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Top Pick

Loud and Happy. MXPX have gained a huge national following with their aggressive, in-your-face-yet-melodic brand of positive pop-punk. They'll be headlining this year's Tooth and Nail Tour, which takes over the Cain's Ballroom, 423 N. Main, on Fri., May 11. Also appearing will be Hawk Nelson, Classic Crime and The Fold and Sullivan. Doors open at 7pm.

Thursday, May 10

Red Dirt music fans can get a double dose of their beloved rock'n'twang today. The Downtown Spring Music Festival, 5th & Main, will feature a free concert from Okie faves The Red Dirt Rangers from 4:30-7pm. Afterward, Cain's Ballroom, 423 N. Main, will host an evening with Texas troubadour Robert Earl Keen and his amazing band. Doors open at 7pm. Yeeehaw!

Friday, May 11

Got something you really need to get off your chest? Looking for someone to listen to your latest rant about politics, religion, pop culture, etc? Look no further. Big Beef is just the event for you. Hosted regularly at the Nightingale Theater, 1416 E. 4th St., Big Beef is a public venting session for all you Regular Joes out there. And look... there just happens to be a Beefing tonight! Call 633-8666 for details. Opinion spewing begins promptly at 8pm.

Saturday, May 12

An estimated 100,000 visitors will flock to Broken Arrow this weekend. Why? Because it's time for the city's annual Rooster Days celebration, of course. Today is the highlight of the whole shebang, featuring a parade through downtown Broken Arrow at 10am that ends at Central Park, 1500 S. Main, where carnival rides, nonstop music on several stages, a car show, arts and crafts and plenty of delectable food will be available in abundance.

Sunday, May 13

Get out and support the ORU Golden Eagles baseball team today as they play their last game of the season. They'll face Centenary at Johnson Stadium on the ORU Campus, 81st & Yale. Game begins at 1pm.

Monday, May 14

The Tulsa Area Youth Symphony will wrap up their season tonight with Spring Serenade, a concert featuring performances from both symphony orchestras. The 7:30pm performance will take place at the Union PAC, 6636 S. Mingo, and feature selections from Claude Smith's "Declaration Overture," Antonin Dvorak's "New World Symphony," Michael Glinka's "Russian and Ludmilla" and Cesar Franck's "Symphony in D Minor."

Tuesday, May 15

It's not easy being an astronaut... what with all that spinning and weightlessness and ever-present, life threatening danger, etc. Think you've got "the right stuff?" You might have a different opinion after watching Astronaut, the latest film showing at Tulsa Air and Space Museum's Bertlesmeyer Planetarium, 3624 N. 74th E. Ave. Catch a screening this afternoon. For showtimes, call 834-9900.

Wednesday, May 16

Take a trip to west Tulsa today and check out Gilcrease Museum's current exhibit, "Star Spangled Thank You Tour," featuring a retrospective look at the work of performance costume designer Manuel. During his decades-spanning career, he created magnificent jumpsuits for Elvis, dressed Johnny Cash in black and created garments for The Beatles, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, various movie stars and even some presidents. The exhibit also features 50 one-of-a-kind jackets by Manuel that pay tribute to the uniqueness of each of the 50 states. For more details, visit gilcrease.org.

Thursday, May 17

Paramnesia is a medical condition where the afflicted is unable to distinguish between what exists and what is imagined... which explains most of Michael Jackson's life. (As well as W's second term.) Interdisciplinary artists Jody Boyer and Russ Nordman seek to explore the boundaries of reality with "Paramnesia" their new exhibit at Living Arts Gallery, 308 S. Kenosha. The installation utilizes a miniature camera mounted on a model train that winds through a far-fetched landscape decorated with all manner of metaphorical symbols. Visit livingarts.org for more details.

Sounds Like Downtown, Part Deux. During week two of the Downtown Spring Music Festival, sponsored by Urban Tulsa Weekly, The Red Dirt Rangers will carry on the tradition of Willie and Waylon and Jerry Jeff while providing their own twist to the "Red Dirt Music" of Oklahoma. The show will take place Thurs., May 10. This beloved band will play a free concert from 4:30-7pm at the intersection of 5th & Main in downtown Tulsa. Street performers are also invited to come out and grace the sidewalks with their talent. For more info on these shows, call 582-3993.

