DIERKS BENTLEY The country-rock troubadour’s latest album, “Gravel & Gold,” shows off his strong storytelling and potent hooks, as well as the fascination with bluegrass that made his 2010 full-length “Up on the Ridge” such a head-turner. Aug. 9, 7 p.m. Xfinity Center, Mansfield. 800-745-3000, livenation.com
JON B Born in Rhode Island, this R&B crooner had success in the ‘90s with slow jams like the glittering “They Don’t Know” and the plush “Someone to Love”; he also co-wrote the Spice Girls’ best single, the lightly funky “Say You’ll Be There.” Aug. 9, 7 p.m. doors. The Sinclair, Cambridge. 617-547-5200, sinclaircambridge.com
MISSY ELLIOTT: OUT OF THIS WORLD — THE EXPERIENCE From her Ann Peebles-flipping debut solo single, “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly),” to her 2023 team-up with EDM wizard Skrillex “Ratata,” this MC, producer, and all-around visionary has offered up dispatches from a brighter, weirder, more thrilling future. She headlines a bill rounded out by her longtime creative partner Timbaland, fast-talking MC Busta Rhymes, and soul slinkster Ciara. Aug. 10, 7 p.m. TD Garden. 617-624-1000, tdgarden.com
MAURA JOHNSTON
Folk, World & Country
DELLA MAE It turns out that it’s stringband week in this corner of the Globe’s weekly critics’ picks. First up, bluegrass from the distaff side courtesy of veteran all-women group Della Mae. Bonus: They’re playing in the lovely confines of Lookout Farm in Natick. Aug. 11, 5:30 p.m. $25. Belkin Family Lookout Farm, 89 Pleasant St., South Natick. 508-647-0097. www.tcan.org
LIL SMOKIES/OLD HAT STRINGBAND Wednesday, it’s a double-shot of stringband: The Lil Smokies bring their genre-hopping acoustic fare east from Montana; Old Hat Stringband heads down from Maine to play music that draws on old-time and allied traditions. This is also an outdoor event, weather permitting. Aug. 14, 7 p.m. $15 and up. Prescott Park, 105 Marcy Street, Portsmouth, N.H. 603-436-2848. www.prescottpark.org
MAGIC TUBER STRINGBAND North Carolinians Evan Morgan and Courtney Werner perform as Magic Tuber Stringband, guided by the intention of, they say, “inhabiting the rich, living musical traditions of the Appalachian region, not as preservationists, but as fluent speakers shaping the forms with their inventive new ideas.” What results sounds hollers-ancient at one moment, and breathtakingly experimental the next. Aug. 14, 8 p.m. $10. AS220, 115 Empire St, Providence. 401-831-9327. www.as220.org
STUART MUNRO
Jazz & Blues
DAVID CHESNUT JAZZ FESTIVAL Mandorla music presents a daylong jazzstravaganza with bands including drummer Brooke Sofferman’s Adventure Time Trio, pianist Jesse Taitt’s Trio, bassist and vocalist Devon Gates’s Quintet, Saxophonist Temidayo Balogun + Akéde, and guitarist Sheryl Bailey’s Quartet. Aug. 10, noon-7 p.m. $15-$20. The Eustis Estate, 1424 Canton Ave., Milton. mandorlamusic.net
POINT01 PERCENT PRESENTS Two adventurous ensembles: a duo comprising trumpeter Greg Kelley and drummer Michael Larrocca, followed by Porch Trio Plus, an all-star band of left-of-center Boston-area improvisers: saxophonist Jorrit Dijkstra, guitarist Eric Hofbauer, bassist Nate McBride, and drummer Eric Rosenthal. Aug. 13, 7:30 p.m. $15. The Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Cambridge. www.lilypadinman.com
PAUL RISHELL & ANNIE RAINES The long-running, W.C. Handy Award-winning duo — finger-style guitar master Rishell and hot harmonica player Raines, both fine singers to boot — reanimate country blues with their wide-ranging repertoire of original, classic, and lesser-known numbers. Aug. 16, 8 p.m. $28-$30. Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Cambridge. passim.org
KEVIN LOWENTHAL
Classical
TANGLEWOOD A threefer of guest conductors takes the podium with the Boston Symphony Orchestra this weekend, starting with a program of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 (with Kirill Gerstein) and Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” led by Alan Gilbert (Aug. 9). The next night there’s more Stravinsky, this time the Violin Concerto from Leila Josefowicz, sandwiched between Sibelius conducted by Dalia Stasevska (Aug. 10). Sunday offers Anna Clyne, Mozart, and Mahler led by James Gaffigan (Aug. 11). Also of note: The Tanglewood Learning Institute hosts an afternoon program exploring the history of American protest songs, featuring Palaver Strings with tenor Nicholas Phan and jazz vocalist Farayi Malek (Aug. 10). Lenox. 617-266-1200, www.tanglewood.org
CHORUS PRO MUSICA The local chorus hosts a Monday evening “Summer Sing,” an all-welcome sing-along of John Rutter’s “Requiem” conducted by Richard Travers, with cellist Eleanor Blake and mezzo-soprano Hayley Travers. Aug. 12, 7:30 p.m. 617-267-7442, www.choruspromusica.org
BOSTON LANDMARKS ORCHESTRA “Mozart and More” is the theme of this week’s program, which weaves music by composers including Florence Price (”Adoration”), William Grant Still (”Can’t You Line Em”), and Astor Piazzolla (”The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires”) in between selections by Mozart. Featuring violinist Adrian Anantawan. Aug. 14, 7 p.m. 617-987-2000, www.landmarksorchestra.org
A.Z. MADONNA
ARTS
Theater
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC Award-winner Kathleen Turner takes on Madame Armfeldt (“Liaisons”) while Boston native Nik Walker (“Hamilton”) plays Count Carl-Magnus in this Sondheim favorite. The story, based on the Ingmar Bergman film “Smiles of a Summer Night,” explores several couples who change partners, learning from their losses and embracing second chances. Through Aug. 17. Oguquit Playhouse, Ogunquit, Maine. www.ogunquitplayhouse.org/2024-a-little-night-music
