Hot music and more: 18 things to do in Wilmington this weekend

It's going to be a hot weekend in more ways than one, thanks to a ton of promising performances on the many stages of Wilmington.

With fall festival season yet to kick in the options are still music-heavy, but there is a lot of variety, with a slew of touring acts as well as a range of local music, from indie rock and hip-hop to pop, folk and more.

There's a couple of good theatrical options as well, with a comic play (see review below) and a classic musical at Thalian Hall.

For more ideas, check out our big list highlighting outdoor concerts in the area, including shows on non-weekend days and in Pender and Brunswick counties. If you're looking for Brunswick County events specifically, we do a separate list for that.

ALL WEEKEND

'The Dog Logs'

At Thalian Hall (studio theater): We've all wanted to know what our dogs are thinking.

And while I'm not sure that playwright CJ Johnson's comedy "The Dog Logs" gets us any closer to knowing a thing that is probably unknowable, it does provide an at-times entertaining, other-times insightful look at the worlds of various types of dogs, albeit from a predictably human perspective. (The show runs through Sunday at Thalian Hall under the direction of Beth Corvino and Tamica Katzmann for Big Dawg Productions.)

These dogs, of course, are portrayed by human actors, from Vanessa Welch's toy poodle, who can only say "Look at me!", to Chase Harrison's anguished Rottweiler, who, in a mesmerizing, surprisingly emotional performance, recounts the dark day when the neighbor's dogs on the other side of the fence wouldn't stop barking, forcing him to take the law into his own paws (and teeth).

Scenes range from throwaway jokes (like with Eleanor Stafford's baby-eating dingo, who simply proclaims, "Yeah, I did it") to lengthy monologues, some of them "based on a true story," like the one about a police dog's heroic exploits, with James Bowling playing an all-business Ando the Belgian Shepherd.

Memorable dogs include Shawn Sproatt's in-heat golden retriever, who can't explain her sudden intense attraction to the annoying neighbor mutt; Eleanor Stafford's greyhound, whose breathless obsession with catching an uncatchable rabbit on a racetrack reaches Elmer Fudd proportions; and Randy Davis' long-haired, pure-bred Afghan hound, who's smugly secure in the knowledge that he is well-paid to procreate.

In some ways, "The Dog Logs" is a better concept than it is a play, with some segments that hit and others that miss, including some oddly dark tonal shifts and a couple of monologues that could've been shorter or cut altogether. Still, the high points are sufficiently high for an enjoyable evening at the theater whether you're a dog lover or not, although Harrison's performance as the Rottweiler might be worth the price of admission all on its own. 7:30 p.m. Aug. 17-19, 3 p.m. Aug. 20. Tickets are $28, with some proceeds going to area animal rescues. 910-632-2285.

'Man of La Mancha'

At Thalian Hall: Without "Man of La Mancha," it's possible Wilmington never has an Opera House Theatre Co. or its nearly four decades of wonderful theatrical productions. Opera House founder Lou Criscuolo, who died in 2014, appeared in the original production of the musical on Broadway from 1965 to 1971, playing several roles, including the supporting part of sidekick Sancho Panza, and launching a career that would take him to Wilmington in 1985, where he founded Opera House.

This week, under the direction of Ray Kennedy, Opera House is staging its own production of "Man of La Mancha," which is based Miguel de Cervantes’ novel from 1605. The show is a play within a play, with an imprisoned character based on Cervantes, along with his fellow prisoners, performing the story of Alonso Quijana, aka Don Quixote, the knight with the noble quest to right the wrongs of the world. Most of the score bears a Spanish motif taken from the show's setting, and its big hit is unforgettable ballad "The Impossible Dream."

Kennedy said he is setting parts of the show at an immigration detention facilty on the Texas/Mexico border, and other parts in the musical's traditional setting of the the Spanish Inquisition during the 17th century.

"We can reimagine the 'bars' that confines our narrator," Kennedy said. "These are human beings with big dreams. Yes, some of them possibly an 'impossible dream.'"

Fracaswell Hyman, a two-time winner of Best Actor in a Play at the Wilmington Theater Awards, plays the leading role of Cervantes/Don Quixote, and the cast also includes Coleman Cox as Aldonza and Broadway vet Brian P. Whitted as Sancho Panza. 7:30 p.m. Aug. 17-19 and 23-26, 2 p.m. Aug. 20 and 26-27. 910-632-2285.

THURSDAY

Sunset Performance Series

At the Cameron Art Museum: The CAM revives this performance series with a show by two UNCW alums, Wilmington rapper MoeSOS and spoken-word artist Ricki Nelson. Indie hip-hop songwriter MoeSOS has a collection of tracks that feature his lyrical dexterity and socially conscious lyrics, and Nelson is a writer who is active in Wilmington's film community. 7 p.m. Aug. 17, free.

Boardwalk Blast

At the Carolina Beach Boardwalk: The Blackwater Rhythm & Blues Band headlines this weekly outdoor concert series, the only one in the area that concludes with fireworks. 6:30-9:30 p.m. Aug. 17, free. Fireworks at 9 p.m.

FRIDAY

Tyler Childers

At Live Oak Bank Pavilion: Massively popular country/folk/bluegrass singer and songwriter brings his deeply felt tunes to town. Childers weaves delicate melodies and rootsy vibes into songs of personal and often social import. 6:30 p.m. Aug. 18; it's a sold-out show, with only "verified resale" tickets available, starting at over $200.

