Thursday, March 7
List Projects 29 exhibit opening day from noon to 7 p.m. at MIT List Visual Arts Center, 20 Ames St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. The final exhibition of the List Projects series of artistic collaborations features Fall River-based Brittni Ann Harvey (sculpture and installations) and Harry Gould Harvey IV (sculpture and works on paper). The artists are co-founders of the Fall River Museum of Contemporary Art, and the exhibit runs through June 23. Information is here.
Design Redefined: Equity, Ethics, Engagement and AI from 4 to 6 p.m. at The MIT Museum, Gambrill Center, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free (admission waived) after 3 p.m. Innovators for Purpose, a Bipoc-led nonprofit, moderates a panel on how AI can spur inclusive innovation. A maker activity follows. Information is here.
Maria Snegovaya reads from “When Left Moves Right: The Decline of the Left and the Rise of the Populist Right in Post-Communist Europe” from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Harvard University’s Center for Government and International Studies, South Concourse, S354, 1730 Cambridge St., Harvard Square. Free, but register. The center’s senior fellow traces how economically vulnerable groups became incorporated by the right. Information is here.
“A Female Landscape and the Abstract Gesture” exhibit conversation at 5 p.m. at the Knafel Center of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University, 10 Garden St., west of Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Artist Maren Hassinger talks with curator Chassidy A. Winestock, moderated by art historian Mary Schneider Enriquez. Information is here.
MIT Composer Forum Series: Clifton Boyd from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Lewis Music Library in the Hayden Library Building at 160 Memorial Drive at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. Free, but register. The New York University assistant professor of music and author of the forthcoming “Racial Dissonance: American Barbershop Harmony in the Age of Jim Crow” shares insights about music theory with a Q&A and light reception following. Information is here.
Wax Poetics: The Myriad Activisms of Muriel Rukeyser, with Erín Moure from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Woodberry Poetry Room at Lamont Library, Room 330, 11 Quincy St., Harvard Square. Free. Readings by a contemporary poets. This time, the early recordings of poet-activist Rukeyser are paired with Canadian trailblazer Moure. Mocktails and snacks will be served. Information is here.
Light Up Your World at 6 to 7 p.m. at Lamplighter Brewing, 284 Broadway, The Port, Cambridge. Free and 21-plus. Enjoying beer and hear from local nonprofit Climable about community-led, clean energy microgrids. Information is here.
“Left on Pearl” film screening and discussion from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. The film chronicles a significant event in the women’s liberation movement: the 1971 takeover and 10-day occupation of a Harvard-owned building by hundreds of area women, who proclaimed it should be a women’s center. A discussion with former and current center members follows. Information is here.
Cuban Dance with Boston Rueda from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and continuing every Friday). $15. No partner or experience necessary to learn this group dance to Cuban and other salsa music involving the changing of partners. Information is here.
Dance Film Shorts at 6:30 p.m. at the MIT Welcome Center, 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Cost TBA. Dancer Ali Kenner Brodsky screens her innovative dance-film collaborations “To Be Near You” and “Between Silences,” followed by Q&A. Information is here.
Roxana Robinson reads from “Leaving” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The author of six novels and two short story collections discusses her book about former lovers who meet again after decades, an event that re-ignites a passion that threatens the foundations of the lives they’ve built while apart. Novelist Sue Miller joins the conversation. Information is here.
Colum McCann and Diane M. Foley discuss their new book “American Mother” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The award-winning author of “Let the Great World Spin” collaborated with Diane Foley to write about her experience meeting the kidnapper and murderer of her journalist son James Foley and turning her grief into strength and radical empathy. Charles Sennott, of The GroundTruth Project, joins the conversation. Information is here.
Shit-Faced Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville (and continuing tomorrow and next weekend). $30 and all ages. A one-hour version of the bard’s witty and bawdy play that includes one actor randomly selected who drinks before and during the performance, leaving the remaining sober cast to incorporate, rectify, justify and generally improvise around the drunkenness. Information is here.
Sofar Sounds Concert from 7 to 10:30 p.m. at Lamplighter CX, 110 N. First St., North Point, Cambridge. $26 and 21-plus. You buy the tickets but won’t know who’s playing until they take the mic. Promised are two to three short sets from “incredible performers from all musical genres and sometimes even spoken word, comedy or dance.” Information is here.
Blues Union March Dances from 7 to 11 p.m. at Dance Union, 16 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville (also March 14, 21 and 28). $10 to $25. A lesson in the first hour, then an hour to socialize, rest or practice with a partner before two hours of social dancing. Wear shoes that allow you to pivot; no need to bring a partner. Information is here.
“Becoming a Man” at 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $55 to $150 (and continuing through March 10). A play about one man’s gender transition amid a pivotal political moment in America. From memoirist P. Carl and Tony-winning director Diane Paulus. Information is here.
Atomic Comedy Indie Night from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Free, but register. An independently produced monthly improv show featuring new and veteran local talent. Information is here.
The Snuts perform at 8:30 p.m. at The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20. The hit Scottish indie rock band are touring with the songs off their just-released third studio album, “Millennials.” Information is here.
