Weekend Update: 7/20–7/23

No biggie, just another action-packed summer weekend in beautiful Denton, Texas! Sing along with local celebs, celebrate the launch of KUZU FM, and revisit your formative XxSCENExX years!

Attention Dentonites! It's time to revel in another spectacular weekend! Make the most of your break from the grind by challenging well-known locals to classic arcade games, partaking in the tapping of Prairie Artisan Ales, celebrating the launch of KUZU, rediscovering your fear of sharks, and, as always, SO MUCH MORE. Stay hydrated, woke, and willing — we'll see you out and about, friendos!

Thursday, July 20

Game Over, Dudes: A Fundraiser for Denton Together
Game Changers Sports and Arcade Grill, 7 p.m.

Want to challenge a few well-known Denton musicians, comedians, and generally fine folks to a classic arcade game AND help Denton Together in the process? Well, you’re in luck. Simply show up at Game Changers Sports and Arcade on Thursday evening and play a few games while you enjoy a cocktail or three. They’ll donate the proceeds from the day to Denton Together to help events such as Band Together Denton, Free Week, and more.

If you're badass enough to win against one of the featured townies, you’ll be entered into a raffle drawing to win 50% of the entry-fee pot. That’s a pretty sweet deal, guys. It’s only $5 to get in, so start digging though your couch for quarters, like, yesterday.

Slaid Cleaves
Dan’s Silver Leaf, 8 p.m.

Dan’s Silver Leaf invites you to wallow in the rootsy, folksy, honky-tonk sounds of singer-songwriter Slaid Cleaves. Hailing from Wimberley, Texas, Cleaves travels all the way from the Hill Country to share his Americana melodies. Tickets are $20 and are available right here. Two-steppin’ starts around 8 p.m. 21+.

Friday, July 21

Friday Feminist Fone-banking
Harvest House, 5 p.m.

If you’re interested in contacting your local and national representative regarding issues and bills that affect all of us, but you’re not quite sure how to go about it, fret not. Join the Denton Feminist & Queer Collective for their monthly Friday Fone-banking event at Harvest House.

They’ll provide the rep’s contact information and scripts to follow — all you have to do is bring your phone. Easy enough, right? They’ll also be accepting donations of school supplies for school-aged kids who receive the services of Denton County Friends of the Family, so pick up a few items on your way. For further details, please see event page. Make your voice heard!

Prairie Artisan Ales on Tap
East Side, 7 p.m.

The great minds behind East Side have been stocking their coolers with Prairie Artisan Ales for quite a while — now it’s time to tap some kegs. Join them for a night of tasting these delicious beverages, and meet the ale alchemists who brew them up. Bonus: Each beer purchase comes in a keepsake tulip glass! Plus, five food trucks will be out providing delectable grub to hungry Dentonites all night. For a complete list of the beers that will be featured on tap, please see the event page. Come see what all the zymurgy is about.

GDAC Presents: All-Star Karaoke
Dan’s Silver Leaf, 8 p.m.

The Greater Denton Arts Council invites you to drink, donate, and sing at Dan’s Silver Leaf for their 3rd Annual All-Star Karaoke event. Hosted by Denton’s own Jessie Frye, you can expect to see performances by 940 notables Eric Pulido, Paul Slavens, Kelly Upshaw, Pearl Earl, Danielle Longueville, our very own Sara Button, and more!

Following the featured performers, the mic will be turned over to YOU for $5 a song. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Greater Denton Arts Council. Tickets are $10. Let’s sing to support the arts of the community we love!

Fun Button, MNKR, Springtime and the Changes, GOLDENJOY
Harvest House, 9 p.m.

Head to Harvest House for a night of live music from four hometown bands. Get down to the electro-pop sounds of GOLDENJOY, the dreamy, screamy rock of Springtime and the Changes, the garage-pop melodies of MNKR, and the indie/post-punk earworms of Fun Button. Is there a better way to spend a Friday than soaking up the spirit of Denton while keeping cool with a handcrafted beverage or two? We thought not. Free!

Saturday, July 22

Summer Vibes – The Return of Denton DnB
BackYard On Bell, 4 p.m.

Join Denton DnB, a group of local DJs and producers that focus on the drum and bass aspects of music, as they host Summer Vibes at BackYard On Bell. This family-friendly event will feature workshops, face-painting, hula-hooping, photo booths, vendors, live music, DJs and MCs, and more! For the official lineup, please see the event page. This is an all-ages show; it’s $5 for those 21+ and free for those 20 and under. Doggos are welcome too! Soak up those summer vibes, y’all.

KUZU Blastoff Launch Party
Harvest House, 7 p.m.

It’s finally happening! Now that KUZU is on the air, it's time to celebrate the station's community-produced broadcast blastoff with a night of fun at Harvest House. This celebratory show will kick off with KUZU DJs and will be followed by performances from Mink Coats, Fishboy, Claire Morales, Leoncarlo, Joe Coffee, and more! Set times are still TBA, so keep an eye on the event page. It’s free, but there’s a $5 suggested donation to help KUZU continue to surf those waves. The party runs until midnight.

XxEmo_ForeverxX: Free Emo Night
Andy’s Bar, 8 p.m.

Oaktopia founders Matt Battaglia and Brent Camp invite you to slip on those skinny jeans, gather all your unresolved emotional baggage, and head to Andy’s Bar for the first-ever XxEmo_ForeverxX event, where they’ll be spinning the best emo, pop-punk, post-hardcore, and hardcore tunes. The playlist will definitely have you shedding a tear or two, so make sure your eyeliner is as waterproof as it is heavy and poorly applied! 

Cursive? Alkaline Trio? Sunny Day Real Estate? Come prepared to request your former and forever favorites. See and be seen as you relive your scene-kid days. It’s FREE, yeah — but it, like, still hurts, you know? Whatever.

/slams bedroom door

Don’t Be a Drag
Mable Peabody’s Beauty Parlor & Chainsaw Repair, 9 p.m.

The ladies of Enigmatic Haus Collective invite you to Mable Peabody’s Beauty Parlor & Chainsaw Repair for a night of drag bingo followed by a drag show. Hosted by Enchante Lefay, there will be performances by Enigma, Amber Guetty, Yvee Lavaeu, and Jackie O’Nasty. Drag Bingo begins around 9 p.m. and the feature show will take place at 10 p.m., so show up a little early to grab a table and a cocktail. It’s only $7 to set your sights on this show-stopper. 21+. Don’t Be a Drag and get out there!

Sunday, July 23

Kids Show
BackYard On Bell, 3 p.m.

If you’re searching for something to entertain the kiddos, BackYard On Bell has got you covered. Have your littles come sing, dance, and play with children’s author and musician Lolly Hopwood as she performs a mix of original and classic kid songs. Promising to engage parents as well, she and her friend YoYo will be performing in support of their interactive ebook, Movel. This show is FREE, but donations to help cover the performers’ traveling costs are greatly appreciated.

Sunday Cinema Series: Jaws
Andy’s Bar, 7 p.m.

Sink your teeth into this week’s Sunday Cinema Series at Andy’s Bar, as they kick off Shark Week with a screening of Jaws. Show up around 6:30 p.m. dressed as a shark hunter, an oceanographer, a police chief, or a shark, and get your picture snapped for a chance to win a prize for best-dressed. You may want to calm your nerves with a mixed drink or two before this spine-chilling, I’ll-never-get-in-the-ocean-again feature begins. FREE!

                                                   Header image design by Christopher Rodgers