weekend event planner

Here are the top 17 things to do in Houston this weekend

Shake up your weekend with cocktail classes at La Colombe d’Or.

lacolombedor.com [https://www.lacolombedor.com/bar-no-3]

This weekend features a host of cultural celebrations, from Latino performing arts, a popular NPR political podcast, a milestone moment for the symphony, Hispanic heritage, jazz, and more.

Meanwhile, movie fans who want to also enjoy the weather can enjoy outdoor screenings downtown, while music fans can take in cool jazz and a meaningful Ukrainian benefit show. A local sports bar hosts a purr-fect pet and animal fundraiser, and a famed boutique hotel mixes in some cocktail classes.

Enjoy; here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, September 15

The Alliance presents United We Dine
The Alliance will host an international food and culture celebration that will highlight Houston’s diversity, while highlighting the important work the organization does to help refugees and underserved individuals in the community. Local restaurants will provide food sampling to give attendees the opportunity to virtually transport themselves to the countries and regions. During the event, attendees will also have the opportunity to watch live performances from the finest artists, representing various cultures from around the globe. 6 pm.

Arte Publico Press presents Showcase of Latino Performing Arts
Arte Público Press is celebrating 40 years of promoting literacy and reading through publishing excellence. In honor of the 40th anniversary, the nonprofit will host a showcase of Latino performing artists. This show will be a collaborative effort bringing together outstanding artists from the opera, symphony, ballet, and other performing groups to highlight the vibrant influence of Latin-American and Latino cultures. 6:30 pm.

NPR Politics Podcast Live
After a two year hiatus, the NPR Politics Podcast is headed back to the stage, featuring a panel of your favorite NPR voices: Ashley Lopez, Asma Khalid, Domenico Montanaro, Susan Davis and Tamara Keith. This all-star cast will dig into local and national midterm races, the big political news and issues in Texas and what they just cannot let go of. Join them for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how the podcast is made, and a chance to put your questions to the pod squad. 8 pm.

Friday, September 16

Houston Art Gallery Association presents Fall Art Gallery Celebration
Join Foto Relevance and the Houston Art Gallery Association (HAGA) for this two-day, city-wide inaugural celebration. HAGA is composed of the finest art galleries in Houston, each with their own distinct programming, representing the most outstanding artists in Texas and around the world. This weekend, enjoy extended hours at many participating galleries across town. Foto Relevance will be open late on Friday. Admission is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. 11 am.

Alley Theatre presents Lend Me A Soprano
Ken Ludwig (The Three Musketeers, Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express), America’s preeminent comedic playwright, debuts a “revisal” of his classic hit with women in the leading roles. This play is set in 1934 as Mrs. Lucille Wiley, General Manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, is ready to welcome world-famous soprano Elena Firenzi for her one-night only starring role in Carmen. Through Sunday, October 9. 8 pm (2:30 and 7:30 pm).

Houston Symphony presents Juraj Valčuha Inaugural Weekend: Verdi Requiem
For his first concerts as Music Director Designate, Juraj Valčuha shares a towering masterpiece from Italian opera master Giuseppe Verdi. Traversing a sweeping emotional arc from fiery anguish and grief to radiant joy and ultimate peace, this live performance is moving and cathartic, captivating and euphoric, poignant and profound. The concert will feature the Houston Symphony Chorus and vocalists Ana María Martínez, Marina Prudenskaya, Jonathan Tetelman, and Dmitry Belosselskiy. 8 pm (2:30 pm Sunday)

The Rustic presents Jungle Fire
The Rustic is kicking off Hispanic Heritage Month with the Los Angeles-based TropiFunk juggernaut Jungle Fire, for a night of dancing and live music. With a focus on Afro-Caribbean and West African rhythms, the diverse, musical and cultural backgrounds of Jungle Fire’s members reflect LA's unique international and multicultural mix of beats, sounds and flavors. The event is free with an RSVP, but guests are encouraged to arrive early as the event is majority standing room only. 8 pm.

