MUSIC
Pop & Rock
SWEEPING PROMISES On their new album “Good Living Is Coming for You,” former Boston DIY denizens Lira Mondal and Caufield Schnug refine their take on post-punk, which combines spiky guitars with persistent hooks. This show celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the local show-promoting collective Illegally Blind. Aug. 12, 8 p.m. Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre, Somerville. crystalballroomboston.com
GLAIVE The 18-year-old Floridian singer and producer’s first album, “I Care So Much That I Don’t Care at All,” is — as its title might indicate — an emotional roller coaster, its scruffy guitars and sticky hooks zig-zagging through the peaks and valleys of modern adolescence. Aug. 14, 8 p.m. Royale. 617-338-7699, royaleboston.com
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JONAS BROTHERS: THE TOUR The hitmaking trio — who staged a soft sonic reboot with their sun-dappled “The Album” earlier this year — will celebrate their discography with this look back at their five-album run, which follows their “one night, one album” Broadway stint from earlier this year. Aug. 15-16, 6:30 p.m. (doors). TD Garden. 617-624-1000, tdgarden.com
MAURA JOHNSTON
Folk, World & Country
GLEN HANSARD AND MARKÉTA IRGLOVÁ It’s been some time since Irish folkie Glen Hansard and his Czech-Icelandic counterpart, Markéta Irglová, made their mark as the Swell Season, first with the soundtrack to the film “Once” and then with an album proper in “Strict Joy.” They’ve released the first music billed as the Swell Season in 14 years with new single, “The Answer Is Yes,” there’s rumors of more to come, and they’ve embarked on a tour that comes to Boston Friday. Aug. 11, 8 p.m. $44-$90. Boch Center Wang Theater, 270 Tremont St. 800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com
BIG SANDY AND HIS FLY-RITE BOYS Rockabilly, western swing, R&B, doo-wop, vintage rock ‘n’ roll — Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys play ‘em all, and they’ve been doing it for 35 years and counting. They’re marking the milestone and surveying that wide musical swath on their current Coral Anniversary Tour. Aug. 12, 9 p.m. $20. The Porch Southern, 175 Rivers Edge Drive, Medford. 781-874-9357, www.theporchsouthern.com
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MAYA DE VITRY Singer-songwriter de Vitry is now three albums into her solo career, with a fourth on the way. She’ll be performing with a full band Sunday and previewing new material; perhaps that will include the autobiographical snapshot provided by her recent single release, “Where I First Loved Singing.” Aug. 13, 7 p.m. $20. Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Cambridge. 617-492-7679, www.passim.org
STUART MUNRO
Jazz & Blues
ALAIN MALLET QUARTET FEATURING JAMEY HADDAD Pianist, composer, and educator Mallet, a French native, has played with everyone from Phil Woods and Paul Simon to Paquito D’Rivera and Madeleine Peyroux. Award-winning percussionist Haddad was in Paul Simon’s band for over two decades, among other accomplishments. Aug. 13, 4 p.m. $25. The Mad Monkfish, 524 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. 617-441-2116, www.themadmonkfish.com
NIKKI HILL WITH LAURA CHAVEZ Extended Play Sessions presents blues, R&B, and soul vocalist Hill and her dynamic band with special guest Chavez, this year’s best-guitarist winner at the Blues Music Awards — the first woman to be so honored in the organization’s 44-year history! Aug. 15, 7 p.m. $50, The Fallout Shelter, 61 Endicott St., Norwood. www.extendedplaysessions.com
TINSLEY ELLIS The acclaimed Atlanta-born bluesman presents a rare evening of acoustic songs and stories in an intimate setting. Aug. 17, 8 p.m. $30. The Center for Arts in Natick, 14 Summer St., Natick. 508-647-0097, www.natickarts.org
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KEVIN LOWENTHAL
Classical
TANGLEWOOD Boston Symphony Orchestra music director Andris Nelsons is back on the podium at Tanglewood this weekend, leading the orchestra and violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter in John Williams’s Violin Concerto No. 2 paired with music by Strauss and Ravel (Aug. 11) and then a Sunday matinee program featuring soprano Renee Fleming singing songs by Strauss, replacing Yo-Yo Ma who withdrew due to COVID-19 (Aug. 13). Saturday evening, Susanna Mälkki conducts the orchestra in a program of Mozart and Bartók with pianist Seong-Jin Cho (Aug. 12). At the Linde Center for Music and Learning, Saturday afternoon includes a multimedia program, exploring the cultural life of the notorious Nazi camp Terezin, led by emeritus BSO violist Mark Ludwig (Aug. 12) and Sunday offers a live recording session of the popular child-friendly podcast “Circle Round” with BSO musicians and special guests including actor Lauren Ambrose and comedian Josh Gondelman (Aug. 13). Lenox. 888-266-1200, www.tanglewood.org
