The last month of summer opens with the final Concerts on the Square of the season. The calendar includes: standup by Daniel Tosh; a book reading by William Gibson; a screening of Page One: Inside the New York Times; and, a benefit show for the Madison Hip-Hop Awards, and performances by Blake Thomas and Paul Dempsey.
Monday 8.1
RAMADAN BEGINS
NOTEWORTHY: MTV debuts, 1981.
BIRTHDAYS: Public Enemy rapper Chuck D, 1960; rapper Coolio, 1963.
Overture Hall, 7 pm
The hard-touring standup comedian has done all the late-night TV shows, gaining a following with absurdist stories that sometimes tend toward the hilariously sick.
Tuesday 8.2
NOTEWORTHY: Iraq invades Kuwait, 1990.
BIRTHDAYS: Irrepressible singer-songwriter-guitarist-satirist Mojo Nixon, 1957; filmmaker Kevin Smith, 1970.
Mickey's Tavern, 10 pm
Sample selections from Thomas' latest studio release, The Window & the Light, with percussion from patrons toasting Tuesday night with pints of PBR. With Dietrich Gosser.
Wednesday 8.3
NOTEWORTHY: Russian literary giant Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn dies, 2008.
BIRTHDAYS: Star New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, 1977; Metallica singer-guitarist James Hetfield, 1963.
Barnes & Noble-West, 7 pm
The legendary science-fiction author coined the term cyberspace, which is something you may have heard of, and his 1984 novel Neuromancer won every award you can think of. Tonight he discusses his latest, Zero History.
Capitol Square, 7 pm
Music director Andrew Sewell and his mighty Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra perform -- say it ain't so! -- the season's final program, España. It is, yes, a tour of Spain, with music of Manuel de Falla, Joaquín Rodrigo and Rimsky-Korsakov. The guest artist is violinist Suzanne Beia.
Page One: Inside the New York Times
Sundance Cinemas. Screening: 7 pm. Discussion: 8:45 pm
Check out the fly-on-the-wall documentary about lovably eccentric journalists at The New York Times, then discuss the film with lovably eccentric journalists from your own city. Isthmus staffers and other community members will be on hand for the screening and a casual post-movie talk over drinks on Sundance's second floor.
Thursday 8.4
NOTEWORTHY: Federal Communications Commission rescinds the Fairness Doctrine, 1987.
BIRTHDAYS: Actor Billy Bob Thornton, 1955; U.S. President Barack Obama, 1961.
Madison Hip-Hop Awards benefit
High Noon Saloon, 9 pm
The next Madison Hip-Hop Awards aren't until Nov. 12, but you can get a preview tonight with performances by Rickaby, Blocc Money, Blacklight, E-Sweez, Motion, Sleep, Revrem, Flame the Ruler, Sincere Life 7, Za 'Firah, T'Bird, KY Jelly and DJ Pain 1.
UW Memorial Union Terrace, 9:30 pm
The Aussie frontman of Something for Kate is also an accomplished solo artist with a knack for acoustic instrumentation, a quality that helped propel his 2009 release, Everything Is True, to the stratosphere of the Down Under charts. With These United States.
