What to do in Madison this week: Rodney Crowell, 'Words with Nerds' and more Isthmus Picks

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Avatar, Tuesday, Nov. 18, The Sylvee, 7:30 p.m.: It makes sense that Avatar’s latest album, Don’t Go In the Forest, dropped on Halloween. After all, this Swedish metal band built its reputation on dramatic live shows, elaborate stage costumes, dark fantasy themes and a serrated yet melodic sound. On stage, Avatar takes those traits to an extreme, and the new album — laced with elements of death metal, arena rock and industrial music on such curious song titles as “Captain Goat,” “Death and Glitz,” “Take This Heart and Burn It” and “Magic Lantern” — promise to turn the circus that is always an Avatar show into something even more raucous. With Alien Weaponry and SpiritWorld. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Justin Weis, Tuesday, Nov. 18, UW Hamel Music Center-Collins Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.: The euphonium, a brass instrument, is not often performed solo but the work of Milwaukee native Justin Weis could help change that. Weis has performed works from the classical repertoire back to the 18th century, but also works to advance music newly written for the instrument, sometimes blending it with electronic aspects, live looping, and more avant-garde settings. He will perform a solo recital as part of the Mead Witter School of Music’s Guest Artist Series. Tickets at artsticketing.wisc.edu.

Rodney Crowell, Tuesday, Nov. 18, Atwood Music Hall, 7:30 p.m.: Together with Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell turned country music inside out with his legendary Hot Band of the 1970s. And the 75-year-old, two-time Grammy winner hasn’t let up a bit. Airline Highway, his just released album, mines reliable themes of love and loss only this time infused with the sensibilities of the next generation of Americana artists, including contributions by Lukas Nelson. The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer is supported on this tour by another great story-song writer and multi-instrumentalist, Iowa’s William Elliott Whitmore. Tickets at theatwoodmusichall.com.

Pablo Delano, through Dec. 14, Chazen Museum of Art: This exhibit, “cuestiones caribeñas/caribbean matters,” has been described as a “meditation on the Caribbean condition.” Artist Pablo Delano works in varied media — sculpture, photography and assemblage. The exhibition focuses on his upbringing in 1950s Puerto Rico, and encompasses Caribbean culture. The multifaceted show touches on many current topics: migration, colonialism, tourism, gender and race.

Modeling, Tuesday, Nov. 18, Gamma Ray, 8 p.m.: The songs on Modeling’s 2022 album, Somewhere Before, employ synths and beats to build emotionally arresting soundscapes that sound like something from a forgotten 1980s movie (or, on songs such as “Lodestone,” a lost OMD B-side). The Arkansas brother band is on a Midwest tour, joined for the Madison date by pop eclecticists Educational Davis and dance-friendly Drive-a-Tron. Tickets at gammaray.bar.

Hunter Root, Wednesday, Nov. 19, Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: If you had to make up a name for a rocking but acoustic artist who tells straightforward stories without pathos, “Hunter Root” would fit the bill exactly. The Pennsylvania-based songwriter has a new album, Crooked Home, that’s lively but introspective. While the songs are in part a tribute to Root’s brother, who died in 2021, the album isn’t a downer. Tickets at theburoakmadison.com.

Planets as Stars, through Nov. 22, ART House 360, Verona: Theatre LILA returns with Planets as Stars, a one-woman show from Gina Cornejo and directed by ART House 360 founder Jessica Lanius. Cornejo, an assistant director at American Players Theatre, is also a performer and storyteller as well as a “self-proclaimed professional feelings-haver.” This evening of immersive storytelling deals with intimate topics like divorce and later-life queerness, But also, dance breaks! Shows are at 7 p.m. Thursday-Friday and 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday, plus 3 p.m. on Nov. 16. Tickets at theatrelila.com.

