etc. Little Miss Sunshine, a Sundance Film Festival smash starring Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell and Alan Arkin, was produced by our very own Virginia Film Festival board member Ron Yerxa. To honor this, the VFF hosts a special screening of the film at the Regal Downtown Mall Cinema. Follow the fictional Hoover family from Albuquerque to the surreal Little Miss Sunshine pageant in California as they try to pull it all together to fulfill the dream of 7-year-old Olive. Thursday, August 10. Free, 7pm. Regal Downtown Mall 6. West end of the Downtown Mall. 979-7669.
music Grammy-winning George “No Show” Jones brings some of the most memorable country songs of all time to the Pavilion (we hope). Since his first hit in 1950 with “Why Baby Why,” the formerly hard-drinking (now reportedly sober) songwriter has had more individual songs than any other on the country charts, and more blown dates than a “Star Trek” convention. But we’re betting that Tammy Wynette’s ex will show up ready to play, and dole out hits like “He Stopped Loving Her Today” with that mourning, burnished lower register and plaintive delivery that can still stop you in your tracks. Sunday, August 13. $22-41.50, 6pm. 1-877-CPAV-TIX. www. charlottesvillepavilion.com.
etc. Ready to rumble? Charlottesville hosts WWE RAW, featuring two-time WWE champ John Cena (all 240 pounds of him). Cena’s been on a roll since his defeat of Kurt Angle in the SmackDown division in ’02. If you’re not a Chain Gang Soldier (i.e., a fan of the man’s signature rapping and “FU” moves) come to cheer on his arch-rival Edge, along with DX, Randy Orton and Hulk Hogan (yes, he finally ditched that “Hollywood” nonsense). Monday, August 14. $20-60, 8pm. John Paul Jones Arena. 888-JPJ-TIXS. www.johnpauljonesarena.com.
music Middle Distance Runner has it all: up-tempo beats, insanely catchy lyrics, unbridled confidence and some of the best guitar and vocal chops around. These five guys from D.C. display an incredibly diverse range, swinging from breezy pop tunes to mid-’90s British rock sounds (think pre-OK Computer Radiohead and early Oasis). Not bad for a group whose average age is 24. Catch them at Starr Hill’s Cocktail Lounge as they open for Soft Complex on Saturday, August 12. No cover, 9pm. 709 W. Main St. 977-0017.
music Brian Kingston was a besuited, successful young San Francisco investment banker before he sold everything except his guitar and keyboard to pursue his pop-rock dreams back on the East Coast. Since his debut album, Songwriters Are Cowards (2005), this lyrically driven critic’s darling has appeared regularly on college radio, drawing complimentary comparisons to Ben Folds and Jason Mraz. Catch this rising star at the Starr Hill Cocktail Lounge (where else?) on Sunday, August 13. No cover, 9pm. 709 W. Main St. 977-0017.
