JUANES Last year, the Colombian rock titan released “Vida Cotidiana,” his 10th album; written during lockdown, it looks at everyday life from the perspective of someone used to being on the road who’s suddenly at home, and its hooky, sprawling sonics peak on the bubbly love song “Más” and the pensive “Gris.” March 15, 8 p.m. Orpheum Theatre. 617-482-0106, crossroadspresents.com
DROPKICK MURPHYS The hometown heroes set up shop in Fenway for their annual run of St. Patrick’s Day celebration shows; Sunday’s concert, which falls on the holiday itself, will be livestreamed at veeps.events. March 14, 6 p.m. House of Blues. Also March 15, 16, and 17, 7 p.m., MGM Music Hall at Fenway. dropkickmurphys.com
MAHALIA: IN REAL LIFE The British R&B singer turned inward on her simmering 2023 album “IRL,” which includes the biting collaboration with kindred spirit JoJo, “Cheat.” March 20, 7 p.m. Paradise Rock Club. 617-562-8800, crossroadspresents.com
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MAURA JOHNSTON
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Folk, World & Country
NICKEL CREEK The acoustic-music trio of Sara and Sean Watkins and Chris Thile reconvened after a lengthy hiatus last year to produce a marvelous comeback album, “Celebrants,” which, fittingly, was a celebration of the highs and lows of togetherness. March 15, 8 p.m. $71-$91. Groton Hill Music Center, 122 Old Ayer Road, Groton. 978-486-9524, www.grotonhill.org
JIGJAM Given that it’s St. Patrick’s Day week, there’ll be plenty of options for music of the Celtic variety, but here’s something a little different. The Irishmen (along with one St. Louis native) who make up JigJam are all accomplished in that genre, but they’ve put it aside to play what they’ve dubbed “Irish bluegrass.” March 20, 7:30 p.m. $30. The Burren, 247 Elm St., Somerville. 617-776-6896, www.burren.com
LAS CAFETERAS The originality of these Los Angeles Latin roots recombinators extends from their own music to the singular takes they’ve put on everything from Ray Charles (“Georgia on My Mind”) to Red Hot Chili Peppers (“Under the Bridge”), and they’re a formidable live act as well. On Tuesday they’ll likely give a taste of their upcoming album, “A Night in Nepantla,” due out in May. March 19, 8 p.m. $28. Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville. 617-876-4275, www.globalartslive.org
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STUART MUNRO
Jazz & Blues
POST UNDERGROUND PRESENTS PHIL GRENADIER & MORE The on-again, off-again Brookline Village jazz venue is open alternate months, each gig commencing with local up-and-comers — this week it’s Station Street and Minuteman Jazz Quartet — then usually, including this week, culminating with the house band featuring supernal trumpeter Grenadier. March 15, 7:30 p.m. Free. Post Underground, 386 Washington St., Brookline. 617-939-3296, www.postunderground.com
DUKE ROBILLARD ALL-STAR BAND The jump-blues guitar maestro helped found the legendary Roomful of Blues and has played with everyone from Big Joe Turner to singer/songwriter Tom Waits. And no less an eminence than B.B. King once called him “one of the great players.” March 16, 7:30 p.m. $25. Regattabar. 617-661-5099, www.regattabarjazz.com
DAVE BRYANT THIRD THURSDAYS Keyboardist Bryant, best known for his stint with jazz innovator Ornette Coleman’s electric band Prime Time, continues his series exploring Coleman’s harmolodic improvisational methods. This time his special guest will be drummer and fellow Coleman alum G. Calvin Weston. March 21, 8 p.m. $10. Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church, 1555 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. dbryantmusic.com/third-thursdays
KEVIN LOWENTHAL
Classical
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA This week at Symphony Hall, Sir Mark Elder leads a fantastical folklore-inspired program featuring the American premiere of Elena Langer’s “The Dong with the Luminous Nose” for cello, chorus and orchestra, featuring BSO principal cellist Blaise Déjardin (March 16). Next week, the orchestra celebrates the life of Wayne Shorter with a portrait concert featuring five longtime collaborators, including drummer Terri Lyne Carrington and vocalist/bassist Esperanza Spalding. (March 21-23) Symphony Hall. 617-266-1200, www.bso.org
BOSTON BAROQUE The baroque orchestra brings in the spring with a program featuring Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” with concertmaster Christina Day Martinson as soloist; the program also includes Handel’s motet “Silete venti” (Blustering winds) with soprano Amanda Forsythe. March 15, 8 p.m. NEC’s Jordan Hall; March 16, 8 p.m. GBH Calderwood Studio. 617-987-8600, http://baroque.boston
