PICK OF THE WEEK— Friday, July 7: It’s an Encounter magazine launch party this Friday and this time it’s at Joslyn Castle. Join us as we celebrate our July/August issue in our favorite way—with a dance party—in a castle. We’ll have musical peformances by DJ Stephen Bils, Vital Organs, and Glow in the Dark, so there will be no shortage of danceable beats. Plus, there’s a special pop-up exhibit featuring art from our Encounter cover boy, Christopher Couse. The party starts at 5 p.m., so come get your Friday night started right. Go here for more info.
Friday, July 7 – Sunday, July 9: Would you like to see Wonder Woman IRL? How about Dr. Who or Naruto Uzumaki? Where on Earth (or in the metro area) would you possibly be able to see all these characters in one place, you ask? At O Comic Con, obviously! And those are just the cosplayers. This is the third year of O Comic Con, an indie expo-style comics and pop culture convention held at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs. This year you have the chance to meet the voice behind some of your most beloved childhood characters, including Rob Paulson, who was the voice of Yakko, Pinky and Dr. Scratch‘n‘Sniff in “Animaniacs.” On the other end of the spectrum, you can also meet Ray Park, who played Darth Maul from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. If this isn’t enough to geek out over, perhaps you need to work on upping your “geek quotient.” If that’s the case, you’d better head here and get to work on that.
Friday, July 7: Even if you don’t know who Awolnation is, it’s highly likely you’ve heard them. Their first single, Sail, was used in several commercials, a couple different television shows and movies. As soon as you hear that intro, you know what’s coming. So if you would like to see the band that keeps getting that catchy, static, tune stuck in your head that you seem to hear everywhere, you can make that happen this weekend at Stir Concert Cove. The show starts at 8 p.m., with opener PVRIS. Get a ticket here and check out what else they have to offer. And we recommend you do, because despite the overwhelming popularity of that first single, they are not a one-hit wonder
Saturday, July 8: Do you like scavenger hunts and winning prizes? Then you need to hurry and sign up for Adventure Hunt Omaha! Adventure hunts are happening all over the country, and now you can experience one right here in Omaha. This modern treasure hunt sends you and your teammate to different parts of the city to complete challenges and uncover clues. You can win GoPros and other adventure gear, but best of all you could win a trip to Panama for two! Click here to register
Saturday, July 8: About 25 years ago, we lost one of the greatest voices in rock music. Freddie Mercury was legendary and for many Queen fans, irreplaceable. But this incarnation of Queen is just that—an incarnation. They’re not declaring Adam Lambert the new Mercury, they simply want to keep playing the music they love and Lambert’s voice lends itself beautifully to that end. As he acknowledges, he is no Mercury. But he is one hell of a showman and he has an amazing voice. Overall, Lambert does an excellent job of paying tribute to the man, the myth, and the legend. Plus you still get to hear Brian May slaughter that guitar, so you can look forward to that, as well. Click here to get your tickets now.
Sunday, July 9: Don’t miss this chance to see D.A. Pennebaker’s historic documentary, Monterey Pop, (about the first Monterey International Pop Festival) on the big screen as part of Film Streams Sights on Sounds summer series. If you haven’t seen it yet, this is the way to do it. Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, the Who, Simon and Garfunkel, Ravi Shankar—the list goes on. Besides capturing these incredible performances, the film also immortalized two of rock’s most iconic moments—Pete Townshend destroying his guitar and Jimi Hendrix burning his. This was a new era in rock and you can see how it started this Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Ruth Sokoloff Theater. Click here for more.
Sunday, July 9: You may not immediately think “art’ when you think of Fontenelle Forest, but you probably should. This Sunday is the opening reception for photographer Matika Wilbur’s Project 562 collection: Natural Wanderment: Stewardship—Sovereignty—Sacredness. The exhibition of Native American portraits will run through the beginning of October and is free for members. It’s been described as “an extraordinary exhibition of Native Americans devoted to honoring and protecting the sacred and natural world, which is one in the same in their world view.” Wilbur will be speaking at this special artist’s reception, which starts at 6 p.m. To find out more, click here.