E-Mail This Article to a Friend

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3

BENEFITS

A bit pricier than a totebag, yes, but also tastier than a telethon: WGBH’s annual fundraising "Wine and Food Weekend" includes a five-course Vintner’s Dinner ($200), with wines from Napa’s Robert Mondavi Winery, tonight at 7 p.m. Tomorrow at 7 p.m., there’s a "Come Pour the Wine" sampling ($100) of some 100 wines from around the world. A day of master classes ($50 per class) and a wine auction (admission $50) follows on Saturday, and then a jazz brunch ($75) on Sunday. All events take place at the Seaport Hotel, 1 Seaport Lane (along the waterfront, near the World Trade Center) in Boston. Call (617) 300-3999.

CONCERT TO BENEFIT TSUNAMI VICTIMS with works by Bach, Mahler, Debussy, and others is at 7:30 p.m. at the Church of the Redeemer, 379 Hammond St., Chestnut Hill. Donations accepted; (617) 277-4593 ext. 222.

AT THE CLUBS

CRIMSON TIDE. It’s been said that King Crimson leader Robert Fripp believes he’s the center of the universe. In certain musical universes, that’s true — in, for instance, the California Guitar Trio, a dexterous, fusionist offshoot of Fripp’s six-string boot camp the League of Crafty Guitarists. The CGT are playing Johnny D’s in Somerville with an added attraction — one of the world’s greatest electric-bassists, King Crimson’s Tony Levin, who also plays with Peter Gabriel. But wait, there’s more: for no additional charge, Crimson drummer Pat Mastelotto is sitting in as well. Showtime’s at 9 p.m. at 17 Holland Street in Davis Square; call (617) 776-9667.

ROCK. Gail Greenwood, rock chick to the core, has always been one of those bass players you notice: in Belly, she and Tanya Donelly looked like a comedian’s version of a rabid/demure odd couple. And when filling in for a latter-day L7 line-up, she was the healthy-looking one, an enthusiastic jock-metal queen amid sickly Seattle grunge mavens. A few years back, she finally started her own group, Benny Sizzler (their hard-rocking party tunes match the goofy name), and they’re up from Providence on a bill with the Slaves and Rattle Battle at Great Scott, 1222 Commonwealth Avenue in Allston; call (617) 734-4502.

In other news: the Arcade Fire show at the Roxy (279 Tremont Street in the Theater District; 617-338-ROXY) — the last stop on their post-CMJ victory lap of a tour — is still wicked sold out. So unless you sold shoes with Win Butler when he lived here back in the day, you’re screwed.

ROAD-TRIP ROCK: Boston’s own Dresden Dolls are finally headed to Dresden — March 3, get your plane tickets — and they’re warming up by playing a bunch of dates with Regina Spektor, the Strokes’ favorite Russian cabaret pianist, opening. The Dolls are at Toad’s Place (203-624-TOAD) in New Haven tonight, at Lupo’s in Providence on Saturday, and at the Space (207-828-5600) in Portland on Sunday.

OTHER LIVE SHOWS:

For the following shows, see the Club Directory for phone numbers and addresses.

ABBEY LOUNGE, Somerville. Spouse.

ALL ASIA CAFE, Cambridge. Carlyn Hutchins, Bittersweet.

AVENUE ONE LOUNGE, Boston. Cari Peno Jazztet.

THE AVENUE, Allston. At 7 p.m., "Acoustic Pop" with Will Daly.

BLACKBURN TAVERN, Gloucester. James Cohen Band.

BLUESTONE BISTRO, Brighton. "Open Mic."

BOSTON ROCKS, Boston. At 5 p.m., "After Work Thursday."

BRAVO at THE MFA Boston. Ron Poster.

BREEZEWAY BAR & GRILLE, Roxbury. Serious Bizness.

THE BURREN, Somerville. Front Room: At 10 p.m., "Traditional Irish Music." Back Room: At 10 p.m., Swinging Johnsons.

CLUB PASSIM, Cambridge. Mieka Pauley, Baratunde.

ENCORE, Boston. Michelle Currie.

EVOS ARTS, Lowell. "Second World Reggae Lounge."

GREEN BRIAR, Brighton. Jon Frederik Band.

GREEN DRAGON, Boston. Spitting Vinnies.

HARPERS FERRY, Allston. Michael Tolcher, OSB, Ryan Jones.

