THURSDAY 11/8

Free MovieTHE STORY OF ADELE H. An icily controlled study of amour fou—accent on fou—François Truffaut’s 1975 drama follows romantic obsession to its extreme: a derangement that consumes the obsessed until they can no longer even recognize their object of desire. In the role that made her an international sensation, 19-year-old Isabelle Adjani plays Adéle Hugo, the daughter of Victor Hugo, who pursues her lover (future writer-director Bruce Robinson) across the ocean when he no longer returns her favors. Adapted from Hugo’s journal, the movie views her madness with merciless clarity, placing it in the company of Truffaut’s late-career masterworks, Two English Girls and The Green Room—movies that repelled the audience of his effervescent comedies and Hitchcock pastiches, yet which have the (often disturbing) psychological acuity of classic literature. The screening is free and open to the public. 6:15 p.m. at the Nashville Public Library —JIM RIDLEY

MusicTHE COATHANGERS It’s odd to think we may already be living in a post-Black Lips indie-punk milieu. But that seems apparent when newbies such as Montreal’s Demon’s Claws, England’s The Hipshakes or this Atlanta batch of gals start coming on like the first record they ever heard was a Black Lips 7-inch at a party where someone’s delinquent parents were passing out Pabst. The Coathangers’ recently released self-titled debut on Rob’s House is snotty and silly like any 17-year-old ought to be, though the gals do harbor serious feminist angst. The music kicks along with no-fi frazzle, cheap synth slams and toddler-tantrum riffs in the volatile vein of post-Slits grrrl rock. Live, they’re still in the charmingly inept phase, but that’ll change soon enough, should they keep up the drinking/touring regimen that rivals their hometown heroes. 9 p.m. at The Basement —ERIC DAVIDSON

BooksGARY SLAUGHTER Cottonwood Winter, the third book in Gary Slaughter’s Cottonwood series, is billed as both a Christmas story and a novel. In actuality, it’s mostly social history, aided by several fictional overlays relating to valor on the Western Front in the last winter of World War II. There’s a villainous Nazi, two Michigan fourth-graders who capture him and a shadowy Santa Claus stand-in—who miraculously plays a minor role in both storylines. Most of the chapters focus on the boys—Jase, the narrator, and his buddy Danny—using them to illuminate life in Middle America during the 1940s. Through their heroism, they meet Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt, J. Edgar Hoover, Winston Churchill and other notables. It’s an upbeat portrayal of a simpler nation united around common goals—bring on the nostalgia! 6 p.m. at Davis-Kidd Booksellers; 7 p.m. Nov. 14 at Brentwood Barnes & Noble; 6 p.m. Nov. 29 at the Green Hills Branch Library —RALPH BOWDEN

FundraiserART FOR ANIMALS This event promises a good time in the service of a great cause. Work in a variety of media by local artists, gourmet gifts, boutique pet baskets and spa and dinner packages will be offered up in a silent auction sponsored by EZ Gallery and NashvillePAW magazine. Participating artists include Joanna, Anne Blair Brown, Anne Carter Brothers, Bryan Adams, Toni Swarthout, Arthur Kirkby, Anthony Billups, Donna Randall Binkley, Christine Head, Margaret Krakowiak, Karina McDaniel, Victoria McGowen, Jodi Reeves, Beth Seiters, Heide Browne and Brian Cantrell. Proceeds from the auction and a $15 donation at the door benefit local animal welfare efforts. 6-9 p.m. at EZ Gallery —JOE NOLAN

FRIDAY 11/9

Return of the MaskANTIGONE Mask theater guru John Holleman doesn’t hang his hat in Nashville anymore, but he returns now and again to work with local actors inspired by that unique performance art form to which he is so committed. Like his company’s previous productions of Medea and Mary Zimmerman’s Metamorphoses, this one works an essential classical text. In Antigone, Sophocles deals with the children of Oedipus and their struggles with love, law, family and individual conscience. The mask-wearers include John Devine, Mary McCallum, Wesley Paine, Alicia Ridley, Tamiko Robinson and Stephanie Vickers. Nov. 9-17 in the Parthenon at Centennial Park —MARTIN BRADY

