A big, shiny show with a pop megastar
Tuesday. Megapop. Few artists can brag about the 200 million albums they’ve sold. But Celine Dion isn’t just any artist. The pop star is such a mammoth (and inexplicable) force in the music industry that it’s sometimes difficult to remember her roots. Remember the early ’90s, when Dion and Peabo Bryson struck gold with the theme song to Disney’s animated musical “Beauty and the Beast?” And the hits kept rolling in — including another famous theme song, this one for James Cameron’s “Titanic.” That song, “My Heart Will Go On,” solidified her as an unparalleled international star — the figure of adoration and hatred across the globe. And she remains a popular figure with her headlining tour, which is now wrapping up with some makeup dates — including Tuesday’s show at the Pepsi Center. Tickets, $25.50-$135, are available at 303-830-8497 or . Ricardo Baca
Oscar Gold
This weekend. Movies. Movies. Movies. If you’re still in catch-up — or, better — extra-credit mode with your Oscar research, there are some fine opportunities: AMC’s Best Picture Showcase runs Saturday (amctheatres ); $30. Starz FilmCenter adds “The Visitor” and “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” — starring supporting nominees Richard Jenkins and Penelope Cruz” to already screening indies “Rachel Getting Married,” with (Anne Hathaway) “Frozen River” (Melissa Leo), and “Happy Go Lucky” (best original screenplay), through the weekend only, $6 – $9.50 individual tickets; Starz FilmCenter at the Tivoli, Ninth Street at Auraria Parkway, 303-820-FILM or . Lisa Kennedy
Pop music
Tonight-Saturday. Singer-songwriter. Sometimes you can tell a lot about artists by the titles of their CDs. And judging from singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer’s work over the years — titled “Visions and Dreams,” “The Gathering of Spirits,” “The Bird or the Wing” or her most recent “The Geography of Light” — it’s simple to see that the artist’s earnest output falls on the inspirational, occasionally faith-based side of music. The singer plays tonight at St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Highlands Ranch and Saturday at Avogadro’s Number in Fort Collins. Newcomer is also giving a “vocational reflection workshop” at the church on Saturday morning. More information: . Ricardo Baca
Saturday. Blues. What’s so special about Delbert McClinton? If you’re unfamiliar with the Texas musician, take a spin on his MySpace page. His seamless approach to the blues, Americana, soul and rock ‘n’ roll is astounding. Whereas most artists sound like, say, a bluesman incorporating country sensibilities or a rocker utilizing soul harmonies, McClinton is the real deal at creating tasty, well-blended concoctions that are of a self-defined subgenre. He plays the Gothic Theatre on Saturday. Tickets, $34-$36, are available at . Ricardo Baca
Dance
Through the weekend. Ballet. Everything’s new on the Boulder Ballet’s latest program, which opens this weekend with performances at 8 p.m. today and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday in the Dairy Center for the Arts , 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Later performances are set for Estes Park, Lakewood and Broomfield. Among the five premieres on tap is “Ragtime,” by artistic director Peter Davison, winner of the 2009 Ballet Builders Award from New Choreographers on Pointe in New York City. In the work, 10 dancers explore the highs and lows of the Depression era. $25, $17 students and seniors and $15 Boulder Ballet students. 303-444-7328 or . tickets.html. Kyle MacMillan
Classical music
Saturday. Symphonic pops. “‘S wonderful! ‘S marvelous!” Principal pops conductor Marvin Hamlisch and the Colorado Symphony pay tribute to composer George Gershwin with a concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Boettcher Concert Hall. Highlights will include “Rhapsody in Blue,” with pianist Kevin Cole, and songs such as “The Man I Love” performed by soprano Amanda Earls. Also on the lineup are selections from “Porgy and Bess” and “An American in Paris.” $15-$73. 303-623-7876 or coloradosymphony . Kyle MacMillan
Saturday and Sunday. Brass music. New Orleans might have been wounded by Hurricane Katrina, but its musical spirit remains as strong as ever. The Denver Brass pays tribute to the city’s rich heritage with “Bourbon Street Brass,” including such guest artists as the Hot Tomatoes Dance Orchestra, steel pan virtuoso Tom Miller and Italian trumpeter Andrea Guiffredi. Selections range from Dixieland and swing to zydeco and zouk. Performances will be 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 E. Iliff Ave. $22-$43. 303-832-4676 or . Kyle MacMillan
