BOSTON LYRIC OPERA Tenor Lawrence Brownlee helms the cast of Mozart’s “Mitridate, re di Ponto,” written during the composer’s teenage wunderkind days; James Darrah stage directs the production at the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre (Sept. 13 and 15). Two months later, it’s around the corner to the Emerson Colonial Theatre for a one-night only concert performance of Verdi’s “Aida,” featuring soprano Michelle Johnson in the title role in a cast that also includes Diego Torre as Radames and Alice Chung as Amneris. The BLO Opera Chorus joins forces with the Back Bay Chorale for the Triumphal March in Act II (Nov. 10). 617-542-6772, blo.org – A.Z. Madonna

KAY WALKINGSTICK / HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL Renowned painter Kay WalkingStick, who is Cherokee, has made a lifelong project of landscape painting from an Indigenous perspective. She subverts the romantic gaze of colonial Europeans who regarded North America as an untouched wilderness and supplants it with visions of the so-called New World as a cradle of North American culture and civilization for centuries before them. In this show, her specific target is the Hudson River School, who filtered the terrain of upstate New York through beatific visions of Christian providence; her responses resituate those treacly notions in the true context of an ancient people that were there long before. Through Feb. 2. The Addison Gallery of American Art at Philips Academy, 180 Main St., Andover. 978-749-4000, addison.andover.edu – Murray Whyte

CONJURING THE SPIRIT WORLD: ART, MAGIC, AND MEDIUMS The confluence of art and quasi-mysticism is deep and centuries old — pick an animist faith, and you’ll find no shortage of expressive imagery to accompany it. But the Spiritualist movement of the late 19th and early 20th century in Europe and North America emerged as a unique counterpoint — and in some cases, complement — to the rise of Modernism, with its science-minded empiricism. At their intersection, inevitably, was art, capturing their radically different ways of understanding an increasingly complex world. This show explores that intersection with an array of paintings, posters, photographs, stage apparatuses, costumes, film, and publications. Through Feb. 2. Peabody Essex Museum, 161 Essex St., Salem. 978-745-9500, pem.org – MW

JPEGMAFIA Embracing electronic glitchiness, odd samples, and a chronically online sense of humor, the Baltimore-turned-LA rapper’s profile has seen a slow but steady rise. Now at the forefront of underground hip-hop, he’s earned collaborations with major names like Detroit rapper Danny Brown, and recently released his fifth solo album, “I Lay Down My Life for You.” Sept. 15, 8 p.m. Roadrunner. 888-929-7849, roadrunnerboston.com – Henry Bova

ASHMONT HILL CHAMBER MUSIC This Dorchester-based series continues to present the rising generation of performers in a cozy environment; this fall’s lineup includes a recital program from pianist Zhu Wang (Sept. 15), an Afrofuturist afternoon curated and performed by marimba player Steph Davis (Oct. 6), and a triptych program of Mozart, Dvořák, and Reena Esmail by the American-Canadian Callisto Quartet (Nov. 17). Peabody Hall, All Saints Church, Dorchester. ahchambermusic.org – AZM

SHABOOZEY Top 40 listeners hopped on the alt-country artist’s bandwagon this year after hearing his two Beyoncé collabs on “Cowboy Carter” and his own chart-topping feat, the stomp-and-holler single “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” His May album, “Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going,” wrangles elastic hip-hop, classic twang, and soft-strummed folk into a soundtrack for stumbling between honky-tonks. Sept 16., 7 p.m. Royale. 617-338-7699, royaleboston.com – Victoria Wasylak

KEHLANI The California artist’s diverse pair of summer releases — the vibrating LP “CRASH” and the ‘90s-tinged mixtape “While We Wait 2″ — flaunts Kehlani’s agility when swimming through R&B’s silky past and vaulting through its trap-flecked future, all in the same season. Sept. 17, 8 p.m. MGM Music Hall at Fenway. 617-488-7540, crossroadspresents.com – VW

HUGH HAYDEN: HOME WORK Hayden’s first solo exhibition in New England brings with it a decade’s worth of work centered on his prickly vision of the American Dream — a school desk studded with thorns, un-sittable chairs sprouting thickets of branches, and, in a holistic metaphor of unattainability, cookie-cutter tract homes so tangled with overgrowth that entering is an impossibility. Hayden’s work, which ranges from the sculptural to the architectural, portrays that dream as “seductive but difficult to inhabit,” a bald truth in this era of housing inaffordability. Sept. 18 to June 1. Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University, 415 South St., Waltham. 781-736-3434, brandeis.edu/rose – MW

CUPCAKKE With a reputation as one of the raunchiest and most absurdly fun emcees of her class, CupcakKe’s boldness is not for everyone. Since breaking out in the 2010s, her energy and penchantsion for penning ludicrous lyrics shine through and create an entertaining environment, especially in a live setting. Sept. 19, 8 p.m. Big Night Live. 617-896-5222, bignightlive.com – HB

JOKE WRITER: CASEY CRAWFORD For about a decade, The Rockwell has been a great room for comedians to record albums. Casey Crawford, who is a killer with an off-beat one-liner, joins their ranks with this show, which he is recording to print on vinyl and sell at his shows. Rob Crean hosts and Janet McNamara features. Sept. 20, 7 p.m. The Rockwell, Somerville. 617-628-4445, therockwell.org – Nick A. Zaino III

MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO A mix of rage, sorrow, and indomitable hope, “No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin” easily traverses jazzy dub grooves, singer-songwriter tunefulness, and spoken-word declamation. The Grammy-winning bassist, singer, and composer brings a band that includes some of the core group from this profoundly affecting album, including guitarist Chris Bruce, drummer Abe Rounds, singer Justin Hicks, poet Staceyann Chin, as well as keyboardists Jebin Bruni and Jake Sherman. Sept. 20, 7 p.m. The Center for the Arts at the Armory, Somerville. 617-718-2191, artsatthearmory.org – Jon Garelick

