Thursday, March 21
GastroTech Night with Basque Culinary Center from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Venture Café, CIC Cambridge, One Broadway, fifth floor, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. A culinary showcase from Spain and Boston-area chefs bookends sessions on the global food tech ecosystem, The “Gastronomy Open Ecosystem” being built in San Sebastián, Spain, and creativity in the era of gastronomic innovation. Information is here.
Tutoring Plus 60th Anniversary Gala from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 65 Franklin St., Central Square, Cambridge. $25. One of Cambridge’s oldest nonprofits, which has matched thousands of Cambridge kids with one-to-one tutors over the years for free, throws a party – with food from Bar Enza and an open bar – to raise $60,000 for its 60 years of existence (the website shows $18,000 is still needed, with a button to donate). This year honors Khari Milner, co-director of Agenda for Children. Information is here.
Anissa Touati on “Imagining Communities through Architecture: The Mediterranean Sea as a Constellation” at 6 p.m. in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Long Lounge (Building 7-429), 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Free. Three projects that bring together art and architecture united by the Mediterranean Sea. Information is here.
“Breaking Boundaries: The Global Impact of Hiphop’s Original Dance” from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Hiphop Archive and Research Institute, Hutchins Center, 104 Mount Auburn St., Floor 2R, Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Lecture and presentation by Paul “Paulskeee” Ruma and Lino “Lean Rock” Delgado, pioneers in the breaking world, followed by a reception. Information is here.
Dance Film Shorts at 6:30 p.m. at the MIT Welcome Center, 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Boston dancer Rachel Linsky screens two dance films she choreographed that were inspired by the work and story of Jewish-Polish composer Mieczyslaw Weinberg. Afterward, she’ll lead the audience in a Yiddish dance workshop. Information is here.
“The Toxic Problem of Poverty + Housing Costs: Lessons from New Landmark Research About Homelessness” panel discussion from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Gund Hall, 42 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. University of California San Francisco’s Dr. Margot Kushel discusses with a moderated panel insights on California’s homelessness crisis, and policies, programs and practices that would help. Information is here.
“Medea, the Musical” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Agassiz Theater, 5 James St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Saturday). Free, but register. The Harvard Classical Club’s subtitle for its new production is “Supporting Women’s Wrongs Since 50 CE.” The club promises to “scandalize, entertain and enlighten” while giving voice to one of the most notorious women in our pop culture lexicon. Translated by Harvard College undergraduate Elena Lu with original music by Chris Ruiz and Paul Palmer. Information is here.
Maggie Thrash reads from “Rainbow Black” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The author of “Honor Girl” discusses her new novel set in New Hampshire about a young law clerk whose family history is suddenly revealed in headlines. Joining the conversation is Adam Colman, producer of Lit Hub’s “Cosmic Library” podcast. Information is here.
Jessi Jezewska Stevens reads from “Ghost Pains” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The author of the novel “The Exhibition of Persephone Q” and “The Visitors” has gathered some of her acclaimed short fiction. Lynn Steger Strong, author of the novels “Hold Still,” “Want” and “Flight,” joins the conversation. Information is here.
Guitarist JiJi presents “Classical Goes Electric” at 7 p.m. Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $34. The first guitarist to win the prestigious Concert Artists Guild Award in 30 years presents a program that begins in the Italian Renaissance and ends in the present day, bringing together composers like Paganini, Tania León, Steve Reich and JiJi herself. Information is here.
“American Womxn” rock-n-roll burlesque show at 7 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $27 to $40 and 21-plus. Onyxx Burlesque presents a journey of seduction through the decades of rock music. Information is here.
Bookers performs with special guests from 7 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. Improv and free jazz with Bookers’ Luke Rovinsky (electric guitar), Caleb Duval (double bass) and Michael Larocca (drum set, percussion) playing with out-of-towners Tom Weeks (alto sax) from Connecticut in the first set and Sandy Ewen (electric guitar) from Brooklyn in the second. Information is here.
Blues Union March Dances from 7 to 11 p.m. at Dance Union, 16 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville (also Mar. 28). $10 to $25. Includes a lesson in the first hour followed by 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.
Cliff Notez performs live at 7:30 p.m. at the Charles Hayden Planetarium in the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. $20. The heralded Boston artist and musician says of this show, “One of my life dreams is coming true.” Information is here.
“Beyond Words” at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Apr. 14). $24 to $93. 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. This performance is followed (at 9:45 p.m.) by a conversation between Dr. Irene Pepperberg and Dr. Scott V. Edwards about the intersection of linguistics and evolutionary biology. 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 through Saturday). $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. (Masks are required for this performance.) Information is here.
Lætitia Sadier and The Source Ensemble perform at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $17. The London-based French musician and longtime collaborator with many (including avant-pop group Stereolab) performs songs from her new album “Rooting for Love.” Information is here.
Third Thursdays jazz with Dave Bryant and Friends at 8 p.m. at Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church, 1555 Massachusetts Ave., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10. This month, keyboardist and composer Bryant will be joined by Calvin Weston (drums) of Ornette Coleman’s Prime Time Band along with J. Johnson (guitar) and Rick McLaughlin (bass). Information is here.
Palaver Strings presents “Visions and Miracles” from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $20. The Portland, Maine, string ensemble performs works by Christopher Theofanidis, Arvo Part, Max Richter and Carolyn Shaw, with excerpts of Mendelssohn’s Sinfonia No. 1. Information is here.
