Courtesy of the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum
Vivian Maier, New York, New York, n.d.
Vivian Maier: Photography's Lost Voice | February 21–May 26
Maier, who shot more than 200,000 images during her life, is best known for her haunting photographs of midcentury street life in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. Her work only became famous after her death, when the contents of her unpaid storage lockers, spilling over with negatives and film and prints, were auctioned off to a Chicago collector. Because of some bitter legal battles over her legacy and archives (Maier had no heirs), her work hasn't been widely exhibited. Now that the lawsuits are settled, the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum is finally able to go forward with its delayed Maier show, and people from all over the U.S. are planning to come see it. $10, $5 ages 12 and under. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Wed–Sat. International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum, 3415 Olive, iphf.org.
Superheroes of Blackness | February 23 & 24
Musician Lamar Harris (a.k.a. DJ Nune) is a Regional Arts Commission fellow and composer who scored Shakespeare in the Streets' Blow, Winds (premiering this June). This weekend at .ZACK, he's unveiling another show he's scored, and it's unlike anything produced in this town so far: Superheroes of Blackness. LJay, an A.I. living in the year 2609, travels to the past and future to assemble a team of superheroes to save St. Louis from forces that threaten to destroy it—namely inequality and racism. The show is a combination of theater, film, and concert, with digital sets, a computer-animated cast, and a multi-genre orchestra. Harris has assembled a huge team of artists, including playwright Lois Hicks; Jacqueline Thompson, who voices LJay; musicians Jason “Dirtylynt” Moore, Paige Alysia, and Alphonso Harried; animator David Jordon; digital set designer Geordy Van Es; and costume designer Nyla Coleman. $20. 7:30 p.m. Fri, 6:30 p.m. Sat. .ZACK, 3224 Locust, lamarharris.com.
Sweet Honey in the Rock | February 24
This all-woman, all-African-American acappella choir has been singing about the sorrows of the world for nearly 50 years with the aim of making the world a more beautiful—and more just—place. Accompanied by artists who interpret the music with American Sign Language, the group plays to sell-out crowds around the world and has been nominated for three Grammy Awards. "One thing is certain, if nothing else: Sweet Honey in the Rock perform a function akin to court poets from a bygone age," writes No Depression in its review of the group's newest record, Love in Evolution. "They are artists speaking to power, speaking to history, and illuminating its continued relevance to our lives through the medium of music." $19–$49. 8 p.m. Touhill Center for the Arts, 1 University, touhill.org.
I Can't Turn You Loose: A Celebration of Stax Records | February 24
Memphis' Stax Records is a legendary label for a reason. Among its artists: Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, Johnnie Taylor, Booker T and the MGs, Sam and Dave... This Saturday, some of St. Louis' most respected artists—including Kim Massie, Roland Johnson, Gene Jackson, Emily Wallace, and Eugene Johnson—come together to celebrate the sounds of Stax. It promises to be one of the year's finest musical showcases. $12. 8 p.m. Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp, offbroadwaystl.org.
Blake Shelton | February 24
Named People magazine's 2017 "Sexiest Man Alive," Shelton is on tour with Brett Eldredge, Carly Pearce, and Trace Adkins. Newsday writes of Shelton’s latest album, Texoma Shore, "There is a limit to how far Shelton can stretch his likability, and 'Money,' where he tries his hand at rapping, is it—no matter how soothing he tries to make the chorus. It’s a mess, but it’s also a sign of how confident he is in his career. Only Shelton would try to go from 'Money' to a throwback Ronnie Milsap-like ballad like 'Turning Me On,' the only song on 'Texoma Shore' that he co-wrote. And somehow, he makes it work." $52–$92. 7 p.m. Scottrade Center, 1401 Clark, scottradecenter.com.
Check out SLM's calendar for other happenings, including Blues games, the Benny Green Trio at Jazz St. Louis, Beth Sterling at Helium Comedy Club, At Home's Architect and Designer Awards at Windows on Washington, Walk the Moon at The Pageant, The Wizard of Oz at the Fox Theatre, Don Mee Choi and Daniel Borzutzky at 100 Boots, SLAM Underground: Bollywood Lift Every Voice at Powell Hall, and more.
