A couple of months ago I found myself at Be Bar on a Saturday night confronted by what I throught would be a “graphic design competition,” but turned out to be something much, much more. I was surprised to find an entire art extravaganza of sorts with graphic designers battling it out, local fashion designers selling their wares, tribal dancers and DJs to boot. A large chunk of the art community was out in full force, exchanging business cards, chatting and watching the competition ensue. For the past couple of months, Eighty-Eight Music with Flavored Layers has been throwing this event at Be Bar, which they have titled X and bill as a “A 21st Century, Live-Art Happening.”

Bringing their iMacs, electronics and creativity tomorrow night are local graphic artists Apple Rochez, Devin Byrnes and Motaki. They will be given themes and words, and between 6 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., we novices get to watch their process as their computer screens are alternately projected on a large wall. We are most intrigued by an interactive drawing game for the audience this month — called exquisit corpse, which was created and played by surrealists in the 1920s.

Tomorrow night’s X music features regional, national and international talent including, among others, Japan’s violin/ electronica artist Kenji Williams. Joining him onstage will be his wife, Japanese-fusion belly dancer Sayoko.

Overall, X should be a welcome change of pace and a worthy addition to your weekend activities — and if you like the vibe at Be Bar, stick around after the design competition ends at 10, when the night switches over to PULSE and includes additional djs and visual arts.

Photo from http://www.xindc.tv/gallery.html.