Arts Fuse critics select the best in music, film, theater, visual arts, author readings, and dance that’s coming up in the next week.

By The Arts Fuse Staff

Rock

Jay Z and Beyonce
July 1
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA

The first family of music bring their joint tour to Gillette. That’s an awfully big room to fill, but if any duo can do it (and keep all the attendees entertained) it’s them.

The Kills
July 8, 2014
Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA

The duo of Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince don’t have a new album to promote on their current tour, but they are reportedly in the studio working on something “completely different.” Genres like dubstep and reggae are even noted as some possible inspirations, which would in fact be a different direction for the sound of The Kills. Perhaps a taste of something new at Paradise?

Upcoming and On Sale…

Queens of the Stone Age (7/14/2014, Providence Performing Arts Center); Queen + Adam Lambert (7/19/2014, Mohegan Sun Arena); Sidewalk Driver (7/19/2014, The Sinclair); Queen + Adam Lambert (7/22/2014, TD Garden); Nine Inch Nails & Soundgarden (7/29/2014, Xfinity Center); Echo & the Bunnymen (8/14/2014, Paradise Rock Club); Arcade Fire (8/19/2014, Comcast Center); Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (8/30/2014, Fenway Park); Boston Calling Music Festival feat. The National, Lorde, The Replacements (9/5-7/2014, City Hall Plaza); Bombino (9/5/2014, The Sinclair); Justin Townes Earle (9/10/2014, Royale); Bob Mould (9/12/2014, Paradise Rock Club); Jack White (9/17/2014, Fenway Park); Willie Nelson (9/20/2014, Indian Ranch); The Black Keys (9/21/2014, TD Garden); Kasabian (9/26/2014, Paradise Rock Club); The Orwells (10/9/2014, Brighton Music Hall); J Mascis (10/18/2014, The Sinclair); Temples (10/24/2014, Paradise Rock Club); Peter Hook & the Light (11/8/2014, Royale)

— Adam Ellsworth

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Visual Arts

Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA, Grand Opening on July 4

Cast for Eternity: Ancient Ritual Bronzes from the Shanghai Museum, July 4 through September 21

Make It New: Abstract Painting from the National Gallery of Art, 1950-1975, August 2 through October 13

Raw Color: The Circles of David Smith, July 4 through October 19

The Clark closed its public galleries on March 23. The museum’s curators and installers have been busy reorganizing the Clark’s permanent collections into renovated and expanded exhibition space. Nearby, a new Visitor Center and the new Stone Hill Center, both designed by the self-taught, Zen-influenced Japanese architect Tadao Ando, are now complete. Both buildings contain added gallery space for special exhibitions.

Altogether, the Clark campus now contains up-to-date public museum facilities and offices, reception and gallery spaces for its growing number of visitors, an important art research library, an auditorium, and facilities for the Clark’s graduate students, academic and publishing programs, and visiting scholars, researchers, and fellows.

It is an academy-like model not unlike the one the J. Paul Getty Museum launched with fanfare and J. Paul’s fortune a few decades ago. Despite, or perhaps because of, the Getty’s colossal endowment, though, its Grand Scheme bogged down in ostentatious construction projects, delays, mountain-sized cost overruns, rambling priorities, reorganizations, ego clashes, political infighting, ethical failures, and, most prominently, a long stream of lawsuits and public scandals. At the Clark, off in Arcadian Williamstown, slow and steady seems to have won the race.

To celebrate this particular milestone, the Clark is planning an old-fashioned New England celebration on July 4. A community picnic lunch will follow the town’s Independence Day parade. A 1 p.m. ceremony at the Visitor Center will open toe doors. The Clark’s galleries will be open free of charge until 7 p.m., followed at 7:30 p.m. by a concert of patriotic music and “American standards” by The Eagles band. Fireworks, of course, begin around 9 pm.

Two of the three opening exhibitions at the Clark are the sort of pre-packaged “collection” shows a museum books when its staff is busy working on something else. That doesn’t mean they aren’t interesting. Make It New: Abstract Painting from the National Gallery of Art, 1950-1975, organized by the National Gallery, features some stars of the post-war American school, including Jackson Pollock’s Number 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist), one of the key works of the crucial quarter-century covered by the show, during which American-made art took the stage as the most aggressively advanced in the world.