Devon Allman & Donavon Frankenreiter

At Greenfield Lake Amphitheater: Double bill featuring guitarist Devon Allman, who's the son of Gregg Allman of The Allman Brothers, and surf-centric rocker and songwriter Frankenreiter, who's played Wilmington a number of times over the years. Opening act is the rock guitarist J.D. Simo. 7 p.m. Aug. 18, tickets start at $27.

Fuzz's Funky 50th

At Waterline Brewing: Hip-hop turns 50 this year, and so does one of Wilmington's most iconic rappers: Fuzz Jackson. Some legends of Wilmington hip-hop will perform to celebrate Fuzz's five decades of life, including Fuzz and Mac (aka Jackson and singer McClain Sullivan, both formerly of Wilmington group Organix), MindsOne, Jamoc, DJ Slim Deluxe, DJ Battle and DJ Noumenon. 7-11 p.m. Aug. 18, tickets are $5 in advance, $10 at the door.

Brown Dirt Cowboys

At Airlie Gardens: Wilmington group led by singer, keyboardist and songwriter Joel Lamb brings their mix of pop/rock covers and originals to this popular outdoor concert series. 6-8 p.m. Aug. 18. Parking is off-site at the New Hanover County Public Library's Northeast Branch, which is where you catch the free shuttle. Concessions not available, but chairs, blankets and picnics are allowed. Tickets are $10, $3 for ages 4-12, free for ages 3 and under, and must be purchased in advance. 910-798-7700.

DareDevil Improv's 100th show

At Dead Crow Comedy Room: Since live performances began to come back from the pandemic, DareDevil Improv and their main troupe, Knievel, have been keeping live improv in Wilmington going with a weekly show at the Dead Crow Comedy Room. This weekend, DareDevil will celebrate the amazing feat of its 100th show with two shows featuring the troupe's regular roster of talented comedians along with a range of special guests and local celebrities. 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Aug. 18, tickets are $15.

Blab School, Doggy Daycare and Lady Die

At the Satellite Bar & Lounge: It's a Wilmington indie music showcase with a triple bill of awesomeness. Blab School out of Carolina Beach has a noisy punk vibe, while Doggy Daycare comes with a shoegazy wall of sound as evidenced on its latest single for Wilmington's Fort Lowell Records, "(forgetting) sarah marshall." Lady Die is led by the excellent singer Julia Rothenberger, who delivers spine-tingling vocals tinged with electronic flourishes. 8 p.m. Aug. 18, free.

Audiomelt

J.W. Brooks Building: Young Wilmington hard rock band plays an album release show for its new album at this downtown spot on Water Street. Audiomelt's latest single, "Primal," has a glossy heavy metal sheen with muscular riffs and razor's edge vocals. 7-10 p.m. Aug. 18.

SATURDAY

Masters of the Mic

At Live Oak Bank Pavilion: Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip-hop, this tour brings a stacked lineup of rappers to the stage. Scheduled to take the mic are old-school hip-hop stars Big Daddy Kane, Doug E. Fresh, KRS-One, Rakim and Slick Rick. 8 p.m. Aug. 19, tickets start at $25.

Port City Jerry Day

At Greenfield Lake Amphitheater: Fifth annual concert presented by the city of Wilmington to raise money for the United Way of the Cape Fear. That's Jerry as in late Grateful Dead singer Jerry Garcia, of course, and The Garcia Project will provide tunes, with area vendors on hand as well. 5-10 p.m. Aug. 19. $5.

Huggin' Molly, Doggy Daycare, La Veta Pass

At Dead Crow Comedy Room: Since closing last month, former Cargo District music venue The Place has been raising money to move to a new, er, place while also staging and promoting a bunch of shows around town at different venues. On Saturday, there's a Place showcase, if you will, at a room normally known for comedy: The Dead Crow. Wilmington indie rockers La Veta Pass and Doggy Daycare will play, as will a group called Huggin' Molly. Like the old Sunday shows at The Place, proceeds will go Mother Hubbard's Cupboard, a Wilmington food bank. 7 p.m. Aug. 19. Admission is non-perishable food and/or cash donation to Mother Hubbard's Cupboard.

Kicking Bird

At The Sandspur: With the Ocean Grill and Tiki Bar's summer music series not happening this year due to pier repairs, this new restaurant and bar has stepped up to fill the musical void. One of the bands moving from the pier to the Sandspur is Kicking Bird, led by singer-guitarist Shaun Paul and his wife, Shayla, who sings and plays keyboards. Their album "Original Motion Picture Soundtrack," released in May on Wilmington's Fort Lowell Records, features hooky songs that rock while often carrying a girl-group sheen, with lyrics about love and life that make both the ups and the downs sound like celebrations. 7 p.m. Aug. 19, free.

The Powell Brothers

At Bourgie Nights: Country rockers The Powell Brothers make their debut at this downtown venue. Openers are Wilmington folk rock favorites Striking Copper. 9 p.m. Aug. 19, tickets are $10.

SUNDAY

Matisyahu and G. Love & Special Sauce

At Greenfield Lake Amphitheater: Reggae singer Matisyahu and blues/soul/hip-hop artist G. Love team up for a double bill. 5 p.m. Aug. 20, tickets are sold out.

Da Howlies

At Kure Beach Oceanfront Park: Longtime Wilmington "white boy Hawaiian" band led by singer/songwriter/uke man Zach Hanner brings its mix of original and classic tunes to the Boogie in the Park series, along with a few old-school country gems and other novelties. 5-7 p.m. Aug. 20, free.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Things to do in Wilmington NC Aug. 17-20