Thursday, Aug. 23
Marc Swanson lectures
21c Museum Hotel continues to bring a wide variety of thoughtful and exhilarating exhibitions and events to Louisville. Their latest show, “Beginning to See the Light,” is an introspective overview of paintings, sculptures, videos and installations by Marc Swanson. It was organized by curator Miki Garcia, also the executive director of the Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, where the exhibit was shown earlier this year. It’s on view in the street-level lobby gallery through January (the lobby is open 24 hours a day).
Garcia and Swanson will be in town to lecture on the show. There are two opportunities to hear them: Garcia will give a “talk and walk” at noon on Thursday, and Swanson will talk later that night at 7 p.m. —Jo Anne Triplett
21c Museum Hotel
700 W. Main St.
217-6346
www.21cmuseum.org
Free; noon & 7 p.m.
Aug. 23-24
Gallery talk/movie screening
Gallery Nulu and Lori Beck, founder of Ohio Valley Creative Energy, have banded together to present “Planting Seeds: Cultivating Consciousness,” an exhibition that shows no one is an island. Using work by local and national artists to make her point, curator Beck focuses on how each person affects his or her environment in both positive and negative ways.
Beck knows of what she speaks. OVCE is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to design an arts center fueled by landfill methane, making Beck one of our area’s leading “green” people. She found willing partners in entrepreneurs/environmentalists Gill and Augusta Brown Holland, who own Gallery NuLu.
There’s a gallery talk on Thursday from 5-10 p.m., followed the next day by the showing of the 2007 Sundance documentary film “The Unforeseen” at the Kentucky Center (for more info on the film, turn to page 34). OVCE will lead the NuLu Neighborhood Beautification, picking up litter and planting flowers and plants, on Saturday, Sept. 1, from noon-5 p.m. The exhibit ends Sept. 3. —Jo Anne Triplett
Gallery NuLu
632 E. Market St., 2nd floor
561-1162
www.gallerynulu.com
SATURDAY, AUG. 25
Happy anniversary!
This Saturday, two Louisville enterprises commemorate decades of feeding area residents in different ways. At noon, Rainbow Blossom in St. Matthews kicks off its four-hour-long celebration of 30 years in business. The store opened in 1977 on Breckenridge Lane and has expanded to four locations since. Louisville’s health food institution will have kids’ entertainment and 30-percent discounts, along with samples and free chair massages.
If culinary philanthropy is more appealing to your pallet, check out the Kentucky Harvest 20th anniversary event at the Society of St. Vincent St. Paul. Actress-cum-singer Hilary Duff, Jazzercize founder Barbara Metzler and Grammy Award-winner Larnelle Harris will help recognize two decades of filling up Louisville bellies. Kentucky Harvest, which has spawned USA Harvest, Canada Harvest and European Harvest, rounds up leftover food from restaurants and delivers it to homeless shelters and soup kitchens.
“I think it’s very important to recognize that this program was incubated in Louisville,” says Stan Curtis, who started the organization after noticing that restaurants just threw away their leftover food. “It’s very humbling to me that people get up every day and deliver food because I had an idea.” —Ryan Real
Rainbow Blossom
3738 Lexington Road
896-0189
Free; 12-4 p.m.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
1026 S. Jackson St.
584-2480
Free; 1 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 25
Brew at the Zoo
Now’s your chance to drink beer at the Louisville Zoo and, well, party like an animal. Or at least with the animals. The fourth annual Brew at the Zoo features live entertainment, plenty of great food and, of course, the usual wide array of microbrews to sample. The cost of admission gets you access to beer tasting from 20 regional breweries and food and wine tasting from more than 30 local restaurants and vendors. Stompbox and Two Guys Having Fun will provide live music at the Louisville Zoo Oasis field, and lawn chairs and blankets are recommended. In addition, there will be raffles and even casino games, and designated drivers get a discount on admission. Oh, and you get an official Brew at the Zoo tasting glass to take home. Use it for the Alka-Seltzer you’ll need before bedtime. —Kevin Gibson
Louisville Zoo
1100 Trevilian Way
592-1504
www.louisvillezoo.org
$38 (online), $45 (box office adv.), $50 (door); 4-9 p.m.
