Black History Month, Concourse Dance Bar opening, Tattoo Arts Convention and other ways to avoid the Super Bowl in Philly, Feb. 2-9

Spread throughout Philadelphia, nine sculptures celebrating the words of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are on display through the end of this month. Young artists commissioned by Comcast created the works, each providing  inspiration in different ways. — Grace Dickinson

Through Feb. 28, multiple locations throughout Philadelphia: African American Museum in Philadelphia, the Betsy Ross House, City Hall, the Comcast Center Plaza, the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Philadelphia School District Main Building, and Temple University, free, voicesofthecivilrightsmovement.com

The African American Museum in Philadelphia debuts its newest exhibition, Black Pulp!, featuring a collection of images produced by artists and publishers seeking to convey the black experience. Join the museum during its opening reception, where wine and light fare will be available to enjoy as you examine the array of self-definitions dating from early 20th-century America to today. — G.D.

6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch St., free with RSVP, 215-574-0380, aampmuseum.org

Step back into the 1960s with the Philadelphia Museum of Art's newest exhibition, Design in Revolution: A 1960s Odyssey, premiering Saturday. The exhibition explores a wide variety of topics and radical expression that decorated the decade, ranging from pop art to psychedelia to the civil rights and antiwar movement. — G.D.

Opens Saturday, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway., $20, 215-763-8100, philamuseum.org

The award-winning PBS Kids TV series Sid the Science Kid comes to life at the Please Touch Museum starting Sunday. The special exhibition invites youngsters to play the role of a scientist for a day as they explore Sid's home, Super Fab Lab, and school playground while investigating the answers to everyday science questions. — G.D.

Opens Sunday, Please Touch Museum, 4231 Avenue of the Republic, $19, 215-581-3181, pleasetouchmuseum.org

Former music director Christoph Eschenbach returns to the orchestra's podium with a musical thunderbolt close to his heart: Beethoven's overwhelming, life-affirming Fifth Symphony. His soloist is cellist Alisa Weilerstein, who will plumb the depths of Schumann's passionate Cello Concerto. — Tom Di Nardo

2 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday at the Kimmel Center's Verizon Hall, Broad and Locust Streets, $66-$157, 215-893-1999, phillypops.org.

Principal guest conductor David Charles Abell, who sang in the premiere of Leonard Bernstein's Mass, leads the hot band in a program titled "Lenny's Revolution." This centennial celebration of the brilliant musician features vocalists Lisa Vroman, Alli Mauzey, Ryan Silverman, the Pops Festival Chorus and, of course, that swinging Pops band. —T.D.N.

8 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Kimmel Center's Verizon Hall, Broad and Spruce Streets, $35-$139, 215-893-1999, phillypops.org.

Blazing new conductor Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla makes her orchestra-podium debut, and she'll demonstrate her highly acclaimed prowess in Mahler's majestic Fourth Symphony, with soprano Janai Brugger's childlike text in the finale. Manahem Pressler, who first performed with the orchestra in 1947, solos in the flowing Mozart Piano Concerto No. 23. — T.D.N.

8 p.m. Thursday, 2 p.m. Feb. 9 and 8 p.m. Feb. 10 at the Kimmel Center's Verizon Hall, Broad and Locust Streets, $56-$158, 215-893-1999, phillypops.org.

Center City's newest dance spot — equipped with a ball pit fit for 20 revelers! — opens Friday. Starting at 9 p.m., the underground bar, envisioned by the team at Morgan's Pier, will spin throwback tunes along with current hits at its opening party. — G.D.

9 p.m. Friday, Concourse Dance Bar, 1635 Market St., $5, concoursedancebar.com

What better way to celebrate Groundhog Day than by watching the goofy, 1993 film Groundhog Day? Swing by South Street Cinema to watch the movie over and over again, from noon to midnight, as weatherman Phil (Bill Murray) is forced to relive the Punxsutawney-based holiday again and again and again. — G.D.

Noon-midnight Friday, South Street Cinema, 327 South St., $5 suggested donation, southstreet.com

There are few opportunities to combine as many disparate activities as the Grey Lodge Pub has planned in this very special event. The first focus of the day is the moment (7:20 a.m.) at which Punxsutawney Phil, the official Groundhog Day groundhog, emerges from his hole to announce whether spring will come early this year. After that, the festivities include a Hawaiian shirt contest, a small-scale Eagles pep rally, and a seasonal beer prognostication by the pub's own Wissinoming Winnie — and they don't end until the wee hours of the next day. Stop in for breakfast or stay all night. —Thea Applebaum Licht

7 a.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday, Grey Lodge Pub, 6235 Frankford Ave. 21+, cash only. 215-856-3591, www.greylodge.com.

