Things to do around Boston this weekend and beyond

MAMALARKY “Pocket Fantasy,” the second album from this four-piece, melds persistent hooks with turn-on-a-dime song structures and lots of distortion, and songs like the spaced-out “July” and the sunlit “You Know I Know” prove that truly delightful prog-rock can come in lo-fi form. Nov. 7, 7 p.m. O’Brien’s Pub, Allston. 617-782-6245, obrienspubboston.com

ITZY Since 2019, this K-pop quintet has been lighting up playlists with high-energy cuts like the bouncy “WANNABE” and the anthemic “DALLA DALLA.” Last month, they released their first English-language single, the insouciant update of Y2K girlbandom “Boys Like You.” Nov. 10, 7:30 p.m. MGM Music Hall at Fenway. crossroadspresents.com

MAURA JOHNSTON

Folk, World & Country

JUSSI REIJONEN NONET It took him 10 years to do it, but Jussi Reijonen has released a remarkable sophomore album, “Three Seconds | Kolme Toista.” The album’s five instrumental movements weave together musical elements from the places — Finland, Jordan, Tanzania, Oman, Lebanon, the Netherlands, and the United States — where Reijonen has lived and ends up somewhere singularly transcultural. Reijonen and the Nonet with which he made the record will showcase it Sunday. Nov. 6, 5 p.m. $26-$32. Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main St., Rockport. 978-546-7391, www.rockportmusic.org

BETH ORTON It’s been a while (six years) between albums for Beth Orton as well; the English singer-songwriter ended that inactivity this fall with a serving of gorgeous, shimmering chamber folk-and-pop in “Weather Alive.” Orton describes it as “a collaboration with time, of someone struggling to make sense. And in that struggle, something beautiful got made.” Something beautiful indeed. Heather Broderick Woods opens for Orton. Nov. 6, 8 p.m. $25. Crystal Ballroom at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville. 800-653-8000, www.ticketmaster.com

COURTNEY MARIE ANDREWS/THE DEAD TONGUES A powerful twin bill here: Courtney Marie Andrews continues to expand the boundaries of her Americana sound, but of late (that is, on her latest, “Loose Future”) has been trading in the emergence of love instead of its dissolution, while on “Dust,” Ryan Gustafson has gotten more electric with the intense species of folk he essays as The Dead Tongues. Nov. 8, 8 p.m. $20. The Middle East (upstairs), 472-480 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. 866-468-3399, www.ticketweb.com

STUART MUNRO

Jazz & Blues

PETER KONTRIMAS QUARTET The classically trained acoustic bassist has played with everyone from Shirley Horn to Gary Burton, and was the longtime anchor of late local treasure Paul Broadnax’s trio. His quartet includes tenor saxophonist Arnie Krakowski, pianist Russ Hoffman, and drummer Jim Lattini. Nov. 5, 7 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. No cover; reservations recommended. The Mad Monkfish, 524 Mass. Ave., Cambridge. 617-441-2116, www.themadmonkfish.com

JAMES MONTGOMERY’S HARMONICA SUMMIT WITH PETER D. HARPER & CHERYL ARENA This big blues harp blowathon will feature New England mainstay Montgomery, Boston’s own Arena, and aptly-named Aussie harmonica virtuoso Harper, who’s also been known to rock the didgeridoo. Nov. 6, 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. $25-$75. The Music Room, 541 Main St., West Yarmouth. 508-694-6125, www.musicroomcapecod.com

POINT01 PERCENT PRESENTS Two trios made up of some of Boston’s most adventurous improvisers. Accomplished Dutch multi-reedist Jorrit Dijkstra with bassist Nate McBride and drummer Eric Rosenthal, followed by adroit Greek pianist-composer Pandelis Karayorgis with electric guitarist Jeff Platz and drummer Luther Gray. Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m. $10. The Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Cambridge. www.lilypadinman.com

KEVIN LOWENTHAL

Classical

CHARLES OVERTON + LUCIA LIN Harpist Charles Overton and longtime Boston Symphony Orchestra violinist Lucia Lin join forces in a performance featuring the music of Hawaii-based composer Michael-Thomas Foumai, including the local premiere of “Printing Kapa,” which was created for Lin’s “In Tandem” duet commissioning project. Overton and Lin will also perform music by Saint-Saens (“Fantasie”) and Piazzolla “Histoire du Tango.” Presented by Celebrity Series of Boston. Nov. 4, 7 p.m., Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church, Cambridge: Nov. 6, 4 p.m., Union Church, Boston. 617-482-2595, www.celebrityseries.org

SONGS FROM AKTAMAR American violinist Jennifer Curtis collaborates with Tehran-born composer and kamancheh player Niloufar Shiri in a celebration of women playing bowed instruments across cultures. Pre-registration required: no walk-up admissions. Nov. 4, 8 p.m. Longy School of Music, Cambridge. www.longy.edu/event/gessner-schocken-2022