Performance (and) ArtKAREN EDMUNDS AND MARY PERRIN: STORM STORIES These two Louisiana women rode out Katrina and Rita, and like pretty much every other artist who lived through them, they’ve addressed the storms in their art. Edmunds makes intricate collages, while Perrin assembles installations from the detritus of her life during and after the storms. For this exhibit, they’ve brought those bodies of work together and collaborated on a lecture/performance. The one-night performance will feature slides of their work, photographs of the storm’s aftermath and readings from the two women’s contemporaneous journals of the storm, the flood and subsequent reflections. 6 p.m. in Avon Williams Auditorium, Tennessee State University downtown campus; the art exhibit at the Van Gordon Gallery in Elliott Hall on the main campus will remain up through Dec. 1. —DAVID MADDOX

Our American IdolAN EVENING WITH MELINDA DOOLITTLE AND FRIENDS After winning our hearts—and experiencing a shocking early exit—on last year’s American Idol, Melinda Doolittle keeps on trucking. The Brentwood gal and former backup singer will put her celebrity, saucy pipes and pitch-perfect stage presence to use in a one-night performance benefiting the Boiler Room Theatre. A Boiler Room alumnus, this woman has proved that the aw-shucks, down-home girl we loved is more than just a reality-TV persona—we’ll even forgive her for wearing that “Nashville Is the New L.A.” T-shirt last time she was in town. 8 p.m. in Factory at Franklin’s Liberty Hall —LEE STABERT

The New Phone Book’s Here!BELCOURT MIDNIGHT MOVIES: THE JERK After a hiatus of almost a year, the Belcourt’s insanely popular midnight movies are back, luring sell-out crowds to Hillsboro Village for the finest in rock docs, cheesy ’80s splatter, classic sci-fi and high-rise mayhem. The series relaunches with Steve Martin’s 1979 classic, which charts his rise from poor black child to eyeglass entrepreneur and eventual failure—with a brief interlude for circus-carny blowjobs. Midnight Nov. 10-11 at the Belcourt —JIM RIDLEY

To Noodle or Not to NoodleELECTRIC APRICOT: QUEST FOR FESTEROO This Les Claypool joint follows in the tradition of band mockumentaries such as The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash and This Is Spinal Tap, but owes more to the improvisational, awkward-moment comedy of Ricky Gervais. The film chronicles Electric Apricot’s attempt to conquer the jam-band scene, club by club, all the way to Festeroo, the kindest music festival around. Though dosed with plenty of hippie-specific humor, any musician—or musician’s friend—will enjoy the pungent nuggets of band-related comedy, especially the acid test of recording a first album. With cameos by Bob Weir, Mike Gordon, Seth Green, Matt Stone and more, Electric Apricot heads to town for a three-day trip only, so be sure to tape a note to your bong. Click here for the interview with Les Claypool. 10 p.m. and midnight Nov. 9 and 10, 9 p.m. Nov. 11; Bellevue 8, Thoroughbred 20 in Franklin, and Wynnsong 16 in Murfreesboro —BRENT ROLEN

Musical TheaterTHE WIZ In the midst of its hugely successful four-year (1975-79) run on Broadway, this adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s Wonderful Wizard of Oz received a controversial 1978 film treatment—it starred Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, moved the setting from Kansas to New York City and ultimately took a bath at the box office. Street Theatre Company’s new production returns to the original script and includes familiar tunes such as “Ease on Down the Road” and “Believe in Yourself.” Bakari King directs, with musical direction by Jeffrey K. Williams. Kimberly Mont stars as Dorothy, Elliott Robinson is Scarecrow, Patrick Christian is Tin Man, Joe Cornelius is the Lion and Tyson Laemmel has the title role. Nov. 9-25 at Looby Theatre —MARTIN BRADY

MusicROBERT EARL KEEN The dean of Austin songwriters, Robert Earl Keen combines both Texas country traditions—rowdy roadhouse anthems and dusty sketches of windblown souls—with wisdom and lighthearted wit. Keen studied journalism at Texas A&M, but was drawn to music, spending nights singing and playing with his neighbor Lyle Lovett (immortalized in the song “This Old Porch”). He settled in Austin more than a quarter-century ago, and has released nine studio albums since, highlighted by 2001’s Gravitational Forces. His dry, reedy baritone isn’t the sharpest instrument, but the offbeat characters and their stories are rendered with a smart, sympathetic touch. An acolyte of Townes Van Zandt, drawn to tales of those at rope’s end, Keen still manages to find the ray of light and humor. 7 & 9:30 p.m. at the Belcourt Theatre —CHRIS PARKER

