1. The Kronos Quartet has classical chops but an untamed heart, choosing to explore and celebrate the work of experimental composers such as Philip Glass and Clint Mansell. Expect rousing virtuosity interspersed with sound clips and samples for a face-rockingly powerful musical experience. Kronos Quartet performs 7:30p Oct. 21 at Reynolds Hall in The Smith Center. Tickets $26-$125. Info:
thesmithcenter.com
2. Many of us envision the Las Vegas landscape as a forbidding, featureless desert wasteland punctuated only by the occasional Dotty’s slot parlor. Well, photographer Fred Sigman wants to introduce you to the hidden lushness of the Las Vegas Wash. Fred Sigman’s “Bottomlands” is on exhibit Oct. 4-Nov. 30 at the Nevada Humanities Program Gallery in Art Square, 1017 S. First St. #190
3. Back in the day, rival knights would solve damsel-based disputes the honorable way: not with nasty Ye Facebooke posts, but with good ol’-fashioned, red-blooded American joustin’ to lusty cries of “Git ’er done, forsooth!” Relive the magic of a lance plunging into the heart of a knave at the Age of Chivalry Renaissance Festival. It’s Oct. 11-13 at Sunset Park. Tickets $10-$25. Info: lvrenfair.com
4. Life: It’s a vibrant pageant of joy, pain, triumph, laughter, tears, and a few lulls where you get to eat Cool Ranch Doritos and catch up with “Game of Thrones.” Dancing duo Michael Kessler and Melinda Jackson have stuffed all that — including rock ’n’ roll action painter Jean Francois Detaille — into their show titled (what else?) “That’s Life.” See it 3p Oct. 13 at Starbright Theatre, 215 Thomas Ryan Blvd. Tickets $17-$22. Info: 240-1301
5. Here’s a big juicy generational writer sandwich for you: UNLV professor and author Maile Chapman studied under celebrated satirical novelist George Saunders, who studied back in the day under UNLV professor and author Doug Unger. They’ll discuss their work in “Three Generations of American Writers” 7p Oct. 15 at the Student Union theater at UNLV. Free.