Words with Nerds, Thursday, Nov. 20, Crucible, 7 p.m.: This recurring variety show from Cheshire Cat Comedy mixes talks by experts on wide-ranging topics with stand-up and other entertainment. This month’s wild card is burlesque performer Amara Sky, who starred in a past event as Bill Nye getting down with it. Subjects include research on nurse sharks by UW-Madison associate professor Aaron LeBeau, a discussion of the Rapture as depicted in theology and Hollywood by UW-Stevens Point associate professor (and Slashback Cinema podcast host) Shanny Luft, and snake reproduction by UW doctoral candidate (and Atlas Improv member) Holly Rucker. Sasha Rosser hosts. Tickets at eventbrite.com.

Johnny Chimes Trio, Thursday, Nov. 20, North Street Cabaret, 7 p.m.: Johnny Chimes is a Madison music scene mainstay playing solo piano and singing New Orleans-styled blues, with a residency at Louisianne’s in Middleton for three decades and counting. Chimes also plays acoustic guitar, which will be the focus of an upcoming album release. Get a preview of some of the album’s songs at this trio concert, also featuring Tom McCarty (Birddog Blues Band) on bass and Al Falaschi (Steely Dane) on drums. Tickets at eventbrite.com.

inertia follies, through Nov. 23, Broom Street Theater: Directed by performance artist Chelsea Gaspard, “inertia follies” focuses on experimental performance art, “across multiple disciplines,” according to Gaspard. Gaspard will perform Molting in a Saturn Shell, about “the vulnerability of shedding layers of Self within a hostile environment.” The show will also include work by Malcolm McCanles, Andrieu Todd, Spenser Wise and Kate Wydeven, and Gaspard calls it a “living, breathing experiment, [that] will develop according to the selected artists.” Performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

Little Women, through Nov. 23, UW Vilas Hall-Mitchell Theatre: If there is a limit to what material can be turned into a musical, Broadway has not located it yet. Little Women, based on the iconic novel by Louisa May Alcott, puts fledgling writer Jo March’s aspirations and heartaches to song. As literary sisters to generations of American girls, Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth are relatable models as they cope with the Civil War, poverty, jealousy and loss. University Theatre performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, plus 2 p.m. on Nov. 22. Tickets at artsticketing.wisc.edu.

Gutenberg! The Musical! through Nov. 30, Overture-Playhouse: If a couple of newbies staging an implausible Broadway musical sounds like a plot you’ve heard before (The Producers), you’re not entirely wrong. But unlike the protagonists in the storied Mel Brooks comedy, the two behind this unlikely show, Bud and Doug, truly believe in its worth. Gutenberg! The Musical!, about the inventor of the printing press and his love for his assistant, Helvetica, is a charmer. This Forward Theater production is directed by Jen Uphoff Gray; performances are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday (no shows Nov. 26-27), 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday (no early show Nov. 8) and 2 p.m. Sunday, plus 2 p.m. Nov. 28. Read Lauren Hafeman’s review here. Tickets at overture.org.

The Gulf, through Nov. 22, Bartell Theatre: StageQ takes on this Lambda Literary Award-winner by Audrey Cefaly. The Gulf examines a committed lesbian relationship from the confines of a small rowboat. Out looking for fish, the two women converse, at first desultorily, then with deeper undercurrents. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday (except 2 p.m. on Nov. 22) and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets at bartelltheatre.org.

Low Czars 20th anniversary, Thursday, Nov. 20, High Noon Saloon, 8 p.m.: It started as a one-off cover band for a wedding, and yet the band that’s been described as a “power-pop/garage-rock/R&B/psych institution” (and not by us, either, but by Tone Madison) is still at it two decades later. (Isthmus calendar editor Bob Koch is a vocalist and guitarist with the band.) You might hear a song you recognize, but more often the setlist is peppered with deep cuts from cult favorites or lesser known garage bands. No matter the song, the performances are good natured, tuneful, rocking and surprising in equal measure. The Apologists, who have described themselves as “garage country,” open.

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