Culture Lust Weekend: 'Avenue Q,' Femi Kuti, And Chocolate

THEATER

Head down to "Avenue Q" where the puppets work blue. Next Tuesday, join Princeton, Brian, Kate, Christmas Eve and Trekkie Monster on their search for jobs, friendship and purpose. They'll be at the San Diego Civic Theatre all week.

A Midwestern mix of family secrets and fried chicken stew marks ion theatre company’s newest dark comedy "Parasite Drag". The show begins Saturday and will be playing through the month, but go tonight or tomorrow for a $10 preview!

MUSIC

If you're missing San Diego band Grand Ole Party, or just looking for a new leather-clad, edgy-pop band, head to the Casbah this Friday. Kristin Gundred (now Dee Dee) and her new band Dum Dum Girls will be playing their self-proclaimed “blitzed out buzz saw pop,” alongside popular local pop outfit Crocodiles.

With her red hair and viscous vocals, it's no surprise that Alison Sudol of A Fine Frenzy is still turning heads. She'll be at Cricket Wireless Amphitheater on Wednesday.

The showbiz grand slam winner (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards) Marvin Hamlisch is coming to San Diego this weekend! Get patriotic at the San Diego Symphony's Star Spangled Pops concert, conducted by Hamlisch.

Femi Kuti, Afrobeat maestro and oldest son of the legendary Fela Kuti, will be at the Belly Up this Tuesday.

Also at the Belly Up tonight is CocoRosie. The sisters are freak folk musicians - a little blues, electronica, hip hop, and pop - whose carnivalesque, girls-in-drag, style may be worth the price of admission.

Local singer-songwriter Jack Tempchin (he penned the Eagles hit “Peaceful Easy Feeling”) will be honored this Friday at Anthology. Steve Wood from Honk, Richard Stekol from Funkey Kings, and Alex Woodard are just a few of the musicians gathering to play Tempchin's hits before being joined on stage by the singer himself.

ART

Who has time to smell the flowers these days? This Friday, you have a good excuse to just look at them. Jonathan Singer's photographs of exotic flowers and plants, collectively known as "Botanica Magnifica" will be at Symbolic Collection all month.

Also on the photography front is Bill Rastetter's lovely collection of "Nighttime Seascapes" on view in an exhibit opening this weekend at the Joseph Bellows Gallery.

EVENTS

It seems fitting to celebrate Independence Day weekend at Liberty Station, no? Friday Night Liberty is reason enough. There will be art exhibits, chocolate samplings, and wine and cheese tastings.