Weekend Event Planner

The Rolling Stones and Tim McGraw top 10 best weekend events in Dallas-Fort Worth

One show lords above all others this weekend in Dallas-Fort Worth, but the first weekend of June promises to be a memorable one whether you're into classic rock or not. Among the other worthy events are a fundraiser with an '80s headliner, two big country concerts and a festival custom-made for people looking to escape the heat.

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, June 4

2015 Cool Thursdays Series: Bruce in the USA
Prior to Bruce Springsteen's appearance at 2014's March Madness Music Festival, it had been six years since he had played a concert in Dallas. You never know when you'll get a chance to see him live again, so the only way to get your fill of "Born in the USA," "Glory Days" and more right now is by seeing tribute band Bruce in the USA at the Dallas Arboretum.

10th Anniversary MetroBall featuring Belinda Carlisle
The annual MetroBall is a fundraiser designed to give money to a variety of organizations that deal with HIV/AIDS patients. To celebrate the event's 10th anniversary, organizers have brought in a blast from the past: '80s pop singer Belinda Carlisle, best known for songs like "We Got the Beat" with the Go-Go's and "Heaven is a Place on Earth." The event takes place at Station 4.

Friday, June 5

Shelby Lynne in concert
There have been two peaks in the career of Shelby Lynne: winning New Female Vocalist of the Year at the 1990 Academy of Country Music Awards, and then somehow also winning the Best New Artist Grammy 11 years later thanks to her most acclaimed album to date, I Am Shelby Lynne. Lynne has reinvented herself again, and she plays at Dallas City Performance Hall in support of her new folk album, I Can't Imagine.

WaterTower Theatre presents Manicures & Monuments
The penultimate production of WaterTower Theatre's 2014-2015 season is Manicures & Monuments, a play from local playwright Vicki Caroline Cheatwood about residents of an Oklahoma nursing home and the young manicurist-in-training, Janann, who comes to volunteer. It runs through June 28 at Addison Conference Centre.

Saturday, June 6

PantherFest 2015
The culture of Fort Worth is celebrated at PantherFest, a free outdoor festival that showcases local craft beer, musicians and restaurants. Also expect something you won't see anywhere else: people sliding down the longest Slip-n-Slide. If you weren't able to secure a ticket to "Slide the City," you can still station yourself on the sidelines and cheer on the participants. The event takes place on Main Street just north of downtown, near Coyote Drive-In.

VolunteerNow presents Voly in the Park
Many people want to volunteer their time, but they're often not sure where to start. Voly in the Park at Klyde Warren Park not only features activities and information for around 75 nonprofits, but it also connects volunteers with more than 1,000 other organizations via VolunteerNow. Expect games, performances and more.

Tim McGraw in concert with Billy Currington and Chase Bryant
There are few things more reliable than country singer Tim McGraw playing a concert at Gexa Energy Pavilion every year. Having put out a new album each of the past three years, including 2014's Sundown Heaven Town, he's certainly given his fans a lot of new songs with which to sing along. He is joined by opening acts Billy Currington and Chase Bryant.

The Rolling Stones in concert with Grace Potter
The legendary rock band kicks off the list of best summer concerts with this blowout at AT&T Stadium. If early reviews are any indication — this is the Stones' fourth stop on their Zip Code Tour — Mick, Keith and the boys still have what it takes to put on a great show. Plus, you get to see the UT Arlington a cappella choir accompany the legends on at least one song. Grace Potter serves as opening act.

Sunday, June 7

Butch Walker in concert with Jonathan Tyler and The Dove & The Wolf
Butch Walker is a 45-year-old rocker who's only just now starting to make it big after years of toiling in bands. Walker's last three solo albums, including 2015's Afraid of Ghosts, all hit No. 1 on Billboard's Heatseekers Albums chart. He's joined at Majestic Theatre by local singer Jonathan Tyler and The Dove & The Wolf.

Concerts in the Garden: 1812 Overture and Symphonic Sparklers
The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra's summer tradition of holding concerts at Fort Worth Botanic Garden returns this weekend with a trio of shows, culminating with this one that includes Tchaikovsky’s popular 1812 Overture set to fireworks. You can also choose to see Pink Martini on Friday night or Classical Mystery Tour on Saturday night.

The Rolling Stones play at AT&T Stadium on June 6.

Photo courtesy of Phil Rudolph

The Rolling Stones play at AT&T Stadium on June 6.

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Listen up

Underground hi-fi 'listening bar' Shyboy opens in downtown Dallas

Photo courtesy of Shyboy

Shyboy lounge is new on Main Street in downtown Dallas.

A new lounge is turning up the volume beneath the streets of downtown Dallas: Shyboy, billed as Dallas' first "hi fi bar," will debut at 1313 Main St., in the subterranean level of The Drakestone building.

According to a release, opening weekend events will take place March 4-7.

The new nightlife concept comes from The Headington Companies, the folks behind the Joule hotel and other Main Street developments.

"Inspired by hi-fi listening bars around the world, with roots in Tokyo’s post-WWII 'jazz kissas,' Shyboy offers a social and listening experience unlike any other nightlife space, with progressive, genre-bending programming, signature hi-balls and cocktails, and two state-of-the-art OJAS sound systems, designed by Devon Turnbull," says the release. (Turnbull's speakers have been used in projects with Mark Ronson, Public Records in Brooklyn, and more.)

Jazz kissas are cafes that specialize in the playing of and listening to recorded jazz music; here, jazz is played for active listening rather than as background serenade.

Piggybacking on that idea, Shyboy will offer "an immersive environment where design, lighting, and atmosphere are treated as essential elements of the performance, inviting guests into a unique experience that blurs the line between listener and participant," they say.

The 3,000-square-foot underground space, once a bank vault in the historic Davis Building (renovated and rebranded as The Drakestone residential building in 2017), will house one of the most advanced sound systems in the city within its historic concrete "bones." Interiors were designed by acclaimed Dallas-based 5G Studio Collaborative.

The venue includes two distinct spaces. The main room functions as a social listening environment, where towering speakers double as sculptural focal points beneath curved underground ceilings.

A second chamber, called The Vault, is designed as a more intimate lounge for private events, sound classes, performances, and art exhibitions. The Vault’s entrance features an installation from artist Lachlan Turczan’s Optical Resonance series, which uses water and light to visibly respond to sound waves, the release says. The room also includes a newly commissioned reflective sculpture by Florentine artist Duccio Maria Gambi.

Shyboy’s inaugural month will include a lineup spanning house, deep grooves, soul, and global dance sounds. Opening weekend, March 4-7, will welcome talent like JT Donaldson (Shyboy music director), Dallas legend Red Eye, Sound Advice Vol. 1, Skeme Richards, Patrice Scott + Brandon Epocha, and Wamono Nights.

The calendar later in the year will feature appearances by celebrated DJs and producers such as Theo Parrish, Derrick Carter, Eli Escobar, Kai Alcé, and the Los Angeles-based listening collective In Sheep’s Clothing.

Shyboy’s cocktail menu starts at $13, and the bar will serve soft-serve ice cream.

Throughout March, there will be no cover charge for entry; for more information, visit the venue's website.

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