ART
It’s locals only at MCASD La Jolla this weekend as the museum debuts “Here Not There: San Diego Art Now”. Premiering Sunday, the exhibit touts works from 50-plus S.D. natives, including a few names you may recognize, like May Ling-Martinez, David Adey, and Sheldon Brown. It’s a self-described parallel to the museum’s groundbreaking 1985 show, “A San Diego Exhibition: Forty-Two Emerging Artists,” and you’ll want to bookmark these creatives as they make their name in the art world.
It’s the event of the season for local culturati, and this year is no exception – Sushi Art’s Red Ball (now in its 30th year!) is finally happening this Saturday night. On the agenda: plenty of live performances, soundscapes from experimentalist Margaret Noble, and a visual, interactive timeline of Sushi’s past three decades. As for the dress code? It’s all in the name (red!). Get creative.
From Michelangelo’s David constructed of marshmallows to a mixed media Selena retrospective, UCSD’s MFA candidates have been up to quite a bit this year. See these and more during their MFA 2010 show, debuting this Friday at the on-campus University Art Gallery.
EVENTS
The San Diego Spirits Festival kicked off yesterday and continues through the weekend, with its Grand Tasting happening this Saturday afternoon at the Hilton Bayfront. Sample scores of libations from mixologists, including over 65 types of spirits on offer. Not bad for a $50 entrance fee. Meanwhile, you can head to the US Grant tonight at 5 to catch a dual bartender/chef challenge, where top toques and mix masters from local hot spots (the Se, Bice, El Bizcocho and more) will duke it out.
Can’t get enough of uptown’s never-ending arts fests? This weekend, visit Art Around Adams for 1.6 miles of live performances, shopping, and, of course, gallery-hopping galore.
THEATER
Cygnet this weekend, as it presents Noël Coward’s “Private Lives” at the Old Town Theater. A bitingly witty rom-com, see why this 1930 play still remains fresh.
Mexico City native Roberto Moutal penned “The Show Across the Street”, debuting at the Lyceum this weekend, in a response to his country’s oft-overlooked Jewish culture. Meant to be an unofficial sequel to “Fiddler on the Roof”, the play centers around a group in Mexico City who are attempting to re-stage the aforementioned Joseph Stein classic to celebrate and raise awareness of their Jewish roots. It’s only here ‘till Sunday, so catch it while you can.
Presented by the Bear Arts Foundation and SDSU, ColorFest 2010 features some of the art world’s preeminent multi-cultural playwrights and poets. It kicks off next Wednesday at SDSU with an interactive presentation on the history and eloquence of hip hop, followed by Spoken Word Night, which will be hosted by Def Jam Poetry alum Joe Hernandez-Kolsk.
Enjoy gravity-defying fluorescent feats in Anthology’s posh interior this weekend as the internationally acclaimed iL CiRCo rolls in for its Acro Circus show. Think a homegrown, cooler Cirque du Soleil – their very first performance, in 1996, was staged right here in town.
MUSIC
Sage Francis will stop by the Belly-Up this Monday as part of his “Li(f)e on the Road” tour, and we can’t wait to catch his smart, affecting blend of hip-hop and spoken word in person. Opening is Free Moral Agents (with Mars Volta alum Ikey Ownes in tow) and B. Dolan.
Also at the Belly-Up next week: the locally raised, bluesy-cool Delta Spirit will play on Tuesday night. You’ve probably already heard their catchy “Trashcan” on the radio; pop in for a taste of their new album, “History from Below,” which officially drops the same night of their performance (check out a teaser video above!)
As any musician knows, image is everything. This particularly holds true at the Museum of Making Music this weekend, as they continue “The Art of the Stompbox” exhibit. These stompboxes are tricked out with color, graphics and graffiti. The exhibit also gets into the history and sound of the instrument. Students from UCSD’s Calit2 and arts program will lend a hand (foot?) in visually interpreting the device.
While we’re a little bummed that the La Jolla Symphony is concluding its season, their final performance of Benjamin Britten’s seminal “War Requiem” is sure to be a treat. It happens this Saturday and Sunday at UCSD’s Mandeville Auditorium.
Shake it at Dizzy’s this Saturday with a performance that features jazz, mambo and salsa from Charlie Chavez and his Afrotruko, with an instrumental entourage that includes a trumpet, piano, conga drums, saxophone, and more.
