Pop & Rock
Ms. Lauryn Hill
Let's get this out of the way: No, she's not touring behind that new album you've been waiting 15 years for her to make. But Ms. Lauryn Hill, as she's billed these days, does have an all-time classic in her arsenal, 1998's Grammy-winning "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill." Her latest tour is called "Small Axe: Acoustic Performance Series," which will likely mimic the intimacy of her "MTV Unplugged No. 2.0" album. Hill usually performs a few tracks from her days with the Fugees, too. March 18, 8 p.m. Tickets: $65-$150. Wilbur Theatre. 800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com
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ARIANA GRANDE A star long in the making, Grande broke through with last year's "My Everything," buoyed by the Top 40 hits "Break Free" and "Problem." The petite pop singer with the big voice is finally touring behind that album, and she brings Rixton, the English pop band celebrating the release of its new debut, "Let the Road," and rising Norwegian producer-musician Cashmere Cat with her. March 15, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $27.50-$67.50. DCU Center, Worcester. 800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com
BETTY BUCKLEY "Ghostlight," her new album, reunited this revered Broadway star of stage and screen with an old friend, T Bone Burnett. Together they lay down a foundation of moody, ethereal ambience that Buckley enlightens with her mellifluous voice. Heavy on jazz standards, the material is eclectic, from "If You Go Away" to "Body and Soul," but Buckley's charisma is the common thread. March 13-14, 8 & 10 p.m. Tickets: $48. Scullers. 866-777-8932, www.scullersjazz.com
REYKJAVIK CALLING As part of the five-day Taste of Iceland festival unfolding all over town (March 12-16), this multi-artist concert is a sampling of the eclectic musical styles emerging from the country. (Spoiler alert: There's a lot more to behold beyond Björk and Sigur Rós.) Making its US debut, the rising, celestial indie-rock quartet Kaleo will headline a bill that also includes jazz-soul powerhouse Beebee and the Bluebirds and Boston-based bands Love in Stockholm and George Knight with Pablo Palooza.
March 14, 9 p.m. Free, but an RSVP in advance is required at www.eventbrite.com. Middle East Downstairs, Cambridge. 617-864-3278, www.icelandnaturally.com
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Folk & World
NORA JANE STRUTHERS & THE PARTY LINE
Struthers has just released a new full-length album, "Wake," and it brings to full fruition what her preceding record hinted at, a move from the acoustic-bluegrassy mix where she started to a more electric, diverse, aggressive brand of music. The change suits her well. March 13, 7 p.m. Tickets: $12. Brighton Music Hall. 800-745-3000. www.ticketmaster.com
PADDY SAUL'S ANNUAL ST. PATRICK'S WEEKEND BASH The name of the bash notwithstanding, local Irish troubadour Saul and his band won't be playing all weekend long, but they'll get things off to a rollicking start Friday, with assistance from Tallahassee, Andrea Gillis, and special guests. March 13, 9 p.m. Tickets: $12. Middle East Downstairs, Cambridge. 866-468-7619. www.ticketweb.com
THE KLEZMATICS A highlight of this year's Boston Jewish Music Festival, the Klezmatics have become over three decades of making music one of the real heavyweights of the klezmer world — although when you consider everything else that shows up in their music (folk, funk, Celtic, jazz), to call them a klezmer band almost seems a misnomer. March 14, 8 p.m. Tickets: $20-$36. Somerville Theatre. 617-625-5700. www.feitheatres.com/somerville-theatre
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A ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELTIC SOJOURN Brian O’Donovan began the Celtic Sojourn concerts as a Christmas celebration, but it didn’t take long for his scope to expand to that most famous of Irish holidays. This year, the St. Paddy’s version celebrates its 10th anniversary, and features Donegal sister-trio the Henry Girls, Cape Breton group Coig, and others. March 14, 8 p.m., March 15, 3 p.m. Tickets: $25-$45. Sanders Theatre, Cambridge. 617-496-2222. www.boxoffice.harvard.edu
