Wednesday, Oct. 12
‘Empty Sac Doesn’t Stand Up’
St. Francis High School
233 W. Broadway
Free; 7:30 p.m.
Nearly two years after the crippling earthquake in Haiti, the problems are still overwhelming. Not that there weren’t myriad difficulties previously, but let’s add corporate manipulation to a country already lacking in infrastructure. Local film director Stephon Barbour journeyed to Port-au-Prince, with the support of Agricultural Missions Inc., to document struggles to rebuild the city, and he found an exciting, homegrown movement that could revolutionize Haiti more than a thousand Wyclefs and Sean Penns ever could. Immediately following the earthquake, Haiti’s rural areas mobilized, gathering locally grown foodstuffs and medical supplies, as well as opening their homes and farms to the city’s residents. Some areas took in more displaced citizens than their total populations. Barbour’s film discusses these movements and the struggle of Haiti’s farmers against corporate donations — tied to larger contracts — that squeeze out local contributions to reconstruction. —Damien McPherson
Thursday, Oct. 13
Siddhartha Mukherjee
Kentucky Center
501 W. Main St. • 584-7777
$20; 5 p.m. (doors)
The very nerve of the idea: trying to address a topic as broad and intimidating as cancer, then get it all down in a single book for a general audience. But the sales figures for “The Emperor of All Maladies,” plus a nonfiction Pulitzer, suggest Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee has succeeded. He conceived of this book as if it would be a biography — though cancer’s history, and its interactions with individuals and societies, did not point toward a straight and easily defined narrative. How the book finally came together — and how this Rhodes Scholar/Columbia professor wove in his own relationships with patients to add impact and insight to the story — will be discussed as part of the Kentucky Author Forum at the Kentucky Center. At the event, the author will be interviewed by Dr. David Scadden, co-director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute. An extension of the interview/conversation, including a ticketed dinner, is available. —T.E. Lyons
Thursday, Oct. 13
‘Between Two Worlds’
The Hampton Inn
101 E. Jefferson St.
Free; 7:30 p.m.
Rachel Corrie was an activist from Olympia, Wash., who was killed on the Gaza Strip while attempting to block an armored bulldozer from demolishing a Palestinian home. A movie about the 23-year-old’s death nearly caused a fight when it was screened at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival — not between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian viewers, but American Jews divided by the incident. For some, the film was a call for solidarity in Israel. For others, Corrie was disrupting an Israeli Defense Force “counter-terrorism measure.” Filmmakers Alan Snitow and Deborah Kaufman were running cameras at the festival, capturing what would become the first chapter of their documentary, “Between Two Worlds.” This 70-minute essay asks the questions “Who gets to decide what ‘being a Jew’ is and isn’t?” and “Who can claim to speak for a whole community?” A discussion will follow the one-night-only local premiere. —J. Christian Walsh
Oct. 13-15
APH InSights 2011
Galt House Hotel • 899-2357
Free; 1-6 p.m. (Thu.), 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (Fri.), 8 a.m.-noon (Sat.)
For anyone who has ever driven down Frankfort Avenue, the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) is a formidable campus. It’s been serving the visually impaired around the globe and adding to the diverse Louisville culture since 1858. Along with a host of offerings for the visually impaired, APH hosts this international juried art competition, featuring interesting exhibits created by visually impaired artists ranging in age from pre-school to senior citizens. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the exhibit and, as always, will feature artistic media ranging from painting and drawing to sculpture and photography. Eighty-three works in all will be displayed. This exhibition is one of many ways APH strives to “promote the independence of blind persons,” as noted in the organization’s mission statement. —Allison Ray
Saturday, Oct. 15
Doulapalooza
Douglas Loop Farmers Market
2005 Bardstown Road
Free; 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Any event with “palooza” in the title is sure to be fun, and Doulapalooza promises a good time for all — not just expectant mothers, as the term “doula” might imply. The event is scheduled in conjunction with the Douglas Loop Farmers Market to celebrate 11 years of the Birth Care Network’s support of families in the Louisville area. The musical stylings of Danny Flanigan, Leigh Ann Yost, The Howards and many more will entertain the crowd. Doulapalooza strives to bring information about birth, breastfeeding and motherhood, with exhibitors such as The Diaper Fairy, Bird & Bee Boutique, Sprouts, and Louisville and Southern Indiana La Leche League. In case you need further enticing, there will be cake and milk, raffle prizes and freshly prepared food and beverages. —Allison Ray
Saturday, Oct. 15
Gonzo Fest
Monkey Wrench
1025 Barret Ave. • 582-2433
$20-$30; 2 p.m.
Hunter S. Thompson wasn’t your ordinary journalist. Heck, he wasn’t even an ordinary human being. But he paved the way for a style of journalism — “gonzo” — that continues to grow and continues to unshackle modern communication from the constraints of fact and good taste. The notion of objective reporting and AP Stylebook writing went out the window with Thompson; his stories, rife with profanity and drug use, were as much about himself as they were about the subjects about which he wrote. And so, Louisville will honor one of its native sons Saturday at the Monkey Wrench, with a celebration of art and music. (And booze.) Live music from The Whigs, Broken Spurs, Fresh Millions, Nerves Junior and more will keep the gonzos entertained, along with plenty of visual art, food and drink. There will also be a Friday night pre-event art opening if you want a sneak peek. —Kevin Gibson
Saturday, Oct. 15
Down ‘n’ Dirty Party
Kentucky Center for African American Heritage
1701 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd.