Drag Me Out Thursdays from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at ManRay, 40 Prospect St., Central Square, Cambridge (and the first Thursday of every month). $15 and 19-plus. Bossí Boots and House DJ Harlow Havoc welcome six performers to this new monthly open stage drag show. Information is here.
Friday, March 8
Women in Data Science Worldwide regional conference from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Microsoft NERD Center, 1 Memorial Drive, Kendall Square, Cambridge. $10 to $40. An all-female lineup from academia and industry. Information is here.
“In Their Own Voices: Black Women’s Lives from the Archives” exhibit tour from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Poorvu Gallery in the Schlesinger Library in Radcliffe Yard, 3 James St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. A student-led tour of the Schlesinger-held photos, letters, published works, etc. of graphic designer Louise E. Jefferson, civil and women’s rights activist Pauli Murray and educator Rebecca Primus. Information is here.
“Unboxed City: Critical Explorations of AI and Cities” discussion from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab, 75 Amherst St., in Area II near Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Panelists consider how AI can be integrated with human intelligence to create urban spaces that are inclusive and reflective of communities’ heritage, cultures and aspirations. Information is here.
Writing in “Greater Mexico”: A Women’s Conversation from 5 to 7 p.m. at Harvard University’s Center for Government and International Studies, South Concourse, S216, 1730 Cambridge St., Harvard Square. Free. Writer and poet Sara Uribe Sánchez and writer, sociologist and economist Brenda Navarro propose a way to reread the Mexican literary canon. Information is here.
Women Take the Reel Film Festival: “20,000 Species of Bees” screening from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Bartos Theater, 20 Ames St., Building E-15, atrium level, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The film, set in the Spanish side of Basque country, is followed by a Q&A discussion with the youth-led Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth. Information is here.
Jennifer Croft reads from “The Extinction of Irena Rey” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The International Booker prize-winner’s debut novel asks “How many translators does it take to translate the magnum opus of a renowned author living in a house in a primeval Polish forest?” Eight, each from different countries. And the author disappears without a trace within days of their arrival. Author Hanna Halperin joins the conversation. Information is here.
Shit-Faced Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” (continued) from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $30 and 21-plus. Information is here.
The Taylor Eigsti Quintet performs from 7 to 8:15 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25 to $30. The pianist, composer and bandleader won a 2022 Grammy award (for Best Contemporary Instrumental) for his album “Tree Falls.” Information is here.
An Evening with Sofiane Pamart at 7:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $25 to $30. Named the “New Face of Luxury” by the Paris Salon du Luxe, the pianist has performed at the Louvre and Czech Royal Family’s castle in Prague and was the first artist to perform a full show under the Northern Lights in Lapland. Now he’s at… the Armory? Information is here.
“Becoming a Man” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $55 to $150. Information is here.
Natalie Cuomo and Dan LaMorte do stand-up comedy at 7:30 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $25. It’s easy to tell that Cuomo and LaMorte’s sphere of comedy centers around New York: they’re in their late 20s but somehow sound 10 years older. Information is here.
“Moving Through March” dance performances from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and continuing through March 10). Free to $30. A weekend of eclectic modern and contemporary dance performances that celebrate the joy of dancing at all ages for all people. Hosted by The Click collaborative dance company and Développé Dance Studio. Information is here.
Kendall Square Orchestra presents “Discovery and Breakthrough” from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $35. The nonprofit performs Francine Trester’s “In Her Element,” Grazyna Bacewicz’s “Overture” and Amy Beach’s “Symphony in E Minor, ‘Gaelic’” to celebrate women in science. At 6:45 p.m. a panel of women in tech and the arts discuss what inspired them. Information is here.
“Sarah Gets Her Sh*t Together”: a workshop chamber opera performance at 8 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $20. Composers and sound designers Bahar Royaee and Samantha Wolf tell the story of a 20-something who enlists the help of an influencer before a job interview to become her “Ultimate Self” in this “chamber opera for anyone who’s ever questioned the Beauty Industrial Complex.” Information is here.
Musical Delights for Winds and Strings from 17th and 18th Century France from 8 to 9 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. $25 to $30. Baroque flutists Na’ama Lion and Peter H. Bloom join Duo Maresienne’s Carol Lewis (viola da gamba) and
Olav Chris Henriksen (baroque guitar and theorbo) to perform symphonies by Lully, Gaultier, Philidor and Marais. Information is here.
Dance Friday: Celebrate International Women’s Day from 8 to 10 p.m. at St. Mary Orthodox Church, 8 Inman St., Central Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15 (group discounts available) and all ages. Dance barefoot in an atmosphere of friendship, acceptance and trust to a wide range of music. Information is here.
Jubilees: Celebrating New Music Commissioned by the MIT Ensemble from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Kresge Auditorium, 48 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Free to $10. Features a world premiere by MIT alumnus Eric Ostling, a work for percussion ensemble by Kathryn Salfelder and guest flute soloist Elizabeth Klein and flute soloist Sara Kornfeld Simpson. The program also includes Michael Hennagin’s “Jubilee” among other works. Information is here.