STUART MUNRO
Jazz & Blues
PAT MARTINO ORGAN TRIO After suffering an aneurism, the amazing guitarist taught himself to play again by listening to his own records. Today he performs with even more soul and depth than in the past. March 13, 7:30 and 10 p.m. Tickets: $20-$30. Regattabar. 617-395-7757, www.regattabarjazz.com
ERIN HARPE & THE DELTA SWINGERS The red hot singer/guitarist and her award-winning outfit are firmly rooted in classic 1930's Mississippi Delta blues, though they also include touches of soul, funk, and reggae in their jumping, juke-joint jams. March 14, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $10. Johnny D's, 17 Holland St., Somerville. 617-776-2004, www.johnnyds.com
RUSS GERSHON TRIO We're used to hearing saxophonist, composer, and Either/Orchestra leader Gershon performing as part of larger groups. Here's an opportunity to hear him in the more exposed trio format, performing originals and tunes by Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and others, with bassist Blake Newman and drummer Oscar Suchanek. March 15, 5 p.m. Tickets: $10. The Green Room, 62 Bow St., Somerville. 617-615-9467, www.jazzatthegreenroom.com
Classical
KATYA KABANOVA This Janacek masterwork receives a keenly anticipated local staging courtesy of Boston Lyric Opera. With soprano Elaine Alvarez as the tragic heroine, Raymond Very as Boris, Elizabeth Byrne as Kabanicha, and Sandra Piques Eddy as Vavara. David Angus conducts; Tim Albery directs. March 13-22, Shubert Theatre, 617-542-4912, www.blo.org
BOSTON SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA The distinguished German conductor Christoph von Dohnanyi leads Mozart's "Haffner" Symphony (No. 35) and his Piano Concerto No. 14 with soloist Emanuel Ax, who will also be featured in Strauss's "Burleske." Opening this week's program will be the memorable string sextet from Strauss's "Capriccio" (March 12-17, Symphony Hall). Ax also joins the Boston Symphony Chamber Players (March 15, Jordan Hall). 617-266-1200, www.bso.org
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VENICE BAROQUE ORCHESTRA The virtuosic early music band returns to the Boston Early Music Festival, this time with guest soloist Avi Avital and works by Vivaldi, Albinoni, Geminiani, and others. March 13, 8 p.m., First Church in Cambridge, 617-661-1812, www.bemf.org
DANIIL TRIFONOV The gifted young pianist returns to the Celebrity Series with a recital program of works by Liszt and Beethoven. March 13, 8 p.m., Jordan Hall. 617-482-6661, www.celebrityseries.org
Theater
SHOCKHEADED PETERThis antic musical about the exceedingly grim fates met by misbehaving Victorian tykes wants to jolt and disorient you. It does. It also wants to entertain you, and it does that too. A New England premiere ingeniously directed by Steven Bogart, with a strong cast led by Alexandria King as a kind of tour guide from (and to) hell. Through April 4. Coproduction of Company One Theatre and Suffolk University. Modern Theatre at Suffolk University. 866-811-4111, www.companyone.org
TRISTAN & YSEULTIn this contemporized adaptation of the medieval myth that formed the basis for Wagner's hypnotic "Tristan und Isolde,'' the British theater company Kneehigh casts a very different kind of spell. With its imaginative, sometimes uproarious blend of nightclub act, verse drama, dance, slapstick, and even elements of circus, "Tristan & Yseult'' unfolds like a party to which everyone is invited. A dreamlike eroticism is also very much part of the atmospheric mix, and there are moments of throat-catching beauty in this tale of star-crossed lovers, especially in a finale that is a visually and aurally ravishing coup de theatre. Directed and adapted by Emma Rice. Through March 15. Production by Kneehigh, presented by ArtsEmerson, at Cutler Majestic Theatre, Boston. 617-824-8400, www.artsemerson.org
