Lori Phillips
With the print version of Isthmus on pause, we thought it might be handy to have the Picks in a single weekly post. You can still find the Picks in the usual places online: collected here, and sprinkled throughout all the events.
courtesy International Crane Foundation
"Gromme Marsh" by Janet Flynn.
The Inspiration Behind a Work of Crane Art, Thursday, Sept. 3, 11 am: Have you heard the sandhill cranes yet? The gawky squawkers are heading through Madison already on their way south. Another way to experience cranes is through art. The International Crane Foundation's first presentation in its Cranes and Community Virtual Art Series focuses on the work of Sauk County artist Janet Flynn, a native of Wisconsin and longtime member of the International Crane Foundation. Flynn's is the first of five webinars showcasing artists with strong ties to Sauk County, home of the ICF. Flynn's work is realistic, with some subtle Asian influences that might remind viewers of Whistler's work. Flynn will discuss her work and influences. Other artists in the series are Elliott Funmaker Sr., Kim Russell, Jay Jocham and Masako Pellerin. Register for the Zoom webinar here.
Token Creek Chamber Music Festival, Sept. 1-15, 4 pm: This annual series of concerts hosted by John and Rose Mary Harbison celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2019. For 2020, with live performances on hold, the Token Creek Festival will use the pause as a chance to compile and revisit highlights from those three decades of repertoire. Classical pillars Bach, Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart each receive dedicated programs, as will composer John Harbison and, of course, jazz. The webcasts premiere at 4 pm daily on the Token Creek website and YouTube channel, and remain available through September.
Aida Rodriguez
Lady Laughs Comedy, Through Sept. 5: We can't imagine a better cure for the pandemic blues than a star-studded comedy festival you can enjoy safely at home. This year's Lady Laughs festival includes local standouts and organizers Dina Nina Martinez and Vanessa Tortolano plus a bevy of national comedians: Aida Rodriguez (pictured, of Last Comic Standing and They Ready), Shawn Pelofsky (Community), Sarah Hartshorne (America’s Next Top Model), and Milwaukee's Chastity Washington (Step Off The Block). Another bonus: IRL you would have paid $90 for an all-access pass to see these funny people, but in the festival's virtual incarnation you get the whole shebang for $19.99 — and a portion benefits the Funny Women Care Fund, to assist comedians during the current crisis. Find the schedule and tickets at LadyLaughsComedy.com.
Ceramics Invitational + Gail Simpson, Friday, Sept. 4, Abel Contemporary Gallery, Stoughton, 5-8 pm: The Abel Contemporary Gallery in Stoughton has been hosting in-person opening receptions for its new shows, controlling attendance by making them reservation-only. And seeing art in a gallery with others, even at a social distance, is popular enough that the reservation lists have been filling up early. (Tickets are free, but required.) At the moment spots are open for the next opening, Friday, Sept. 4; featured is the 17th Annual Ceramics Invitational, with works by 23 artists; and "Failed Mascots," a series of sculptures by Stoughton artist Gail Simpson. Also on display is Kelli Hoppmann's exhibit, "The Party," featuring finely-rendered oil paintings of fairy-tale like scenes featuring both human beings and macabre human-like animals as well as some sculptures. The exhibits are on display through Nov. 8.
Carrsan T. Morrissey (he/they) and Albie Nicol (he/him) rehearse GenderTalks one week before the premiere.
GenderTalks, Friday-Saturday, Sept. 4-5, 7:30 pm: Take in the world premiere of a new documentary theater project about gender from the perspective of trans, nonbinary and nonconforming folks. Written by playwright Orion Risk, GenderTalks features real-life stories gathered from conversations between people in Dane County and Blackhawk County, Iowa. Saturday’s performance will be followed by a talkback with Risk and director Finch Moore. Admission is free to the virtual performances (on Facebook or YouTube), but donations can be made to the OutReach MAGIC Festival and Blackhawk County's Cedar Valley Pride.
Patti Smith, Friday, Sept. 4, 8 pm: Legendary, incendiary songwriter and author Patti Smith mixes music and readings from her most recent memoir, Year of the Monkey, in this stream of a live performance filmed at the historic Murmrr Theatre in Brooklyn. Year of the Monkey mixes Smith's travels and her dreams in the year 2016 — a year that for many of us has continued to reverberate as a result of the presidential campaign, the ugly vibe of which also becomes inescapable in Smith's recounting of the time. She will be accompanied for the performance by longtime bandmate Tony Shanahan. Tickets include a copy of the book.