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ORCHESTRE DE PARIS The Orchestre de Paris returns to Symphony Hall in its first Celebrity Series performance since the early 1990s, featuring the 28-year-old conductor Klaus Mäkelä and rising piano superstar (and New England Conservatory student) Yunchan Lim. Program to include Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 as well as Stravinsky’s “The Firebird” and Debussy’s “Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune.” March 17, 7 p.m. Symphony Hall. www.celebrityseries.org
A.Z. MADONNA
ARTS
Theater
THE ANTELOPE PARTY A group of “bronies,” adult fans of “My Little Pony,” are the unlikely figures in Eric John Meyer’s allegorical portrait of a society that slides, bit by bit, into tyranny. “The Antelope Party” has a certain timeliness on its side — along with Meyer’s considerable creative gifts — as it tells a disquieting tale of innocence lost, or, rather, innocence crushed. Directed by Brooks Reeves, the production generates a chill with its reminder that when it comes to preserving democracy, we stand on the slipperiest of slopes. Through March 17. Presented by Apollinaire Theatre Company. At Chelsea Theatre Works, Chelsea. 617-887-2336, apollinairetheatre.com
KING HEDLEY II Having enjoyed success last year with August Wilson’s “Seven Guitars,” Actors’ Shakespeare Project is tackling Wilson’s drama — set in Pittsburgh in the middle of the Reagan era and featuring a couple of characters from “Seven Guitars” — about a former prison inmate (played by James Ricardo Milord) who steals and sells refrigerators in an attempt to raise the funds he needs to open his own video store. Directed by Summer L. Williams, with a cast that also includes Omar Robinson, Patrice Jean-Baptiste, and Naheem Garcia. Extended through April 7. Actors’ Shakespeare Project. At Hibernian Hall. 617-241-2200, www.actorsshakespeareproject.org
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THIRST Ronán Noone’s probing and finely wrought if sometimes overly slow-paced drama explores the struggles of three employees of the Tyrone family, from Eugene O’Neill’s autobiographical “Long Day’s Journey Into Night.” The shift in perspective, from haves to have-nots, offers a lens onto the Irish immigrant experience while underscoring the self-absorption and self-indulgence of the Tyrones, giving the play something of a political edge. Directed by Courtney O’Connor. Through March 17. Lyric Stage Company of Boston. 617-585-5678, lyricstage.com
DON AUCOIN
Dance
THE THEREMIN VIGNETTES Boston-and-Chicago-based artist Jessi Stegall ‘s ode to theremin virtuoso Clara Rockmore mines the late performer’s life to examine themes of grief, remembrance, and devotion. The dance-theater piece features a diverse cast of 11 dancers in a series of choreographic vignettes that blend ballet, contemporary dance, gesture, and spoken word. March 15, $33-$37. Global Arts Live at the Institute of Contemporary Art /Boston. www.globalartslive.org
WELCOME TO HOLLAND!? This new multidisciplinary project by dancer/educator/choreographer Laura Sánchez blends flamenco with theatrical dance, poetry, humor, spoken word, film, and installation to shine a light on the often-overlooked role of caregivers. Reimagining a poem by Emily Kingsley about parenting a child with a disability, she aims to capture the caregiving essence motherhood in a troubled world. March 16-17, $25. Dance Complex, Cambridge. www.dancecomplex.org
JEAN APPOLON EXPRESSIONS Rooted in Haitian folkloric culture, the company performs “An n Ale,” an evening of three works that reflect the power of collective healing. “Ginen” explores historical trauma, and the new “Petro” showcases Haitian spirits and the Vodou tradition. In the improvisatory “Black is Black,” the dancers join with company composer/accompanist Val Jeanty for an exploration of Haitian rhythms and movements. March 16, $36-$40. Global Arts Live at the Institute of Contemporary Art /Boston. www.globalartslive.org
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BALLET RI The Providence-based company’s “Off the Charts” gives audiences the opportunity to “reimagine ballet.” The program features Trey McIntyre’s “Blue Until June,” set to the jazz vocals of Etta James, and Katarzyna Kozielska’s pas de deux “Ode,” which unfurls to a cover of “Nothing Compares 2 U.” Also on the program is Balanchine’s lively ode to the vibrant spirit of New York City, “Who Cares?” with a sound track of songs by the inimitable George Gershwin. March 15-17, $39-$70. Woodman Center, Providence, RI. www.balletri.org
KAREN CAMPBELL
Visual art
NOÉ MARTÍNEZ: THE BODY REMEMBERS The imprint of the ages on his DNA is of primary concern to Martínez, a Mexico-based artist of Indigenous Huastecan descent. That extends from his ancestors themselves to the deep traumas of colonial repression, genocide, and the remarkable resilience that, despite it all, has kept their culture alive in the present. Centered on traditional materials like clay, which predate colonial contact, Martínez evokes an ancient culture with memory brought to life in material gesture. Through June 16. Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University, 415 South St., Waltham. 781-736-3434, www.brandeis.edu/rose
