Selections: Our picks of the week's best events, June 29-July 5

Gabriel Iglesias

COMEDY

Comedy Central superstar Gabriel Iglesias is gracing Orlando folks with his humorous presence for not just one night, but four nights. Yes, four actual nights of hearing Iglesias' "Fluffy" jokes live. Four different opportunities for a unique experience with a funnyman known for his highly rated stand-up series and his role in both Magic Mike movies. It isn't a secret that he's no Channing Tatum, but listening to Iglesias' good-humored, family-friendly comedy should be a nice distraction from the stressful weeks we've had here. So don't be timid. Throw on a Hawaiian shirt and cosplay as a big fan, since it's a no-brainer that he'll be wearing one too on this summertime Florida adventure. – Bridgette Norris

8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 7:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday | Orlando Improv, 9101 International Drive | 407-480-5233 | theimprovorlando.com | $50

Modern Baseball

MUSIC

Modern Baseball has been steadily getting more and more popular this year, so you'll want to catch them in the City Beautiful before they get huge. These Philadelphia pop-punk performers are riding high on the release of Holy Ghost, their critically acclaimed new album. Jake Ewald and Brendan Lukens split up songwriting duties, tackling emotionally charged and personal subjects such as depression, addiction, self-harm and moving past the death of a family member. Buy a ticket and listen to what the newest champions have to throw out. – Harry Sayer

with Joyce Manor, Thin Lips | 5:30 p.m. | The Beacham, 46 N. Orange Ave. | 407-246-1419 | thebeacham.com | $20-$24

Quintron and Miss Pussycat

MUSIC

At the risk of sounding hyperbolic (ah, fuck it), Quintron and Miss Pussycat are true American originals. A near-perfect mix of Suicide, Dr. Frankenstein, Mr. Rogers and Little Richard, this dynamic duo has been consistently electrifying audiences with DIY punk/soul/noise boogie while also creating whole new universes of musical instruments and alternate-reality puppetry for several decades running. All while seemingly never aging. The New Orleans institutions are on the road yet again, on what seems to be their annual swing through swampy Florida. Are they touring behind anything new? It doesn't really matter. Quintron and Miss Pussycat live is something that can't be easily quantified in the music biz market – it's like an old-timey travelling road show: You get a puppet show, some testifyin', and an hour or so of the most sacrilegious gospel you've ever heard, with a dance party to boot. Stacked bill too, with local support from Moon Jelly and Golden Pelicans. – Matthew Moyer

with Golden Pelicans, Moon Jelly | 9 p.m. | Will's Pub, 1042 N. Mills Ave. | willspub.org | $10-$13

Uncomfortable Brunch Presents: Boys Don't Cry

FILM

Though the original selection for this month's Uncomfortable Brunch, Straw Dogs, was a really smart pick for the Fourth of July weekend, the events at Pulse necessitated a switch. Instead, Uncomfortable Brunch is partnering with the GLBT Community Center to present the 1999 biopic Boys Don't Cry. The film tells the tale of Brandon Teena, a trans man who was beaten, raped and murdered when his birth sex was discovered by two male acquaintances. And sadly, we still have to deal with that kind of fear and violence 17 years later. Hilary Swank, who plays Brandon, won the Academy Award for Best Actress for the fim, and co-star Chloë Sevigny was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. All of the proceeds from the screening will be donated to the Center, so do your best to sell this screening out. – Thaddeus McCollum

noon | Will's Pub, 1042 N. Mills Ave. | uncomfortablebrunch.com | $10-$12

Nothing, Wrong

MUSIC

This is one of those shows that serious music heads live for. Topped by Wrong and Nothing, the bill features a couple of bands representing the new, more expansive wings of iconic metal label Relapse Records. Loaded with former members of cred-packed bands like Torche, Kylesa and Capsule, Wrong are one of the most exciting new hurricanes to blow up recently from the already studded Miami heavy scene. Their beast of a sound is like a hairier reboot of prime-era Helmet with the danger and claws of noise rock. And springing faithfully from the My Bloody Valentine heritage, Philadelphia's Nothing (pictured) are one of the most noted neo-shoegaze bands today. Both have impressed here as openers. But on the strength of their own recent albums, they're now ready to become leading bands. Individually, each of these acts would be worth the trip out. Collectively, they form a must-see bill that's not just stacked but also beautifully varied. – Bao Le-Huu

with Culture Abuse | 6:30 pm. | Backbooth, 37 W. Pine St. | 407-999-2570 | backbooth.com | $14

United Forever

EVENTS

We would never want to blunder into #toosoon territory, so we say this with all respect to those who are still in deep mourning: Are we ready to have fun again? Orlando Weekly partners with Hamburger Mary's to present a break in the sadness and a cathartic chance to stand up and remember who we are in Orlando: to dance, laugh, have a drink and sing your heart out with some of the best performers to stalk the stages of Parliament House, Pulse, Hamburger Mary's and elsewhere. Ginger Minj, Carol Lee, Jeff Jones, Leigh Shannon, Doug Bowser and many more will entertain, and a $30 ticket buys all the ice-cold beer and cocktails you can drink. (There are also $15 tickets available for designated drivers and attendees between 18 and 20 years old.) Eveyone involved – and there are too many fabulous sponsors to list here – is donating their time, property and products, so 100 percent of the proceeds will support Pulse employees and the OneOrlando Fund. We may be wounded, but Orlando is not broken. – Jessica Bryce Young

3-6 p.m. | Cheyenne Saloon, 120 W. Church St. | 407-377-0400 | orlandoweeklytickets.com | $15-$30

Watermelon 5K

SPORTS

Start off Independence Day with a healthy kick by running the Watermelon 5K. While there may not be many fruits that motivate you enough to run, the promise of ice-cold watermelon after this race might be enough to tempt you. Besides, where else can you join a watermelon-eating contest and meet Florida's and Alabama's Watermelon Queens? Proceeds of the race go to the OneOrlando Fund and the Track Shack Foundation. Oh, and registered participants get a free shirt too, which is always nice. – Jarleene Almenas

7 a.m. | Central Park, 251 S. Park Ave., Winter Park | 407-896-1160 | trackshack.com | $27-$30

Fireworks at the Fountain

EVENTS

The annual fireworks show at Lake Eola is probably the most popular one in the area, and in the wake of the Pulse shootings, it will feel extra nice to rub elbows with strangers while ooh-ing and aah-ing at the patriotic pyrotechnics. But if the idea of trying to find a parking spot in Lake Eola Heights puts you off, or if Lake Eola is just too far for you to travel, take a look at our fireworks listings starting on page 43. – TM

4 p.m. (fireworks at 9 p.m.) | Lake Eola Park, East Robinson Street and North Rosalind Avenue | cityoforlando.net | free

Aesop Rock

MUSIC

After a four-year drought of solo material, rapper Aesop Rock has been downright prolific in 2016. First came the full-length The Impossible Kid in April, an album on which Rock simultaneously handled the lion's share of the production end and went way deeper into his own psyche lyrically, resulting in what might be his most complete artistic statement yet. But wait, there's more! At the end of May, Rock flexed his production muscles again, this time helming the stellar Vigilante Genesis EP for Blueprint. And since The Shining taught us that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, Rock recently hit the road on a 38-date tour across the country. Yo La Tengo will not be along for this run as his backing band, but that's no reason not to see a hip-hop artist still innovating after two decades. – MM

with Rob Sonic, DJ Zone | 8 p.m. | The Social, 54 N. Orange Ave. | 407-246-1419 | thesocial.org | $20