SATURDAY, AUG. 25
Hilary Duff
Set up the three-way calls and send a message to all your MySpace friends: Hilary Duff is coming to Louisville. The 19-year-old TV, movie and music starlet will play at the Palace this Saturday to promote her latest release, a dance club playlist effort called Dignity. Duff, a product of the Disney Channel starmaker program, has enjoyed some chart success and cornered the underage girl market with her musical ventures. Though not pregnant or in rehab, she’s still famous by way of three studio albums in between appearing in movies and releasing her own fragrance and clothing line. Her sound has moved from strictly bubblegum preteen pop to the darker, electronic sound and holier-than-thou lyrics of April’s Dignity.
Duff was last in Louisville for the Kentucky State Fair in 2005. This time around, she’ll share the stage with opening band Click Five at one of the city’s coolest venues. Tickets aren’t cheap, but parking should be widely available — most of Hilary’s audience can’t drive yet. —Ryan Real
Louisville Palace
625 S. Fourth St.
583-4555
$39.50-$49.50; 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 25
‘Rock the Rocks’
The Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center sits amid some of the Metro’s most impressive natural and cultural history, and Saturday’s third annual “Rock the Rocks” benefit is a sweet opportunity to see it all firsthand. The event includes music by The Marlins, food from Sellersburg’s Fireside Bar and Grill (featuring Sarasota chef Michael Crowley, whose sister co-owns Fireside), desserts by Terri Lynn Catering, bourbon tasting with Maker’s Mark master distiller Dave Pickerell, and a silent auction. You can also hike on the fossil beds, watch birds and check out the center’s films and regular and special exhibits. The latter includes “Tentacles” and “Remembering the 1937 Flood”; “Flood” author Rick Bell will sign books, and a video crew will ask attendees about their own memories. Proceeds help the Falls Foundation further its mission of educational program development. Casual dress. —Cary Stemle
Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center
201 W. Riverside Drive, Clarksville
812-283-4999
$50; 6-10 p.m.
SATURDAY, AUG. 25
Amy LaVere
Transitioning from punk to Americana isn’t such a colossal leap, and Amy LaVere, a nomad whose roots run deep in Motor City punk and Nashville roots groups, is proof positive. By the time she entered high school, LaVere’s parents, hot for traditional country music, moved 13 times. By 1999, she’d found paydirt in Memphis’s no-nonsense, blues/country scene. “Memphis doesn’t allow you to be trite,” she says. “It not only forces you to be original, it’s an accepting and supportive place for that which may seem unusual anyplace else. There’s very little music ‘industry’ here, but plenty of musical freedom.” This free spirit lands in Jeffersonville this Saturday. —Mat Herron
Mom’s Music
1710 E. 10th St., Jeffersonville
812-283-3304
www.momsmusic.com
$10 (adv.)/$12 (door); 8 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 25
‘Dirty Dancing’ in Jeff
Jeffersonville’s gettin’ Swayze Saturday night, and everyone’s invited! Picture this: a pleasant August evening under the stars, relaxing on the Ohio River, sipping wine, passing time, catching up with friends, making passes at strangers … all while the tumultuous and passionate storyline of “Dirty Dancing” plays out on the big screen. Never in Kentucky, you say. And certainly never in Southern Indiana. But you’d be wrong. And when you’re wrong, you say you’re wrong, right?
Here’ the scoop — “Dirty Dancing” is showing for free at Jeffersonville’s floating amphitheater, the Riverstage, Saturday evening around 9:30. Although it doesn’t have a specific address because it’s, well, floating, just follow Spring Street toward Jimmy’s, and you cannot miss it. Bring chairs, food, drinks and your fancy dancin’ shoes. Reenactments and watermelons encouraged. (Addendum: We just heard that Bearno’s in the Highlands is also having a “Dirty Dancing” screening on the same night, same time. Call 456-4556 for details.) —Sara Havens
Jeffersonville Riverstage
(end of Spring Street)
www.jeffparks.org
Free; 9:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 29
Zombie Walk
The rumors are true. Maniacal, flesh-eating, blood-drinking zombies, bent on total annihilation of the human race, will attack Bearno’s in the Highlands at 9 p.m. next hump day.
The attack has been confirmed by military officials at Fort Knox, and what’s left of the National Guard will be deployed to ward off these horrific brain-munchers, sources close to the rescue operation told LEO last week.
It’s disguised as a celebration, featuring local bands, a montage of zombie film clips, drinks and general mirth and merriment. But this is merely a prelude to inevitable carnage. EMS is on standby to treat the wounded. Bottom line: No one is safe. It is the endtimes. —Mat Herron
Bearno’s in the Highlands
1318 Bardstown Road
456-4556
www.myspace.com/louisvillezombieattack
Free; 9 p.m.