Not So Big EasyA STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE The Center Players, a new Murfreesboro community theater, mount their inaugural production as a part of the 60th anniversary celebration of the professional debut of Tennessee Williams’ classic tale of tawdry New Orleans. Prior to each performance, noted Williams scholar and MTSU professor Robert Bray will lecture on the history and legacy of both play and playwright. Bray’s discussion will also focus on the 1951 Academy Award-winning film adaptation, which featured iconic performances by Vivien Leigh, Kim Hunter, Karl Malden and, of course, Marlon Brando. Nov. 8-17 at Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Center for the Arts —MARTIN BRADY

SATURDAY 11/10

ArtJUSTIN NOLAN KEY’S EXAMPLES IN COMPATIBILITY Nashville’s art scene has grown larger and more diverse in the last few years, in no small part because of the influx—and influence—of graduates from Watkins College of Art and Design. Recently, photography is making a bigger splash in Nashville’s gallery scene, and Justin Nolan Key’s Examples in Compatibility is another example of how the kids from Watkins accelerate local art trends, pushing the scene in fresh, exciting directions. Key’s senior thesis exhibition, Examples engages its audience in a dialogue about genetics and the alteration of the natural world. In his best images, Key’s subjects become iconic, and his X-ray like digital photographs abandon apprehension of the material for revelation of the spiritual. Opening reception, 6-9 p.m. at Alfred Williams & Co. (716 Division St.) —JOE NOLAN

Babes and BruisesNASHVILLE ROLLERGIRLS The inaugural season of Nashville’s one and only, all-female, flat-track roller derby team crashes to a finish with this final contest against the Bleeding Heartland Rollergirls from Bloomington, Ind. In a bout promoted with the theme “Cardiac Arrest,” the Nashville Rollergirls are out for blood in more ways than one. Teaming up with the Nashville Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Girls will be accepting donations to assist in local disaster-preparedness efforts. DJ “Fat Andy” will provide the soundtrack for the carnage. Cost for the event is $15 at the door, but advance tickets can be purchased for $10 at nashvillerollergirls.com. 7 p.m. at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds —JOE NOLAN

Party ArtyARTRAGEOUS In one sense, the 20th anniversary of Artrageous is nothing to celebrate—in a perfect world, medical research, stand-up health insurance, a mobilized international effort on a D-Day scale and vastly changed attitudes would have eliminated any need for an ongoing fight against AIDS. But here we are. And here, two decades later, Nashville still fights the ravages of the disease by throwing one of the Southeast’s hottest parties—a gallery crawl filled with costumed revelry and leading to a gala that for a few hours becomes Nashville’s biggest, baddest dance club. On that score, newly buff DJ Ron, Artrageous’ mixmaster for 10 years, is juicing up the joint with the video beatmixing that’s gotten him gigs from the Swan Ball to Amsterdam. And he’s planned some special tricks for this year’s “Oz” theme—including a video mash-up that’ll introduce Judy Garland’s Dorothy to Diana Ross’ from The Wiz. “Without a doubt, it’s the best party in Nashville,” DJ Ron says. Tickets start at $85, with proceeds and a portion of art sales going to Nashville CARES. See artrageous.org for a list of galleries and ticket info. 6-10 p.m. gallery crawl; 10 p.m.-midnight late party at City Hall —JIM RIDLEY

Musical MemoriesFARON YOUNG TRIBUTE Known as the Singing Sheriff, honky-tonk star Faron Young had more than 80 hit songs on the country music charts, including a number of Top 10 hits such as “Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young.” In 2000, four years after his death, he was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Now Diane Diekman has written a biography of the late singer, Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story. Beginning with a book signing at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop on Broadway at 1 p.m., she’ll kick off a series of tributes to the singer. At 7:30, the Texas Troubadour Theater in Music Valley will host free performances by friends and former Country Deputy bandmates, including Robyn Young and Faron’s son’s band NEXTAKYN. Closing the night will be WSM Radio’s Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree. —LACEY GALBRAITH

Get Your Groove OnLEFT CAN DANCE VS. BUDDYTOWN Saturday night will mark the return of Nashville’s two major indie-dance-party factions. Taking over Vandyland hot spot The Trace, Buddytown’s long-awaited follow up to their cruel-but-hilarious faux April Fool’s party will no doubt be dominated by the poor little rich clique that personifies its unabashedly elitist philosophy. But to be fair, it should entice those who prefer a little Eurotrash flavor when they’re on the dance floor. Throwing an equal and opposite shindig at Elliston’s rock ’n’ roll shanty, The End, Left Can Dance subscribes to a more inclusive, come-as-you-are policy. LCD’s triumphant return will include a performance by local surf rockers The Northridge Rangers, as well as their resident DJs’ choice selection of garage rock and punk, and a jump blues set from Vandy radio legend Pete Wilson. Which side of the dial will you dance on? LCD: 9 p.m. at The End; Buddytown: 9 p.m. at The Trace —SETH GRAVES

