The ’80s Were Magic

Has the government shutdown still got you down? Looking for a reason to get out of bed now that summer is over, at least in the strictest technical sense? Or maybe you’re just disappointed at the newest crop of freshmen Saturday Night Live players. What you need is a healthy…

Xperience Public Art

The Nasher Sculpture Center decided to tackle its 10-year anniversary in the biggest, rowdiest way imaginable: It’s holding a multi-million dollar public art project called Nasher Xchange and it opens Saturday. Ten artists, each with a solid background in taking art outside of museum walls, have been selected for the…

Fill Up That Idea Piñata You Call A Brain

Some people are simply more interesting than the rest. You can attempt to deny that, but will eventually reach acceptance during TEDxSMU, the locally licensed branch of the global idea exchange. It returns to the Wyly on Saturday with its 2013 edition, “And Then …” where it will delight a…

Quick, Look Animated

Today’s technology has transformed Lou Ferrigno’s Hulk into Mark Ruffalo’s, with its lifelike animation and graphics. It vivified scenes such as Neo fighting Mr. Smith in the courtyard (excluding Reeves’ acting), Ironman flying through an army of Chitauri fleet while beaming down missiles, and gave old man Carl Fredrickson a…

Trade Films For Blood Money

Sometimes a bloodbath is a good thing — and we’re not talking about occult ceremonies and traditions. When it comes to horror and gore, the bloodier the better, so thank God two local cinephiles joined together to create the Blood Bath Film Festival. The two-day festival that celebrates independent horror…

Put Up Your Dukes

If you grew up anywhere near the ’80s (beat it, Biebers), your TV lineup included CHiPs and Dukes of Hazzard and somewhere in that menagerie of good old boys and tight tan pants you had your first crush. Back then you would’ve done just about anything to meet the legends…

These Cats Really Shred

We live under the assumption that cats defy training. That they are instinctively ambivalent to our desires. But that ain’t true, and should I know, because I’ve seen the mother-effin’ Circus Cats. This traveling crew of renegade rescue felines not only performs tricks, but does them on stage in front…

Let’s Get Small

Spend an evening with the ghosts of composers past on Monday when the Dallas Chamber Music Society opens its 69th season with a concert by the acclaimed American String Quartet. The quartet, originally founded by a group of Juilliard students, will begin the concert with the haunting modernist sounds of…

Flamenco And Fangs

Like Fred and Ginger, Laurel and Hardy, and chocolate and peanut butter, great pairs make the world spin. So when we heard that The Ochre House and the 2013 Dallas Flamenco Festival were teaming up for something special, we knew that the outcome would be truly awesome. And awesome it…

The Baddest Bernhard You Know

When you think about Sandra Bernhard, you likely picture Nancy, Arnie’s wife on Roseanne, but you need to think a little harder. Bernhard is an octuple threat — she writes, performs, sings, puts on shows, wins awards, write books, puts out albums and back-up sings for big-timers. On Wednesday she’s…

The Four Corners Film Race: Make a Film in a Week, Win a Keg

We love a good movie making contest, as evidenced by the Observer’s critically *acclaimed, *award-winning entry in the 24 Hour Video Race (shown above). Well there’s a new challenge on the table, divined through the intoxicated holy union of the Oak Cliff Film Festival and Four Corners Brewery. It’s called…

Behind the Costumes of New York Comic-Con

Tatiana CraineSmaug the dragon and Sherlock Holmes at New York Comic-Con.Editor’s note: We’ve been receiving dispatches from New York Comic-Con from our sister paper, The Village Voice. Since you’re stuck in a costumeless Dallas cubical, we thought we’d share a bit of that dark, east coast magic with you. It’s…

Our Favorite #Dallas Instagrams from Last Weekend (Oct 11 – Oct 13)

“Texas PolaWalk Breakfast”***** There’s always something going on in Dallas, so we thought it’d be fun to live vicariously through your adventures. Each week look for our #Dallas Instagram recap of people, places, events, food, and more. This recent #Dallas photoroll turned up a glittery line of cheerleaders, scenes from…

Brace Yourself for Adorableness: A Cat Circus is Coming

We live under the assumption that cats defy training. That they are instinctively ambivalent to our desires. But that ain’t true, and should I know, because I’ve seen the mother effin’ Acro-Cats. This traveling crew of renegade rescue felines not only performs tricks, but does them on stage in front…

The Five Best Places to See a Play in Dallas

Outside of Dallas, too many people think there’s no great theater happening inside of Dallas. We know better. Besides the giant venues with the name of a telecommunications giant attached to them, there are a bunch of more interesting, smaller playhouses where local actors, directors and playwrights are putting new…

Ten Simply Amazing Photos from the Miss Texas Polestar Competition

Yes, pole dancing evolved from strip clubs. I’ll pause while your inner 14 year-old laughs awkwardly. Go ahead. I’ll wait. [Whistling…] Last weekend national talents converged in Dallas at the Miss Texas Polestar competition. And no, these ladies (and gentleman) didn’t accept any dolla, dolla, bills. What they did do…

Is the Amazing Johnathan Still Amazing When He’s Not in Las Vegas?

Magician/comedian The Amazing Johnathan comes from the magical land Las Vegas, where families’ college funds mysteriously disappear, and those with $10 in their pocket can consume more barbeque ribs than science allows. He got his start performing for spare change on street corners. Later, he joined the comedy clubs ranks…