We made it to March: not February, but still our pick for New England’s cruelest month (that T.S. Eliot was full of shit). At least things are happening, like the Oscars and Mardi Gras. Celebrate with a New Orleans legend and two directors who will probably never win anything from the Academy.
[Photo credit: American Repertory Theatre]
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| 1. | Thursday, Feb. 27 – Have a Ball at the Ballet |
An evening of cocktails with a special performance by Harvard Square’s historic José Mateo Ballet Theatre. The fundraiser also fills our weekly quota of one event where you can wear a sport coat, get a little buzz on and feel like a monied patron of the arts — essentially a member of the Medici family during the Renaissance. (6:30 p.m., $25, all ages)
| 2. | Thursday, Feb. 27 – Buckwheat Zydeco |
Mardi Gras isn’t just about the bars, beads and beignets: It’s about indulging in all of those things while backed by a soundtrack of the happiest music in the world. Buckwheat Zydeco brings its unique brand of traditional cajun music to Regattabar, featuring an accordion and that metal washboard percussion thing. I’d probably just play my abs. I have washboard abs.(7:30 p.m., $20, all ages)
| 3. | Fri. to Thurs., Feb. 28 to March 6 – Wes Anderson retrospective |
The Brattle’s Almost But Not Quite Entirely Complete Wes Anderson Retrospective celebrates the quirky director’s career, from his debut, “Bottle Rocket” to his latest, “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (special preview screening next Thursday), missing only “Rushmore.” “Oh, sure, leave out his most popular movie,” you’re thinking. “Stupid film snobs!” Hey, simmer down. The print just wasn’t available. (Various times, $10, all ages)
| 4. | Friday, Feb. 28 – AcousticaElectronica |
Like a scrumptious everything bagel, Oberon’s EDM/classical/rock/circus/dance/theater/rave experience somehow melds those disparate elements into something great (EDM is the poppy seeds). The actors and musicians pull audience members onto the dance floor and make them part of the performance, which I’m sold, because I love anything that breaks the fourth wall whether it’s Zack Morris calling a time-out or Frank Underwood shooting a knowing glance at the audience. (10:30 p.m., $25, all ages)
| 5. | Saturday, March 1 – Selfies in Feminist Art |
Reflecting on her 27-foot Gallery 263 installation “Awake”, Christina Balch’s artist talk examines self-portraiture in feminist art and its relationship to the contemporary “selfie” phenomenon. Did Frida Kahlo ever make a duck face? She did not. (3 p.m., FREE, all ages)
| 6. | Saturday, March 1 – A Contemporary Record of Rock ‘n’ Roll |
Musician, vinyl collector, and White Stripes archivist Ben Blackwell talks to local music authority Michael Marotta at the Museum of Fine Arts. Yeah, well, if I had a cool alliterative name I’d probably be doing some pretty cool things with my life, too. (2 p.m., $10-13, all ages)
| 7. | Saturday, March 1 – Fire & Ice |
The Union Square winter festival features professional fire spinners — in my experience, the best kind of fire spinners — plus ice sculpture artist Don Chappelle. If you figure that ice is just water, that means we’re only two elements away from summoning Captain Planet up in here. (3 p.m., FREE, all ages)
| 8. | Sunday, March 2 – “Spring Breakers” |
Director Harmony Korine will be on hand at the Harvard Film Archive for this screening of his latest film about four college girls gone way too wild, which doubles as the best and only argument for the continued existence of James Franco since “Freaks and Geeks” ended. (7 p.m., $12, rated R)
| 9. | Sunday, March 2 – Somerville Builds |
This event is for kids who are into building and technology features demonstrations and hands-on activities from the Museum of Science, Parts and Crafts, MakerState and more. So I checked and you have to bring a kid if you want to play with this stuff. Can I borrow a kid? (12 p.m., FREE, all ages)