What to do in Madison this week: The Moonboot, 'Poetry and the Natural World' and more Isthmus Picks

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Michelle Phelps, Monday, May 20, A Room of One's Own, 6 p.m.: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities sociology professor Michelle Phelps will discuss her new book, The Minneapolis Reckoning: Race, Violence, and the Politics of Policing in America, with Madison civil rights advocate Matthew Braunginn. The book traces how Minneapolis almost came to the point of defunding the police after the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, and the city’s grappling with accountability, justice and safety.

Clean Lakes 101, Tuesday, May 21, Edgewater, 4:30 p.m.: By collaborating with a group of governmental and research organizations, the Clean Lakes Alliance keeps a close watch on the quality of the water in the Madison area’s chain of lakes joined by the Yahara River: Kegonsa, Mendota, Monona, Waubesa and Wingra. What they learn each year is compiled by CLA deputy director Paul Dearlove into the “State of the Lakes” report (which in recent times has been included in the entertaining and informative annual Greater Madison Lake Guide publication, out now). Dearlove will discuss data from 2023 at the next Clean Lakes 101 lecture, along with longtime DNR limnologist Dick Lathrop, Dane County Land and Water Resources Department watershed manager Kyle Minks, and meteorologist Dana Fulton. Register at cleanlakesalliance.org.

Stephane Wrembel Quartet, Tuesday, May 21, Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: Guitarist Stephane Wrembel is a modern master of the style of jazz guitar pioneered by Django Reinhardt. And, like Django, Wrembel is always willing to follow his muse where it leads him. Wrembel’s newest project is Triptych: three albums featuring acclaimed pianist Jean-Michel Pilc and woodwinds player Nick Driscoll joining Wrembel’s band, playing new compositions by Wrembel and Pilc (and some Reinhardt numbers, of course). For the Madison show, Wrembel will be joined by his quartet mates Nick Anderson (drums), Ari Folman-Cohen (bass), and Josh Kaye (guitar). Tickets at seetickets.us.

The Moonboot + 20 Minute Mission + The Takeaways, Wednesday, May 22, The Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: This benefit concert for Gaza relief efforts features a triple bill of Madison bands that may bring back fond memories of the grunge days of your youth. The Moonboot is synth-inflected, guitar-driven garage rock (Social Distortion?), 20 Minute Mission is more guitar-heavy grunge (Soundgarden?), and The Takeaways lend a little pop playfulness to their punky speedy metal attack (The Pixies?). At just $10 this is the steal of the week. Earplugs might be a wise precautionary measure. Tickets at seetickets.us.

Xizhou Xie, May 23-July 14, Garver Canvas: Art is an important part of the experience at Garver Feed Mill; director of public programming and business operations Bethany Jurewicz has a master’s degree in contemporary art theory and was determined to include art in the restored space. A spacious room on the first floor known as Garver Canvas is devoted to gallery-style public exhibits. For the next month and a half the space is devoted to the work of Xizhou Xie. “Layers of Self: Exploring Identities” ponders the question “Who am I?” While mostly abstract, Xie’s work does demonstrate some traditional Asian influences. Gallery hours are noon-6 p.m. Thursday and Saturday, noon-8 p.m. Friday and noon-4 p.m. Sunday.

David G. Smith, Thursday, May 23, Harmony Bar, 7 p.m.: If you’ve never been to Nashville’s storied country venue The Bluebird Cafe, now's your chance to experience it on Atwood Avenue. Singer-songwriter David G. Smith has hosted shows at the Bluebird for over a decade and his own folk, rock, and country songs fit right in. He’s also known to play the blues as he has in the studio with players that include Keb' Mo'.

Poetry and the Natural World, Thursday, May 23, Overture-Playhouse, 7 p.m.: As part of its poetry initiative, “Bloom: A Season of Poetry,” the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters is hosting Ada Limón, current poet laureate of the U.S. Limon’s most recent collection, The Hurting Kind (2022), is full of vivid, surprising, arresting poems that startle but do not confuse. Her latest, which she will discuss with former Wisconsin poet laureate Kimberly Blaeser, is an anthology. You are Here: Poetry in the Natural World features 50 previously unpublished poems by American poets. The event will take place in person and online; registration is required at wisconsinacademy.org.

Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully, through May 25, Bartell Theatre: What if you visited your parents in the small town where you grew up, and it happened to be the weekend aliens invaded and surrounded the town with an impregnable force field? That’s the premise of Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully, adapted for the stage by Eddie Robson from his 2012 BBC Radio 4 series. Madison Theatre Guild presents the comedy at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday (except 2 p.m. on May 25) and 2 p.m. on May 19. Tickets at bartelltheatre.org.

Geese, Thursday, May 23, High Noon Saloon, 8 p.m.: 2023 was an eventful year for NYC rockers Geese: a world tour; the release of their second album, 3D Country, and a follow-up companion EP; and a lineup change, with guitarist Foster Hudson taking a leave for college. 3D Country sounds like a ‘70s rock record from a chaotic alternate universe, throwing in pieces of all sorts of other genres and all topped by the unpredictable melodies of vocalist Cameron Winter. Opening is another artist with a knack for melodic surprises: Madison’s own Graham Hunt. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

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