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GROUNDEDCeleste Oliva brings a coiled, unpredictable intensity to her portrayal of a hard-edged fighter pilot who plunges into a psychological morass after she is reassigned to work as a military drone operator, dealing out remote-control death from thousands of miles away. Oliva's riveting performance in George Brant's solo drama adds a new dimension to her already stellar reputation. Directed by Lee Mikeska Gardner. Through March 22. Nora Theatre Company, at Central Square Theater, Cambridge. 617-576-9278, www.centralsquaretheater.org
INTIMATE APPARELDirector Summer L. Williams's attention to intimately emotional details pays off with a first-rate ensemble that creates richly nuanced and emotionally complex characters for this quietly heartbreaking and heroic tale. At some level, playwright Lynn Nottage's play is a simple love story between a quiet seamstress and a lonely laborer set at the turn of 20th century New York, but the beauty of this production lies in the elegant touches every member of this ensemble adds to the design. Through March 14. Lyric Stage Company of Boston. 617-585-5678, www.lyricstage.com
DORRANCE DANCE
For the Boston premiere of "The Blues Project," Toshi Reagon and her band BIGLovely lay down original blues while firebrand hoofer Michelle Dorrance and her nine-member company recall bygone eras of tap, with a zesty sprinkle of here and now. Presented by World Music/CRASHarts. March 13-15, $36-$40. Institute of Contemporary Art. 617-876-4275, www.worldmusic.org KAREN CAMPBELL
JOSÉ MATEO BALLET THEATREMateo's upcoming repertory program, "Transient Currents," offers a second chance to see the choreographer's ambitious "Vanished Verses" (2013), danced to Bach's Cello Suite in D Major. The program also features "Time Beyond Time" (2005), set to Messiaen's searing "Quartet for the End of Time," and the Cuban-inspired "Pagano y No." March 13-29. $42. Sanctuary Theatre, Cambridge. 617-354-7467, www.ballettheatre.org
ISRAEL FOLK DANCE FESTIVAL OF BOSTON Gathering together dance troupes from across North America, this annual event features hundreds of dancers, including children and teens as well as adults. Weaving together diverse strands of Jewish heritage, from Spain to Yemen, the colorful celebration showcases the vibrant dances of Israeli culture. March 15, 3 p.m., $5-$15. MIT's Kresge Auditorium, Cambridge. 617-658-3655, www.bostonfestival.org
INCLINED | INTIMATIONS Boston-based company Intimations Dance extends its collaborative spirit to this joint concert with Kristen Klein's Brooklyn-based contemporary troupe Inclined Dance Project, which brings the premiere of "Temporizer," an exploration of different kinds of energies. March 13-14, 8 p.m., $12-$15. Dance Complex, Cambridge. 781-330-0535, www.intimationsdance.com
MEREDYTH KNOWS CERAMICS Independent curator Meredyth Hyatt Moses brings her edgy, earthy, refined eye to one of her favorite mediums. Offerings range from Angela Cunningham's intricate biomorphic pieces to Chris Gustin's voluptuous vessels and Wesley Anderegg's offbeat figures. Through March 28. Gallery NAGA, 67 Newbury St. 617-267-9060, www.gallerynaga.com
SHADI GHADIRIAN Ghadirian, an Iranian photographer, investigates how Iranian women present themselves. In an adjunct show at Robert Klein Gallery @ Ars Libri, Tahmineh Monzavi, another photographer in Iran, documents under-the-radar subjects such as addicts and a transgender woman. Through March 28. Robert Klein Gallery, 38 Newbury St. 617-267-7997, www.robertkleingallery.com
MOTION, MEMORY
Three artists — Gary Duehr, Jennifer Liston Munson, and David Palmquist — blend photography with painting and printmaking in ways that suggest time and space passing, and evince the intangible qualities of memory. Through April 11. Brickbottom Gallery, 1 Fitchburg St., Somerville. 617-776-3410, www.brickbottomartists.com
PAT LIPSKY: TWENTY YEARS
Lipsky's rhythmic geometric abstractions, all bars and rectangles, feel surprisingly organic, thanks to her slow accumulation of layers of paint, which reveal traces of the artist's hand and a keen eye for color relationships.
Pictured: "Red River Valley I.'' Through April 25.
