Filmmaker John Hughes was a clear-eyed student of Generation X as it came of age in the 1980s, a suburban archaeologist who flipped over disregarded rocks to reveal the universal issues that were squirming out of sight.
His most memorable reports, typically blended with witty banter and an irresistible soundtrack, included “Sixteen Candles,” “Pretty in Pink,” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “The Breakfast Club,” the latter celebrating its 40th anniversary with screenings across the country beginning on Sunday.
“The Breakfast Club” followed five suburban Chicago high school students at Saturday morning detention, examining their shared struggles and latent humanity, obscured by self-imposed stereotypes as “a brain, and an athlete, and a basket case, a princess and a criminal.”
It instantly became a Gen-X cultural touchstone in 1985 and made stars of young Brat Pack cast members Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Anthony Michael Hall and Judd Nelson.
The lesson of “The Breakfast Club” — that we may discover we have more in common than our perceived differences, if we can find some quiet time together for honest conversation — was celebrated then as a universal truth by young filmgoers.
Those kids are now approaching 60, counting the dividends of society’s investment in them at a time when stereotypes have become the lingua franca of the lazy and dishonest. Perhaps the most enduring lesson of “The Breakfast Club” came from Ally Sheedy’s gloomy Allison: “When you grow up, your heart dies.”
THURSDAY
The Rhett stuff: Thomas Rhett is perfect for this time of year — one of those country acts who will encourage tribes of cowboy-hatted fans (with their husbands/boyfriends) to gather early at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre for tailgates on actual tailgates. The personable singer-songwriter recently released an expanded version of his album “About A Woman (& A Good Ol’ Boy),” with new collabs with Jordan Davis and Blake Shelton. Rhett performs at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the shed in West Palm Beach, joined by openers The Castellows and Tucker Wetmore. Tickets are available, starting at $40.75, at Ticketmaster.com.
Iron man: Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson will bring music from his new solo album, “The Mandrake Project,” to the intimate stage at Revolution Live in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are available, starting at $62.45. Visit JoinTheRevolution.net or Ticketmaster.com.
FRIDAY
Beginning of the end: Armed with music from new album “Let All That We Imagine Be the Light,” Shirley Manson and Garbage (“Stupid Girl,” “Only Happy When it Rains”) will play Pompano Beach Amphitheater on Friday as part of their Happy Endings tour, which they describe as “our last North American headline tour.” The show starts at 7:30 p.m., with gates opening at 6 p.m. Special guests Starcrawler are the opening act on the tour, scheduled to open Wednesday in Orlando. Tickets for the all-ages show are available, starting at $61.13, at PompanoBeachArts.org.
Shirley Manson of Garbage, shown at the Cruel World Festival in California in May, will play the Pompano Beach Amphitheater on Friday. (Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Friday laughs: Born and raised in France, Armando Anto is a classically trained violinist (he began studying at the French National Conservatory at age 5) with a degree in finance who now is, of course, a comedian playing the Boca Black Box on Friday at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $51.09 at BocaBlackBox.com.
Friday night live: Colombian-American singer-songwriter Kali Uchis will bring the tour supporting new album “Sincerely” to the Kaseya Center in Miami on Friday at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $45.80 at Ticketmaster.com. … Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer (he won for scores written for “The Lion King” and “Dune”) will bring his cinematic tour to Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Friday at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $65 at Seatgeek.com.
Kali Uchis, shown at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2023, is on her way to the Kaseya Center in Miami with new music. (Daniel DeSlover/Zuma Press Wire/TNS)
Retro gems: Catch a pair of ’80s faves at The Parker in Fort Lauderdale on Friday when balladeer Howard Jones (“Things Can Only Get Better,” “No One Is to Blame,” “What Is Love?”) is joined by the eminently danceable Haircut 100 (“Favourite Shirts/Boy Meets Girl,” “Love Plus One”) and DJ Richard Blade. Tickets for the 7 p.m. concert start at $76.11 at ParkerPlayhouse.com. … Disco-era icons KC and the Sunshine Band are at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Friday at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $55.60 at MyHRL.com.
More laughs: You wouldn’t think that a native of the seventh most populous city in Kansas (Shawnee) would have enough material to scratch out a career in comedy, but you’d be wrong. Veteran standup comedian Chris Porter (a finalist from Season 4 of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing”) will be at the Fort Lauderdale Improv at Dania Pointe in Dania Beach for performances at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, and 6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets cost $27.90+ at ImprovFTL.com.
The hole thing: Boca Raton Firefighter and Paramedic Benevolent will team up with Hooters of Boca Raton for their eighth annual cornhole fundraiser on Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. in the restaurant parking lot. Proceeds will benefit the Boca Raton Fire Cadets. You can watch the action (participant slots are filled), take part in the raffle and enjoy live music from the Nick Cole Band. The Just Baked Boca food truck also will be on hand. Visit BocaCares.org.
