DJ Mike Carlson
Mardi Gras dominates Madison nightlife this week, highlighted by a performance by Mama Digdown's Brass Band. The calendar also includes: a Patrick Borelli show; an Academy Evenings talk; the Magical Properties Tour and a benefit for DJ Mike Carlson; and more live music from Mr. Dibbs, the Pro Arte Quartet, Cracker, and State Radio.
Monday 2.15
PRESIDENTS' DAY
NOTEWORTHY: U.S. battleship Maine blows up in Havana harbor, 1898.
BIRTHDAYS: Simpsons creator cartoonist Matt Groening, 1954; Green Bay Packers running back Edgar Bennett, 1969.
Majestic Theatre, 9 pm
This bill features not one but three California electronica artists with a gift for transforming left-field sounds into sonic revelations. Nosaj Thing fuses glitch and hip-hop with undeniable grace, while Daedelus blends hip-hop, IDM, sound samples from the '30s and all sorts of other delightful surprises.
High Noon Saloon, 9 pm
Turntablist extraordinaire Brad Forste, a.k.a. Mr. Dibbs, got his start when he saw Grandmaster Flash perform on TV. At the time, he wasn't so much inspired as he was confused. But his curiosity led him to figure out what he'd witnessed and form 1200 Hobos, a collective dedicated to the fine art of record scratching, and help launch the first-ever Scribble Jam, which is now the nation's go-to festival for rapping, DJing, beatboxing and graffiti making. With Silentarmy, Sector7G and Isodynamics.
Tuesday 2.16
MARDI GRAS
NOTEWORTHY: King Tut's burial chamber unsealed, 1923. BIRTHDAYS: Rapper/actor Ice-T, 1958; tennis bad boy John McEnroe, 1959.
High Noon Saloon, 6 pm
The New York-based funnyman used to work as a book designer, and tonight he presents his multimedia show, in which he makes fun of book designs.
Katherine Cramer Walsh, Michael Thornton, Lynet Uttal
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 7 pm
In this Academy Evenings event, UW political scientist Walsh, sociologist Thornton and human development prof Uttal discuss changing demographics in "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner: The Nature of Tolerance in 2050."
Great Dane-Hilldale, 7:30 pm
Wear your favorite plastic beads and dance to Mama Digdown's funky sound at this Mardi Gras celebration.
Wednesday 2.17
ASH WEDNESDAY
NOTEWORTHY: Milwaukee serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer sentenced to life in prison, 1992.
BIRTHDAYS: Actress Rene Russo, 1954; Grammy-winning Green Day singer-songwriter-guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, 1972.
Thursday 2.18
NOTEWORTHY: Chicago 7 acquitted of conspiracy charges stemming from riotous 1968 Democratic convention, 1970.
BIRTHDAYS: Actor John Travolta, 1954; rapper Dr. Dre, 1965.
UW Humanities Building's Mills Hall, 7:30 pm
The university's resident foursome performs Haydn's "C major, Op. 74, No. 1"; Mozart's "D minor, K. 421"; and Beethoven's "G major, Op. 18, No. 2."
High Noon Saloon, 8 pm
The pair responsible for "Low," "Get Off This" and "Euro Trash Girl" will unplug their guitars to refresh their fans' memories of early-'90s alt-rock. With Brandi Shearer.
Inferno, 9 pm
A posse of Inferno regulars -- Sensuous Enemy, Null Device, Parasite Twin, Gentleman Loser and DJ Psych0tron -- pool their talents to raise money for DJ Mike Carlson and his family, who recently lost their home and a fantastic vinyl collection in a fire.
Majestic Theatre, 9 pm
The politically minded group kicks into town for an evening of antic, reggae-influenced rockin'. With Big D & the Kids Table.
