LIVE MUSIC / GIGS
White Reaper. Feb. 7. Louisville garage punk act White Reaper specializes in harmonized guitars, spring-loaded rhythms and snotty hooks. They’ll be joined by guests Narrow Head and Taipei Houston for a night of rowdy rock ’n’ roll. 8 p.m. The Burl, 475 Thompson Road. www.theburlky.com
Brit Taylor. Feb. 10. Singer-songwriter Brit Taylor brings to the stage a soulful mix of vintage country and bluegrass. Brother Smith will open this alum release show. 8 p.m. The Burl, 475 Thompson Road. www.theburlky.com
Journey. Feb. 14. Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Famers Journey will take the stage with their catalog of iconic hits, including “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Any Way You Want It,” “Faithfully,” “Lights” and more. Legendary yacht rockers Toto will open. 7:30 p.m. Rupp Arena, 430 W. Vine St. www.rupparena.com
Champs of the Sun. Feb. 16. Local act Champs of the Sun are known for their folk-inspired tunes with a bit of soul and glam rock thrown in for good measure. 8 p.m. The Burl, 475 Thompson Road. www.theburlky.com
The Mountain Goats. Feb. 18. Touring in support of their new album, “Bleed Out,” the endlessly changing and prolific west Texas band will be joined by country rock singer-songwriter Lilly Hiatt. 7 p.m. Manchester Music Hall, 899 Manchester St. www.manchestermusichall.com
Grammy-nominated blues rock queen Elle King returns to Lexington for a gig at Manchester Music Hall on Sunday, Feb. 19. Photo furnished
Elle King. Feb. 19. Multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated artist Elle King’s sound has been described by Rolling Stone as, “blues-rock alternating between a howl and a whisper over dust-blown electric guitars.” 8 p.m. Manchester Music Hall, 899 Manchester St. www.manchestermusichall.com
Scott Mulvahill with Ben Sollee. Feb. 19. Acclaimed for his work alongside icons like Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby, upright bassist and multi-instrumentalist Scott Mulvahill’s music intersects the worlds of Americana, bluegrass, folk, jazz, rock ’n’ roll, and roots. He’s joined by Louisvillian Ben Sollee, whose cello-focused music has been praised by the New York Times and NPR. 8 p.m. The Burl, 475 Thompson Road. www.theburlky.com
Highly Suspect. Feb. 21. This hard-hitting Brooklyn-based power trio will appeal to fans of Pop Evil and Queens of the Stone Age. Manchester Music Hall, 899 Manchester St. www.manchestermusichall.com
Tower of Power is celebrating 55 years with their current tour which makes a stop at the Lexington Opera House on Feb. 22. Photo furnished
Tower of Power. Feb. 22. Led by vocalist and tenor sax player Emilio Castillo, this band has been performing its brand of R&B, soul, funk, pop and AM pop since 1968. The group will celebrate 55 years with this winter tour, which makes a stop in Lexington. 8 p.m. Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short St. www.lexingtonoperahouse.com
ART & EXHIBITS
Captain William Jordan: He Paints in the Dark. On display through Feb. 25. After losing his sight at the age of 62, Captain William Jordan found a way to “rescue from oblivion” the beauty of things he had once seen. From his internal vision, he made outlines with heavy pencil, feeling the grooves of his marks with one hand while coloring sections with the other. His wife, Helen, arranged his pastels and pencils in a coded order, allowing the artist to match the colors he envisioned. Jordan created lush Savannah swamps, rippling western canyons, Pennsylvania farmland, and deep, dense forests. He also made drawings of abstract experiences, depicting the sensation of having glaucoma and visions from his mind’s eye. Gallery hours: Wed.-Sat., 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and by appointment. 193 North Limestone St. www.institute193.org
Unscripted: Places Seen and Places Heard. On display through March 4. Three retired Lexington architects, Graham Pohl, Charles Jolly and Duane Culp, showcase their painting and sculptures that represent reflections of individual experience and imagination. Gallery hours: Tues.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Fri., noon-8 p.m.; Sat., noon-5 p.m. Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center Community Gallery, 141 E. Main St. www.lexingtonky.gov/about-downtown-arts-center
Julien Dupree’s “In the Pasture (The Milk Maid)” is among the paintings from the University of Kentucky Art Museum collection that will be on display as part of the museum’s “Among Women” exhibit, open through July 8. Image furnished
Among Women. On display until July 8. This exhibition features works from the University of Kentucky Art Museum’s permanent collection showing women of various ages, backgrounds and orientations. Featuring the work of Fletcher Martin, Alice Neel, Andy Warhol, Doris Ulmann and others, the exhibit showcases paintings and prints of young girls seen alongside mature women, including rural and urban subjects. Gallery hours: Tues.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat., 12-5 p.m. University of Kentucky Art Museum, 405 Rose St. finearts.uky.edu/art-museum
At left, a photograph by John Snell that won the “Best in Show” award in the 47th Annual Creative Camera Club Print Exhibition. The club’s 51st annual exhibit will be on display at the LexArts Gallery at ArtsPlace though Feb. 25. Image furnished
Creative Camera Club’s 51st Annual Print Competition and Exhibition. On display until Feb. 25. The Lexington-based Creative Camera Club annual exhibition features more than 150 framed photographs, separated into 15 categories that include flora and fauna, sports and recreation, portraits and abstract. Gallery hours: Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat., 12-5 p.m. ArtsPlace Gallery, 161 N. Mill St. www.lexarts.org
That Figures. On display through March 31. Featuring works by Deanna Clayton and Jack Gramann, this exhibit features a curatorial focus on human form expressed in glass. Clayton’s unique approach to glass, following an ancient technique called pâte de verre, brings her one-of-a-kind figurative works to life. In Jack Gramann’s work, the experimentation involving expressionism and surrealist style coalesce to create abstract figures. Gallery hours: Wed.-Sun., 10 a.m.-1p.m.; 3 p.m.-7 p.m. Trifecta Design Studio, 243 Walton Ave. www.trifectadesignstudio.com
ETC.
