Your Weekend: Fair fun, high-octane comedy and ‘Dirty Dancing’

THURSDAY

ROOTS & BOOTS 90’s ELECTRIC

THROWDOWN

The Sonoma-Marin Fair kicks off its second night of entertainment with an appearance by country singers Sammy Kershaw, Aaron Tippin and Collin Raye, joining forces at the Petaluma Fairgrounds for a night of hit songs. They will certainly include Kershaw’s “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful,” Tippin’s “You’ve Got To Stand For Something” and “That’s As Close As I Get To Loving You,” and Raye’s “Love Me”, “In This Life”, “My Kind Of Girl” and “That’s My Story.” 8 p.m. Free with fair admission.

DRAKE WHITE

It’s been a long, transformative road since Drake White’s first singing experiences in the youth choir at First Baptist Church of Hokes Bluff, Alabama. He lives in Nashville, now, and over the years has performed with Willy Nelson, the Zac Brown Band and others, and has recorded a couple of chart-topping albums. But for all the changes and world-wandering miles the 36-year-old country singer has put on his guitar, vocal chords and songwriting chops, the critically acclaimed White still manages to display a bit of that 17-year-old choir-member discovering with a thrill that he could sing, and that his voice and songs could move those who heard him. This weekend, the road brings White to Petaluma’s Mystic Theatre, 21 N. Petaluma Blvd. 8:30 p.m. (doors open at 7:30 p.m.) $22. MysticTheatre.com.

FRIDAY

COMEDY NIGHT AT GRIFFO

Comedian Bethany Van Delt will be bringing her “hip and grounded, laidback” comedy stylings to Griffo Distillery, in the wake of killer sets dropped on unsuspecting audiences at the recent Laughs Festival in Montreal, and the San Francisco Sketchfest. Also taking the mike are comedians Dauood Neimyar and Santa Rosa’s own Kala Keller. Blonde Medicine presents this show as part of its monthly comedy night at Griffo’s. 8 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.). Griffo Distillery, 1320 Scott St. $20-$25. GriffoeDistillery.com.

LIFEHOUSE

The third night of music at the Fair features the popular rock band Lifehouse, taking to the stadium stage for performs their hits “Hanging by a Moment,” “First Time,” “Halfway Gone” and “Hurricane,” plus a few surprises. 8 p.m. Free with fair admission.

SATURDAY

THE HOTS & DICTATOR TOTS

Among the North Bay’s very best party bands, The Hots play an eclectic (extremely eclectic) mix of tunes you know and probably love, form hits by Brittney and the Beatles to covers of Metallica. In this Saturday night show at the Big Easy, the Hots will be joined by the Tots, as in The Dictator Tots, who play what they themselves call music with a “jammy prog-shite” vibe, and love to give out T-shirts during shows to people who answer trivia questions posed by members of the popular local threesome. They play original tunes underscored by masterful on-the-spot improvisations. Catch these two great acts together at the Big Easy, 128 American Alley. 7 p.m. No cover. BigEasyPetaluma.org.

DAVID LEE MURPHY

Singer-songwriter David Lee Murphy is the headliner for day four of the Sonoma-Marin Fair. Many of his original songs have been recorded by country rock superstars (Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Florida Georgia Line, Eric Church), but Murphy’s own hit single, “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright,” has propelled him into a solid solo career of his own. Look for him to be singing such country radio staples as “Dust on the Bottle and “Party Crowd.” 8 p.m. Free with fair admission.

STEELIN’ DAN

As tribute bands go, they don’t get much better than Steelin’ Dan, playing the music of Steely Dan for almost a decade-and-a-half in Northern California. Having built a massive and semi-delirious fan base (delirious with joy, that is) the large ensemble of music world pros are frequent winners of Best Of contests, and now return to Petaluma for another big show at the Mystic. 21 N. Petaluma Blvd. 8:30 p.m. (doors open at 7:30 p.m.) $20. MysticTheatre.com.

SUNDAY

‘DIRTY DANCING’

“Nobody puts Baby in the corner.” And nobody puts “Dirty Dancing” on a back shelf. Among the best-loved B-movies of all time, this 1987 classic features Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Gray in a ’60s-set romance that instantly became a huge box office hit, and a frequently-broadcast television staple, despite the fact that it’s technically sort of bad (with dialogue so awkwardly crafted it’s somehow almost charming). For all its faults, it’s also really good, with an A+ chemistry lesson supplied by the film’s electrifyingly in-synch stars, and some anachronistically-styled choreography that is as fun, sexy and cool as Baby and Johnny are every time they lock eyes, step together and dance. It screens at Boulevard Cinemas this weekend (and Wednesday, June 26) at 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Cinemawest.com.

FIESTA LATINA

Closing out the 2019 Sonoma-Marin Fair is the annual Fiesta Latina, featuring such popular acts as Los Dinnos (from Aguililla, Michoacan), Los Adventueros, Los De La 9 and Tamborazo Santo Domingo. The music begins at 3 p.m. and runs through 7 p.m. Free with fair admission.

AN EVENING WITH NOLAN GASSER

The chief architect of Pandora Radio’s Music Genome Project will be appearing on stage at Cinnabar Theater to deliver an entertaining performance based on his new book, “Why You Like It,” described as the “definitive and groundbreaking examination of how your mind, body, and upbringing influence the music you love.” Dr. Nolan Gasser is a musician, a composer, and scientist, and will be describing and explaining what, exactly, “musical taste” is, and what our favorite songs say about us. Cinnabar Theater, 3333 N. Petaluma Blvd. 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15.00, available at www.cinnabartheater.org or by calling Box Office at 763 8920.