Ichi the Killer, the 2001 Japanese horror movie that tells the story of a yakuza feud and the ultraviolent killer who falls into the midst of their conflict, is digitally remastered and heading back to the big screen for a one-night-only midnight screening. The film is in turn disturbing, funny, and excessively gory; sometimes all at the same time. It is also definitely not for the faint of heart. — T.A.L.

11:59 p.m. Friday to 2:59 a.m. Saturday, Ritz at the Bourse, 400 Ranstead St., 17 and over, $10.25. 215-440-1181, www.landmarktheatres.com.

The world's largest traveling exhibition of tattoo art unfolds for its 20th year in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Come out to see an international lineup of more than 500 artists in action (including Ink Master contestants), along with sideshow acts such as burlesque and live human suspension. For those in the market for some fresh ink, an array of artists will be available for walk-ups. — G.D.

2 p.m. to midnight Friday, 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday, 11 Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch St. $20 per day, $40 for a three-day pass, 215-423-4780, villainarts.com

If pregame chili sounds great, but meat is off the menu, this vegan chili throwdown is just what you need to get the Super Bowl festivities rolling. Competitors from all around the city will go head-to-head to claim the title of Best Vegan Chili, and you'll get to taste all of their valiant efforts. Sampling begins at 12:30 p.m., accompanied by music, giveaways, and more. Twenty-five percent of ticket sales will go to Tamerlaine Farm Animal Sanctuary. — T.A.L.

Noon Sunday, the Rotunda, 4014 Walnut St. $15, free for children 5 and under. www.therotunda.org.

Philly Theatre Week starts its celebration of shows, interactive productions, and more with a party at the new Yards Brewing Co. Learn about the 80-plus events set to unfold through Feb. 18, and enjoy two complimentary local brews. — G.D.

5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Yards Brewing Co., 500 Spring Garden St., $15, theatrephiladelphia.org

Philadelphia foursome TJ Kong & the Atomic Bomb — named after Major T.J. "King" Kong, who is played by Slim Pickens in Dr. Strangelove — are a gloriously rough-and-tumble American vernacular roots band, fronted by scratchy-voiced singer, guitarist, and harp player Dan Bruskewicz. The band's latest, Dancing Out the Door, is a whipsmart, rollicking good time. The Builders and the Butcher and Squawk Brothers join them in Fishtown this weekend. — Dan DeLuca

9 p.m. Friday, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave. $12. 215-739-9684. johnnybrendas.com.

Since his amicable departure from Vampire Weekend two years ago, Rostam Batmanglij has been busy, producing songs for Frank Ocean, Solange Knowles, Haim, and others, as well as working on his own material. He partnered with the Walkmen's Hamilton Leithauser for I Had a Dream That You Were Mine, and last fall released his solo debut, Half-Light. Although Half-Light is deliciously eclectic — with Autotuned pop, Beach Boys vocal harmonies, and Vampire Weekend-like multicultural hybrids — Rostam tours with a string quartet that highlights the spaces and harmonic complexities of songs such as "Thatch Snow" and "Wood." Friday's show, with Philly's Joy Again opening, was originally booked for the First Unitarian Church Sanctuary but has moved to the larger Union Transfer. — Steve Klinge

8:30 p.m. Friday, Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St. $20. 215-232-2100, utphilly.com.

It's been more than three decades since Dwight Yoakam, along with the likes of Steve Earle and Randy Travis, helped spearhead a neotraditional movement that gave country music a much-needed creative jolt. Since then, the singer and actor's muse has rarely failed him, as he has continued to fashion his own brand of progressive traditionalism. The Hollywood Hillbilly's most recent album, Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars …, reworks some of his older songs in bluegrass versions, but in concert Yoakam and his tight little combo still rock the country, and they do so with fire and finesse. — Nick Cristiano

8 p.m. Thursday, Xcite Center at Parx Casino, 2999 Street Road, Bensalem. $45-$85. 888-588-7279.

What is it exactly that Jay Electronica does? At a time when hip-hop is defined by product and features — and lots of them, often — New Orleans-born rapper/producer Electronica is an anomaly. He doesn't show up on many fellow artists' records and he doesn't drop many singles or mixtapes or even do many shows. And there's always a rumor of an album coming out… soon. Then again, it is the rarity of hearing his socially imbued poetry (he has been affiliated with the Five Percent Nation and the Nation of Islam), and his scratchy authoritarian voice that drives audiences to pack the house whenever he decides to grace us with his presence. — A.D. Amorosi

8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., $25-$30, utphilly.com