The 21 Best Things to Do in Dallas, Sept. 9-15

Monday, September 9

Faiths in Conversation
These days, it must take a ton of faith and a secure notion of where you stand in the afterlife to bring together people of all faiths to share information about their religions. Shoot, even before the Trumpian age of meanness, religion was a taboo topic in barbershops, where many sharp and pointy things are handy. One hopes The Dallas Institute is free of scissors, heavy blunt objects and swingable chairs as it opens up its series Faiths in Conversation, inviting Dallasites to "escape our silos" and learn about our neighbors' beliefs. Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish and Muslim panelists and academic experts from Rice University, SMU, University of Dallas and UNT Dallas will lead the discussion called "What Is Religion" at 7:30 p.m., following a 6:30 p.m. reception at 2719 Routh St. Tickets are $20, free for students and $10 for educators and faith leaders. Find them and information about the three other sessions in the four-part series at dallasinstitute.org/faiths-in-conversation. Patrick Williams

The Fixx
The British new wave band The Fixx, mostly remembered for '80s hits such as "One Thing Leads to Another" and "Red Skies at Night," released a new album titled Beautiful Friction in 2012 after nine years of studio silence. The album received a warm welcome from critics then and is still a great fit into the record collection of anyone who prefers to remember the band as it was 30 years ago. The show starts at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 9, at Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave. Tickets are $35-$50 at prekindle.com. Diamond Rodrigue

Tuesday, September 10

Lone Star Cinema: The Film Industry in Texas
It’s easy to assume that Texas cinema entails a lot of Westerns, but manic pixie dream girls and boys wouldn’t be half as manic or pixie or dreamy without the state’s output. For starters, the Lone Star State has given the world Wes Anderson’s signature quirky cinematographic palette, Richard Linklater’s witty dialogue and David Lowery’s literally haunting A Ghost Story. The Dallas Historical Society celebrates Texas’ contributions to the world of film with Lone Star Cinema: The Film Industry in Texas, a lecture by city archivist and Texas film scholar John Slate, who will be discussing our very own film industry, folklore and even forgotten actors. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lunch and make a reservation, though they aren’t required. Tuesday’s free lecture takes place noon to 1 p.m at the Hall of State in Fair Park, 3939 Grand Ave. For more information, visit eventbrite.com. Eva Raggio

Jason Bucklin Trio
When Jason Bucklin isn’t teaching guitar and bass lessons, like he’s done for most of his life, he’s usually onstage with his jazz trio at The Balcony Club. In teaching guitar and bass, including master classes at the University of North Texas, Bucklin has grown an appreciation and passion for all kinds of music. But jazz was his first love. Bucklin used to play with Café Noir, the Dallas-based sextet, but every Tuesday, at least from now until sometime in December, Bucklin hits The Balcony Club stage with his trio for a night of jazz. And, it’s free. Go see the Jason Bucklin Trio while you still can, at 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept 10, at The Balcony Club, 1825 Abrams Rd. Jacob Vaughn

Breaking Benjamin
Despite Breaking Benjamin's ever-revolving door of members, they've remained pretty consistent in their sound, likely due to Benjamin Burnley staying firmly planted as lead composer and vocalist. The original lineup formed in 1999, and the band seems to be part of a resurgence of early-2000s hardcore acts making their way through town as of late. Breaking Benjamin's latest album, Ember, was released in 2018 and rose to the top of several Billboard charts. Check the band out Tuesday at Dos Equis Pavilion and see for yourself how they've managed to keep even their earliest fans satisfied. It starts at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at Dos Equis Pavilion, 3839 S. Fitzhugh Ave. Tickets are $29.50-$110.50 at livenation.com. Diamond Rodrigue

Wednesday, September 11

Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure – Dallas Arts District
There are many anecdotes one can collect with a simple visit to Dallas: Making eye contact with the giant eyeball, getting harassed by the conspiracy theorists on Dealey Plaza, you name it. The Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure invites participants to look for clues and compete in challenges while exploring the city’s arts district. While being guided through an app, players will learn about the city through a three-hour city tour so entertaining that you won’t even realize you’re learning. (We mean that as a positive thing.) The price is $44 per team, which can include up to five people. The tours have varying times, running from 9 a.m. to  8 p.m. To register, visit urbanadveturequest.com. Eva Raggio

