Weekend Picks: Getting Inked

Looking for something to do keep you busy over this long, Labor Day weekend? Jim Sullivan has some ideas.

What: 11th Annual Boston Tattoo Festival

Where: Sheraton Hotel in Boston's Back Bay

When: Friday, August 31 through Monday, September 3

How much: Single-day passes are $25 (Tattoos cost extra!)

More: Tattoos used to be considered sort of taboo, but now it seems like they're becoming more mainstream. Back in the 1990s, Cher got all her tattoos removed because she said "tattoos have become to the '90s what big hair was to the '80s." Well, now one in five adults has a tattoo.

What: "Oslo, August 31"

Where: Somerville Theatre and the Museum of Fine Arts

When: Opens Friday, August 31

How much: $6 - $11

More: "Oslo, August 31" is sort of like "Trainspotting" without the black humor, the camaraderie, and the Scottish accents. It's set in Oslo, of course, and it's about a man named Anders, who is interviewing for an internship at a magazine. He's a pretty good writer, but for the past five years he's been a heroin addict and most recently has been in rehab. So this film has a lot to do with the numbness that descends upon a recovering addict and his battle with suicidal thoughts. Check out an interview with director Joachim Trier here.

What: Lihi Haruvi performance

Where: Spectacle Island

When: Sunday, September 2 at 1 p.m.

How much: Concert is free but ferry out to the island is $15

More: Lihi, a Berklee jazz saxophonist, was born and raised in Israel. She studied at the prestigious
Thelma Yellin High School of the Performing Arts and was an official arranger for the Israel Defense Forces orchestra. During her military service she was chosen to represent Israel by performing as a soloist around the world. She's currently a member of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, where she's worked with Joe Lovano and Terri Lyne Carrington, among others.