Friday, March 22
East Branch Book Club from 11 a.m. to noon at Somerville Public Library East Branch, 115 Broadway. Free. The group discusses “Inheritance: a Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity and Love” by Dani Shapiro. Pick up a copy in person or download the audio or e-book copy on Libby and Overdrive. Information is here.
Drop-in Studio at The Hive from 1 to 4:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. Learn about The Hive’s workshop offerings and special programs; equipment and studios will be available for limited time slots on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign up for Hive Safety Training if you want to come back as a “maker.” Information is here.
“Medea, the Musical” (continued) from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Agassiz Theater, 5 James St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Information is here.
Friday Night Lights: Salsa Social from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $10. Dance Complex’s new Friday series features, this time, an intro-level salsa lesson with Johnny Giraldo of Salsa y Control, plus a social hour with great tunes to practice those newly learned moves. No partner necessary. Information is here.
James Marcus reads from “Glad to the Brink of Fear: A Portrait of Ralph Waldo Emerson” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. A reassessment of Emerson and his relevance to contemporary readers. “Rick Moody,” author “The Ice Storm,” joins the conversation. Information is here.
Chromic Duo performs at 7 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $34. Lucy Yao and Dorothy Chan perform new commissions and nature-inspired works by Chopin, Ravel, Olafur Arnalds and Brian Eno using toy pianos, “real” pianos, electronics and multimedia. Information is here.
“Aristotle’s Plot” film screening with the director Jean-Pierre Bekolo in person at 7 p.m. at Harvard Film Archive at The Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $15. Jean-Pierre Bekolo’s 1996 film, with an African filmmaker as a main character (the director’s alter ego?), is one of nine films by the Cameroonian screening through April 21 to celebrate his selection as the 2024 McMillan-Stewart Fellow in Distinguished Filmmaking. In English. Information is here.
Noteables Spring 2024 Concert from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Harvard’s Lowell Lecture Hall, 17 Kirkland St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $7 to $10. The non-audition show choir made up of Harvard undergrads sings songs from Broadway and Disney. Information is here.
“Beyond Words” (continued) at 8 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $78. Information is here.
“The Impracticality of Modern-Day Mastodons” performance (continued) at 8 p.m. at Theatre@First, Unity Somerville, 6 William St., Somerville. $20 to $25 and ages 8-plus. Information is here.
Loving performs at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $22 to $27. Loving, a psychedelic folk band from Victoria, British Columbia, – plays a double bill with Fog Lake, the musical alias of Canadian singer-songwriter Aaron Powell. Oh, Canada. Information is here.
Automatique Brit and Indie Dance Party from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at ManRay, 40 Prospect St., Central Square, Cambridge. $12 to $15 and 19-plus. Britpop favorites, international indie jams, dance rock and electro at a monthly dance party. Information is here.
Edward Glen, Square Loop and Voicemail perform at 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10. An indie convergence of bands from Boston, Worcester and New York playing rock, alt-country, punk, emo and fake emo. Information is here.
Saturday, March 23
Robot Dog demo from 11 a.m. to noon at the MIT Welcome Center, 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Ge Yang from the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental Interactions and MIT undergrad Alan Yu demonstrate how they’ve taught their robotic dog to run using reinforcement learning at this event sponsored by Leap Lab. Information is here.
“Museo Inmigrante: Stories of Resilience from Somerville’s Padres Latinos” exhibit final day from noon to 5 p.m. at the Somerville Museum, 1 Westwood Road, in the Spring Hill neighborhood. $5. This collection of works by award-winning photographers Mario Quiroz and Iaritza Menjivar puts its lens on members of a mutual aid group launched during the pandemic to advocate for Latino students in Somerville Public Schools and explores stories about immigration, home, family, memory, community and finding purpose. Information is here.
“Uncontained: Painting the Imagined World of Moss” exhibition from noon to 5 p.m. in Bigelow Chapel at Mount Auburn Cemetery, 580 Mount Auburn St., West Cambridge (and continuing Sunday). Free, but register. Artist-in-residence Resa Blatman’s pop-up exhibit of small paintings depicts imagined plant environments in which moss and flora break free of barriers placed on them by humans. At 12:30 p.m. artist-in-residence Carolyn Oliver reads her poem inspired by the works, with a Q&A with Blatman at 1 p.m. Information is here.
Wall of Grass interactive benefit concert at 1 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $15 to $20. The Boston collective “folkestra” plays 20-plus strong in a circle known as a “cluster-folk,” with songbooks handed out and all encouraged to sing, dance and clap along. This event raises funds for Our Space, which supports children and teens with cancer. Information is here.
Eid Bazaar from 1 to 6 p.m. at the Cambridge Community Center, 5 Callender St., Riverside. Free. This inaugural shopping event features traditional-to-contemporary designs in dresses, fashion sarees, stunning jewelry, elegant abayas, hijabs and more. Information is here.
Alive Dance Collective presents “Reprint” from 2 to 3:30 and 7 to 8:30 at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $20 to $25 and all ages. The contemporary dance company’s follow-up to its 2023 “Ink in Motion” show features 11 pieces inspired by literary content, including one that explores the inner lives of alphabet letters. Also live-streamed with a link sent after ticket purchase. Information is here.