Thursday, September 12

Whitney / Hand Habits
Large festival stages, prime television and podcast appearances and some trendy fashion shoots have all greeted Chicago-based duo Whitney upon the release of its latest album, Forever Turned Around. Guitarist Max Kakacek and drummer/vocalist Julian Ehrlich spent time in the late, great indie band Smith Westerns before leaving a few years ago to take up their current project. With a gentle, soulful grace applied to most of their melodies and Kakacek's nimble guitar notes propping up Ehrlich's falsetto vocals, the pair have found a sound that has catapulted them to success. You'll find "warmth" used as a common descriptor for their songs. A deeper dive into the lyrics, however, finds them wrestling with some heavier and more troubling big-picture issues. It's a dichotomy that forces listeners to think a little deeper while tapping their toes in unison to the generally joyful sounds emanating from the instruments. Check it out for yourself as they take over Canton Hall on Thursday night at 8 p.m., at Canton Hall, 2727 Canton St. Tickets are $18-$25 at ticketfly.com. Jeff Strowe

GrapeFest
Nobody is going to conflate a drive up State Highway 114 with a weekend in Sonoma, but you’ve gotta hand it to Grapevine: They’ve managed to make Texas wine its own kind of destination. Thanks to events like the 33rd Annual GrapeFest, which runs from Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 12-15, in downtown Grapevine, Texas vintners get some well-deserved attention. Visitors can indulge in a variety of Texas wines (plus national and international vino) on the Urban Wine Trail, and participate in the annual People’s Choice Wine Tasting Classic. In between sips of whites and reds, take in live music, a tennis tournament and the exhilarating GrapeStomp. There’s no shortage of food, drink and family fun, including carnival rides and the interactive KidsWorld. You can celebrate the wonders of wine a little closer to home with single-day admission ($5 to $8) or a weekend pass ($18 to $23); find more information at grapevinetexasusa.com/grapefest/. Jennifer Davis-Lamm

Plano Comedy Festival
Dallas' comedy community is growing so fast that a single county can no longer contain it. The Plano Comedy Festival is back for its second year, and it too has gotten bigger. Now the festival runs over four days, Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 12-15, and will stage shows for stand-ups, improvisers and podcasts at three locations: Hub Streat at 1212 14th St., the Cox Playhouse at 1517 H Ave. and McCall Plaza at 998 E. 15th St. in Plano. The festival will feature live performances by some of Dallas' best comedians, including Paul Varghese and KeLanna Spiller, and big-name comics from out of town such as Martin Urbano and Richard Douglas Jones. This year's festival will also host live recordings of popular comedy podcasts such as The Brave Boys Podcast and Talk Show Incorporated. Tickets range from $10 to $30 for individual shows. Daily passes are available from $20 to $50 depending on the day. VIP weekend passes are also available for $75. Visit planocomedyfestival.com to purchase tickets and find showtimes and locations. Danny Gallagher

Pete: A New Dance Musical
The oft-told story of Peter Pan has always been one of wonder, nostalgia, courage and defiance … largely depicting the (mis)adventures of posh white kids. That is, until Dark Circles Contemporary Dance and founder-choreographer Joshua L. Peugh reimagined the J.M. Barrie tale as Pete: A New Dance Musical to tackle race, privilege and gender, turning it straight into a musical production that broadens the story and the audience. Wendy becomes a queer black boy still seeking answers from Neverland, but ones that are vastly more current and relevant. Pete takes the stage at Hamon Hall, 2403 Flora St., Sept.12-15 (7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday). Tickets are $29. Visit tickets.attpac.org or call 214-880-0202 to purchase. Merritt Martin

Friday, September 13

Nicole Byer
If you haven't heard of Nicole Byer, then you clearly don't watch TV these days. Byer has been all over the screen because she's likable and damn funny. Byer is best known these days as the host of the Netflix amateur cooking competition show Nailed It! in which home bakers attempt to re-create five-star cakes with their limited culinary know-how. She also starred on Fox's sketch show Party Over Here, performed roles in movies and appeared in several other TV shows. She'll perform live at the Addison Improv at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12; 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13; and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. The Addison Improv is located at 4980 Belt Line Road. Tickets are between $20 and $40 and can be purchased at the box office or online at improvtx.com/addison. Danny Gallagher