The Outlet: Open Mic Night with Elae Weeks from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $10. Showcase your skills, whether you’re a poet, artist, dancer or singer. Dorchester’s Elae Weeks curates. Information is here.
Toby Tantrum, Dead Trains and Burp perform from 10 p.m. to midnight at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10. A Boston band brings indie rock with bits of Kinks and Beach Boys, another plays frenetic blues punk, then a band from Lowell mixes punk, Midwest emo, math rock … and humor (“My Back Hurts” on Burp’s debut album tells the story of a massage gone wrong). Information is here.
Saturday, March 9
Katie Slivensky reads from “This Wolf Was Different” at 11 a.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. A picture book about individuality and how true friendship means embracing differences, based on scientific information about how humans and wolves first connected. Book illustrator Hannah Salyer joins the conversation. Information is here.
“Women Talking” film screening from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. Filmmaker Sarah Polley’s 2022 movie starring Rooney Mara, Judith Ivey, Claire Foy and Frances McDormand (and Ben Whishaw) is one of the films directed by women being shown at the library for Women’s History Month. Information is here.
Live Wire Sessions 5 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Cambridge Community Television, 438 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square. Free and all ages. Hear performances of industrial, noise and experimental music, post-punk, electronic body music and more from Orangepeelmystic, The Cost Ov Living, Chuck Steak, Pain Chain and Metal Tiger. Information is here.
Biodanza: Opening into Spring movement session from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $25 to $40 and 18-plus. Simple exercises with music from around the world. No experience necessary; bare feet or indoor shoes only. Information is here.
Introduction to plant and wildlife monitoring for conservation from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at The Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., near Union Square, Somerville. Free, but register. Earthwise Aware co-founder Claire O’Neill teaches how to observe and record the plants, insects and animals of the Somerville Growing Center. No expertise required, but prepare for the event by creating a free account on the iNaturalist app. Information is here.
“Becoming a Man” (continued) at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $60 to $150. Information is here.
Parka Dance Party from 4 to 6 p.m. at Kendall/MIT Open Space at 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. An all-ages outdoor dance party with free hot cocoa, music with DJ Knszwrth and beginner-friendly dance lessons offered by Sylver Rochelin in collaboration with The Dance Complex. Information is here.
Tabletop Game Night from 4 to 8 p.m. at CultureHouse, 64 Union Square, Somerville. Free, but register. Playtest Glasshouse Games’ upcoming card-battling strategy game Whisker Wars. Indie game designers are encouraged to bring their own unpublished games. Non-alcoholic drinks and snacks served. Information is here.
Shit-Faced Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” (continued) from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $30 and 21-plus. Information is here.
April Hall Quintet performs from 7 to 8:15 p.m. and 8:45 to 10 p.m. at The Mad Monkfish, 524 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. Free, but $25 food-and-drink minimum. Combining Southern gospel and blues with jazz sophistication, the vocalist and songwriter performs with Sonny Barbato (piano), Marty Ballou (acoustic bass), Lee Harris Jr. (drums) and special guest Tom Hall (tenor saxophone). Information is here.
The Story Collider from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Gambrill Center of The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $5 to $15. Hear personal stories that connect science learning to life from stand- up comedian Steph Dalwin, Caribbean Television Network founder and Haitian immigrant Emmanuel Paul, pharmaceutical scientist Miyable Shields and former dance company director and current Moth Grand Slam champion Sara Sweet Rabidoux-Kelsey. Hosted by Bart Thompson of the Now Listen Here storytelling series. Information is here.
Danilo Pérez Trio performs at 7 and 9 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (there are student discounts for 9 p.m. shows). $40. The Grammy-winning Panamanian pianist and composer performs his global jazz blend with bassist John Patitucci and drummer Adam Cruz. Information is here.
The Sarasa Ensemble presents “Anónimo from Amazonia: Bolivian Mission Baroque” from 7 to 9 p.m. at Friends Meeting House, 5 Longfellow Park, near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $25. A sunny program of secular and sacred Baroque music from the Missions of Bolivia with an indigenous folk element performed with voice, violins, cello, Baroque guitar/theorbo and organ. Includes a talk by anthropologist Bret Gustafson. Information is here.
Otis Shanty, Dogs on Shady Lane and Number One Babe perform from 7 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $15 to $20. Local night with Somerville’s “dynamic and whirring” indie rockers Otis Shanty and two Providence, Rhode Island, groups. Information is here.
Hubbub Comedy at 7:30 p.m. at Lamplighter CX, 110 N. First St., North Point, Cambridge. $15 to $20 and 21-plus. Write a question at the door and the comics may answer it live on stage. Information is here.
“Moving Through March” dance performances (continued) from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. Free to $30. Information is here.
“Less is More: Minimalism in Choral Music” at 8 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. $30 to $50. Music with a limited scale, music without pitch, music without rhythmic coordination, etc., by Arvo Pärt, Knut Nystedt, Alice Parker, Philip Glass and others. Heinrich Christensen is guest conductor for Musica Sacra. Information is here.