Today and Sunday. Organ music. Colorado State University’s internationally recognized Casavant pipe organ has a new home — the Organ Recital Hall at the University Center for the Arts, 1400 Remington St., Fort Collins. The 2,096-pipe instrument, built in the style of northern German organs of the 17th and 18th centuries, was installed at CSU in 1968. To celebrate the instrument’s restoration and new location, Joel Bacon, chairman of CSU’s organ and liturgical studies, will perform concerts at 7:30 p.m. today and 2 p.m. Sunday. $10, $5 CSU students and youths 6 to 17. 970-491-4849 or . Kyle MacMillan
Theater
This weekend. Naropa University’s MFA students are staging “Trojan Women,” Jean-Paul Sartre’s adaptation of Euripides’ classic anti-war tale. The play is contextualized into the current media age, where maintaining integrity of self in the face of the horror in the world is a difficult task. This multimedia approach integrates song and dance in collaboration with acclaimed New York-based composer Cynthia Hopkins and CU dance faculty instructor Onye Ozuzu. 8 tonight, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the University of Colorado’s Atlas Center on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder. $7-$15 (303-245-4643). John Moore
Family fun
Sunday. Vail looks a tiny bit like Bourbon Street when CarniVail gets rolling. The annual Mardi Gras celebration takes over the mountain and the village for four days of frolic. It all starts with “the world’s highest low-country crawfish boil” at the top of the gondola on Sunday. Monday brings the Mask-erade Party with live music and dancing, and then it’s Fat Tuesday. Get ready for a wild (but family-friendly) parade and street party, complete with music, a CarniVail King and Queen and a king-cake-eating contest. A concert wraps it all up on Feb. 27. Crawfish boil, noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, The Eagle’s Nest, at the top of the gondola. Mask-erade party, 3-6 p.m. Monday, The Arrabelle, 675 Lionshead Place. Fat Tuesday Parade, 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, Vail Village. Concert, 6-9 p.m. Feb. 27, along Gore Creek Drive in the village. Visit . for more information. Kathleen St. John
Tuesday. Pop in for an evening of poetry at the state finals for the Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest in Lakewood. Twenty finalists from high schools across the state will compete, reciting classic and contemporary poems for the judges. The winner gets $200 and, best of all, a trip to Washington, D.C., for the national competition. The national champion wins $50,000 in scholarships and school stipends, so hold on to your couplets — this contest is for real. 6 p.m. Tuesday. Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway.; 303-987-7876. Free. Kathleen St. John
Saturday-Sunday. All aboard for the Great Train Expo at the National Western Complex. A model-train lover’s dream, the expo features 15 running model trains and a huge marketplace for hobbyists. Workshops will offer tips for new and seasoned builders, too. Kids can take a ride on a working mini-train and visit the storytime corner when they need a break. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. National Western Complex, 4655 Humboldt St. Admission is $7 for adults, good for both days. Kids ages 12 and younger are free. Kathleen St. John
Saturday. Wing your way to Waterton Canyon for the Audubon Society of Greater Denver’s “Winter Fun — Spring Adventure!” Saturdays at the Society’s Nature Center. Guests can learn about the South Platte ecosystem, write nature stories and explore the local trails. Stop by rain or shine — if it’s chilly, a warm fire just might be there to greet you. The program runs every Saturday and the first Sunday of each month, through April. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. first Sundays. Audubon Center at Chatfield, South Wadsworth Boulevard and Waterton Road, Littleton. Call 303-973-9530 for more information. Free. Kathleen St. John
Tonight-Saturday. Teen girls get “All Access” when the Revolve Tour visits the Denver Coliseum. The huge event for Christian teens features music, speakers and video presentations addressing the sometimes tricky terrain of being a girl. Musical acts include Hawk Nelson, Natalie Grant, Group 1 Crew and Krystal Meyers. 5:30-9:30 tonight, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Denver Coliseum, 4600 Humboldt St.; 720-865-2475. Registration is $74 per person for both days, with group discounts available. A box lunch is available on Saturday for $8. Visit revolve . or call 877-9-REVOLVE to purchase seats. Kathleen St. John
Visual art
Saturday. Western American art. After a five-year closure, most of the seventh floor in the Denver Art Museum’s original building reopens Saturday with nine remodeled galleries devoted to Western art. The installation, titled “Creating the West in Art,” features about 155 paintings and sculptures, most from before 1950. The pieces are mostly drawn from the museum’s permanent collection, with loans from across the country helping to fill the gaps and tell the story. The display is free with regular museum admission. 720-865-5000 or . Kyle MacMillan
