Art has many roles. Sometimes it helps us process the events of our lives into meaningful narratives. At other times, it transports us to other places, into other lives, or completely alien truths. This week in Pinellas, there’s a plethora of the latter kind of art, adventurous strangenesses and way-out experiments that still manage, somehow, to bring us back to ourselves.
Inxeba (The Wound), Friday, Nov. 17
This widely hailed film paints a deep psychological portrait of the intersection äóñ or maybe clash äóñ of traditional and postmodern identity in South Africa. Gorgeously shot in a mix of Afrikaans, English, and Xhosa, it depicts the tribal initiation rite that is still a pillar of South African society, but complicates the picture by injecting the questions of sexuality that still challenge cultures and nations the world over.
7 p.m., free admission; Miller Auditorium, Eckerd College, 4200 54th Ave. S., St. Petersburg
Miles Davis Electric Band, Friday, Nov. 17
While reasonable people can disagree, a lot of serious jazz fans consider Miles Davisäó» early electric work, exemplified by 1970äó»s Bitches Brew, to be his most adventurous and mind-expanding. Yes, it gave us the questionable legacy of jazz fusion, but it also showed how things could have gone much, much better. This band doesnäó»t feature any truly legendary Davis alums (itäó»s been half a century, after all), but it has the Davis familyäó»s seal of approval, and the songbook alone would make it worth serious consideration.
8 p.m., $35-$55
Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland Street, Clearwater
Star Wars and the Power of Costume at the MFA äóñ Through April 1
The promo materials for this show are, to be frank, a little Prequel-heavy (shudder) äóñ but none of the trilogyäó»s true fans will be able to pass up the chance to see early concept sketches and full-scale displays of the iconic designs for Darth Vader, C-3PO, and Chewbacca.
For the truly dedicated, there will be a gallery talk from concept artist Doug Chiang on December 6.
Check out our preview for more details.
Various Days and Times, $25 for adults, $18 for children.
Slowdive and Silver Apples at Et Cultura, Saturday, Nov. 18
The Et Cultura festival is a five-day marathon, but this is our pick for the single best musical event of the run. Slowdive and Silver Apples are both stalwarts of way-out rock music, with the Apples – named after an album by electronica pioneer Morton Subotnick – founded in 1967 (for real). Their bleeps and bloops paved the way for everyone from Devo to Radiohead to Tim Hecker. Slowdive, founded in 1989, are relative newcomers, but their slow-building-guitars template is nearly as influential, informing My Bloody Valentine, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, and, most obviously, Explosions in the Sky.
Infinite Third opens.
$75 for full festival access. Single-event tickets may be available at the door, but thereäó»s no price information and no guarantees.
Randy Newman, Sunday, Nov. 19
Amazingly, as of this writing, tickets are still available for this performance by one of Americaäó»s most beloved and subtly acerbic songwriters. Though heäó»s probably best known for his work on the Toy Story films, and comes across as a humble craftsman, Newmanäó»s fans know him as a cutting social commentator with an absurdist streak a mile wide äóñ both of which have been on display in his recent grappling with national political figures.
Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland Street, Clearwater
8 p.m. $40-$80
Honorable Mentions:
The Castle 25th Anniversary Party, Saturday November 18 at 10:30 p.m. This Ybor City mainstay is an excellently weird dance club that has weathered a stunning quarter-century. Worth crossing the bridge. $10. 2004 North 16th Street, Tampa.æMore info here.