HENNESSY’S, Boston. Me & Julio.

HIGH STREET GRILLE, Boston. At 5 p.m., Eilen Jewell.

THE INDEPENDENT, Somerville. Frank Morey.

JACOB WIRTH RESTAURANT, Boston. At 6 p.m., Clay Brown Trio.

JASMINE & KENDALL LOUNGE, Cambridge. At 9:30 p.m., Dan Tepfer Trio.

JOHNNY D’S, Somerville. California Guitar Trio with Tony Levin.

JOSE McINTYRE’S, Boston. Downstairs: Me & Julio.

THE KINSALE, Boston. Stretch.

LES ZYGOMATES, Boston. Chris Stovall Brown.

MATT MURPHY’S, Brookline. "Round Midnight Jazz Session."

MIDDLE EAST, Cambridge. Upstairs: "Emergenza Festival" with Porcelain, Nezmyth, Lost & Found, Harriet Street, Skill of Lying, Color & Talea, Rainsford, Micah Howeson.

MR. DOOLEY’S TAVERN, Boston. Jack Dalton.

O’BRIEN’S, Allston. Crazyhearse, Barn Burning, Less Lonesome, June.

OVERDRAUGHT PUB, Cambridge. Blacklisted, Girl on Top.

PADDY O’S, Boston. Swerve.

PARADISE LOUNGE, Boston. At 6 p.m., Casey Neill Band.

PA’S LOUNGE, Somerville. Reserve, Static of the Gods, Dan Russo, Rich Schroder.

THE PLACE, Boston. Greg Lutrell.

PORTER’S BAR & GRILL, Boston. "L.A.B. Thursday: Local Music."

THE RACK, Boston. At 7 p.m., Danny Tucker & the Vibe Tribe.

REDLINE, Cambridge. At 10 p.m., "Reunion Thursday" with NPG All-Stars.

REGATTABAR, Cambridge. Buckwheat Zydeco.

THE ROXY, Boston. At 7:30 p.m., Arcade Fire, Final Fantasy.

RYLES, Cambridge. John Payne Sax Choir.

SCULLERS, Boston. Dr. John.

SISSY K’S, Boston. Justin Beech.

SKY BAR, Somerville. At 9 p.m., Nancy Mroczek PhD, Lilac Ambush, Amber Spyglass.

TERRACE BAR AT THE COPLEY MARRIOTT HOTEL, Boston. Brian Walkley Band.

TIR NA NOG, Somerville. Ronan "Fluffy" Quinn.

TOP OF THE HUB, Boston. Chris Taylor Trio.

T.T. THE BEAR’S PLACE, Cambridge. Natalie Flanagan, Reckless Daughter, Navigators, Tremulant.

WALLY’S CAFE, Boston. Francisco Mela Quintet.

WESTERN FRONT, Cambridge. Eclectic Collective.

WONDER BAR, Allston. Grant Langford Review.

ZEITGEIST GALLERY, Cambridge. At 7 p.m., "Martha Stewart in the Underworld" with Mitch Ahern, Ratobasher.

ZUZU, Cambridge. Plumerai, Pamela Kurstin, Remora.

DJ SHOWS:

AN TAIN, Boston. At 5 p.m., DJ Keith.

AN TUA NUA, Boston. At 9 p.m., "Thursday Night Live" with DJ G Squared.

ARIA, Boston. NYC hip-hop with guest DJs.

AVALON, Boston. At 10 p.m., "Hot & Heavy Hip-Hop Thursday" with DJ Caprice.

THE AVENUE, Allston. At 9 p.m., "Dance Your Ass Off" with DJ Hoff.

AXIS, Boston. At 10 p.m., DJ Nailz, Tasty & Taner K spinning vocal and progressive house.

BLARNEY STONE PUB, Dorchester. ’80s and today with DJ Scorch.

BLUE CAT CAFE, Boston. DJ Casey.

BUCK MULLIGAN’S, West Roxbury. R&B and commercial dance with DJ George.

BUZZ BOSTON/EUROPA, Boston. "Absolute," house & trance with DJ Stezo.

CLUB CAFE, Boston. "Non Stop Video Show" with VJ Tom Yazbek.

CLUB 58, Quincy. "Thirsty Thursday" with Hot Like Fire, DJ Bird.