Sierra Hull performs at 8 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $35 to $85. The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist blends folk, pop and bluegrass. Information is here.
Lisa Bastoni album release at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $22. The Northampton songwriter recorded “Backyard Birds” at home during the 2020 lockdown. Naomi Sommers of Ithaca, New York, opens. Information is here.
Jam session with tenor saxophonist Jonathan Bean from 10 p.m. to midnight at The Mad Monkfish, 524 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. Free. A member of the Mark Zaleski Band, the New England native joins the house band after its set for a late-night jazz jam session. Information is here.
Sunday, March 10
All She Wrote x Juliet Book Club from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Juliet Social Club, 257 Washington St., Somerville. $5 to $20. An exploration of “How Long ’til Black Future Month?” by N.K. Jemisin, the first author to win three consecutive best-novel Hugo Awards. Information is here.
Brain Science Drop-in Session from 10:30 a.m. to noon at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free with museum admission. Kick off Brain Awareness Week by comparing brain samples under microscopes and learning from McGovern Institute scientists how music activates the brain and affects memory. Meet Jessica Chomik-Morales of the Spanish neuroscience podcast “Mi Última Neurona.” Information is here.
Marvel vs. DC Drag Brunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Summer Shack, 149 Alewife Brook Parkway, Alewife, Cambridge. $20. For all the geeks out there. Have a meal and pay tribute to comic books. Hosted by Neon Calypso. Guest costumes are optional. Information is here.
“Blood on the Clocktower” game meetup from 1:30 to 4:15 p.m. at Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Free. Join to learn and play a party game based on hidden identity and social bluffing that’s designed so every game is different and interesting. Similar to Werewolf and Mafia, but players are still involved even after they die in the game. New players welcome (learning is quick and easy). Information is here.
“Becoming a Man” (continued) at 2 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $60 to $150. Information is here.
LGBTQ Improv Comedy from 2 to 4 p.m. at CultureHouse, 64 Union Square, Somerville. Free, but register. Hang out, talk and do some improv. Information is here.
Grown Up Book Fair from 2 to 6 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free and 21-plus. Everything you love about school book fairs, including those fun gift-y items, plus beer! Co-sponsored with Porter Square Books. Information is here.
“Moving Through March” dance performances (continued) from 2:30 to 3:45 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. Free to $30. Information is here.
Early Music Afternoons with Duo Maresienne and guests from 3 to 4 p.m. at Somerville Museum, 1 Westwood Road, in the Spring Hill neighborhood. $20 to $25. Duo Maresienne (Olav Chris Henriksen, baroque lute and theorbo; Carol Lewis, viola da gamba) are joined by baroque flutists Na’ama Lion and Peter H. Bloom for a program of 17th and 18th century music for winds and strings together, including works by Gaulier, La Barre and Marais. Information is here.
Mingle at Momma’s from 7 to 9 p.m. at Momma’s Grocery + Wine, 2304 Massachusetts Ave., North Cambridge. Free, but 21-plus. A casual hang with neighbors and new friends with a wine tasting and a few light snacks. Information is here.
Second Sun Rising Fusion Dance from 7 to 11 p.m. at Q Ballroom, 26 New St., Fresh Pond, Cambridge (and the second Sunday of each month). $5 to $20. Social partner dancing to styles ranging from electronica to pop. A lesson for beginners in the first hour. Bring dance shoes, top-tier maskage and a water bottle. Information is here.
Monday, March 11
“How to Design a Revolution” Chilean author talk and video installation launch from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Room 255 of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Samuel Tak Lee Building, 105 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Free, but register. Co-authors Hugo Palmarola, Eden Medina and Pedro Ignacio Alonso describe through 12 projects how Chile’s designers worked to create a path to social and material justice during Salvador Allende’s presidency in the early 1970s. Information is here.
Chess hour at 6 p.m. at Cambridge Library’s Boudreau Branch, 245 Concord Ave., Observatory Hill in Neighborhood 9, Cambridge (and continuing every other Monday). Free. Players of all skill levels and ages are welcome. Chess sets provided, or bring your own. Information is here.
Paint and Hobby Night at 6 p.m. at Pandemonium Books & Games, 4 Pleasant St., Central Square, Cambridge. $5. Bring your miniatures you’ve been meaning to paint; borrow from our paint library or feel free to bring your own supplies. Information is here.
O’Neill Branch Book Group from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Cambridge Public Library O’Neill Branch, 70 Rindge Ave., North Cambridge. Free. This month’s selection: “The Alice Network” by Kate Quinn. Information is here.
A/V Comedy Club from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. Free, but not kid-friendly (material runs PG-13 to R). Drop in to watch interactive stand-up bits with PowerPoint slides and (occasionally) music. Information is here.
Millennial Crisis presents Boston Social Conversations from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free and 21-plus. You’ll be placed in small groups with other Millennials and Gen Z-ers and be given prompts to spark thought-provoking conversations about topics that matter to you (because you’re the generation with the most connections but least community). Information is here.
