10 Things Going On in Cleveland this Weekend

Friday, Feb. 27: For Fake's Sake: F for Fabulous: Five Films for Orson Welles’ Centenary, put on by the Cleveland Museum of Art, aims to take stock of the career of Wisconsin-born producer/director/writer/actor Orson Welles. Five of the director’s masterpieces will be shown on 35mm prints over the course of some six weeks. Today, it’s F for Fake, the last major film that Welles completed, a loose documentary about Elmyr de Hory’s career as a professional art forger. It screens today at 7 p.m. at the CMA. (Niesel)

Friday, Feb. 27: The Mucklebuck: Based mostly in Parma, the MuckleBuck has performed with a number of other local, regional and national bands, garnering a fervent following around Northeast Ohio and a reputation for intense rock ‘n’ roll: far-out soloing, improvisation, progressive percussion -- you know, the works. Tonight, they bring a festival-like atmosphere to Beachland, where musicians and artists and lovers of the same will congregate and revel in good vibes. Loren Naji, Haley Heartshine, Anadono, Jess Hamilton, Frank Lozano, Shaka and other artists will be on tap for some live painting throughout the venue. “We highly encourage the arts community to come out and be a part of the MuckleBuck experience,” drummer Jim Fultz told Scene last year. Tonight’s event will also feature a raffle in support of Art Therapy Studios of Cleveland. The free show starts at 9 p.m. (Sandy)

Friday, Feb. 27: Rock Opera: A classic musical that comes to us courtesy of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, Jesus Christ Superstar features classic Broadway belters such as “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” and the glorious title track. Revived under the direction of Maryann Nagel, the TrueNorth Cultural Arts production opens tonight at 7:30 at French Creek Nature and Arts Center; performances continue each weekend through March 15. Tickets are $16 to $18 for adults and $10 for kids under 18. (Niesel)

Saturday, Feb. 28: Vodka Vodka: Vodka Vodka, a Scene magazine event, returns for its second year. Cleveland’s premier vodka-tasting event takes place today from 8 to 11 p.m. at downtown Cleveland’s RED Space. Vodka enthusiasts can enjoy an assortment of vodkas, plus local cuisine inspired by vodka and great entertainment by DJ Mike Filly. Brand ambassadors from Skyy Vodka, Stoli, Three Olives, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Deep Eddy and more will be on hand to offer their unique descriptions and perspectives. Limited appetizers will be available and include selections from Ligali’s, Valenti’s and Borogodo Da BRU. Valet service will be available and is sponsored by Leikin Motor Companies. Advanced tickets are $30 for general admission and $40 for VIPs, which includes entry at 7 p.m. Day-of general admission, if available, is $40 (VIP not available day-of). Designated driver admission is $20. This is a 21+ event. For more information and to buy tickets, go to the website. (Niesel)

Saturday, Feb. 28: The Bang Gang: Formed in 1992, the Bang on a Can All-Stars mix classical, jazz, rock, world and experimental music. The six-member ensemble has worked with an array of musicians, including Steve Reich, Ornette Coleman, Burmese circle-drum master Kyaw Kyaw Naing and many more. The group’s celebrated projects include their landmark recordings of Brian Eno’s ambient classic Music for Airports and Terry Riley’s In C, as well as live performances with Philip Glass, Meredith Monk, Iva Bittova and others. The group performs tonight at 8 at Oberlin College and Conservatory’s Finney Chapel as part of the Artist Recital Series. The concert includes works by Bang on a Can co-founders and will also feature Kate Moore’s “Ridgeway” from the All-Stars’ 2012 release Big Beautiful Dark & Scary, Steve Martland’s “Horses of Instruction” and Philip Glass’ “Closing.” (Niesel)

February 28: Locals Only: Clevelanders love beer. And they love music. So it makes sense that House of Blues would pair the two together. That’s the concept for the inaugural Local Brews Local Grooves, which takes place today at 5 p.m. at House of Blues. As they like to say on NPR, let’s do the numbers. Guests can sample beers from 12 of the top local breweries and check out 14 of Cleveland’s best bands on four stages throughout the venue. In addition, there will be eight food stations featuring food from a menu created just for the event by House of Blues’ chefs. Breweries such as Great Lakes, Thirsty Dog and Portside are slated to participate. Bands such as Austin Walkin’ Cane, Chris Allen, the Admirables and Revolution Brass Band will perform. Tickets are $10 for admission and $15 for sampling wristbands. VIP tickets, which include early admission, will set you back $60. (Niesel)

Saturday, Feb. 28: Identity Issues: At 2 p.m. today in the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Recital Hall, artist Josh Gosfield talks about how he fabricated the life story of Gigi Gaston, the Black Flower, a ’60s French pop star. Never heard of her? That’s probably because she never actually existed. The talk is in conjunction with the CMA’s current exhibition, Constructed Identities, which examines photography’s role in manufacturing both real and fictional personas —something anyone with a Facebook account is probably well aware of. It’s free. (Usmani)

Sunday, March 1: It's Good to Be Bad: Tonight, local producer Frank Ian and his co-producer/performer wife Carmen M’Knoxide kick off their third year of throwing burlesque bashes at Brothers Lounge. Dubbed “March Badness,” tonight’s show features acts such as Carmen M’Knoxide, Bedlam Bettie and Ava Adore. Shy Kamikaze will also be on hand to show off her vocal talent. The performance begins at 8 and admission is $10. (Niesel)

Sunday, March 1: The Middle Man: It’s been a long, slow climb to the middle for Cleveland comic Ryan Dalton. The guy started performing standup in 1998 and has had some minor success. He’s regularly on The Bob and Tom Radio Show and has appeared on Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham. He also makes the rounds at the comedy festival circuit. Currently in the midst of a short Midwest tour, he performs tonight at 7:30 at Hilarities. Much like Seinfeld, Dalton jokes about life’s absurdities. It’s a testament to the strength of his material that he doesn’t need to rely heavily on obscenities in order to be funny, and he’ll joke about things like what a mistake it is to tell a woman she has a gray hair. Tickets are $17. (Niesel)

Sunday, March 1: Skinny Mars: Young New York-based rapper Skizzy Mars cites indie rock acts such as Death Cab for Cutie and Animal Collective as influences. Not that you can really hear those influences on his latest effort The Red Balloon Project The album opens with “Like This,” a narrative-heavy track that finds Mars adopting a sluggish delivery style as he intones, “like this/like this/like this” over a slow-motion groove. The loopy “The City” has a good beat to it and recalls old school jazz-inspired acts such as Digable Planets. Local rapper C-Ro Del Fresco opens the show. He’s just released Modern Warfare, a new 5-track mixtape that shows off his lyrical skill and rapid-fire delivery on songs such as the infectious “Summertime in the City” and the moody ballad “Jealous Man.” Catch the show at 8:30 p.m. at the Grog Shop. (Niesel) $12