SATURDAY
Fins up: The Miami Dolphins will get an early start on Sunday’s season opener with a fan party on Saturday at The Guitar Hotel Pool at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood. Starting at 8 p.m., the Miami Dolphins Kickoff Celebration will include live entertainment, the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders, former players, giveaways and photo opportunities. Tickets to the 21-and-older party, which include a drink package and merchandise, start at $82.10. The Dolphins begin their season on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Indianapolis. Visit MyHRL.com.
Fruit of their labor: The Peach art collective in West Palm Beach will celebrate its fourth anniversary with Peachfest from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday. The party will include open studios, vendors, art cars, live music (Bryant Thomas Band and The Snake Lounge), DJ sets (DJ Darren Simonson and Brady Beats & The Token Girl), food and a full bar at El Segundo. Admission is free. Visit Facebook.com/ThePeachWPB.
Saturday laughs: Comedian and prolific character actor Joey Diaz will perform at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Saturday at 8 p.m., with tickets available, starting at $66.90, at MyHRL.com.
Drinking for good: Barrel of Monks Brewing in Boca Raton will throw a daylong parking-lot party on Saturday to celebrate the can release of Wizard in Pink and raise money for breast cancer research. Beginning at noon, the celebration will include games, raffles and a live set by The Sweet Nothings (5-9 p.m.), plus $2 from every pint of Wizard in Pink (their Wizard Witbier tarted up with cranberries) and $3 from every six-pack go to the local chapter of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. Visit Facebook.com/barrelofmonks.
Barrel of Monks Brewing in Boca Raton will unveil cans of Wizard in Pink on Saturday to raise money for breast cancer research. (Ethan Dangerwing/Courtesy)
Saturday night live: Charismatic blues guitarist Selwyn Birchwood returns to the Arts Garage in downtown Delray Beach at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets start at $45 at ArtsGarage.org. … Acclaimed Iranian singer Mansour performs at The Parker in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $59 at ParkerPlayhouse.com. … Guitarist Michael Schenker revisits classic sounds on his My Years With UFO Tour, stopping at the Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday at 7 p.m. Jared James Nichols opens. Tickets cost $69.35 at CultureRoom.net. … Australian Pink Floyd celebrates the 50th anniversary of “Wish You Were Here” at the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets start at $52.51 at BrowardCenter.org.
Take the kids: An interactive concert featuring music and stars from Disney’s “Descendants” and “Zombies” movie franchises, the Descendants/Zombies: Worlds Collide Tour will stop at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Saturday at 7 p.m. Among the performers taking part will be Kylie Cantrall, Freya Skye, Malia Baker, Malachi Barton, Dara Reneé, Joshua Colley and Mekonnen Knife. Tickets are scarce, with remaining seats around $350. Visit DescendantsZombiesLive.com.
SUNDAY
Sunday laughs: Actor-comedian Adam Sandler brings his You’re My Best Friend Tour to the Kaseya Center in Miami on Sunday for an evening of laughs and music beginning at 7:30 p.m. Seen recently in “Happy Gilmore 2,” Sandler also is part of the cast (with George Clooney, Billy Crudup and Laura Dern) of the Noah Baumbach comedy-drama, “Jay Kelly,” which has created early Oscar buzz after screenings last week at the Venice Film Festival and Telluride Film Festival. Tickets to Sandler’s show on Sunday start at $44 at Ticketmaster.com.
Actor and comedian Adam Sandler will perform on Sunday at the Kaseya Center in Miami. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Brunch for good: Michelin Guide-blessed West Palm Beach chefs Michael Hackman (Aioli and Pizzaioli) and Tim Lipman (Coolinary and The Parched Pig) will join forces on Sunday for Brunch for a Good Cause, a fundraiser for H.O.W., a Jupiter-based nonprofit that supports local women battling ovarian cancer. The family style four-course brunch with wine pairings will take place at Aioli in West Palm Beach, beginning at 1 p.m. with a reception and silent auction. Tickets cost $250 per person. Visit Facebook.com/aioliwpb.
Don’t you forget about me: The 40th anniversary of John Hughes’ teen-movie classic “The Breakfast Club” will be celebrated with screenings in multiple South Florida theaters Sunday through Wednesday. Among the theaters taking part are Regal Royal Palm Beach, Silverspot Cinema Coconut Creek 11 and AMC Pembroke Lakes 9.
John Hughes’ classic 1985 high-school dramedy “The Breakfast Club” starred, from left, Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall. (Universal Pictures/Album/ZUMA Press/TNS)
Hard stuff: Alt-country drifters Lucero are on the road celebrating the 20th anniversary of album “Nobody’s Darlings,” an essential signpost at the corner of Southern-rock grit and punk urgency. You can catch them on Sunday at the Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. (the night begins with a set by Jessica Lea Mayfield). Tickets cost $40.25. Visit CultureRoom.net.
Boca’s Grande: Just a reminder that 2 p.m. Sunday is the deadline to register at Signup.ticketmaster.com/arianagrande for next week’s artist presale for tickets to Ariana Grande’s summer concerts at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on June 30 and July 2. The artist presale will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday, with the general ticket on-sale at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Seatgeek.com. For more information and updates, visit ArianaGrande.com.
Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on IG: @BenCrandell.