ANNE SOFIE VON OTTER + KRISTIAN BEZUIDENHOUT Audience favorite and lieder singer supreme Anne Sofie von Otter and pianist Kristian Bezuidenhout jointly present a recital program of songs and selections for solo piano by Mozart, Schubert, and Romantic-era Swedish composer Adolf Fredrik Lindblad, a close collaborator of the legendary soprano Jenny Lind. Presented by Celebrity Series of Boston. Nov. 5, 8 p.m. Jordan Hall. 617-482-2595, www.celebrityseries.org

A.Z. MADONNA

ARTS

Theater

THE CHINESE LADY Lloyd Suh’s absorbing and nuanced play, which was inspired by a true story, sheds an unflattering but illuminating light on American history as it chronicles the experiences of Afong Moy (Sophorl Ngin). Brought from China to New York in 1834, she is put on display in museums — brewing tea, eating with chopsticks, walking around a room on her bound feet — as white audiences look on. Also starring Jae Woo as Atung, her interpreter. Directed by Sarah Shin. Nov. 10-Dec. 11. Central Square Theater, Cambridge. 617-576-9278, ext. 1; www.centralsquaretheater.org

JOE TURNER’S COME AND GONE So many ideas, emotions, and states of being are packed into August Wilson’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” and director Lili-Anne Brown and her superlative cast capture them all in this outstanding production. Driving the story is taciturn Herald Loomis (James Milord), who arrives at a Pittsburgh boardinghouse in 1911, determined to find his wife, Martha (Patrese D. McClain), from whom he was separated when he was forced to work on a chain gang for seven years. Locating Martha is central to Herald’s larger quest to “Find me a world I can fit in” — and he’s not the only one at the boardinghouse embarked on that search. Also starring Maurice Emmanuel Parent, Shannon Lamb, Robert Cornelius, Stewart Evan Smith, Al-nisa Petty, Lewis D. Wheeler, and Dela Meskienyar. Through Nov. 13. Huntington Theatre Company. At Huntington Theatre, 264 Huntington Ave. 617-266-0800, www.Huntingtontheatre.org

ENGLISH How to find the words without losing yourself: That is the challenge underlying this perceptive work by Sanaz Toossi. It’s about an instructor in Iran in 2008 (an excellent Deniz Khateri) trying to teach English to four students (Leyla Modirzadeh, Zaven Ovian, Lily Gilan James, and the always compelling Josephine Moshiri Elwood). For each of them, for different reasons, much is riding on their success in mastering the language. Director Melory Mirashrafi draws fine-tuned performances from the cast that land with the impact of emotional truth while not upending the play’s subtle, small-scale craftsmanship. Through Nov. 19. SpeakEasy Stage Company. At Roberts Studio Theatre, Calderwood Pavilion, Boston Center for the Arts. 617-933-8600, www.SpeakEasyStage.com

DON AUCOIN

Dance

BILL T. JONES/ARNIE ZANE COMPANY The groundbreaking company’s residency with Providence-based nonprofit FirstWorks and Brown Arts Institute culminates in a performance of “What Problem?” Featuring Jones’s company, four vocalists, and 26 local community members, the new work uses dance, spoken word, and collaborative engagement to explore the tension between isolation and community in these politically divisive times. Nov. 4. $24-$79. VETS Auditorium, Providence. www.firstworks.org

BANBOCHE (PARTY!) 2022 For the first time in three years, Jean Appolon Expressions presents its annual “Banboche” event. This sixth iteration of immersive Haitian culture is centered around one of the most anticipated celebrations in the Haitian voodoo religious calendar, Fèt Gede, the Haitian Day of the Dead. In addition to dance performances by the company, the community event will feature unique handcrafted goods, drinks, and dancing for all. Nov. 5. $35. Arts at the Armory, Somerville. https://jeanappolonexpressions.org/#connect

ALIVE Victoria Awkward’s VLA Dance presents the premiere of an immersive dance theater experience chronicling the dream journey of the character Ayo, who is guided to follow their heartbeat. The show features a cast of 11 performers plus live music, visuals, and costumes. Nov. 4-6. $20-$25. Hibernian Hall. www.vladance.com/alive

BOSTON CONSERVATORY AT BERKLEE The school’s annual showcase of its sophomore, junior, and senior students is traditionally an excellent opportunity to see promising talent and a wide range of new choreography in an original program of world premiere works by guest artists in residence and faculty members. This fall’s “From the Ground Up” features works by Brian Brooks, Levi Marsman, Crystal Perkins, Heather Stewart, Daniel Pelzig, and Kurt Douglas. Nov. 3-5. $12.50-$30. Boston Conservatory Theater. www.bostonconservatory.berklee.edu