He's No Kinda Dancer. But Mr. Robert Earl Keen sure can sing his heart out. The native Texan and his team of stellar musicians will take the stage at the Cain's Ballroom on Thurs., May 10. Opening up the evening will be southeastern Oklahoma rock country band South 40. The doors swing open at 7pm, and you can get early tickets for $21. You know where.

Cock-A-Doodle-Doo. It's that time of year again for Broken Arrow's Rooster Days Festival. It's the 76th annual, and this year they've got all sorts of fun lined up for May 10-13. Between constant live music, carnival rides, arts & crafts vendors, bad-for-you-but-oh-so-good food, a car show and the Rooster Days Parade, your whole family is sure to find something to make them smile. The main festivities will be in Central Park in Broken Arrow at 1500 S. Main. Sorry, but there will be no coolers or pets allowed in the park. The parade will kick off at 10am on Sat., May 12 at 10am from the Chamber of Commerce. For more info on the schedule & events, visit brokenarrow.org/chamberweb.

Blurring Boundaries. The latest installation exhibit at Living Arts, Paramnesia, is a collaboration by interdisciplinary artists Jody Boyer and Russ Nordman. It explores paramnesia, a real medical condition where the afflicted are unable to distinguish between what exists and what is imagined. Using a model train mounted with a miniature video camera, Boyer and Nordman guide their audience through a fantastic landscape, where forests, figurines and furniture all serve as metaphorical backdrops. It begs the question: what is real? The installation space outside or the world captured by the train's camera? Come decide for yourself. The exhibit will open with a reception on Thurs. May 10 and run through the 26th. For more info, visit livingarts.org or call 585-1234.

Bringing Balance. The Restoring Harmony Powwow is set for 12-8pm on Sat., May 12, at the Salvation Army West Mabee Boys and Girls Club, 2143 S. Olympia. The event is free and open to the public and is the Tulsa area's observance of the second annual National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day. The powwow honors youth and addresses mental health stigma in a manner celebrating the richness of Tulsa's community. The festivities offer something for all ages and open to anyone interested in experiencing a powwow with bright and colorful regalia of both Northern and Southern styles. The first 700 people receive free food. The powwow includes a number of contests and activities for all ages including dance, art, raffles and door prizes. Exhibits and children's activities are scheduled and local mental health and youth serving agencies plan to distribute information about their programs. For more information, call 588-1900, x3287.

A Student Serenade. The two youth orchestras of the Tulsa Area Youth Symphony will present the season's final concert, Spring Serenade, on Mon., May 14 at the Union PAC, 6636 S. Mingo. The show will kick-off at 7:30pm and will include selections such as Claude Smith's "Declaration Overture," Antonin Dvorak's "New World Symphony," Michael Glinka's "Russian and Ludmilla" and Cesar Franck's "Symphony in D Minor." In addition to the show, door prizes will be given during the intermission. Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for kids under 12 and seniors. For more information, please visit tyso.org or call 592-7725.

The End of College Baseball... at least for the season. The ORU Golden Eagles baseball team will play their last three home games of the season against Centenary May 11-13. The games will begin at 7pm, 2pm and 1pm, respectively and will all be played in Johnson Stadium on the ORU Campus, 81st & Yale. Tickets range from only $3-7 and may be bought at the Mabee Center, mabeecenter.com or 495-6000.

A Football for All Seasons. Well, so far, our Tulsa Talons are on a winning streak (in fact, they're the winningest franchise in AF2 history!). Come see if they can keep it up when they face off against Lubbock on Saturday, May 12. The evening's theme is hometown heroes, and there will also be a special performance from the Little Miss Talons. Kickoff is at 7pm in the Tulsa Convention Center, 7th & Houston. Tickets for the evening range from $10-50 and may be purchased at the Talons Box Office or 584-2000.

Drilling for a Sweep. Okay, without mincing any words, here's the lineup for the Tulsa Drillers' series against the Wichita Wranglers, May 13-16. Sunday's games start at 4pm, and promotions include the first 1,000 moms receiving a pink Drillers hat, a chance to buy special pink jerseys from Komen for the Cure, a pre-game picnic & free food for kids. The game on the 14th starts at 7pm, and the first 1,000 ladies will receive a special package. The 7pm game on the 15th is FREE if you get your tickets at Reasor's stores, and the 16th's game is not only a daytime one (12:35pm), it's also a tribute to clean air. The first 1,000 people will get a clean air awareness shirt. What more do you want? How about a chance to see the Oreos and Milk Jungle tour on the 14-16th? You got it. All games are played at Drillers Stadium, 15th & Yale, and tickets may be purchased at the Box Office, tulsadrillers.com or 744-5901.

