
Allison Shireffs Photography
Spencer LaJoye at a piano.
Spencer LaJoye
Spencer LaJoye, Monday, Jan. 13, Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: Spencer LaJoye’s 2024 album, Shadow Puppets, is a heartfelt and moving folk-pop song cycle considering their life journey in recent years, a time that includes coming out as nonbinary and becoming disillusioned with Christianity (though, not spirituality). It’s a more than worthy first full-length follow-up to LaJoye’s 2021 viral breakthrough, “Plowshare Prayer.” With Ben Weger. Tickets at theburoakmadison.com.
You Belong Here: Place, People, and Purpose in Latinx Photography, through March 7, Chazen Museum of Art: The Chazen highlights the work of Latinx photographers from the U.S. in this traveling exhibit curated by Pilar Tompkins Rivas of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles. The work ranges from documentary photography to collaged imagery to address politics, the family, identity, community, belonging, fashion and other aspects of culture. In a country that has repeatedly sent the message that the Latinx community does not belong here, this exhibit turns that on its head. See Linda Falkenstein’s article on the exhibit.
The Rise of T. rex, Tuesday, Jan. 14, Overture Center-Capitol Theater, 7: 30 p.m.: Everybody loves dinosaurs, and the most famous dino of all is the terrible lizard, the T. rex. Paleontologist Dr. Lindsay Zanno works in the Badlands and other sites learning about the life and death of the huge predator. In the process, she’s discovered many new species. Zanno will share her knowledge (she’s one of the experts on the evolution of theropod dinosaurs) on the big dinosaurs as well as the Moros, North America's tiniest tyrannosaur, in this National Geographic Live lecture. Tickets at overture.org.
Tim Eddy, Jules Iolyn, Kris Sheehan, Wednesday, Jan. 15, Red Rooster, 7 p.m.: This showcase on the homey stage of the Red Rooster features three Wisconsin writers trading songs and stories in the round. Featured is Tim Eddy, a Driftless resident who leads a ever-drifting cast of characters in the twangy project Lone Goat Rodeo; Jules Iolyn, who writes original songs for Jules & the Jems and plays in the pop covers project Wild Violets; and Kris Sheehan, of the Americana duo American Feedbag.

courtesy Holly Rucker
A close-up of Holly Rucker.
Holly Rucker
Words with Nerds, Thursday, Jan. 16, Crucible, 7 p.m.: Cheshire Cat Comedy celebrates its 200th show with an edition of one of its most popular creations: Words with Nerds, which CCC describes as “like TED Talks, but way funnier.” That should be an easily-cleared bar with this lineup of speakers: David Fisher, a former Madison's Funniest Comic winner; Matthew Mandli, local comic and former winner of the Minnesota State Yo-Yo Championship; and Holly Rucker, a molecular biologist and Atlas Improv performer. Tickets at eventbrite.com.
Harry Whitehorse International Wood Sculpture Exhibit, through June 30, Garver Feed Mill and Olbrich Gardens: If you missed the inaugural Harry Whitehorse International Wood Sculpture Festival in June at the San Damiano grounds, you still have a chance to see the amazing large scale wood sculptures the invited artists created over the course of the festival. Eleven artists carved inventive takes on the theme of nature and the environment, and they are available for viewing at Garver Feed Mill and Olbrich Botanical Gardens. The festival honors the late Harry Whitehorse, a Madison-area and Ho-Chunk sculptor whose own works are part of our public art landscape. More info at olbrich.org.

M.O.D. Media Productions
Tim Whalen (left) and Al Falaschi.
Tim Whalen (left) and Al Falaschi.
Al Falaschi + Tim Whalen, Thursday, Jan. 16, North Street Cabaret, 7 p.m.: Madison music fans know Al Falaschi (sax) and Tim Whalen (keys) as founders of longtime jazz-funk powerhouse Phat Phunktion. This concert will feature the duo stretching out in a bit different direction: tackling vocal jazz from the Great American Songbook, as well as some more modern pop such as Steely Dan (Falaschi is also a co-founder of the Dan tribute Steely Dane). Tickets at eventbrite.com.
Harry Clarke, Jan. 16-26, Slowpoke Lounge, Spring Green: Two Crows Theatre Company offers Spring Green’s vibrant artistic community more opportunity to experiment during APT’s off months. Its latest, Harry Clarke, is a one-man show starring APT core company member Nate Burger and directed by core member and Two Crows co-founder Marcus Truschinski. Harry, a Midwesterner, moves to New York where he ends up presenting himself as an Englishman. Read Andy Moore’s story about Two Crows' 2025 season here. Shows are at 7: 30 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday; tickets at twocrowstheatrecompany.org.
Find the individual Picks collected here, and as part of the full calendar of events.