Isthmus Picks (Aug. 6-13)

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With the print version of Isthmus on pause, we thought it might be handy to have the Picks in a single weekly post. You can still find the Picks in the usual places online: collected here, and sprinkled throughout all the events.

MMoCA Galleries Reopen, Thursday, Aug. 6, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, noon-8 pm: For some there is no greater respite in times of trouble than art. The cool, calming galleries of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art are reopening for musing, meditation and, of course, just appreciating art. Masks are required and visitors should stay 6 feet apart. On view: a video exhibit by Sebura&Gartelmann; collages, watercolors, paintings and prints by Gladys Nilsson (an example pictured above); modernist photography by Wisconsin's James Cagle; and a stunning array of poppy, trippy, design-y work from the Chicago Imagists. Current hours are noon-8 pm Thursdays and Fridays; 10 am-8 pm Saturdays; and noon-5 pm Sundays; 10 am-noon Sundays are reserved for adults 60 and older and those with compromised immune systems.

Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development fundraiser night, Thursday, Aug. 6, Biergarten at Olbrich Park, 4-9 pm: Q: What’s all-outdoors, all-picnic table, social-distance compliant, and features local craft beers? A: The Olbrich Biergarten, on the shore of Lake Monona. The venue is hosting a steady stream of benefits this summer, with a special emphasis on groups working to promote equity in Madison. This evening benefits Nehemiah: Center for Urban Leadership Development in its goal of empowering African Americans to bring about hope, transformation and justice. All profits benefit the organization.

Racial Equity In Madison Music, Thursday, Aug. 6, 6 pm: Back when live music was a thing, Madison had real issues with equity in the music scene, with hip-hop artists and artists of color finding it difficult to book and perform shows. In 2018, performer and activist Rob Dz and Urban Community Arts Network president Karen Reece led a task force that created a comprehensive report on systemic racism in the music community, as well as steps to address inequities. Now, with the picture complicated by COVID-19, there needs to be a strategy for emerging from the pandemic with a plan. Reece and Dz host a virtual teach-in on how to improve the Madison scene; the first 100 people can register to join on Zoom, or view a livestream on UCAN's Facebook page.

Lanterns for Peace, Thursday, Aug. 6, 7:30 pm: 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of atomic bombs being dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. Madison has remembered those lives and all others who died in wars each August for many years with the launch of illuminated paper boats, most recently at Tenney Park. This year Physicians for Social Responsibility Wisconsin is hosting the event virtually, on Zoom and Facebook, with a sing-along and a launch of lanterns created by members of the public during the last few weeks.

Desolation Center, Friday, Aug. 7, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, sundown (8 pm): MMoCA is cautiously restarting its Rooftop Cinema series, following Dane County's current limits on capacity. And the museum has some important safety protocols in place: Wear a mask and bring your own chair or blanket for distanced seating. The film is the award-winning Desolation Center, about an early 1980s punk rock gathering in the Mojave desert that included Sonic Youth, Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Savage Republic and more. Advance tickets ($5) are required. The series continues on Fridays through August, unless precluded by COVID-19 conditions.

In-Person Absentee Voting, Through Aug. 8, various locations: In the aftermath of the chaotic April election, which was held in person despite concerns about COVID-19, the Madison City Clerk’s Office worked with Public Health Madison & Dane County to develop plans for the fall elections, including the Aug. 11 partisan primary. Madison voters can now cast absentee ballots at drive-up voting locations around the city. Because this will be done entirely outside, call 608-266-4601 or check the website for the clerk’s office if the weather is looking iffy. Upon arriving, there are some rules to follow: If you are planning to use your own blue or black ballpoint pen to mark your ballot, wave your pen when the absentee ballot clerk approaches your vehicle. Have your ID handy so that the clerk can check it through the car window. For voters who need to register, the clerk will also be able to view the voter’s proof of address through the window, but you will need to vote by Aug. 7 (times on Aug. 8 will be available for pre-registered voters). Absentee clerks will be wearing face masks and high visibility vests and will disinfect pens, clipboards and envelope sealers after each use. For an updated list of absentee voting locations and times, as well as drop-off spots for ballots received by mail, see our calendar or the city clerk’s website.