Your Dream Job... was to be an astronaut when you were a kid, right? Well, now you can glimpse the magnificence of floating in space with Astronaut, the most recent film to show at Tulsa Air and Space Museum's Bertlesmeyer Planetarium. It argues that the exploration of space is the greatest endeavor humankind has ever undertaken. You will explore the amazing worlds of inner and outer space, and encounter the perils that await space travelers, as they subject a test astronaut, Chad, to everything space has to throw at him. Discover if you have what it takes to become an astronaut! The planetarium is located at 3624 N. 74th E. Ave. For showtimes, call 834-9900.

On Modernity. The National Contemporary Realism Exhibition, showing May 10-June 16, brings together a group of local, national and international artists whose paintings stem from the European tradition of depicting everyday imagery with astonishing accuracy. Subjects range from the conventional still life to portraiture and landscape. What differentiates contemporary realists from the past are the subjects that are represented, and the way in which these subjects take life on the canvas. See the work of these artists at M.A. Doran Gallery, 3509 S. Peoria, 748-8700.

Brought to You by White Castle. No seriously, the creators of those cute, irresistible burgers are presenting the rockin' Tooth & Nail Tour, and it's stopping by the Cain's Ballroom, 423 N. Main, on Friday, May 11. Bands like MXPX, Hawk Nelson, Classic Crime, The Fold and Sullivan are going to make you bounce up and down all night long. Doors are at 7pm, and advance tickets to this fiesta del White Castle are $22. You can get yours at the Box Office, Starship Records, Reasor's Stores or gettix.net.

Take it Easy (Love Nothing). The Omaha boys from Bright Eyes know what a passionate show is all about. And front man Conor Oberst is so easy on the eyes, you may not even care what he's singing about. Only kidding, the band's music far surpasses his good looks. They'll take over the stage of the Cain's Ballroom on Sat., May 12. Joining them will be Brooklynite alt-country band Oakley Hall and fellow Omahanians, McCarthy Trenching. Doors are at 7pm, and tickets are $28 in advance at all the usual places.

Air Your Griefs! Big Beef, a town hall meeting gone terribly right, seems to be the best non-partisan party in T-Town these days. Big Beef takes a satirical look at politics, religion and American culture as seen through the eyes of the EveryTulsan. The unknown quantity of an audience is free at last to speak their piece! See you at the meating (sic) at the Nightingale Theatre, 1416 E. 4th, on May 11-12 and 18-19. Curtain is at 8pm. For more info or reservations, call 633-8666.

Hopefully no Longer Lonely. Now that they're Grammy winners, the three Garza brothers, also known as Los Lonely Boys, travel all over to please fans with their own brand of "Texican rock and roll." The boys from San Angelo will treat audiences to an evening of smooth music at the Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino, Tisdale Parkway and 36th St. N., on Sat., May 12. The tunes start at 8pm, and tickets range $28-40 at the Casino Box Office, gettix.net, Reasor's stores or (866) I-GET-TIX.

Moving into Motion. On May 12-13, Circle Cinema, 10 S. Lewis, will screen their 1st Dance on Camera Festival, curated by Jessica Vokoun. The event will feature historical films by the avant-garde filmmaker and choreographer Maya Deren, and several shorts that relate to dance and graceful movement from around the globe. There will be two chances to see this series: at 7:30pm on Sat., and 2:30pm on Sunday. For more information, call 585-FILM.

Kiss This. On Mon., May 14, you'll have a chance to catch The Kissers, a six piece folk punk band from Wisconsin that effortlessly mixes fiddle, guitar, accordion, banjo, bass, drums, mandolin, and bagpipes together to create a sound that blends the genres of folk, punk, Celtic, country, indie, rock and bluegrass. Their FREE show will take place at Mercury Lounge, 1747 S. Boston. Find out more about the band at thekissers.com.

