Madison embraces the arrival of spring this weekend with Gallery Night; the Revelry Music & Arts Festival, Maifest, a Kentucky Derby party and concert, and the High Noon Saloon's ninth anniversary celebration. The calendar also includes: standup by Lisa Lampanelli; productions of Disney's Aladdin and A Midsummer's Night Dream, as well as Riot of Spring by Li Chiao-Ping Dance and a show by Zoë Keating with Kate Corby & Dancers; performances by the UW Symphony Orchestra with Tyrone Greive, Oakwood Chamber Players, Festival Choir of Madison, and Ancora String Quartet; and, more live music from Brett Newski & The Corruption, Zion I with F.Stokes, Raw Power, Ryan Beatty, Caroline's Spine, Paul Cebar & Tomorrow Sound, Archie Powell & The Exports, DJ Shadow, and Southern Culture on the Skids.
Friday 5.3
NOTEWORTHY: Margaret Thatcher elected to first term as Prime Minister of U.K., 1979.
5-9 pm
The semiannual showcase for Madison's visual-arts scene includes special events at more than 50 venues. Highlights include receptions at Absolutely Art and Hatch Art House for the Habitat ReStore Salvage Art Show and at Tamarack Studio for John Riggs' photographs; demonstrations at HYART Gallery and Studio Paran; and a performance by the FauHaus project at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art.
Overture Center Playhouse, 7 pm. Also Saturday (2:30 & 7 pm) & Sunday (2:30 pm), May 4 & 5
Children's Theater of Madison presents a musical based on the beloved Disney film, in which a manic genie inserts himself into a love affair between a street urchin and a princess. This "Dual Language Edition" features additional lyrics in Spanish.
Overture Center's Promenade Hall, 7:30 pm. Also Saturday (2 & 7:30 pm) & Sunday (2 pm), May 4 & 5
The marvelously athletic local troupe presents Riot of Spring, inspired by Stravinsky's once-notorious Rite of Spring. Li Chiao-Ping uses Stravinsky's music to highlight the theme of rebellion.
Bartell Theatre, 8 pm. Also Saturday (8 pm) & Thursday (7:30 pm), May 4 & 9
Strollers Theatre presents Shakespeare's lost-in-the forest masterpiece, featuring mischievous fairies, rustic mayhem and some of the funniest set pieces in theater history.
Overture Hall, 8 pm
The bawdy insult comedian speaks her mind (boy, does she ever) on late-night talk shows and cable specials. She justifiably calls herself "the lovable queen of mean."
UW Symphony Orchestra with Tyrone Greive
Mills Hall, UW Humanities Building, 8 pm
Hear the retiring music professor solo on Karol Szymanowski's Second Violin Concerto.
Frequency, 10 pm
Newski fronted local rock group the Nod before moving to Vietnam. Now he's bringing his latest band to town to unveil a spirited album called Tiny Victories. With the Ivorys and 4 Aspirin Morning.
Majestic Theatre, 9 pm
Madison-raised, NYC-based rapper F.Stokes will preview his forthcoming Fearless Beauty, and Oakland duo Zion I will roll out some futuristic West Coast hip-hop. With Heatbox, Ragelife and DJ Fusion.
UW Memorial Union Rathskeller, 9:30 pm
Leave it to the students on Wisconsin Union Directorate's music committee to shake things up at the Rathskeller. They're bringing in seminal Italian hardcore band Raw Power, plus equally caustic openers Pyroklast, Wartorn and Panther.
Saturday 5.4
NOTEWORTHY: First Grammy Awards ceremony, 1959.
UW Union South, 11 am
Though this new celebration of lmusic and visual art is geared toward UW students, you can probably score a ticket if you happen to know someone with a university ID. Performances will take place at two stages and one DJ booth until nearly 6 pm. Highlights include local acts Julian Lynch (11:30 am) and PHOX (12:45 pm), chillwave project Toro Y Moi (3 pm), rock band the Mowgli's (4 pm), rapper Hoodie Allen (4:30 pm) and electronic act the Al Gore Rhythm Method (4:15 pm). Full schedule: madisonrevelry.com.
Essen Haus, 11:30 am
The free family-friendly event celebrates spring with music, a maypole dance and a walk against domestic violence. Don't forget to leave room for lots of German wurst.
Majestic Theatre, 1 pm
The 17-year-old crooner hasn't quite reached heartthrob status, but his single "Every Little Thing," a ditty that explores the same pop territory Bruno Mars has claimed, nearly broke iTunes by rocketing up the charts so fast. With Juneau.
High Noon Saloon, 4 pm
Wear your fanciest hat to this shindig featuring music by Earl Foss & the Brown Derby. The horse race will be broadcast on a big screen at 5:15 pm, and the bar will craft mint juleps throughout the event.
Oakwood Village's University Woods Auditorium, 7 pm. Also Sunday, May 5, UW Arboretum Visitor Center, 1:30 pm
The local ensemble offers a program of movie-soundtrack gems by Rota, Herrmann, and Korngold & Honeyman.
First Baptist Church, 7:30 pm
In a concert called "From the Stage and Screen," the choir sings showstoppers like "Anything Goes" and "Singin' in the Rain."
First Unitarian Society Auditorium, 7:30 pm
The local chamber group, which includes members of the Madison Symphony Orchestra, will perform works by Dvorak and Shostakovich.
Zoë Keating with Kate Corby & Dancers
UW Music Hall, 8 pm
Keating is a fixture on the Billboard classical music chart. Her performances feature her cello and a laptop she controls with her feet, creating a stunning orchestral effect. She's joined by local choreographer Kate Corby for the composition "Exurgency and Legions (War)." (See Tour Stop.)
High Noon Saloon, 9 pm
Harmony Bar, 9:45 pm
Settle into a pleasant weekend groove with this skillful crew, whose members have fueled Milwaukee's blues and R&B scenes for years.
Frequency, 10 pm
This Chicago band explore problems plaguing the millennial generation with sardonic wit and danceable pop hooks. With Jimmy Murn + The HeyMakers and the Cliffs of Insanity.
Majestic Theatre, 10 pm
The trailblazing instrumental hip-hop DJ will try to top his December 2012 show with new material that highlights his transition from drum pads to digital DJing software. With DJs Vinnie Toma and Vilas Park Sniper.
Sunday 5.5
NOTEWORTHY: Alan Shepard becomes first American to travel into outer space, 1961.
High Noon Saloon Anniversary Celebration
High Noon Saloon, 4 pm
Fete East Washington's most revered rock venue at this music-powered party. Songwriters can compete for a sixth-barrel of O'so beer by writing and performing an ode to the brewery's suds.
High Noon Saloon, 8 pm
Help this band celebrate 30 years of goofing off together by basking in surf and rockabilly music, dancing on the stage and proudly wearing whatever they happen to throw into the crowd. Popular items include banana pudding and fried chicken wings. With Knuckel Drager.