You're back. You're ready for a new year. And you're already sick of Oberlin. Lucky you, the upcoming week - not to mention this evening alone - is packed with stuff to keep you busy. Hippy? Artsy? Hungry? Solution: get out of town.

Attention all hippies: snap out of your denial and let your lava lamp shine. Hippie Fest '97 comes to the Bear Creek Amphitheatre in East Sparta Sept. 5-7. The event celebrates 27 folk, roots-rock, jazz and blues bands, including headliners Ekoostik Hookah. Tickets are $21 advance, $25 at the door. For more information, call (360) 644-3884.

The Cleveland Museum of Art welcomes The Harlem Connection in their Best of Summer Evenings Concert tonight at 8 p.m. Featuring jazz trumpeters Marcus Belgrave and Kenny Davis, singer Dolores Parker Morgan and band. For more information, call (216) 421-7340.

More music at the Cleveland Museum of Art tonight includes Music in the Garden Court with guitarist Tom Olson. The performance is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, call (216) 421-7340.

Mellow-mood rock band K's Choice (see "Not An Adict") make their way to the Agora Ballroom tonight. Tickets available through TicketMaster at (216) 241-5555.

Indie favorites Low and Sonora Pine play Speak in Tongues this evening. Plan on staying out late, as most shows don't begin until at least 10 p.m. For more information call (216) 631-8790.

This evening at 6 p.m., the Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art unveils their new Center Café, combining coffee and a light menu with new exhibitions. Thinking Print: Books to Billboards, 1980-95 and Mark Bennett: TV Sets and the Suburban Dream debut at the grand opening, which runs until 9 p.m. Regular hours for the café will be Fridays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (216) 421-8671.

Mark Bennett: TV Sets and the Suburban Dream and Thinking Print: Books to Billboards, 1980-95 open at the Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art highlighted with live music from jazz band Joe Bell and the Swing Lizards tonight from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Bennett's work explores the idealized 1950s and '60s through some of TV's favorite families, while Thinking Print  features printed art's new arrival in the past two decades. For more information, call (216) 421-8671.

Koyaanisqatsi, directed by Godfrey Reggio with music by Philip Glass, shows at the Cleveland Museum of Art tonight at 7:30 p.m. The film captures the phrase "life out of balance" through audio and visual resources. Admission is $5 for non-CMA members. For more information, call (216) 421-7340.

The Cleveland Public Theatre announces Leaping into The Net, an odd combination of modern dance performed live on the net. Performances broadcasted today and Sept. 6. For more information, call (216) 631-2727.

Also at the Cleveland Public Theatre, a new work by poet Mary Weems, To Be Or Not To Be In The '90s, premieres today and runs through Sept. 13. A collection of five monologues, issues explored range from racism to sexism to mother-daughter relationships. For more information, call (216) 631-2727.

Performing arts group the Repertory Project will hold master classes with dancer Lisa Nicks through Sept. 6 at the Mather Dance Center. Nicks, an expert in Renaissance and Baroque dance as well as acrobatic stunts, will lead one final class tomorrow from 9 to 11 a.m. Cost for individual classes is $10. For more information, call (216) 397-3757.

Aunti Christ, featuring Rancid's Matt Freeman and members of X, play the Euclid Tavern with Stone Fox and the Exclusives Sept. 7. Don't leave your valedine at home for this one: the Tavern offers $1 off with valid college I.D. For more information, call (216) 229-7788.

Jewel. At Nautica. Sept. 7. Tickets through TicketMaster. 'Nuff said. For more information, call (216) 241-5555.

Sure to be one hip-bumpin', arse-skankin' show, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones play Nautica Stage with guests the Amazing Royal Crown, Drop Kick Murphys and Bim Skala Bim Sept. 8. For more information, call (216) 732-5100.

The Cleveland Museum of Art has begun a new film series called "Wednesdaypendants," featuring indies that have never before shown theatrically in Cleveland. The second in this series, Inside - from Bonnie and Clyde director Arthur Penn - shows Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. A story of two complex interrogations, starring your favorite Eric Stoltz. For more information, call (216) 421-7340.

Sci-fi indie pop-stars Man...Or Astroman? share Peabody's Down Under with Neckbreakers and Quadrajet Sept. 10. Admission is $8. Tickets available through TicketMaster. For more information, call (216) 241-2604.

BalletMet, together with the Wexner Center in Cleveland, presents Requiem!!, a compilation of dance highlights from BalletMet's 20 years in performance. Featuring the music of Mozart, Requiem!! will be the American premiere of German Birgit Scherzer's choreographic talent. Performances run Sept. 11 through 13 and 18 through 21, Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 for non-members. For more information, call (216) 292-3535.

Arts...Out of Town is compiled weekly by Lauren Viera. If you know of any pressworthy out of town events occuring in the near future, give the old arts editor a call at x8123. You'll be glad you did, and she'll thank you for it.