No excuses. This weekend you get an entire extra night to go out and breathe in the splendor of our fair city.

Just pack a raincoat in case Earl decides to crash our collective party. Who doesn’t love an adventure, right?

SPIN to Win | pic: jESiO

Friday, Sept 3

End of Summer SPIN

The fun kicks off at six with another great SPIN night. The above link is the Facebook invite. Go there now. Say you will attend. Invite others. Tell them to do the same. We are the revolution, friends, you and I. Need more inspiration? Check out Jesse’s recent words on why busking is important to us all, performer or spectator. This is where I hope everyone starts his or her weekend. It’s a win-win situation, you know. We support buskers (with our dollars, with our smiles, with our feet on the streets). Buskers support us (we get exposed to more culture, we measure up to our sister cities, we attract creative-class types to Norfolk).

American Music Fesival (Night One)

Tonight’s got The Village People, Gloria Gaynor, Foghat, The Trammps and more. Get your mom drunk and tell her you’re at a wedding reception for one of your very, very popular friends.

Plainfield Project at Taphouse

These guys have been voted Best Local Band in Charleston, SC the past two years. It’s also their 757 debut at one of the best places to see live music in the area, Ghent’s Taphouse. This band is good and chill: for fans of Jewma’s, Jesse Chong,  summertime, et al. They’ve recently taken to allowing artists to show up and do a painting on site while they play, a game they call Live Art. The work then gets raffled off at the end of the night. Not sure if they’re bringing this game to Norfolk, but I hope they do. In-no-va-tion. I like.

Rude Zombie  at Jewish Mother

If you don’t want to go to Taphouse because you area big fan of Jewma’s, CHECK THIS OUT. It’s ska the way early Sublime and No Doubt did it. Lead singer Jessica Abbott is bangin.

Machete Premiers

Who doesn't want to see Cheech as a murderous priest?

Robert Rodriguez fans rejoice. This movie is campy, violent, and has more stars in it than Orion.

End of Summer Beach Bash

Perhaps Zombies and Machetes aren’t your thing. Ever wanted to feel like SoCal-meets-Jazz Age? Me too. If you go to the Cavalier this Friday night, you may end up feeling like that. Worse case scenario is you get great drinks and views minus touristy kitch.

Bear Crossing at Hell’s Kitchen

Good local indie-prog rock. Good local music loving bar. Kind of a perfect situation.

First Friday Poetry Salon at The Muse

“Come for the discussion and exploration of the mysterious creative process that gives us poetry. Join our new community of poets and lovers of poetry… bring a friend or a group of friends. Tangents welcome; as poetry often leads us to many different places, we may travel anywhere…”   or so goes the invite.

Saturday, Sept 4

American Music Festival (Night Two)

Tonight includes Chicago, Delbert McClinton, The Connells, and local boys The Ben Phelps Project. And…FIREWORKS!

ODU Football Season Opener

Last year’s opening season was uber-successful. Let’s make it round 2!

Tears For Fears

Shout. Shout. Let it all out.

Virginia Symphony Orchestra Outdoor Concert

They’re taking it to the Yorktown Victory Monument. Outdoor symphony on a historic location–nice job whoever thunk this one up.

Why We Celebrate Labor Day Exhibit at Portsmouth Naval Museum

This free exhibit will highlight what work was like in the beginning of the 20th century, in turn making us all appreciate even more that we don’t have to work Monday.

Sunday Sept 5

American Music Festival (Night Three)

Max Weinberg (yes!), The Verve Pipe, The Verve Pipe Children’s Show (curious), REO Speedwagon, and Pat Benatar. I never contemplated the word “Speedwagon” until today. Wow.

Rock-n-Roll Half Marathon

I don’t run and therefore rarely follow this kind of thing. Coincidence I moved here ten years ago and the only marathon in the country with “Rock-n-Roll” in the title started the same time? I think not.