Monday 11.12
Ari Hest
Annex, 9:30 pm
The smoky-voiced singer-songwriter straddles the line between pop-rock and adult contemporary with his warm-toned original material. Ari Herstand and John Statz open.
Tuesday 11.13
Sean Carroll
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 7 pm
The UW's evolutionary biologist knows how animal species have evolved, thanks to the wonders of DNA research. He gives a talk called "From Darwin to DNA."
Jennifer Chiaverini
Barnes & Noble West, 7 pm
The local novelist reads from the latest in her popular Elm Creek Quilts series, New Year's Quilt, in which a master quilter tries to win over her reluctant daughter-in-law.
Wednesday 11.14
Ken Mehlman
Wisconsin Union Theater, 7:30 pm
Mehlman discusses his experience as the Republican National Committee chairman and the campaign manager for Bush-Cheney in 2004. Have your questions and comments ready (ahem).
Enter the Haggis
High Noon Saloon, 8:30 pm
Scots in spirit only, Toronto's Enter the Haggis charge through a breathless mash-up of Celtic music, rock and bluegrass.
...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead
Majestic Theatre, 8:30 pm
They're far less threatening these days, but, hey, this is a free show, so fans don't have much to complain about. The Adult Swim cartoon metal band Dethklok goes corporeal in the support slot.
Psalm One
Annex, 9 pm
The rising Chicago rapper has a vice grip on the funk, proving that sometimes the ladies just do it better. Blue Scholars open.
Thursday 11.15
Alix Olson
A Room of One's Own, 6:30 pm
The queer artist-activist discusses her new anthology on female spoken-word artists, Word Warriors.
This I Believe
Borders Books West, 7 pm
National Public Radio's "This I Believe" presents a range of short first-person essays. To mark the release of a companion book, several Wisconsinites read their contributions.
Kashmira Sheth
Barnes & Noble West, 7 pm
The local author reads from her young-adult novel Keeping Corner, in which a 12-year-old Indian girl prepares for a life of mourning after her husband dies.
The Pnuma Trio
Majestic Theatre, 7:30 pm
The jam ethos meets the techno-inspired electronic consciousness in the academy-trained Pnuma Trio's extended grooves.
Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter
Barrymore Theatre, 8 pm
Black is an actor for TV (Ed) and movies (Wet Hot American Summer), and now he's touring in support of his comedy CD I Am a Wonderful Man. He joins Showalter, a fellow alum of MTV's inventive comedy series The State.
Cornmeal
High Noon Saloon, 9 pm
One of jamdom's preferred newgrass outfits, Cornmeal add some percussive pounding to their hippie-friendly pone.