COMMON GROUND, Allston. "Love Night," ’80s, all vinyl with DJ Brian.

DEVLIN’S LOUNGE AND BAR, Brighton. "Chart & Dance" with DJ Doc.

DICK’S LAST RESORT, Boston. Classic Trax.

EMBASSY, Boston. At 10 p.m., "Latin Lounge," with DJ JC.

ENORMOUS ROOM, Cambridge. Hip-hop with DJs Hua Hsu and Chhay.

THE E ROOM AT THE GOLDEN TEMPLE, Brookline. House and acid jazz with DJ Johan Van Cauwenberghe.

THE EXCHANGE, Boston. "Heaven & Hell," house and hip-hop with DJs Chaos, Mr. Aru.

FELT, Boston. "Liquid" with DJs Chris DeSimone and Jynx.

GREEN STREET GRILL, Cambridge. "Throwdown Thursday" Hip-hop, reggae, R&B with DJ Dubz and 40D.

HANNAH’S, Somerville. Reggae and house with guest DJs.

HONG KONG, Cambridge. Mainstream, house & Reggae with DJ Bob.

IRISH VILLAGE, Brighton. DJ Cherry.

JOSE McINTYRE’S, Boston. Upstairs: DJ John Tringall.

THE KELLS, Allston. "Fun House" with DJs Edgar and Kieran James.

LA BOOM, Boston. At 10:30 p.m., "Privilege," international house with DJ Franklin.

MACHINE, Boston. "Human Thursday" with DJs Sean Caron and Angles.

MAN RAY, Cambridge. "Campus," alternative boypop with DJ Chris Ewen and high energy house with DJ Brad Gwynn.

MANTRA Boston. At 10:30 p.m., "Mantra Thursday" DJs spin eclectic international, vocal house, & hip-hop.

MARQUEE, Boston. "Turn It Up Thursday."

MILKY WAY, Jamaica Plain. "Aquanet Dance Party" ’80s, old school hip-hop, funk, and soul with DJs Casey, CTO, Frank White, Tommee, Knife, and Paul Foley.

THE MODERN, Boston. At 10 p.m., "Soma," with DJ Omar.

ORLEANS, Somerville. DJ Ren Justice.

PARADISE LOUNGE, Boston. At 10 p.m., "Bubble Up: Rub a Dubwise Reggae Night."

PHOENIX LANDING, Cambridge. "Elements," drum ‘n bass with DJs Crook, Lenore, and Static.

PRAVDA 116, Boston. DJ David Mee.

PURPLE SHAMROCK, Boston. DJ Flanagan with musical guest Jim Plunkett.

Q, Boston. "Weekend Warm" with DJ Craig Smooth.

THE RACK, Boston. At 10 p.m., DJ Brian Roche.

RIVER GODS, Cambridge. "For Real, Too Reel" Electro, funk, & ’80s Flashback with DJs Dali, Ross & Paul.

ROGGIE’S, Brighton. Lounge: Tribal House and Break beat funk with DJ Jonathan Theory.

THE ROXY, Boston. At 10:30 p.m., "The Latin Quarter" with special guest DJs.

SAMBA BAR & GRILL, Somerville. At 9 p.m., Hip-hop, reggae, reggaeton, with DJ Philippe.

SISSY K’S, Boston. Upstairs: popular dance, with DJ Deja.

SUGAR SHACK, Boston. "College Night" with DJ B-Spin.

33 RESTAURANT & LOUNGE, Boston. "Equilateral Thursday."

TOAST, Somerville. "Premier Night for Women."

TRATTORIA IL PANINO, Boston. "Young Professionals Club."

21st AMENDMENT, Boston. DJ Sean Daly.

VAPOR, Boston. "MOCCA," hip hop and R&B with DJs KC and Ron Steel.

VENU, Boston. NYC house with DJ Nailz and "ISE-O spa" with DJ Tasty.

VERTIGO, Boston. "Diversify Thursdays," deep soulful house with DJ Fran and UK hard house and progressive trance with DJs JLong, Tek, and Catatonic and guest DJs.

WEST STREET GRILLE, Boston. Top 40 funk and dance with DJs Gabe and Lazee Boy.

COMEDY

BEANTOWN COMEDY VAULT, Boston. "Boston Attitude" with Greg Howell.

CANTAB LOUNGE, Cambridge. At 8 p.m., "Tribe Improv."