“The Last Human” film screening from 2 to 4 p.m. at Geological Lecture Hall, Harvard Geological Museum, 24 Oxford St., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. A group of children from the village of Kangaatsiaq anchor this film about Greenland, where the first traces of human life were discovered and where melting ice threatens our entire civilization. Includes a Q&A with director Ivalo Frank. Information is here.
Music and Poetry Open Mic for mental health advocacy from 2 to 5 p.m. at the café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Free. Hosted by singer-songwriter Lisa Haley and author-musician Timothy Gager. Sponsored by the Massachusetts-based Oddball Foundation, which supports the arts and mental health. Information is here.
North Cambridge Family Opera presents “Rain Dance” at 3 and 7 p.m. at the auditorium of the Peabody School, 70 Rindge Ave., North Cambridge (also tomorrow). $7 to $15. The company reprises its 2014 production, the North American premiere of the 2010 British opera about animals on the South African savanna facing a drought, their Machiavellian lion elected leader and a hare as their unlikely hero. Directed by David Bass and Kathy Lindsay and choreographed by Rachel Zimmerman. Information is here.
“Beyond Words” (continued) at 3 and 7 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $93. The 7 p.m. performance starts with a 45-minute chat between Deborah Davidson of Catalyst Conversations and Boston College’s Angie Johnston on the topic “What do our pets think about?” Information is here.
Dance fundraiser class with Pat Planet from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $25. An all-levels class in jazz and hip-hop by a sought-out instructor to help raise funds for the flagship Studio 1 at the Complex. Information is here.
“The Impracticality of Modern-Day Mastodons” performance (continued) at 4 p.m. at Theatre@First, Unity Somerville, 6 William St., Somerville. $20 to $25 and ages 8-plus. Information is here.
“Nothingness is Impossible”: a musical death awareness meditation from 4 to 5 p.m. at Story Chapel at Mount Auburn Cemetery, 580 Mount Auburn St., West Cambridge. $15 to $20. End-of-life support person Madelaine Ripley explains the history and cultural significance of death awareness meditations, then guides a nonreligious meditation. Musician and artist-in-residence Eden Rayz performs. Information is here.
Joan Watson-Jones from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $15. Watson-Jones sings jazz with Frank Wilkins as pianist (and her longtime creative partner) and a rhythm section of Dave Zox and drummer Alvin Terry. Information is here.
Queer Potluck: Casseroles from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at CultureHouse, 64 Union Square, Somerville. Free. Bring a favorite casserole or side. Information is here.
Carnatic Classical vocal concert with Bharat Sundar at 6 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Wong Auditorium in Building E-51, also known as the Tang Center, 70 Memorial Drive, Cambridge. $30 to $35. MIT Heritage Arts of South Asia brings the Indian vocalist and composer to perform with Sayee Rakshith (violin), Sumesh Narayanan (mridangam) and Chandrasekara Sharma (ghatam). Information is here.
38th Annual Cultural Rhythms Show & Artist Conversation at 6 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $5 to $10. A celebration of Harvard’s cultural and ethnic diversity with student performances. Information is here.
Woodcock walk from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Mass Audubon Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport. Free, but register and be 10-plus. Learn about the appearance, behavior and ecology of these unique “upland” shorebirds that nest in forested habitats (the males can even be seen in urban parks). The group will walk while listening for courtship calls, perhaps discovering other nocturnal creatures. Information is here.
“Medea, the Musical” (continued) from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Agassiz Theater, 5 James St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Information is here.
Media Night at the New England Science Fiction Association at 7 p.m. at the group’s clubhouse at 504 Medford St., Magoun Square, Somerville. Free. A night to enjoy sci-fi/fantasy media, anime and more. Masks optional. Information is here.
Mark Lettieri Group performs at 7 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $34. The five-time Grammy winner creates guitar-based instrumental music and is a member of the jazz fusion collective Snarky Puppy and The Fearless Flyers. Information is here.
Jorgan performs at 7:30 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. The improvisational organ duo features Jordan Gravel (Hammond B3 organ) and Zack Fierman (drums). Known for his jazz, funk and blues playing, Gravel also performs with his brother Andrew in The Gravel Project (when he’s not teaching elementary school music in Woburn). Information is here.
“Beautiful Was the Fight” film screening at 7:30 p.m. at the Mugar Omni Theater in the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. $15 and 18-plus. The documentary from 2023 profiles women musicians from the Boston scene. Live performances from some follow the screening. Information is here.
Mayuan Poet performs at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $51.30. The China-based band just played at SXSW in Austin and in New York City. The four-member group fuses British indie rock with styles as diverse as grunge, dance rock and local genres from the Southwest region of China. Information is here.
“Suitcase Stories” at 8 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square. $28. Seven foreign- and U.S.-born residents, among them Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, share powerful and inspiring stories of refugee and immigrant life via the Stellar Story Co. Information is here.
Blue Heron vocal ensemble presents “Tasso and Wert” at 8 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. $10 (low-income tickets) to $40 (general) and $87 (reserved). A program celebrating the Italian madrigal with settings of dramatic scenes by the 16th century poet Torquato Tasso, music by Giaches de Wert and others, plus recitations in Italian and English. Includes a talk by Emiliano Ricciardi of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst at 7 and a performance by a Handel and Haydn Society Youth Chorus at 7:30 p.m. Information is here.
