My highlights were many this week even with a very busy work week. Of course my Afrofuturism book club started off amazingly and we’ll be reading Octavia Butler’s The Evening and the Morning and the Night as well as watching RAIN, Maya Glick’s short film about Storm for August. The Secret Group’s inaugural comedy show was very promising, Kingsley Onyeiwu’s exhibit at Hooks-Epstein was beautiful (see below), and Go Savvy’s Art Sound-Off was a lot of fun! This week is especially good for startup events, mostly at Station Houston. If you’re interested in supporting the black LGBTQ community, especially in the wake of Orlando, head to The Montrose Center on Friday. Also, I’m at level 10 in Pokemon Go so there’s that. 

Thursday, July 14: Developer Day at Karbach Brewery! Free bites and drinks for those who want to hang out with a bunch of techies at 3pm. Make sure you RSVP. Station Houston is hosting Justin Segal for another Fireside Chat, this one on real estate beginning at 5:30. It’s sponsored which usually means adult beverages at the very least. Rothko Chapel is holding Summer Sounds on the Plaza at 7pm with free Saint Arnold beer and music from Walagante, a Garifuna ensemble (don’t worry, I had to google Garifuna too). The Secret Group is having their second Satellite Annex comedy show at Avant Garden starting at 9pm with headliner Kristen Lindner.    

Friday, July 15: Puffy, Prickly, Poured is a multimedia exhibition by three women at the Anya Tish Gallery with an opening reception starting at 6pm. Affirming Our Voices: A Space For Healing & Empowering Black LGBTQ Houstonians takes place at The Montrose Center beginning at 6:30pm. Artist Tatiana Escallon Birckholtz has a solo exhibition opening at the John Palmer Art Gallery at 6pm. I’m curious about the artists AfropolitanHouston will have for their Sounds of the Diaspora event so I’ll probably stop by for a moment since it’s free before 7:30pm. For lovers of martial arts The Way of the Dragon starring Bruce Lee is showing at Asia Society. Food trucks and drinks will be available at 7pm and the film starts at 8. The Haywire! comedy show is starring Lashonda Lester, the 2016 Funniest Person in Austin. Tickets are $5 for the show at Midtown Bar & Grill that begins at 10pm.

Saturday, July 16: H-Town Beer Fest is downtown at Jones Plaza and features plenty of beer and music by various Houston artists including Lyric Michelle and the Waxaholics all for $25. It all kicks off at 2pm! Kingsley Onyeiwu, whose art is shown at the top, will be having a discussion with his former professor Robert Pruitt starting at 2pm at Hooks-Epstein. The Must Love Beards day party comes to Houston at Lincoln on Washington. It begins at 3pm and women’s tickets are $25 while men’s admission is free! The Houston Roller Derby’s july bout starts at 7pm and is a really fun way to spend your evening at Revention Music Center. Tickets start at $15. LEAN, BLEAK is a series of concerts held at Alabama Song comprised of the finest songwriters, experimental improvisers, and poets. Suggested donation is $5-10 beginning at 7:30pm. Julydoscope, by the Houston Cinema Arts Society at Discovery green will have music by rapper Genesis Blu, spoken word, dance, and a screening of human rights film Sonita. The whole affair starts at 7pm. Monthly event The Shakedown at The Flat features DJ Keva and DJ Delsur kicking off at 10pm.   

Sunday, July 17: The Alcohol Infused Festival continues for its second year at Giulietta Sociale. It starts at 2pm and entry is $5 for the event that’ll have music, vendors, and boozy bites. Rapper Schoolboy Q is coming to Warehouse Live in the Ballroom for his Groovy Tony tour right after the release of his excellent Blank Face LP (listen to it!). Tickets start at $35 with doors at 8pm.

Monday, July 18: Poison Girl’s tiny concert series stars Teresa Vicinanza of Rose Ette giving a quick musical performance at 8pm followed by a DJ set.

Tuesday, July 19: Station Houston is having a Fireside Chat with Jon Nordby of the Greater Houston Partnership on the future of Houston innovation beginning at 5pm. Mayor Turner’s newly created LGBT Advisory Board is having a meet-and-greet at Pearl Bar beginning at 7pm. Grown-up Storytime has two shows at 8pm and 10pm for $5 and they’re hilarious stories told at Rudyard’s British Pub.

Wednesday, July 20: The seasonal weekly food and beer pairing event (they have wine too) Sundown at The Grove continues in Discovery Green for $20. Local nonprofit SketchCity is continuing its monthly civic hack night focused on bringing together the tech community for the public good. This month’s theme is education and I’ll be speaking once it starts at 6pm! Todrick Hall is coming to Warehouse Live July 20 performing his new project Straight Outta Oz. I hear it’s visually stunning; here’s a sample for the show with doors at 6:30pm for $33. Lowbrow is having another TV Dinner Night with Copperhead Brewing featuring cult classic Snakes on a Plane! If you’re interested in learning the basics of HTML/CSS web design coding bootcamp The Iron Yard is having a free crash course starting at 6pm.

Thursday, July 21: Station Houston has the monthly OpenCoffee Houston bringing together the local entrepreneurship community with free breakfast and coffee at 8am. Joe, Vino and Mingle is a game night in the beautiful space The Library Coffee & Wine House. It starts at 6pm which is the perfect time to go and enjoy the patio space! Social justice organization BLMHTX is having their monthly general meeting at St. John’s United Methodist Church. Rhye, made up of Danish producer Robin Hannibal (you *may* know him from Quadron) and singer Milosh performs at White Oak Music Hall with opener Baio and tickets at $23 with doors at 8pm. It’s kinda sleepy music but would be good for a date night if you’re looking. Also that night Black Swan Yoga is holding Free Night Yoga at the White Oak Music Hall lawn at 9pm; all you need to bring is your mat!

RSVP now: legendary Broadway show Wicked is showing at the Hobby Center through August 14 and tickets start at $40. If you’re a whisky enthusiast or simply scotch-curious sign up for the Balvenie whisky tasting at Revolver Bourbon Social on August 2 for only $14 which includes bites. Seating is limited and I really enjoyed the Glenfiddich tasting I attended there.

As per usual check out MerlexPicks.com for even more events. And if you want these sent to you each Thursday, subscribe to my newsletter!