Dawn of the Un-DeadBLOOD ROGUES Actors Bridge Ensemble’s annual New Works Lab welcomes back L.A.-based actor/writer Jeremy Childs, a former Nashvillian, with a reading of his new screenplay. Based on his satire The Vampire Monologues, which enjoyed multiple successful stagings locally, Blood Rogues will soon get a screen version—to be shot in Music City. The performance features a cast of familiar thespians, including Brian Webb Russell, Pru Clearwater, Holly Allen, Alice Raver, Brock Hart and Bill Feehely. 8 p.m. at the Neuhoff Site —MARTIN BRADY

TheologyDAVID DARK In his latest book, The Gospel According to America, David Dark tackles a paradox that too often receives short shrift: How can America be both religiously diverse and “one nation, under God”? His response plumbs the depths (and shallows) of American culture. Using sources as diverse as Bob Dylan, David Lynch and Nathaniel Hawthorne, Dark proposes an insurgent vision of the gospel, a “Jewish Christian” story of mercy and mutual respect that both informs and critiques American life. Dark, who will deliver a public lecture, is a student in the Graduate Department of Religion at Vanderbilt University and a former English teacher at Christ Presbyterian Academy. 7 p.m. at West Nashville United Methodist Church —PAUL V. GRIFFITH

SUNDAY 11/11

The Future, Circa 1926FAMILY WEEKEND CLASSICS: METROPOLIS Without Fritz Lang’s gargantuan 1926 sci-fi epic of literal class struggle, there would be no Batman, no Blade Runner, no Brazil, no Star Wars Episodes I, II or IV, no Madonna “Express Yourself” video. It nearly sank the German film studio UFA with its two-year shoot and vast expense—more than 37,000 extras were employed on enormous sets that required elaborate process shots with mirrors—but it impressed Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels enough for them to try drafting Lang to work for the Nazis. Even missing at least 20 percent of the original footage, it’s still a pounding piston of a film, a feat of futurist imagery. Recommended for ages 8 and up. Noon Nov. 11-12 at the Belcourt —JIM RIDLEY

MusicMIKE DOUGHTY Mike Doughty’s sound as a solo artist is more acoustic-based but no less joyful or infectious than that of his beloved band Soul Coughing. Doughty still has that singular deadpan voice, perfect for his sharp-eyed stories of tremendous brunettes or busting up Starbucks. “Looking at the World From the Bottom of a Well,” off 2005’s Haughty Melodic, practically sizzles in your ears. “27 Jennifers,” off Golden Delicious, due out next year, has the kind of zest that few artists are able to match. He’s calling this appearance “The Question Jar Show” and promises to “play requests, new songs and answers questions from The Question Jar!” Doughty writes a pretty mean blog, so the format should offer lots of highlights. 8 p.m. at 3rd& Lindsley —WERNER TRIESCHMANN

Bard on the College BoardsTHE TEMPEST There’s been a minor explosion of Shakespeare around town recently (Much Ado About Nothing, The Merchant of Venice). You can’t beat those public domain rights! Furthermore, Nashville Shakespeare Festival will produce Hamlet after the turn of the new year, and Marc Mazzone’s New Bear Players are currently working on a production of Twelfth Night. Meanwhile, Bard freaks looking for a fix can check out Vanderbilt theater prof Terryl Hallquist’s staging of this popular romance with a message. Nov. 8-15 in Vanderbilt’s Neely Auditorium —MARTIN BRADY

MONDAY 11/12

MusicTHE SKY DROPS W/THE TURN-IN “Now would be a good time to be awake,” sing Delaware’s The Sky Drops on their new EP, Clouds of People—and they’re absolutely right, especially with the way their music rises up in a huge, fuzz-faced swell underneath the harmony vocals. If you’ve ever called yourself a shoegazer, or at least enjoyed the kind of tidal-wave guitar rock that’s synonymous with the term, then you’ll find plenty to enjoy here. The cheap shortcut blurb would go something like this: Imagine Sam Prekop and Fontaine Toups singing in a band sonically akin to My Bloody Valentine, Duster and Love Cup—with wonderfully engaging results. Also on the bill, Scene employee Brian Miles’ coltish combo The Turn-In, who work their way through introspective, lightly psychedelic rock that shimmers with echoes of Taking Drugs-era Spacemen 3. They’ll be headed to Battletapes soon to record a new EP. 9 p.m. at The 5 Spot —STEVE HARUCH

