Playing the clown
Restless Artists Theatre Company presents The Curious Revelations and Astounding Insights of The Great Shamé. Step into the mind of Tozy, a clown magician, and meet curious characters like The Great Shamé, a powerful illusionist who will make you cower in bewilderment. You will also meet Craig, a man audiences hate to love and love to hate, as well as Mr. Ow, Shamé’s precious worm. The performance contains mature themes and is intended for audience members age 18 and older. Performances start at 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 21; 9 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 22; 3 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 23; and 6 p.m., Monday, Feb. 24, at Restless Artists Theatre, 295 20th St., in Sparks. Tickets are $15 general admission, $12 for seniors and military, and $10 for students. Call 775-525-3074, or go to rattheatre.com.
Everything is illuminated
Six blocks and three city plazas in downtown Reno will transform into an open-air gallery of dazzling art and tech displays during the inaugural Western Lights Illuminated Art Festival. Stroll through more than 30 illuminated art installations and interactive experiences while enjoying music from dozens of DJs and live bands stationed throughout the festival path, each adding to the magical nighttime ambiance. Local food and drink vendors will provide enough sustenance to keep the positive vibes going at this midwinter exhibition celebrating local art, innovation and creativity. The free event takes place from 5 to 10 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 20-22, from East Plaza Street to the Virginia Street Bridge in downtown Reno. Check out westernlightsfestival.com for more information.
(Middle age) rage against the machine
It’s not the young, brash enfant terrible it used to be, but The Exploited and Total Chaos are here to remind everyone that punk’s not dead. It will still raise its arthritic middle finger in defiance of conformity, complacency and commercialism (whatever that means in the era of post-truth and alternative facts). Scottish band The Exploited has been challenging authority for almost as long as punk rock has been around. Formed in 1978, the street-punk band released its debut album Punk’s Not Dead in 1981. Singer Wattie Buchan has seen the band through lineup changes and its evolution from hardcore punk to crossover thrash over the years. Still, the group maintains its anti-establishment stance as evidenced in the naming of its most recent album, Fuck the System. Likewise, Total Chaos has been making punk-rock music that stays true to its roots of rebellion, defiance and activism. The Pomona, Calif., band formed in 1989, hoping to inject some life into what they felt was a dying musical genre. They recorded their debut album We Are the Punx, We Are the Future in 1993, followed by Pledge of Defiance, their first release on Epitaph Records. A staple of the Southern California punk music scene, the group is also known for its social activism, having organized peace punk picnics and participating in anti-war protests. The band’s latest album is Mind Warfare on Pavement Entertainment. The Exploited and Total Chaos hit the stage at 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 21, at Virginia Street Brewhouse, 211 N. Virginia St. Tickets are $25. The show is open to those age 18 and older. Visit renobrewhouse.com or lateniteproductions.com.
Cast a spell
Explore science inspired by the wizarding world at Social Science: Spells & Incantations. At this month’s Social Science event, you can craft a custom wand, formulate your own custom magical potion, sample handcrafted Butterbeer gelato, embark on a Golden Snitch scavenger hunt, play Cards Against Potter and more. The Harry Potter-themed event will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum (The Discovery), 490 S. Center St. Advance tickets are $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. Tickets are $30 at the door. Admission includes two drinks and complimentary bites provided by Liberty Events and Catering, Parlay 6 Brewing Co., Breakthru Beverage of Nevada, Bibo Coffee and Doughboys Donuts. You must be age 21 or older to attend. Call 775-786-1000 or visit nvdm.org for more information.
Change your tune
In the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac, the Year of the Snake represents a period of change and transformation, a time to shed bad energy and reinvent yourself. Whether you’re in search of renewal or just want to hear something new, go on a musical journey to the Far East at the Reno Pops Orchestra’s Chinese New Year concert featuring Hong Wang, an internationally renowned ehru and Chinese folk instrument soloist. The program will feature Tan Dan’s “Passacaglia: Secret of Wind and Birds,” Giacomo Puccini’s “Turnadot Suite” (arranged for this concert by the Pops’ Brendan Wiebe) and Oliver Caplan’s “Journey to the West,” the winning piece from the Pops’ 2024 Composer’s Showcase. The free show starts at 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 22, at the Nightingale Concert Hall, 1335 N. Virginia St., inside the Church Fine Arts Building, at the University of Nevada, Reno. Visit www.renopops.org.
Have a most triumphant time
Dress up for a night out with your favorite person at the third annual Punk Rock Prom. Reno Punk Rock Flea Market hosts this dark and dreamy night of community and music featuring performances by burlesque troupe Metalesque, Reno pop punk band Decline to State, and Las Vegas goth rockers Pitch After Dark (pictured). Ritual DJ Uncle Rusty will sustain the gothic vibes by spinning a mix of dark tunes. Come early, and grab some food at The Alpine; get a free instax prom photo; and sit for a fun caricature with local artist Jason Williams. The all-ages event opens at 6 p.m., with music starting at 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 22, at The Alpine, 324 E. Fourth St. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. All funds raised at the prom will support RPRFM’s Spring Flea Market, which is scheduled for April 12-13. Visit www.rprfm.org or www.instagram.com/renopunkflea.
Stir emotions
Reno Phil’s Classix Series continues with its program “Bruckner’s Romantic Symphony.” The symphony orchestra will be joined by violinist Alexi Kenney (pictured), who will perform Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Rondo in C Major for Violin and Orchestra K. 373 and Igor Stravinsky’s Concerto for Violin in D Major, showcasing virtuosic violin passages against a backdrop of vibrant orchestral textures. This concert will also feature Reno Phil’s first-time performance of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4 in E Flat Major “Romantic.” The music begins at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 22; and 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 23, at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, 100 S. Virginia St. Tickets are $35.50-$102.50. Call 775-323-6393, or go to renophil.com.
11 Days a Week is compiled and written by Kelley Lang. Want your event included in 11 Days a Week? Email 11days@renonr.com for consideration. Email advertising@renonr.com for advertising info!
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