Saturday, September 17

10th Annual Anita Sabedra Team Hope Walk
The Huntington's Disease Society of America's (HDSA) Greater Houston Area Affiliate will be hosting this annual walk, at Middlebrook Greenbelt Park. Team Hope is HDSA’s largest, national grassroots fundraising event, which takes place in over 100 cities across the U.S. and has raised more than $20 million for Huntington's disease. Thousands of families, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and communities walk together each year to support HDSA’s mission to improve the lives of people affected by Huntington's disease and their families. 9 am.

Memorial Trail Ice House Octobeerfest 2022
It’s Octobeerfest time over MTIH, with several breweries participating in this event. Also, Cortlandt & 9th will be serving up pretzels, bratwursts with sauerkraut, and schnitzels. Bayou City Horn Band will perform; more fun comes with a brief break for a stein holding competition. Wristbands for this event can be purchased for $25 (day of event), $20 (pre-order). Each wristband purchase guarantees 10 beer sample tokens, as well as tokens to vote for “Best Brewery” and “Best Octobeerfest Beer.” 11 am.

Second Annual Pitmaster Party Wildgame Edition
Dozier’s BBQ in Fulshear will host this event devoted to making dishes with smoked wild game. Pitmaster Jim Buchanan has invited 14 top Texas pitmasters, starting with two of the top five in Texas Monthly’s list of the state’s 50 best barbecue joints: John Bates of Interstellar BBQ (Austin) and Ernest Servantes of Burnt Bean Co. (Seguin). A portion of proceeds benefits the Fulshear Police Foundation. Tickets are $75 and include samples from the participants and live music by Morgan Obenhaus (beverages purchased separately). 11 am.

Craft Cocktail Class at La Colombe d'Or
Raise a glass to end summer and enjoy happy hour on the 10th floor of the La Colombe d’Or Tower, with hors d'oeuvres and refreshments, followed by a private cocktail masterclass with Bar No. 3 chief bartender Patrick Dougherty. At the cocktail workshop experience, you will learn the fundamentals and expert tips & tricks of cocktail making. Work closely alongside Dougherty with carefully curated ingredients and hand-selected bitters, seasonings and mixers. Tickets are $90 per person. There will also be a pop-up, open-air cinema screening of The Breakfast Club (including a three-course dinner with dishes from celebrity chef Paul Prudhomme) at 8 pm on Sunday. 4 pm.

Be a 9th Wonder Foundation presents Lucky9 Casino Royale
Ex-professional basketball player and entrepreneur Remi Yusuf, the founder and global director of Be A 9th Wonder Foundation, presents this inaugural event of glitz and gambling. All proceeds benefit the Foundation’s future 9th Wonder Community Center, which will feature a gym and weight room that supports adaptive fitness for individuals with special needs, and other Houston-area events. Projected events will be hosted for individuals within the special needs community, youth in underserved communities, and adolescents transitioning to career and college readiness programs. 6 pm.

Discovery Green presents Screen on the Green
Discovery Green recently announced the fall schedule of Bank of America’s Screen on the Green. As part of the 15th anniversary programming, this season’s monthly lineup celebrates the diverse ages, interests, and cultures of visitors with family-friendly movies Selena, Monster House, and The Mitchells vs. The Machines. First up, it's that 1939 Judy Garland classic The Wizard of Oz. Blankets, lawn chairs, and picnics are encouraged. 7 pm.

The Houston Jazz Collective presents The Houston Jazz Festival
As part of the Houston Jazz Festival, the Houston Jazz Collective presents The American Masters Series, featuring the hardbop supergroup The Cookers, who will perform from their new record, Look Out!. Opening for the Cookers will be Nellie McKay, a soulful jazz musician, pianist, vocalist, composer and arranger who will perform from her album, Sister Orchid. The evening will also include the artwork of acclaimed artist Jack Whitten. 8 pm.

Sunday, September 18

Pet-a-Palooza at George Country Sports Bar
Join The Diana Foundation for fun, festivities, a selection of gourmet lunches (prepared by Picnic On The Green), and cocktails. Show your support through a variety of one or more options. Purchase a purple "Pet-A-Palooza Dog Tag Pendant" for $25, buy raffle tickets for an opportunity to win one of the multiple prizes, or bring a donation of essentials such as kitty litter, dog and/or cat food. All proceeds will benefit two fantastic pet charities: Friends For Life Animal Shelter & The Pet Patrol. Friendly, leashed pets are welcome. 11 am.