Dallas Pinners Conference
For those addicted to Pinterest, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of the notification, “We found some new pins for your (whatever) board.” What will they be? Is it a 24-hour craft or a food prep? At the Texas Pinners Conference, attendees will discover all sorts of new do's, but live and in person. In addition to loads of shops to browse, there are classes that range from DIY crafts to sewing and quilting to food arts to photography and more. The two-day blowout takes place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, 650 S. Griffin St. General admission is $10, but class-admission combo packages are available from $19 to $49, and VIP passes are $129. Visit tx.pinnersconference.com. Merritt Martin

The Royal Dilemma
You're invited to join the storyteller for an hour or so and travel to faraway lands and a bygone time in the production of The Royal Dilemma at the Irving Arts Center, 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd., Friday through Sept. 28. Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday is 2:30 p.m. Unlike the real royal dilemma unfolding in the U.K. right now, this one is a mix of music and dance along with drama produced by MainStage Irving-Las Colinas in partnership with ThinkIndia Foundation. For tickets ($21.50-$36.50), call 972-252-2787 or go to irvingtheatre.org. Reba Liner

New Fumes 
Dallas native Daniel Huffman's solo project New Fumes is a wonderfully weird blend of distorted vocals, synthesizers, guitars and drums. His colorful electronic sound matches wits with his unique live performances, which have long been Instagram gold, including masks, inflatables, colorful lights and several other props. Huffman collaborated with Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne on his latest album, Teeming2, which came out last November. New Fumes will be joined by Oklahoma City act Net for one of Texas Theatre's Behind the Screen shows. The show, which will take place after a screening of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, starts at 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13, at Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson Blvd. Tickets for the movie and show are $16, and entrance for the show only is $8, at texastheatre.com. Diamond Rodrigue

Posival
With a sound hearkening back to Green Day's time on Lookout! Records, Posival does wistful, mid-tempo pop-punk with a substantive focus on social consciousness and personal introspection, singing songs about self-medicating depression, struggling to meet the demands of daily existence and running to escape feelings of rejection. Posival began as a personal project when singer and guitarist Michael Zamora was in high school, recording material for a few self-released albums before they dissolved in 2015. While writing and recording with the now-defunct band, The Delzells, Zamora restarted the project in Denton with Colin Smith and Adrian Raddons in late 2017 and put out their first studio single "Songbird" this past March. The band is celebrating their new self-titled album on Barf Wave Records with an album release show Friday night at Double Wide alongside Joe Fisher, Hen & The Cocks and The Infamists. Fans who wear a Barf Wave, Posival or Delzells T-shirt will be given a free copy of the new CD. Putting their message into action, the band has asked nonprofit Foundation 45 to be in attendance in order to raise awareness about their services and defeat the stigma around depression. The show starts at 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13, at Double Wide, 3510 Commerce St. Tickets are $7 at prekindle.com. David Fletcher

Sam Lao, The Bralettes, M3cca 
This Friday the 13th proves to be a lucky night for fans of homegrown music hoping to hear a fantastic all-local, mixed-genre showcase boasting some of the strongest established and up-and-coming female performers the area has to offer. The all-female “Girls Club” bill features Sam Lao, The Bralettes, M3cca, Corina Grove and Emma Oliver. At the 28th Dallas Observer Music Awards in 2016, Lao swept the DOMAs in all five categories where she'd garnered a nomination, winning Best Female Vocalist and Best Rap/Hip-Hop Act, to name a few. The Bralettes play a catchy brand of bubblegum punk that’s sure to have many attendees singing along by the end of the trio’s memorable earworms. M3cca’s known for her groovy, evolving style that mixes soul, R&B, gospel and hip-hop to create an out-of-this-world gospel sound she’s described as “galactic hip-hop soul.” Grove’s a bluesy singer-songwriter. And Oliver’s vocals and delivery draw comparisons to many past and contemporary vocalists, but she deserves more than to be reduced to those influences and is truly a young talent on the up to watch. The show starts at 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13, at Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave. Tickets are $10-$20 at prekindle.com. Daniel Rodrigue