Aesthetic ValueDAVE HICKEY An art critic who has staked out contrarian positions in the best gonzo style, Hickey is skeptical of high-art institutions and work that relies too much on theory. Instead, he maintains an enthusiasm for art as object of delectation and for democratic sources of aesthetic value. The topic for this talk is “Artfair Culture: Playing Fair Without the Referee.” Art Fairs like Basel Miami have become a staple of the current Gilded Age’s culture of excess. Hickey gleefully acknowledges them as symptoms of an art market bubble, in which people with too much money pay too much for art with too little merit. But he’s not dismayed by that: Commerce is fun, and the chaos of the market breaks down institutional constraints—plus, at least some of the art is interesting. 7 p.m. in State Farm Lecture Hall, Business Aerospace Building, MTSU —DAVID MADDOX

MusicDAVID BAZAN “With excellence, industry / diligence, naturally / I would like to be you / just for a few / habit-forming years. / Laziness cuts me like fine cutlery.” It’s hard to be the first anything these days, but David Bazan just might have been the first slacker Christian indie-rocker. Even so, these painstakingly crafted lines, from Pedro the Lion’s It’s Hard to Find a Friend, sung over a clip-clopping metronome and slow-shuffling acoustic guitar, aren’t so obviously about the world’s most famous carpenter’s son. And though for a time Pedro the Lion had trouble with the cliques—too Christian for the indie kids, too self-doubting for the hard-line Christian kids—Bazan’s thoughtful, head- and heart-tugging songwriting has won over fans from all corners. He’s given up the band moniker and is now recording under his own name, but remains a distinctive and affecting performer. 9 p.m. at Exit/In —STEVE HARUCH

TUESDAY 11/13

MusicSHELBY LYNNE Shelby Lynne is mighty choosy about which voices she listens to in her career—good thing she has phenomenal instincts. A couple years back she was in a Tony Joe White phase, including White’s sinewy guitar playing and two of his songs on Suit Yourself, and teaming up with him for a co-written duet on his 2004 album Heroines. That was a good idea. Now she’s in a Dusty Springfield headspace, reportedly the result of advice from Barry Manilow. In February, Lynne will release Just a Little Lovin’, featuring mostly songs culled from the Springfield songbook of Dusty in Memphis or earlier vintage. Like Springfield, Lynne is a versatile, naturally sensual vocalist whose voice never loses its lushness, even when she bends into her upper range. It’s another damn-good idea. 7 p.m. at The Belcourt Theatre —JEWLY HIGHT

Hot Jazz, Nashville StyleANNIE & THE HOT CLUB Fizzy as a pitcher of mimosas, the teaming of lithe Nashville jazz vocalist Annie Sellick and the swinging session gypsies who make up The Hot Club of Nashville proves a breezy pleasure on their just-released CD Annie & The Hot Club Play the Songs of Tom Sturdevant (Chalice). Rather than offer up the umpteenth ramble through “Honeysuckle Rose,” Sellick and The Hot Club turned to unsung Nashville songwriter Sturdevant, a 64-year-old filmmaker and game designer with an untapped reservoir of lilting self-penned songs. The singer exudes laid-back confidence and gusto, while the band’s Django jangle aims every sweet-as-“Sweet Sue” melody for the top of the 1952 hit parade. If you own at least one Madeleine Peyroux album, you’ll likely swoon over this. 7 p.m. at 3rd & Lindsley; also 9 p.m. Nov. 15 at the Bluebird Cafe —JIM RIDLEY

MusicMC CHRIS Chris Ward, a.k.a. MC Chris, raps about what he knows—which happens to be comic books, video games, Sci-Fi and girls who’ve dissed him. Widely known as the squeaky voice of MC Pee Pants on Adult Swim’s Aqua Teen Hunger Force, the 32-year-old from Brooklyn spits witty rhymes with sing-song hooks—and isn’t afraid to drop in an R2-D2 sample. Ward is quick to point out that, while he’s a forefather of the “nerdcore” genre, he takes himself somewhat seriously. He’s proud of his suburban tendencies, suggesting that it’s become the norm to be a little quirky and geeky—and cool to be self-motivated. MC Chris has played over 300 live shows in the last two years, and his fourth album, Dungeon Master of Ceremonies, peaked in the Top 10 on iTunes’ hip-hop charts this year—all sans record label. 9 p.m. at Exit/In —JEREMY RUSH

