Our Critics' Picks

THURSDAY 3/13

Space InvadersA CONVERSATION WITH THE KRONOS QUARTET This lecture/demonstration is a preview for the string quartet’s Friday concert at Ingram Hall. Sun Rings is “a multimedia, NASA-commissioned ode to the earth and its people, featuring celestial sounds and images from space,” so it’s only fitting that Vanderbilt’s Dyer Observatory will host the event, which features a chance to hear the artists discuss the influence of space sounds on their music, as well as lectures by Dyer director Rick Chappell, who specializes in the Sun-Earth environment, and Dr. Bob O’Dell, an expert on the Orion Nebulae. And for those budding romances, it’s the perfect excuse for a two-night date: Think of Thursday as the foreplay and Friday’s performance of Sun Rings (it’s like highbrow Laser Floyd) as the Big Bang. 6-8 p.m. at Dyer Observatory; concert, 8 p.m. Friday at Ingram Hall —JACK SILVERMAN

TheaterDOUBT The Oscar-winning film Moonstruck (1987) put writer John Patrick Shanley on the show-biz map. A later script, Joe Versus the Volcano (1990), also received serious attention. But Shanley has remained a denizen of the stage, with more than 20 produced works dating back to 1982. Doubt, winner of both the 2005 Tony Award for Best Play and the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, hearkens back to Shanley’s Bronx Catholic school days of the 1960s, relating a parable about a nun and a parish priest squaring off over inappropriate behavior involving a young black student. (Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman star in the forthcoming film version.) Tennessee Repertory Theatre mounts the Nashville premiere under the direction of René Copeland and starring Rona Carter, Jessejames Locorriere, Jenny Littleton and Delali Potakey. March 13-29 in TPAC’s Johnson Theater —MARTIN BRADY

Sarandon in AbandonTHELMA & LOUISE The Downtown Presbyterian Church’s always adventurous Lenten Film Series focuses this year on emancipation. In the case of Ridley Scott’s 1991 road movie—damn, has it really been almost 20 years?—that means the freedom to shoot a rapist, fight back against sexist pigs and gun your T-bird off a cliff into the sweet hereafter rather than submit to the laws of men. Talk it over on the drive home, as most everyone did 17 years ago after staggering out of the theater. Written by former Nashvillian Callie Khouri, who’ll be at the Nashville Film Festival next month, the movie is free and open to the public, as is the meal beforehand at 6 p.m. 7 p.m. at Downtown Presbyterian Church —JIM RIDLEY

Connect the DotsCANDY APPLE & THE BUDDIES The press kit sez early Replacements, but the sound of this tag-team garage-folk aggregate—the union of Kim, Scott and Justin Collins from Pale Blue Dot with Coley Kennedy and Pete Javier from Chicago’s Welcome to Ashley—is a sponge capable of absorbing and wringing out anything from Pulp’s rave-up “Like a Friend” (reconfigured as “Wreck My Motorcycle”) to Eddie Cochran’s “C’mon Everybody” (“Rock ’n’ Roll Paddy”) into their reverb-soaked stompers. Recorded in the Collins’ East Nashville living room, their new CD country record. kicks up a gladdening racket—boozy, shambling, sweetly grungy hoist-alongs that should ideally be accompanied by a new round at every chorus. With The Glib and The Sways. 9 p.m. at The 5 Spot —JIM RIDLEY

MusicSTRANGE BEDFELLOWS As we all know, things are not always how we assume they should be—especially when it comes to issues of faith and sexuality. The four acts performing at this event are all openly gay artists, and they’ll all be playing faith-based music and talking about their experiences. Included on the bill are TRiLiGi, a vocal trio featuring Steve Morris, Bob Allen and Daniel Vincent; Jeremy Ryan, a solo vocalist and member of Willing Grace, singer Justin Ryan and singer-songwriter Rusti Rae. This event is part of the God in Music City event series. 7 p.m. at The Basement —LEE STABERT

FRIDAY 3/14

MusicKENNY & AMANDA SMITH BAND Arguably bluegrass’s leading husband-and-wife team, the Smiths reached out beyond the genre’s core audience last year with Tell Someone, an all-gospel release that earned both Grammy and Dove Award nominations. Newcomers are likely to be energized by their instinctively deft blend of contemporary and traditional touches, while long-term fans will enjoy Amanda’s increasingly assured lead vocals and the familiar fire of Kenny’s muscular rhythm and supple guitar solos. And while they’re still plenty young themselves, they’ve assembled an even younger band that includes some dandy up-and-comers in bassist Zak McLamb, mandolin player Aaron Williams and new banjo player Trent Callicutt. 9 p.m. at Station Inn —JON WEISBERGER

Sweet LimeUNTITLED ARTISTS GROUP PRESENTS ACTIVE INGREDIENT For this year’s spring show, Untitled takes their one-night-only extravaganza over the river to the East Side, for an art-party at night club and live music venue Limelight Nashville. Active Ingredient will feature painting, photography, sculpture and mixed-media work by more than 80 artists, and the audience is invited to participate. Quickly becoming a regular feature of Untitled exhibits, visitors will have a chance to make their own art by taking part in on-site life drawing. 6-10 p.m. at Limelight (201 Woodland St.) —JOE NOLAN