Research by Sarah Jones and Lori Morris

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27: There are chefs who rise to public prominence through savvy public relations and marketing. And then there are chefs who are not heavily marketed, but who rise above the crowd to become known solely on the strength of their cooking. Chef Stefano Zimei of Gallia (1525 Washington Street, South End) is one of the latter — his food is that good. Taste for yourself this evening as Gallia hosts an evening of food and wine from Sicily and Sardinia. The exact menu has yet to be determined, as Zimei wants to use the freshest possible ingredients. A wine and passed-appetizer reception kicks things off at 6:30, with the dinner beginning at 7. Cost is $55 per head (excluding tax and tip); call the restaurant at (617) 247-4455 to reserve your space.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28: The Virgin Megastore (360 Newbury Street, Boston) is all about letting customers listen before they buy. This evening at 6:30, the store takes this concept to the next level by hosting an in-store live performance by the soon-to-be-red-hot singer Lamya. She has the kind of industry buzz that bubbled around artists like Jill Scott and Erykah Badu before they broke big, so come out to catch her on the way up. The free concert will be followed by an autograph session; call (617) 896-0950.

The Yankees are in town. We hate the Yankees. The Yankees suck (um, actually, they don’t, but that’s beside the point). We’re not sure exactly what this says about New England’s collective personality, but there is a stream of white-hot bile that lurks in the soul of every Boston sports fan — we seem to enjoy hating our opponents more than we enjoy loving our own teams. That said, Yankees suck! Vent your anger tonight at Bill’s Bar (5 1/2 Lansdowne Street, Boston) at the FNX Storm & Birdsey’s Yankees Suck Party. Listen to FNX from 2 to 7 today for details about how to get in. The party is followed by Bill’s regular (and fabulous) Blackout Bar night. Call (617) 421-9678.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29: You’ve read about them everywhere (but no place more than here), your friends have told you how funky and chill their scene is, and still you have yet to drag your sorry ass out to see the indomitable Club d’Elf. Shame on you, shame, shame, shame. Well, you lazy, groove-hungry sap-sucker, tonight is the night. Slide your ride on down to the Lizard Lounge (1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge) for an evening of self-professed " gas music from Jupiter, " which translates into an intoxicating blend (or maybe that’s just the intoxicants . . .) of live dub, trance, groove, funk, jazz, and electronic music that will engorge your cerebral cortex to the point of blissful no return. Doors (to your soul) at 9; cover is $10. Call (617) 547-0759.

