DJ Bl3nd at Segredo
Here is this week's critics' choice calendar. Beverly Gordon UW Design Gallery, through Nov. 27. Reception Friday, Nov. 1, 5-7 pm, official opening Sunday, Nov. 3
In a show titled "Reconfigured," the former UW design professor explores spirituality in sculptures and collages made from roots, shells and other natural materials.
Chazen Museum of Art, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, UW Vilas Hall Cinematheque & UW Union South Marquee, through Nov. 3
The UW's Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies presents its annual festival of films and events with environmental subjects; this year's theme is "Futures." The opening roundtable features Gregg Mitman, Ruth Ozeki, Alex Rivera, Zacharias Kunuk and Norman Cohn discussing "Tales of Time and Futures" (Friday, Nov. 1, Union South Marquee, 7 pm).
Alliant Energy Center Coliseum, 7 pm
This sibling trio prove that country music is about ass-kicking as well as boot-scooting. Since their 2010 debut, they've catapulted a half-dozen songs onto the Billboard Hot 100, including "You Lie," in which a cheating beau's wedding ring gets tossed into a river. With Joel Crouse.
Stoughton Opera House, 7:30 pm
Collins' voice and spirit have inspired folk fans for the past 50 years, especially with her renditions of classics by Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie.
UW Vilas Hall's Mitchell Theatre, 7:30 pm. Also Thursday, Saturday (7:30 pm), Sunday (2 pm),& Wednesday (7:30 pm) Oct. 31, Nov. 2, 3 & 6
University Theatre brings to life Tennessee Williams' 1948 tale of lust, spirituality and betrayal, in which a high-strung minister's daughter falls for a carefree doctor in a small Mississippi town.
The Hungry, Hungry Games: A Parody
Overture Center's Capitol Theater, 8 pm. Also Saturday, Nov. 2, 8 pm
The satirists behind SPANK! The Fifty Shades Parody have sharpened their barbs for this sendup of Suzanne Collins' novel The Hunger Games and the 2012 movie starring Jennifer Lawrence.
Redamte Coffee House, 8 pm. Also Saturday, Nov. 2, 7 pm
White launched his music career at the UW, before his debut album, Best Days, reached number 4 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart. His songs have also been featured in films such as Wedding Crashers.
Overture Hall, 8 pm. Also Saturday, Nov. 3, 2:30 pm
Madison Opera presents Puccini's dramatic opera about a police chief, an escaped political prisoner, a painter and a ravishing singer. You'll be thrilled by the famous lyrical arias and chilled by the gritty depictions of murder and torture.
UW Union South Sett, 9 pm
With a catalog full of songs about love and loss, these Chicago indie rockers are known for heart-wrenching live performances. With Julie Meckler.
Majestic Theatre, 9 pm
The British DJ performs bubbly dubstep that's catchy and accessible. His hit "Cockney Thug" has been remixed by Drop the Lime and Scratch Perverts. With RoniSize, MC Dynamite, Q BiK and MrHorror.
High Noon Saloon, 9:30 pm
These skate punks made an outrageous video with Parks and Recreation's Nick Offerman. See Tour Stop. With the Orwells.
Segredo, 10 pm
The tune-slinger has built a big YouTube following with his hyper dance mixes. With DJ Rozz and Mr. Jones.
Saturday 11.2
East Side Club, 5-9:30 pm
Armed with their best meatless recipes, eight local eateries, including the Weary Traveler and Monty's Blue Plate Diner, will compete for the title of Chili Champ at this Alliance for Animals benefit featuring music by White Oak String Band.
Crescendo Espresso Bar, 8 pm
The gusto-filled singer and fiddler joins Mariel Vandersteel and Valerie Thompson, collaborators from her Into the Dark album, for an evening of rousing Americana.
UW Symphony Orchestra with Rachel Barton Pine
Mills Hall in the UW Humanities Bldg., 8 pm
Pine began winning prestigious international violin competitions in her teens, then made headlines when a Chicago commuter train latched onto her violin case, dragging her onto the tracks. At the top of her game again, she'll share her distinctive interpretation of Brahms' Violin Concerto, which she recorded with the Chicago Symphony.
Majestic Theatre, 9 pm
The Bay Area act fuses French gypsy jazz, Spanish flamenco and Afrobeat. With Ill-Esha and Sorne.
UW Union South Sett, 9:30 pm
The Minneapolis rapper, spoken-word artist and suspected grammarian shows off her new album, Parts of Speech. With No Bird Sing.