Another collection, another museum, another continent features in Cast for Eternity: Ancient Ritual Bronzes from the Shanghai Museum, part of a series of planned exchanges between the Clark and the Shanghai Museum. One of the signature pieces of Chinese civilization, the monumental bronzes, dating as far back as the early second millennium B.C., were probably made for royal rituals but exactly how they were used is not known. The Shanghai Museum’s bronzes are said to be “exceptional.”

Raw Color: The Circles of David Smith is the one show of the trio to be organized at the Clark, by David Breslin, associate curator of the Contemporary Projects. Art historian Rosalind Krauss, probably the leading authority on Smith’s work, has repeatedly claimed her subject as the “greatest American sculptor.”

She’s not just touting her own turf, either. Smith’s career followed a path any creative person would aspire to. He regularly reinvented himself and, after 1950, regularly reinvented all of modern sculpture, raising the stakes with each avatar, right up until his tragic death in an accident in 1965.

Raw Color focuses on a series of late, painted steel sculpture Smith constructed around large circles. At the Clark, the five pieces will be set against the Berkshire landscape, to recall their first venue in the open fields around Smith’s Bolton Landing, New York, studio.

— Peter Walsh

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Roots and World Music

Dom Flemons
Wednesday, July 2
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA

The MFA’s 9-show Elaine and Jerome Rosenfeld Concerts in the Courtyard series kicks off with a visit from the former Carolina Chocolate Drops member. Flemons is both a sharp showman and a vital scholar of American folk, blues and country, and in many ways he’s doing more than anyone else to keep the spirit and fun of the 60’s folk revival alive and relevant. His new album, Prospect Hill, will be released on July 22.

Chronixx
Friday, July 4
Paradise Rock Club, Boston MA

While reggae has had its share of would-be post-Marley saviors, few have made as big an impact in such a short amount of time as the 21-year old singjay Chronixx. When I was in Jamaica earlier this year seemingly every other song blasting out of car and minibus windows was a self-released Chronixx tune like “Smile Jamaica” or “Here Comes Trouble.” His bright, infectious videos have millions of YouTube views, and he even joined Jamaican jazz icons Monty Alexander and Ernest Ranglin on stage this winter for a musical history lesson. Not surprisingly there’s already a backlash with some wondering if the hype will hold, but so far his output has been spotless.

Panamanian Reunion
July 4-6
Seaport Hotel and Convention Center, Boston

This weekend-long salute to Panamanian culture includes DJ dances, a boat ride, and performances by The Professionals and salsero Maelo Ruiz.

New Bedford Folk Festival
July 5 & 6

While its neighbors in Newport draw tens of thousands with the young stars of indie-folk, the New Bedford Folk Festival has been steadfast about staying true to its programming preference for family folk, Celtic and French-Canadian traditionalists, and singer/songwriter stars of the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. It’s easy to roll your eyes when presented with such AM gold relics such as Jonathan Edwards and Michael Johnson. And then there are the Mighty Wind-like workshop topics such as “Is That a Guitar Behind the Cactus?” and “As I Rode Out One Summer’s Day: Songs of Adventure and Courage.” Less forgivable is the bizarre absence of any Portuguese, Cape Verdean or Brazilian folk in a city where those traditions are so vibrant. Still, the fest is a tremendous bargain and a nice showcase for New Bedford’s underappreciated downtown area.

— Noah Schaffer

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Dance

John Cage Variations III
June 29
Center for the Arts at the Armory
Somerville, MA

100 musicians will fill every corner of the hall and mezzanine of the Somerville Armory in a special version of John Cage’s Variations III. (And yes, I know that every version of Variations III is special.) This performance is dedicated to late Opensound codirector Lou Cohen, who always ended the season with this immersive work, in which order arises from chance juxtapositions and artists are free to follow their most extravagant musical hunches.

At summer festivals around New England this week

Steeledance and Adam Barruch Dance
June 27-28
The Yard, Patricia N. Nanon Theater
Chilmark, MA

Adam Barruch’s lush choreography gets a full-length airing when he premieres Belladona on a program shared with Strictly Personal by Teri and Oliver Steele.

