<COMEDY>
June 27-July 1
2-for-1 comedians
Comedy Caravan is offering double the laughs this weekend for one ticket price. First headliner Roy Wood Jr., best known for his appearances on “The Late Show with David Letterman” and Comedy Central’s “Premium Blend,” was featured just last week auditioning for NBC’s reality show “Last Comic Standing” and will be joined by former Procter & Gamble employee-turned-comedian Josh Sneed, who recently had his own “Comedy Central Presents” TV special. With this much comedy, you might want to hold off on the beverages to prevent any accidents from happening. —Meghan Wiggs
Comedy Caravan
1250 Bardstown Road
459-0022
www.comedycaravan.com
$6-$10; 8-11:45 p.m.
<BOOK>
Thursday, June 28
Author Ted Anthony
“Chasing the Rising Sun” is journalist Ted Anthony’s new book, a detailed history of one single classic song from the American Canon. Anthony traces the folk lineage of the lyrics and the story they tell, as well as the recording history of the song, first put onto tape by Alan Lomax (a so-called “field recording”) in Middlesboro, Ky., performed by a young Appalachian woman. By the time the author’s research takes him on a round trip to and from Louisiana by way of Tennessee, Kentucky and the Carolinas, so many versions of “House of the Rising Sun” have been noted and explained (various bluesmen, the Animals, Dylan) that the very idea of someone having “written” the song is all but irrelevant. Anthony, a former reporter, will read from and sign copies of this remarkable book on Thursday. —Paul Kopasz
Borders
Fourth Street Live
562-2100
Free; 7 p.m.
<MUSIC>
Thursday, June 28
Caterpillar Tracks
Cincinnati’s Caterpillar Tracks, touring in support of a forthcoming EP on Phratry Records (available Aug. 14), invades The Rudyard Kipling Thursday evening. Describing itself as “a robust combination of punk, noise, art rock and elements of dub,” Caterpillar Tracks has toured the United States and Europe and will bring tunes like “Boot Strap Inflation” and “Fifty Caliber Policy” to Louisville. Local bands Brain Banger and Plows are also on the bill. —Kevin Gibson
The Rudyard Kipling
422 W. Oak St
636-1311
www.caterpillartracks.org
$TBD; 9 p.m.
<ART>
Friday, June 29
Big Bone Art Show
It’s time for another round of art that costs neither an arm nor a leg, nor a radius nor ulna, for that matter. The Big Bone Show is back on Friday, during the F.A.T. Friday trolley hop. This show features over a dozen artists showing new work, with Tamara Dearing playing live tunes as well. So come out and rub scapulas with some local artists, grab an iced coffee and … I just ran out of clever bone puns. —Gina Gentile
Nancy’s Bagel Grounds
2101 Frankfort Ave.
www.thebigbone.org
Free; 6-9 p.m.
<STRANGE>
Saturday, June 30
Red Tour
Tribal fusion with bellydancers and musicians, with tarot card readers on the side. Our Arts Sanctuary participants show their latest works that feature red hues and fire themes. Bring your drum for the drum circle (at 4 p.m.), and maybe something fireproof if you get near the fire dancers. All of this is the Red Tour, which is set up around the music-and-bellydancing ensemble Snakes Rising, but is going every witch way (pardon pun) with the help of Widdershins, a New Age store in Lyndon. Among the musical acts are il Troubadore and Jim Burch. A variety of workshops will go on throughout the noon-to-midnight mini-festival. This is a cross-cultural cavalcade, heavy on alternative flavor but sure to be lively and unlike anything else you’ll take in this summer. Bring a blanket or lawn chair, but leave your mundane expectations at home. –T.E. Lyons
Widdershins
712 Lyndon Lane
339-7388
$12; noon-midnight
<BENEFIT>
Saturday, June 30
‘Women in the Field’ fundraiser
Scads of female performers will gather this weekend to raise funds for the upcoming “Women in the Field” festival. The fest, which will be held in September, celebrates women working in the arts, with all proceeds benefiting Hospice of Louisville. First, however, funds must be raised to support the event itself, which is what’s going down Saturday at Big Dave’s.
Live entertainment starts at 4 p.m. and is scheduled to go on into the wee hours, with well-known local acts such as Leigh Ann Yost, Teneia Sanders and The Blue Umbrellas. DJ Kaleidoscope will spin the dance music between sets. Raffles and door prizes are also part of the evening, so you may even take something home besides sore feet and ringing ears! Plus, it’s all for a great cause. —Erin Clephas
Big Dave’s
1801 Bardstown Road
459-3290
www.womeninthefield.com
$10; 4 p.m.-?
<PARTY>
Saturday, June 30
‘Dig’ art and music event
Dig this, baby! That bad pun is to let you know that The Ground Floor group has organized another theme-based art and music event. After their success with “Inhale,” “Saturate” and “Ignite,” this earth-based party should be a good time had by all, featuring more than 50 local visual and performance artists.
Musicians include Brandon Bear, dash-dash, Ut Gret with special guests the Buried Bells, and Saredren Wells presents “God, Politics, the Boss and YOU! (and High-Fructose Corn Syrup).” An after-party will take place at the Main Street Lounge starting at 11:30 p.m. with DJ a.bell and friends.
Expect a crowd. And they want you in earth-related costumes. If you can’t make it to the event, the visual art will be for sale on Sunday, July 1, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at 110 W. Main St. A portion of all money collected will be donated to Breaking New Grounds, Gary Heine and Mike Mays’ nonprofit organization, which recycles about 4 tons of local food waste a week. —Jo Anne Triplett
110 W. Main St.
(415) 290-8620
www.thegroundfloorgallery.com
$10; 7 p.m.-12 a.m.
<MUSIC>
Tuesday, July 3
Rock ’n’ roll at the Monkey Wrench
Beginning July 3, the Monkey Wrench’s evening of rock will move to a new weekly Tuesday slot, with DJs Kim Sorise and Electric Amish cranking out 1960s garage rock and psych, ’70s rock and ’80s metal. And the Wrench’s eclectic menu will be available, with everything from pub grub to down-home to Italian to, well, a little of everything. (Where else can you find Polish pierogies, a calamari Caesar salad and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on one menu?) Plus, there’s a two-for-one burger special, well drinks, beer, the works. Here’s hoping they’ll play “Hey Grandma” by Moby Grape. —Kevin Gibson
Monkey Wrench
1025 Barret Ave.
582-2433
www.monkeywrench.com
Free; 10 p.m.-2 a.m.
<ART>
Through Sept. 30
Art in Waterfront Park
There are many reasons you will want to be in Waterfront Park this summer. Here’s a new one: Artist David Schuster has painted 12 scenes of Louisville Metro, which have been reproduced so they can be displayed outdoors. Presenting art to the visitors of the park is something the Waterfront Development Corp. hopes to make an annual or biannual event.
“My intent with these pieces was to portray a visual cross-section of Louisville,” says Schuster. “I wanted the series to represent various aspects of Louisville from diverse locations. My hope is that the images make the viewer take pause to reflect on the beauty of our city, as well as its diversity. And perhaps illuminate parts of Louisville that are otherwise unknown or unappreciated.”
The original paintings will be sold Sept. 27 at a fundraiser for the Friends of the Waterfront. You can see the paintings at Schuster’s studio at 211 S. Clay St. during the First Friday Gallery Hops on July 6, Aug. 3 and Sept. 7, or by appointment. —Jo Anne Triplett
Waterfront Park
129 E. River Road
574-3768