THE SUPPLIANT WOMEN Refugees are at the center of David Greig’s timely adaptation of the play by Aeschylus. Facing forced marriages in North Africa, 50 women “flee across the Mediterranean by boat, seeking asylum in Greece.” The actors in this outdoor production will speak in both English and Spanish and the chorus features Chelsea residents. Through Aug. 17. Presented by Apollinaire Theatre Company at PORT Park, Chelsea. www.apollinairetheatre.com
THE FLIGHT OF THE MONARCH Shakespeare & Company team up with Great Barrington Public Theater to present the regional premiere of this play by Massachusetts native (and GBSC artistic director) Jim Frangione. The dark comedy explores the relationship between two siblings and the ways in which they must confront who they are and who they were in order to move forward. Through Aug. 25. Presented by Shakespeare & Company and Great Barrington Public Theater at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre, Shakespeare & Company, Lenox. https://shakespeare.org/upcoming-performances/
WISH YOU WERE HERE Sanaz Toossi won the Pulitzer Prize last year for “English.” Toossi’s “Wish You Were Here” is a comedy set in an Iranian suburb from 1978 to 1991, where a quintet of female friends face the choice of whether to join a surge of emigration or to remain in Iran, where the future seems precarious and unpredictable. Directed by Melory Mirashrafi, with a cast that includes Isan Salem Gharajeh, Deniz Khateri, Aryana Asefirad, Cerra Cardwell, and Josephine Moshiri Elwood. Aug. 9-25. Gloucester Stage Company, Gloucester. 978-281-4433, www.gloucesterstage.com
TERRY BYRNE
Dance
MARGIE GILLIS The internationally renowned Canadian dancer-choreographer and her company arrive at Windover Center for the Performing Arts for two evenings of solos and duets. An exquisite dancemaker for over 50 years, Gillis brings with her performers from her foundation’s Legacy Project, established to ensure the continuation of her artistic vision and creative achievements. Aug. 9-10, $20-$30. Windhover Center for the Performing Arts, Rockport. https://windhover.org/
SOLEDAD BARRIO & NOCHE FLAMENCA For the first time in 22 years, the dramatic powerhouse flamenco dancer Barrio and company bring their distinctive artistry to Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. The troupe, which also showcases the choreography of Martin Santangelo, features an impressive cast of dancers and live musicians. They present their newest work, “Searching for Goya” (2023), which draws inspiration from the prolific Spanish painter’s transformational art as it reflected the social and political unrest of his time. Aug. 14-18, $65-$95. Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Becket. www.jacobspillow.org
OLYMPIC BREAKING For the first — and perhaps only — time, the Olympics is recognizing that breaking requires not only creative vision and expressive power, but extraordinary athleticism. The impressive strength and control needed for the genre should be on full display during two days of competition, Aug. 9 and10. For those of us not in Paris at the moment, the lineup for digital/TV viewing can be found at https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/schedule/breaking?day=9-august
THE BRIDGE VOL. 2 If you not only want to watch the action but get in on it yourself, this ambitious initiative by All Things Dance Boston aims to bring diverse communities together for a night of multicultural, multi-genre celebration, from hip-hop to lindy hop. In addition to performances, the event features dance cyphers, exhibition battles, live DJs, vendors, and the chance to show off your best moves. Aug. 10. $14.99-$25. Sonia Nightclub, Cambridge. www.mideastoffers.com/sonia
KAREN CAMPBELL
Visual art
IMAGINE VAN GOGH In a crowded field of “immersive” experiences of the art of Vincent van Gogh — at one point in 2021, there were three video-projected Van Gogh extravaganzas happening in the city at the same time — one stood out, mostly for not being a horrendously tacky perversion of the artist’s work. Good news: This is the one. And while I’m still not a believer in the format, I can allow that “Imagine Van Gogh,” with its simple, sky-high projections of details of famous paintings, is as elegant an iteration of such a thing as you’ll find. Through Aug. 30. SOWA Power Station, 530 Harrison Ave. 866-524-1914, www.imagine-vangogh.com
STEVE LOCKE: THE FIRE NEXT TIME Locke is likely best-known to Boston audiences as the artist who proposed — and had approved — a memorial to victims of the slave trade, embedded in the cobblestones outside Faneuil Hall, only to withdraw it amid a firestorm of public complaint, most notably from the local chapter of the NAACP. But Locke’s work has always drawn on the history of American injustice, whether racial or otherwise, and “the fire next time,” which takes its title from James Baldwin’s book, published in 1963 at the peak of the Civil Rights Movement, is no exception. This exhibition amalgamates recent works, including paintings, drawings, and sculpture, that deal with such subjects as police brutality, mass murderers, and the wrongfully accused. Through TBD. Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, 1040 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams. 413-662-2111, www.massmoca.org.
