Thursday
Simon Cowell can be a real grump. Fortunately, Miami has a friendlier panel of judges to offer feedback about locals' musical talent. Pillowtalk is an all-R&B open-mike night presented by RnBae Collective, boasting the likes of Bianca Jade, Koleen, Vanna Valentine, and Drea Real. Come enjoy their tunes as well as some live commentary and feedback from a panel comprising Tony MC and CIA Rena (Valholla). 9 p.m. Thursday at Gramps, 176 NW 24th St., Miami; facebook.com. Admission costs $5.
Now that the 2018 World Cup is in the books, it's time for another soccer tourney. This time, it's the four of the best women's teams on the planet facing off in the inaugural International Champions Cup. The ass-kickin' competitors include England's Manchester City Women, France's Paris Saint-Germain Women and Olympique Lyonnais, and the North Carolina Courage. The men's tournament includes 18 teams playing in 21 cities worldwide. In Miami, Manchester City faces Bayern Munich Saturday, and Real Madrid lines up against Manchester United Tuesday. Thursday and Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium, 347 Don Shula Dr., Miami Gardens. Tickets available via internationalchampionscup.com.
Italy's delicious food often overshadows the country's musical exports. But right up there with the grub is Italian singer-songwriter and pop icon Laura Pausini. She's been touring the world since she was only 20 years old. Now, at the age of 44, she's recorded 14 studio albums, including her latest, Fatti Sentire, which dropped in four languages earlier this year. 8 p.m. Thursday at James L. Knight Center, 400 SE Second Ave., Miami; jlkc.com. Tickets cost $61 to $232.
Ever wanted to see your favorite local bands spin some classic jams behind the turntables? Now is your chance. Every two weeks, scheduled through at least August 23, the Anderson is hosting its rock evening, the Takeover. This week, you can catch the jammin' doomers of Shroud Eater and Miami's own Bleeth as they spin away. 8 p.m. Thursday at the Anderson, 709 NE 79th St., Miami; facebook.com. Admission is free.
How do the Capitol Steps keep up with all of the political nonsense being spewed these days? The one-of-a-kind comedy troupe composed of congressional staffers has been going strong for nearly 40 years. They've appeared on every major network, have released more than 35 albums, and spare no shots at anyone and everyone across the political spectrum. After this presidency, they could easily have another 35 albums' worth of material. 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday at Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; browardcenter.org. Tickets cost $39.
Most artists are just as interesting as the works they create. Case in point: photographer Peggy Nolan, who continues to wow with her photographs that capture the most human and raw of moments. You can join Nolan for the latest installation of Local Views at PAMM, in which she will speak about some of the current work on display at the museum. Nolan will also lead an intimate tour. 6 p.m. Thursday at Pérez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; pamm.org. Admission to the museum costs $12 to $16; members, children 6 or younger, and active military personnel get in free.
Bruh, your dance moves need some work. If you're looking to expand beyond a robotic head bob, check out the Deco Swing Ball. Beginning at 7:15 p.m., enjoy a free beginners' swing lesson from Yuval Hod and Juls. Then, from 8 to 10:30 p.m., it's time to apply what you've learned with a dance and tunes from DJs Izzy Shniadoski and Bradley James Rogers. 7 p.m. Thursday at Miami Beach Women's Club, 2401 Pine Tree Dr., Miami Beach; facebook.com. Admission costs $10. Update: This event has been postponed to Thursday, August 2.
Friday
The Dutch are good people. The next time you enjoy an orange carrot, Wi-Fi, or capitalism, know they are all inherently Dutch things. Also, Dutch is electronic-producer/mastermind Eelke Kleijn. He has a couple of albums and a boatload of hypnotic singles under his belt, and he's played seemingly every big-time festival on Earth. Fun fact: He also helped craft the jams for the 2012 fantasy flick Wrath of the Titans. He'll be joined in Miami by local Alan Epps. 10 p.m. Friday at Do Not Sit on the Furniture, 423 16th St., Miami Beach. Tickets cost $15 to $20 via residentadvisor.net.
Filmmaking legend Pedro Almodóvar is the cream of the crop, not only in his native Spain but also throughout the world. Over the past 25-plus years, he's given us the likes of All About My Mother, Talk to Her, Law of Desire, and Volver, all while helping Antonio Banderas and Penélope Cruz rise to superstardom. You can catch ten of his best works in a unique series, Almodóvar: The Top Ten, at Coral Gables Art Cinema through early August. 6:30 p.m. Friday and select showtimes through August 9 at Coral Gables Art Cinema, 260 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables; gablescinema.com. Tickets cost $11.75 per screening or $50 for a series pass.
Every once in a while, things get supersketchy over at the Wolfsonian. Fortunately, this sketchiness involves an artsy activity that's free and open to the public. The popular Sketching in the Galleries is back for another whirl. Participants are provided with drawing materials and a stool. There's also an English/Spanish instructor on hand to help guide budding artists to success. From there, it's all up to them to make masterpieces. 7 p.m. Friday at the Wolfsonian-FIU, 1001 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; wolfsonian.org. Admission is free.
Deep Red is more than 40 years old, but it's still scary AF. The classic, trippy flick follows the story of musician Marcus Daly, who witnesses the vicious axe murder of a woman in her home. Taking the heroic route, he tries to track down the killer in what becomes a loony and horrific hunt. The film, written, produced, and directed by the iconic Dario Argento, will hit O Cinema in Wynwood for one night only. 11:30 p.m. Friday at O Cinema, 90 NW 29th St., Miami; o-cinema.org. General admission costs $8.