ACME Fine Art, 450 Harrison Ave. 617-585-9551, www.acmefineart.com
CATE McQUAID
Museums
WHEN THE STARS BEGIN TO FALL: IMAGINATION AND THE AMERICAN SOUTH
Thirty-five artists, including Kara Walker, Theaster Gates, and David Hammons, in a show that explores both the myth and the reality of the American South. Through May 10. Institute of Contemporary Art. 617-478-3100, www.icaboston.org
PRETTY RAW: AFTER AND AROUND HELEN FRANKENTHALER
A new view of postwar-to-contemporary American art, as seen through the lens of Helen Frankenthaler who stained her canvases with softer colors. Includes work by Grace Hartigan, Larry Rivers, Jane Freilicher, Lynda Benglis, Morris Louis, Andy Warhol, Carroll Dunham, Kathy Butterly, and others. Through June 7. Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University, Waltham. 781-736-3434, www.brandeis.edu/rose
PAST FUTURES: SCIENCE FICTION, SPACE TRAVEL, AND POSTWAR ART OF THE AMERICAS
Art by US and some Latin American artists that responded to new vistas opened up by the space race, science fiction, and Cold War technological innovation. Through June 7. Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Brunswick, Maine. 207-725-3275, www.bowdoin.edu/art-museum
LEGACY OF FIRE: CLAY DRAGON STUDIOS REVISITED A retrospective of ceramic work produced by 10 artists at the innovative Clay Dragon Studios in Cambridge between 1976 and 1984. Through April 26. Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton. 508-588-6000, www.fullercraft.org
Clubs
BUKU Pittsburgh native Robert Balotsky puts his love of percussion and his degree in music technology to good use behind the decks. The night also features Uncle Bob, B-No, Stylyze, Eli Dawson, and Truro Crooks. March 13, 8 p.m. $12-$15. Middle East Upstairs, 472 Mass. Ave., Cambridge. 617-864-3278, www.mideastclub.com
CASHMERE CAT The Norwegian producer collaborated with Ariana Grande on her Grammy-nominated record, and she adds her vocals to his new track, "Adore." March 13, 8 p.m. $20. Paradise, 967 Comm. Ave., Boston. 617-562-8800, www.thedise.com
ARGONAUT&WASP Once upon a time, guitarist/vocalist Trey Schibli lived near producer Theo Klein. Schibli was intrigued by the sounds coming from Klein's apartment. They connected, and proceeded to make new music combining the sounds of live instrumentation and electronic production. March 15, 8 p.m. $5. Wonder Bar, 186 Harvard Ave., Allston. 617-351-2665, www.wonderbarboston.com
SHAMROCK FEST Start partying early for St. Patrick's Day at this event featuring four floors with Irish beer, a DJ, green decor, and a holiday bar crawl. March 14, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Greatest Bar, 262 Friend St., Boston. www.bostonviplist.com
Comedy
MARY LYNN RAJSKUB She's best-known as Chloe from the Fox series "24," but Rajskub has a long history in comedy stretching back to her roots in the alternative scene and on "Mr. Show With Bob and David." March 12 at 8 p.m., March 13-14 at 8 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. $20-$35. Laugh Boston, 425 Summer St., Boston. 617-725-2844, www.laughboston.com
LEE CAMP AT THE GAS A stand-up political philosopher whose exasperated rants make it feel like he's about to burst into bits onstage. He hosts "Redacted Tonight" on the alternative news network RT America. March 13, 7 p.m. $12-$14. Great Scott, 1222 Commonwealth Ave., Allston. 617-566-9014, www.greatscottboston.com
DAN CROHN AND AL PARK A good chance to see two emerging headliners on one bill. Both are staples of the local scene and on their way up. March 13 at 8 p.m. and March 14 at 7:30 p.m. $20. Dick's Comedy Den at Howl at the Moon. 800-401-2221, www.dickdoherty.com
THE DAILY SHOW WRITERS STANDUP TOUR: AN EVENING OF POLITICAL-ISH COMEDYMatt Koff, Hasan Minhaj, Travon Free, and Adam Lowitt spend a lot of time behind the cameras helping to make "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" funny. Now they get to show live audiences what they can do. March 14, 7 p.m. $25. The Wilbur Theatre. 866-448-7849, www.thewilbur.com