Elemental Photography. "Aether" is a collection of backlit photographs of earth, air, water and fire by Elizabeth Downing. Each of the images emphasizes the ability of the four fundamental elements to reflect changes in their environment as tiny shifts and interruptions are made obvious by movement, surface, and texture. This subject translates directly to current conservation and environmental concerns, as small changes can dramatically affect a larger whole. The show will run through May 26 and is free and open to the public.

Trying to Find that American Dream. August Wilson's King Hedley II is part of the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright's cycle of 10 plays, each set in a different decade of the 20th century. It is set in Pittsburgh's Hill District and explores both the comedy and tragedy of the African-American experience with an ex-con named King trying to rebuild his life by selling stolen refrigerators to get enough money to buy a video store. This play will run in the Doenges Theatre of the Tulsa PAC, 2nd & Cincinnati, on May 11 and 12 at 8pm. Tickets are $12.50 and may be purchased at the Box Office, myticketoffice.com or 596-7111.

Who's Her Daddy? The ultimate feel-good musical, Mamma Mia!, is coming back to Tulsa. This story is about a wedding on a fictional Greek island and a former hippie, her soon-to-be-a-bride daughter and the three men who could be her father is told through the rock-out songs of the Swedish singing sensation, ABBA. Hits such as "Dancing Queen," "Take a Chance on Me" and "The Winner Takes It All" will have audiences dancing in their seats of the Tulsa PAC. The show will play May 10 at 7:30pm, May 11 at 8pm, May 12 at 2 and 8pm, and May 13 at 2 and 7pm. Tickets are $20-60.

Another Gem from Julie. Directed by Julie Tattershall, Inventing Van Gogh is a haunting and hallucinatory tale about the making of art. In the play, Patrick Stone, a contemporary painter, has been hired to forge the legendary last self-portrait of Vincent Van Gogh and finds himself squaring off, across the years, with the master artist himself. This show will run May 10-12 at Heller Theatre, 5328 S. Wheeling, at 8pm. Tickets are $8 for general admission and $6 for seniors and students. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 746-5065.

Get Thee to the Castle. It's that time of year again at The Castle of Muskogee--time for ye olde Renaissance Festival. There will be dozens performers: musicians, jugglers, magicians, mimes, acrobats, sword fighters, comedians, belly dancers, Celtic bands, bagpipers, mud wrestlers, executioners and oh so much more...like people dressed as peasants, knaves, lords, ladies & wizards! Over 100 artisans will sell their unique, handcrafted Renaissance wares. The festival will run every weekend in May and Memorial Day, and tickets run $5-11. Visit OKCastle.com and print your own, or get them at the gate. The Castle is located at 3400 Fern Mountain Rd. in Muskogee.

Trees of Life. "The Wonder of Trees," an exhibit of watercolor paintings by well-known Tulsa artist Anke Dodson will show at Color Connection Gallery during May. The exhibit of watercolor interpretations of the sculptural qualities of trees on a variety of surfaces such as watercolor canvas, Yupo paper and oriental papers. Ms. Dodson's particular, painterly style invites the viewer to travel into a lovely world. This show will run through May 31 at Color Connection Gallery, Utica Square. Normal gallery hours are Tues.-Sat., 10am-5:30pm. For more information, or to make an appointment, call 742-0515.

For the People. The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art, 2021 E. 71st, will display a traveling exhibition on the life and artwork of the Polish-born Jewish artist, Arthur Szyk, through June 24. The exhibition includes a selection of both the artist's manuscript illustrations and political art from the 1930s and 1940s created to call attention to Nazi atrocities across Europe, as well as to advocate for social justice and civil liberties in America. The museum is open Mon.-Fri., 10am-5pm and on Sundays from 1-5pm. For more information on the museum or exhibit, call 492-1818.

A Little Piece of Peace. Every 3rd Fri. of the month, Peace House Tulsa, 306 S. Phoenix, will bring you Infusion, an evening of music and poetry that will transport you back into the Jazz Era of Harlem. The show starts at 9pm, and the lineup includes The Mistress of Metaphor: Sharon Smith Knight, Renowned Drummer: Bob "Pacemaker" Newham, and The Ultra Cool Songstress: Miss Stacie Lynn. There will also be a special performance from Wordweaver: Deborah Hunter. $5 gets you into the show. For more info, call 599-8959.

