May winds down this week in advance of the summer-opening holiday. The calendar includes: a Kent Williams exhibit at ARTspace; live music from The Lonely Forest, Killa Bane, and the Rhapsodie String Quartet; book readings by Susan Troller with S.V. Medaris, Kirsten Lobe, Nisi Shawl, and Randolph Henning; and the Queerly Yours burlesque show.
Monday 5.23
NOTEWORTHY: Stalin lifts the Berlin blockade, 1949.
Kent Williams: Just Off the Square
Madison Municipal Building ARTspace, through July 15
The square -- that most balanced of shapes, so restful it nearly lulls you to sleep. But quilt artist Kent Williams proves you can derive an entire show "just off the square" in this set of five works that, in addition to being squares themselves, draw on the square as a structuring motif.
High Noon Saloon, 8:30 pm
Arrows, the newest release by the popular indie-rock quartet from Washington state, pairs poppy, guitar-driven rock songs with piano ballads and more. With the Honeyslides and the Sensationalists.
Tuesday 5.24
BIRTHDAYS: Grammy-, Oscar- & Golden Globe-winning Rock & Roll Hall-of-Famer Robert Allen Zimmerman, 1941.
Harmony Bar, 5 pm
Writer Troller and artist Medaris discuss their book Cluck: From Jungle Fowl to City Chicks, which gathers stories about raising backyard animals for food or fun. Jane Hamilton, Michael Perry and Ben Logan contributed to Cluck.
Barnes & Noble-West Towne, 7 pm
Wisconsin native Lobe discusses her memoir Paris, Baby!, about being an American single mom in the City of Light.
Wednesday 5.25
BIRTHDAY: Miseducated Grammy winner Lauryn Hill, 1975.
High Noon Saloon, 9 pm
The local hip-hopper unveils his new album, Darksyder, with support from L.O.S.T S.O.U.L.S, Rickaby, Chaos, Crowned Zubie, Shah and DJ Fusion of 93.1 FM.
Thursday 5.26
NOTEWORTHY: George Willig climbs the World Trade Center, 1977.
A Room of One's Own, 6:30 pm
The award-winning science fiction writer reads from Filter House, by way of preparation for the feminist sci-fi convention WisCon.
Overture Center Playhouse, 7 pm
This ensemble, made up of the Madison Symphony Orchestra's principal string players, perform Haydn's String Quartet in D minor, Op. 76, No. 2; Ravel's String Quartet in F Major, and Mendelssohn's String Quartet in E-Flat Major, Op. 12. No tickets needed; $5 donation suggested.
Barnes & Noble-West Towne, 7 pm
North Carolina architect Henning shows off Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesen, which is being published just in time for the storied Spring Green house's centennial.
Club 5, 9 pm
This roving pack of burlesque performers features the likes of Detroit's Crystal Swarovski and Atlanta's Lady Miss Vagina Jenkins. They'll be joined in their artful bump and grind by local troupe Foxy Veronica's Peach Pies.
