• How We Got It Together, Oct. 12-18, UW Humanities-Gallery 7 and Art Lofts: No ordinary gallery show, “How We Got It Together” is both retrospective and homage. More than 100 artists who have had their careers shaped by their study at UW-Madison exhibit in media including artist books, ceramics, collage, drawings, glass, installations, paintings, performances and performance documentation, photography, prints, sonic works, sculptures, textiles, and zines. Wow! And in this time of increasing scrutiny of a liberal arts education, the show looks at the value of studying art regardless of its ultimate “destination” as a career. “How We Got It Together” is installed chronologically (according to the year in which degrees were received) in three galleries — Gallery Seven of the Humanities Building, the Art Lofts Gallery and the Art Lofts Backspace Gallery. Each has its own reception and artists talks; see the full schedule at howwegotittogether.blog.

• Mike Dawes, Tuesday, Oct. 13, Atwood Music Hall, 8 p.m.: To put it mildly, Mike Dawes knows his way around an acoustic guitar. Dawes has piled up millions of streams with inventive solo arrangements of past hit songs such as “Jump” by Van Halen, but his own introspective and intricate instrumentals are where he truly shines. Tickets at theatwoodmusichall.com.
• Armand Hammer, Tuesday, Oct. 13, High Noon Saloon, 8 p.m.: This duo stands out for their sharp and staccato rhyme styles over beats that range from minimalist and obscure to chaotic and jazz-infused. Rapping together for more than a dozen years as Armand Hammer, NYC emcees billy woods and ELUCID disrupt traditional rap schemes and scenes by layering their lyrics over each other as well as interrupting and running away with topics the rapper just brought up. Expect such tracks as the slow, dreamy beat and relationship-focused rhymes of "Stonefruit" and the fun, nostalgic "Super Nintendo." Bonus: The fact that this show is at a smaller, more intimate venue is quite perfect for these guys. With Quelle Chris. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.
• Bags Bags Bags, Wednesday, Oct. 14, Gamma Ray, 7 p.m.: The songs on Bags Bags Bags' 2026 album, It Eats Me Up, are stripped down, aggressive post-punk, in the best way. You could dance to it while still being slightly concerned that these visitors from Kansas City, Missouri, might jump off stage and chase you literally rather than audially. The “favorite band names show of the week” also includes noise-making Madison-area outfits Delusion of Choice and Rat Shoes. Tickets at gammaray.bar.

• North Mississippi Allstars, Wednesday, Oct. 14, Atwood Music Hall, 8 p.m.: Now in its 30th year, this collective of roots, blues and rock musicians is anchored by brothers Luther (guitar and vocals) and Cody (drums, keys, vocals) Dickinson. The current lineup also includes Joey Williams of the Blind Boys of Alabama and “Ray Ray” Holloman, who plays guitar for Eminem. Last year, the band released Still Shakin’ — a diverse yet rollicking record that harks back to the North Mississippi Allstars’ 2000 debut, Shake Hands with Shorty. Live, these guys change up the setlist and play plenty of well-chosen covers. Tickets at theatwoodmusichall.com.
• Wisconsin Science Festival, Oct. 15-25, UW campus and statewide: Over time, the Wisconsin Science Festival has grown from a UW-Madison campus weekend showcase to a truly statewide happening, with hundreds of events during its 11-day run. In Madison, Science on the Square helps kick off the week with activities in collaboration with the Madison Night Market, from 5-9 p.m. Oct. 15 on State Street and the Capitol Square. Find the full event guide at wisconsinsciencefest.org.

