We got your weekend: Krewes, booze and blues

Krewe of K.O.A.K.’s annual Mid-Summer Mardi Gras returns Saturday evening. (Photo: Jason Kruppa)

Wednesday / Back to the future: What is comprised of six separate narrative threads, time travel and a hodge-podge of genres? Nope, it’s not a Pynchon novel.

For one night only, temporal boundaries will completely collapse at Mid-City Theatre. As part of Southern Rep‘s 6×6 series play slam that gives six playwrights only 10 minutes of stage time each to take on one surprise theme, the theater group presents a collection of shot arcs about time travel, each written by a different playwright covering a range of theatrical genres — from love stories to science fiction to comedy.

The show starts at 7:30 PM at the Mid-City Theatre (3450 Toulouse). Tickets $10 at the door.

Thursday / Shane’s shout out : Daddy B with Weapons of Mass DeFunktion at Sweet Lorraine’s Jazz Club, 10 PM

Those in the know will say you can’t go wrong at Sweet Lorraine’s (1931 St Claude). Lounging at a table in the dim light while listening to some original jazz and munching on Creole cuisine sounds like the perfect remedy for late-summertime blues. This Thursday at the Marigny bar, Daddy B and the Weapons of DeFunktion will take things up a notch with a sound that lingers on the funkier borders of jazz while still keeping it smooth.

Thursday / A little B&B : In partnership with NOLA Brewery, CBD restaurant Tivoli and Lee (936 St. Charles ) will offer a one-night beer, bourbon and barbecue pairing service. The barbecue-inspired menu — including brisket with watermelon bbq sauce, smoked loaded new potatoes, and mac-n-cheese, can be ordered a la carte or as part of a 3-course prix fixe meal for $45. Cocktail and beer pairings will be offered for a separate charge. Dinner service begins at 6:30 PM.

Friday / It takes a village: The Contemporary Arts Center presents itsa second Distillery Swap Meet, part of a performing arts showcase concentrated on creative processes, tracing the early, mid and late development of each of the Distillery program’s four resident fellows in three free public showings. Each performance will provide insight into the fellows’ rehearsals and engage the audience by inviting open feedback. Every fellow — poet, educator and actor Michael “Quess?” Moore; dancer Marzita Mercado Narcisse; bandleader, composer, performer and improviser Aurora Nealand; performer, director, light designer and co-founder of New Orleans performance collective Skin Horse Theater Evan Spigelman — will perform a 15- to 20-minute piece.

The showcase starts at 7 PM in the CAC’s Freeport McMoRan Theater (900 Camp). No reservations necessary.

Saturday / Mardi midpoint : As we finish out the last few weeks of yet another New Orleans summer, when the city’s pace slows from a shuffle to a crawl, it seems only natural to anticipate the excitement (and bearable temperatures) that accompany Mardi Gras, by echoing the sentiments of a child in the backseat of a Volvo on an epically long (60-minute) car ride, uttering the question “Are we there yet?” on an endless circuit.

And while we certainly are not there yet, Krewe of O.A.K.’s annual Mid-Summer Mardi Gras bash may just be the pit stop that gets us through until February. The parade will meet at Maple Leaf Bar (8316 Maple) at 7 PM and roll, or walk rather, to Palmer Park at 7:30 PM, with the usual food and drink detours at bars along the route. This year’s festival theme, “Rub it all over your body,” is a tribute to late Krewe member Lee Madere, who used to describe food he loved as “so good he wanted to rub it all over his body” — so interpret that however you will into your costume. The event is free and open to the public. (Re)read Hilary Gold’s Top 10 Things You Don’t Know About Summer Mardi Gras here.

Saturday / House of booze: On Saturday The House of Blues (225 Decatur) will hold its annual Brewsiana Festival, an event that combines three of NOLA’s most prominent assets: booze, food and music. Beginning at 7 PM , patrons can sample 21 varieties of local craft beer, including: seasonal and rare releases by NOLA Brewery, Bayou Teche Biere, Chafunkta Brewing Co., Covington Brewhouse, Parish Brewing Co., Tin Roof Brewing Co. and Gnarly Barley Brewing Co. Highlights from the music lineup include progressive rock band The Scorseses, indie rock ensemble Brass Bed and blues singer Colin Lake. House of Blues restaurant Crossroads will provide gastro-pub fare, designed to pair with the selection of brews.

General admission is $16 (includes entry to the event only). Beer sampling wristbands will be available the day of — $15 for 7 samples. $35 for samples of all 21 beers; food tickets will be available for $3 per ticket (dishes will range between two and three tickets). 21+ only.