FRIDAY
Take back the streets: It’s been a rough month for cyclists in Champaign-Urbana, with one fatality and two significant injuries as a result of car-bike crashes. It’s a good time for some solidarity. Critical Mass meets at 5:15 p.m. at the Alma Mater. Come on out and show support for the bike community. Or, if you happen to see them out, make sure to give them the ultimate gesture by slowing down and carefully passing. In the end, we could all benefit from driving slower, being more careful, and simply respecting each other out on the roads.
Last chance to demolish your brain: No no no… we’re not talking about Metalfest at Canopy Club. It’s the final Friday of the County Fair. This week it’s the Championship Invitational, whatever that means, so get on down to the only “grandstand” around and chug a beer or two while you watch a smattering of men put their hoopties out of their misery.
Seriously, demolish your brain: OK, now we’re talking about MetalFest, which is going on starting at noon today until 2:00 a.m. on Sunday morning / Saturday night. What’s remarkable is that, no matter whether you love it or hate it, is that there are no doubt in the upwards of 17 – 32 German people that have flown over for the event to watch the likes of Goatwhore and Anal Cunt. Seriously. It happens every year.
SATURDAY
Better late than never: Maybe we just weren’t looking in the right place, but we didn’t hear about the latest Shadowboxer show until after we put out this week’s Overture. Rest assured, this is a show worth seeing: Common Loon, Hathaways, and Bloomington, Indiana’s The Native Young (right) are invading Mike ‘n Molly’s at 9 p.m.
Cover is five bucks and the order of bands is as follows: Hathaways at 9, The Native Young at 10, and Common Loon closes things out at 11.
SUNDAY
Despereaux, why don’t you come to your senses?: It’s the second free showing of The Tale of Despereaux in a month, and I’m not above using the same cheesy tagline that I did the first time. Head over to the Urbana Free Library at 2 p.m. for some cost-effective, family-friendly entertainment.