Jim Barnard Photography
Mackenzie Moore
Mackenzie Moore, Saturday, Sept. 5, 6:30 pm: Roxbury native Mackenzie Moore captured four 2019 Madison Area Music Awards, including three in rock-oriented categories for songs from her hard-edged album Veins. It's a sign of Moore's songwriting versatility that in this year's MAMAs she is a finalist for awards in the folk and country field. Catch up with her latest music as part of the latest installment in Cargo Coffee's livestream concert series.
Drive-In Fireworks Show, Saturday, Sept. 5, Alliant Energy Center, 8:30 pm: The big booms in honor of Independence Day were mostly stilled this summer, along with the variety of festivals and other special events throughout the region that feature fireworks. (To fill the void in July, many enthusiasts really ramped up the neighborhood blast zones in response...sorry, dogs.) On Saturday, Big Top Events and Festival Foods come to the rescue of those seeking full-on pyrotechnics with a display designed to be viewed from a vehicle, from the parking lots of the Alliant Energy Center. Admission is $10 per vehicle, with $1 from each donated to YWCA Madison. For tickets and guidelines for the event, visit breesestevensfield.com.
Camp Cooking, Sunday, Sept. 6, Rutabaga, Monona, 11 am: You know those campers. The ones at the site across from you who seem to be dining at a five-star (okay, maybe three-star) restaurant while you are roasting a tofu pup on a stick. Luke Zahm will end your sad camping menus with this free demo. The James Beard-nominated chef, Wisconsin Foodie host, and Driftless Cafe owner will share equipment tips, ingredient tricks and maybe a recipe or two. Live in person at Rutabaga or livestream at fb.com/rutabagapaddlesports.
MSCR Pontoon Boat Rides, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays, through Sept. 30: You are among the boatless, but does that mean you can't go out on the lake on a boat? Yes, you can! Madison School and Community Recreation is once again operating its drop-in pontoon boat rides, with limited capacities and masks required. But you are outside in the open air — on the open water! — and risk should be minimal. There's nothing fancy about the pontoon boat rides, but it is a refreshing break from routine, the breezes are cool, and seeing Madison from a different perspective is always rewarding. Tuesday and Thursday (5:30 pm) and Sunday (1:30 and 3:15 pm) trips leave from Tenney Park; Friday (1:30 and 2:45 pm) trips leave from the Warner Park boat launch. Please arrive to register 15 minutes before start time. $5 suggested donation, first come, first served.
Shatter Imagery
Frank Laufenberg
Groove Roulette, Monday, Sept. 7, 7 pm: No set list, four musicians from different bands: The possibilities are endless. This sort of set-up for improvisation is not uncommon in the jazz world, but doesn't happen in a planned way elsewhere too often. Groove Roulette has been making the magic happen over the summer with socially distanced quartets livestreaming from Bos Mead Hall. September brings a Labor Day edition of the series, with Matty Allen (drums, of Kainalu), Isaiah (aka Zay Zay, keyboards), Frank Laufenberg (guitar, of Wurk), and Timothy Robert (bass, of The Civil Engineers). Hosting is Q106-FM host Jackson Jones. Find past editions on YouTube.
Latinx Talkback, Thursday, Sept. 10, 8 pm: A powerhouse panel of Latinx women will talk about making alliances in the Black Lives Matter era, with a spotlight on immigration and community reform. Panelists Valeria Cerda (civic engagement director at Wisconsin VOICES), Nancy Flores (deputy director at the National Partnership for New Americans), Larissa Joanna (from Voces de La Frontera), and Aissa Olivarez (an attorney at the Community Immigration Law Center) will talk about their personal histories and grassroots immigration work. Find the discussion, hosted by Wisconsin Mujer, on Facebook Live.
courtesy PBS Wisconsin
The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show, Sept. 10-12: Quilts do the work. They keep us warm, they preserve memories, they tell stories. They are art; they are history; they are bedding. The 16th annual Great Wisconsin Quilt Show is online only this year, but it's free for quilt makers and quilt lovers alike. Learn new techniques, or just appreciate the work of talented quilters from across the U.S. in a virtual gallery. The booths are selling virtually too, everything from fabrics and decorative doodads to sewing machines that are the fiber arts version of self-driving cars. An online community service project — Quilt to Give — allows attendees to donate their materials and skills to create bed-size quilts for those in need. See QuiltShow.com for details.