What to do in Madison this week: Nickel Creek, 'The Crime is Mine' and more Isthmus Picks

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Melanie Radzicki McManus, Tuesday, Feb. 6, Mystery to Me, 6 p.m.: The veteran travel writer and hiker will discuss her new book, 100 Things to Do in the Wisconsin Dells Before You Die. While that may seem like a lot of things to do in the Dells, we do not doubt there are that many — or even more. McManus looks beyond the waterslides to historic and natural sites — and even, for that matter, beyond the Dells. (Does Baraboo count?) Free, but an RSVP is recommended at mysterytomebooks.comt (where you can also find a livestream link).

Black History Month Art Exhibition, through Feb. 29, Omega School-LOUD Gallery; reception Feb. 2, 4:30-6:30 p.m.: Celebrate Black History Month with art. The work of artists Sharon Bjyrd, Jerry Butler, Amira Caire, Charlotte Cummins, Higgs (aka Matthew Braunginn), Jerry Jordan, Issis Macias, Alina Puente Oby, Chele Ramos, Alice Traore, Sophia Voelker, Edward Wade and Michael Ward will be featured for the month of February. The exhibit is coordinated by Latinos Organizing for Understanding and Development, which will host an opening reception from 4:30-6:30 p.m. on Feb. 2.

Western Flyers, Tuesday, Feb. 6, North Street Cabaret, 7 p.m.: Honky-tonkin' western swing is The Western Flyers' stock in trade. With Joey McKenzie on archtop guitar, fiddle champion Ridge Roberts on fiddle, and upright bassist Matthew Mefford, they’ll chase away the end of the winter blues. Find tickets for this Sugar Maple Concert Series event at eventbrite.com.

Remaking the Renaissance, Feb. 7-May 19, UW Nancy Nicholas Hall-Mecklenburg Textile Gallery: The exuberance of Renaissance textiles has come down to us from paintings of Queen Elizabeth I and her court — and we’re most familiar with the styles from contemporary productions of Shakespeare. But what was the cloth and clothing of the era really like? “Remaking the Renaissance” reexamines the time through historic fiber fragments and new recreations. At 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 22, Cleveland Museum of Art conservator Sarah Scaturro presents the 2024 Ruth Ketterer Harris Lecture on professionalization in textile conservation, followed by an exhibit reception at 6:30 p.m.

Winter Carnival, Feb. 7-10, UW Memorial Union: The annual Wisconsin Union Winter Carnival is back for four days of fun, mostly in the great outdoors, and mostly free. New this year are a pair of video game competitions (both 6-9 p.m. on Feb. 9) featuring Mario, Sonic and movement-based gaming, and (on point for 2024) a Taylor Swift-themed ice skating night (5 p.m., Feb. 8). Classic activities (weather permitting) include a pond hockey tournament, ice fishing derby, snowshoe hike to Picnic Point, various open ice skating times, and more. Many activities require a ticket or reservations; find the updated schedule and registration links at union.wisc.edu/wintercarnival.

The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk, through Feb. 11, Overture Center-Playhouse: A klezmer musical and a charming romantic fantasy, The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk is based on the life of Marc Chagall and his wife, Bella Rosenfeld Chagall. The arts (painting, dancing, music) are, in a sense, the star of the show. But the couple, living through the anti-Semitism and wars of the early 20th century, ground the play in reality — even while their imaginations are at full sway. Read Anya van Wagtendonk’s review here. This Forward Theater production shows at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, plus 2 p.m. on Feb. 3 and 10. Tickets at overture.org.

Nickel Creek, Wednesday, Feb. 7, Overture Hall, 7:30 p.m.: It’s not a stretch to credit Nickel Creek with introducing an entire generation of listeners to bluegrass music. The members of this trio — Chris Thile on mandolin, Sara Watkins on fiddle, and Sean Watkins on guitar — were teenagers when they started releasing records, hitting big with 2000’s self-titled album that earned Nickel Creek multiple Grammy nominations. After issuing four albums over 14 years, the acoustic trio went on hiatus in 2014 until reuniting for last year’s Celebrants, a record both ambitious and breathtaking. This show also marks a return to show booking in Madison by longtime local promoter Tag Evers and True Endeavors. With The Staves. Tickets at overture.org.

The Crime is Mine, Thursday, Feb. 8, UW Cinematheque, 7 p.m.: This 2023 release in French (with English subtitles) is set in 1930s Paris. A young would-be starlet is accused of murdering a producer who was more than a little handsy. She’s acquitted and even lauded for the act until someone else claims to be the real killer. Inspired by American screwball comedies of the 1930s, the film has both nostalgia and #metoo currency. Free. A Madison premiere, courtesy UW Cinematheque.

Schumann Quartet, Thursday, Feb. 8, UW Memorial Union-Shannon Hall, 7:30 p.m.: This string quartet of German natives is not named for the Romantic-era composer, but for the three Schumann brothers, Erik, Ken and Mark, since 2022 joined by Veit Hertenstein. For this concert they will play string quartets by Beethoven (No. 12), Mozart (No. 18), and Leoš Janáček (the Kreutzer Sonata). Tickets at artsticketing.wisc.edu.

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Plack Blague, Thursday, Feb. 8, Crucible, 8 p.m.: The Anti/Social series at Crucible has a dark dance party for the ages this time around with the first Madison appearance of Plack Blague. The Nebraska leather artist has been pumping up dancers with relentless beats for a couple decades now, so it’s a set that’s well overdue. But that’s not all: The evening also features a set from daddybear (aka Matt Fanale), whose November EP, I Am Alien, features more danceable and hypnotic collaborations with grabyourface. And I.X.XI presents the darkest dance music of the evening, celebrating the January release of the album Not Enough to Survive.

Find the individual Picks collected here, and as part of the full calendar of events.