LOCAL EVENTS
Nautical Night Families can see the sea at the MIT Museum Friday during "Nautical Night." Participants will dive into ocean science, learn about nautical collections, and try a hand at some "knotical" challenges as well. March 13, 5-8 p.m. $5-$10. MIT Museum, 265 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. 617-253-5927. www.web.mit.edu/museum/programs/secondfridays.html
St. Patty's Day Party Boston families can get into the St. Patrick's Day spirit by unleashing their creative side. Newton's Paint Bar is hosting an event in which an instructor will guide attendees through lessons on painting some green-themed creations. March 12, 6:30-9:30 p.m. $35. The Paint Bar, 823 Washington St., Newton. 617-467-5777 www.thepaintbar.com
Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras on Parade Join all 484 BYSO musicians at Symphony Hall for an afternoon filled with music and entertainment. Host and narrator Daniel Berger-Jones will introduce various groups such as the Repertory Orchestra, Junior Repertory Orchestra, Preparatory Winds, Young People's String Orchestra, and the Petit Ensemble. March 15, 3-5 p.m. $5 children, $20 adults. Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts, Ave., Boston. 617-266-1200. www.bso.org
Women Artists on Cape Ann The second Saturday of every month is free for families at the Cape Ann Museum. This month, the museum hosts "A Studio of Her Own: Women Artists on Cape Ann." Families can also visit in the Children's Activity Center to participate in art, history, and cultural activities. March 14, 1-4 p.m. Cape Ann Museum. 27 Pleasant St., Gloucester. 978-283-0455 www.capeannmuseum.org/events
Disrupted Spaces Join the opening of the Rose Art Museum’s “Disrupted Spaces,” presenting photographs that challenge the boundaries of physical and theoretical structures. The artists featured in this exhibition expose photography’s roles in memory and reality. March 12, 5-8 p.m Brandeis University, Farber Library Mezzanine, Waltham. 781-736-3434 www.brandeis.edu/rose
Seen & Heard Join Gallery 263 for an evening of five-minute stories, accompanied by drinks and refreshments. The open mike event is inspired by the gallery's current exhibition, "Take Me to the River," where the stories will draw from its water-related themes. All proceeds support programming at Gallery 263. March 13, 7:30-10 p.m. $5 suggested donation. Gallery 263, 263 Pearl St., Cambridge. www.gallery263.com/event/seen-heard
St. Patrick's day party The luck of the Irish shines down on Howl at the Moon this St. Patrick's Day. Join the live-music bar for fun features, including specialized holiday-themed drinks. March 14, noon-2 a.m. 21+. Howl at the Moon, 184 High St., Boston. 617-292-4695. www.howlatthemoon.com/st-patricks-day-party
March 12 Jesse Cook (above) at the Wilbur Theatre. www.thewilbur.com
March 12-15 Dropkick Murphys at the House of Blues. www.houseofblues.com/boston
March 20-21 Steven Wright at the Wilbur Theatre. www.thewilbur.com
March 21 Cold War Kids at House of Blues. www.houseofblues.com/boston
March 27-April 26 “Come Back, Little Sheba” at the Huntington Theatre.
April 2-4 Music of Beethoven and Shostakovich at Boston Symphony Hall. www.bso.org
April 3 The Tenderloins at the Wilbur Theatre. www.thewilbur.com
The Decemberists at the House of Blues. www.houseofblues.com/boston
April 7 The Ting Tings at Paradise Rock Club. www.crossroadspresents.com/paradise-rock-club
Damien Rice at the Orpheum Theatre. www. crossroadspresents.com/orpheum-theatre
April 15-June 14 “Leonardo da Vinci and the Idea of Beauty’’ at the Museum of Fine Arts. www.mfa.org
April 16 Earl Sweatshirt at the Paradise Rock Club. www.crossroadspresents.com/paradise-rock-club