Michael Coleman
Music and its power to bring people together for fun and good causes will warm up Madison clubs this week, with a FRZN Fest pre-party concert, a Heartland Farm Sanctuary benefit show, and a Blues in the Schools benefit with Michael Coleman. The calendar also includes: Martin Luther King celebrations; a talk by Jordan Ellenberg; and, more live music from Family of the Year, Baauer, and The Toasters.
Monday 1.21
NOTEWORTHY: President Jimmy Carter pardons most Vietnam War draft evaders, 1977.
Martin Luther King Holiday Celebration
Monday, various locations
After a weekend's worth of community events, the city, county and state pay homage to Martin Luther King's civil rights dream on Monday. The state observance is at noon at the Capitol Rotunda, with music, dance and guest speaker John Fountain. The city-county observance is at 6 pm in the Overture Center's Capitol Theater, with the Rev. Everett Mitchell, the King Humanitarian Award presentation, UW First Wave and other performers.
High Noon Saloon, 8 pm
Gear up for FRZN Fest, a four-day weekend of live music organized by local concert promoter True Endeavors, at a concert featuring envelope-pushing pop groups Geographer, On an On and Royal Canoe. Then return to the High Noon on Jan. 24 to kick off the fest with indie bands Wild Belle, Ramona Falls, Night Moves and Psychic Twin.
Tuesday 1.22
NOTEWORTHY: Supreme Court delivers Roe v. Wade decision, legalizing abortion in all 50 states, 1973.
Heartland Farm Sanctuary Benefit
High Noon Saloon, 5 pm
Join local acts Off the Porch, Folk You and Brandon Beebe for a hootenanny featuring traditional and vegan baked goods. Proceeds will go toward Heartland's efforts to help maltreated farm animals.
Frequency, 8 pm
Ward off frostbite with warm, cozy folk-pop from a Californian, a Floridian and a pair of brothers who traded cloudy Wales for sunny L.A. With fairytale-inspired lyrics and titles like "Hero" and "The Princess and the Pea," many of their songs imagine a world where anything is possible.
Wednesday 1.23
Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, 7 pm
The UW mathematician gives a talk with the provocative title "There Is No Such Thing as Public Opinion: The Mathematics of Elections, Consensus & Slime Molds." Ellenberg delves into the mysteries of public opinion polls regarding government spending and taxes.
Majestic Theatre, 10 pm
This DJ-producer bridges the divide between hip-hop and house music with rap-ready beats, cranked-up bass and samples that range from lion roars to snare-drum breakdowns. With DJs Mighty Thor and *hitmayng.
Thursday 1.24
NOTEWORTHY: James W. Marshall finds gold at Sutter's Mill, beginning California Gold Rush, 1848.
Knuckle Down Saloon, 8 pm
Admire a sizzling set by Chicago bluesman Michael Coleman, then join him for a jam session at this fundraiser for a new project that will bring renowned blues musicians to the Boys & Girls Club's creative arts program.
Frequency, 10 pm
This group helped lead the third wave of ska music into mainstream territory in the 1990s. Since then, they've left almost 50 former band members in their wake, plus nearly a dozen danceable studio albums. With Mrs. Skannotto and 4 Aspirin Morning.