Fort Worth’s late fall isn’t just arriving — it’s barreling in, a weeklong showcase of music, art, and spectacle that proves the city’s creative pulse is both electric and eclectic. It begins Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m. when the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra invites audiences to step into a musical time machine with “REWIND: Music of the 80s.” Conducted by Ken Yanagisawa, the show throws the decade’s biggest hits — A-ha, Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett, Journey, Kenny Loggins, and more — into a full orchestral tapestry. With a live band, guest vocalists, and the symphony behind them, the performance turns Bass Performance Hall into a glittering 1980s time warp. Shoulder pads, Aqua-net hair, and leg warmers are optional — the music is mandatory. The fun continues the next night, Nov. 8, with the FWSO performing the second of its two 7:30 p.m. shows.
Earlier that same day, classical music lovers can immerse themselves in a quieter, equally exacting artistry at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. The Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth welcomes back French-Canadian pianist Louis Lortie, joined by violinists Gary Levinson and Asi Matathias, violist Michael Klotz, and cellist Inbal Segev, for a program that includes Gabriel Fauré’s “Piano Trio in D Minor,” Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Piano Trio No. 1 in F Major,” and Antonín Dvořák’s “Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major.” The performance runs 2 to 4 p.m., preceded by a 1:15 p.m. pre-concert conversation with Levinson, who calls Lortie’s Chopin “the musical standard by which all others are judged.” Critics have long admired his interpretations, and The Guardian described his Fauré as “invested with a certain serenity.”
By Nov. 14, Fort Worth’s cultural landscape deepens with two very different yet equally compelling experiences. That evening, Fort Works Art opens “The Marks We Make”, an international juried exhibition exploring the human figure in contemporary art. From over 400 submissions, 24 artists were selected to interrogate the body’s enduring resonance, whether through abstraction, realism, or somewhere in between. Curated by Sara-Jayne Parsons, director of The Art Galleries at TCU, the exhibition aligns with “Jenny Saville: The Anatomy of Painting” at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, creating a rare, citywide conversation on figuration, form, and the stories our bodies tell. The opening reception runs 6 to 9 p.m. at 2100 Montgomery Street, and the exhibition continues through January 17, 2026. “Being surrounded by museums of such international significance gives us the unique opportunity to align our exhibitions with the broader cultural conversations they’re leading,” says Fort Works Art director Lauren Saba. “That dialogue is incredibly exciting.”
That same night, Fort Worth turns up the volume at the Museum of Science and History with Live From The Omni, featuring Austin’s CLUB COMA. Known for a swirling mix of electro-pop, mid-2000s French Touch, and gritty rock, CLUB COMA — drawn from Austin acts Ume, Boyfrndz, and Stiletto Feels — transforms the Omni Theater into a fully immersive universe of sound and light. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., the show begins at 7:30, and after the final note, fans can keep the night alive at Hotel Dryce, the official after-party host, complete with drinks and exclusive band content. This will be the band’s only North Texas appearance for the year, a single-night burst of energy and spectacle.
From 80s pop symphonics to chamber mastery, from the intense figuration of contemporary art to immersive electronic performance, Fort Worth in mid-November isn’t simply hosting events — it’sorchestrating a full-blown cultural experience.
November 5, 2025
10:26 AM