New Gallery Concert Series: Legacy at 8 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $25. This program asking “How do we connect with generations before us?” features a commission world premiere composition by Lainie Fefferman in collaboration with local poet Ann Bookman, plus performances by fiddler, singer and dancer Eden MacAdam-Somer, pianist Sarah Bob, visual artist Lisa Fliegel and more. Information is here.
Juventas New Music Ensemble presents “The Age of the Rise: A Call for Action on Climate Change” at 8 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $1 to $35. The contemporary chamber group reflects on how we engage with our planet. Information is here.
Thou Merciless Graves presents “Wrath of the Selkie” from 8 to 11 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $15 to $18 and 21-plus. Growler Graves and Mizzen Graves of Boston make music and performance art inspired by the horrors of the sea. Sometimes with puppetry and staging. Always with reverb. Information is here.
DJ Cristhian Teran performs at 9:30 p.m. at La Fábrica Central, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $30 and 21-plus. The Miami DJ brings a hot blast of spring break to a nightclub decked out as a tropical paradise. Information is here.
Sunday, March 24
Community Gathering and Purim Carnival from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Fayerweather Street School, 765 Concord Ave., West Cambridge. Free. The Kahal B’raira holiday celebration features a discussion of the YA novel “Little & Lion” by Brandy Colbert, a potluck lunch, gift basket swap, donation drive for the Somerville Homeless Coalition and a Purim spiel and carnival. Information is here.
“Little Shop of Horrors” drag brunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Summer Shack, 149 Alewife Brook Parkway, Alewife, Cambridge. $20. You can belt out “Feed Me, Seymour!” but there’s plenty of brunch at this singalong tribute to the enduring musical, hosted by Neon Calypso. Information is here.
“Uncontained: Painting the Imagined World of Moss” exhibition (continued) from noon to 5 p.m. in the Bigelow Chapel glass wing of Mount Auburn Cemetery, 580 Mount Auburn St., West Cambridge. Free, but register. Information is here.
North Cambridge Family Opera presents “Rain Dance” (continued) at 1 and 5 p.m. at the auditorium of the Peabody School, 70 Rindge Ave., North Cambridge. $7 to $15. Information is here.
“Beyond Words” (continued) at 2 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $93. 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.
Cambridge Mushroom Fest from 2 to 5 p.m. at a location TBA upon registration. Free. The grassroots community group Bay Staters for Natural Medicine provides an opportunity to learn about the healing power of mushrooms and the group’s efforts to end arrests for psilocybin mushrooms across the country. Information is here.
Linda Given reads from “The Book of Joie, or a Thousand Singing Hamsters: a Micro-Business Memoir” at 3 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The former owner of Joie de Vivre discusses her memoir, which we wrote about here, about the many delights, changes and challenges of owning the eclectically stocked shop from 1984 to 2020 in Porter Square. As part of the bookstore’s “Be the Change” event, 20 percent of sales throughout the store during the two-hour talk benefits Cambridge Local First. Information is here.
“Joe Pete” Wetherbee performs with Six is Nine at 3 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. The singer guitarist and his trio play roots-rock jams with his trio including rockabilly, country blues, ’50s to ’70s rock ’n’ roll, Louisiana Cajun and more. (Originals too.) Information is here.
Bilingual Storytelling: “Flor del Copihue” from 3 to 4 p.m. at Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Free. Family-oriented Spanish immersion, this time featuring the legend behind the national flower of Chile told in Spanish and English, plus music, dance, games and arts and crafts. Information is here.
Cambridge Symphony Orchestra presents “A New Beginning” from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Kresge Auditorium, 48 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. $15 to $25. Explores music of the 20th century by immigrant composers Korngold, Miguel del Aguila, Bright Sheng and Bartók. Information is here.
Revels Spring Sing: Colors of Spring singalong from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $13.50 to $40.50 (discounts available). The interactive, family-friendly group’s spring equinox event features members of the Triveni School of Dance and Tempo International Rhythm Section with the Cambridge Youth Steel Orchestra, plus appearances by song leader David Coffin, the Padstow Horse, the Revels Children’s Chorus and Morris dancers. Information is here.
Altan performs traditional Irish music at 4 and 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $25 to $48. The band’s dynamic live performances range from touching ballads to hard-hitting Irish reels and jigs; after 30 years and a dozen studio albums, the group stays focused on the traditional and on Donegal fiddlers and singers. Information is here.
Elephant Stone performs at 7 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $15 to $18. The Montreal psych-pop musicians just released “Back into the Dream.” Information is here.
Kid Francescoli performs at 8 p.m. at The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25. Marseille singer and multi-instrumentalist Mathieu Hocine and his band released the 2023 album “Sunset Blue” honoring his Mediterranean background and experiences through Spain, Rome, Morocco, Greece, Turkey and Egypt. Information is here.
Monday, March 25
Hive Safety Training from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Fab Lab of The Hive at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. This workshop familiarizes you with The Hive makerspace and shows how to use its resources and keep safe. Completion of safety training is the entry point to using the space. Information is here.
Michael Kimmage reads from “Collisions: The Origins of the War in Ukraine and the New Global Instability” at 6 p.m. in the lecture hall at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, or $31.86 with book. An event co-sponsored with Harvard Book Store offers a wide-angle, historically informed account of the origins of the current Russia-Ukraine war. Harvard’s Serhii Plokhy joins in conversation. 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.