COMEDY CONNECTION, Boston. At 8:30 p.m., "The R-Rated Hypnotist" with Frank Santos.

COMEDY STUDIO, Cambridge. "The Dan Sally Show" with Renata Tutko, Mark McKAy, Amanda Beals, Korte Yeo.

IMPROV ASYLUM, Boston. At 8 p.m., "Lies, Half Truths and the American Way."

IMPROVBOSTON THEATRE, Cambridge. At 8 p.m., "UnNatural Selection." At 10 p.m., "The Great and Secret Comedy Show."

JIMBO’S SOUTH RESTAURANT, Braintree. John Joyce, Annette Pollack, Scott Higgins, Troy Diamond, Andrea Henry, Stiz & Frank Rocket.

NICK’S COMEDY STOP, Boston. At 8:30 p.m., Spike Tobin, Carolyn Plummer.

CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERTS

Not your typical "all-Brahms" program, the BSO’s line-up for this weekend has the choral works Nänie, Gesang der Parzen, and Schicksalslied before intermission and the First Symphony after. Spanish guest conductor Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos will be on the podium, and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus will be doing the singing tonight at 8 p.m., tomorrow at 1:30 p.m., and Saturday and Tuesday at 8 p.m. at Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston. Tickets are $27 to $105; call (617) 266-1200. On the other hand, tonight’s your only chance to hear Charles Ansbacher and the Boston Landmarks Orchestra in Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, with Russian pianist Victoria Korchinskaya-Kogan, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 and the Overture to Rossini’s L’Italiana in Algeri. That’s at 8 p.m. at Harvard’s Sanders Theatre, in Memorial Hall, between the Yard and the Law School Yard in Harvard Square. Admission is free but reservations are recommended; call (617) 520-2202, or e-mail info@landmarksorchestra.org

OPERA. Beloved Boston baritone Sanford Sylvan kicks off his new career as director of the Boston Conservatory Opera with Philip Glass’s 1984 opera Akhnaten, which Boston Lyric Opera staged as part of its "Egyptian" season back in 2000, with the short-lived title pharaoh attempting to bring monotheism and monogamy to Egypt. Beatrice Affron will conduct. That’s tonight, tomorrow, and Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Boston Conservatory Theater, 31 Hemenway Street in Boston. Tickets are $16, $14 for seniors, $5 for students; call (617) 912-9222.

OTHER CLASSICAL-MUSIC CONCERTS:

BOSTON UNIVERSITY CHAMBER ORCHESTRA CONDUCTED BY DAVID HOOSE performs works by Mozart and Haydn at 8 p.m. at the Tsai Performance Center, 685 Comm. Ave., Boston. Free; (617) 353-3349.

QUINTESSENTIAL BRASS performs at noon in the MIT Chapel, opposite 77 Mass. Ave., Cambridge. Free; (617) 253-9800.

POPULAR MUSIC CONCERTS

The avant-garde musician Mitch Ahern has been constructing whimsical instruments out of spare parts for more than 20 years, and he’s likely the only person you’ll find playing a 1930s washing-machine lid with a violin bow. An incurable trash picker, he’ll attempt to rehabilitate an icon of fallen grace in "Martha Stewart in the Underworld," an evening of Ahern’s "interpretive monologues" that, in drawing on Martha’s published writings, "unmask Ms. Stewart’s status as the focus of a syncretic religion." He’ll accompany himself with a motley homemade musical arsenal that’ll include something called the ElectroluxoPipeO’Phone. That’s at 7 p.m. at Zeitgeist Gallery, 1353 Cambridge Street in Inman Square. Donation is $5; call (617) 876-6060.

OTHER POP-MUSIC CONCERTS:

THEA HOPKINS performs at 6 p.m. at the Mary Baker Eddy Library, 200 Mass. Ave., Boston. Free; (617) 450-7000.

LAWRENCE "LARRY" WATSON performs at 8 p.m. at the Berklee Performance Center, 136 Mass. Ave., Boston. Tickets $5-$10; (617) 747-2261.

DANCE/PARTICIPATORY

GREEK FOLK DANCE is at 7 p.m. at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary, 29 Central St., Somerville. Free; (617) 625-2222.

MILONGA LA PORTEÑA is at 8:30 p.m. at the Brookline Community Center for the Arts, 14 Green St., Brookline. Tickets $10; (617) 738-2800.

