As students head back to campus, many may find themselves unsure how to spend their time for the first few exam-free weeks. Here are a few arts-related events both on and off campus:
Lorde and her awkward spasms will be performing at this fall’s Boston Calling music festival. Boston’s popular semi-annual music festival runs on Friday, Sept. 5 through Sunday, Sept. 7 at City Hall Plaza. Featuring big names such as Neutral Milk Hotel, Lorde, Childish Gambino, Sky Ferreira, Nas x The Roots, the 1975 and other artists, the festival has catered to the Boston area’s festival needs since the spring of 2013 and relies on two stages. While you should be wary of the flower crown-clad hipster wannabes who will inevitably (and rudely) blow smoke from their e-cigarettes into your face at some point, don’t lose hope in a happy ending: The festival is an fun way to ease back into the school year. Tickets are still available on Boston Calling’s main website, but are running out quickly as students in the greater Boston area begin to come back to school.
If you enjoy improv, head over to see ImprovBoston, one of Boston’s most critically-acclaimed comedy organizations. There are performances from Wednesday to Sunday weekly at their Cambridge theater. Their yearly Comedy Festival, which features top Sketch Comedy acts based in the Greater Boston area, will be on Aug. 22, Aug. 29 and Sept. 5. Students will be able to get tickets at discounted prices, so seeing a show at ImprovBoston won’t bust the bank.
Jeff Bridges, the actor-turned-singer is performing songs from his first major label debut on Sept. 3 at the Wilbur Theater. Produced by Grammy-award winner T Bone Burnett, Bridges’ album has been labeled as soulful and heartfelt. While a little unexpected from the six-time Oscar-nominee, Bridges is sure to make it a comfortable, intimate and satisfactory performance.
The Wang Theater, part of the Citi Performing Arts Center in Boston, will be hosting a variety of performances throughout the year. Upcoming performances include Jason Mraz, Neil Young, “Mamma Mia!” and even the Dalai Lama himself. Fun fact: The lobby of the Wang Theater was used in the casino scene in “American Hustle.”
Finally, our very own Rose Art Museum is celebrating the opening for its fall exhibitions on Sept. 10 from 5 to 9 p.m. This term, the museum is featuring works by Mark Bradford, Magnus Plessen, Alex Hubbard, John Altoon and Chris Burden. Burden is famous for his “Urban Light” installation at Los Angeles County Museum of Art and has installed a similar exhibit in front of The Rose. “Light of Reason” will be lit for the first time on Sept. 10.