Elle Cosimano reads from “Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice!” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The third installment of the author’s popular Finlay Donovan novels for adults (she’s written YA too) has a kidnapping and a dead body, but the tone is breezy. Information is here.
Nam Le reads from “36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The author of the bestselling story collection “The Boat” discusses his debut book of poetry, an “urgent, unsettling reckoning with identity” that uses “multiple tones, moods, masks and camouflages.” Wyatt Mason, New York Times contributing writer and translator of the complete works of Arthur Rimbaud, joins the conversation. Information is here.
Monday’s Pages from 7 to 10 p.m. at Out of the Blue Too Art Gallery and More, third floor of Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville (and every other Monday). Free. All are welcome to this cold reading series where actors and writers get together to work on their crafts. Information is here.
This Music series presents The Founders Quintet from 9:30 to midnight at The Jungle, 6 Sanborn Court, Union Square, Somerville. Free but donations welcome, and 21-plus. Expanding beyond Cambridge with no-holds-barred improv and free jazz from Isao (guitar), Martin Gohary (keyboard), Eric Van Dam (saxophones), Evan Palmer (bass) and John Dalton (drums). Information is here.
Tuesday, March 12
“Book Moot” discusses “The Book of Doors” by Gareth Brown at 6:30 p.m. at Pandemonium Books & Games, 4 Pleasant St., Central Square, Cambridge. Free, or $30 with the book and registration required. This month, a debut novel about a New York shop clerk discovering an enigmatic book, a secret library, dark forces and romance. Information is here.
Knitting group from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library’s Boudreau Branch, 245 Concord Ave. Observatory Hill in Neighborhood 9. Free. Bring yarn and needles and find out what fellow knitters are up to. Information is here.
Chris Lynch reads from “Walkin’ the Dog” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The author of highly acclaimed YA novels writes about a homeschooler whose summer gig walking dogs prepares him in unexpected ways for his transition into public high school in the fall. Novelist Sara Farizan joins the conversation. Information is here.
Xochitl Gonzalez reads from “Anita de Monte Laughs Last” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The “Olga Dies Dreaming” author’s new novel switches between 1985 and 1998 for the story of an Ivy League history student of color swept up into a higher social rank in Manhattan’s art world as she discovers her life mirrors that of a tragically dead forgotten artist. Tufts’ Adriana Zavala joins the conversation. Information is here.
Supper Club: “Mi Cocina: Recipes and Rapture from My Kitchen in Mexico” by Rick Martínez from 7 to 9 p.m. at Remnant Brewing, 2 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville (and on the second Tuesday of every month). Free, but register. This time the potluck centers around a cookbook that takes a culinary journey through Mexico’s 31 states as well as Mexico City. Information is here.
Romance book group from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. A book discussion group for teens and adults. This month: “Before I Let Go” by Kennedy Ryan. Information is here.
Point01 Percent at 7:30 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $15. A cross-pollination of area musical improvisers. At 7:30 p.m., Steve Lantner (piano), Tom Swafford (violin), Bruno Raberg (bass) and Eric Rosenthal (drums). At 8:30 p.m. the mi3: Pandelis Karayorgis (piano), Nathan McBride (bass) and Curt Newton (drums). Information is here.
English saxophonist Jess Gillam makes her Boston debut at 7:30 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $65. Gillam is the first saxophonist to reach the finals of BBC Young Musician and the youngest soloist to perform at the Last Night of the BBC Proms. Her programs span the Renaissance and Baroque through the 20th century and present day. American pianist and composer Thomas Weaver joins. Information is here.
Laugh Giraffe Comedy Show at 8 p.m. at Union Tavern, 345 Somerville Ave., Union Square, Somerville (and every Tuesday). Free, but reserve your space. Stand-up comedy showcase. Information is here.
Charlie Parr performs at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25 to $30. The troubadour guitarist, songwriter and interpreter of traditional American folk music has released 19 albums over two decades and performs up to 275 shows a year, writing and rewriting his bluesy, poetic songs between performances. Information is here.
Wednesday, March 13
Fiber crafts drop-in from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Library’s O’Connell Branch, 48 Sixth St., East Cambridge. Free. Bring a project and knit, embroider, crochet, spin, mend, cross stitch and more with other crafters. Information is here.
Materials Lab Workshop: It’s Time to Make a Print! from noon to 3 p.m. at Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $15 materials fee and 14-plus. Deighton Abrams will teach you how to carve your own design out of wood and print by hand. Carved woodblocks left behind will be part of a large art project revealed at a Harvard Art Museums at Night event June 27. Information is here.
Books and Brews from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free, but register and 21-plus. A collaboration with the Somerville Public Library that this month explores “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes: and other lessons from the crematory” by Caitlin Doughty. Information is here.
Leah Hunt-Hendrix and Astra Taylor discuss their book “Solidarity: The Past, Present and Future of a World-Changing Idea” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The co-founder of Solidaire Network and Way to Win and the author of “The People’s Platform” look at the concept of solidarity, arguing that understanding how it’s built and sustained as well as how it’s been suppressed can ward off the crises we face. Boston College’s Aziz Rana joins the conversation. Information is here.
