What's Up in the 405

Impressionist Variations

Saturday, Feb. 16

If you place credence in the prognostication of groundhogs, you’ve been expecting spring to come soon … et puis voila. The OKC Philharmonic has you covered in the latest installment of its Classics series, focused on the gentle, meditative “Printemps” composed by Claude Debussy. The concert also features Ravel’s “La Valse,” as well as “Fire and Light,” a newer piece by contemporary Chickasaw maestro Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate. The evening is rounded out with a piece by Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla called “Concerto for Bandoneon” – and if you don’t recognize the name, that’s a South American cousin to the accordion, played in this case by special guest Daniel Binelli. Prepare to be impressed.

OKC Civic Center, 201 N Walker, OKC, okcphil.com

Julian Bliss Septet

Thursday, Feb. 14

The classics never go out of style – and if you’re a fan of polished presentations of old-school swing music, that’s a good thing. Clarinet aficionados especially should take note of this performance, as Bliss is as good as they come, and the skilled Septet has a ring-a-ding showcase of Benny Goodman-inspired music set for a sensationally swinging evening tonight.

Armstrong Auditorium, 14400 S Bryant, Edmond, 285.1010,  armstrongauditorium.org

Blake Shelton

Thursday, Feb. 14

Valentine’s Day is no time to be alone if you don’t want to be – fortunately for Blake Shelton, he’ll have an arena filled with fans to keep him company this evening, and he’s bringing a few musicians onstage with him for the first stop on his Friends and Heroes tour. “I’m really excited about my tour, because it’s taking where I came from and the music I listened to growing up, and actually introducing it to a whole new audience,” Shelton said. “I feel like a lot of people might know the Bellamy Brothers’ and John Anderson’s music, but maybe they’re not familiar with who they are as artists. I think that this is going to be a great opportunity for the country music fan base to be re-introduced to these guys and, selfishly, I’m just excited to share the stage with them! It’ll be great to have Trace (Adkins) back out on the road with us, and I can’t wait for one of my newer friends and heroes, Lauren Alaina, to blow these crowds away.”

Chesapeake Energy Arena, 100 W Reno, OKC, 602.8700, chesapeakearena.com

Wine in the Wild

Friday, Feb. 15

A dozen local wineries and national distributors are setting up to provide unlimited tastings, alongside specially paired hors d’oeuvres and live music performed by the Larry Hammett Jazz Group. Sounds like an event worth raising a glass to, doesn’t it? The Oklahoma Zoological Society’s inaugural wine-tasting event should be a blast. Plus, it’s held in the Zoo’s new Sanctuary Asia exhibit space, and being around red pandas makes everything better – that’s just science.

OKC Zoo, 2101 NE 50th, OKC, 425.0618, zoofriends.org

Almost, Maine

Friday-Saturday, Feb. 15-March 2

’Tis the season for romance (and frosty temperatures), making this bittersweet John Cariana play almost perfect for the occasion. Set in a small New England town – so named because its founders had trouble getting their plans together to incorporate – against the glow of the Northern Lights, this series of tales centered around love and loss makes for a warmly emotional audience experience.

Pollard Theater, 120 W Harrison, Guthrie, 282.2800, thepollard.org

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde

Friday-Saturday, Feb. 15-March 9

With some people, you don’t want to get on their bad side; with Edward Hyde, that’s the only side there is. The Victorian gent is a villain to his bones … but those bones and his body originally belonged to the milquetoast Dr. Henry Jekyll. Drugs are bad, folks. Carpenter Square presents a tale of science gone wrong, leavened with a few laughs, in this stage adaptation of Stevenson’s spooky adventure that pits a good man’s reason against the darker demons of his nature.

Carpenter Square Theatre, 800 W Main, OKC, 232.6500, carpentersquare.com