FIGHT NIGHT File this under: Democracy is messy. While not tied to any particular campaign, candidate, or ideology, but nonetheless timely, “Fight Night” aims to get audiences to rethink “how — and why — they vote.”Round by round, with prompts and questions and input from spin doctors, the audience learns information about each candidate while the host takes steps to “derail the candidates’ best intentions.’’ Sept. 20-21. Production by Ontroerend Goed, of Belgium, presented by ArtsEmerson at Emerson Paramount Center, Boston. 617-824-8400, artsemerson.org – Don Aucoin

URINETOWN: THE MUSICAL After a lengthy water shortage, private toilets are banned and public toilets are controlled by a single, all-powerful corporation, which charges a fee to use them. But rebels are determined to fight back. A satirical musical directed by Courtney O’Connor, with music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann and a book and lyrics by Greg Kotis. Sept. 20-Oct. 20. Lyric Stage Company of Boston. 617-585-5678, lyricstage.com – DA

A FAR CRY The conductorless chamber orchestra starts out on the smaller side, with an intimate chamber program of Hungarian and Taiwanese music for strings at St. John’s Church in Jamaica Plain (Sept. 21). Then, the full orchestra teams up with the adventurous and incisive bass-baritone Davóne Tines at NEC’s Jordan Hall for “Coded,” a program exploring the legacy and history of Black spirituals by way of Dvořák, Harry Burleigh, Frederick Tillis, and a new piece by Tyshawn Sorey (Oct. 11). The orchestra returns to Jordan Hall the next month for a global dance-themed program representing tango, African dance, contemporary pop, and much more (Nov. 8). 617-553-4887, afarcry.org – AZM

KNEECAP Hailing from Belfast, the trio creates music that is ferocious and politically charged, with songs fluidly fusing modern hip-hop sounds and a punk ethos, adeptly shifting between languages (English and Irish). The group recently made a name for itself in the film industry, releasing a 2024 comedy-drama biopic on Kneecap’s ascent, which also stars actor Michael Fassbender. Sept. 21, 8 p.m. Paradise Rock Club. 617-562-8800, crossroadpresents.com – HB

JAMES CARTER Rightly acknowledged as a true monster of jazz saxophone and all manner of reed instruments, with vast technical skill and deep grounding in the music’s history, Carter is here found in his most gritty and soulful format, the organ trio. He’s joined by regular trio mates Gerard Gibbs on organ and Alex White on drums. Sept. 21, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Scullers Jazz Club. 617-562-4111, scullersjazz.com – JGarelick

DOLLS ON TOUR Violet Stanza is a singer-songwriter and Sunny Laprade is a stand-up comedian and writer. They are best friends, trans women performers, and they are hitting the road presenting this variety show that’s half music, half comedy, and a little bit of a free-for-all in between. Sept. 22, 5:30 p.m. The Lilypad, Cambridge. 617-955-7729, lilypadinman.com – NZ

RORY MCEWEN: A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON NATURE A first, at least for me, is an art exhibition around here featuring London’s renowned Kew Royal Botanic Gardens as a partner. But McEwen, a Scottish painter focused on flowers and plants, is, if you’ll pardon the pun, a natural fit. Painted frequently on translucent vellum, McEwen’s flora appear to float in space, divorced from their natural context, leaving them isolated in their singular beauty, and charging them with an eerily elegiac air. Sept. 26-Dec. 15. Davis Museum at Wellesley College, 106 Central St., Wellesley. 781-283-2051, wellesley.edu/davismuseum – MW

LAURA CANTRELL As often as not, Laura Cantrell gets tagged as an Americana artist, but put the ambiguity of that tag aside; she is nothing if not a country singer, and she’ll be here, singing the songs from “Just Like a Rose — The Anniversary Sessions,” her recent record celebrating 20 years of being a country singer. Sept. 27, 8 p.m. Club Passim, Cambridge. 617-492-7679, passim.org – Stuart Munro

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS A pair of con artists — silky-smooth Lawrence (Matthew Zahnzinger) and crass Freddy (Phil Tayler) — team up to swindle the newly arrived Christine (Shonna McEachern) on the French Riviera. Based on the 1988 film with Michael Caine, Steve Martin, and Glenne Headley. With music and lyrics by David Yazbek (“The Band’s Visit”) and a book by Jeffrey Lane. Directed by Allison Olivia Choat. Sept. 27-Oct. 13. Moonbox Productions at Arrow Street Arts, Cambridge. 617-299-2300, arrowstarts.org/drs – DA

THE DEAD TONGUES Ryan Gustasfson, who performs as the Dead Tongues, comes our way on the heels of releasing a double album of his self-described “ramblings and fever dreams.” The first, “Body of Light,” offers his characteristic idiosyncratic takes on folk and loping country and gives way to extended instrumentals and recitations wrapped in stately piano and noir-ish jazz on its companion, “I Am a Cloud.” Sept. 28, 7 p.m. Red Room at Café 939. 857-337-6206, berklee.edu/cafe939 – SM

CÉCILE MCLORIN SALVANT With accolades that include prizes from the 2010 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, a 2020 MacArthur Foundation “genius” fellowship, and three best jazz vocal album Grammys, Salvant has transcended the category of “jazz singer,” matching vocal command with conceptual daring. She’s joined for this show by Boston pianist Glenn Zaleski. Sept. 28, 8 p.m. Groton Hill Music Center, Groton. 978-486-9524, grotonhill.org – JGarelick