The Scratch perform at 7 p.m. at The Middle East Upstairs, 472 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $20. The Irish band tours for the album “Mind Yourself,” which explore how far they can push their guitars through the amps. Information is here.
Tunefoolery at 7 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Free. Monthly coffeehouse with open mic for the mental health recovery community and general public. Information is here.
Bolly Fusion from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and every Wednesday through May 15). $14. Launching today, this all-levels dance class explores Indian moves and music from classic Bollywood to modern, upbeat Hindi and Punjabi songs – and beyond. Nishtha trained in Bharatanatyam, but her love for Bhangra and hip-hop fuels her teaching style. Information is here.
Joshua Bennett and Jesse McCarthy present “Minor Notes, Volume 1: An Anthology of Unsung Black Poets” from 7 to 8 p.m. at Grolier Poetry Book Shop on 6 Plympton St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10, but register. The editors discuss their goal in bringing to light works they discovered from understudied though supremely gifted 19th and 20th century African American poets. Poets Danielle Legros Georges and Patrick Sylvain join the conversation. Information is here.
Brewery Book Club from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Lamplighter Brewing, 284 Broadway, The Port, Cambridge. Free, but register and 21-plus. A collaboration with the Cambridge Public Library that this month discusses “Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel” by Shahnaz Habib. Information is here.
Film editor Mark Solomon reads from “Over the Shoulder: A Freelancer’s Guide to Telling Stories and Editing Films” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Somerville Public Library West Branch, 40 College Ave., near Davis Square. Free, but register. With a 30-year career that included work on “Chicken Run,” “Shark Tale” and “Frankenweenie,” Solomon discusses his new book and shares his knowledge of visual storytelling and tips to thrive in a freelance career. Information is here.
Open the Door for Three album release at 7:30 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $25 to $35. The Irish music trio of Liz Knowles, Kieran O’Hare and Pat Broaders performs as part of the Burren Backroom Series, now renamed the Brian O’Donovan Legacy Series (in tribute to the late renowned Celtic music promoter who was emcee of the GBH radio show “A Celtic Sojourn,” among other programs and events). The group’s new album is “A Prosperous Gale.” Information is here.
Spanish singer María José Llergo performs at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $30 to $65. Berklee’s Flamenco Festival 2024 wraps up with a singer whose electric, captivating voice “twists and turns through atmospheric soundscapes that are reminiscent of past generations of Spanish singers but is completely her own.” Information is here.
Thursday, March 14
Cambridge Art Association’s “Level Up” student showcase final day from noon to 4 p.m. at the CAA@Canal Gallery, 650 E. Kendall St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. This juried exhibit, ending today, includes work in a range of media by student or recently graduated members. Curated by MassArt’s Chenoa Baker. Information is here.
MIT Composer Forum Series: Evan Williams from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Lewis Music Library in the Hayden Library Building at 160 Memorial Drive at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. Free, but register. The composer and conductor, who draws from inspirations as diverse as Medieval chant to contemporary pop, shares insights about the broad range of his music. A Q&A and light reception follow. Information is here.
Somerville Battle of the Breweries from 5 to 8 p.m. at Cambria Hotel, 515 Somerville Ave., near Union Square, Somerville. $35 to $75. Enjoy samples from 12 local breweries and vote for your favorite. Snacks from Josephine and DJ music. Information is here.
“The Stories of the Washington Elm” lecture at 6 p.m. at the Longfellow House and the Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site, 105 Brattle St., West Cambridge. Free, but register. J.L. Bell, author of “The Road to Concord: How Four Stolen Cannon Ignited the Revolutionary War” and a book-length historic resource study of this historic site digs into how the famous Washington Elm tree came to symbolize American patriotism and what its story says about the national memory of the Revolution. Information is here.
“The Blue Description Project” film screening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Bartos Theater, 20 Ames St., Building E-15, atrium level, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. An experimental iteration – with creative captions and audio description sourced from numerous contributors – of Derek Jarman’s film “Blue” on the 30th anniversary of its release and Jarman’s death. Information is here.
After Dark Series: Threads from 6 to 9 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $10 to $20 and 21-plus. Explore traditional textile techniques as well as emerging technologies. Artist talks by Chloe Bensahel and Ganit Goldstein, plus felt painting activities and smart textile demos. Enjoy dumplings from Mei Mei and brews from Aeronaut available for purchase. Information is here.
Christina Cooke reads from “Broughtupsy” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The debut novel by this Jamaican-born writer now living in New York City is about a young woman grappling with grief, trying to reconnect with her estranged sister in Jamaica and confronting the difficult reality of being gay in a deeply religious family. Margot Livesey, author of the just released “The Road from Belhaven,” joins the conversation. Information is here.