Poets Natalie Diaz and Shane McCrae read at 6 p.m. in the Thompson Room of Harvard University’s Barker Center, 12 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Diaz won a Pulitzer in 2021 for “Postcolonial Love Poem.” McCrae’s “Cain Named the Animal” was a finalist for the Forward Prize and longlisted for the PEN/Voelcker Award. Harvard’s Stephanie Burt provides the introduction. Also livestreamed. Information is here.
Urban Cycling Basics and Rules of the Road Workshop from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. in the second floor conference room of the City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. An introduction to help build confidence for riding in a city. This session covers rules of the road and traffic laws that apply to bicycles, plus topics such as right of way, yielding and traffic markings. 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.
Creativity Collective: A meetup for art and craft makers from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill (and the last Monday of every month). Free, but register. Those who draw, paint, sculpt, knit, crochet, sew, make paper crafts or fabric art are welcome to bring projects and work. No official teachers, just social learning or quiet work time as preferred; light refreshments served. Information is here.
Movie and Craft Night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Somerville Public Library West Branch, 40 College Ave., near Davis Square. Free, but register. A screening of “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” plus a craft option or space for your own project. Light snacks and other goodies provided. Information is here.
PSB Book Club at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge (and held monthly). Free, but RSVP. This month’s selection: “This Is Happiness” by Niall Williams. Information is here.
“Rapado” (Cropped Head) screening at 7 p.m. at Harvard Film Archive at The Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10. This 1992 debut film directed by Martín Rejtman, with its poignant rendering of directionless youth in Argentina, was an instant cult sensation. This beautiful 35 mm print from the Archive’s collection was struck directly from the original camera negative in 2010. Spanish with English subtitles. Information is here.
Butoh dance class from 7 to 9 p.m. at SomArt@The Hive, 561 Windsor St., Ste. 401a, Somerville (and every Monday). $10. Instructor Sara June encourages students to find and embrace hidden movements that lie buried beneath years of conditioned behavior in this class in the avant-garde movement form. Dancers at all levels are welcome. 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.
“The Queen of My Dreams” film screening at 7:30 p.m. at Apple Cinemas Cambridge, 168 Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge Highlands near Alewife and Fresh Pond. $12. This humorous drama about a Pakistani woman and her Canadian-born daughter, who are jointly obsessed with the Bollywood film “Aradhana,” is shown as part of the Belmont World Film’s 22nd International Film Series. Includes a pre-screening dinner at 6 and a Q&A via Zoom with director Fawzia Mirza. Information is here.
Poets Dorothea Lasky and Michael Dumanis read from 8 to 9 p.m. at Cambridge Center for Adult Education, 56 Brattle St., Harvard Square. $5. Sponsored by the Blacksmith House Poetry Series, which brings established and emerging writers of poetry and fiction to Harvard Square. Information is here.
Experimental Comedy Therapy with Amy Tee from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at the Marran Theater, 34 Mellen St., on Lesley University’s Doble Campus in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free and 18-plus. As part of the university’s Monday Night Madness series, Tee adds wit and stigma-busting honesty about recovery from alcoholism and bipolar disorder to a comedy routine promoting mental health wellness. Information is here.
“To See a World in a Grain of Sand” concert from 8 to 10 p.m. at Distler Performance Hall, Tufts University, 20 Talbot Ave., Medford. Free. Pianist Thomas Stumpf performs short but powerful pieces by several classical composers. The program includes works by African American composers Regina Harris Baiocchi and Julia Perry, Tufts composers John McDonald and Kareem Roustom and the world premiere of a piece Yehudi Wyner. Information is here.
Tuesday, March 26
The Worm Moon Cometh soil exploration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., meeting at the ranger station (under the clock tower) at 250 Fresh Pond Parkway, in West Cambridge at Fresh Pond, Cambridge. Free, all ages. According to Algonquin culture, March’s full moon is the “Worm Moon.” Join ranger Tim Puopolo to explore soils and hunt for worms, learning how they impact our ecosystem. Information is here.
“Origins of Latin America’s Failing Education Systems” from noon to 1:20 p.m. at Harvard University’s Center for Government and International Studies, South Concourse, S216, 1730 Cambridge St., Harvard Square. Free. In “Raised to Obey,” University of California, San Diego’s Agustina Paglayan argues that prioritizing obedience over skills reduces the gains from increasing access to schooling. Harvard’s Steven Levitsky joins in conversation. Information is here.
“Physical and Social Human-Robot Interaction with the iCub Humanoid” lecture from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in Singleton Auditorium (3002) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Building 46, also known as the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Complex, 43 Vassar St., Cambridge. Free. Giorgio Metta of the Italian Institute of Technology discusses the last research on the “embodied AI” robot the size of a 5-year-old child that can crawl, walk and sit up to manipulate objects in its hands, one of more than 40 being studied in labs worldwide. Information is here.
Annie Jacobsen reads from “Nuclear War: A Scenario” at 6 p.m. in the lecture hall at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, or $31.88 with book. During this event co-sponsored with Harvard Book Store, The New York Times-bestselling author of “Area 51” discusses her findings from dozens of new interviews with military and civilian experts who have built the weapons for nuclear war and created the response plans. MIT’s Theodore Postol joins in conversation. Information is here.