Close Encounters of the Elephant Kind. Newly opened, the Elephant Demonstration Yard at the Tulsa Zoo, 6421 E. 36th St. N., will bring you and your family closer to the elephants than ever before. There will be daily demonstrations at 11am, and the stadium seating will bring you within a few feet of the mighty beasts and their keepers. Come check out Asian Cow elephants Sooky and Gunda as they strut their stuff and roam their newly renovated and expanded habitat. For more info, call 669-6600.

Golf, It's Tulsa's Kind of Sport. The Tulsa Historical Society and the PGA present "A History of the Season's Final Major," which celebrates the history and tradition of the PGA Championship. The collection tracks the Championship from the beginnings of match play to the modern era of stroke play, from Champions like Gene Sarazen and Walter Hagen to today's icons such as Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Visitors to the exhibit can see the progression of golf and its technology by viewing mementos from PGA Champions through clothing, equipment, scorecards and other memorabilia. The PGA exhibit will be on display at the Tulsa Historical Society, 2445 S. Peoria, through Aug. 1. Admission is free. To make tour reservations or for more information, call 712-9484.

He is Manuel. He dressed Johnny Cash in black. He created jumpsuits for Elvis. The bands Aerosmith, Lynard Skynard, ZZ Top and the Beatles have all worn his artistry. Presidents and movie stars have proudly donned his couture. He is a designer and an artist. He is Manuel. His current exhibit, "Star Spangled Thank You Tour" is a celebration of his career as a performance costume designer and will also showcase 50 one-of-a-kind jackets that pay tribute to the uniqueness of each of the 50 states. The show will run through July 29 at Gilcrease Museum, 1400 Gilcrease Museum Rd. For more information, call 596-2700 or visit gilcrease.org.

Boomers and Sooners. During the first few years of the twentieth century, a series of events took place that lead Congress to grant single statehood for the Oklahoma and Indian Territories together. The exhibit, "Divided Territory, the Quest for Sequoyah," details the process that led two territories, each desiring to be admitted to the Union as their own separate state, to join together to form the State of Oklahoma. Come see this and other exhibits at the Tulsa Historical Society, 2445 S. Peoria, through July 28. For more info, call 712-9484 or visit tulsahistory.org.

Circa 480 B.C. Witness, for the first time, the Battle of Thermopylae on the massive screens of IMAX for a feel of what it was like to be a Spartan defending your ground against the ferocious Persians. Based on Frank Miller's graphic novel and from the same director of Dawn of the Dead, 300 promises to be a violent, yet powerful, film about defending honor and your homeland, to the bitter end. Showing at Cinemark IMAX, 10802 E. 71st. Call 307-2629 for showtimes.

Celebrate Oklahoma's Rich History! In 1945, Thomas Gilcrease commissioned Vinson Lackey to research, record, and then create works of art representing the early institutions of Indian Territory.

This historic group of Oklahoma's pre-statehood buildings included forts, old Indian capitols, agencies, schools, churches, homes, and industrial structures. Each painting was to be a faithful reproduction of the original structure. The project took Lackey four years to complete.

He traveled to the sites and made sketches of the terrain, took copious notes, and tracked down any available information that might be useful to the project.

Do your civic duty and help the mayor and her cohorts find direction for the museum by letting 'em know you heard about the show in your ever-lovin' UTW. Gilcrease Museum, 1400 Gilcrease Museum Rd., through Sept. 30. For more information, call 596-2700.

America 24/7. In the 1930s & '40s, Oklahoma artists were part of the "American Scene" movement, a reaction in part to abstraction and other modernist movements. These artists documented the America they knew best, whether it was the hills of Oklahoma, the ranch land of West Texas or the shores of New England.

They worked with a single purpose: to capture the myths and truths of an America that was rapidly changing. An exhibit of these works, "The Oklahoma Scene," at Philbrook Museum, runs through Aug. 5. For more information, call 749-7941.

The Longing for Liquid. Oasis in Space is a stunning film voyage that transports the audience through the solar system, galaxy & universe in search of liquid water--a key ingredient for our life on earth.

With a proven, audience-tested story, visually immersive imagery and an original musical score, the film is enjoyable for all ages. You can see Oasis in Space at the Berlesmeyer Planetarium at the Tulsa Air & Space Museum, 3624 N. 74th E. Ave. For showtimes, call 834-9900.