Vandana Shiva
Madison welcomes a new season this week, and there are plenty of reasons for enthusiasm. The calendar includes: Greenbush Day; performances by Bread and Puppet Theater and Lily Tomlin; a talk by Vandana Shiva; and live music by Celtic Woman, Bruce Bengston with Gary Lewis and Samuel Hutchison, One Republic, Abe Vigoda, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
Monday 3.22
BIRTHDAYS: NBC sports anchor Bob Costas, 1952; actress Reese Witherspoon, 1976.
Tuesday 3.23
NOTEWORTHY: Supermodel Christie Brinkley marries piano man Billy Joel, 1985.
UW Welcome Center, 3:30 pm
Music, dance, storytelling and an awards presentation mark the annual celebration of Madison's legendarily diverse Greenbush neighborhood.
East High School Auditorium, 7 pm
Vermont's radical puppet theater preserves 1960s values, supporting lefty causes and providing art for the people, along with home-baked bread. Tonight: "The Dirt Cheap Money Circus," about the current economic unpleasantness. (Special appearance by Karl Marx.)
Coliseum at Alliant Energy Center, 7:30 pm
The all-female Celtic music ensemble that grew out of the Riverdance sensation features four vocalists and a fiddler, plus tons of energy, spirit and Irish charm. Their 2010 release Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart isn't just a collection of traditional music like "Non C'è Più" and "My Lagan Love." It also features covers of Sting's "Fields of Gold" and "When You Believe" from The Prince of Egypt.
Bruce Bengston, Gary Lewis, Samuel Hutchison
Overture Hall, 7:30 pm
The three organists, including the Madison Symphony Orchestra's Hutchison, tickle the keys of Overture's big instrument by way of celebrating Johann Sebastian Bach's 325th birthday.
Overture Center's Capitol Theater, 7:30 pm
The Colorado Springs-based pop-rock band that hit it big on MySpace draws influence from arena-friendly bands like U2 and Coldplay, which means their sound should fill the Capitol Theater quite well. With the Rocket Summer.
Wednesday 3.24
NOTEWORTHY: Exxon Valdez oil spill, 1989.
Project Lodge, 7:30 pm
The L.A.-based "calypso punk" band makes a pit stop at the Project Lodge between gigs opening for Vampire Weekend in Milwaukee and Chicago. With Gringo Starr.
Wisconsin Union Theater, 7:30 pm
The Delhi-based activist advocates for women and sustainable agriculture, and she earned the United Nations' Global 500 and Earth Day International awards for her efforts. She speaks in this Distinguished Lecture Series event.
Overture Hall, 7:30 pm
The funny woman's career encompasses television, stage and film. She's peerless. (See Comedy.)
High Noon Saloon, 8:30 pm
The rockin' San Fran trio known for their blend of garage and psych-rock have just released a new album, Beat the Devil's Tattoo. Though critics' opinions have been mixed, the musicians are hoping it will be a hit with Madison fans after a powerful live performance. With Band of Skulls.
Thursday 3.25
BIRTHDAY: Grammy-winning R&B megadiva Aretha Franklin, 1942.