Saturday, September 14

Black Flag / Shonen Knife / The Linecutters

Not much introduction is needed for a band as iconic and influential as Black Flag. Their iconography and sound have been an ever-present element of the hardcore punk scene ever since the band helped to create it. Nearly half a century later they are still here, with a kind of smoky youthfulness that comes from having a lineup as inconsistent as they do. Back in January, the band announced their return to touring duties since they last reunited back in 2013. Their latest iteration features Houston-based newcomer Isaias Gil on drums as well as Tyler Smith and legendary skateboard ruffian, Mike Vallely, who return to take up bass and vocal duties respectively. Rounding out the band is its only consistent member as well as founder, Greg Ginn, the same man who penned the songs “Rise Above,” “Nervous Breakdown” and “White Minority.” While perhaps not boasting the most iconic lineup by the legendary band, seeing Black Flag move past the tension brought about by Ginn’s messy trademark drama and a disastrous reunion with former vocalist Ron Reyes, is more than worth the price of admission. The show starts at 8 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 9, at Gas Monkey Live, 10110 Technology Blvd. E. Tickets are $20 at ticketfly.com. Nicholas Bostick

Elmgreen & Dragset: Sculptures
You know the fake Prada store in Marfa that’s meant to be an art installation? It was originally intended to never be repaired and just crumble into the landscape over the centuries, but that plan was changed in a hilarious turn of events when vandals broke into it, stole all the handbags and shoes and spray-painted the word “dumb” on the exterior the very first night. The Scandinavian duo who created the thing, Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset, have their first major U.S. museum presentation right here in Texas, so you can see if you agree with the West Texas vandals’ assessment of their work. Elmgreen & Dragset: Sculptures opens Saturday and will be on exhibit through Jan. 5 at the Nasher Sculpture Center, 2001 Flora St. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for DART riders, $7 for seniors 65 and older, $5 for educators or students with ID, and free for children younger than 12, members of the military and first responders with ID. Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Jesse Hughey

Otsukimi Moon Viewing Festival
The Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth will celebrate the full autumn moon, or Otsukimi, with Japanese music, tea ceremony, sampling of anpan and dango sweets, traditional crafts such as calligraphy, origami, moku hanga (woodblock printing), paper lanterns, glow-in-the-dark face painting and more. Musicians include koto master Masayo Ishigure, tako drumming group Dallas Kiyari Daiko, Cherry Blossoms Choir, Stan Richardson and Mujuan Dojo. Singer-songwriter and guitarist Dr. Capital will cover J-Pop hits. The Otsukimi Moon Viewing Festival activities begin at 6 p.m. and performances begin at 6:30 at Frisco Square, 8874 Coleman Blvd., Frisco. Admission is free. Visit jasdfw.org for more information and the full schedule. Jesse Hughey

Meyerson Symphony Center 30th Anniversary Open House
Love classical music? Looking for a cheap way to enjoy some? A free open house Saturday will mark the 30th anniversary of the Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora St., in the Arts District. Between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., taking the stage will be symphony ensembles, Turtle Creek Chorale, Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, reps from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, North Texas Metroplex Children's Chorus and Dallas Winds. The Meyerson, designed by the late I. M. Pei, seats 2,062 and is known as one of the world's greatest orchestra halls and home to the Lay Family Concert Organ with its 4,535 pipes. For more information, call 214-305-6217 or visit mydso.com. Reba Liner

Sunday, September 15

Anti-Defamation League Walk Against Hate
We shouldn’t have to have a Walk Against Hate, y’all, but here we are. Apparently, it’s not a given that diversity and inclusion are a good thing, and that’s why the Anti-Defamation League is stepping up and stepping out at 8 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 15. The 2-mile walk will be the ADL’s first in Dallas, heading out from Victory Plaza, 2500 Victory Ave., and circling through the streets surrounding the American Airlines Center. The walk raises funds to support the ADL’s efforts against anti-Semitism and extremism and its defense of civil rights. Registrants get a T-shirt and wristband that give access to entertainment and an on-site diversity expo. Individual tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for kids ages 18 and under; you can also join a team or donate to the cause at support.adl.org/event/adl-walk-against-hate/e229234. Jennifer Davis-Lamm