Readers, it seems at first glance like a slow weekend in Lawrence. Many students are out of town for spring break, and many scenesters are down in Austin at South by Southwest while the rest of you are still recovering from vacation and/or immersed in the NCAA tournament.

But are there other options?

We’ve got a few ideas, which this week do NOT include Thursday picks but DO stretch all the way into next Monday in case you want to extend your weekend by a day. In the spirit of spring break, we’re also suggesting a theatrical excursion to Kansas City as a departure from your otherwise booze-fueled LFK revelry.

http://www.lawrence.com/users/photos/2015/mar/14/288364/

Sugar Britches Debut Show, 10 p.m. Friday, Gaslight Gardens

Sometimes you need to get in on the ground floor with a new band. It’s always cool to be able to say, “I saw their very first show!” Friday presents a good opportunity as The Sugar Britches make their debut, opening up for AJ Gaither, a great and gritty one-man blues band.

Do we know much about the Sugar Britches? No, we do not. But we’re sold on this blurb and vow they sent us:

“Lawrence’s latest sensation, Sugar Britches, is a brand new all-ladies four-piece straight out of Kansas. Heavy on the harmonies, with tunes ranging from bluegrass to blues to boogie woogie, these sassy gals aim to win your heart and break it all at the same time.”

If we don’t leave with a broken heart, we want our money back, ladies!!

The Britches’ debut seems to be generating a lot of interest on their Facebook page and event page, and this should be a fine evening on the Gaslight patio.

Sylvan Esso/Flock of Dimes, doors at 8 p.m., show at 9 on Friday, Bottleneck

Another good way to be hip is to check out solo projects of band members from more well-known bands. Consider Flock of Dimes on Friday, a new project from Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak, self-deprecatingly described on the Facebook page as “a vanity project of questionable skill and intent.”

If you’ve heard Jenn’s gorgeous voice in Wye Oak, however, you probably expect — and will no doubt receive — much more “skill” than she suggests.

Flock of Dimes opens up on Friday for acclaimed North Carolina “electro-pop” duo Sylvan Esso. Fally Afani of I Heart Local Music and Lawrence.com had a chance to chat with Esso member Amelia Meath, and you can read the full interview here.

http://www.lawrence.com/users/photos/2015/mar/14/288365/

TEDxLawrence, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Liberty Hall

Everyone loves TED talks these days, and Monday’s independently-organized event (as designated by the “x” in its title) is a fine opportunity to “share a TED-like experience” and hear talks ranging from a “complexity theorist” to a yo-yo master to a WORLD champion air-guitarist (LFK’s own Eric “Mean” Melin).

The friendly organizers have invited us on board to live-tweet some of the afternoon sessions, so give us a follow @LarryvilleLife and enjoy vicariously if you are stuck at work all day (or don’t have a ticket because the event is sold out).

Visit the event’s website for a list of speakers and ticket info, and find the Facebook page here.

“Angels in America,” Kansas City Repertory Theatre, through March 29 (check listings)

As theater fans (and in keeping with the get-out-of-town spirit of spring break) we wanted to offer a rare Kansas City pick in this week’s column.

The KC Rep’s current production is Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer-winning masterwork “Angels in America,” a wild, searing, and often hilarious play about Reagan’s America and the AIDS crisis comprised of interlocking storylines that dig deep into issues of sexual, political and religious identity.

Theaters are rarely ambitious enough to tackle both parts of Kushner’s epic, which each run three-hours and are respectively subtitled “Millennium Approaches” and “Perestroika.” The Rep, however, is offering a chance to see both parts either on alternating nights or in one fell swoop on Saturdays and Sundays, a Herculean but worthy task we undertook this past Sunday. Don’t panic: there’s a long dinner break between parts.

Seeing both parts in one day offers a truly memorable theater-going experience and, if you’re up to the challenge, is certainly the best way to fully appreciate the play’s continually echoing conversations above love, law, forgiveness and justice.

So consider getting out of town and getting a large dose of culture! This production is at the Rep’s Copaken Stage, located in KC’s Power and Light District, which provides plenty of dining and entertainment options for the three-hour break between parts.

http://www.lawrence.com/users/photos/2015/mar/16/288468/

Best of Lawrence voting, now through March 31

NCAA tournament brackets aren’t the only thing you need to be filling out this time of year. Crack a PBR or two and click here to begin your (shockingly) long journey through the many categories in the annual Best of Lawrence competition (you also have the option to vote for specific categories if you don’t want to go cast a vote for everything). Our favorite categories this year are “Best Secret Menu” (they won’t be secret much longer!) and “Best Unsung Hero” (write them in and sing their praises!).

Perhaps you’ll vote for us as “Best New Lawrence.com Column?” Is that really a category? Probably not. But there IS a category for “Best Local Blog, Facebook, Twitter or other Social Media Page” if you feel like writing your pals @LarryvilleLife in there.

Tweet us some ideas for next week’s Weekend Picks while you’re at it!