Our Critics' Picks

Conventional WisdomHYPERICON 4/JOE R. LANSDALE If Nashville’s homegrown “speculative fiction” (or sci-fi) convention did nothing else but bring Joe R. Lansdale to town, it would qualify as a civic good. Perhaps best known as the author of the novella “Bubba Ho-Tep”—yes, it inspired the cult movie with Bruce Campbell as Elvis and Ossie Davis as JFK—the bawdy bard of East Texas (and martial-arts expert) has penned everything from Westerns to Batman: TheAnimated Series episodes in his three-decade career. He’s the literary guest of honor at this year’s con, and he’ll also do an author talk and book signing 3 p.m. Sunday at the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St. Other special guests this year include best-selling Spring Hill novelist Sherrilyn Kenyon (Acheron); award-winning illustrator Alex McVey, whose work accompanied Stephen King’s “The Mist” in the Dark Forces horror compilation; Glen Cook, author of The Black Company fantasy novels; and many more. In addition, there’ll be movie screenings, a short-film competition, burlesque shows, art exhibits, parties and performances by the Known World Players, Big Daddy Cool, Sideshow Bennie and others. Come for the masquerade contest, stay for the Elegant Gothic Lolita tea party. Registration is $35 at the door. June 27-29 at the Days Inn Stadium, 211 N. First St. For information, visit hypericon.info. —JIM RIDLEY

ArtJUNG GUNS Another new group rising into the one-night show phenomenon is Jung Guns, a collection of emerging artists working in 2D. Inspired by various members of the Fugitive Arts Center, three recent Sewanee grads—David Hellams, Charlotte Caldwell and Andrew Doak—came together with local artists Ashley Lofton, Trey Mitchell and Casey Pierce to curate an exhibition that employs Carl Jung’s idea of the “collective unconscious.” The show will feature painting, drawing and photography employing playful concepts executed in a serious manner. Doak’s photograph “White Still Life With Chicken” humorously subverts the idea of a still life while maintaining the compositional values of color photography. Carl Jung states, “The creative mind plays with the object it loves.” These artists do exactly that, letting the passion of their medium allow ideas and humor to run rampant. 6-9 p.m. at 427 Chestnut St.,Room 225—AMANDA DILLINGHAM

They Call Him MISTER GlassGLASS: A PORTRAIT OF PHILIP IN 12 PARTS How does Philip Glass make a pizza? It sounds like a joke setup—the punchline might be “Call Papa John’s” repeated 64 times in the same descending musical phrase—but the answer lies somewhere in the pieces of this fragmentary portrait of the renowned minimalist-romantic composer, directed by Scott Hicks (Shine). It screens as part of the Belcourt’s ongoing “Summer Doc Block” along with a few more showings of the must-see My Name Is Albert Ayler. June 27-30, July 2 at The Belcourt —JIM RIDLEY

MusicRANCIDFor as hard as Berkeley skate punks Rancid have tried to slough off critical backlash tagging them as derivative Clash mockups and sub-par sisters to L.A. hardcore, these untidy revivalists have managed to keep it together longer than anyone expected. It’s true longtime Rancid drummer Brett Reed bowed out of the band in ‘06 and was replaced by Brandon Steineckert, formerly of Used. It’s true side projects The Transplants and The Bastards have recently taken priority and called into question Rancid’s rocky prospects. And it’s true that Rancid’s brand of neo punk is a shrinking niche market being all-but cornered by Green Day. But after five years without a release to tour behind, here they are again on a 52-stop trek across the States ready to stir up ska nostalgia. Openers Th’ Legendary Shack*Shakers will be welcoming new guitarist Duane Denison (Jesus Lizard, Hank III, Tomahawk) into the fold. 8 p.m. at Rcktwn—DUSTIN ALLEN

TheaterALONE TOGETHER Veteran screenwriter and playwright Lawrence Roman passed away last month at the age of 86. Best known for the hit Broadway farce Under the Yum-Yum Tree and a host of teleplays, including 1984’s Anatomy of an Illness, Roman also had a brief New York run with this domestic comedy, in which empty nesters Helen and George, looking forward to finally getting reacquainted after years of child-rearing, watch their grown kids return home one by one. Dietz Osborne directs, with David Compton and Martha Wilkinson starring as the parents, and Elijah Dies, Nate Eppler, Topher James and Jennifer Richmond playing the younger set. Through July 5 at Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre —MARTIN BRADY

SATURDAY 6/28

Star QualitySUDEKUM PLANETARIUM GRAND OPENINGThe GOTO Chiron optical-mechanical star projector at the Adventure Science Center’s new planetarium is the only one of its kind outside of Japan. It can display 6.5 million pinpoint stars—including a realistic Milky Way—which means the dazzling $24 million renovation of the planetarium cost just less than 4 bucks a star. Opening day will feature guest speaker David Aguilar from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, who will speak on the solar system at 11:30 a.m. and aliens at 1:30 p.m. The original film STARS will play on the 63-foot dome every hour on the hour starting at 11 a.m. The new Space Chase, located on the first floor, will debut its anti-gravity activities and 63 interactive displays, including space-related craft projects and experiments. Admission to the Adventure Science Center is $11 for adults, $9 for children and seniors. Planetarium shows are $6 for non-members; $4 for members. Extended hours, June 28-29: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Adventure Science Center —CARRINGTON FOX