Talks and tunes dominate this mid-autumn week. The calendar includes: talks by John Eisenberg, David Wroblewski, Liaquat Ahamed, Jerry Apps, Jim Wallis, and a quartet of vampire experts; Women Rock for the Cure, and, more live music by Sunset Rubdown, Arlo Guthrie, The Avett Brothers, Drummer, and Yonder Mountain String Band.
Monday 10.19
BIRTHDAYS: Former first daughter Amy Carter, 1967; Fugees singer Pras Michel, 1972.
Borders Books West, 7 pm
The author discusses That First Season, about Vince Lombardi's first year as head coach of the Green Bay Packers. Points if you wear both cheesehead and reading glasses.
Barnes & Noble West, 7 pm
The Oconomowoc native reads from his novel The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, the Oprah-endorsed debut that places Hamlet in rural Wisconsin.
Tuesday 10.20
NOTEWORTHY: Mississippi plane crash kills three members of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1977.
BIRTHDAYS: Rock star Tom Petty, 1950; rapper Snoop Dogg, 1971.
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 7 pm
The author of Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World talks about lessons from the Great Depression in this Wisconsin Academy Evenings event. Bankers, stop breaking the world!
Barnes & Noble, 7 pm
The author reads from his novel Blue Shadows Farm, about a family's century-long stint on a Wisconsin farm. Apps knows Wisconsin farms, because he grew up on one.
High Noon Saloon, 7 pm
Wolf Parade's Scott Krug pushes and pulls the limits of lo-fi with Sunset Rubdown, an inspired side project that's heavy on stream-of-consciousness musings and on-the-fly weirdness. With tUnE-YaRdS.
Barrymore Theatre, 7:30 pm
If you don't know all 18 minutes and 34 seconds of "Alice's Restaurant," here's your chance to learn it from the source, the protestin', folk-singin', children's-book-writin' son of Woody Guthrie, who just released the curiously named Tales of '69.
Majestic Theatre, 7:30 pm
Singer-songwriter Mindy Smith isn't just performing to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer charities. She's donning her pink ribbon three days before the other venues in town to remember her mother at what's likely to be a moving show. Also playing: Erick Baker.
Wednesday 10.21
BIRTHDAYS: Star Wars princess/actress/author Carrie Fisher, 1956.
Barrymore Theatre, 7:30 pm
The sparkling and soulful folk-rock trio have been scorching up all sorts of Billboard charts lately with their new album, I and Love and You, and the song of the same name, which was the Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week less than a month ago. With Nicole Atkins.
UW Grainger Hall, room 1100, 7:30 pm
The progressive evangelical pastor has spoken out against poverty and war, and he's here tonight to give a talk called "An Evangelical Christian Looks at Jews and Muslims."
High Noon Saloon, 8:30 pm
The project's name isn't the most original in the history of rock, but this band composed of drummers from multiple Ohio-based bands (including Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney on bass) is proof that many drummers lead secret lives as guitarists and singers and that most pop songs just don't pop without a good beat to guide them. With Royal Bangs and Samantha Crain & the Midnight Shivers.
Thursday 10.22
BIRTHDAYS: French actress Catherine Deneuve, 1943.
Joe Garden, Janet Ginsburg, Chris Pauls, Anita Serwacki
Borders Books West, 7 pm
The Dangerous Book for Dogs authors discuss their spoof The New Vampire's Handbook: A Guide for the Recently Turned Creature of the Night, with tips on everything from hair care to financial planning for immortals.
Orpheum Theatre, 8 pm
Are they progressive bluegrass? Are they a jam band? Whatever they are, these four dudes can make a wildfire of sound with a banjo, bass, mandolin and guitar. With Split Lip Rayfield, Danny Barnes and Darol Anger.