High Noon Saloon, 9:30 pm
The Twin Cities singer-songwriter performs alternative soul and is best known for his 2012 run on The Voice. With Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds and People Brothers Band.
Sunday 11.3
NOTEWORTHY: U.S. introduces income tax, 1913.
Evolving Landscapes: 100 Years of Change in Western China
UW Design Gallery, through Nov. 27. Keynote speech (5 pm) and reception (6 pm) on Thursday, Nov. 7
This "re-photography" exhibition pairs British explorer Ernest Henry Wilson's century-old pictures of western China with contemporary images of the same locations by Yin Kaipu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The show overlaps with a China Bridge Symposium at Nancy Nicholas Hall (Nov. 7, 9:30 am-6 pm), which features a 5 pm lecture by Peter Raven, former director of the Missouri Botanical Garden.
Goodman Community Center, 9:30 am-1:30 pm (hourly seatings)
Celebrate pie, glorious pie at this fundraiser for REAP Food Group. Local chefs and bakers conspire to deliver the goods: two mouth-watering slices of pie (sweet and savory), a farm-fresh salad, and a beverage.
American Players Theatre's Touchstone Theatre, Spring Green, 6 pm. Also Wednesday & Thursday, Nov. 6 & 7, 7 pm
The Spring Green troupe tackles Pierre Choderlos de Laclos' 1782 tale about French aristocrats who use sex to humiliate their enemies and stave off ennui. APT favorite Jim DeVita plays Valmont, a viscount who must seduce a devout woman to win a bet.
Barrymore Theatre, 8 pm
This chillwave trailblazer landed on Fuse's must-see list for South by Southwest 2013, where he performed songs from Anything in Return, his poppy new album about love gone wrong. With Classixx.
Frequency, 9 pm
In 2011, members of this hip-hop and R&B collective grabbed the national spotlight with the so-awful-it's-awesome video of "Lemme Smang It." With Higher Education.
Monday 11.4
Isthmus Independent Business Awards
Madison Concourse Hotel, 5-8 pm
The Isthmus Indies honor the bold, creative, sustainable, community-minded independent businesses that make Dane County a great place to live. Celebrate their awesomeness with accolades, appetizers and a silent auction at this benefit for Dane Buy Local. See Cover Story.
Overture Hall, 7:30 pm
The best-selling author and humorist returns to read his latest collection of self-deprecating essays, Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls.
Tuesday 11.5
NOTEWORTHY: American slave leader Nat Turner sentenced to death, 1831.
Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy
Overture Hall, 7:30 pm
Celebrated fiddlers and wedded lovebirds, these artists have chemistry in more ways than one. They'll show off their virtuosity with French, Celtic, Cajun and bluegrass tunes, plus step dancing that urges fans to stomp along.
Majestic Theatre, 8:30 pm
Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett are no longer with us, but a few of the original soul men are still on the tour trail. Fields has been singing his heart out since 1969 and recording with the Expressions for more than a decade. With Megan Bobo & the Lux.
Wednesday 11.6
Stoughton Opera House, 7:30 pm
The Canadian folk goddess has attracted an international fan base with her extraordinary alto voice, and her dazzling autoharp playing has convinced at least a few musical dabblers to trade in their ukuleles. This show will center on raw, reverberating tunes from her new LP, Tall Tall Shadow.
High Noon Saloon, 8 pm
Raised on the music of Al Green, this Twin Cities artist has matured into a sultry soul songbird after learning to soar as a folk-pop vocalist. With Building on Buildings.
Thomas Dolby's Invisible Lighthouse
Majestic Theatre, 8 pm
The musician behind the 1982 MTV hit "She Blinded Me With Science" stepped behind the videocamera to film The Invisible Lighthouse, a moving documentary he combines with live music and narration onstage, alongside the work of foley artist Blake Leyh. See Arts.
Thursday 11.7
NOTEWORTHY: Magic Johnson announces he is infected HIV and retires from NBA, 1991.
Redamte Coffee House, 8 pm
The fun-loving guitarist and songwriter just launched a tour that revolves around "Nintendo," a new love song starring Captain Crunch. With Curtis Peoples and Dan Godlin.
Majestic Theatre, 8:30 pm
The singer-songwriter's new EP, Peachtree Battle, is a stunning farewell to his departed dad. With Marc Scibilia.
UW Union South Sett, 9 pm
Made up of Canadian DMC Champ DJ Shub, DJ NDN and Bear Witness, this trio blend electro with traditional pow-wow music and drumming. With CRASHPrez and Kiazma.
Edited by Sweet Jane
