Explore a free evening of art in Delray Beach, a world-premiere play about the young Arthur Conan Doyle, and a powerful photography exhibition from Ground Zero, 2001. Plus, Blues Traveler & Gin Blossoms and more in your week ahead.
TUESDAY
What: “Joel Meyerowitz: Aftermath”
When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: NSU Art Museum, 1 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
Cost: $8-$16 museum admission
Contact: 954/525-5500, nsuartmuseum.org
A native New Yorker with a love for the streets of his favorite city, Joel Meyerowitz focused his lens on both joy and tragedy, and in the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, he was the only photographer granted unrestricted access to Ground Zero. In advance of next week’s solemn acknowledgement of the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, “Aftermath” features 28 of the artist’s large-scale color photographs that capture the horrifying scope of the Twin Towers’ collapse, the heroic rescue efforts of first responders, and the cleared bedrock of the site after nine months of work. As one of the first documentarians of the historic event, Meyerowitz saw his photographs tour more than 200 cities in 60 countries in a traveling exhibition organized by the U.S. State Department. Last year, he gifted the images to the NSU Art Museum, where they opened last weekend and will exhibit through Feb. 14.
THURSDAY
What: Blues Traveler & Gin Blossoms
When: 6:30 p.m.
Where: Hard Rock Live, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood
Cost: $72.20 and up
Contact: 866/502-7529, ticketmaster.com
For a band that called itself Blues Traveler, John Popper’s harmonica-driven folk-rock outfit largely avoided the genre in its name for upwards of 30 years of crafting Grammy-winning hits and becoming a mainstay on pop stations. It wasn’t until Traveler’s Blues, the group’s chart-topping 2021 release, that they released a full-on traditional blues release, followed by 2023’s Traveler’s Soul, which featured similarly authentic tributes to soul and R&B classics. You never know exactly what you’ll get at Blues Traveler’s freewheeling, segue-driven concerts, with their combination of original tunes, covers, and improvisational jams. For this tour, they’ll share the headline slot with beloved Arizona alt-rockers The Gin Blossoms, whose hits such as “Hey Jealousy” and “Follow You Down” blanketed rock radio in the ‘90s. Arrive early for opening act Spin Doctors, celebrating the 35th anniversary of its multiplatinum debut album Pocket Full of Kryptonite, which yielded the Grammy-nominated “Two Princes.”
FRIDAY
What: First Friday Art Walk
When: 6 to 9 p.m.
Where: Art galleries and cultural centers in downtown Delray Beach
Cost: Free
Contact: 561/243-1077, downtowndelraybeach.com
It’s that time of the month again, when more than a dozen galleries and museums stay open late to showcase Delray Beach’s vibrant art scene at no cost. Stroll and discover a pop-up art show at what is normally an online-only gallery, Easton Art Gallery (21 W. Atlantic Ave.), featuring curated works by local artists; and be the first to experience the newest exhibition at Arts Warehouse (313 N.E. Third St.), “Unfamiliar Languages,” a showcase of artist Lisa McNamara’s evocative works made from reclaimed fabrics. Pop into Arts Garage (94 N.E. Second Ave.) for its two newest exhibitions: “Carnival,” a show that revels in the vibrant use of color; and “When I Thought We Could Be Kids Forever,” artist Semexant’s meditations on contemporary Black life. Additionally, Gallery 255 (255 N.E. Sixth Ave.) will host an Evening of Art and Connection, a business networking event.
What: Yarden Shalev: “Stay Cool: A Comedy Magic Experience”
When: 8 p.m.
Where: Arts Garage, 94 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach
Cost: $50.50-$55.50
Contact: 561/450-6357, artsgarage.org
As a budding magician in Israel, Yarden Shalev received payment for his first “gig”—in the form of bubblegum—at the age of 9. Later, while performing magic as part of his service in the Israeli Defense Forces, he wowed fellow troops. He has continued to hone his craft on cruise ships, comedy clubs, theaters, and even the stage of a TEDx event. Now based in South Florida thanks to his receiving the prestigious U.S. O-1 Visa for Extraordinary Ability, Shalev will flex that ability at this eclectic show at Arts Garage, which combines magic, mentalism, music, and standup comedy. He might even eat fire, a rather cringe-y specialty from past gigs. The show is predicated on Shalev’s belief in the hidden patterns that run the world, and that nothing is random.
SATURDAY
What: Opening night of Baker Street Beginnings
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Studio One Theatre at FAU, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton
Cost: $25 (each adult ticket includes one free children’s ticket)
Contact: 561/297-6124, fauevents.com
Theatre Lab’s first production in its new, expanded space at FAU’s Studio One Theatre, Baker Street Beginnings is this year’s Heckscher Theatre for Families commission, a world-premiere play designed to stimulate the minds of the company’s youngest attendees while providing copious enjoyment for older audiences as well. Written by South Florida playwright and Theatre Lab veteran Gina Montét, Baker Street Beginnings imagines the spark that drove the young Arthur Conan Doyle to conceive of Sherlock Holmes. In the play, Doyle, an aspiring doctor, becomes a mentee to Dr. Joseph Bell, whose intellect and powers of deduction will greatly influence his curious young charge as he is roped into a mystery of danger and intrigue that plants the seeds of Doyle’s future iconic detective. Ticketholders are welcome to visit the theater an hour before showtime for free preshow events, including educational “Detective Science” stations. Baker Street Beginnings runs through Sept. 20.
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