LEWIS BLACK: GOODBYE YELLER BRICK ROAD, THE FINAL TOUR This is the last time you’ll see Black come through Boston, at least as part of an official tour. This is his second Wilbur show of the tour, after stopping here in March, and the “Daily Show” commentator and voice of anger in Pixar’s “Inside Out” is winding down his life as a road warrior. Sept. 28-29, 7 p.m. The Wilbur. 617-248-9700, thewilbur.com – NZ

RAY WYLIE HUBBARD This iconic singer-songwriter first came to our attention during the halcyon days of ‘70s Texas country music. Now pushing toward 78 years of age, lately (on his last two albums, “Co-Starring” and “Co-Starring Too”) he’s been wrangling influences, followers, and friends for raucous collaborations. Sept. 29, 7:30 p.m. City Winery. 617-933-8047, citywinery.com/boston – SM

ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM The museum’s Calderwood Hall hosts events including a centennial celebration for American composer Julia Perry with Castle of our Skins (Sept. 29); recitals by pianists Awadagin Pratt (Oct. 20) and Fazil Say (Nov. 17); and a Julius Eastman portrait concert featuring museum-commissioned choreography by Kyle Marshall (Nov. 24). 617-566-1401, www.gardnermuseum.org – AZM

COREY MANNING’S YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL A one-person show dealing with heavy issues, starting with Manning’s own bout with prostate cancer and including diversity, equity, and inclusion, bullying, and substance abuse. “It’s the kind of show that’ll have people laughing, reflecting, and hopefully, walking away with a new perspective,” says Manning. Sept. 29, 7 p.m. Sanctuary, Maynard. 978-933-1476, sanctuarymaynard.com – NZ

BRITTANY HOWARD AND MICHAEL KIWANUKA This musical matchup worked in the 2010s — when Howard’s prior band, Alabama Shakes, tapped the British singer-songwriter to open a handful of shows — and it’s just as fresh in 2024. With modern-rock deity Howard touting her audacious, genre-stacking sophomore record, “What Now,” and Kiwanuka gliding through his catalog of lithe folk and funk, this is one of the most soul-stirring pairings of the year. Sept. 30, 7 p.m. Roadrunner. 888-929-7849, roadrunnerboston.com – VW

CHRIS GETHARD AND EDDIE PEPITONE An odd but perfect pairing, Gethard is forever hopeful, even as he works through the worst of life’s problems. Pepitone revels in the absurdity of hopelessness, reducing it to a point where all you can do is laugh. With Keegan Tindall. Oct. 2, 8 p.m. Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre, Somerville. 617-245-2900, crystalballroomboston.com – NZ

CHROMEO AND THE MIDNIGHT This tag team bill encapsulates the duality of today’s electro-pop duos: sleazy synth coquetry from Chromeo — who earlier this year released its sixth studio album, “Adult Contemporary” — and chilled, top-down cruisers courtesy of The Midnight. Oct. 2, 6 p.m. Roadrunner. 888-929-7849, roadrunnerboston.com – VW

THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE An eccentric woman named Trudy (Kathryn Van Meter) tries to explain the behavior of earthlings to her “space chums” in this solo play by Jane Wagner. Lily Tomlin’s brilliant portrayal of Trudy and more than a dozen other characters on Broadway in 1985 made this one of Tomlin’s signature roles. Directed by Courtney Sale. Oct. 2-20. Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Nancy L. Donahue Stage, Lowell. 978-654-4678, mrt.org – DA

BOSTON BAROQUE Founding music director Martin Pearlman has announced that 2024-25 will be his final season leading Boston Baroque, and they’re kicking it off with Haydn’s beloved oratorio “The Creation,” featuring the company debuts of soloists Hera Hyesang Park (soprano), Paul Appleby (tenor), and Nicholas Newton (bass-baritone). Oct. 4, 8 p.m., NEC’s Jordan Hall; Oct. 5, 8 p.m., GBH Calderwood Studio. 617-987-8600, baroque.boston – AZM

BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA The BSO presents several intriguing musical happenings this autumn at Symphony Hall and beyond, including Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 (“Symphony of a Thousand” with a starry loadout of soloists and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus (Oct. 4-6), a Duke Ellington tribute with conductor Thomas Wilkins and vocalist Renese King (Nov. 7 and 9), and the first Symphony Hall performances of Kevin Puts’s Georgia O’Keeffe-inspired “The Brightness of Light” with soprano Renée Fleming. Also of note: a free Boston Symphony Chamber Players concert curated by composer chair Carlos Simon at the South End’s Union United Methodist Church, featuring plenty of pieces from the “Blacknificent 7″ composer collective. Symphony Hall. 617-266-1200, bso.org – AZM

SUNNY SWEENEY Given the songs she writes and the voice with which she brings them to life, that Sunny Sweeney hasn’t enjoyed greater commercial success is an enduring mystery. But the upside for us is that we can see her ply her contemporary honky-tonk — on this tour with a full band — in an intimate venue like this one. Oct. 5, 8 p.m. North Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, North Andover. crossroadsmusicseries.org – SM

EDMAR COLÓN Colón, 32, is not only a virtuoso saxophonist but, as a composer, has become a favorite of the Boston Pops Orchestra (its spring 2024 season included a couple of movements from his Saxophone Concerto No. 1, played by Branford Marsalis). The Puerto Rican-born Colón will be joined for this show by a quartet that includes his senior Berklee faculty colleague Terri Lyne Carrington on drums. Oct. 5, 3 p.m. Free. Roxbury Community College Media Arts Center. 617-482-2595, celebrityseries.org – Jon Garelick