EDGAR DEGAS: MULTI-MEDIA ARTIST IN THE AGE OF IMPRESSIONISM Timed to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the first-ever Impressionist Exhibition in 1874 in Paris, this show highlights Degas’s experimental urge, most prominent in the exhilarating immediacy of his works on paper. Working with pastel, graphite, charcoal, and watercolor, Degas was a relentless innovator, as this show means to explore. Through Oct. 6. The Clark Art Institute, 225 South St., Williamstown. 413-458-2303, www.clarkart.edu
MURRAY WHYTE
PROJECT/PROJECT 2024 Around sundown on Saturday, Aug. 10, Wellfleet will light up with video projections along Main Street, Commercial Street, Holbrook Avenue, the Wellfleet Pier, and at Farm Projects, this pop-up’s presenter. More than a dozen projections by artists such as Lili Chin, Jon Verney, and the duo of Carrie Scanga and Ron Harrity will interact with and respond to local landscapes and the architecture of the outer Cape. Farm Projects, 355 Main St., Wellfleet. Aug. 10, around 7:45-9:15 p.m. www.farmprojectspace.org/projects
CATE McQUAID
EVENTS
Comedy
RACHEL BLOOM’S DEATH, LET ME DO MY SHOW The “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” star and co-creator already filmed this stand-up, storytelling, and musical show for a special last month at the Williamstown Theater Festival to debut in the fall, but Boston audiences can still see it live at the Wilbur on Saturday. Aug. 10, 7 p.m. $35-$55. The Wilbur, 246 Tremont St. www.thewilbur.com
HOMOERRATIC VARIETY SHOW A cavalcade of performers for this edition of Homoerratic’s variety show, led by featured stand-up Steph Dalwin, with musical comedy from Lizzie Sivitz, drag from Just JP, and music from SungleBumble and The Homophonics. Hosted by Zach Stewart and Andi Van Dyke. Aug. 15, 8 p.m. $15. Club Café, 209 Columbus Ave. www.eventbrite.com
COMEDY KILLERZ It’s a stand-up showcase, but also a murder mystery. One of the comedians will “die,” and the audience has to play sleuth and guess who dunnit. Men in Comedy presents, with Katie Arroyo headlining, with Danya Trommer, Maddie Kelly, Mel Moscoso, Bini Oyi, Laith Alsasah, Viv Martin, and Maz Ismael. Aug. 15, 8 p.m. $12. Widowmaker Taproom and Kitchen, 190 North Beacon St. www.eventbrite.com
NICK A. ZAINO III
Family
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK PUPPET SHOW Using multiple styles of puppetry — from hand puppets to masks to marionettes — the Dream Tale Puppets whisk you away on Jack’s giant adventure. This creative adaptation of the children’s classic is filled with lively narration, beautiful design, and comedy. Aug. 10, 10:30 a.m. Pay what you can. Puppet Showplace Theater, 32 Station St. puppetshowplace.org
MOOSE TRACKS’ 10K SCOOP CHALLENGE Stop by the City Hall Plaza to enjoy some free Moose Tracks frozen yogurt and be a part of the largest frozen yogurt social around — 10,000 scoops large, to be precise. For each scoop served, Moose Tracks will donate $1 to The Salvation Army. Aug. 13, 11 a.m. Free admission. City Hall Plaza, 1 City Hall Square. www.moosetracks.com
GREENWAY PETTING ZOO Head to the Rose Kennedy Greenway for its first ever free petting zoo event. Spend some time with the fuzzy friends of your choice, from goats and bunnies to ducks and chickens. Make sure to allot some time for the pony rides and the farmers’ market featured. Aug. 15, 2 p.m. Free admission. The Greenway, between Milk and India streets. rosekennedygreenway.org
ARUSHI JACOB