Saturday
Dream job alert: Some people compete professionally in videogames. This weekend at the American Airlines Arena, the multiplayer first-person shooter game Overwatch's Florida team — yes, there's a league for that — will celebrate the grand finale of the Overwatch League. It's a great way to meet fellow gamers in the flesh and stare at really large screens over the basketball court. This is big business and will draw a huge crowd and impressive prizes, so get your thumbs ready for some group button-pushing. 4 p.m. Saturday at American Airlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; aaarena.com. Tickets cost $10.
Do you remember the first time you saw a bonsai tree? Were you young and little like these miniature shrubs? Did you marvel at their perfect tininess? There's something special about bonsais and about the care their owners take in tending them. Literati Grove is a Miami-based study group that enriches our community through this Japanese art form. This weekend, HistoryMiami will host the group's Komorebi 2018 Bonsai Exhibition, which celebrates the practice, its evolution, and the way it exists in the 305. Three master bonsai artists will present a demonstration, and the event will also include an exhibition, entertainment, food, and plant-relevant vendors. 10 a.m. Saturday at HistoryMiami, 101 W. Flagler St., Miami; historymiami.org. Admission is free.
Dave Matthews isn't just a musician. He's a movement. This guy has wildly devoted fans who are addicted to attending his shows. They wait nervously to see who will be in his touring band and are rife with anticipation to witness them play certain songs live. They are the ants marching, and Dave is, well, their royal ant leader. Dave Matthews Band released Come Tomorrow last month and is already on tour to promote the album. You can spend two nights "Tripping Billies" under a "Satellite" with Dave or two at Coral Sky Amphitheatre. 8 p.m. Saturday at Coral Sky Amphitheatre, 601-7 Sansburys Way, West Palm Beach. Tickets cost $49 via livenation.com.
Three teens from Guatemala head north to seek a better life in America. Sound familiar? It's not only the Cannes Film Festival award-winning flick The Golden Dream, but also reality for many. The film was made in 2013 by the Spanish-born Mexican director Diego Quemada-Diez. The title, La Jaula de Oro actually translates to "the cage of gold," a more accurate title for the immigrants and would-be refugees crossing the border today in search of the American dream. Catch these boys' journey on the big screen as part of MOCA's Moving Images series and reflect on the future of immigrants in a country with little love for them. 2 p.m. Saturday at Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami, 770 NE 125 St., Miami; mocanomi.org. Museum admission costs $5.
Sunday
When you don't have kids, it seems there's all this cool stuff to do with them in Miami. But after you have children, you realize those little devils need to be entertained all the freaking time. In essence, there can never be too many kids' programs. The Bass knows how to keep them busy at Family Day each last Sunday of the month. The museum helps children learn through art-making and encourages conversation, exploration, and experimentation, which builds their ability to think critically, prompts them to take creative risks, and gives them confidence. The two hours of kiddie fun will include performances, special guests, and gallery explorations — plenty to keep them busy and mentally stimulated. 2 p.m. Sunday at the Bass, 2100 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; thebass.org. Admission is free.
Monday
If you've been watching Glow at home, you might be ready to get your fighting fix IRL. WWE Monday Night Raw is coming to the rescue. The event will fill American Airlines Arena with fans of sweat and brute, of bravado and storytelling. It will feature not only the usual male suspects but also female powerhouse "Rowdy" Rhonda Rousey and RAW women's champion Alexa Bliss. The eight-person tag-team event will be Rousey's first Miami appearance, so be sure to buy your tickets early and get ready to watch the rumble. 7:30 p.m. Monday at American Airlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; aaarena.com. Admission starts at $29.
Tuesday
An upbeat bash will hit the BB&T Center with Panic! at the Disco. The Vegas band is on its Pray for the Wicked Tour to tout its 2018 album with the same name. Only one of the original members, lead vocalist Brendon Urie, remains in the band, which was formed by childhood pals who released their first demos in high school. But years of shifting lineups have not affected Panic's fan base. Their power dance pop continues to draw worshipers to the dance floor — not so much for panic, but for partying. On this stop, the group will be supported by Hayley Kiyoko and Arizona. 7 p.m. Tuesday at BB&T Center, 1 Panther Pkwy., Sunrise; thebbtcenter.com Tickets starts at $36.
The Emperor of Shoes is a book by Boston-born author Spencer Wise, who teaches at Florida State University. It tells the story of a 26-year-old who goes to China to run his father's shoe company. He finds that the place exploits its workers, and he bonds with a seamstress who is also a political organizer. He's torn between his crappy father's bad business and his morals and new friend. Wise is headed to Books & Books for a reading. Could someone please ask him to send a copy to Ivanka Trump? 7 p.m. Tuesday at Books & Books in Coral Gables, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables; booksandbooks.com. Admission is free with book purchase.
Wednesday
Fantastic Mr. Fox is a quirky, stop-motion-animated 2009 film by Wes Anderson. It features the voices of some of the biggest names in showbiz, including George Clooney and Meryl Streep, narrating the story of Mr. Fox and his family on an adventure. Mr. Fox plans to bring down big, bad farmers. It's a complicated kids' movie about community that was adapted from a Roald Dahl book. Find out how much the film and book have in common at the Miami Theater Center, where the movie will screen alongside dramatic readings from the book. 6 p.m. Wednesday at Miami Theater Center, 9806 NE Second Ave., Miami Shores; mtcmiami.org. Admission is free.
