WEDNESDAY 7

Traipse with titanosaurians! Walking with Dinosaurs thunders through the Colonial Life Arena starting Wednesday.

Thunder lizards rule! Saunter with sauropods! Toddle with theropods! Promenade with pachycephalosaurians! Walking with Dinosaurs comes to the Colonial Life Arena today; the arts section has more on page 26.

Water problems suck! Flow: For the Love of Water explores what experts label the World Water Crisis, investigating the growing privatization of the world’s dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel. In short, it begs the question: Can anyone really own water? “This documentary makes a terrible kind of sense,” writes the Charlotte Observer. “It reminds us that something we take for granted, like air, can be sold to us — if we can afford it. And if we can’t, what happens then?” To help answer that last question, the Nickelodeon Theatre offers a talkback session following the 6 p.m. screening of the film. Call 254-3433 or visit nickelodeon.org for more information.

THURSDAY 8

Art explosion! A bevy of local art openings take place today: Suzy Scarborough brings her paintings to Art + Cayce (765-0838); Alex Powers opens Selection of Paintings and Drawings from the Last 20 Years at City Art (252-3613, cityartonline.com); Alicia Leeke opens a Halloween-themed exhibition at Frame of Mind (988-1065), which also hosts an opening celebration at 6 p.m.that features dancers from the Wideman/Davis Dance Company, a theatrical piece from the NiA Company, magic from John Tudor and bellydancing from Natalie Brown; and last but not least, Jason Amick opens an exhibition of new works at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios (252-6134, gallery80808vistastudios.com). Phew.

Green drinks! And no, loyal Eight Days reader, we’re not talking about the emerald-colored concoctions one quaffs on St. Patrick’s Day. Keep the Midlands Beautiful celebrates 20 years of service to Mother Earth with a Green Cocktail Party on the rooftop of the Nelson Mullins building at 1320 Main St. from 6 to 8 p.m. Eight Days is not entirely sure how imbibing spirits helps save the planet, but we still think it’s a good idea regardless. On Tap has more.

Theatre! Trustus Theatre’s Black Box opens its season tonight with the inaugural performance of the one-man cabaret Mr. Charles, Currently of Palm Beach. Curtain rises at 7:30 p.m., and admission is $12. Call 254-9732 or visit trustus.org for more information.

FRIDAY 9

Peek-a-boo!: Folk legend Janis Ian performs at the Newberry Opera House on Friday.

Theatre productions about movies! According to the NiA Company, Whisper: The Movies aims to “take a concept and turn it into a full borne performance.” That concept: The Movies, of course. NiA opens the two-day run of Whisper: The Movies at 8 p.m. at the South Carolina Center for Film and Media, which is located at 1607 Main St. in the new home of the Nickelodeon Theatre. Admission is $10; call 553-2536 or visit theniacompany.blogspot.com for more information.

Movies about magazine production! The September Issue tells the story of legendary Vogue editor Anna Wintour and her larger-than-life team of editors creating the issue and ruling the world of fashion. Entertainment Weekly hails the film as “lusciously revealing” and the Portland Oregonian says it’s filled with “vivacity, charm and, yes, beauty.” But, ah, not everyone loves The September Issue: The Wall Street Journal calls the film “listless,” and the Washington Post says Cutler’s film doesn’t “give you the definitive truth about notoriously frosty Vogue editor Anna Wintour.” Eight Days, as always, says see it for yourself: It opens tonight at the Nickelodeon Theatre, screening at 3, 6 and 8 p.m. Call 254-3433 or visit nickelodeon.org for more information.

Torch songs! Wikipedia defines torch songs as “sentimental love song[s], typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love, where one party is either oblivious to the existence of the other, or where one party has moved on.” Palmetto AIDS Life Support Services hosts TORCH 2009, the fifth installment of its yearly benefit series, tonight at the CMFA ArtSpace; the benefit gig kicks off with a reception at
6:30 p.m., and the singing begins at 7:30 p.m. The suggested donation is $50; call 779-7257 or visit palss.org for more information.

Grammy winners! Janis Ian might have learned the truth about love at the tender age of 17, but her songwriting career has carried her well past that age; Ian’s career spans now five decades, and her style — equal parts self-effacing and slightly rueful — and masterful gift for storytelling have made her one of folk music’s living legends. Ian performs at the Newberry Opera House at 8 p.m.; tickets are $30. Call 276-6264 or visit
newberryoperahouse.com for more.

SATURDAY 10

The Metropolitan Opera! In Columbia! Well, as close as the Capital City’s going to get to actually having the Met here, anyway: The Regal Sandhill Cinema 16 movie theater plays host today to the kickoff of the fourth season of The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD; the series beams live, one-time only performances by the Metropolitan Opera into movie theatres around the world. This installment features the Met performing Puccini’s Tosca, and while the experience pales in comparison to actually seeing the Metropolitan Opera perform, this is easily the next best thing. Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for children; call 1-800-638-6737 or visit metopera.org for more information.

Barbecue! At the South Carolina State Museum! The State Museum celebrates today its annual Fall Heritage Festival, at which, yes, four kinds of succulent Carolina barbecue — mmm … barbecue! — will be on hand, as will fine bluegrass bands, folk artists and more. The festival runs from 10 a.m.  to 4 p.m., and admission is free. Call 898-4912 or visit scmuseum.org for more information.

SUNDAY 11

Ex-Soviets! One of post-Communist Russia’s premier classical music troupes, the traveling Chamber Orchestra Kremlin ensemble has received international kuods for its vivid style and fierce, passionate performances. Indeed, classical music buff, you can catch one of the orchestra’s fierce, passionate performances at the Newberry Opera House at 3 p.m.; it’s the Misha Rachlevsky-conducted orchestra’s third trip to the Opera House in four years. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased by calling 803-276-6264 or by visiting newberryoperahouse.com.

MONDAY 12

Art explosion: college edition! The Capital City is graced with an embarrassment of art openings this week. Opening today at some of Columbia’s fine institutions of higher learning: Art-teacher exhibition Masters and Mentors and the Benedict College Ponder Fine Arts Gallery (705-4768); Paula Rainey Benson’s Forming Presence at Columbia College’s Goodall Gallery (786-3088); and Southeastern ceramics exhibition Ceramics: Southeast at the University of South Carolina McMaster Gallery (777-7480). Phew. Again.

TUESDAY 13

Science! Noted scientific skeptic and atheist Richard Dawkins says “F#!k you, Creationism!” tonight at the Carolina Coliseum; Dawkins comes to the Capital City at the behest of the University of South Carolina chapter of Pastafarians. (Eight Days sez: Google that one.) A prominent supporter of scientific rationalism as well as an outspoken promoter of atheism, secular humanism and of Charles Darwin’s evolutionary theory, Dawkins’ most famous book is The God Delusion, in which he argues that a creator god almost certainly does not exist and argues that atheism is evidence of a healthy, independent mind. Dawkins gives God the finger starting at 7:30 p.m.; the discussion is free and open to the public. (Eight Days beseeches you, gentle reader: Go with an open mind or don’t go at all.) Call 270-2594 or visit pastafariansatusc.org

WEDNESDAY 14

Smoking + babies = awesome!: Larry Clark: Tulsa opens next Wednesday at the Columbia Museum of Art.

Oklahoma! The Columbia Museum of Art opens today Larry Clark: Tulsa, a selection of photographs from his landmark book of the same name, which, when published in 1971, was controversial for its graphic depictions of teen sexuality, violence and drug use. The museum opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m.; call 799-2810 or visit columbiamuseum.org for more information.