JD MCPHERSON After not having put out an album of original music in six years (he’s been spending a lot of time lately playing guitar for Robert Plant and Alison Krauss), JD McPherson has a forthcoming record, “Nite Owls,” that is being advertised as a bit of a changeup — “like if the late-’60s Ventures were the session band on the first New Order record,” says he. If that prospect makes you nervous, fear not; new songs like “Shine Like Gold” still sound like vintage JD. Oct. 6, 8 p.m. The Sinclair, Cambridge. 617-547-5200, sinclaircambridge.com – SM

LUPE FIASCO For more than 20 years, the Chicago lyricist has wooed audiences with an eccentric array of ideas and intricate lyricism, which are set to shine during his latest tour this year. The string of live shows will present offerings off his high-concept, well-reviewed 2024 concept album, “Samurai,” which re-envisioned Amy Winehouse as a battle rapper (seriously). Oct. 6, 8 p.m. Royale. 617-338-7699, royaleboston.com – HB

KRIS DAVIS TRIO One of the most highly anticipated releases of the year is pianist and composer Kris Davis’s “Run the Gauntlet” (Sept. 27), a survey of women composers and pianists who have inspired her, from Geri Allen and Carla Bley to Angelica Sanchez and Renee Rosnes. For this free show, presented by Berklee’s Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice (where she is an associate program director), Davis is joined by her formidable trio mates from the new disc, Robert Hurst on bass and Jonathan Blake on drums. Oct 7, 7 p.m. Free. Red Room at Café 939. 617-747-2261, berklee.edu – JGarelick

JOEL ROSS Though he’s a star on his instrument, vibraphonist and composer Joel Ross’s music is more about ensemble interaction, collective mood and flow rather than solo flash — his recent “nublues” being a prime example, warm and spirited. He comes to the Regattabar with tenor saxophonist María Grand, pianist Jeremy Corren, bassist Kanoa Mendenhall, and drummer Joe Dyson. Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Regattabar, Cambridge. 617-661-5099, regattabarjazz.com – JGarelick

NATIONAL BALLET OF UKRAINE Ukraine’s official ballet company makes its first visit to the US since the dissolution of the USSR. The program will include Fokine’s “The Dying Swan” and excerpts from “Giselle” and “Don Quixote,” as well as folk dances from the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers, all performed against a 3-D LED backdrop intended to bring “the beauty and spirit of Ukraine to life.” A portion of the proceeds from the company’s US and Canadian tour will benefit HUMANITE. Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m., Boch Center Shubert Theatre. bochcenter.org – Jeffrey Gantz

CHARLES ATLAS: ABOUT TIME The first museum survey exhibition of the work of the legendary multidisciplinary artist, “About Time” comprises 50 years of Atlas’s idiosyncratic oeuvre of multi-channel video installation. It explores the artist’s involvement in avant-garde dance movements and performance art in collaboration with such luminaries as Merce Cunningham and Marina Abramovich. Oct. 10-March 16. Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, 25 Harbor Shore Drive. 617-478-3100, icaboston.org – MW

BILLIE EILISH The pop maverick’s third record, “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” will bathe arenas in Eilish’s wise-beyond-her-years songcraft and wistful blues. But noirish material from her teen years — think of the unnerving venom coursing through “bury a friend” or “you should see me in a crown” — is sure to creep into the set. Oct. 11, 7 p.m. TD Garden. 617-624-1000, tdgarden.com – VW

AS WE ARE With 14 young artists either from Maine or Maine-adjacent — whether by education, community, or inspiration — this exhibition serves as a showcase for the state’s vibrant creative culture, both at home and dispersed throughout the country and world. Spanning painting, drawing, photography, ceramics, and sculpture, a diverse array of work helps demonstrate the breadth of the state’s contemporary cultural life. Oct. 11 to April 27. Portland Museum of Art, 7 Congress Square, Portland. 207-775-6148, portlandmuseum.org – MW

BOSTON MODERN ORCHESTRA PROJECT History may not repeat, but some say it rhymes — literally, in this case, as BMOP and Odyssey Opera present a rare performance of “Of Thee I Sing” and “Let ‘Em Eat Cake,” 1930s musical theater satires on presidential politics with music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin respectively. “Of Thee I Sing” was the bigger hit in its day, picking up the Pulitzer Prize, but “Let ‘Em Eat Cake”, the sequel, sees the president trying to overturn the election results after losing. Wait, what year is this again? Oct. 12, 7:30 p.m. NEC’s Jordan Hall. bmop.org – AZM

GEORGIA O’KEEFFE AND HENRY MOORE Two giants of early Modernism, O’Keeffe and Moore made their names with semi-abstracted organic natural forms — Moore, of the human figure, and O’Keeffe of flowers among other things. An ocean apart — O’Keeffe in the United States and Moore in the United Kingdom — their fluid excursions in painting and in sculpture, respectively, are natural kin for their shared vision of what I would call sensual Modernism — an embrace of a visceral world still clearly discernible amid pure abstraction’s midcentury dominance. Oct. 13 to Jan. 20. The Museum of Fine Arts Boston, 425 Huntington Ave. 617-267-9300, mfa.org – MW

CELEBRITY SERIES OF BOSTON Celebrity Series’s fall menu of classical offerings includes well-known names and intriguing introductions as per usual, with such guests as pianist Emanuel Ax playing Beethoven, Schoenberg, and Schumann (Oct. 13); piano Paul Lewis traversing Schubert’s final three sonatas (Oct. 25); the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s portrait of Vivaldi’s cosmopolitan Venice (Oct. 18); and the Berliner Philharmoniker performing Bruckner’s Symphony No. 5 under the baton of director Kirill Petrenko (Nov. 20). 617-482-6661, celebrityseries.org – AZM

