Thursday, Jan. 30
“Alice in Wonderland” presented by SOUL aerial and Performing Arts Center at Dominion Energy Center’s Carpenter Theatre (through Feb. 1)
Feed your head? More like watch your head. But really, this is a family-friendly, full-scale aerial cirque production of the classic “Alice in Wonderland” that is appropriate for all ages and should draw plenty of “oos” and “ahs” and “can I have my phone back(s)?” from the kids in your brood. Tickets start at $31 plus fees for the 11 a.m. show on Thursday. The Friday show is at 7:30 p.m., Saturday offers both 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 31
Afro-Zen Allstars 10th anniversary at Reveler Experiences
Ten golden years of celebrating and interpreting those slinky, golden Ethiopiques sounds, plus a whole lot more, too. Read our more detailed preview interview by Peter McElhinney. 8 p.m. General admission, first come, first seated. Tickets are $17.50.

Kendall Street Company at The Camel
We all know that Virginia is for lovers. But Kendall Street Company shows love for Virginia like few bands do. It’s nearly time for the Kendall Street is for Lovers Tour, the Charlottesville jam outfit’s fourth annual whirlwind series of February shows around the Commonwealth. Best of all, you don’t have to wait to hop on board. Friday is your opportunity to join a Camel-hosted pre-party and help the group gear up for 15 shows in four weeks spread across venues in Blacksburg, Charlottesville, Richmond and Virginia Beach. Richmond will play host on Fridays, at either the Broadberry or the Camel, and each week’s set lists will adhere to a theme: “Adventure Time (Places, Travel, Exploration)” for the first week, “Whipped Cream & Wine (Cheese, Love, Friendship)” for the second, then “Surf & Turf (Beach, Swim, Sun)” and lastly, “The Final Frontier (Space, Tech, Psychedelia).” Themed clothing and costumes are encouraged, according to the band’s Instagram. Doors for Friday’s pre-party open at 9 p.m. and music starts at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $18 in advance. For tickets and more information, visit thecamel.org.—Davy Jones
Saturday, Feb. 1
Black History Portals Project throughout 17th Street Market and Shockoe Bottom
Get down, walk around and check out the arrival of this public art installation, which features 20 large-scale historic photographs in windows throughout Shockoe Bottom. According to organizers, the “exhibit celebrates the legacy, resilience and everyday lives of Black Richmonders from the early 1800s to the 1980s.” The free and accessible exhibit, led by Richmond’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, will run throughout Black History Month. Check out our story here by David Timberline.

AuroraFest at Väsen Brewing Company
Celebrate sustainable practices while enjoying some beer with nonprofits such as Keep Virginia Cozy, Friends of the James River, Capital Region Land Conservancy, and Beyond Boundaries as well as guest beers and maker’s market. This will feature “11 eco-driven breweries and cideries, 5 local organizations that are making a difference in our community, and 9 local eco-friendly makers and vendors–all in one location,” according to organizers. Noon to 5 p.m. and hang out later for a DJ’d afterparty from 6 to 9 p.m. 3331 W. Moore St.
Glow at the Science Museum of Virginia
Oh yeah, here’s your chance to glow and get freaky-deaky this weekend with the entire fams at one of the Science Museum’s most popular events of the year. Guests get to light up all day as they wander around and see what illuminates the Animal Lab, create psychedelic effects through diffraction glasses in The Forge, experience a black light extravaganza with a phosphorescent wall, shadow puppets, glowing bubbles, learn about chemical reactions and check out Movie Magic Laser Shows and astronomy shows in the Dome, plus a lot more. All Glow activities are included with general admission ($17.50 for adults, $14.50 for da youth (6-12) seniors 60 and older and preschool kids ages 3-5 get in for $10 bucks.) Dome features require a $5 add-on. Highly suggest getting tickets beforehand. Runs from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Go here for tickets and to learn more.

Sunday, Feb. 2
Comedian Steve Treviño at Dominion Energy Center’s Carpenter Theatre
Billed as “America’s favorite husband,” Trevino has been featured in headlining specials for Amazon, Netflix, Showtime, all the places, and he’s bringing his “Good Life Tour” to RVA. His blurb lists millions of views and the usual fast-rising comedian stats; but more telling is this info from a 2019 Texas Monthly story: “[Treviño] believes Hollywood’s stereotypical depictions of Mexican-Americans are driving forces in the immigration debate.” 8 p.m. Tickets start at $33.50 plus fees and then go up.
Tuesday, Feb. 4
The Potluck Series at Révéler Experiences
Pretty much everyone loves a potluck, an informal feast where every diner brings something to share. There is also something to be said for a limited series, like the five-edition, all-star “Potluck” sessions taking place at this Carytown venue from Feb. 4 until March 4, a.k.a. Mardi Gras. The core group is a who’s who of RVA rootsy musical shapeshifters. Organist Steve Bassett has been on the scene since the ‘70s, co-wrote official state song “Sweet Virginia Breeze,” and voiced hundreds of commercials. Pianist Daniel Clarke is both a local favorite and has toured with k.d. lang, Mandy Moore, and many others. Dusty Ray Simmons is currently touring with the Chris Jacobs band. Guitarist Willie Williams toured with Dickie Betts’ Great Southern Reunion. Stewart Myers started with Agents of Good Roots and has recorded with Liz Phair, Shawn Colvin and Jason Mraz. This is a killer band on its own, capable of taking the night into any number of directions. But the concept is to keep things unpredictable with surprise guests. It sounds a bit like the local version of the Midnight Rambles, the late Levon Helm’s legendary Woodstock barn shows, albeit with more colored lights and gilded skeletons. It will be general admission, so show up early for the best seats. Runs every Tuesday until March 4. Doors are at 6:00 p.m., music from 7 to 9 p.m. Admission is $10.—Peter McElhinney

