Many have claimed that Bollywood — India’s film industry — is bigger than Hollywood, yet Bollywood rarely enters our orbit here in the states. It’s too bad; Bollywood has cultivated a fabulous, colorful and often over-the-top silly world of music, dance and community. Here’s your chance to try the thumka or chaali arebi (dance steps) when the city of Eugene pARTy on the Plaza event series hosts Prashant Kakad, a Portland-based Bollywood singer, DJ and dancer, and the Jai Ho! dance troupe 5:30 pm Thursday, July 28, at the Hult Plaza; FREE. There will be a Bollywood dance lesson and performance. If you want to brush up on your Bollywood beforehand, check out Kakad’s insightful TedX talk “Bollywood — The Timing is Right.” Watch it at bit.ly/2a9nI8k.
If the unprecedented wealth disparity between the rich and the poor is getting you down, you may try listening to the wryly named Rich Corporation, a really, really fun power-pop band — although the band prefers “money rock” as a genre — from Sacramento touring through Eugene with its EP Stay Wealthy, 8 pm Thursday, July 21, at Wandering Goat Coffee Co.; $5. Hard-rock band American Arson joins the party.
Sam Bond’s Garage is finally old enough to drink at its own establishment. The beloved Whiteaker bar and venue is celebrating its 21st anniversary with a party 8:30 pm Friday, July 22, featuring local bands Snow White (experimental dream pop) and Reeble Jar (funk, blues, jam) along with Portland’s Water Tower (high-energy bluegrass, old time); $10.
Another treat at ye olde garage is the fruition of a long-distance musical partnership between Takashi O’Hashi of Japan and Portland’s Casey Neill when they perform together as Big Bridges off their 2015 album Will to Ascend. O’Hashi is a renowned thrasher, spending time playing with the legendary Japanese art-metal band Seikima-II, and Neill is a frequent visitor to Eugene with his band Casey Neill and The Norway Rats; the two met through a mutual friend (Joe Trump, no relation, we hope). Catch the duo 9 pm Sunday, July 24; $7.
Don’t miss: The Jazz Station welcomes Grammy-winning pianist Andy Armer with his trio playing standards and the “obscure” 7:30 pm Friday, July 22; perennial dance-rock favorite The B-52s shake up the Lane County Fair 7:30 pm Friday, July 22, followed by “Fight Song” rising star and singer-songwriter Rachel Platten 7:30 pm Saturday, July 23.