What to do in Madison this weekend: Lamphouse Blue album release, Vixens on Fire and more Isthmus Picks

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Trail Running Film Festival, Thursday, March 28, Barrymore, 6:30 p.m.: Eight short films between six and 20 minutes long make up the roster of the third annual Trail Running Film Festival. Topics range from running in Mexico to rediscovering family heritage (Izta) to a healing journey from cancer (Red Needle). Find more info at trailfilmfest.com, and tickets at barrymorelive.com. Sponsored by The Driftless Trail Collective & Driftless Endurance.

Kathryn Clarenbach, A Force in the Modern Women’s Movement, Thursday, March 28, Zoom, 7 p.m.: Appropriately for Women’s History Month, the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation gives a local hero her due: Kathryn “Kay” Clarenbach influenced the women’s movement in Wisconsin and nationally especially in the 1960s and '70s. Clarenbach was involved with marital property and divorce reform, establishing the Women’s Studies Program at UW-Madison and much more. Speaker Gary Tipler prepared the landmark nomination for the Kathryn Clarenbach Family Residence at 2229 Eton Ridge, Madison. This program is free but note that registration closes at 5 p.m. the day of the event at tickettailor.com.

Steve Hackett, Thursday, March 28, Orpheum Theater, 8 p.m.: We’re surprised this gig didn’t sell out right away. Steve Hackett, the original guitarist for English progressive-rock band turned mainstream superstars Genesis, has released 30 (!) solo albums — including The Circus and The Whale, which dropped Feb. 16. But his current North American tour celebrates the 50th anniversary of Foxtrot, Genesis’ milestone fourth album featuring the band’s longest recorded song, the 23-minute “Supper’s Ready.” Fans also should expect to hear other early-Genesis favorites along with highlights from Hackett’s own nearly 50-year solo career. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Doug E. L. Haynes, through March 29, Neighborhood House: This Madison artist’s hyper-local work will be showcased at “Public Art for the Community” including his murals, collaborative projects, documentary videos and more, as well as a fanciful “selfie station” created for this exhibit. Doug Haynes is also the author of the State Street Coloring Book, and included in the exhibit will be selections from his next work — about the fated-for-demolition UW Humanities building (read Linda Falkenstein’s preview here).

Dead Familiars tape release, Thursday, March 28, The Rigby, 8 p.m.: Madison quartet Dead Familiars celebrates a long-awaited physical release for their Turbinado EP — on cassette, courtesy Kitschy Spirit (the former Madison-based label now at home in the U.P.). The EP’s six cuts of uptempo crunchy-catchy rock made up one of the strongest debut releases of 2020. Also on the bill are Fake Twin and Clean Room.

Flight of Lights, through April 7, Dane County Regional Airport, 7:30-11:30 p.m.: This spring tradition hatched during the first spring of the pandemic, when looking at things happening from inside your car was, indeed, a thing. This massive light display on the International Lane approach to the airport and the "pickup loop" is still fun and bigger every year. Be sure to keep one eye on the road if you're the driver because you don't want to hit anyone making the trek from long-term parking. Note, lighted hours are 7:30-11:30 p.m., so if you're picking someone up at the airport at midnight, you're out of luck. More info at flightoflights.com.

Twilight Bowl, through April 6, Bartell Theatre: Mercury Players' latest production is Twilight Bowl, a 2019 play from lauded Chicago- and Green County-based playwright Rebecca Gilman. A group of young women from a small Wisconsin town face challenges in professional and personal growth but find support and a sense of community at the local bowling alley. Shows at 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday (except 2 p.m. on April 6), and 2 p.m. on March 31. Tickets at bartelltheatre.org.

Rae Senarighi, March 29-May 4, Giant Jones Brewing; reception March 29, 5-9 p.m.: Giant Jones is celebrating Trans Day of Visibility (March 31) all weekend long, starting with an opening reception for a new art exhibit, on display through May 4. The joyful and colorful painted portraits of trans and non-binary individuals by Madison-based artist Rae Senarighi (aka Transpainter) have found an international audience in recent years. The reception (from 5-9 p.m.) also features an acoustic set by Kat and the Hurricane beginning at 6:30 p.m. The celebration continues with a pop-up artisan and vendor market from 3-8 p.m. on March 30 (note: masks required for the first hour). Find more info at giantjones.com.

Overture Galleries reception, Friday, March 29, Overture Center, 5:30-8:30 p.m.: The five exhibits debuting in March at Overture’s gallery spaces aim to see everyday objects in a new light, and make the world more magical. Galleries I, II and III (March 19-June 9) feature paintings by Mary Gill, Lauren Harlowe and Tony Riel, mixed media works by J Myszka Lewis, mosaics by Jessica Laub, and prints and illustrations by Lainey Singer. The Playhouse Gallery (March 12-June 2) features “Realismo Magico: Realidades Soñadas” (“Magical Realism: Dreamed Realities”) by seven artists of the Macondo Project Collective. And the Rotunda Gallery (March 26-June 16) features paintings by Audifax and Joe Landis. A reception takes place on March 29 (note, a reception for the Playhouse Gallery artists took place on March 22).

Webb Wilder & the Beatnecks, Saturday, March 30, Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: Webb Wilder will celebrate his 70th birthday later in May with a show in Nashville, and you can bet it will be a rockin' good time. But you don’t have to wait until May (or travel farther than Winnebago Street) to get in on the action, as Wilder and the Beatnecks are finally making it to Madtown for a show originally scheduled in 2021. It’s a Music Makes a Difference! benefit for the Cap Times' Kids Fund of Madison. Madison blues-roots rock trio Aaron Williams & the Hoodoo will open. Tickets at seetickets.us.

Vixens on Fire, Saturday, March 30, Crucible, 9 p.m.: Vixens on Fire is a showcase celebrating women artists making industrial and metal music, and more. Madison’s own Sensuous Enemy will play songs from the forthcoming album The Awakening, a concept album which aims to provide comfort in life's darker moments, out April 19. Visiting from Chicago are I:Scintilla (whose lead singer, Brittany Bindrim, just released the solo debut Velella Velella) and songwriter-guitarist I Ya Toyah (who also has a new EP, I Am the Fire, out next week). Also, Lilly V. Tänzerin and members of Petrichor Flow Babes will provide fire flow dance performances, and DJ Bandit will spin dance tracks. Tickets at multipass.com.

Comedy Roast of the Easter Bunny, Saturday, March 30, Breese Stevens-Forward Club, 9 p.m.: The modern incarnation of the Easter Bunny has origins in German folklore as a Santa-like arbiter of the behavior of children (and less kid-friendly origins dating to medieval times). The tables will be turned on the Bunny at this Cheshire Cat Comedy event, which features roast-style judgements by comedians portraying characters from folk tales (a leprechaun), pop culture (Darth Vader), and even the ultimate Easter name, Jesus Christ. Tickets at eventbrite.com (Cheshire Cat also hosts a showcase on Easter itself headlined by Mike Lester, 6 p.m. at Crucible).

Lamphouse Blue album release, Saturday, March 30, Harmony Bar, 9 p.m.: After starting as a solo recording project by singer-songwriter Joshua Alley, Lamphouse Blue has grown into a full band project over the past few years. The group’s debut full-length album, Alaska Sky, is filled to the brim with big melodies and big emotions built into cinematically expansive rock arrangements. They celebrate the album’s release at this show, with opener Novel Folly.

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