Friday, Sept. 6, 6:30 p.m.

This is one of those cases when you stumble upon a great album produced some 10 (or 25 years earlier) while shopping the record store. You take it home and can’t stop playing it for weeks because you're addicted and, let’s face it, you missed your chance to hear the artist play these amazing tunes live when they were fresh in everybody’s speakers. Fortunately, singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams continues to gain fans of timeless storytelling and the way back home to simple, honest expression, and 1988’s “Lucinda Williams” album gives both in abundance. Even better – Williams has decided to tour for the album’s 25th anniversary. Williams heads to Cain’s Ballroom Friday, Sept. 6, where she’ll perform the album in its entirety for her first set. “Passionate Kisses” (which earned her the Grammy Award for best country song in 1994), “Crescent City,” “Side of the Road” and “Big Red Sun Blues” are but a few of the songs you’ll hear, right after the opening act, the Kenneth Brian Band, takes the stage at 6:30 p.m. Cain’s Ballroom is located at 423 N. Main St. Tickets are $24-$39, available at www.cainsballroom.com.

The Weekend

It’s back to the stand-up stage for the “King”-ly Kevin James, who makes two appearances in Oklahoma this weekend. The star of film (“Grown Ups 2,” “Here Comes the Boom”) and television (“The King of Queens”) will be at the Rose State Performing Arts Theatre, 6000 Trosper Road, in Midwest City at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7. James first began to hone his stand-up career in Long Island, N.Y., but was soon taking his show around the world, including to Montreal’s famed international comedy festival, Just for Laughs. Tickets to the Midwest City show are $49.50-$65, available at www.myticketoffice.com. You have another chance to catch James when he plays the Cox Business Center in Tulsa, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8. The center is located at 100 Civic Center, and tickets are $37-$57, available at www.coxcentertulsa.com.

Thursday, Sept. 5-Saturday, Sept. 7

Claremore gets shaking in down home soul and spice with its annual Bluegrass & Chili Festival, Thursday, Sept. 5-Saturday, Sept. 7 at the town’s Expo Center, 400 S. Veterans Parkway. Headlining bluegrass acts such as Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and Rhonda Vincent & the Rage take the stage with other bands throughout a weekend that includes a festival market, arts and crafts show, car show, dance exhibitions, the “kiddie korral” activity tent and the Mid-American Regional Chili Cook-off. That means you need to be prepared with cash for your taster kits, a big bottle of water and appetite for great home cooking. Pack you lawn chairs, but leave the cooler at home. Admission is free, but parking is $10 per carload each day. Go to www.claremore.org for all the times and details.

All Weekend

“Upscale” is the operative word in any description of Vintage Market Days, the popular outdoor-indoor vendor markets that have sprung up on weekends around the state in recent years. And, the next one happens in Tulsa’s popular Blue Dome District, Friday, Sept. 6-Sunday, Sept. 8. Vintage Market Days invites some of the coolest vendors making and/or selling original artwork and crafts as well as antiques, jewelry and clothing that can only be described as classic.  Whether you’re browsing the indoor hub at Second Street and Frankfort Avenue or visiting the merchant tents stationed around it, you’re sure to come across something completely unique and ideal for that space on your living room wall, a delicious treat to share or a perfect gift for a friend. Vintage home décor, architectural salvage, food and more are straight ahead. Admission is $10 cash only on Friday (noon-8 p.m.) and $5 cash only on Saturday (9 a.m.-6 p.m.) and Sunday (noon-5 p.m.). Children 12 and under are free. Read about it at www.vintagemarketdays.com.

Scene September 2013

If you’ve ever been curious about buying art, you’re sure to run into a few primed collectors willing to teach you how at Arts Festival Oklahoma, Aug. 31-Sept. 2, at the Oklahoma City Community College campus, 7777 S. May Ave., Oklahoma City. The annual festival has been running strong since 1978 and made quite the name for itself among artists and patrons alike. The juried show showcases original artwork by regional artists attracting thousands of browsers looking for a bargain on a budding de Koonig – and if one exists, you’ll find him or her there. This year marks the festival’s 35th anniversary, and activities include a free concert by the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, performing arts, a children’s creative center and work by some 120 artists selected to participate. Admission is free, but parking is $5. For more, go online to www.occc.edu/afo.

It’s been seven months since the Oklahoma Sooners lost to Texas A&M in the 2013 Cotton Bowl, and since that game-ending whistle sounded, Bob Stoops and the Sooners have been training mentally and physically for their season opener. The Sooners look forward to the opportunity of grabbing the title of BCS National Champions, but to achieve that eighth national title, the team must take the season one game at a time. On Saturday, Aug. 31, the Sooners host the University of Louisiana at Monroe Warhawks at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, 180 E. Brooks St., in Norman. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Tickets for the home opener are $59 each at www.soonersports.com. Season tickets are also available. Look for The University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane’s first home game on Sept. 7 against Colorado State University (www.tulsahurricane.com). Oklahoma State University’s Cowboys get its first home-field advantage when the team plays Lamar on Sept. 14 (www.okstate.com).

It’s been the habit of late to take a tale that has delighted and entertained generations of readers and inject a darker “twist” on its traditional telling. Fairy tales and L. Frank Baum’s Land of Oz seem to be most susceptible to these retellings in novels and film, with varying results. The Broadway musical Wicked, however, has quickly become a classic in its own right. Based on Gregory Maguire’s novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Wicked the musical courts the lighter side of Maguire’s telling without losing its essential remarks on friendship, good intentions and harsh consequences. Celebrity Attractions invites fans to the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave., where Wicked runs Sept. 4-22. Tickets are $35-$150, available at www.myticketoffice.com. For more about the musical, visit www.okcciviccenter.com online.

When people say the state fair has something for everyone, they mean it. Along with every imaginable kind of food deep-fried to perfection, the fair has carnival rides, petting zoos, livestock shows, concerts, beer gardens and special contests and events. The Oklahoma State Fair, Sept. 12-22, steps up at Oklahoma State Fair Park, 3001 General Pershing Blvd., Oklahoma City. Look for the PRCA Pro Rodeo (Xtreme Bulls!), the Eli Young Band and Disney on Ice: Rockin’ Ever After (Sept. 12-17) featuring Brave’s Merida. The Tulsa State Fair, Sept. 26-Oct. 6, offers rodeo action, too, along with the state sugar art show, a national wedding cake competition, a fiddling contest and more. Disney on Ice also makes an appearance in Tulsa, with performances at Expo Square (Sept. 26-29), 4145 E. 21st St. For complete information on all these events, visit the Oklahoma State Fair at www.okstatefair.com and the Tulsa State Fair at www.tulsastatefair.com.