Margot Douaihy reads from “Blessed Water: A Sister Holiday Mystery” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Emerson College fiction writing professor and author of “Scorched Grace: A Sister Holiday Mystery” discusses her highly anticipated follow-up novel featuring the punk rock nun detective with a tooth of gold solving a case of a drowned priest in New Orleans. Katie Williams, author of “My Murder” and also an Emerson fiction writing professor, joins the conversation. Information is here.
The Kings of Connaught perform at 7 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $30 to $35. The multi-instrumentalists from Ireland have taken up the mantle to keep the heritage and culture of Irish ballads alive, most famously with their rendition of “The Rocky Road to Dublin.” Information is here.
Shit-Faced Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” (continued) from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $30 and all ages. Information is here.
The Great Brewery Bake-off: Pie Day Edition from 7 to 9 p.m. at Lamplighter Brewing, 284 Broadway, The Port, Cambridge. $14. Ten bakers compete, with judging by experts from Lone Orchid Bakery and Silver Whisk Bakeshop. Audience members can taste samples and ticket proceeds are donated to Cambridge nonprofit Enroot. Information is here.
Thomas Walsh of Pugwash (and Duckworth Lewis Method) performs from 7 to 10 p.m. at Q Division Recording Studios, 171 Rindge Ave., North Cambridge. $20. The Irish-born pop rock musician gives a solo concert in time for St. Patrick’s Day. Information is here.
Pub Sing from 7 to 10 p.m. at the café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville (and the second Thursday of each month). Free. A pub-style singalong where anyone is welcome to lead – drinking songs, sea chanteys and any song with a singable chorus will be appreciated! Information is here.
Blind Boys of Alabama perform from 7 to 11 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $50 to $80. Winners of five Grammys and inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame from seven decades of performances. Information is here.
Blues Union March Dances (continued) from 7 to 11 p.m. at Dance Union, 16 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville. $10 to $25. Information is here.
“Beyond Words” at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and continuing through April 14). $24 to $93. Inspired by the life story of Harvard researcher Irene Pepperberg, who taught her African Grey parrot Alex to communicate meaningfully and solve problems at the level of a 5-year-old child, playwright Laura Maria Censabella tracks the 30-year research experiment turned love story in this offbeat new play. Information is here.
Lena Jonsson Trio performs at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $23 to $25. One of Scandinavia’s most influential and charismatic fiddlers, Jonsson has created a unique style inspired by traditional Swedish music as well as rock, pop and American old-time and bluegrass traditions. Erik Ronström joins her on guitar and Krydda Sundström on bass. Information is here.
Taylor’s Version Swiftie Dance Party at 9 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $15 to $20 and 18-plus. DJ dance party celebrating Miss Americana. Information is here.
Revive retro music experience from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at ZuZu, 474 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and the second Thursday of every month). Free and 21-plus. Two robotic space DJs who have collected song fragments from Earth that have drifted through the cosmos try to piece them back together based on what they theorize are current trends. Expect interesting distortions of electro-swing from DJ Dekichan followed by pop remixes from DJ Catalyst. Information is here.
Friday, March 15
“My Apocalypse, Your Apocalypse: A Workshop” from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $10 to $20. Based on Company [Redacted]’s recent work “My Apocalypse,” the workshop invites professional dancers and nonprofessionals to explore their inner “shame monsters” with inspiration from archival texts, photographs and visual art. Information is here.
Cuban Dance with Boston Rueda (continued) from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and continuing every Friday). $15. Information is here.
Small Works Project reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at Gallery 263, 263 Pearl St., Cambridgeport. Free, but RSVP. Meet the artists who have work on view in the gallery flat files, browse the works and learn more about the project. Information is here.
Women Take the Reel Film Festival: “Twice Colonized” screening from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Bartos Theater, 20 Ames St., Building E-15, atrium level, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Watch Lin Alluna’s 2023 film about renowned Inuit lawyer Aaju Peter, who’s led a lifelong fight for the rights of her people (colonized first by European settlers, then by modern-day Canadian policies). Peter joins a Q&A via Zoom. Information is here.
Rhaina Cohen reads from “The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The producer for NPR’s “Embedded” podcast profiles people who’ve defied convention by choosing a friend as a life partner and explores what we can learn about commitment, love and family from them. Rebecca Traister, author of “All the Single Ladies” and “Good and Mad,” joins the conversation. Information is here.
Shit-Faced Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” (continued) from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $30 and 21-plus. Information is here.
St. Patrick’s Day variety show from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville (and continuing with multiple seatings through the weekend). $30 to $35 and all ages. A traditional Irish meal of corned beef and cabbage or Guinness beef stew with soda bread (a vegetarian option is available) followed by Burren shamrock cake accompanies kid-friendly traditional tunes, ballads, stories and dancing featuring Tommy McCarthy and Louise Costello (traditional Irish musicians who happen to own the place), Robert Elliott, Rose McCarthy, Peader Giles, Seamus Noonan and Irish Step Dancers. Information is here.