ILLUMINATI HOTTIES An indie-rock standout since the playful 2018 debut “Kiss Yr Frenemies,” the cult of Sarah Tudzin’s project illuminati hotties swells with the release of her third LP, “Power.” The record’s fits of fuzz-rock and chugging, soft-punk riffs could fit the bill at the most intimate basement shows or sardine-packed rock clubs. Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m. The Sinclair, Cambridge. 617-547-5200, sinclaircambridge.com – VW

JOKES FOR JUSTICE: A GET-OUT-THE-VOTE COMEDY SHOW Boston comics Shelby LeCuyer, Carolina Montesquieu, Tooky Kavanagh, Evan Valentine, and Nancy Sen play this stand-up showcase to help encourage “voter empowerment” and get people out to the polls a couple of weeks before the next election. Oct. 17, 7 p.m. The Rockwell, Somerville. 617-628-4445, therockwell.org – NZ

DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS Twenty-three years ago, Drive-By Truckers (with Jason Isbell still in the fold) released “Southern Rock Opera,” their epic consideration of “the duality of the Southern thing.” It was the album that put them on the map, and now they’re going back to take another look by playing it in its entirety on the “Southern Rock Opera Revisited” tour. Oct. 18, 8 p.m. House of Blues. 888-693-2583, houseofblues.com/boston – SM

PRU PAYNE Karen MacDonald portrays the title character, a sharp-witted intellectual, in this drama by Newton native Steven Drukman. Pru is just about to write her memoir when dementia takes hold. Situated at a memory-care facility, she meets Gus (Gordon Clapp), who is battling similar issues. Cast also includes Marianna Bassham, De’Lon Grant, and Greg Maraio. Directed by Paul Daigneault. Oct. 18-Nov. 16. SpeakEasy Stage Company. Roberts Studio Theatre, Calderwood Pavilion, Boston Center for the Arts. 617-933-8600, speakeasystage.com – DA

MUSIC WORCESTER It’s worth the trip west for any number of Music Worcester’s offerings this fall at Mechanics Hall. Take your pick from the Philip Glass Ensemble performing “Music in Eight Parks”, and “Glassworks”, (Oct. 18), the weekend-long “BACHToberfest” featuring several cantatas, a multimedia organ concert, and Zlatomir Fung performing the cello suites (Oct. 25-27); or the piano-violin duo of Polina Osetinskaya and Maxim Vengerov (Nov. 17). Mechanics Hall, Worcester. 508-754-3231, musicworcester.org – AZM

BOB THE DRAG QUEEN: THIS IS WILD WORLD TOUR The “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season eight winner is a multi-multi-hyphenate. The core of her work is comedy, but she also releases music (“Gayer Barz” is the new EP, released in February), cohosts the “Sibling Rivalry” podcast with Monet X Change, and acts on stage and screen. She’ll be throwing everything into the mix for this tour of America and Canada. Oct. 18, 8 p.m. Boch Center Shubert Theatre. 800-943-4327, bochcenter.org – NZ

“WELCOME HOME” This program from local nonprofit dance presenter Boston Moving Arts includes Boston choreographer Rachel Linsky’s “Gathering Sparks,” with live music from Ezekiel’s Wheels Klezmer Band; Cambridge-based Leah Misano’s duet “Trusting” with Alex Meeth; Montreal dance artist Andrew Skeels’s “Unkempt”; and an excerpt from Washington state dance group Flock’s “Somewhere Between.” Oct. 18-19, 8 p.m., Boston University Dance Theater. bostonmovingarts.com – JGantz

MALEVO Created by Matías Jaime, this dance group from Argentina specializes in malambo, “a traditional Argentine dance of virility and skill” accompanied by drums and boleadoras (a leather-and-stone hunting tool) and given “a modern, avant-garde, and transgressive vision.” The company appeared on season 11 of “America’s Got Talent,” where it earned a Golden Buzzer and made the semifinals; it was last here in March 2023. Oct. 19, 8 p.m., Berklee Performance Center. 617-876-4275, www.globalartslive.org – JGantz

JASON ROBINSON’S JANUS ENSEMBLE The new two-volume “Ancestral Numbers” traces Robinson’s complex family history through time and far-flung geography. The intricately designed music — by turns funky, swinging, and free, with an unerring sense of musical narrative — will be played by a stellar band: Robinson, on saxophones and flutes, trombonist Michael Dessen, pianist Joshua White, bassist Drew Gress, and drummer Ches Smith. Oct 19, 8 p.m. Theodore Parker Unitarian Universalist Church, West Roxbury. 617-877-0428, mandorlamusic.net – JGarelick

VINCE STAPLES Preserving the classic West Coast hip-hop sound with new-school stylings, the quality of Vince Staples’s work has held strong throughout his multifaceted career. Transitioning from energetic raps with a hint of knowing arrogance to more downtrodden, methodical releases, his sixth studio album, “Dark Times,” released in May. Oct. 20, 8 p.m. Roadrunner. 888-929-7849, roadrunnerboston.com – HB

LEGACY OF WAYNE SHORTER The surviving members of jazz giant Wayne Shorter’s last, great band — pianist Danilo Pérez, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Brian Blade — reconvene for this tribute, joined by one of the most influential saxophonists of his own generation, Mark Turner. Oct. 20, 7 p.m. Groton Hill Music Center, Groton. 978-486-9524, grotonhill.org – JGarelick

BOSTON PHILHARMONIC At the first concert of the season, the letter of the day is “B,” as in Beethoven, Bartók, Brahms, — and also Braunstein, as in former Berliner Philharmoniker concertmaster and featured soloist Guy Braunstein (Oct. 20). The next month, there’s an all-British program of Purcell’s Chacony in G Minor, Elgar’s Cello Concerto with soloist Alexander Baillie, and Holst’s “The Planets”, with the Radcliffe Choral Society. The Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra’s fall program pairs two large works from the turn of the 20th century; Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony, and Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” (Nov. 3). Benjamin Zander conducts all concerts. 617-236-0999, bostonphil.org – AZM

