There are lots of cool Indianapolis music events to check out this weekend in the Circle City.
One of the most bizarre and eclectic Indianapolis festivals is happening this weekend on Mass Ave: the Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival, or IndyFringe. This celebration of unique performance art takes Indianapolis by storm every summer, and this year’s shaping up to be quite the spectacle.
The Indianapolis performing arts extravaganza opens tonight, August 20th, with a huge parade down the Indianapolis cultural district of Mass Ave, followed by the IndyFringe Preview Party at the Outdoor Stage (on the corner of College and Mass Ave). The Preview Party will feature short performances by 2009 IndyFringe performers; audience members will decide who gets more time on stage and who gets pulled! After the motley crew of artists leaves the stage, Indianapolis band Playboy Psychonauts will bring their psychedelic sitar sounds to the stage to officially break the champagne bottle over the prow of the festival.
After you’ve had your fill of the Preview Party, there’s plenty of other Indianapolis events happening all over the city. Below is a list of some sweet shows going on in Naptown this weekend, so get out, get dancing, and don’t forget your earplugs!
Indianapolis Local Music Shows, 8/20 – 8/23
| Thursday, Aug 20 | |
| Indiana Wind Symphony @ Gazebo in Carmel | |
| Thursday Night Pops w/ the Athenaeum Orchestra @ MacAllister Center for the Performing Arts | |
| Benito & Friends @ the Rathskeller | |
| Matt Martin @ Fionn MacCool’s in Fishers | |
| Westgate, People vs. Radio, Odyssey Favor, and Second Hand Theory @ Birdy’s | |
| Mudkids @ Vollrath Tavern | |
| Latin Dance Party @ The Jazz Kitchen | |
| Oblisk @ The Melody Inn | |
| Friday, Aug 21 | |
| Third Fridays @ Language and Culture Gallery | |
| Indiana Classic Ragtime Society‘s Ragtime Weekend @ Ramada Inn East | |
| Jonathan Edwards @ Rathskeller Restaurant | |
| Ken McGee @ Fionn MacCool’s Irish Pub | |
| Sharon McKnight’s “Songs to Offend Almost Anyone!” by the American Cabaret Theatre @ the Connoisseur Room | |
| From Where It Ends, The Holland Account, Ghost of Maine, Threat Level, and Betrayed With A Kiss @ The Emerson Theatre | |
| The Escape Pod @ DogHouse Sports Bar in Brownsburg | |
| Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra @ Conner Prairie | |
| Battle of Birdy’s w/ Voiceflow, Jake Brothers, Vestiges of Ecstasy, Glass Identity Crisis, Bearfoote Jackson @ Birdy’s Bar & Grill | |
| The Franchize @ Jillian’s | |
| Rock Battle ’09 Round Two @ 8 Seconds Saloon | |
| International Dance Night @ Adobo Grill | |
| Blonde Sonja @ Ale Emporium | |
| Shawn Plonski and the Impossible Jazz Collaboration @ Chatterbox Jazz Club | |
| Blair @ Fireside Brewhouse | |
| The Paul Holdman Band @ Kona Jack’s | |
| Headbanger’s Ball @ The Vogue | |
| Saturday, Aug 22 | |
| ARTSPARKLE w/ Buckwheat Zydeco @ Indianapolis Art Center | |
| NEEDTOBREATHE w/ Griffin House and Green River Ordinance @ Radio Radio | |
| Steve Allee Big Band @ The Jazz Kitchen | |
| Corey Cox Band @ Jillian’s Downtown Restaurant | |
| Kathy Griffin @ The Murat Theatre | |
| The Elect w/ V-Groove @ The Slippery Noodle |