“Botticelli’s Drawings” lecture from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Harvard Art Museums, Menschel Hall, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. A curator at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Furio Rinaldi shares discoveries and insights into the working practices of one of the Renaissance’s greatest artists. Information is here.
Teenage Dads perform at 6:30 p.m. at Sonia, 10 Brookline St., Central Square, Cambridge. $15 and all ages. The four-piece Australian indie-rock band released their fourth album, “Midnight Driving,” in 2023, with songs the group says are “like conversations you have with yourself.” Also playing: Dreamfone. Information is here.
“Have You Read This? Classic ‘Book Moot’” discussion at 6:30 p.m. at Pandemonium Books & Games, 4 Pleasant St., Central Square, Cambridge. $14.99 with the book and registration required. This time, discuss whether 1908’s “The House on the Borderlands” by William Hope Hodgson – one of the extra-dimensional horror stories that shaped the genre – has stood the test of time. Information is here.
Make Along for Adults: Build a Solar Eclipse Viewer from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library Valente Branch, 826 Cambridge St., Wellington-Harrington. Free, but register. All supplies are provided for each project in this monthly make-along series for adults, which focuses on creating and socializing. This project prepares you for the total solar eclipse on April 8. Information is here.
Lauret Savoy reads from “Trace: Memory, History, Race and the American Landscape” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Gund Hall, 42 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The American Book Award winning author discusses how this country’s unfolding history has marked the land, this society and her, from the San Andreas Fault zone to a South Carolina plantation, from national parks to burial grounds. Information is here.
Theatre critic Helen Shaw on “Perspectives on Performance” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Harvard University’s Farkas Hall, Room 203, 10-12 Holyoke St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The award-winning New Yorker theater critic also wrote criticism for New York Magazine from 2019–22 and has written for numerous other publications. Information is here.
Rowan Beaird reads from “The Divorcées” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The Chicago fiction writer discusses her debut novel set at a divorce ranch in Reno, Nevada, in 1951, where a half-dozen would-be divorcées fulfill the six weeks’ required residency to untie the knot. Christopher Castellani, author of “Leading Men,” joins in conversation. Information is here.
Earfull performance series with writers and musicians at 7 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $25 to $30. This time, the series hosts novelist Mako Yoshikawa, author of the memoir “Secrets of the Sun”; guitarist and vocalist Savoir Faire, whose songs emote wistful nostalgia and modern rage; novelist Mona Awad, author of “Bunny, All’s Well” and “13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl”; and Spotted Owls, a Boston psychedelic roots band. Information is here.
Candida Moss reads from “God’s Ghostwriters: Enslaved Christians and the Making of the Bible” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The award-winning author of “Divine Bodies” and “Bible Nation” discusses how hidden behind Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Paul were a cluster of enslaved co-authors who made the parchment and papyri, took dictation, edited the text and carried it far and wide on dangerous journeys. Boston University’s Shively T.J. Smith joins in the conversation. Information is here.
Musicians Ballaké Sissoko and Derek Gripper perform at 7:30 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square (also on Wednesday). $25 to $48. The Malian Sissoko is a virtuoso of the 21-string kora, and joins the South African guitarist, whose work focuses on the connections between African music and classical. Both explore the musical tradition of the griots of Mali. 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. Standup comedy showcase. Information is here.
“Standing Up for Bach” with cellist Emmanuel Feldman from 8 to 10 p.m. at Distler Performance Hall, Tufts University, 20 Talbot Ave., Medford. Free. Feldman presents all six Bach Cello Suites using the TekStand he invented. He’ll explore the character and challenges presented by each iconic work. Information is here.
Music and free cookies at 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10. A series highlighting young musicians features Olivia WB and Tree Greetings. And yes, there will be free cookies. Information is here.
Wednesday, March 27
Fresh Pond Nature Walk from 10:15 to 11:30 a.m., meeting at the courtyard of the Cambridge Public Library Collins Branch, 64 Aberdeen Ave., West Cambridge. Free, but registration is required. During this relaxing walk of Fresh Pond, ranger Tim Puopolo shares insights about what’s growing, changing and blooming in the neighborhood. Note: This walk is on uneven terrain, down hills and over roots, not on a paved path. Information is here.
“Priorities Reversed: From Climate Agnosticism to Ecological Activism” lecture from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at Francis Loeb Library (lobby level), 48 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. As an architect, curator and author, most recently, of “Climax Change! How Architecture Must Transform in the Age of Ecological Emergency,” Pedro Gadanho argues that taking a deep dive into ecological emergency can be transformative. Information is here.
“It Could Lead to Dancing” talk followed by klezmer music and dancing from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Thompson Room of Harvard University’s Barker Center, 12 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. A lecture that ends in dancing by Sonia Gollance, lecturer in Yiddish at University College, London, and the author of “It Could Lead to Dancing: Mixed-Sex Dancing and Jewish Modernity.” Information is here.
Artist Will Alexander reads his poems from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Edison Newman Room of the Houghton Library, at Quincy and Harvard streets in Harvard Yard, Cambridge. Free. A reading by the artist, philosopher and author of “Refractive Africa” and “The Combustion Cycle,” followed by a conversation with poet Tongo Eisen-Martin, the Woodberry Poetry Room’s first guest curator. Also livestreamed. Information is here.
