
AME Church
A close-up of Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie.
Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie
Martin Luther King Day Observances, Monday, Jan. 20, Capitol, noon; Overture Center, 5 p.m.: It’s a big anniversary — Africasong presents Wisconsin's 45th annual tribute to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at noon in the Capitol Rotunda (and broadcast live on Wisconsin Public Radio). Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors Chair Marcelia N. Nicholson will give the keynote on the theme of “Justice Lives Here,” and performances include violinist Brianna Ware-Boggs, the Gospel Music According to Chicago Mass Choir and the MLK Multi-Cultural Dance Collective; it's hosted by WPR's Jonathan Øverby. The 40th annual Madison and Dane County MLK Day Observance at the Overture Center for the Arts starts at 5 p.m. with a Freedom Songs Sing-Along, with the formal presentations starting at 6 p.m. This year’s keynote speaker is Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, the first woman elected to office in the history of the AME Church and who now serves as the president and general secretary of the National Council of Churches. Songs from the volunteer, once-a-year MLK Community Choir and presentation of the 2025 MLK Humanitarian Awards (to Charles Tubbs and Sheray Wallace) round out the evening. For info on more events honoring Dr King, see mlkingcoalition.org.
Several Questions with Nate Chappell, Monday, Jan. 20, Gamma Ray, 7 p.m.: Madison comedian Nate Chappell’s “Several Questions” comes in two forms: live show and podcast. This special live edition features an all-autistic panel of comedians. If this sounds like a lightbulb joke waiting to happen, rest assured all intentions are good (“I want to celebrate autistic people and explore how having an autistic brain influences our experiences and perspectives,” says Chappell); proceeds will benefit The Children’s Resource Center at the University of Wisconsin’s Waisman Center. Vanessa Tortolano, Shivam Patel and Grace Murray along with Chappell, all of whom have autism, are featured. Tickets at etix.com.

Hannah O'Hare Bennett (left)/Terri Messinides
Art by Hannah O'Hare Bennett (left) and Terri Messinides.
Art by Hannah O'Hare Bennett (left) and Terri Messinides.
ALL winter exhibits, through March 1, Arts + Literature Laboratory; reception Jan. 24, 6-8 p.m.: A new round of artists are inhabiting the ALL gallery for the end of winter and it is an embarrassment of riches. Jennifer Bastian, artist in residence at Thurber Park for the city of Madison, is exhibiting “Grief Wave,” a mixed media examination of her grief following the death of her second mother. Hannah O’Hare Bennett, one of Madison’s foremost papermaking artists, presents “In the Vernacular: People, Places and Things,” a show of low-relief multimedia tapestries. Terri Messinides, a mixed media artist based in Madison, presents “In the Pejorative,” an eye-opening embroidery project about the English language and its war on women. “Pleasure is Power: The Pleasure Art of Sami Schalk and Sam Waldron” celebrates art and activism. An artist reception is from 6-8 p.m. on Jan. 24. Finally, Karen Laudon’s “Rupture” is being held over from fall.
TS Foss + Emili Earhart, Tuesday, Jan. 21, Mansion Hill Inn, 7 p.m.: TS Foss first emerged about a decade back as a nom de plume for solo acoustic music by Madison rocker Tyler Fassnacht. In recent times performances have happened both solo and in full band incarnations following the release of the introspective album Everything Finished in 2023. This show will present the TS Foss catalog in another light: as a duo performance by Fassnacht and keyboard wizard Emili Earhart. It should be a compelling evening of music. Tickets at eventbrite.com.
Dinner with Ivo and Isbelis Diaz, Jan. 22-23, Seven Acre Dairy Company, Paoli: You might expect to see Venezuelan-American chefs Ivo and Isbelis Diaz in New York City. But Paoli, Wisconsin? Well, it is true. The mother-son chef pair, who own and operate the Brooklyn restaurant Casa Ora, will be at Seven Acre Dairy Company for two dinners to benefit Dane County’s Centro. Casa Ora is known for its Venezuelan cuisine plus craft cocktails. Wednesday’s meal (6 p.m.) is a six-course tasting menu, featuring some of Casa Ora’s menu items, like mandocas, mini arepitas and asado negro. Thursday’s dinner (reservations from 4-9 p.m.) is a three-course set menu of some of Isbelis’ favorite Venezuelan dishes including camarones en coco and pabellón a caballo. And you can enjoy it all along the beautiful Sugar River. A portion of the proceeds from each dinner benefits Centro. Tickets at sevenacredairyco.com.
Trever Hagen, Thomas Wincek & Andrew Fitzpatrick, Wednesday, Jan. 22, Gamma Ray, 7 p.m.: “OBSERVATORY: A Night of Experimental Musics” is an ongoing concert series coordinated by Madison musician Andrew Fitzpatrick (of All Tiny Creatures, Bon Iver and other bands). This edition will feature a solo set by Trever Hagen, a trumpet player exploring new sonic avenues for the instrument via feedback, homemade mics and other electronics. The evening will also feature a collaborative set by Hagen, Fitzpatrick and Thomas Wincek (a bandmate of Fitzpatrick in Volcano Choir and All Tiny Creatures).

Lol Crawley/A24
Adrien Brody (center) in “The Brutalist.”
Adrien Brody (center) in “The Brutalist.”
The Brutalist, Thursday, Jan. 23, UW Cinematheque, 7 p.m.: If you watched the recent Golden Globe awards, you may have been curious about a winning film called The Brutalist, which managed to rack up seven awards including best motion picture-drama. The fictionalized story of an Hungarian architect (Adrien Brody) building a masterpiece in Pennsylvania after World War II has been hard to find on screens. The film was shot on film (in his acceptance speech, winning director Brady Corbet even thanked Kodak!) using VistaVision. The three hour and 35 minute run time includes a 10-minute intermission. The Madison premiere is courtesy of UW Cinematheque, which kicks off its 2025 schedule with this screening.
Harry Clarke, through Jan. 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.
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.

@bellalikesbugs_009
A close-up of Two Friends.
Two Friends
Two Friends, Thursday, Jan. 23, The Sylvee, 8 p.m.: Despite their anodyne band name, best friends Matt Halper and Eli Sones are making some of the scene’s most exciting dance pop. The producer/DJ duo will kick off the first phase of “Heatwave: The Tour” two days before arriving in Madison and is expected to play their original music as well as favorites from the award-winning “Big Bootie Mix” series streaming on SoundCloud and YouTube. Known for exhilarating, high-energy shows, Two Friends also went viral with their remixes of The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” and Blink 182’s “I Miss You.” If you want to dance and sweat and make new friends, there’s probably no better place for you to be on a Thursday night in January. With MC4D, Beachcrimes, and Madison's own Wangzoom. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.
Find the individual Picks collected here, and as part of the full calendar of events.
Editor's note: This post has been updated to correct the spelling of Adrien Brody's name.