What to do in Madison this week: Steep Canyon Rangers, 'We Want the Funk!' and more Isthmus Picks

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Local Arts and Creativity Conference, Monday, March 24, Arts + Literature Laboratory, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m.: The arts help us retain our sanity in a crazy time, so planning for the future of the arts is also essential work. This conference hosted by Create Wisconsin is full of talks and strategies, including the keynote address, “Advocacy and Action to Grow Wisconsin Creatively,” from longtime arts advocates Anne Katz and Carolyn Nelson-Kavajecz. Afternoon sessions (starting at 2 p.m. and open to all without preregistration) focus on plans for the annual Make Music Day held on the summer solstice all over the world. There will be lots of opportunities for networking and collaboration. Register at createwisconsin.org; the conference is a prelude to the legislative advocacy event Create Wisconsin Day on March 25.

Role Model, Tuesday, March 25, The Sylvee, 8 p.m.: Role Model, born Tucker Harrington Pillsbury, is a singer/songwriter whose songs tend to the strummy and winsome, like the hummable “Scumbag” (“I’m a scumbag, I’m a setback…I’m a train wreck”) from his second album, Kansas Anymore. He’s recently been opening for Gracie Abrams; here he’s headlining, with Debii Dawson opening. Dawson, a former contestant on America’s Got Talent, skews folk-pop, with a warm, warbly voice. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Christie Tirado, through April 4, Tandem Press: In the exhibition “Grabando Historias,” UW-Madison master of fine arts candidate Christie Tirado focuses on the stories of immigrant families. The history captured in her prints is both personal (her parents immigrated from Mexico) and drawn from the Mexican diaspora. Regular gallery hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Wednesday-Friday.

Clive Carroll, Wednesday, March 26, Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: This concert should be the pick of the week for fans of acoustic guitar masters. If you’re not familiar with Clive Carroll, here’s a fact that may pique your interest: John Renbourn was an early champion after Carroll’s graduation with honors from studying classical guitar and composition at Trinity College in London, and the duo toured together for a couple years in the early 2000s. If that’s not enough of a recommendation, give an ear to Carroll’s wide-ranging recent livestreams on YouTube. Tickets at theburoakmadison.com.

We Want the Funk! Thursday, March 27, Cardinal Bar, 6:30 p.m.: Premiering April 8 as part of the Independent Lens series on PBS, We Want the Funk! is a new documentary directed by Stanley Nelson and Nicole London. The film traces the genre’s history from its genesis in the 1960s by innovators such as James Brown and his band through its explosion in the 1970s, reverberations through other genres, and reincarnation as hip-hop. This free preview screening hosted by PBS Wisconsin is followed by a dance party with DJ Phil Money.

A Case for the Existence of God, March 27-April 1, Overture Center-Playhouse: Is A Case for the Existence of God a sister play of sorts to Forward’s last production, Summer, 1976? In that play, two moms meet on the playground; here, in Samuel D. Hunter's 2022 play, two dads meet at a loan office; their kids attend the same daycare, and the themes of parenthood, and male friendship, emerge. But from there, things diverge. Hunter’s play is about the complexities in the relationship between two people, gay and straight, Black and white. There are problems here, but the play argues for hope. Shows are 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sundays, plus 2 p.m. performances on April 5 and 12. Tickets at overture.org.

Sebastian Roman Sextet, Thursday, March 27, Cafe Coda, 7:30 p.m.: Saxophonist Sebastian Roman has been putting together some interesting tribute concerts of late, such as a February date with his sextet revisiting albums by Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane. For March, the group will present another classic album: Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley, a one-off studio pairing that hit the Billboard Top 40 album chart in 1962. Handling the vocals will be Emy Castro, and Roman’s band for this date also includes Matt Blair, Jon Garrett, Clay Lyons, Frank McKearn IV and Aden Stier. Tickets at cafecoda.club.

Steep Canyon Rangers, Thursday, March 27, Stoughton Opera House, 7:30 p.m.: Forming as a traditional bluegrass quintet a quarter century ago in North Carolina, the Steep Canyon Rangers have since been both prolific and unafraid to expand their sound — including adding a drummer to their musical mix and collaborating with banjo player/comedy legend Steve Martin. The current six-piece lineup is featured on their most recent album, Live at Greenfield Lake, which is a good sample of what to expect on their spring tour. Tickets at stoughtonoperahouse.com.

Organ Fairchild, Thursday, March 27, Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: In addition to having the best band name of any group that’s played in Madison so far this year, this New York trio is turning critics’ heads across the country. Glide calls the organ-trio-meets-rock-band, “vital, adventurous and alive.” They’re musical alchemists whose ingredients include Steely Dan, The Meters and Soulive. Tickets at theburoakmadison.com.

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