“Two Poets and a River” film screening from 6 to 7:45 p.m. at Harvard Art Museums, Menschel Hall (enter at Broadway entrance), 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The documentary explores love and loss through Wakhi musicians, one in Tajikistan and one in Afghanistan, who share a language and culture but are separated by the river Oxus. A Q&A follows with Harvard’s Richard K. Wolf, the director. Information is here.
CelebriTea Book Club from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the community room of the Somerville Public Library West Branch, 40 College Ave., near Davis Square. Free. Bring a favorite mug or teacup and discuss a tell-all celebrity memoir while drinking tea (provided). This month: “Pageboy” by Elliot Page. Information is here.
Celebrate Womxn’s History from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Somernova, 29 Properzi Way, in Ward Two, Somerville, between Porter and Union squares. Free. A social event with music, food, local leaders and special guest Adrienne Smith of the Boston Renegades to honor achievements of womxn throughout history. Information is here.
Strummerville Ukulele from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville, and every fourth Wednesday. Free. Amateur musicians invite you to join in as they sing and strum the hits. Information is here.
Kara Swisher reads from “Burn Book: A Tech Love Story” at 7 p.m. at First Parish in Cambridge Meeting House, 3 Church St./1446 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square. $40 with book. During this Harvard Book Store event, the host of the podcast “On Kara Swisher” and co-host of the “Pivot” podcast talks with Gov. Maura Healey about her book: part memoir, part history and part inside story of modern Silicon Valley. Information is here.
“When Light Bends” musical theater show at 7 p.m. at Cahners Theater in the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. $15 and 18-plus. For one night only, this play with music riffs on the science of relativity and includes interludes of magic and illusion, a story about collaborating scientists Albert Einstein and Arthur Eddington and a parallel tale about modern-day lovers, with the 2024 eclipse a common thread. 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. 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.
“Beyond Words” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $78. Information is here.
Musicians Ballaké Sissoko and Derek Gripper perform (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $25 to $48. Information is here.
The Sea, The Sea performs at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $23 to $25. The Upstate New York–based indie folk-pop duo of Chuck E. Costa and Mira Costa create “excellent harmonies” (says Bob Boilen of NPR’s “All Songs Considered”). Information is here.
Thursday, March 28
Attorney Debbie Hines reads from “Get Off My Neck: Black Lives, White Justice and a Former Prosecutor’s Quest for Reform” from 3:30 to 4:40 p.m. at the MIT Welcome Center, 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The former Baltimore prosecutor describes how Black people are targeted and criminalized by prosecutors, and offers concrete and hopeful solutions for justice reform. MIT’s Daniel Hastings joins in conversation. Information is here.
“Britain After Brexit” lecture from 4 to 5:15 p.m. at Adolphus Busch Hall, 27 Kirkland St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Brexit reflected a surprising turn in British politics, ushering in many changes. Anand Menon, the director of the think tank UK in a Changing Europe, discusses Brexit’s possible effects on the outcome of Britain’s elections this fall. Information is here.
Edible Insects and More! from 5 to 9 p.m. at Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP. Sample a variety of prepared edible insects with the founder of Little Herds, explore the new “Ants and Termites” exhibit, meet members of the Cambridge Entomological Club, hold a live Madagascar hissing cockroach, make insect-inspired art rubbings and enjoy a cash bar and raffle. Information is here.
Harvard Art Museums at Night from 5 to 9 p.m. in the Calderwood Courtyard at Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Wander the new exhibit “Future Minded: New Works in the Collections” and browse the shop during this recurring event while enjoying sounds from DJ C-Zone and snacks and drinks for purchase from Mama O’s Bakery and Aeronaut Brewing. Information is here.
The Eybler Quartet presents “All the Feelings: The Embodiment of Passion in the String Quartet in the 18th Century” at 6 p.m. at Harvard Memorial Church, 1 Harvard Yard, Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The quartet shares their process exploring the emotional content of Mozart’s “Dissonance” string quartet. The Mahindra Humanities Center’s Suzannah Clark joins in conversation. Information is here.
Sarah Boyer reads from “Coming Out, Becoming Ourselves: Lesbian Stories from the Boston Daughters of Bilitis, 1969–1999” from 6 to 8 p.m. in the community room at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. Twenty-one interviews with members of the country’s first lesbian civil and political rights organization – founded in 1955 as a secret society – are included in this new book. Information is here.
“Storytime” open juried photo show opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at the CAA@Canal Gallery, 650 E. Kendall St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. The exhibition of work by New England photographers runs through May 24. Juried by Sherri Littlefield. Information is here.
Library Community Pint Night from 6 to 10 p.m. at Remnant Brewing, 2 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville. Free. Books and media are for sale, and $1 for every pint sold goes toward supporting the Friends of the Somerville Public Library. Information is here.
“Generative AI, Imitation, Style and the Eternal Return of Precedent” lecture from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Gund Hall, 42 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. How generative artificial intelligence poses urgent questions for design professionals, with context from architectural historian and critic Mario Carpo. Information is here.
Make Your Own Eclipse Viewer from 6:30 to 8:30 at Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Free and all ages, but register. Bring a shoebox or cereal box and learn how to create a safe way to view the sun during the solar eclipse. Information is here.
