Wednesday
Tribute to Eazy E with Lil’ Eazy E at Green Room, 109 S.W. Second Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 10 p.m.; $10; 954/449-1030 or www.jointherevolution.net
In 1995, Eric Wright, known by his stage name Eazy E, became one of a growing list of rappers to die young. This time, it wasn’t from foul play by a rival MC; he passed away of AIDS at age 31. A member of seminal rap collective N.W.A. and an accomplished solo performer in his own right, Eazy E was the very picture of controversial hedonism, living and dying by the code he sung about. His son Eric Jr. was 10 when his father died; christening himself Lil’ Eazy E, he’s been performing his father’s songs and carrying on his gangsta legacy. His voice isn’t as distinctive as his dad’s, but there’s still no better person to cover his music.
Wednesday to Sunday
SunFest in downtown West Palm Beach; various start times; $30 to $61; 800/786-3378 or www.sunfest.com
Fifty bands will perform on three stages over five days in what has become South Florida’s biggest music festival north of Miami. Now in its 30th year, SunFest prides itself on variety, and this year’s lineup continues to offer something for everyone. The talent includes jazz legend Herbie Hancock, reggae crossover star Matisyahu, classic rockers Foreigner, jam-band sensations Michael Franti & Spearhead, electropop hipsters Passion Pit, punk pioneer Joan Jett, plaintive piano poppers the Fray and 1990s rockers Creed, Counting Crows and Third Eye Blind. If you attend the festival Friday to Sunday, don’t miss the Juried Fine Art and Craft Show, featuring paintings, sculptures and photography from more than 160 artists.
Friday
The Beach Boys at Hard Rock Live, 5747 Seminole Way, Hollywood; 8 p.m.; $49 to $104; 800/745-3000 or www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com
It seems like at least one of the Beach Boys is playing a show in South Florida every few months. But this concert is special: It celebrates the band’s 50thanniversary and is the first tour in more than two decades featuring all of the original band members. The tour accompanies an upcoming album, “That’s Why God Made the Radio,” whose lead single of the same name has been making the glorious rounds on radio stations and the Internet. It sounds like a lost Beach Boys tune from 1968, which is certainly a complement: The group’s playing, and Wilson’s singing, hasn’t aged a day. This show is already sold out, so good luck getting in – try stubhub.com for last-minute scalping.
Saturday
Sammy Figueroa at Arts Garage, 180 N.E. First St., Delray Beach; 8 p.m.; $20 to $35; 561/450-6357 or www.artsgarage.org
As the son of romantic singer Charlie Figueroa, South Florida resident Sammy Figueroa was born into music, establishing himself as a master percussionist and recording and touring with a diverse array of musicians, from Miles Davis to David Bowie to Mariah Carey. His musical training encompasses such genres as jazz, pop, rock, bebop and new age, but tonight’s special Cinco de Mayo performance will celebrate the work of one distinguished artist: multi-instrumentalist Cal Tjadar, a titan in the Latin Jazz world. Figueroa will perform the vibraphone-heavy sounds of Tjadar, accompanied by his three-piece tribute band, Sally’s Tomato.
Keith Donnelly at Murder on the Beach, 273 Pineapple Grove Way, Delray Beach; 1 p.m.; free; 561/279-7790 or www.murderonthebeach.com
Mystery author Keith Donnelly has a thing about the number 3. And the letter D. If he wasn’t a writer, he would probably be making 3-D movies. His first published book, “Three Devils Dancing,” hit stores in 2007, introducing his gumshoe Donald Youngblood, an ex-Wall Street whiz kid who opens up an investigative firm with his ex-convict sidekick, a full-blooded Cherokee Indian. The book spawned “Three Days Dead” in 2009 and “Three Devils Dancing” in 2010, which is set partly in South Florida. Donnelly will sign books and discuss his Youngblood series, his writing process and his upcoming novel “Three Deadly Drops,” which will hit stores in September.
Cinco de Mayo Pub Crawl at various bars in downtown Miami; 7:30 p.m.; $25 advance or $30 at the door; www.comecrawl.com/cinco-de-mayo-crawl/
Of all the Cinco de Mayo events tonight, this Miami pub crawl is sure to be one of the most fun and cost-effective. The evening starts at El Vato Tequila and Taco Bar (1010 S. Miami Ave.) and continues at Baru Urabano, Blackbird Ordinary and Waxy O’Connor’s. Participants will receive a free shot at each bar and special happy hour deals all night long, and the event runs until at least 1 a.m. It’s a great way to meet new people – at the time of this writing, 42 guests have already purchased tickets.
Opening night of “Time Stands Still” at GableStage, 1200 Anastasia Blvd., Coral Gables; 8 p.m.; $37.50 to $50; 305/445-1119 or www.gablestage.org
Some of the best plays often feel ripped from headlines, and “Time Stands Still” goes one step further: It’s about the news media professionals who create those headlines. The play is set in Brooklyn, and it probes the relationship between a photojournalist who was injured by a roadside bomb in Iraq and her reporter boyfriend, who is wracked with guilt for leaving her there. As they attempt to transition into a conventional life, the news-gathering thrill seekers are visited by their photo editor friend and his much younger paramour, who further shift their perspectives. “Time Stands Still” was a Tony-nominated hit for playwright Donald Margulies (“Dinner With Friends,” “Collected Stories”) in 2010, and this much-anticipated GableStage production stars Steve Garland, Betsy Graver, Deborah Sherman and Gregg Weiner. It runs through June 3.
Sunday
Lily Tomlin at Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 7:30 p.m.; $30 to $80; 305/949-6722 or www.arshtcenter.org
Lily Tomlin has been a part of the fabric of American comedy for more than 40 years, beginning with her recurring characters in the pioneering sketch comedy series “Laugh-In” – characters she still reprises in her stand-up shows today. In the meantime, she’s won Emmys, Tonys and Grammy and was nominated for an Oscar in her very first movie: Robert Altman’s ensemble masterpiece “Nashville.” She’s had a more artistically successful film career than most of her sketch-series peers, delivering memorable performances in “All of Me,” “Short Cuts” and “Flirting With Disaster.” Her dry delivery and universal wit still come across as caustic, wacky and creative as ever.