JOHN SCOFIELD Guitar master Scofield’s most recent album, “Uncle John’s Band” (yes, as in the Grateful Dead tune) covers, among other things, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Leonard Bernstein, jazz standards, and a ripping version of Miles Davis’s “Budo,” besides offering the usual well-turned, witty Scofield originals. For this show, he’s joined by the trio members from that album, bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Bill Stewart. Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. City Winery. 617-933-8047, citywinery.com/boston – JGarelick

CHAPARELLE I’ve been raving about this band — only recently launched by twin vocalists Jesse Woods and Zella Day — since they blew my expectations out of the water at the Newport Folk Festival in July. If you’re partial to hardcore, high-test, West-Coast-leaning, Gram-and-Emmylou-style country music, don’t miss this show. Oct. 24, 7 p.m. The Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge. 617-354-8238, mideastclub.com – SM

BOSTON BALLET The company’s 61st season begins with a “Fall Experience” program headlined by Crystal Pite’s “The Seasons’ Canon,” which premiered in 2016 at the Paris Opera Ballet. Set to Max Richter’s 2012 recomposition of Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons,” it calls for 54 dancers. Also on the bill: a world premiere from company principal Lia Cirio; “Ein von Viel,” a duet that Sabrina Matthews created in 2001 for two dancers and an on-stage pianist playing selections from Bach’s “Goldberg Variations”; and Jorma Elo’s 2004 Boston Ballet commission “Plan to B,” which the company hasn’t presented here since 2006. Oct. 24-Nov. 3, Citizens Bank Opera House. 617-695-6955, bostonballet.org – Jeffrey Gantz

COMPLEXIONS CONTEMPORARY BALLET Founded in 1994 by Alvin Ailey alumni Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson and committed to “bringing unity to the world one dance at a time,” Complexions Contemporary Ballet returns to Boston for the first time since 2011 with a collection of company favorites plus “Star Dust,” the David Bowie tribute that it presented at Jacob’s Pillow in August 2023. Oct. 25-26, 8 p.m., Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre. globalartslive.org – JGantz

JANEANE GAROFALO Since she is the rare comedian who does not participate in social media, the only way to hear what’s on Garofalo’s mind is to see her live, where she is just as likely to riff on her own lifestyle and oddities as she is to comment on social and electoral politics. Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m. Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre, Somerville. 617-245-2900, crystalballroomboston.com – NZ

THE DEAD SOUTH You can get a sense of what these prairie purveyors of outsider bluegrass are about by considering their 2022 double EP set, “Easy Listening for Jerks.” Part 1 presented their takes on Jimmie Davis, the Carter Family, and other giants of the tradition; part 2 brought ‘grassed up, acoustic versions of songs by the Doors, Ween, and System of a Down. Their latest, “Chains & Stakes,” offers more of the same, which is a good thing. Oct. 26, 8 p.m. House of Blues. 888-693-2583, houseofblues.com/boston – SM

CYNDI LAUPER Over 40 years after the release of her debut album, “She’s So Unusual,” the inimitable pop songbird displays her “True Colors” one final time on the “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour.” Oct. 26, 8 p.m. MGM Music Hall at Fenway. 617-488-7540, crossroadspresents.com – VW

SLICK RICK, SUGARHILL GANG, AND BIG DADDY KANE Calling all old-school hip-hop fans: You’ll want to make a trip to Lynn this fall. These three titans of ‘80s rap, along with DJ Grandmaster Dee, will join forces for a one-off “Hip Hop Halloween” concert at the Lynn Auditorium. Oct. 26, 8 p.m. Lynn Auditorium, Lynn. 781-599-7469, lynnauditorium.com – HB

CLAIRO Equipped with twinkling lounge numbers like “Juna” and “Terrapin” from her third LP, “Charm,” the Carlisle-born artist affirms her place in the alt-pop sphere with this three-peat of shows on her North American tour. Oct. 28-30, 7 p.m. Roadrunner. 888-929-7849, roadrunnerboston.com – VW

THE PHARCYDE Three days after a visit back to the ‘80s, relive the ‘90s with a visit from the LA hip-hop institution The Pharcyde. Though the group — which has fractured and partially reformed over time — hasn’t put out a new studio album since 2004, it’s been a mainstay on the road, with an especially busy 2024. Oct. 29, 8 p.m. The Sinclair, Cambridge. 617-547-5200, sinclaircambridge.com – HB

TITANIC This musical premiered on Broadway in 1997, the same year as a certain little movie of the same name, and ended up winning the Tony Award for best musical. Drawn from the real stories of passengers aboard that ill-fated ocean liner, “Titanic” is directed and choreographed by Kevin P. Hill, who has expertly navigated the challenges posed by a theater in the round. “Titanic” features music and lyrics by Maury Yeston (“Nine”), with a book by Peter Stone (”1776″). Oct. 29-Nov. 10. North Shore Music Theatre, Beverly. 978-232-7200, nsmt.org – DA

BIG D ALBUM RECORDING Demetrius Hullum, known onstage as Big D when he plays local stages from Laugh Boston to the Black Comedy Explosion, will be recording his debut album at this headlining show at Nick’s. Jack Hall hosts, Jason Cordova features. Nov. 1, 8 p.m. Nick’s Comedy Stop. nickscomedystop.com – NZ