Public observatory night from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. in Phillips Auditorium at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden St., Neighborhood 9 near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free and 14-plus, but register. Two 15-minute nontechnical lectures on the topic of stars followed by telescopic observing from the observatory roof. Information is here.
“Unfurled: Paintings by Gilmore Tamny” opening reception at 7 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville (and running through May 2). Free. The Somerville artist, writer and musician produces artworks that explore the mystery of life one rabbit, oak tree, fox, cloud, squirrel or moonlit night at a time. Information is here.
Jean Trounstine reads from “Motherlove” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. These stories of mothers of children who kill are fictional but drawn from more than 30 years of experience with prisoners and their families. Copies of the book are free with a suggested charitable donation. Information is here.
Lisa Ko reads from “Memory Piece” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The author of “The Leavers” discusses her new novel about girls whose friendship matures and changes from the predigital 1980s to the art and tech subcultures of the 1990s and to a strikingly imagined portrait of the 2040s. Asako Serizawa, award-winning author of “Inheritors,” joins in conversation. Information is here.
Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo presents “Don’t Look Back” from 7 to 10 p.m. at Harvard’s John Knowles Paine Concert Hall, 3 Oxford St., just north of Harvard Square, Cambridge, and Harvard Yard. Free, but register. A multidisciplinary evening with music of Mozart, Gluck and Handel and film of the original music manuscripts in New York’s Morgan Library by Pix Talarico, conceived by the Grammy-winner as part of his Myths festival presented with the Metropolitan Opera. 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” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $78. This performance is followed (at 9:45 p.m.) by a talkback with the cast and creative team as they discuss the process of bringing the career of bird-training scientist Irene Pepperberg to life on stage. Information is here.
The Berklee Niki Ensemble performs from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10. The student-led ensemble presents 12 songs by Niki, arranged for rhythm section, horns, strings and vocalists, to showcase the diversity of Asian American culture through one piece of it: the music of the admired Indonesian singer-songwriter pop star. Information is here.
The Clements Brothers perform at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $25. Identical twins guitarist George and bassist Charles Clements toured with the grassroots Lonely Heartstring Band before joining up with drummer Mike Harmon to blend their voices in music with roots, rock, bluegrass, jazz and classical influences. Information is here.
Friday, March 29
Poet Terrance Hayes reads 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Killian Hall, 14W-111, in the Hayden Library Building at 160 Memorial Drive at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Free. The New York University professor and award-winning poet and literary critic appears as part of MIT professor Joshua Bennett’s public humanities project, The People’s Poetry Archive. Information is here.
Penny Guisinger reads from “Shift: A Memoir of Identity and Other Illusions” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The author of “Postcards from Here” reaches for quantum physics, music theory, planetary harmonics and more to make sense of why she feels like the same person she’s always been even though her life story went from straight-married-woman-with-children to queer. The poet Charles Coe, author of the forthcoming “Charles Coe: New and Selected Works,” joins in conversation. Information is here.
Rachel Lyon reads from “Fruit of the Dead” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The author of “Self-Portrait with Boy” discusses her new novel, a modern-day reimagining of the myth of Persephone and Demeter that explores love, control, obliteration and America’s own late capitalist mythos. Elizabeth Gonzalez James, author of “The Bullet Swallower,” joins the conversation. Information is here.
The Ben Wendel Group performs at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $30, with student discounts for the 9:30 p.m. show). The saxophonist and Grammy nominee mixes unconventional covers with originals with band members Taylor Eigsti (piano), Harish Raghavan (bass) and Obed Calvaire (drums). Information is here.
“Beyond Words” (continued) at 8 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $78. Information is here.
See You at Rogers and Dead End Deluxe perform at 8 p.m. at The Jungle, 6 Sanborn Court, Union Square, Somerville. $10. A “69th-wave post-emo power-pop punk band” followed by a group that’s “equal parts Guns n’ Roses, Rolling Stones, AC/DC and Social Distortion.” Information is here.
Fatoumata Diawara performs at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $40 to $48. Boldly modern yet respectful of her Malian roots, the singer and guitarist writes songs that blend Wassoulou traditions with international influences, covering subjects as respect, love, migration, family and how to build a better world. Information is here.
Detention: Stand-Up in a Speakeasy at 8 and 10 p.m. at the Cambridge Community Center, 5 Callender St., Riverside (and every Friday and Saturday through April). $15 to $24 and 21-plus. Head to the basement, grab a $4 beer or seltzer and enjoy this comedy show created by Ryan Howe, who also runs the Duck Duck Goofs comedy showcase underground at the Cantab Lounge. (As of May 3, Detention moves to permanent digs in Somerville’s Prospect Hill neighborhood, will be 18-plus and offer Wade BBQ and drinks.) Information is here.
The Orleans Kids perform for Boston Swing Central from 8 to 11:45 p.m. at Q Ballroom, 26 New St., Fresh Pond, Cambridge. $14 to $23. This social partner dance with live music includes a lesson for beginners in the first hour. No partner required. Information is here.
Superstition Friday from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at ManRay, 40 Prospect St., Central Square, Cambridge (and the fifth Friday of every month). $15 and 19-plus. A hefty handful of Boston and Providence, Rhode Island, DJs, including DJ Jimmy Rossi Jr. of Avoxblue, bring the best in goth, industrial, post punk, dark wave, dark electro, cold wave and more. No dress code. Information is here.
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