TapTheYard 3: A Vineyard Festival of Rhythm and Beats
July 2 -July 12
The Yard, Patricia N. Nanon Theater
Chilmark, MA

This week’s performances in the always lively Martha’s Vineyard minifestival includes
David Parker’s wry The Bang Group, young tappers The Manzari Brothers last seen in Boston promoted by Maurice Hines, loose-limbed urban tapper Dylan Baker and The Wondertwins, who reportedly just knocked it out of the park at Jacob’s Pillow.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and
T.P.O. in BLEU!
July 2- 6
Jacobs’ Pillow
Becket, MA

The polished dancers Hubbard Street Dance Chicago hit the Pillow with repertory by Jiri Kylian, Nacho Duato, and the most intriguing offering, a male trio set to Rat Pack era Dean Martin at the Ted Shawn Theatre. The family-friendly Compagnia T.P.O., directed by Francesco Gandi and Davide Venturini, leads audiences at the Duke Theater on a trip through the blue waters of the Mediterranean, where fish and mollusks live among the ruins of lost civilizations (special youth ticket prices available).

— Debra Cash

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Jazz

Ginger Baker’s Jazz Confusion
June 29, 7 p.m.
Wilbur Theatre, Boston, MA.

The former Cream drummer brings his Jazz Confusion – former James Brown saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis, bassist Alec Dankworth, and percussionist Abass Dodoo – to the Wilbur Theatre behind their new CD, Why?

Garrison Fewell/Jacob William/Curt Newton
June 30, 8 p.m.
Outpost 186, Cambridge, MA.

Former straightahead guitar master Garrison Fewell continues his exploration of structured free improvisation with bassist Jacob William and drummer Curt Newton.

Mario Castro Quintet with Strings
July 2, 7:30 p.m.
Regattabar, Cambridge, MA.

The talented young tenor saxophonist and composer Mario Castro, after recording his debut album on Greg Osby’s Inner Circle Music label, upped the ante by adding strings for Estrella de Mar, his debut on Interrobang Records. He celebrates the CD release with a string quartet as well as trumpeter Aaron Bahr, pianist Meritxell Neddermann, bassist Tamir Shmerling, and a drummer TBA.

Luther Gray Trio
July 2, 8 p.m.
Outpost 186, Cambridge, MA.

Drummer Luther Gray is the steady anchor of any number of jazz and improv bands on the Boston scene (including Jerry Bergonzi’s quintet, in residence every Monday night at the Lily Pad in Cambridge). Tonight he plays with his trio – saxophonists Allan Chase and Jim Hobbs – in support of their new disc, Drums and Horns, Horns and Drums.

Matthew Shipp/Michael Bisio
July 9, 8 p.m.
Outpost 186, Cambridge, MA.

The exciting “free” jazz pianist Matthew Shipp makes a rare local appearance at the tiny Outpost 186 with like-minded (and equally formidable) bassist Michael Bisio, a member of Shipp’s trio on the new Root of Things.

— Jon Garelick

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Classical Music

Square d’Orléans: An Afternoon at Chopin’s Salon
June 29 at 7 p.m.
Rivers School Conservatory
333 Winter St., Weston, MA

The Chopin Symposium features the soprano Barbara Quintiliani, Ronald Lowry on cello, and Gila Goldstein and Roberto Poli on Piano. Among the works on the program: Chopin’s Nocturne and Barcarolle, W. S. Mozart’s Sonata in F Major for piano four hands, K. 497, Chopin’s Sonata for Cello and Piano in G Minor, Op. 65. along with arias from Norma by V. Bellini, the final scene from Lucrezia Borgia by G. Donizetti, and Chopin’s Suite of etude, mazurkas, and Fantasisie a la polonaise.

Some Thoughts on Good and Evil
June 29 at 7 p.m.
At St. Paul’s Church, 15 St. Paul St, Brookline, MA.

WORDSONG presents violinist Gabriella Diaz, cellist Rafael Popper Keizer, and pianist Elizabeth Schumann. The musicians will perform the world premiere of Adam Jacob Simon’s Piano Trio #1 in B major, Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio no. 2 in C minor, op. 66, and Howard Frazin’s “Some Thoughts on Good and Evil.”

— Susan Miron

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Author Events

Amram Shapiro
The Book of Odds: From Lightning Strikes to Love at First Sight, the Odds of Everyday Life
Monday June 30 at 7 p.m.
Porter Square Books, Somerville, MA
Free

So of all the people in the world, and of all the websites in the world, and of all the articles available on it, you dear reader, happen to have found this one. Congratulations! What are the odds? Staggering, indeed, wouldn’t you agree? Amram Shapiro brings a wealth of quirky and fascinating information regarding the infinite possibilities inherent in all things, based on more than 400,000 rigorously researched statements of probability.