NEW ENGLAND CONTRAS AND SQUARES is at 8 p.m. at the VFW Mount Auburn Post, 688 Huron Ave., Cambridge. Tickets $6; (781) 662-6710.

SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCE is at 8 p.m. with a beginners’ dance at 7:30 p.m. at the Universalist Church, 211 Bridge St., Salem. Tickets $3; (978) 745-2229.

TEMPORADA LATINA SALSA AND MERENGUE DANCE is at 8 p.m. at Ryles Jazz Club, 212 Hampshire St., Cambridge. Tickets $12 before 9 p.m.; $8 after 9 p.m.; (617) 876-9330.

DANCE/PERFORMANCE

CARMEN CORTÉS, GERARDO NÙÑEZ, ALEJANDRO GRANADOS, CARLOS RODRÍGUEZ, AND ROCÍO MOLINA perform The Four Elements as part of the Flamenco Festival tonight at 7 p.m. and tomorrow at 8 p.m. at the Cutler Majestic Theatre, 219 Tremont St., Boston. Tickets $35-$50; (617) 876-4275.

GAY & LESBIAN

OVER 30 MULTICULTURAL LESBIAN RAP is at 7 p.m. at the Women’s Center, 46 Pleasant St., Cambridge. Free; (617) 354-8807.

AT THE MOVIES

You gotta love someone who repaints Leonardo’s Last Supper with Mickey Mouse as Christ or reconfigures the Apple "think different" billboards with images of Adolf Hitler, Charles Manson, and Bill Gates. Ron English is a revolutionary who seeks to undermine the system at its heart — its advertising and pop-cultural iconography — as is demonstrated in Pedro Carvajal’s documentary POPaganda: The Art & Subversion of Ron English (2004). It screens at 8 p.m. in the Museum of Fine Arts’ Remis Auditorium, 465 Huntington Avenue in Boston; call (617) 369-3907.

For more movies and showtimes, see our Movie Theater directory.

READINGS & LECTURES

STACE BUDZKO, ELAINE McARDLE, JON PAPERNICK, AND ALLISON ADAIR read from their work at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Cambridge. Free; (617) 491-2220.

BERNARD CORBETT discusses his The Only Game That Matters: The Harvard/Yale Rivalry at 7 p.m. at the BU Barnes & Noble, 660 Beacon St., Boston. Free; (617) 267-8484.

STEPHEN & PAUL KENDRICK discuss their Sarah’s Long Walk: The Free Blacks of Boston and How Their Struggle for Equality Changed America at 6:30 p.m. at Old West Church, 131 Cambridge St., Boston. Free; (617) 948-6584.

MARK O’CONNELL reads from his The Good Father: On Men, Masculinity and Life in the Family at 7:30 p.m. at Newtonville Books, 296 Walnut St., Newton. Free; (617) 244-6619.

WILLIAM POWERS reads from his Blue Clay People: Seasons on Africa’s Fragile Edge at 6:30 p.m. at the Harvard Book Store, 1256 Mass. Ave., Cambridge. Free; (617) 661-1515.

NINA SIMONDS reads from her Spices of Life: Simple and Delicious Recipes for Great Health at 7 p.m. at Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard St., Brookline. Free; (617) 566-6660.

"THE BIRTH OF LA NEGRITUDE & THE BRIDGE TO THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE" is a lecture by Gerdes Fleurant at 7 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library, 45 Pearl St., Cambridge. Free; (781) 646-8836.

"WAR IN IRAQ: PERSONAL TESTIMONIES" is a discussion with Kelly Dougherty and Shakir Mustafa at 5 p.m. at the BU Law School, Room 870, 765 Comm. Ave., Boston. Free; (617) 353-3135.

THEATER

Two teens spend a night in the waiting room of a New York City hospital, hoping for word about a friend in a drug-induced coma. Such is the premise for Tristine Skyler’s highly acclaimed debut play, The Moonlight Room, which was named "One of the Best Plays of 2003" by the New York Times. The play opened off-Broadway to a career-making review from the Times’ Bruce Weber, who called it "the arrival of a precocious talent" with "the most pitch-perfect middle-class teenage dialogue" he’s ever heard. See it at the BCA Plaza Theatre (539 Tremont Street, Boston) tonight at 8. Tickets start at $35; find them at www.speakeasystage.com