What to see, do and hear: Underground film, Blackberry Smoke and more

FILM+TV

Consistent with the idea of being “underground,” the Atlanta Underground Film Festival runs late into the evenings on each night of the program. The indie films start at noon and don’t stop until midnight every night from August 16 through August 18. And late-night parties are also on the menu. Films screen at Limelight Theater and include a documentary on pot legalization, an adaptation of Dr. Faustus and a meditation on virtual friendships, among others. Tickets: $12-$50, depending on level of access.

Friday through Sunday.

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Summer is the time for mega blockbusters. In case you missed the first go-around with the Timothée Chalamet Dune, now’s your chance to catch up to what everyone else has seen. The Scott Candler Library in DeKalb County will screen the film on Friday for one day only. Prepare for sand, sand and more sand. Free.

Friday only.

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THEATER

Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret is still thrilling and exciting audiences through September 1 at Actor’s Express. Our critic Benjamin Carr said of the performances: “The entire bench of actors in Cabaret deserves praise for bringing so much life to the show.” In these dangerous political times, a not-so-subtle reminder of what can happen when politics go awry feels both timely and necessary. Tickets: $61.80, with various discounts available.

Ongoing.

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The Essential Theatre Play Festival at 7 Stages turns 25 this year, and according to the organization: “For our Silver Anniversary Festival we will continue our long tradition of bringing new work by Georgia playwrights to the stage by producing a repertory of two world premiere productions, along with staged readings and other special presentations.” Two major world-premiere productions are on offer: Emily McClain’s The Rock and The Hard Place and Peter Hardy’s The Other Part of the Picture. See ArtsATL’s coverage of the festival here. Tickets: free-$28, depending on performance.

Ongoing.

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ART+DESIGN

Chip Moody, Emerging Artist fellow at the Atlanta Center for Photography, has been shooting Atlanta’s pools as a counterweight to the city’s long struggles with race and segregation. His current show, Open Swim, is up at ACP until August 24. The show consists of 12 images of historically segregated pools that have become places of gathering and refuge. An artist talk on the project with Atlanta photographer Sheila Pree Bright will take place on the 24th. Free

Through August 24.

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Artist Masela Nkolo grew up during the Congolese civil war, and the impact has lasted a lifetime. In his current work, Tatu, at Atlanta Contemporary, Nkolo uses oil lanterns and screwdrivers, materials reminiscent of a time of privation, and re-interprets them as symbols of pride, happiness and prosperity. Nkolo’s work fits squarely in the tradition of contemporary African art that draws on ancient cultural sources, and it shows in Tatu, installed in the gallery’s atrium wall. Artist talk will take place this Friday. Free.

Friday only.

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MUSIC

Atlanta-born sextet Blackberry Smoke are Southern rock royalty, and they will be bringing their rocking majesty to the Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park next Friday, August 23. As part of the Be Right Here Tour, they will be pumping out hits like “One Horse Town” and “Waiting for Thunder.” These hometown heroes have been making waves in the country rock world since the 2000s and are the epitome of a “slow burn” act whose success was far from the overnight type. Be Right Here is the band’s eighth body of work. Tickets $63 and up.

Friday, August 23 only.