LoVeSeXy Tribute to the music of Prince at 7 to 10:30 p.m. at Dx@Dunster, 33 Dunster St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $30 and 21-plus. Check out Harvard Square’s newest event space and the six-piece tribute band fronted by Boston musician and vocalist Giovanni Morant and acclaimed guitarist Jodee Frawlee, which performs a spot-on, sound-alike, high-energy show of Prince’s greatest hits. A raffle and auction support the MetroWest YMCA Boston via its Marathon charity team led by runner Brian Graska. Information is here.
Folk musicians Hazel Royer and Ira Klein perform at 7:30 p.m. at Warehouse XI, 11 Sanborn Court, Union Square, Somerville. $16 to $21 and 21-plus. Royer grew up playing bluegrass locally with dad Eric Royer; Klein moved to Boston from his native Jerusalem, where he grew up playing Middle-Eastern music, jazz and rock. They met at Berklee and collaborate on original music and innovative arrangements of American folk songs. Their debut album “Say Darling Say” is just out. Information is here.
“Villancicos que se han de cantar …” early Spanish music from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Somerville Music Spaces, 1060 Broadway, Suite C101B, Somerville. $10. A selection of Spanish music from the 15th to 18th centuries performed by Cameron Dobson (countertenor), Caitlin Laird (soprano), Joy Laird (baroque flute and recorders), Paul Laird (baroque cello) and Mary Jodice (harpsichord). Information is here.
Dips 101 from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at José Mateo Ballet Theatre, 400 Harvard St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $5 to $40 suggested. Balter Dance Boston’s experts show how to perform dance dips with safety and strength during an event that’s “one part social, two parts workshop and one part hangout.” All levels welcome. Clean soft-soled shoes only (socks and bare feet are fine). Information is here.
Tango fundamentals class and milonga dance from 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Dance Union, 16 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville. $20 to $40. A 90-minute lesson includes “walking in an embrace” taught by international tango instructors Melina and Detlef in town during their North American tour followed by four hours of milonga dancing with DJ Melina. No partner needed; all genders are welcome to lead or follow. Information is here.
“Beyond Words” at 8 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and continuing through April 14). $24 to $78. Inspired by the life story of Harvard researcher Irene Pepperberg, who taught her African Grey parrot Alex to meaningfully communicate and solve problems at the level of a five-year-old child, playwright Laura Maria Censabella tracks the 30-year research experiment turned love story in this offbeat new play. Information is here.
“The Impracticality of Modern-Day Mastodons” performance at 8 p.m. at Theatre@First, Unity Somerville, 6 William St., Somerville (and continuing weekends through March 23). $20 to $25 and ages 8-plus. In Rachel Teagle’s play, adults are granted their childhood response to the question “What do you want to be when you grow up,” resulting in a world overrun with astronauts, ballerinas, cowboys, princesses … and Jess the mastodon. Themes of unfulfilled ambitions, purpose, belonging and restlessness are revealed. Information is here.
“Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age” cabaret at 8 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $175. The 59-year-old Scottish actor brings an evening of story and song. Information is here.
MIT Symphony Orchestra performs Bruckner Symphony No. 4 at 8 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Kresge Auditorium, 48 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Free to $10. Adam K. Boyles directs this expansive and monumental work, which follows a performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto no. 1, first movement, featuring this year’s Concerto Competition winner Richard Qi as soloist. Information is here.
Alice Howe and Freebo perform at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $23 to $25. Collaborators since 2017, former Bonnie Raitt bassist Freebo weaves his unique fretless bass stylings around Howe’s effortless, emotionally resonant voice, which seems tailor made for most every strand of Americana music. Kemp Harris opens. Information is here.
Show Me Your Bits stand-up and sketch show from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at the Café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $10. Jonathan Anderson and friends from Union Comedy and Boston’s Improv Asylum do stand-up, characters, music and sketch comedy so “silly and thought-provoking” it prompts follow-up questions from the audience. Information is here.
Colescott and his Red Hots perform for Boston Swing Central from 8 to 11:45 p.m. at Q Ballroom, 26 New St., Fresh Pond, Cambridge. $13 to $20. This social partner dance with live music includes a lesson for beginners in the first hour. No partner required; bring a clean pair of shoes to dance in to prevent winter sand and salt damage on the floors. Information is here.
Red Baraat performs at 8:30 p.m. at The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $28 to $35. “The best party band in years” (says NPR) harmoniously merges hard-driving North Indian bhangra with elements of hip-hop, funk, jazz and raw punk energy, “rendering not only genre irrelevant, but the geographic placement of those sounds” (says Stereogum). Air Devi opens. Information is here.
Dwayne Haggins performs from 9 p.m. to midnight at The Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Ave., in the Baldwin neighborhood between Harvard and Porter squares, Cambridge. $15 to $18 and 21-plus. This Massachusetts native’s range of singing styles evokes a list of comparisons, but whether you think he’s the “love child of Otis Redding and Doc Watson” or a “fusion of Elvis and Marvin Gaye,” his energetic “Call Me Boston” is definitely a blast-with-the-car-windows-rolled-down kind of tune. Information is here.
A stronger
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Ahem. Those are crochet hooks with the yarn, not knitting needles.