The heat is rising and summer classes are really getting into the swing of things. To keep you cool on the weekends, The Chronicle’s Julian Spector keeps an eye on the events horizon to give you an interesting weekend. This weekend brings strong musical offerings, as well as a literary take on the Bull City and a quirky adaptation of Shakespearean romance. If that’s not enough to keep you satisfied or you’ve found something else cool to do, tweet some ideas @JulianSpector.
Thursday:
Counter Culture Coffee Cup Taster’s Challenge 2013, 7-10 p.m. at Counter Culture Coffee, 4911 S. Alston Ave. Counter Culture is known nationally as a premier coffee roaster, and it happens to be based right here in Durham. This makes it easy to participate in their coffee tasting challenge, in which participants receive sets of three cups of coffee and have to differentiate one type of brew from two cups of another kind. The scores are then tabulated for a regional competition against simultaneous tasting elsewhere in the country. And if you have trouble telling a Sumatra blend from and Ethiopia, just consider this an opportunity to drink a lot of good coffee for $5.
Readings from 27 Views of Durham: The Bull City in Prose and Poetry, 7 p.m. at the Regulator Bookshop on Ninth Street. This book offers different perspectives of Durham, including contributions from Duke professors, and has been the Regulator’s best-selling book since its publication last year. Contributors will be returning to the bookshop to read their views of Durham and discuss how they have evolved. Contributors include Steve Schewel, the Duke alum and City Council member who founded IndyWeek Magazine.
Friday:
Much Ado About Nothing, at area theaters: Summer is the season of passions unleashed, and few have depicted that better than the Bard himself in this romantic comedy of opposites attracting. It’s been filmed before, of course, but never by Joss Whedon, the TV maestro behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer. For this new film, he gathered a team of some of his favorite actors and shot the thing in black and white in under two weeks. It promises a smart and sexy romp with some of the best battles of wits ever written.
The Postal Service with Ra Ra Riot, 7:30 p.m. at Red Hat Amphitheater in Raleigh. Indy rock hero Ben Gibbard only put out one album as The Postal Service, but the melancholic synth-infused alternative vibe struck a chord with listeners, and songs like “Such Great Heights” are still played and much loved. This tour marks the 10th anniversary of that album, which makes me feel old. The band is joined by Ra Ra Riot, a lush chamber-pop group that made a name with violin and cello-driven rock. Their latest album, Beta Love, turned more electronic and dance oriented, which should make for an engaging concert experience.
Saturday:
Jake Shimabukuro, 8 p.m. at Durham’s Carolina Theatre. A ukelele virtuoso is a tough thing to stumble upon these days, not unlike gold bullion or authentic Rembrandts. But Jake Shimabukuro has been making a name for himself as precisely that with his sophisticated and deeply felt musical styling on the diminutive stringed instrument. Head down Main Street to see for yourself when he plays a show on Saturday night.
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