DINNER FOR ONE Based on the popular European TV comedy sketch of the same name, “Dinner for One” takes place at a New Year’s Eve party to mark the 90th birthday of Miss Sophie, played by Debra Wise. Miss Sophie has invited the four friends she always invites, but they have all, inconveniently, died. But her butler, James (Paul Melendy) tries to conceal this fact by impersonating each of the guests in turn, while consuming a perhaps unwise amount of wine. This seems like a pitch in Melendy’s wheelhouse: He excels at physical comedy and can transition from one character to another in the blink of an eye, as he did in his solo performance in 2022 of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Directed by Weylin Symes, and written by Christina Baldwin, Sun Mee Chomet, and Jim Lichtscheidl. Nov. 1-17. Greater Boston Stage Company, Stoneham. 781-279-2200, greaterbostonstage.org – DA

COMICS COME HOME Denis Leary is back hosting the 28th edition of this benefit supporting the Cam Neely Foundation. The lineup this year, barring last-minute changes, is Bill Burr, Lenny Clarke, Robert Kelly, Ronny Chieng, Zarna Garg, Sam Morril, Lil Rel Howery, and in the spot reserved for up-and-coming Boston comics, Alec Flynn. Nov. 2, 8 p.m. TD Garden. 617-624-1000, tdgarden.com – NZ

JEFFREY GIBSON: POWER FULL BECAUSE WE’RE DIFFERENT Gibson, who is Choctaw-Cherokee, made history earlier this year as the first Native American artist to be named the United States’ official representative at the Venice Biennale of Art. From that really big show, Gibson goes even bigger this fall at Mass MoCA’s voluminous Buiding Five, a football field-size gallery that he’ll fill with seven brand-new oversized garment works — Gibson works frequently with textiles — that evoke performances integral to an array of Native American faiths. Among them, the Ghost Dance, born from a pacifist movement from the Northern Paiute people in the late 19th century, offers a key to the tenor of the show: Hope. Opening Nov. 3. Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, 1040 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams. 413-662-2111, massmoca.org – MW

LATTO The Atlanta rapper secured her first solo smash in 2021 with the bawdy single “Big Energy,” and her stamina doesn’t dip on her latest offering: August’s equally explicit album “Sugar Honey Iced Tea,” which bounces through its 62-minute runtime. Arrive early to hear opener Mariah the Scientist polish her prismatic R&B. Nov. 4, 8 p.m. MGM Music Hall at Fenway. 617-488-7540, crossroadspresents.com – VW

MICKEY GUYTON/DENITIA Two sides of country music from two Black women with a rising presence in the genre: headliner Mickey Guyton is making music solidly planted in the country-pop soil of contemporary mainstream Nashville, while opener Denitia essays a firmly traditional alternative. Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m. Brighton Music Hall, livenation.com – SM

& JULIET Rather than end it all, Juliet decides to live — indeed, to live it up — and heads off to Paris, the City of Light, where romance and adventure await. To heck with iambic pentameter. With a book by David West Read, “& Juliet” features the music of songwriter-producer Max Martin (“Since U Been Gone,” “Baby One More Time,” “Can’t Stop the Feeling”). Directed by Luke Sheppard. Nov. 5-17. Broadway In Boston. Citizens Opera House, Boston. broadwayinboston.com – DA

DEREK HOUGH From the man who won a record-breaking six Mirrorball Trophies on “Dancing with the Stars” comes “Dance for the Holidays,” a 38-city touring show that’s making an early stop in Boston and promising to “bring your favorite holiday tunes to life through dance.” Nov. 6, 8 p.m., Boch Center Wang Theatre. bochcenter.org – JGantz

SUBJECT:MATTER Barely 10 years old, this Boston tap company has already performed at the Museum of Fine Arts and Jacob’s Pillow and is becoming an annual Global Arts Live fixture. This program will include selections from Subject:Matter’s “Songbook” — improvised group pieces and solos to music from the Great American Songbook — along with “With Far Hand,” an ambitious four-movement, 45-minute work that the company premiered here last October. Nov. 8, 8 p.m., Institute of Contemporary Art. globalartslive.org – JGantz

PALAVER STRINGS + LITTLE HOUSE DANCE These artist-led companies based in Portland, Maine, have teamed up for “Noisefloor,” a collaboration in which the dancers helped create the music and the musicians helped create the choreography. Look for both musicians and dancers to move about the stage and perhaps off it. Nov. 9, 8 p.m., Institute of Contemporary Art. globalartslive.org – JGantz

DON TOLIVER For much of the 2020s, Houston artist Don Toliver has sat consistently near the top of the hip-hop and R&B charts with his hazy blend of trap, autotuned soul, and rock, achieving his first Billboard No. 1 R&B/hip-hop album, “Hardstone Psycho,” this June. Toliver’s “Psycho Tour” passes through Agganis Arena this November. Nov. 10, 7:30 p.m. Agganis Arena. 617-358-7000, agganisarena.com – HB

POLO G One of the biggest names out of Chicago in the last decade, Polo G had a quick rise off the back of the 2019 single “Pop Out” that has steadied due to his signature mix of trap, drill, and, oftentimes, a piano accompanying his autotune-laden vocals. His “Hood Poet Tour” comes to Boston in early November, and includes a meet and greet for those who want to upgrade their tickets. Nov. 11, 8 p.m. House of Blues. 888-693-2583, houseofblues.com/boston – HB

MOTHICA Revving gritty emo against a pop backdrop served the Oklahoma-born singer well on past releases like 2021′s “forever fifteen,” but Mothica fully commits to dancing in the dark on her August record “Kissing Death.” Her fourth LP is a foreboding goth-pop spellbook, whose incantations make for a decadent “fall in New England” playlist. Nov. 13, 7 p.m. The Sinclair, Cambridge. 617-547-5200, sinclaircambridge.com – VW

