Culture Lust Weekend: The Fatum Brothers, 'Packing for Mars,' and Sandcastle Competitions

MUSIC

Indie rockers and hipsters are holding a musical rumble this Saturday night at Bar Pink. A dust up of fedoras and skinny jeans! From San Diego, LA and Brooklyn come the bands Lesands, Rumspringa, and Dinosaur Feathers. All three are generating buzz from the likes of MTV and the NY Times.

Get “In The Mood” and “Sing, Sing, Sing” tonight at Dizzy’s because Chicago’s newest musical offspring – hip, young jazz group The Fatum Brother’s Jazz Orchestra - is here. Led by twin brothers, this 15-person musical group is bringing Big Band back.

If you can’t decide whether you're in the mood for music or art this Thursday night there's no need to compromise your cultural pallet: local San Diego band Manuok is releasing their new album “The Old Horse,” to the back drop of 100 original artworks from pop surrealist showcase Survey Select and of course, a full bar.

After recovering from a life threatening illness, Mary Chapin Carpenter is here – and in her own harmonious way, attempting to answer the quintessential question “what now?” In a musical snapshot of her last few years, the five-time Grammy winning country singer will perform songs from her new album “The Age of Miracles” Saturday at Balboa Theater.

Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band are coming back to Humphreys. They'll play Beatles hits as well as the latest from the All Starrs.

“Love Shack” it this Friday at the Del Mar Racetrack with the B-52s. Their upbeat, electro-rock still gets everyone on their feet.

Canadian rockers Tokyo Police Club are playing this Sunday at the Casbah. They kick off their U.S. tour in support of their new album.

This Tuesday, as part of the KSDS JazzLive Series, San Diego City College’s Saville Theater is hosting jazz drummer and composer Matt Slocum. (If you can’t catch the live performance, you can tune into 88.3 at 8 p.m.!)

Tomorrow marks the opening night of SummerFest 2010, the acclaimed month-long classical music concert series at the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Sherwood Auditorium. The first performance is entitled “String Spectacular” and features SummerFest director Cho-Liang Lin, the Borromeo String quartet, and others. (For more SummerFest go here!)

On Tuesday, follow up with SummerFest’s all-Schumann program, “A Poet’s Love." Cellists Lynn Harrell and Carter Brey, along with baritone Kelly Markgaf will perform works of the celebrated German composer.

BOOKS

It’s a world without beer, fresh food, hot showers, sex or oxygen, yet somehow, we regularly dream of going to space. In "Packing for Mars," Mary Roach ('Bonk,' 'Stiff') asks and attempts to answer all of our space travel questions. What happens if you throw up in your helmet? Is it rude to float upside-down when talking to another astronaut? How exactly does one not pee on themselves? This Tuesday, meet the author herself at The Book Works where she will be signing copies of her book.

ART

Think back to your paper dollhouse days all this month at Paper Theater. Small paper replicas of famous theaters will be on display (just like the Victorian era’s drawing room entertainment!) so be sure to head over to UCSD to see “smallest show on earth” in all its miniature glory.

In an artistic examination of seeds, earth, life and the interconnectedness of all three, painter Martin Facey's work will be on display in an exhibit titled PLUCK SEED SOW SCATTER SUN and THEN SOME. The opening reception is at L Street Gallery this Saturday. The exhibit will be on display all month.

Evocative visual war narratives from local artists and Camp Pendleton Youth will be on display this Friday at the New Americans Museum.

EVENTS

Grab your buckets, shovels and SPF 30 because the Imperial Beach Sandcastle Competition is this weekend. The giant sand “creations” (castles are soo 90’s), street vendors, and live music (including a 21-and-up dance at the Imperial Beach Boys and Girls Club) make this the largest sandcastle building competition in the United States!

A few weeks ago, the new Urbanist guide hit the streets - it's a must-have for the latest hot spots and trends in SD shopping, dining, and imbibing. Celebrate its release with “Drinks, DJ’s and ‘diversions’” tonight at Quality Social.

We’ve told you about Friday Night Liberty before, but this weekend, with NTC Gallery Dances, Liberty Station will come to life with a whole new attitude. And as usual, there will be wine, exhibitions and a guided gallery crawl.

THEATER

Interesting in-laws? You’re not alone. Relate to - or revel in - the trilogy of comedies by playwright Alan Ayckbourn known as "The Norman Conquests," which will run in rep in an ambitious production at Cygnet Theater starting tonight.

"The Last Romance" opens at The Old Globe, starring Marion Ross ("Happy Days," "The Drew Carey Show," "Brothers & Sisters") opposite her life partner, Paul Michael, in this December-December romance.