Wednesday @ Brighton Music Hall

Former Australian teen rock-idol Ben Lee is all growed up. The one-time main man behind ’90s Aussie teen alt-rock band Noise Addict has been flying solo and somewhere just under the indie radar for some time now. He released his eighth studio record— and his first with Dangerbird Records — Deeper Into Dream this past fall, which finds the singer/songwriter at his most sonically mature. Catch his disease at Brighton Music Hall tonight. Read more

Wednesday @ Harvard Book Store

If your only familiarity with the impoverished slums of Mumbai came from watching 2008’s excellent Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire, but your interest was piqued, you’d do well to check out New Yorker staff writer KATHERINE BOO’s debut book Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity (Random House). To research her rich — at times achingly beautiful — first book, Boo immersed herself in slum culture, living among the “slumdogs” of whom she writes with painstaking attention to detail. Her time and efforts were well worth the results. You’ll discover as much when Boo discusses the book, which tells the story of one young boy and his day-to-day struggles — and small victories. Read more

Wednesday @ Brookline Booksmith

Former Emerson student Sara Benincasa had more serious problems to deal with than dodging the herds of skinny-jeaned emo kids smoking outside on her way to class every morning. Most days, it was a struggle to go to class at all. Benincasa had agoraphobia (check out Thomas Page McBee's recent interview) a subject she deftly tackles with humor and self-awareness in her memoir Agorafabulous! Dispatches From My Bedroom (William Morrow). Now recovered — and an acclaimed comedian, talk-show host , and author whose garnered props from the likes of the New York Times and Margaret Cho — Benincasa is back in town to discuss the book. Read more

Thursday @ Oberon

Sex and the circus are two concepts we’ve always liked to keep separate. Unless you’re turned on by clowns (we are not) there’s not much there for us, sexy-wise. That is, until we heard about the Bohemian Bacchanalia, the Boston Circus Guild’s raunchiest show, which returns to Oberon tonight. Among its many and varied delights, the Bacchanalia is offering a “Jazzercise class morphed into a burlesque routine,” a Carmen Miranda tribute on stilts, and a Super Mario Brothers-inspired four-man juggling act. If that’s not sexy, you might be dead down there. Sound fun (weird) right? We think so. Read more

Thursday @ Sanders Theatre

Music Director Benjamin Zander has a high-octane program called “Breaking Free of Chains” lined up. The beloved British cellist Alexander Baillie returns for a rare performance of the great Witold Lutoslawski’s Cello Concerto, a piece Baillie has made his own. More heroism arrives in the form of Richard Strauss’s autobiographical tone poem Ein Heldenleben (Strauss as his own hero), and Beethoven’s grand Leonore Overture No. 3. Come early and join the crowds for Zander’s pre-concert talks. Read more

Thursday @ Regattabar

London R&B songstress Estelle (not to be confused with London songstress-cum-world (and Grammy’s) dominator Adele) has been quiet since dropping her debut album Shine (Homeschool/Atlantic) back in ’08. And shine she did, nabbing herself a Grammy and collaborating with the likes of Yeezy (“American Boy”). Lucky for fans, Estelle is back, releasing her sophomore album All of Me (Atlantic) later this month. She stops by town tonight, in support of that album, to play two intimate shows at the Regattabar. Read more

Thursday @ House of Blues

If you’re going to check out Ms. Lauryn Hill tonight at the House of Blues, best not forget her newly chosen title. Some people can just be so touchy. But whatever you call her, one thing is for sure: Hill is still one of the foremost women in hip-hop and R&B, a fixture on the scene with her deep, soulful vocals and no-bullshit demeanor. She’s a bad-ass lady. . . make that Ms. bad-ass lady. The former Fugee performs favorites from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, and more. Read more

Thursday @ Paradise Rock Club

In advance of the February 7 release of Tramp — Sharon van Etten’s third full-length, and debut for Jagjaguwar — the critically-acclaimed Brooklynite is bringing her inspired songwriting on the road with dreamy folk-rock vets Shearwater. If Tramp’s first single, “Serpents,” is any indication, this tour’s songs — and the entire new album, which was produced by the National’s Aaron Dessner — will be as emotive and introspective as ever, and likely her most expansive work to date. This is a hot ticket. Liz Pelly talked to Van Etten for this week's issue, check it out. Read more

Friday @ Harvard Book Store

Published at a time of such uncertainty for young adults that it necessitated the creation of a new word — “twixter” — to describe the strange new generation of young people caught betwixt adolescence and adulthood, Adam Wilson’s debut book couldn’t be more relevant. Wilson’s new novel Flatscreen (Harper Perennial) tells the story of an apathetic, bourgeois post-grad still suckling off his parents’ financial teat and more wont to get stoned and watch the Food Network than go out and apply himself. It’s a story that should sound familiar to cosseted 20-somethings and their long-suffering parents alike. Read more