Mid Main Micro Marathon
The Mid Main Micro Marathon has taken the “run” out of running and left little more than the start and finish. The course, measuring a grueling 0.26 miles, can be hard on the system, so obviously participants will need a break or two (with breakfast tacos, dance parties, coffee, and more) to refuel as they make their way around the Mid Main complex. Finishers along with family and friends will be treated to beer and music by Allen Oldies Band, Brooklyn Twang, and more. The event benefits Animal Justice League. Noon.

Candlelight x UNHCR Presents Ukrainian Benefit Concert For Peace Fundraiser
Candlelight presents a two-show series of benefit concerts in favor of refugees by collaborating with UNHCR, The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, with the objective of benefiting Ukrainian citizens affected by the humanitarian crisis, and the refugees who were forced to flee their country as a result of the war. All proceeds from this Candlelight series will be allocated to help refugees affected by this conflict. 6:30 and 9 pm.

event-planner

Movie Review

Fawning Michael Jackson biopic Michael ignores the singer's complexities

Photo by Glen Wilson

Jaafar Jackson in Michael.

Michael Jackson remains among the most complicated figures in pop culture history. On one hand, he’s responsible for some of the most enduring music of all time, thrilling generations with his voice and dance moves. But his later years were marred by accusations of child sexual abuse and erratic behavior, including his premature death at the age of 50.

So the new biopic Michael is a tough one to judge from a critical standpoint, not least because director Antoine Fuqua and writer John Logan have elided — perhaps temporarily — the thornier parts of Michael’s history. Instead, this film focuses on the 20-year period in which Michael (played as an adult by Michael’s nephew Jaafar Jackson) goes from the prepubescent lead singer of the Jackson 5 to one of the biggest music superstars of all time.

That choice puts an overly sympathetic tint to Michael’s story, as he spends most of that time under the thumb of his domineering father, Joseph (Colman Domingo). Joseph has a vision for Michael and his brothers, and he pushes them hard in a quest to become rich and famous. Even when they achieve that goal, though, Joseph refuses to let up, holding onto Michael even when it’s clear he should go out on his own.

As a reminder of the enormous impact Michael Jackson had on the music industry and world at large, the film is successful. Fuqua and Logan include plenty of music, naturally, but they seem to be most interested in depicting Michael as a human being. They lay it on thick, whether it’s showing him spending time among his family members away from the stage, hanging out with bodyguard Bill Bray (KeiLyn Durrel Jones), or visiting sick kids in hospitals. The message that Michael is a harmless, good person couldn’t be clearer.

The film hints at but doesn’t really explore Michael’s oddities. His obsession with kids literature and movies, especially Peter Pan, are seen as inoffensive quirks, as is his menagerie of animals, including a creepy CGI version of Bubbles the chimp. His arrested development seems to be partially blamed on his parents treating him like a child well into his adulthood, and the resulting fallout is not (yet) addressed.

Many viewers will be most interested in the music sequences, and — save for some repetitive shots of fans fainting at the mere presence of Michael — they are handled well. Whether it’s at home, in the studio, on the set of the “Thriller” video, or at live performances, the film manages to fully get across just what a phenomenon Michael was at his peak. The staging and editing of each scene is dynamic, complementing Michael’s other-worldly abilities well.

If there is one reason to see the film, it is the performance of Jaafar Jackson. Whether he’s capable of doing any other kind of role is undetermined, but his portrayal of his uncle is compelling, as he demonstrates singing, dancing, and acting skills in equal measure. He’s aided by an equally great performance by Domingo, who — with the help of facial prosthetics — overcomes the trope of the bad father. Nia Long and Larenz Tate are also good in smaller roles, but Miles Teller is an odd presence as Michael’s manager.

There are reports that legal complications prevented the filmmakers from using previously-shot scenes delving into accusations against Michael, and there are rumors that a second film will be made about the last 20 years of his life. But that speculation can’t absolve Michael of showing all the positive aspects of Michael Jackson’s life and not even touching any of the negative ones.

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Michael opens in theaters on April 24.

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