Spring finally makes its formal entrance this weekend. The calendar includes: Rock Star Gomeroke: Teacher Appreciation Edition and the Involve Madison Dance Party; a talk by John Galligan; productions of Click, Clack Moo! and A Midsummer Night's Dream; a Mad Rollin' Dolls bout; Back Around the Clock and Dueling Divas II; and, more live music from Chris Smith, Intikana, Yid Vicious, The Smokin' Bandits, and glassGhosts.
Friday 3.18
NOTEWORTHY: The Clash release "White Riot," 1977.
BIRTHDAYS: Rapper/actress Queen Latifah, 1970.
Rock Star Gomeroke: Teacher Appreciation Edition
High Noon Saloon, 5 pm
Teachers get in free to the Gomers' live-band karaoke parties throughout March, including this happy-hour edition. Bring your school ID, practice your air guitar, and you'll be good to go.
Booked for Murder, 6 pm
Whatever it is, someone will write mystery novels about it. Case in point: Galligan's series of fly-fishing mysteries. In his latest, The Wind Knot, the author's sleuth Ned "Dog" Ogilvie finds the body of a criminal in his RV, and the chase is on. Meet Galligan at this author event, and share strategies for tying a zebra midge.
Overture Center's Playhouse, 7 pm. Also Thursday (7 pm) & Saturday (2 & 7 pm), March 17 & 19
For the little ones, MadCAP Theatre presents George Howe and James E. Grote's musical version of the Caldecott-honored book Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type. It's about a labor dispute between a farmer and his bovines. Not that Wisconsinites know anything about labor disputes. Or bovines.
Stoughton Opera House, 7:30 pm
This folk and blues singer, songwriter and guitarist got his start in 1960 by winning a battle of the bands in New Orleans. However, it wasn't until he discovered Mississippi John Hurt a few years later that he found his calling, becoming a New England coffeehouse staple and Bonnie Raitt's musical sidekick for numerous projects. Get to know his 2009 solo release, Time Stands Still, at this performance.
Cardinal Bar, 9 pm
This Bronx-based spoken-word artist recently penned a one-man hip-hop musical called Penumbra, which has been touring the off-Broadway circuit. Get a taste of this project and his newest endeavor, a studio album titled Master Cleanse, which is slated to drop this June. With Toqueson.
High Noon Saloon, 9:30 pm
Electronica enthusiasts, rejoice: There's a new dance party in town inspired by East Coast beatmakers, West Coast fashionistas and Third Coast revelers. This first installment will feature the body-rocking L.A. crew PeaceTreaty, Windy City prog-house dynamo Electro Motive, Mr. Physix of Madison's Dirty Disco Kidz and electro-loving rapper-producer duo Sey & DJ World Famous, also in town from Chicago.
Saturday 3.19
FULL MOON
NOTEWORTHY: Sir Arthur C. Clarke dies, 2008.
BIRTHDAYS: Tony/Emmy-winning actress Glenn Close, 1947; actor/singer Bruce Willis, 1955.
Pres House, noon
Brandenburg concertos, The Well-Tempered Clavier and even the St. Matthew Passion are fair game at Wisconsin Public Radio's annual celebration of Johann Sebastian Bach's birthday. Bring your sheet music, your instrument and an ensemble of friends: Performers will rock the house for 12 hours straight, so there's a chance you'll get to put those childhood music lessons to good use.
Overture Center's Capitol Theater, 2 pm. Also Sunday, March 20, 2 & 7:30 pm
Madison Ballet concludes its season with this production of Shakespeare's signature comedy about royal nuptials and woodland mayhem, set to Mendelssohn's score. Peter Anastos choreographs.
Alliant Energy Center's Exhibition Hall, 6 pm
The divas of derby flex their skating muscles as they stage another regular-season bout, this time featuring a guest squad from Iowa City, the Old Capitol City Roller Girls, who fight the Unholy Rollers. Also on the card: the Quad Squad versus the Reservoir Dolls. Drag king troupe the MadKings entertains at halftime.
Barrymore Theatre, 8 pm
Fresco Opera Theatre has invited a dozen divas and divos to compete in a sonic showdown featuring high-note jousting, vibrato wrestling and daring displays of drama. The crowd will pick their favorite performers in several categories while the performers swagger like pumped-up pugilists.
Frequency, 9 pm
Shake your hips with chutzpah as local klezmer ensemble Yid Vicious pumps up the Yiddish jams at the downtown rock club. With Sockrates Sock Puppet Players and Shuvani Tribal Belly Dance.
High Noon Saloon, 10 pm
This bluesy bluegrass outfit is getting an early start to the music festival they host each June. Grab a frosty glass and pretend it's sweltering, not sleeting, outside. With Honest Monday.
Sunday 3.20
SPRING EQUINOX
NOTEWORTHY: Yoko Ono marries John Lennon, 1969. BIRTHDAYS: Filmmaker Spike Lee, 1957; singer-songwriter Lady Gaga, 1986.
High Noon Saloon, 8 pm
Bask in the diversity of Madison's music scene at this show featuring the gothic electro-experiments of glassGhosts, the crunk-hop jams of Truck$top Girlfriend and the naughty country ditties of Nellie Wilson & the Hellbound Honeys. Also playing: Isodynamics.
