everyone, so if you're just curious about the fashion show, check it out! — RA

Mardi Gras Texas Style! 2016 at Dallas Fair Park Automobile Building
Mardi Gras Texas Style — I guess “Texas style” means “a week late?” — is a music festival meant to bring you some of Texas's best country music acts. I guess for them, Texas style means a week late. The festival features acts such as Cory Morrow, Hunter Hutchinson and everyone's favorite '90s relic, Vanilla Ice. — PW

Bicycle Brewery Tour: Winter Edition at T&P Station
The good folks at Bike Friendly Oak Cliff are putting together another Winter edition of their biking brewery tour. No details as to which breweries are on the tour just yet, but will be released on the Facebook event page soon. The meet up is no later than 11:30 a.m. at the T&P Station in Fort Worth. Make sure to pick up a free wristband to ensure you get the proper discounts on the all the delicious brews. Bring water, snacks and tools if you're so inclined. — RA

The Dallas Festival of Ideas at Fair Park (Free)
The idea (heh) behind The Dallas Festival of Ideas is to bring together and inspire the people of Dallas to come up with ways of improving the city. The two-day event will feature panels, interactive discussions, live music, performances and several keynote speakers including Def Jam CEO Russell Simmons. There will be multiple zones installed throughout the festival to show attendees ways to be more healthy, become more educated, how to write better and more. — PW

Drezo at Lizard Lounge
This dude is pretty much as health-goth-house as it gets. There's no indication that he's into cardio, but he does make energetic house beats and remixes that are draped in black silk. Check out his remix of Lil Wayne's “A Milli” and Drowning Pool's “Bodies” to get a feel for Drezo. He's only 24-years-old and seems to have found himself a nice little niche. He'll be getting help from Black Frames, Johnny Funk and Raydar & Shaolin at this one. — RA

Marlon Wayans at House of Blues
If you don't know who Marlon Wayans is, you're probably an infant, and if so, HOW ARE YOU READING THIS? Those of you who do know of Wayans would know that he is one of the funniest men in America. He's been making people laugh since his bit roll in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, and he made people cry in the film Requiem For A Dream where he plays a heroin user/dealer who ends up…well, it ends up bad. He's been making parody movies for decades from Scary Movie to Fifty Shades of Black. It's about time you catch him doing his stand-up act for this one night only. — RA

Sunny Sweeney at Hank's Grill
Sunny Sweeney is so gosh darn Texan, her name is Sunny for Christ's sake. She was born in Houston and started her music career in Austin. She plays guitar and sings with the best of the country artists out there. — RA

Doorly at It'll Do Club
Martin Doorly is a house deejay that goes by the name, Doorly. It's that simple. His music, however, is anything but. His mixes go from something you'd hear at the Playboy Mansion to something straight out of the sewers in Ghostbusters. It's like walking through many doors in a fun house. Get it? House? Anyway, give this dude from Los Angeles some love. DJ Red Eye will be up before him. — RA

Bummer Vacation at Three Links
This isn't what you would expect from the band's name, it's not some Best Coast bullshit. The songs take a modern indie/punk sound and add some ambiance and noise to it to make a unique aural experience. Also playing is psychedelic indie space rock band, The Cush, which is finally releasing its new record on vinyl at this show. Duell opens. — PW

Sunday
Hoodie Allen at House of Blues
In recent years, Allen's hordes of adoring teens helped him sell out South Side Ballroom, The Prophet Bar and The House of Blues, where he'll once again perform tonight. The upside for you older Hoodie fans? Despite the huge crowd that's bound to show up tonight, we're guessing the lines at the bar will be all but nonexistent. — CG

Dare to Drum at Campus Theatre
In his crowd-funded documentary, John Bryant tell the story of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and D'Drum's performance of Police drummer Stewart Copeland's “Gamelan D'Drum” back in 2011 and how, after three years of work, an ill-timed ice storm nearly shut down the piece's world premiere. It screens as part of the Thin Line Fest. — CG

O.A.R. at Gas Monkey Live
O.A.R. is a rock band known for its diverse range of music, complexly composed arrangements and use of horns. But the band's most well-known songs are really generic sounding soft rock songs. The good thing about this tour is that they're letting the crowd pick what they play, so if you're a fan you might be able to hear all of the songs by them you enjoy. — PW

North Texas Craft Beer Chili Challenge at LUCK
Luck is hosting its second annual North Texas craft beer and chili challenge on Sunday, February 21. At least two dozen area breweries have signed up to compete to make a chili using one of their beers, with proceeds benefiting the North Texas Food Bank. If you want to participate in the tastings, a $10 donation will get you 10 cups, a spoon, a raffle entry and a vote in the contest. The event takes place from noon to 5 p.m. — Porttia Portis

Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys at Gas Monkey Bar N' Grill
Now in their 28th year together, Big Sandy and his rockabilly revivalist backing band are so authentic, it's hard to pick their records from a bin of actual '60s albums. Thanks to their artwork, recording methods, songwriting, effects and costumes, they're one of the most authentic retro-influenced acts around. — CG