• Wisconsin Book Festival Fall Celebration, Oct. 15-18, Central Library + other venues: The Wisconsin Book Festival presents programs year round, but jam-packs one extended weekend in October to really celebrate all things book. This year is the fest’s 25th anniversary, and more than 80 authors are featured, many of them from Wisconsin (read our previews of four books by Wisconsin authors here, and Michael Popke's overall preview here). Big names are NPR’s Scott Simon, who has a new memoir; Roz Chast, who is co-authoring a graphic novel with Jason Adam Katzenstein; and Ben Wikler, whose This is the Plan attempts nothing less to give us back our democracy. Peruse the full schedule at wisconsinbookfestival.org; the fun part is finding that special session that seems meant just for you.
• Women Make Movies Film Festival, Thursday, Oct. 15, Barrymore, 6 p.m.: “6 Short Films By and About Women” might sound like the title of an Ingmar Bergman film, but it is really just that — six films by women filmmakers plucked from Women Make Movies, a nonprofit supporting women filmmakers. While the films themselves have not been announced, count on stirring and thought-provoking work. We do know one is Real Indian, the 1996 short documentary film by Lumbee filmmaker Malinda Maynor. A discussion follows the screenings. Sponsored by the Zonta Club of Madison, a service organization. Tickets at barrymorelive.com.

• Monstersongs, Thursday, Oct. 15, Bur Oak, 7 p.m.: Monstersongs is a different take on the spooky side of October. This rock opera from Music Theatre of Madison draws on the uncanny feel of certain graphic novels, adds a soundtrack befitting a rock musical, and incorporates technology for a spellbinding exploration of the psyches of monsters — the witch, the troll, the zombie, the mummy. Tickets at theburoakmadison.com.
• Kanopy Dance Company, Oct. 15-18, Overture-Promenade Hall: Kanopy opens its 50th season by tipping its hat to a modern dance master: José Limón, whose mid-20th century work, built as much around human emotion as movement, remains influential. “Without Borders” brings that legacy to the stage, with Daniel Fetecua-Soto’s reconstruction of Limón’s Suite from A Choreographic Offering, set to Bach, plus Fetecua-Soto’s own Fansié Sinak Chipwany (We Are Still Here). Colin Connor adds Flying in the Face of Time, with eight dancers set loose against Beethoven’s wonderfully unruly Grosse Fugue. Performances at 7 p.m. Oct. 15-17 and 2 p.m. Oct. 18; tickets at overture.org.

• Eurydice, through Oct. 17, Bartell Theatre: Playwright and author Sarah Ruhl’s work has been regularly featured on Madison stages over the last couple decades. Eurydice, Ruhl’s retelling of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice with the perspective shifted to lady E, made its premiere as a Madison Repertory Theatre production in 2003, and here is revived by Madison Theatre Guild for a fresh look. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday (except 3 p.m. on Oct. 17) and 3 p.m. Sunday, plus 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15. Tickets at bartelltheatre.org.
• The Compass, Oct. 15-25, UW Vilas Hall-Mitchell Theatre: This exciting premise involves the audience as a jury in an interactive performance that will never be the same twice. In The Compass, a young person who used AI to make “a life-altering decision” is on trial. The audience will be in small groups with a facilitator who ferries decisions to the stage. “Our ethical conversations around AI have not always kept up with the pace of technology,” University Theatre director Micha Espinosa tells Isthmus. “I think that the play is going to give us a chance to slow down and examine these questions together.” Shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Friday (no show Oct. 23), 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday; tickets at artsticketing.wisc.edu.
• Taking Sides, Oct. 9-24, Bartell Theatre: Ronald Harwood’s 1995 play Taking Sides has taken on added relevance at our current moment. It’s based on the true story of star German conductor and composer Wilhelm Furtwängler. After World War II, accused of collaborating with the Nazis, the conductor claimed he was on the side of art, not the Nazis. Madison Public Theatre revisits Furtwängler’s story. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday (except 1:30 p.m. Oct. 24) and 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets at bartelltheatre.org.

• Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel, Thursday, Oct. 15, Majestic, 8 p.m.: Duane Betts showed what a great lead guitarist he is when performing with his late father Dickey Betts' band, Great Southern, as well as with Dawes. While his new album, Isle of Hope, saves room for guitar licks galore, the record showcases Betts' songwriting chops. The lead track, “Heartache,” is a stabbing lament about his father’s 2024 passing. The project was produced by Nashville-based Dave Cobb who has displayed a knack for putting the melody first with artists like Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton and the late John Prine. With Rianna Marie. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Find the individual Picks collected here, and as part of the full calendar of events.