BOSTON LANDMARKS ORCHESTRA Landmarks departs from its usual Wednesday evening time slot for a Saturday evening performance with several special guests including Puerto Rican cuatro player Fabiola Méndez. The program starts off with music by Mozart, Rossini, and Joseph Bologne (subject of the recent movie “Chevalier”) and concludes with music celebrating Latin American cultures, including a world premiere of a new piece composed by Méndez and students from the Hyde Square Task Force. Free; bring your own picnic blanket or lawn chair. Aug. 12, 7 p.m. DCR Hatch Memorial Shell. www.landmarksorchestra.org
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CAPE COD CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL The annual Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival winds up this week, offering a Brahms program in Falmouth by co-directors Jon Manasse (clarinet) and Jon Nakamatsu (piano) with commentary by writer Adam Gopnik (Aug. 14), an evening of music of the Americas in Dennis by Imani Winds (Aug. 16), and the Emerson String Quartet making a stop in Chatham on its farewell tour (Aug. 18). That last one is already sold out (surprise), so get your waitlist seats now. Various venues, Cape Cod. 508-247-9400 www.capecodchambermusic.org
A.Z. MADONNA
ARTS
Theater
FENCES In 1987, August Wilson won both a Pulitzer Prize for drama and a Tony Award for best play with this powerful work. Former Negro League star Troy Maxson (“ranney”), embittered that he never got a shot at Major League baseball, lives with his wife, Rose (Ella Joyce), in the 1950s in Pittsburgh, where he works as a trash collector. Troy clashes with his son, Cory (JāQuan Malik Jones), over the son’s desire to pursue a music career, opening a rupture in the family that proves hard to heal. Directed by Christopher V. Edwards. Through Aug. 27. Shakespeare & Company. Tina Packer Playhouse, Lenox. 413-637-3353, www.shakespeare.org
THE THIN PLACE Play by Lucas Hnath (”A Doll’s House, Part 2,” “Hillary and Clinton”) about the complex interactions between a psychic (D’Arcy Dersham) and a client (Stacy Fischer) seeking to connect with her mother, who suddenly disappeared one day, and her beloved grandmother, who had coached her in ways they might communicate after the grandmother’s death. Also featuring Brenda Withers and Robert Kropf. Directed by Jeff Zinn. Aug. 10-Sept. 3. Harbor Stage Company, Wellfleet. 508-349-6800, www.harborstage.org
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THE DING DONGS Speaking of Withers, a multitalented playwright-actress: Her dark, twisty comedy of possession and dispossession involves a homeowner (Nael Nacer) who finds himself in a disconcerting game of cat-and-mouse with two uninvited visitors (Karl Gregory and Erica Steinhagen). Directed by Rebecca Bradshaw. Aug. 11-27. Gloucester Stage Company, Gloucester. 978-281-4433, www.gloucesterstage.com
DON AUCOIN
Dance
CIRCUS SMIRKUS 2023 NEW ENGLAND TOUR Vermont’s award-winning traveling youth circus is performing 63 presentations throughout New England this summer. The show is “A Midsummer Night’s Circus,” an acrobatic adaptation of Shakespeare’s enchanting comedy. Expect to see the young stars of tomorrow in all manner of derring-do, from aerial acts to juggling. Through Aug. 19. $20-$30. www.smirkus.org
DANCE PRISM BALLET The classically focused Concord-based company, celebrating more than 40 years, presents “Kaleidoscope XXIII.” The annual fund-raising concert showcases historical favorites as well as new choreography by company artistic staff and guests. The 6:30 performance will be followed by a complimentary reception with the cast. Aug. 12. Donation and reservation requested. Umbrella Arts Center, Concord. www.danceprism.com
JACOB’S PILLOW DANCE FESTIVAL The Martha Graham Dance Company headlines the eighth week of the festival, bringing two Graham classics, “Cave of the Heart” and “Errand Into the Maze,” as well as Hofesh Shechter’s rambunctious, high energy “CAVE” (Aug. 16-20). One-night-only performances on the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage during the week include Boston-based Danza Orgánica (Aug. 16) in a special collaboration with members of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe. Choose-What-You-Pay-$90. Becket. www.jacobspillow.org
THE BRIDGE All Things Dance Boston celebrates the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with a multicultural night of dance performances, exhibition battles, and dance cyphers that bring together a variety of movement communities, from Beantown Lockers to Salsa y Control. The 18+ event also includes local fashion vendors and a full bar for 21+. Aug. 12. $20-$25. Sonia Nightclub at The Middle East, Cambridge. www.mideastoffers.com
KAREN CAMPBELL
Visual art