Matthew Stewart
Nature’s God: The Heretical Origins of the American Republic
Wednesday July 2 at 7 p.m.
Harvard Book Store, Cambridge, MA
Free

Ever get tired of hearing about how America is a Christian nation and that the Founding Fathers were good believers? Matthew Stewart comes to town to explain how these truths are anything but self-evident. His new book examines the role of natural philosophy – think Lucretius, Spinoza and Rousseau instead of Solomon and St Paul – and how their ideas influenced the creation of the republic.

Box Brown
Andre the Giant: Life and Legend
Tuesday July 1 at 7 p.m.
Brookline Booksmith, Brookline, MA
Free

Whether or not you realize it, Andre the Giant has a posse. The little stickers you see around Boston may testify to his height, weight and girth, but what they don’t tell is his life story. That’s left up to Box Brown and his new graphic novel, illustrating the life and times of the Frenchman formerly known as Andre Rene Roussimoff from his time as a major player in the old WWF wrestling world to his memorable turn as Fezzik in The Princess Bride.

Lauren Clark
Crafty Bastards: Beer in New England from the Mayflower to the Present Day
Monday July 7 at 7 p.m.
Porter Square Books
Free

Lauren Clark is the founder of drinkboston.com and is also an author, journalist and former bartender and brewer. She will be talking about brewing culture from the Pilgrims to the present day, starting out with how beer was brewed in America when the first settlers planted barley. Samples are included!

Craig Davidson
Cataract City
Tuesday July 8 at 7 p.m.
Newtonville Books
Free

Davidson is definitely proving to be a writer to watch. He’s been enthusiastically blurbed by the likes of Palahniuk and Irvine Welsh and his work has been turned into a critically acclaimed feature film. His new novel is centered around two friends who are on opposite sides of the law.

— Matt Hanson

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Film

Boston Area Film Schedules – What is playing today, Where and When

Alain Resnais Tribute
June 29 and 30
Harvard Film Archive, Cambridge, MA

Alain Renais, who passed away in March at age 91, is a key figure in film history. His artistic approach, visually and narratively, was complex and varied. His movies meditate on war and sexual relationships; they also explore abstract notions of memory and time. The Harvard Film Archives has been honoring this formative writer and director with a retrospective of his work. The remaining films to be screened:

June 29: Je t’aime, Je t’aime at 5 p.m.; My American Uncle (Mon oncle d’Amérique) at 7 p.m.
June 30: Providence at 7 p.m.

Snowpiercer
July 4–13
Brattle Theatre, Cambridge, MA

This is Joon-ho Bong’s adaptation of Jean-Marc Rochette’s comic book series set during the onset of the next ice age, The remaining survivors are left circling the earth on a non-stop express train. Bong is a fascinating director with films as varied as Mother, a strange adult thriller set in modern South Korean and The Host, which deals with a giant squid created by toxic waste. Both films, despite their surreal ingredients, manage to weave in contemporary Korean politics. His latest film is bound to be interesting given its cast alone, which features Chris Evans, John Hurt, Ed Harris, Tilda Swinton, Song Kang-ho, Octavia Spencer, Alison Pill, and Jamie Bell.

— Tim Jackson

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Theater

WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR DREAMS, performed by Kevin Clancy.
July 2 through 18
In and around Boston, MA

You know that it had to happen — the sleepover turned into performance art. Clancy’s “nomadic slumber party” has him working “with collaborators to host sessions in their homes, art spaces, public spaces, and favorite secret spots. Clancy is making a 20’x20′ flexible structure that will serve as a blanket fort, tent, picnic blanket, etc. that will adapt to each situation. These will be small private gatherings and larger public events.” A chance to host art, overnight, in your living room — and see whether or not you hate yourself in the morning.

June Moon
By Ring Lardner and George S. Kaufman. Directed by Jessica Stone
Staged by the Williamstown Theatre Festival on the Main Stage, Williamstown, MA
July 2 through July 13.

Lardner fashioned this 1927 comedy about Tin Pan Alley wannabes for Broadway consumption (with Kaufman adding a commercial assist, no doubt supplying the tacked-on happy ending). It ran for 273 performances and was made into a film. Still, there is enough of Lardner’s jaundiced humor and nimbly addled pitter-patter to remind you of his genius. The Library of America recently published a volume of Lardner’s brilliant short stories and novels. I interviewed editor Ian Frazier for The Arts Fuse. (June Moon can be found in the Library of America volume dedicated to the plays of Kaufmann and his collaborators.)

— Bill Marx