Weekend Event Planner

Kenny Chesney and Dallas Music District Festival top best weekend events

UPDATE: The St. Vincent concert has been moved indoors, to the Winspear Opera House.

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It's another jam-packed weekend in Dallas-Fort Worth, and hopefully the weather will cooperate to let us enjoy it. There are no fewer than five high-profile concerts, three big festivals and, lest you forget, the return of our annual Tastemaker Awards.

Below are the best options for your precious free time Thursday through Sunday. Don't like what you see? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, May 14

CultureMap Dallas Tastemaker Awards
We've been revealing the nominees for weeks, and now you can finally see who has come out on top at the Tastemaker Awards at the Empire Room. Restaurants like American Food and Beverage, Cane Rosso, Luscher's Red Hots and Public School 214 dole out samples; Bartender of the Year candidates serve Herradura specialty cocktails; and two DJs ensure that the music doesn't stop.

New Kids on the Block in concert with TLC and Nelly
Folks, brace yourself: It's now been more than 30 years since New Kids on the Block officially got their start, which raises the question of whether you can still be called a boy band if you're pushing 50. You can judge for yourself if NKOTB still has it when they perform at American Airlines Center, along with opening acts TLC and Nelly.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds in concert
No matter what Noel Gallagher does the rest of his life, he'll always have the shadow of Oasis hanging over him. The acrimonious break-up with his brother Liam in 2009 continues to linger despite the fact that Noel has released two albums with his solo outfit, High Flying Birds. He plays at the Majestic Theatre in support of his 2015 album, somewhat interestingly named Chasing Yesterday.

Friday, May 15

2015 Main Street Fest
Coinciding with National Craft Beer Week, the annual Main Street Fest in Grapevine once again centers on craft brew tasting experiences. But if beer is not your thing — or if you're not of age — there are plenty of great things to enjoy, including live music on five stages, a special kids zone and a carnival midway. The festival lasts through Sunday.

2015 Wildflower Arts and Music Festival
Over the years, the Wildflower Arts and Music Festival has slowly but surely become a player when it comes to drawing big-name bands. In addition to being a showcase for artists, it welcomes, among others, Minus the Bear, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Leon Russell, Fuel, Kansas, Everclear, and Wynonna and the Big Noise. The festival takes place at Galatyn Park in Richardson through Sunday.

Dave Matthews Band in concert
Dave Matthews Band is giving fans their money's worth these days. During both their 2014 and 2015 tours, the band, which performs at Gexa Energy Pavilion, has played two full sets – one acoustic and one electric — ensuring that each and every fan goes home happy.

Saturday, May 16

Dallas Music District Festival
Due to the weather, the inaugural Dallas Music District Festival won't be at its original location, but it should still be a great time for anyone interested in local and regional music. Now taking place in 410 Bedford St. in Trinity Groves on Saturday and Sunday, it features 20 bands, including Jessie Frye, Jonathan Tyler, Somebody's Darling, MOTHXR, Donald Cumming and Ishi.

Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean in concert
Last we saw country superstars Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean, they were both receiving trophies at the 50th annual ACM Awards at AT&T Stadium. They return to the scene of their triumphs to show exactly why they were deserving of the plaudits, with Chesney supporting his 2014 album, The Big Revival, and Aldean supporting his 2014 album, Old Boots, New Dirt. They are joined by Brantley Gilbert, Cole Swindell and Old Dominion.

Sunday, May 17

2015 Uptown Ciclovia
If any event is hoping for good weather on Sunday, it's this one. The second annual Uptown Ciclovia shuts down streets between Klyde Warren Park and Katy Trail so that cyclists, pedestrians, roller skaters and other non-motorized modes of transportation can enjoy a car-free area. There are loads of booths and activities, and if you want to do some shopping or eating at the stores and restaurants along the strip, all the better.

Soluna Festival: St. Vincent
The Soluna Festival continues for another week, but this concert is arguably one of the biggest highlights. Local girl made good St. Vincent returns home to play a special concert with several Dallas Symphony Orchestra musicians. Originally it was scheduled for Annette Strauss Square, but it has been moved indoors to the Winspear Opera House due to weather.

Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean perform at AT&T Stadium on May 16.

0012, RodeoHouston, Kenny Chesney concert, March 2013

Photo by © Michelle Watson CatchLightGroup.com

Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean perform at AT&T Stadium on May 16.

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Movie Review

Iranian film It Was Just an Accident is a thriller with deep meaning

Photo courtesy of Neon

Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr, Majid Panahi, and Hadis Pakbaten in It Was Just an Accident.

American filmmakers, for the most part, enjoy luxury and freedoms when making movies in the United States that filmmakers in other countries could only dream of. Not only does Iranian writer/director Jafar Panahi not have millions of dollars with which to make his films, he also has to deal with a government that has previously arrested him for being critical of their policies.

And yet he persists, returning to the screen with the taut It Was Just An Accident. The film begins with a kind of misdirect, showing Eghbal (Ebrahim Azizi) and his family driving home at night, during which they strike and kill a dog. That accident sends Eghbal into the orbit of Vahid (Vahid Mobasseri), who works at a business that helps repair Eghbal’s car.

Recognizing the distinctive sound of Eghbal’s prosthetic leg, Vahid believes him to be the same man who kidnapped and tortured him and others in a recent government arrest spree. Desperate to confirm his suspicions, Vahid kidnaps Eghbal and takes him to a series of people who were also imprisoned under the man they named “Peg Leg,” including Shiva (Mariam Afshari), a wedding photographer; Golrokh (Hadis Pakbaten), the bride being photographed; and more.

Most filmmakers have the ability to use sets and take as much time as they need - within reason - to get the shot they need. Panahi employs a type of guerrilla filmmaking rarely seen these days, stealing shots in broad daylight while trying not to gain the notice of Iranian authorities. The daring nature of the making of the movie infuses the story with an extra tension that elevates what is otherwise a relatively simple story.

The film puts the audience directly in the shoes of the various characters as each of them wrestles with the complicated feelings arising from their actions. As they were all blindfolded while imprisoned, they can’t be 100 percent sure they have the right man, and debates/arguments between the characters keep viewers guessing as to who he is and what they will do with him. Even if he is who they think he is, will enacting some kind of revenge on him soothe their consciences?

Through it all, the idea that a former political prisoner is making a film about former political prisoners who are engaging in conduct that could get them arrested again - just as Panahi is doing with his film - makes this meta filmmaking on another level. The simplicity of the story belies the complexity underscoring the entire film, and it delivers one of the most impactful endings of any recent movie.

While a few of the actors have acted before, including in previous Panahi films, most of them are making their first appearance in a movie. Despite this lack of experience, each of them does well, especially Mobasseri and Afshari, who share a number of heated scenes that bring out the best in both of them.

It Was Just an Accident is the type of film that constantly keeps the audience on their collective toes, never knowing where it will head next. And that’s even if you didn’t know the details of how and why it was made; once that is discovered, it becomes something much deeper and more important than most other movies that will be released in 2025.

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It Was Just an Accident is now playing in select theaters.

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