Amadeus Lex Concert: Lost & Found. Feb. 4. Ralph Vaughan Williams’s passionate piano quintet and Debussy’s youthful piano trio, both dormant for most of the 20th century, will be rediscovered in this live performance. 7:30 p.m. Maxwell Street Presbyterian Church, 180 E. Maxwell St. amadeuslex.com
Lexington Ballet: “Firebird | Clic | Mariachi.” Feb. 10-11. In this three-part ballet production, the firebird lands to defeat the evil forces of Kachei in “Firebird,” Stravinsky’s classic tale of good and evil; humanity is explored from the perspective of a character in a video game in “Clic”; and the story of a young Mexican woman, forced to leave her home in search of a better life, is set against an energetic Mariachi music backdrop in “Mariachi.” Fri: 7:30 p.m.; Sat: 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Lexington Opera House, Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short St. www.lexingtonballet.org
“I Dedicate This Ride: The Making of Isaac Murphy (The Isaac Murphy Story).” Feb. 10. Message Theater and The Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center present this play based on the book by Frank X Walker. This powerful and captivating poetic drama play illuminates the life of the record-setting 19th century African American jockey and Kentuckian Isaac Murphy. This Black History Month event is designed to celebrate and educate about one of Kentucky’s historic and often uncelebrated icons who paved a course for African Americans in the equine industry. 7:30 p.m. Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center, 300 E. Third St. www.lexingtonlyric.com
Violist Jordan Bak will join the Lexington Philharmonic for a performance of Béla Bartók’s “Viola Concerto” during LexPhil’s Feb. 18 show, “Continuous Variation.” Photo furnished
LexPhil: Continuous Variation. Feb. 18. Derived from a technique used by composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich in her “Symphony No. 1” – awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1983, making Zwilich the first female composer to receive the esteemed prize – this show demonstrates the potential of developing a handful of different ideas into new material. Violist Jordan Bak joins LexPhil to perform Béla Bartók’s “Viola Concerto,” left unfinished at his death and completed by Tibor Serly from sketches, memories and ideas. The evening concludes with Johannes Brahms’ beautiful “Symphony No. 3,” which incorporates cyclical techniques alongside folk melodies and musical codes. 7:30 p.m. Singletary Center for the Arts, 405 Rose St. www.lexphil.org
Max McLean captures the personality and wit of the well-known author and philosopher during the touring show “C.S. Lewis on Stage: Further Up and Further In,” which makes a stop at the Lexington Opera House on Feb. 24. Photo furnished
“C.S. Lewis on Stage: Further Up & Further In.” Feb. 24. Award-winning actor Max McLean’s tour de force performance captures C.S. Lewis’ magnetic personality, astonishing eloquence and self-deprecating wit to create an onstage experience venturing deep into the soul of one of the most influential thinkers of the past century. 7:30 p.m. Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short St. www.lexingtonoperahouse.com
University of Kentucky Theatre & Dance: “Blood at the Root.” Feb. 23-25. A striking ensemble drama based on the Jena Six, six Black students from Louisiana who were initially charged with attempted murder for a school fight after being provoked with nooses hanging from a tree on campus. This bold play by Dominique Morisseau, whose title is inspired by the song “Strange Fruit,” recorded by Billy Holiday, examines the miscarriage of justice, racial double standards, and the crises in relations between men and women of all classes. Thurs.-Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sat. and Sun., 2 p.m. Briggs Theater, 465 Rose St. www.finearts.uky.edu
Blackbird Dance Theatre: “The Raven.” Feb. 24-25. Blackbird Dance Theatre, Lexington’s contemporary dance school for children and adults, presents the debut production of “The Raven,” a new original work written by artistic director Jenny Fitzpatrick that explores themes of freedom, community and prophecy. 7 p.m. Fri. and Sat.; 2 p.m. Sat. Downtown Arts Center, 141 Main St. www.blackbirddancetheatre.com