Has someone close to you undergone chemo and radiation therapy for cancer? The treatment is so draining and painful that it makes you wonder whether it would be better to let the disease run its course. But that is where the indomitable human will to live comes in, especially for somebody like Christine Baze. Two years ago, Baze had put aside her career as a social worker to chase her musical muse — and then it all came crashing down when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. But she fought through the treatments, and tonight she will be on stage at the Paradise (967 Comm Ave, Boston) as the centerpiece of her own Pop Smear Benefit to Fight Cervical Cancer. She will perform with her band, the Skills of Ortega; other performers include Jim’s Big Ego, the Mudhens, and the wonderful Catie Curtis. Tickets are a mere $12, but we urge you to give more if you can, as proceeds are going to such a worthy cause. Visit www.popsmear.org for more information.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 30: Just so we all have our facts straight, the guy does not have an irregularly large head. Oh, wait, unless they’re referring to . . . never mind. Big Head Todd and the Monsters, the jazzy, bluesy, jam-band pride of Boulder, Colorado, hit the Avalon Ballroom (15 Lansdowne Street, Boston) tonight for a show at 8. Todd and the boys came out of the same hippie-aesthetic revival movement of the late ’80s and early ’90s that also spawned such other hard-working acts as Blues Traveler, Widespread Panic, and the Spin Doctors. Call (617) 423-NEXT for ticket information.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 31: Toad (1912 Mass Ave, Cambridge) is the little club that could. The place offers up some of the finest (usually roots-based) music in the city, always for free, in a tiny room with a bone-shaking sound system and plenty of great beer on tap. Tonight the club outdoes itself with a special show featuring ex–Del Fuego Warren Zanes on stage at 8, followed by the crafty pop of Daniel Barrett at 9:30. The Del Fuegos, for those of you too young to remember, were a group of local lads (including Warren’s brother, frontman Dan Zanes) whose blues-inflected-pop sound had them flirting with international stardom in the late 1980s. Did we mention that the show is free? Call (617) 497-4950.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1: Have you ever gone to see the same band/comic/poet, etc., perform two nights in a row, and heard the same " spontaneous " jokes and banter both times? We don’t know about you, but that blatant lack of creativity drives us bonkers. For a taste of the kind of inspired creativity that makes us feel that all is right in the world, check out " Sgt. Culpepper’s Improvisational Mainstage " performance at Improv Boston (1253 Cambridge Street, Cambridge) tonight at 7. These cats think quickly, and always (well, almost always) land on their feet when presented with a problem or unusual scenario. Call (617) 576-1253 for more information.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2: Let the ceremony begin; those of you currently wearing heavy eyeliner and lacey black clothing know that we are talking about " Ceremony " night at An Tua Nua (835 Beacon Street, Boston). Every Monday, the goth crowd gathers at this happenin’ Irish-pub-cum-dance-club for a night of gothic and industrial sounds — vampires welcome. Cover is a mere $5; call (617) 262-2121.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3: What is it about the power of rock and roll that allows someone who looks like a weathered, wrinkled gargoyle — Keith Richards — not only to have more sex in a year than we’ll ever have in our lives, but also to have that sex with supermodels and other genetically gifted female lovelies? Mick’s still-extant charisma and rock-star presence make his exploits understandable to us, but Keith? The dude should perform with a veil covering that craggy mug. Whatever; tonight’s Rolling Stones show, of course, sold out in half a heartbeat. You already know that it’s at the FleetCenter; what you don’t know is how the hell you’re gonna get inside. Good luck.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4: It’s a Wednesday night, which obviously means it’s time to see an erotic play about a lesbian romance. You’re in luck because the Theater Offensive is starting its four-night run of By Tooth or Tongue, a critically acclaimed tale of a rebellious teenage girl’s sexual self-discovery at the hands of a seductive and worldly nurse (is it hot in here?). The BCA Theater at the Boston Center for the Arts (539 Tremont Street, South End) hosts the show, which starts at 8. Tickets are $26 ($21 for repeat offenders); call (617) 426-2787.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5: What better way to follow up a book reading about a dysfunctional American family (a term that smells a tad redundant, we agree) than with a nice pint of local brew? As part of the Books and Brews series, best-selling author Julianna Baggott (Girl Talk) will read from her latest novel, The Miss America Family, at Newtonville Books (296 Walnut Street, Newtonville) at 7:30. The book tells the story of a former beauty queen dreaming of the perfect life with her teenage son (the boy’s father left after an interlude in bed with another man), as they struggle to come up with their own set of rules to live by. After the reading, join the author for free appetizers and beer down the street at the Karoun restaurant (839 Washington Street, Newtonville). Call (617) 244-6619.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6: If ever a local rock bill made us want to scream our lungs out, throw our panties on the stage, and faint at the sight of the musicians, it is this one: Evan Dando and Blake Hazard tonight at T.T. the Bear’s Place (10 Brookline Street Cambridge). Yes, they both have talent, pedigree, etc., but really, with these two, it’s all about the visuals — at least for us. Our only question: which one is prettier? In fairness to both performers, Dando has matured musically by leaps and bounds since his days in the Lemonheads, and Hazard has evolved into a full-fledged local pop princess whose latest album, Little Airplane, has established her as a creative force ready for the national stage. Tickets are $15; call (617) 492-BEAR.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7: The immensely talented singer-songwriter Cliff Eberhardt is one of those artists who somehow remain below the radar of many music fans. But among his peers, Eberhardt is known as the shit, especially as a songwriter. This Philly-bred, NYC-based musician has been a road horse since the late ’80s, and now we hope he’ll begin receiving his due as one of the great American musicians of his time. Catch Eberhardt tonight at Club Passim (47 Palmer Street, Cambridge) at 8. Tickets are $14; call (617) 492-7679.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8: You know that the planets must be aligned just so for the following two subjects to intertwine: Star Trek and Katharine Hepburn. This evening through September 22, the American Repertory Theatre will present Hartford Stage’s acclaimed production of Tea at Five, a portrait of very-imitable Hollywood legend Katharine Hepburn. The play stars Kate Mulgrew, who is best known for her role as Captain Kathryn Janeway on the series Star Trek: Voyager. This evening’s show takes place at 7:30 at the Loeb Drama Center (64 Brattle Street, Cambridge); tickets are $32 to $62. Call (617) 547-8300, or visit www.amrep.org for more information.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9: Fall is a fine time to plunk down in front of your fireplace with a gourmet five-course meal and a selection of fine local ales. What, you don’t know how to cook? And you don’t have a fireplace? Then get yourself down to Washington Square’s fantastic Fireplace restaurant (1634 Beacon Street, Brookline) this evening for a splendid Beer Dinner, hosted by suds stud (and journalist) Peter LaFrance. Each course from rapidly rising executive chef Ben Nathan will be paired with a different local microbrew — this is a dinner that beer (and food) lovers will not want to miss. Cost is $65 per head (get it?), and the dinner starts at 7; call (617) 975-1900.

Issue Date: August 27 - September 10, 2002