Touch That Drumstick and Die!SAMPLE SALUD! THANKSGIVING MENU IDEAS In case you hadn’t heard, some grocery store called Whole something-or-other opened last week in Green Hills. (Look for the rampaging horde brandishing armloads of mesclun greens, aged Passano and grass-fed Canadian tenderloin.) Whole Foods’ lavish Salud! demonstration kitchen doesn’t have its official grand opening until Dec. 6, but you can elbow aside the mob to get a gander at those virgin Viking stoves with a special 30-minute sneak preview of the store’s cooking classes. The store talks turkey and other Thanksgiving-themed recipes at a cooking demonstration; stay for samples and maybe a trip to the in-store cranberry bog. (Tell ’em Carrington sent you.) No registration is required—just a parking place and a will of iron. Call 440-5100 for more info. 10 a.m.-noon & 4-6 p.m. at Whole Foods Market —JIM RIDLEY

Dance MusicPAUL OAKENFOLD Synonymous with Trance since an influential visit to Ibiza, Spain, in ’87, Paul Oakenfold remains one of the world’s most sought-after DJs and remixers. After finishing culinary school in the early ’80s, he took some time off to do A&R for a European label. His first signing was Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff. He (re)mixed their debut hit single, “Girls Ain’t Nothing But Trouble.” A few years later, after adopting Ibiza’s free-flowing blend of rock and dance styles, Oakenfold would become a sensation doing remixes for everyone from Happy Mondays to New Order and Massive Attack. In the mid-’90s, his popularity soared again with his adaptation of Indian Goa music. 9 p.m. at Play Dance Bar —CHRIS PARKER

WEDNESDAY 11/14

MusicCHRIS CORNELL As Chris Cornell makes his second visit to the area in support of his solo album, fans might be in store for a completely different show. These days, Cornell dips liberally into the various phases of his career and varies his set list nightly. But he also approaches the song selection with a sense of generosity toward the audience that he says was not possible during his tenure with Soundgarden, who, he now admits, only considered themselves when they played live. Cornell’s newfound demeanor makes for a loose, surprisingly pleasant tour through his staggering hit parade of articulate, reflective gloom. 9:30 p.m. at the Wildhorse Saloon —SABY REYES-KULKARNI

Mountain Soul MusicSHANNON WHITWORTH This North Carolina resident has matured quite nicely since her days as banjoist and singer for the Biscuit Burners, an acoustic band that, like a lot of young mountain music upstarts, relied more on commitment and enthusiasm than skill. Now a solo act and member of the collective SFTRB (Songs From the Road Band), Whitworth slows down her arrangements, allowing room for her husky, soulful voice. Her album, No Expectations, pairs polished song craft with evocative picking and slide play. 8 p.m. at Station Inn —MICHAEL MCCALL

ArtMARTIN COFFEEN’S A MAN’S FOOD ANTHOLOGY In the colorful kitchen-object portraits of Martin Coffeen’s Food Anthology, the artist paints his experience as seen through the lens of food. A stack of pancakes represents the different roles in his life: father, boyfriend, student and artist. A box of baking soda and a toothbrush recall his mother. “A ham represents how I speak to people about my artwork,” says Coffeen, who studied art at TSU after serving four years in the Marines. Through Jan. 5 at Tennessee Arts League —CARRINGTON FOX

BooksDONALD MCCAIG It’s hard to know what those idiots collectively known as the Margaret Mitchell estate were thinking in their search for another follow-up to Gone With the Wind. First, they rejected a finished manuscript by Emma Tennant as “too British.” Then they chased away Pat Conroy by prohibiting any mention of miscegenation and homosexuality. (After Conroy ended negotiations, he joked that he planned to open with the line, “After they made love, Rhett turned to Ashley Wilkes and said, ‘Ashley, have I ever told you that my grandmother was black?’ ”) Now, after 12 years, we have Rhett Butler’s People, the officially sanctioned companion to GWTW, and—with all due respect to Donald McCaig, a writer of considerable repute—a novel so dreadful that, frankly, no one will give a damn. This ungodly mess can’t be McCaig’s fault: His earlier Civil War novels are wonderful. 6 p.m. at Davis-Kidd Booksellers —FERNANDA MOORE