$50 (suggested donation); 7 p.m.
Breaking New Grounds, started by the owners of Heine Brothers Coffee in an effort to expand sustainable urban agriculture in Louisville, is holding its fourth annual Down ‘n’ Dirty Party on Saturday. The nonprofit hopes to raise the funds necessary to support its hydroponic system, large-scale compost operation and urban gardens, with an ultimate goal in mind: becoming an engine of economic development in west Louisville by creating sustainable agriculture jobs. The party will have locally grown food provided by Farm to Fork, music by Appalatin, a silent auction and tasty beverages from local brewers and roasters. The suggested donation for advance tickets is $50, but you can also bring a donation the day of the event. We assume you and your conscience would rather spend your time and money here than at, say, Applebee’s on a Saturday night. —Joe Sonka
Saturday, Oct. 15
Das Racist
Headliners Music Hall
1386 Lexington Road • 584-8088
$15; 8 p.m.
One of the more surprisingly entertaining groups at this year’s Pitchfork Music Festival, Das Racist take sophomoric hooks and make them sound great in the car. It’s hard not to keep repeating (inexplicably) their official debut, Relax, for which they are touring and appearing at Headliners on Saturday. The trio (their hypeman gets equal billing to the two MCs) take themselves a smidge more seriously than on their previous mixtapes, though single “Michael Jackson” occupies a space next to the 2008 blog favorite “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell.” (Just roll with it if you haven’t heard it already.) It’s unabashed fun in a genre that so often forgets to have a sense of humor. With production that can blow speakers, you may not understand what a line like L. Ron Hubbard with no bling means, but does it matter? —Damien McPherson
Sunday, Oct. 16
Million Mutt March
Cherokee Park
$7-$20 for walk/run; 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
First, a few fun facts: Pets have been shown to lower blood pressure, dogs have about 100 different facial expressions, most of them made with their ears, and cats have at least that many vocal expressions, ranging from “purrrr” to “I-am-master-of-this-house-hear-me-roar.” Now for some stark statistics: As many as 8 million dogs and cats land in shelters annually, and half of them are euthanized. It’s a grim reality that No Kill Louisville is hoping to shed light on this weekend during the Million Mutt March. The day will include a 5-K walk/run, an adoptable animal runway show, training demos, food, drinks and vendors. Free parking with shuttle service is available at the Southern Baptist Seminary’s Grinstead Drive entrance. Dogs are welcome, but leave your feline friends at home — because a cat on a leash is just plain wrong. —Sarah Kelley
Sunday, Oct. 16
Trombone Shorty
Headliners Music Hall
1386 Lexington Road • 584-8088
$17 adv., $20 DOS; 9 p.m.
Modern jazz writing is littered with the word “next.” Every young person to come out with anything worth listening to more than once is invariably dubbed the next insert-instrument-or-hyperbolic-analogy. Troy Andrews is no different. The trombonist from New Orleans has been fronting bands since early childhood and has played with everyone from Lenny Kravitz to Jeff Beck, U2, Mos Def and Green Day, as well as plenty of hometown royalty. His current band, Orleans Avenue, is two albums deep in a funk mode, playing raucous arrangements and original material suited more for rock clubs and arenas than uptight jazz venues. Jazz critics lament the genre’s current top-button, stiff-shirt fan base, pointing out the history of the music being made for dancing instead of golf claps, and Andrews is doing his part to move it one step closer to that past. —Damien McPherson
Through Oct. 16
‘The Face of Abstraction’
PYRO Gallery
624 W. Main St. • 587-0106
If you’re asking, “What is that?” when looking at a work of art, it’s probably abstraction. It can be a fun time for artists, who get to use their imagination, since the goal is not to duplicate nature. Three PYRO artists get to wow us with their interpretations of abstract art. Painter/mixed media artist Laura Eklund prefers to experiment with color and form. The other painter in the show is Paul Lorenz, whose seemingly simple shapes morph before our eyes. The two artists’ pieces complement each other, and it’s fitting that this is the first time either has shown in Louisville. Sculptor Bob Lockhart is the familiar name of the group. We know he can create realistic animals, but for this exhibition, his imagination has released some very strange beasts. Abstraction indeed. —Jo Anne Triplett
Monday, Oct. 17
Taste of Louisville
Mellwood Art Center
1860 Mellwood Ave.
$55; 6 p.m.
Louisville is a tasty place indeed. Now in its 38th year, the annual Taste of Louisville event has moved to the Mellwood Art Center to allow for more space … to taste! More than 30 restaurants and beverage companies will be on hand to feature their tastiest samples — no limits, no tickets, no rules. The theme of this year’s event is the Roaring ‘20s, so you’re encouraged to don pinstripes or flapper dresses and make your way back to the Back Alley Beer Garden in true speakeasy fashion. As always, proceeds go to charity — this year it’s Community Health Charities — and there will be a silent auction and live music from the Jerry Tolson Band. Participating establishments include The Oakroom, 60 West, Varanese, Falls City, Angel’s Envy bourbon, Mark’s Feed Store and Lynn’s Paradise Café. —Sara Havens