College Behind Bars, Friday, Aug. 7, 6:30 pm: Get a 30-minute taste of College Behind Bars, a four-hour documentary by Ken Burns, on a New York state prison program in which inmates can earn college degrees. It can be a transformational experience. We now have a program in Wisconsin where some inmates can earn college degrees and two of the principals involved in that program — Peter Moreno, director of Odyssey Beyond Bars, and Kevin Mullen, UW Odyssey Project co-director — will be part of an online panel discussion following the screening. Salimah El-Amin, producer of College Behind Bars, and Dyjuan Tatro with Bard Prison Initiative, will also be part of the conversation and Q&A. Register here for this event, hosted by First Unitarian Society.

Donna Woodall Trio, Sunday, Aug. 9, 5 pm: The latest entrant into the livestream concert scene is Jazz on a Sunday, a collaborative effort by Arts + Literature Laboratory, Madison Music Collective and North Street Cabaret. The series kicks off with a trio led by Milwaukee singer-songwriter Donna Woodall, who blends jazz, folk and soul in her original songs and covers from various genres. Donations are encouraged during the Facebook Live concert.

Brat Fest Auction, Through Aug. 23: One of the fundraisers Madison missed this summer was Brat Fest, which not only traditionally kicks off the summer grilling season with brats and bands, but is a big boost to local charities. The Metcalfe's Market folks, who started Brat Fest lo these many years ago in the Hilldale parking lot (back when Hilldale had a parking lot), continue working to make up for the fundraising aspect by holding a virtual auction, with $40,000 in goods and experiences, including things you just need and things you just want. And yes: You can bid on a case of Johnsonville brats to create your own Brat Fest. Log on to bid, maybe win, and support local nonprofits. See bratfest.com to register; preview items here.

John Galligan, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 7 pm: Summer is a great time to pick up a mystery. Madison's John Galligan knows how to write good ones; plus, he sets them in southern Wisconsin — witness his series of fly-fishing-related mysteries set in the Driftless. In his latest, Dead Man Dancing, the setting is the fictional "Bad Axe County," where they're prepping to celebrate Syttende Mai — or Norwegian Independence Day. Sound familiar? Sheriff Heidi Kick is looking into a cage fighting ring with ties to white nationalists, when her husband goes missing. Galligan will discuss the book with Doug Moe in this virtual Mystery to Me event, on Crowdcast.

Yahara Lakes 101, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 8 am: The Pheasant Branch Conservancy is a jewel in the middle of Middleton, with a pleasant, winding walking trail along Pheasant Branch creek south of Century Avenue. If venturing into the (much larger) section of the Conservancy north of Century Avenue, you can essentially walk all the way out of town before you know it, and also encounter a variety of landforms, from forest to prairie to marsh. The Conservancy will be growing to the north, following the purchase of a 160-acre former dairy farm for conservation as a prairie restoration. During this Clean Lakes Alliance livestream, the project will be discussed by Lloyd Eagan, co-president of the conservancy's friends group; Dane County Executive Joe Parisi; and Middleton’s Water Resources Commission member Kenneth Potter. RSVP for a link.

Melissa Faliveno, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 6 pm: Releasing a new book during a pandemic is tricky. But Melissa Faliveno's new book of essays on Midwestern life — Tomboyland — is worth seeking out. You can order it in hardcover or paperback through A Room of One's Own, which is also hosting a virtual conversation by Faliveno and LAMBDA Literary Award winner Melissa Febos (author of Abandon Me). Tomboyland charts Faliveno's childhood and adolescence in nearby Mount Horeb, where the author recalls the 1984 Barneveld tornado and her shifts in consciousness as she comes to terms with queerness and Midwestern values.

Forward Festival, Aug. 13-20: The annual Forward Festival celebrates Wisconsin innovators and creators with a wide range of events open to all, from speakers to networking socials to pitch opportunities for entrepreneurs. This year most events are free with a Forward Pass, which itself is also free of charge in 2020 as Forward pivots to mostly online presentations. Registration gets you access to the fest app and event platform.