Desert Divination
Palm Springs has always had a thing for the mystical, and so, apparently, does the newly remodeled Amigo Room at the Ace Hotel and Swim Club, at 701 E. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs. From 7 to 10 p.m., every Thursday, starting July 31, unlock your future with tarot readings (for a fee). Cosmic skeptics and long-time believers can see what the cards and the desert spirits have to say. Speaking of spirits: The new cocktail menu features standouts like the Negroni Sour, made with gin, Campari and sage; and the Amigo Old Fashioned, which combines bourbon, Averna, dates and orange. Find more information and see what else is new at acehotel.com/palm-springs/goings-on. —Charles Drabkin
(This item was edited on Aug. 8 with a correction: Tarot readings are NOT free, despite language on the Ace website that indicated as such.)
Words of Healing
Experience meaningful poetry in a beautiful mountain town! At 7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 1, Subversive Verses, a group of Indigenous poets, will be hosting a poetry night titled ívaqîú·í at Audiowild Studios, at 54240 Ridgeview Drive, in Idyllwild. According to the organizers, ívaqîú·í is a Cahuilla word that translates to “becoming strong,” and this night of poetry by Native women will touch upon strengthening of the Native community during these troubling times. Per Subversive Verses’ Instagram page, “We invite you to join us as we share, grow and heal together in our traditional summer homelands of Idyllwild.” Tickets are $15, but nobody will be turned away due to a lack of funds. While the event is all ages, the promoters warn that the event will include language and themes suited for mature audiences. For more information or to register, visit www.instagram.com/subversive_verses, and click the link in the bio. —Matt King
Standup Laughs
Laugh the night away with jokes from a TV star. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 2, comic Willie Macc will bring the laughs to the Rock Gallery Comedy Club, at 333 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 117, in Palm Springs. Macc has had an interesting career, gaining notoriety from BET show College Hill: Virgin Island, and the film Meet the Spartans, and he is now hitting the road doing standup. Tickets are $17.85. Space is limited at the Rock Gallery, so get your tickets ASAP! You must be 21+ to attend. For tickets and more information, visit the Eventbrite link. —Matt King
Get Into the Groove
A local DJ collective is celebrating two years of drum and bass jams. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 2, JOLT Drum and Bass are hosting an anniversary show at Frank’s Hideout, at 73338 Highway 111, in Palm Desert. The turntable-spinning electronic-music group is pulling out all the stops for the birthday bash, and will be exploring jungle, hip-hop, dancehall and more all night long; .44Mag, DJ Journee (pictured), DJ Nick Chavez, DJ Smoke One, DJ Tone, Source1st, St1r, and Auxiliary MC are all set to perform. There will be pop-ups from local record stores and more—and best of all, the event is free! You must be 21+ to attend. For more info, visit www.instagram.com/joltdnb —Matt King
Beat the Heat on Ice
It’s not every day you can escape the valley’s scorching temps, lace up some skates, and toast four decades of community impact, but you can at United Cerebral Palsy of the Inland Empire’s 40th Brrr‑thday Bash, from 1 to 3 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 5, at the Berger Foundation Iceplex (at Acrisure Arena), at 75702 Varner Road, in Palm Desert. Celebrate four decades of UCPIE’s service to local families with a free, family-friendly open house, ice skating for all levels, free rentals and skate aids, and even a photo-op with Coachella Valley Firebirds mascot Fuego! Delicious gelato, snacks, and agua fresca are available, and you can enter a drawing for prizes donated by generous local businesses. Admission is free, but registration is required. For more information or to register, click here. —Charles Drabkin
Silent Film Gets Loud Again
Before Tom Cruise ran from explosions and Keanu dodged bullets, Buster Keaton invented deadpan cool. The silent-era legend is resurrected in Stoneface: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Buster Keaton, a theatrical tribute to the original stunt king, starring French Stewart (3rd Rock From the Sun). Written by Vanessa Claire Stewart, the play, presented by the Big Bear Theatre Project, chronicles Keaton’s rise to fame and his subsequent fall into obscurity. A quick two-hour drive from the Coachella Valley, Big Bear offers a chance to swap scorching sidewalks for cool mountain air, all while soaking in the silent-era drama. Catch it at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 8-17, at the Big Bear Lake Performing Arts Center, at 39707 Big Bear Blvd. Tickets are $42.59, with discounts. For more information or to buy tickets, visit bigbeartheatreproject.org. —Charles Drabkin
Remembering Bobby Furst
The music community is gathering to honor the life of a desert legend. At 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 8, A Party for Bobby Furst is being thrown at Mojave Gold, at 56193 Twentynine Palms Highway, in Yucca Valley. Bobby Furst was a huge part of the desert’s art scene, an artist and the owner of Furstworld, a sculpture garden of artworks-turned-live music venue. Bobby passed away on June 8. To remember the art icon, Paul Chesne, Madame Harlequin and BLK.SGR are all set to perform, and I’ve been told special guests will be stopping by as well. The event is free. For more information, visit mojavegolddesert.com. —Matt King
Pick This Peppers Tribute
Red Hot Tribute, which bills itself as the nation’s No. 1 Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute band, is bringing their “Knock Me Down” act to the desert at 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 9, to the Miracle Springs Resort and Spa, at 10625 Palm Drive, in Desert Hot Springs. Since 2015, this four-piece dynamo has not just covered RHCP; they’ve brought the authentic sound and stage energy. Tickets for this all-ages show are practically a “Give It Away” (OK, that one was a stretch) at just $28.45 and can be purchased here. —Charles Drabkin
Want your event included in 11 Days a Week? Email 11days@cvindependent.com for consideration. Email ads@cvindependent.com for advertising info!