“Dirty Dancing” in Concert at Dominion Energy Center’s Carpenter Theatre
By now somebody has to have “nobody puts Baby in a corner” engraved on their tombstone, right? Probably several people (or pets), which would draw just as many chuckles from cemetery passerby as weird looks of horror. “Dirty Dancing,” for those raised by Chinese social media companies, was a popular movie starring Pat “Fatback” Swayze and Jennifer Grey from 1987, back when movies ran in theaters for longer than 24 hours. Shot partly in Mountain Lake, Virginia, it was hailed by critics as a “timeless romance” of the mountain resort/pants-off-dance-off/abortion drama variety, and the film has maintained its magnetic hold over Gen Xers ever since. Safe bet that many of them will be in attendance for this live-to-concert experience, where the movie will be backed by a live band and singers, leaving audiences to lather in that legendary dialogue it knows by heart (lines like “Just put your pickle on everybody’s plate, college boy, and leave the hard stuff to me” or “God wouldn’t have given you maracas if He didn’t want you to shake ’em!”) At this point, I’d like to recognize Aaron Russo, the movie’s original producer, who after the disastrous first test screening was asked how the movie could be salvaged and reportedly responded: “Burn the negative and collect the insurance.” That’s the spirit, Russo.
Tonight’s event should be more celebratory: After the screening, when the tears have stopped and the phones have all been checked to see how that selfie under the marquee is doing, there will be a cast party. Somebody out there might just mess around and have “the time of [their] life,” to quote the soundtrack’s number one hit song, which arrived in November 1987, mere weeks after the national trauma of Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again” video, featuring Tawny Kitaen doing cartwheels and operatic lunge-squats across two white jaguars, which some historians believe triggered The Great Puberty Awakening of ‘88. Remember friends, to this day, “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” remains the third most popular song played at funerals in the U.K. Carry on.—B.B.
Rubblebucket with Hannah Moran at The National
This indie-pop outfit from Brooklyn with the constipated-sounding name seems funky enough to dance to, and Year of the Banana is the best tour name in this particular edition of our weekend update. But if their artful pop skills weren’t enough, we also got a magic 8-ball vision last night of someone turning 21 before this show, going bar to bar for free kamikazes and car bombs, then after stumbling through the neon smear (shout-out, Kepone), wandering into this show and shedding 20 pounds on the sticky dancefloor before realizing later that night, in a moment of quiet self-reflection: “I’m an adult now. It’s not okay to drunk dial someone at 3 a.m. on a Tuesday after devouring everything in the fridge, including my roommate’s misspelled birthday cake and an old jar of Claussen pickle juice. Maybe, just maybe, I should’ve stuck with the banana.” This all-ages show starts at 7:30 p.m. [As far as I know, this event does not include a mass wedding ceremony of people to bananas, which I can more readily recommend, having done it twice now, once in the early ’90s and once during a college reunion in 2017, when we renewed our vows after a special pre-recorded message of approval from William Shatner.]—B.B.
Wednesday, Feb. 5
Sam Morril at The National
Named a comic to watch in 2011, this noted jokester and self-starter is bringing his “Errors” Taylor Swift tour (scratch that last part) to one of RVA’s bigger venues. You might recognize his deadpan mug from various late-night TV appearances, or his cameo in the “Joker” movie (the first one, not the sad musical). And because one must contain multitudes these days to reach fragmented America in all its common-sense, “It was cold last night, so clearly global warming ain’t happening”—glory, you can approach Morril’s legendary dryness through a number of dark alleyways; there’s his podcast thing, “We Might Be Drunk,” his Netflix thing, “That’s My Time with David Letterman,” his Emmy-nominated sports thing, “People Talking Sports,” or his latest Amazon thing, “Sam Morril: You’ve Changed.” As Turd Ferguson once said in “Cannonball Run: The Director’s Cut”: “Brevity is the soul of wit.” I’ll try to stick to that next time. Doors at 6:30 p.m. Show at 7:30 p.m. All ages.—B.B.