CONCERT
Flaming Lips:
This quirky Oklahoma City act hasn't changed its live show in years, but why mess with awesome? Lead singer Wayne Coyne takes to the crowd in a giant hamster ball. And even the backup dancers (these Santas really can move) stand out in these psychedelic spectacles. Show starts 7:30 p.m. Friday at Merriweather Post Pavilion.
Web: merriweathermusic.com
TV
'The Rachel Zoe Project':
She's an unhinged, catchphrase-spewing Hollywood stylist - meaning she's pretty much a reality-TV producer's dream subject. So it's no surprise that she's back for a second season of meltdowns, celebrity couture and more meltdowns. Expect plenty of traumatized yet well-dressed assistants and rivers of mascara-laced tears. Airs 10 p.m. Monday on Bravo.
FESTIVAL
The Maryland State Fair:
While the rides, the funnel cakes and the barnyard animals are the mainstays, this end-of-summer blowout has plenty other tricks up its sleeve. Look for a host of attractions, including bull riding, horse racing, performances by Gavin DeGraw and Boyz II Men and even a "Masters of the Chainsaw" competition. Starts Friday at the fairgrounds in Timonium.
Web: marylandstatefair.com
GAMES
'Batman: Arkham Asylum':
The Caped Crusader goes into the belly of the beast to restore order after the Joker commandeers Gotham's oh-so-secure nuthouse. You play as a seriously beefed-up Bats, manhandling goons with your fists and taking down super-villains with a mix of high powered gadgets and good, old-fashioned detective work. Out on Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 on Tuesday.
ART
'Herman Maril: :
An American Modernist':
It's your last week to catch the abstract landscapes and seascapes of this renowned 20th-century artist. Dozens of his paintings inspired by his life in Baltimore and Provincetown are on display at the Walters. Ends Aug. 30.
Web: thewalters .org
POP MUSIC
'Humbug' :
by the Arctic Monkeys:
After a bit of a slump with their last album, "Favourite Worst Nightmare," these British rockers wanted a change, and they got it. Recording in the California desert, the band has embraced a darker and harder-driving sound without sacrificing (too much) of what put them on the map. In stores Tuesday.
THEATER
'Wittenberg':