SIMONE LEIGH The first-ever comprehensive survey of the work of Simone Leigh arrived at the Institute of Contemporary Art Boston this spring, a landmark in the ever-expanding career of one of the country’s most visible artists. The exhibition follows a recent international coup: Leigh and the ICA were deep in planning this show when they decided to submit Leigh in competition as official American representative for the 2022 Venice Biennale, which opened there last April to broad accolades. Leigh’s show in Boston brings almost every element of that powerful display home, with significant additions. Always at issue for Leigh is Black representation and history, which she explores through a variety of media; but ceramics is her first language, and at the heart of any of her exhibitions. Through Sept. 4.Institute Of Contemporary Art Boston, 25 Harbor Shore Drive. 617-478-3100, icaboston.org
EDVARD MUNCH: TREMBLING EARTH You can’t think of Munch without your mind immediately turning to “The Scream,” the artist’s 1893 painting that is undeniably among the most famous of all time. But Munch was a revolutionary Modernist in his portrayals of the Norwegian landscape, a shimmering netherworld of dramatic mountains, fjords, and surreal light. This exhibition, conceived with the Munch Museum (Munchmuseet) in Oslo, promises to be the most complete and revelatory display of his work ever to cross the Atlantic. Through Oct. 15. Clark Art Institute. 225 South St., Williamstown. 413-458-2303, www.clarkart.edu
I AM SEEN . . . THEREFORE, I AM: ISAAC JULIEN AND FREDERICK DOUGLASS A lush five-channel video by Julien is the point of entry to this exhibition chronicling the prescient vision of Frederick Douglass, who saw the nascent field of photography as a key weapon in the war for American hearts and minds as abolition gained momentum. For white Americans to think of Black people as something other than chattel property, Douglass believed they would first have to see them as such. Julien’s video captures Douglass, played by the British actor Ray Fearon, opining on American injustice and the power of the photographic image to an array of audiences; beyond it, jewel-like displays of historical portraits of Black Americans, dressed in their best finery, give visual fact to Douglass’s words. Through Sept. 24. Wadsworth Atheneum, 600 Main St., Hartford. 860-278-2670, thewadsworth.org
MURRAY WHYTE
FRANCIS OLSCHAFSKIE The photographer is known for in-camera capture; that means the layers, reflections, and ghostly appearances in his images reflect real-world occurrences, not darkroom tricks. These color prints echo how life swarms with multiple realities. Black-and-white portraits in this show, however, are made with AI. Since AI generates different options all the time, they have something in common with the in-camera color photographs, combining intention and the chance opportunities of a fleeting moment. Aug. 11-30. Schoolhouse Gallery, 494 Commercial St., Provincetown. 508-487-4800, https://galleryschoolhouse.com/
CATE McQUAID
EVENTS
Comedy
DAN ST. GERMAIN “A friend of mine had a Super Mario Brothers-themed wedding two years ago,” says St. Germain, who has written for Bill Burr’s “Immoral Compass” and “The Break with Michelle Wolf.” “And the year after that, he had a regular-themed divorce.” Aug. 11-12, 8 p.m. $30. Off Cabot Comedy and Events, 9 Wallis St., Beverly. www.offcabot.com
RAHUL SUBRAMANIAN Coming off of his Amazon Prime crowd work special, “Rahul Talks to People,” the Indian comic brings a new hour to the Wilbur called “Who Are You?,” which is advertised as being in “Hinglish,” a mix of Hindi and English. Aug. 13, 7 p.m. $39-$50. The Wilbur, 246 Tremont St. www.thewilbur.com
GHOSTED A stand-up show where comedians ghost-write sets for other comedians to perform, and the performers don’t get to see the material before they take the stage. Hosted by Meg Goetz, featuring Roya Hamadani, Amma Marfo, Amily Taradash, Danny Getz, Steph Dalwin, Kristina Feliciano, and Allison Dyen. Aug. 15, 7:30 p.m. $10. Cinema Salem, 1 East India Square, Salem. www.eventbrite.com
NICK A. ZAINO III
Family
BOLTON FAIR Calling all thrill-seekers! Fiesta Shows is hosting the Bolton Fair this weekend, a festival featuring rides, games, food, and live entertainment. Aug. 11-13, Same-day tickets are $5-$10. 318 Seven Bridge Road, Lancaster. boltonfair.org
SEAWEED WALK Join Mass Audubon on an early-morning beach walk scavenging for seaweed. Program leaders will provide attendees with guide books to identify plants and algae that live on the seashore. Aug. 12, 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m. Free. Duxbury Beach, Powder Point Bridge, at the intersection of Gurnet Road and Duxbury Beach. Massaudubon.com
ZOO BOP For music-lovers and bird-watchers, the Franklin Park Zoo is hosting a musical event on its Bird’s World patio. Attendees can enjoy a live DJ, face painting, a bubble show, a photo booth, games, and other activities. There will also be keeper chats, where staff will discuss the zoo’s animal conservation initiatives. Aug. 13, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. included with general zoo admission and free with membership. Franklin Park Zoo, 1 Franklin Park Road, Boston. Zoonewengland.org
ELENA GIARDINA