Summer is approaching its daylight apogee, believe it or not, making for no shortage of time to take full advantage of the numerous arts and entertainment options around the city this week. The calendar includes: the opening of the Contemporary Traditions of Folk Art exhibition; book readings by Terese Allen and Matt Rothschild; a talk by Julian Dibbell; and live music from Mr. Lif, Emiko at Mad Toast Live, Sly & Robbie, Sarah Borges & the Broken Singles, Carbon Leaf with The Alternate Routes, Lvnmuziq, the Capitol City Band, Yid Vicious with Reptile Palace Orchestra, Ozric Tentacles, and The Black Hollies.
Monday 6.8
NOTEWORTHY: Milwaukee Braves hit major-league record four consecutive home runs vs. Cincinnati, 1961.
BIRTHDAYS: Singer Boz Scaggs, 1944; Grammy-winning rapper Kanye West, 1978.
High Noon Saloon, 9 pm
Mr. Lif is one of those emcees who've figured out how to succeed as solo performer, producer and a member of a spotlight-grabbing hip-hop group, the Perceptionists. His solo work, including his new release, I Heard It Today, merges funky, rhythmic grooves with meditations on the clash of socioeconomic classes in urban culture. Also playing: DJ Statik, Willie Evans Jr., Grieves.
Tuesday 6.9
NOTEWORTHY: Lake Delton empties into Wisconsin River, 2008.
BIRTHDAYS: Grammy-winning guitarist/Rock & Roll Hall-of-Famer Les Paul, 1915; actor Johnny Depp, 1963.
Contemporary Traditions of Folk Art
Promega, 5445 E. Cheryl Parkway, through Sept. 1. Reception: 4:30-6:30 pm
The collection features tin paintings by David Maculco of Mexican wrestlers and the Virgin of Guadalupe, Ugandan Francis X. Nnaggenda's mixed-media works incorporating circuit boards, Hmong textiles and more.
Barnes & Noble West, 7 pm The Madison food doyenne (and Isthmus contributor) discusses The Flavor of Wisconsin: An Informal History of Food and Eating in the Badger State, a revision of Harva Hatchen's 1981 classic.
Brink Lounge, 7:30 pm
The weekly variety show welcomes Emiko, New York's big-voiced, piano-playing rocker. With Subvocal and hosts Chris Wagoner and Mary Gaines.
Wednesday 6.10
BIRTHDAYS: Author/illustrator/king of all the wild things Maurice Sendak, 1928; Olympic figure-skating gold medalist Tara Lipinski, 1982.
Barrymore Theatre, 8 pm
Prolific Jamaican producers Lowell Dunbar and Robert Shakespeare (a.k.a. Sly & Robbie) will showcase a multitude of reggae sounds they pioneered in the '70s and '80s -- the Rockers beat and rub-a-dub style, to name a few -- as well as the Latin-dancehall fusion they popularized during the past decade. Also playing: Bukue One, the Taxi Gang, Heavyweight Dub Champion, Tropical Riddims Sound System.
Sarah Borges & the Broken Singles
High Noon Saloon, 8:30 pm
If Sid Vicious and Dolly Parton had a kid, she might sound something like Sarah Borges, who's making some of the most punked-out alt-country around. Borges visits the High Noon with her band, the Broken Singles, to promote their excellent new release, The Stars Are Out (see Tour Stop). Blake Thomas and the Josh Harty Band open.
Carbon Leaf, The Alternate Routes
Majestic Theatre, 8:30 pm
Virginia five-piece Carbon Leaf spices up the poppy folk-rock genre with penny whistles, bagpipes, bouzouki and well-placed loops. Fellow East Coast five-piece The Alternate Routes takes a more drum-oriented approach.
Frequency, 9:30 pm
Singer-songwriter Liz Snavely -- a.k.a. Lvnmuziq -- has nicknamed her craft "urban folk," and it's pretty clear why: It sports a peace, love and understanding vibe along with toe-tapping beats, gritty vocals and an attitude fit for a metal band. Patchwork Monkey opens.
Thursday 6.11
BIRTHDAYS: South African national hero Nelson Mandela, 1918; actress Adrienne Barbeau, 1945.
Rennebohm Park, 7 pm
The John Philip Sousa-style band begins another summer of rousing concerts. The ensemble is filled with local professionals adept at waltzes, polkas and patriotic tunes.
Wisconsin Union Theater, 7 pm
The technology author delivers the free keynote address for the videogame-oriented Games+Learning+Society conference (June 10-12). The speech's title: "For the Lulz: How 9,000 Internet Jackasses Took on the Church of Scientology and Redefined the Politics of Play."
Avol's Bookstore, 7 pm
The Progressive editor discusses Democracy in Print: The Best of The Progressive Magazine, 1909-2009.
Yid Vicious, Reptile Palace Orchestra
High Noon Saloon, 9:15 pm
The High Noon will transform into an all-out Eastern European dance party thanks to the klezmer stylings of Yid Vicious and the world-music whirlwind of the Reptile Palace Orchestra. Learn more about these local favorites in this week's music column. Also playing: Veselika.
UW Memorial Union Terrace, 9:30 pm
What may be the biggest space-rock band from across the pond lands on the shores of Lake Mendota for an outdoor show complete with trance-inducing audiovisual effects, thumping bass lines and tons of synth action.
Frequency, 9:30 pm
The psychedelic pop of the Black Hollies is fuzzy, pretty and a bit mystical, just like many folks' memories -- real or imagined -- of the 1960s. Beach Patrol, the Universals and Tribella open.