KAREN CAMPBELL

Visual art

POWER AND PERSPECTIVE: EARLY PHOTOGRAPHY IN CHINA With 130 19th-century photographs installed alongside paintings, prints, and examples of the decorative arts, this exhibition seeks to capture the vibrant cross-cultural exchange in treaty port China, where cosmopolitanism and commerce rubbed up against rapid advances in technology — like photography — that tracked progress like never before. Through April 2, 2023. Peabody Essex Museumc,161 Essex St., Salem. 978-745-9500, www.pem.org

DARE TO KNOW: PRINTS AND DRAWINGS IN THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT The 18th century was an era of profound change, as rapid advancement in science and global exploration broadened long-held boundaries of reality, and wobbled western notions of a world guided by the invisible hand of God. This show of 150 drawings, prints, books, and other objects spotlights the social upheavals of the era, broadly known as the Enlightenment, and puts on view a transformative moment of the world expanding in every direction. Through Jan. 15. Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., Cambridge. 617-495-9400, www.harvardartmuseums.org

TO BEGIN AGAIN: ARTISTS AND CHILDHOOD Whether you have them or not, kids are always and inevitably about one thing: the future. And for all the nurturing we provide them, whether in the close quarters of family or the broader societal context of the education system, the notion of childhood necessarily teeters between optimism and anxiety. This show takes that delicate balance on board with the understanding that childhood is the foundation on which all society is built, and the need to tip the balance in the right direction. Through Feb 26. Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, 25 Harbor Shore Drive. 617-478-3100, www.icaboston.org

MURRAY WHYTE

CEY ADAMS, DEPARTURE: 40 YEARS OF ART + DESIGN Adams started out as a graffiti artist in the late 1970s. He went on to become founding creative director for Def Jam Recordings, translating hip-hop into album covers, ads, and logos for artists such as Jay-Z and Run DMC. Adams has also designed for Levi’s, Converse, Google,  and recently, Mattel Creations. More than 60 works in this retrospective celebrate his love of curves, shapes, and typography. Through Dec. 11. Faye G., Jo, and James Stone Gallery, Boston University, 855 Commonwealth Ave. www.bu.edu/art/cey-adams-departure-40-years-of-art-and-design/

CATE McQUAID

EVENTS

Comedy

LAUGH BOSTON In an unusual move, Laugh Boston has two local headliners on separate shows Saturday night. Laura Severse gets the early show at 7, and Corey Rodrigues gets the late show at 10. Stay for both to see what Boston club comedy has to offer. Nov. 5, 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. $29. Laugh Boston, 425 Summer St. www.laughboston.com

JUSTON MCKINNEY It’s been a rough couple of years in a lot of ways, notes New Hampshire comedian McKinney in “On the Bright Side,” his new YouTube special. “I had a buddy, his 401(k), he had all his money with Fidelity, lost 25 percent of his investments,” he says. “I had another buddy, he went with infidelity, he lost 50 percent of his investments.” Nov. 5, 8 p.m. $34.50-$45. The Cabot, 286 Cabot St., Beverly. 978-927-3100, www.thecabot.org

GINNY HOGAN: I FINISHED MY 20S AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS LOUSY SOBRIETY Comedian and New Yorker contributor Hogan takes aim at a volatile decade in her life, getting sober, and puzzling out love and work life in this one-woman show. Nov. 10, 8 p.m. $10. The White Bull Tavern, 1 Union St. 617-681-4600, www.thewhitebulltavern.com

NICK A. ZAINO III

Family

2022 BOSTON VETERANS PARADE The City of Boston will host a parade to honor veterans and their families and give a “thank you to all who continue to serve,” according to the website. Saturday’s parade starts at the Boston Public Library on Boylston Street and proceeds toward the corner of Park and Tremont streets at Boston Common. Nov. 5, noon-3 p.m. Free. Leaving from Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St. boston.gov

HERO DAY AT FRANKLIN PARK ZOO The Franklin Park Zoo’s superhero-themed event this weekend teaches kids how they can be, as the website advertises, a “hero for wildlife.” Come in a cape if you want and enjoy costumed character meet-and-greets and educational conversations about defending endangered species and habitats. Nov. 5-6, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. $14.65-$20.95. Franklin Park Zoo, 1 Franklin Park Road. zoonewengland.org

MATT HEATON AT THE BURREN Musician Matt Heaton, who brings his show “TODDLERBILLY” to The Burren Sunday, boasts a “wry sense of humor and a sincere sense of fun,” according to his website. Heaton performs music combining surf, rockabilly, and western swing and soul that’s great for kids of all ages; a big dance floor will ensure everyone has room for a great time. Nov. 6, noon. $6 advance, $10 at the door. The Burren, 247 Elm St., Somerville. 24hourconcerts.showare.com

JOY ASHFORD