June 19-July 13
KY Shakespeare Fest’s ‘Julius Caesar’
The nation’s oldest free and independently operating Shakespeare Festival celebrates its 48th season this summer, kicking off this week with “Julius Caesar,” the master’s writ on nobility and honor. More than a dry recitation of history, this play is full of intrigue, scheming and backstabbing. As always, the Bard plays fast and loose with historical facts, but that’s what makes it fun. The company’s second production, “Pericles,” runs July 2-12. —Sherry Deatrick
Central Park
Fourth and Magnolia
636-4933
HYPERLINK "http://www.kyshakes.org" www.kyshakes.org
Free; 8 p.m.
June 20-21
Kentuckiana Pride Fest
The end of the rainbow lands squarely at the Belvedere this weekend, where the Kentuckiana Pride Fest goes for gold, hoping to outdo last year’s record attendance of nearly 4,000. KPF director Mike Shouse is confident that with Friday night’s parade and some prominent names taking the stage, he’ll have no trouble meeting that goal. Mike and his team of about 25 plan the annual festival, whose local and international entertainment lineup includes St. Louis singer-songwriter Josh Zuckerman, Canadian songstress Tracy Rice and Louisville’s Robbie Bartlett. A performance by the Voices of Kentuckiana choir and the local theater troupe Mad Camp Cabaret is also scheduled for Saturday. Friday night’s parade starts at 8 p.m. near The Connection, at Preston and Market streets, before making its way to the Belvedere. Local celeb goths Kynt and Vyxsin — remember “The Amazing Race”? — will be the Grand Marshals.
“What am I most looking forward to?” Mike said. “Hmm … how about the bar being open.” Cheers to that. —Sara Havens
Belvedere
www.kentuckianapridefestival.com
$5; 8 p.m.-midnight (Fri.), noon-midnight (Sat.)
Saturday, June 21
Cabo Wabo Summer Fling
Supporting Heroes does some solid, necessary work. The nonprofit group provides assistance — financial and otherwise — for families of fallen police, fire and EMS workers in Kentucky and Indiana whose benefits haven’t kicked in yet.
This year’s Cabo Wabo Summer Fling will benefit the group. Cabo Wabo is an organization that provides facilities and planning twice a year for a carefully selected charity. “Supporting Heroes is very deserving,” says Jimmy King, the group’s treasurer. Here’s to the obvious!
Saturday’s event includes entertainment by local party band Radio Radio, and, as always, there’ll be food and beer. Lots of beer. “It is one of the great places to see people you haven’t seen in years,” King says. “The event is truly come-as-you-are.” —Cassie Book
Central American Airways Hanger
Bowman Field
www.cabowabo.org
$10; 8 p.m.-1 a.m.
Saturday, June 21
The Worsties
Nashville post-punk band The Worsties are sure to have Uncle Pleasant’s rocking on Saturday night, when they stop to promote their new Put Your Babe On EP. The Worsties blend energetic post-punk with some dirty pop and garage rock on the new EP. Anna “Madame Worsty” Worstell fronts the band, and is responsible for The Worsties’ raw stage presence and in-your-face presentation. Her brother, Jesse “Worsty” Worstell, delivers melting guitar riffs that combine the best of garage and punk influences for an explosive sound.
Two St. Louis bands, The Last Almanac and Lapush, are on tap to open. The Last Almanac brings a more mellow alt-rock sound, sometimes showing off Southern rock vibes reminiscent of Tom Petty or The Black Crowes. And Lapush offers melodic indie-rock tunes. You may have heard some of their latest album, Modern Blues, on a recent episode of MTV’s “The Hills,” a sign that Lapush might be on the fast track to crossover success. —Aaron Frank
Uncle Pleasant’s
2126 S. Preston St.
634-4147
$5; 9 p.m.
