MUSIC Seminal punk band X plays the Troc this weekend. / Frank GarganiXThursday, 8 p.m.Trocadero Theatre1003 Arch St.$22, 877-435-9849www.thetroc.comOne of the foundational punk rock acts, Los Angeles’ X mixed rockabilly and aggressive art-rock to create a sound both bracing and stealthily catchy, marked by their unique male-female vocals. Their depiction of their home city not as a place of Hollywood glitz and glamour but of suburban decay, desperation and anxiety set a precedent for all LA punks to follow.Left of LogicFriday, 8 p.m.Boot and Saddle1131 S. Broad St.$10, 21+, 877-435-9849www.bootandsaddlephilly.comThis local band trades the guitar for a keytar, in a move that hasn’t been popular since the 1980s, and their synthy sound, though contemporary, definitely has an ’80s feel — especially an ’80s video game feel. Their secret weapon, however, isn’t the keytar but the fuzz-bass, which provides the perfect rough, growling, aggro counterpoint to the chirpy, shimmering synth-tones.TALKSThe Psychology and Behavior of CatsThursday, 11 a.m.Free Library of Philadelphia1901 Vine St.Free, 215-686-5331www.freelibrary.orgCats: we love them and we love to share videos of them being adorable and/or strange. But what’s really going on, aside from humorous self-absorption, in those tiny heads of theirs? Nathanael Oster, a veterinarian with the Philadelphia Cat Hospital, will share the latest scientific findings — ones we’re assuming are significantly more rigorous than the average YouTube cat “experiment.”GALLERYLil Sean DaySaturday, 4 to 11:30 p.m.PhilaMOCA531 N. 12th St.Donation, 267-519-9651www.philamoca.org"Lil Sean" Coleman is a creative 12-year-old neighborhood boy who’s become something of a mascot at the Philadelphia Mausoleum of Contemporary Art. He’s so beloved there that they’ve allowed him to curate a whole day of programming, which includes musical performances, the debut of Sean’s film “Undercover Cops” and other delights. Admission is donation-based.CABARETA Euro-KabaretSunday, 7 p.m.L’Etage624 S. Sixth St.$10, envoute.magic.burlesque@gmail.comenvoute.wix.com/envoutePerformance troupe Envoute, whose shows mix magic, theater, comedy, burlesque and sideshow elements, present their take on the European climate in the years leading up to World War II — a world of spies, secret police and of course, decadent cabaret spectacles. And it’s presented in a genuine cabaret setting, that your time travel may be complete.THEATER‘Juniper Street’Through SaturdayAn unnamed apartment50th St. and Baltimore Ave.Pay what you can, redacted@redactedtheater.orgwww.redactedtheater.orgThis interactive experimental theater piece takes place at a semi-secret location — for tickets and the address, you’ve got to shoot an email to the address listed above. The story follows the history of a family’s dealings with Death, and at one point the actors serve the audience a full-on dinner. It ends with a sleepover party, including a little truth-or-dare. As you might have guessed, given the quirkiness, it's part of Fringe Festival 2014.‘The Children’s Hour’Saturday and SundayRandall Theater2020 N. 13th St.$5-$10, 800-838-3006www.brownpapertickets.comMauckingbird Productions presents a staged reading of this decidedly edgy 1934 play by Lillian Hellman. It tells of a bitter boarding school student named Mary, who attempts to avoid being sent back to school by accusing her two headmistresses of having a lesbian affair. Hellman based the story on a true incident that took place in Scotland in 1810.ART See Rick Buttari's work at F.A.N. Gallery. / ProvidedRick Buttari: ‘Pencil and Paint’Saturday through Sept. 27F.A.N. Gallery221 Arch St.Free, 215-922-5155www.thefangallery.comRick Buttari is a realist draughtsman and painter whose assiduous detail, at its most assiduous, can easily be confused with photography. Though he has a skill with portraiture and a fondness for pre-war subjects like baseball players and film noir characters, his most interesting works are contemporary urban landscapes, which he depicts with a serene loneliness worthy of Edward Hopper.‘Begin Where You Are’Through Sept. 13Crane Arts1400 N. American St.Free, 215-232-3203www.cranearts.comThis group exhibition brings together 32 Philadelphia-area artists. Its curators aim, through the natural dialogue that results from placing these very different works together in a single space, to create “a renewed appreciation for the breadth and complexity of our common place.” The show also includes three performances; one has passed, but two are still to come in September.‘All Different Colors’Through SaturdayFleisher/Ollman Gallery1216 Arch St.Free, 215-545-7562www.fleisher-ollmangallery.comWorks from students at the Center for Creative Works in Wynnewood, the Creative Vision Factory in Wilmington and Oasis in Philadelphia are on display here. Each institution is dedicated to teaching art to persons with developmental and behavioral disorders. These diverse works display a vivid expressiveness that attests to the power of art for healing and growth.FOODFood Truck FestivusThursday, 6 to 9 p.m.Franklin SquareSixth and Race streetsFree, 215-629-4026www.historicphiladelphia.orgThis Festivus sounds way better than the one Frank Costanza subjected his family to on “Seinfeld.” Some of the best food trucks in town will offer dinner options galore. Games like volleyball and horseshoes are also part of the fun. Oh, and there’s a beer garden too. If you still want to bring a big metal pole, be our guest, but you’ll look weird.GOING OUTIola Harper’s Paint NightFriday, 6 p.m.Urban Art Gallery262 S. 52nd St.$20urbanartgallery.ticketleap.comTired of just going out drinking or seeing a movie on a Friday night? Why not get a painting lesson? If you still wanted to drink, it’s BYOB, and wine and hors d'oeuvre will be served. However, we recommend that you do most of your drinking after you’re done painting, so your finished work will look twice as good.