WU TSANG: OF WHALES Worcester-born Tsang crafts film, video, and performance pieces, often at grand scale. This work, an immersive film experience, is one part of her trilogy that riffs on Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick,” using the perspective of a sperm whale as it dives more deeply than any other mammal for up to an hour at a time in search of its prey. Made using the Unity gaming platform with XR (extended reality) technologies, it’s a deep dive, if you’ll pardon the pun, into life beneath the waves. Through Aug. 4. Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, 25 Harbor Shore Drive. 617-478-3100, icaboston.org
ROBERT FRANK AND TODD WEBB: ACROSS AMERICA, 1955 Two photographers, one American, one Swiss, who helped capture the United States at the critical crossroads of the postwar era, are the subject of this compelling exhibition at the Addison Gallery of American Art. In 1955, Frank, the Swiss, embarked on the his cross-country road trip that would result in his iconic book, “The Americans,” the result of a Guggenheim Foundation grant. Unbeknownst to him, an American photographer, Todd Webb, was on the road with Guggenheim grant money, too, but instead of driving, Webb made his trek on public transit, bicycle, and on foot, a slowed-down perspective in public space that made the journey itself a trenchant presence all its own. Through July 31. Addison Gallery of American Art at Phillips Academy, 3 Chapel Ave., Andover. 978-749-4015, www.addisongallery.org.
MURRAY WHYTE
ENTER: With a nod toward dystopian landscapes, this show breaks down different ways power is communicated through architecture, materials, research practices, and social structures. What meaning can we read into the forms of a building? A city? A home? “Enter” weaves in narratives of hope, of dreams dashed, and of resistance. Artists include Diana Al-Hadid, Mary Lum, and Greg Carideo. Through April 21. Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art & Design, 522 Congress St., Portland. www.meca.edu/ica/enter/
CATE McQUAID
EVENTS
Comedy
ROSLINDALE QUEER COMEDY NIGHT Host Jack Simon welcomes stand-up from Tyler Durniak, Kristina Feliciano, Emily Mame Ford, Cynthia X. Wang, and Mike Daniels at this monthly showcase. March 15, 7:30 p.m. $16. The Rozzie Square Theater, 5 Basile St., Roslindale. 617-318-6376, www.therozziesquaretheater.com
LAUGH OUT LOUD: A NIGHT OF COMEDY The Black Comedy Explosion’s Jonathon Gates keeps it clean headlining this family-friendly show, which he calls “church style.” With Demetirus “Big D” Hullum and host Marlen, plus music from the Electric Soul Band and DJ Maine T. March 16, 7 p.m. $30-$35. Brockton VFW Post 1046, 283 N. Quincy St., Brockton. www.csentertainmentevents.com
MARSHALL BRANDON Brandon wants you to know you don’t have to lose your gut. In fact, that’s where you keep some important things, like your gut instinct. “I ain’t never heard of six-pack instinct,” he says. “I ain’t never heard nobody like, ‘Oooh! My packs are tingling! Something’s going to happen!’ ” With Rob Santos, hosted by Ms Laddy. March 16, 8 p.m. $30. Funny Vibes Comedy Club at Oriental Garden, 400 Lowell Ave., Haverhill. www.eventbrite.com
NICK A. ZAINO III
Family
ST. PATRICK’S DAY BRACELET MAKING Join HOPe Unlimited at The Nook at Boston Public Market to make a DIY lucky St. Patrick’s Day bracelet. Participants of all ages are encouraged to join and materials will be provided. March 15, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Boston Public Market, 100 Hanover St. bostonpublicmarket.org
GREENE-O’LEARY SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCE Ages 4 and up are invited to join Irish dancers at the JFK Presidential Library and Museum this weekend for a demonstration in traditional Irish dance. Athleticism, skill, and poise will be on display while dancers showcase traditional and contemporary dances. Registration is encouraged. March 16, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Columbia Point. jfklibrary.org
CANNONBALL ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE PARTY Cannonball Cafe will host a festive celebration of St. Patrick’s Day in Southie with a pre-parade party complete with face painting, balloon artists, and holiday-themed souvenirs to spruce up your look. Live music by Boxty Boston and performances from Irish step dancers from McGonagle School of Irish Dance will entertain a crowd of all ages. March 17, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Cannonball Cafe, 383 Dorchester Ave. eventbrite.com
ADRI PRAY