Saturday June 21
Memphis Three benefit
The Memphis Three were convicted of murder and jailed 14 years ago. They have long asserted their innocence, and with the aid of DNA testing, they may finally prove it this spring. Across the nation, benefits have been held to help with their defense fund (including Eddie Vedder donating from his solo tour). You have a chance to help this Saturday with “Hackamania.” Comedian Brad Thacker (who just finished a tour with Howard Stern’s “Killers of Comedy”), along with Mike Cody, Chris Wagel and Brandon Johnson, will perform a night of comedy at the Pour Haus. DJ Chaddles and DJ Hi Lo Fidelity open and close the reasonably priced $5 show. A night of laughs, drinks and dancing … and your bucks may change the lives of three men and a historic court case. Check out more about the Memphis Three at wm3.org. —Jason Sitzes
Pour Haus
1481 S. Shelby St.
637-9611
$5; 10:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 22
Taste of Frankfort Avenue
Over the last 15 years, the Clifton Center has played host to everything from concerts to seminars, and every June, the illustrious Taste of Frankfort Avenue serves more than 500 hungry samplers in an effort to raise money for the nonprofit venue. With 28 restaurants participating, this year’s Taste is expected to be bigger and better. Organizers are also taking strides to make the event environmentally friendly by partnering with Eco-Steward to provide biodegradable utensils and efficiently dispose of waste.
Many of the chefs and restaurant owners are on hand at the event, conversing with attendees and encouraging them to try signature dishes. Cindy Adelberg, executive director of the Clifton Center, says people are often swayed to try foods they might not be interested in otherwise. “It encourages people to go to restaurants that they might not necessarily go to, especially the more ethnic restaurants like Basa Modern Vietnamese and Zen Garden,” Adelberg says. Dig in. —Aaron Frank
Clifton Center
2117 Payne St.
896-8480
$40; 4 p.m.
TUESDAY, JUNE 24
Filter
The last time Filter played Louisville was sometime in 2002. The gig was at the now-defunct Jillian’s nightclub, and the crowd was bored with material from the group’s newly released record The Amalgamut.
Here we are, six years later. There’s a new Filter CD and a whole new band (except for Patrick, obviously), and whaddayaknow, a new tour.
So why should you, the discerning LEO Weekly reader, spend your hard-earned cash to see a relic from the ’90s alternative craze? Because Filter rocks. There, I said it. Everyone is afforded a few guilty pleasures in life, and Filter is one of mine. So screw you. —Jay Ditzer
Coyote’s at City Block
133 W. Liberty St.
589-3866
$20; 8 p.m.
Through June 30
‘Visual Texture’ by Matthew Cummings
Matthew Cummings is showing something unusual in his exhibition at the Gallery Shop of the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft. The glassblowing methods this Flame Run artist uses are Zanfirco, Filigrana, free-form Filigrana and Murrini.
“The techniques you will find in this show are my versions of traditional Italian secrets,” Cummings tells LEO. “These aren’t techniques you can read about in books. You have to find a maestro (glass master) or an American equivalent who has studied under a maestro, and work for him/her to learn these techniques. I was fortunate enough to learn from one of the best glassblowers alive today, Lino Tagliapietra, while I was a student at Centre College in Danville. My latest training in the Italian tradition came from another great glassblower who worked outside of St. Louis, Sam Stang. So this show is an opportunity to see a glassblowing style not often used in this area of the United States.” — CONTACT _Con-419CB26F17 c s l Jo Anne Triplett
Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft
715 W. Main St.
589-0102
www.kentuckyarts.org
Through July 30
Barry Bingham Jr. & Joseph C. Oldham Retrospective
Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest is loved and served by many volunteers. Barry Bingham Jr. and Joseph C. Oldham, both of whom died in 2006, wore many hats in our community (including Bernheim board member); the one celebrated in this exhibition is photographer.
Bingham loved to photograph trees, while Oldham focused on gardens, flowers and birds. Their love of nature served them well at Bernheim, so Bernheim is repaying the compliment by hosting this unique retrospective. — CONTACT _Con-419CB26F17 c s l Jo Anne Triplett
Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest
Hwy. 245, Clermont, Ky.
955-8512
www.bernheim.org