MARTY STUART AND HIS FABULOUS SUPERLATIVES What sets Marty Stuart and his formidable band apart from the rest is their ability to combine an abiding concern for preserving country and other traditional roots music forms with a facility for bending and recombining their elements in ways that result in something entirely new. Nov. 14, 8 p.m. Nashua Center for the Arts, Nashua, N.H. 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com – SM

HUNTINGTON AVENUE ENTRANCE COMMISSION: THE KNOWLEDGE KEEPERS For more than a century, Cyrus Dallin’s “Appeal to the Great Spirit,” a bronze sculpture of a Native American man of undefined origin on horseback, has served as the sole permanent fixture on the front lawn of the Museum of Fine Arts. In a landmark moment for the museum, it will be joined in November by “The Knowledge Keepers,” Alan Michelson’s response to the piece. It’s the first of a permanent program to finally keep “Appeal to the Great Spirit” company in committed fashion; Michelson, who is a Mohawk member of Six Nations of the Grand River, will address its uneasy solitude with a focus on the Indigenous peoples of this very region that Dallin’s work elides. Opening Nov. 14. The Museum of Fine Arts Boston, 425 Huntington Ave. 617-267-9300, mfa.org – MW

PINOCCHIO The premiere of a work based on the novel by Carlo Collodi, with music, lyrics, book, and direction by Alexander Prokhorov-Tolstoy. In a family-friendly production that emphasizes special effects, Pinocchio and his friends meet “vibrant new characters.” Nov. 14-17. Commonwealth Lyric Theater. At Emerson Colonial Theatre. 888-616-0272, emersoncolonialtheatre.com – DA

GALILEO’S DAUGHTER In this play by Jessica Dickey, based on a book by Dava Sobel, a playwright in the throes of a divorce heads to Florence to study the letters of Galileo’s daughter, Marie Celeste, to her astronomer father. The dramatist hopes that understanding the forces that created a strong bond between Galileo and Marie Celeste will shed light on — and enable her to make sense of — her own situation and perhaps even suggest a way forward. Directed by Reena Dutt. Nov. 14-Dec. 8. Co-production by Central Square Theater and WAM Theatre. A Catalyst Collaborative@MIT production. Central Square Theater, Cambridge. 617-576-9278, ext. 1, centralsquaretheater.org – DA

FAYE DRISCOLL In recent years, the Institute of Contemporary Art has hosted Bessie Award winner Faye Driscoll’s “You’re Me,” “Thank You for Coming: Attendance,” and “Thank You for Coming: Play.” “Weathering,” which premiered at New York Live Arts in April 2023, finds its 10 artists crammed onto a mobile, raft-like stage in what’s described as “a multi-sensory flesh sculpture made of bodies, sounds, scents, liquids, and objects.” Nov. 15-16, 8 p.m.; Nov. 17, 2 p.m., Institute of Contemporary Art. icaboston.org – JGantz

ABDULLAH IBRAHIM TRIO The towering South African pianist and composer, now on the cusp of his 90th birthday, has long combined the dancing lilt of the Cape Town townships with the lyricism and breadth of vision of an early sponsor, Duke Ellington. In this rare Boston appearance, he’ll be joined by his trio mates from his 2024 release “3″: Cleave Guyton on saxophone, flute, and clarinet, plus Noah Jackson on bass. Nov. 16, 8 p.m. Berklee Performance Center. 617-482-2595, celebrityseries.org – JGarelick

CHIEF KEEF Hours before taking the stage at his July 16 show in Boston, Keef — one of the forefathers of Chicago drill music — abruptly postponed the show and his entire tour due to a health scare. Now, “A Lil Tour” is back on, as Keef will finally bring his high-energy anthems to MGM Music Hall at Fenway this November. Nov. 21, 8 p.m. MGM Music Hall at Fenway. 617-488-7540,. crossroadspresents.com – HB

MARTHA GRAHAM DANCE COMPANY In preparation for its 2026 centennial, this celebrated company will be making its first Celebrity Series appearance since 2005. On the bill: Graham’s iconic 1930 solo, “Lamentation”; a “Dark Meadow Suite” (2016) excerpted from her Native American–inspired 1946 “Dark Meadow”; “Rodeo,” which Agnes de Mille created in 1942 to a score by Aaron Copland; and “We the People,” a new piece by Jamar Roberts set to music by Rhiannon Giddens. Nov. 22, 8 p.m.; Nov. 23, 2 p.m., Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre. www.celebrityseries.org – JGantz

ABELARDO MORELL: IN THE COMPANY OF MONET AND CONSTABLE Morell, a Boston-based photo-artist, has spent the last several years using his unique tent-camera method to capture landscapes made famous by the august painters John Constable and Claude Monet. Both, in their way, transformed the notion of landscape painting in the popular imagination from blithely romantic pictorialism to deeply personal, elegiac scenes that mirrored the artists’ emotional states. Traveling to locations in France and the UK that the two artists painted, Morell’s tent camera fused their celebrated landscapes with what lay just underfoot — underbrush and cobblestone and the like, bringing the heroic practice of landscape painting quite literally down to earth. Nov. 23 to Feb. 17. Clark Art Institute, 225 South St., Williamstown. 413-458-2303, clarkart.edu – MW

This story has been updated to correct errors in the name of the choreographer of “Rodeo” on the Martha Graham Dance company’s program in November, and the spelling of the actor playing Carrabass in the photo caption to “Pinocchio: The Musical.”

Don Aucoin can be reached at donald.aucoin@globe.com. Follow him @GlobeAucoin. A.Z. Madonna can be reached at az.madonna@globe.com. Follow her @knitandlisten. Murray Whyte can be reached at murray.whyte@globe.com. Follow him @TheMurrayWhyte.