10 Things Going on in Cleveland this Weekend (June 6 - 8)

The party’s back again at the Cleveland Museum of Art, and this time it really is a party. This month’s MIX theme is Fête, complete with French and American wine tastings and tours exploring various French libations and French art masterpieces. Neo-vaudeville troupe Pinch & Squeal will be on hand with their eccentric and very entertaining array of skits in a circus tent. It all starts at 5 p.m. and goes until 9 p.m. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. (Trenholme)

If you’re going to see comedian John Witherspoon tonight at the Improv, you better dress up because “you got to coordinate,” as he puts it. That catchphrase is just one of the comedian’s many one-liners and various accomplishments throughout his long career. He’s worked alongside famous comedians such as Ice Cube, Adam Sandler, Eddie Murphy and Chris Tucker and starred as “Pops” on The Wayans Bros. But he might be best known for voicing “Granddad” on the animated series The Boondocks. His standup is even similar to the Boondocks character he portrays; it features fast-paced jokes that keep coming at you. Witherspoon has a look about him that’s simply funny. He doesn’t even need to tell jokes because his facial expressions can make anyone laugh all night. He performs tonight at 7:30 and 10:15 and is at the club through Sunday. Tickets are $25. (William Hoffman)

Back in its heyday in the ’70s and ’80s, Aerosmith was one of the fiercest rock acts on the circuit. Albums such as Toys in the Attic and Done with Mirrors are classics. Draw the Line, which bills itself as “the only Aerosmith-endorsed tribute show,” tries to recapture that magic. Lead singer Neil Byrnes has even won Steven Tyler look-alike contests. The group plays tonight at Rockin’ on the River. Velvet Shake starts things off at 5 p.m. Admission is free. (Niesel)

Summer art festivals are a dime a dozen, but the Valley Art Center’s 31st Annual Art by the Falls juried art festival isn’t your run-of-the-mill event. It has a long history as a go-to event. Some 120 artists will be on hand selling jewelry, wearable art, paintings and photography. According to the official press release, the show offers “something for almost everyone’s taste and budget.” Kids will enjoy the make-and-take booth and several artists will give how-to demonstrations. There will be live music — including Native American flutes — and several food vendors will be on hand as well. The show takes place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow at Riverside Park in Chagrin Falls. Stick around tonight for the first ever Chagrin Falls Music Crawl which takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. after Art by the Falls. (Niesel)

Taxi Driver was meant to be viewed late at night, right? The 1976 Scorcese dark classic starring Robert DeNiro as the mentally unstable, taxi-driving Vietnam war vet Travis Bickle — “You talkin’ to me?” — plays tonight at midnight at the Cedar Lee as part of the Late Shift cult classics series. The ’70s were a golden age for DeNiro, who starred in The Godfather Pt. 2 in 1974, Taxi Driver in ’76, The Deer Hunter in ’78 and Raging Bull in ’80. Tonight, he sports the famous mohawk and dreams of violently ridding New York City of all the filth and the scum as he ferries city dwellers among the boroughs. Tickets are only $5. (Allard)

Are you a vegan yearning for some good old-fashioned fellowship? Yearn no more. Come by Cleveland State University today for an all-day Veg Fest with panels and cuisine and activities all about vegetables and shit. Vegan cuisine from local, independent restaurants will be available for purchase in a “Cruelty Free Marketplace” in the CSU Student Center from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., plus there will be speakers galore, roaming the campus and regaling visitors with “dynamic” takes on the vegan lifestyle. Don’t miss the screening of The Ghosts in Our Machine at 7 p.m. sharp to round out the day’s festivities. (Allard)

Monkees’ singer Michael Nesmith came through town last year to talk about his illustrious career. His resume includes stints as an actor, producer and novelist. Some of the songs he wrote were hits for the Monkees while others were hits for people like Linda Ronstadt & the Stone Poneys, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, the Butterfield Blues Band and even Run-DMC. Nesmith also has extensive experience in Hollywood; he executive-produced Repo Man and founded Pacific Arts, a record, film and video production house and book publisher. But he’s best known for his work with the Monkees. While the passing of Davy Jones leaves the band without one of its key members, original members Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz join Nesmith for tonight’s show. (Niesel) $49.50-$85

The Chef Jam is returning to the Rock Hall today. Sample food from Cleveland’s best chefs who are offering dishes inspired by their favorite bands and musicians. Tickets are $70 and include samples of dishes from more than 20 different food stations, Great Lakes beer, wine and tours of the museum. Headlining the event is ever-soulful Wesley Bright & the Hi-Lites and the whole thing starts at 7. (Stoops)

When country superstar Tim McGraw played Blossom last summer, he braved the rain to strut from the side of the stage and cut through the crowd, slapping high fives along the way. Wearing a black cowboy hat and a tank top that exposed his beefy, well-toned arms, the guy looked like he was on his way to a wrestling match as the Imagine Dragons anthem “Radioactive” played over the PA system. McGraw opened with the poppy “Where the Green Grass Grows” and then he and his stellar eight-piece band ran through all of his biggest hits. His new album, Sundown Heaven Town isn’t due out until September but expect to hear some tracks from it at tonight’s show. (Niesel) $44.25-$69.50

Skinny Lister’s most recent album, 2012’s Forge & Flagon features a mix of original, Pogues-like pub rockers and covers of traditional tunes. “We recorded the album a while back and released it in the U.K. last summer,” explained singer Lorna Thomas in an interview last year. “Some of the songs have been kicking around since I was born. ‘Forty Pound Wedding’ was written by my dad in the early ’90s in a very different form. The traditional tunes have been around for hundreds and hundreds of years. We’re working on new stuff. We’re always working on new stuff.” Thomas says comparisons to Irish punks the Pogues are inevitable and since she considers the band to be an influence, she’s not about to object when fans and critics note the similarity. “It’s definitely a comparison and we definitely listened to them and they’ve influenced our sound,” she admits. “We all bring in influences from different areas. The Pogues are close to all of our hearts. I don’t think we’re exactly like the Pogues, and we’ve even been described as the Pogues with good teeth.” (Niesel) $10 ADV, $12 DOS