Friday @ Middle East Upstairs

Fort Point Recordings’ eclectic roster has its many bases covered, from the bluesy garage rock of Viva Viva to the underground hip-hop styling of Mister Jason to the skygazing soar of Endless Wave. But busy at the label’s bar ordering drinks for the ladies while everyone else is distracted is In Like Lions, a radio-destined pop-rock band whose new Through Red and Blue — recorded over 84 hours back in February — is a romantic homage to the long-lost heyday of the FM dial. Read more

Friday @ Bristol Lounge

Here's your daily dose of information you didn't know you needed: it's National Pancake Week! Skip iHop and get your true flapjack fury on at the Bristol Lounge, where kids can go nuts with Mickey and Minnie cakes, and you big kids can go gourmet with Red Velvet pancakes, with cream cheese frosting. Stop drooling and get over there. Read more

Saturday @ Jordan Hall

Music Director Benjamin Zander has a high-octane program called “Breaking Free of Chains” lined up. The beloved British cellist Alexander Baillie returns for a rare performance of the great Witold Lutoslawski’s Cello Concerto, a piece Baillie has made his own. More heroism arrives in the form of Richard Strauss’s autobiographical tone poem Ein Heldenleben (Strauss as his own hero), and Beethoven’s grand Leonore Overture No. 3. Come early and join the crowds for Zander’s pre-concert talks. Read more

Saturday @ Café 939

Hard-working little Chicago indie band that could Company Of Thieves drop by the Café at Berklee today to play a fittingly intimate show. Frontwoman Genevieve Schatz’s airy, lilting vocals recall early Regina Spektor, but their delicacy belies the band’s larger sonic ambitions. Touring off the release of their sophomore effort, Running From a Gamble (Wind-Up), the quartet are joined by Vermont’s Zac Clark & The Young Volcanoes. Read more

Saturday @ Club Café

If there’s a constant we can rely on, it’s that at any give time, somewhere in Boston, somebody will be prepping their booby tassels for a burlesque show. (And, if not, there’s always the Glass Slipper.) But when do we get a chance to eyeball some man-meat? Not often enough, we say, which is why we’re excited for ”Guys, Gals, & Glitter” at Club Café, a show for fans of both male and female assets. Half good old-fashioned striptease, half rollicking comedy show, this burlesque revue stars both the talented ladies of Rogue Burlesque and the gentleman of Sirlesque. We’re all for equal opportunity ogling, which you’ll get your fill of at Club Café. Read more

Saturday @ Back Bay Events Center

Think the only role a woman gets to play in a horror movie is the buxom, brainless blonde running up the stairs instead of out the door, fated to a bloody death under the — usually male — killer’s blade? Think again. At the 2nd annual Stiletto Film Fest, a cinematic celebration of women in horror, you’ll be treated to gory, creepy, disturbing, and flat-out terrifying films both starring women and created by women. The festival features panels, an awards ceremony, and screenings of Bloodtraffick, Doll Parts, and more. Read more

Saturday @ Church of Boston

You’d think that scoring the opening spot for an Airborne Toxic Event show would be a first-class ticket on a rocket ride to dark indie-rock stardom, no? You’d be half right. The ascent of brainy local alt act Vivian Darkbloom (named for a Nabokov character . . . brainy) was more of a slow burn. Two years after the aforementioned gig at Royale, they’re headlining a show of their own, and have a much-awaited debut album, Know Your Exit, to back it up. Stuedabakerbrown, Modern Day Idols, and Upstate Escape share the bill. Read more

Sunday @ Sanders Theatre

Music Director Benjamin Zander has a high-octane program called “Breaking Free of Chains” lined up. The beloved British cellist Alexander Baillie returns for a rare performance of the great Witold Lutoslawski’s Cello Concerto, a piece Baillie has made his own. More heroism arrives in the form of Richard Strauss’s autobiographical tone poem Ein Heldenleben (Strauss as his own hero), and Beethoven’s grand Leonore Overture No. 3. Come early and join the crowds for Zander’s pre-concert talks. Read more

Sunday @ Starlab

A few days before Christmas, Boston’s most potent jangle-drunk garage-rock trio unleashed the Nothing Nice To Say demos online, a new four-track collection that sometime in 2012 will join a handful of other songs in Girlfriends’ debut full-length. In the meantime, they’ll be playing out around town with new guitarist Erik Szyska (Codetta), who produced the batch, while guitarist/vocalist Ben Potrykus tries to keep a straight face performing epic Boston elitist-scene takedown track “Brat Poison.” Read more

Sunday @ Great Scott

If New York keeps Pied Piper-ing away all our hot up-and-coming young acts, we’re going to have to start charging them royalty fees. On the real, though, we guess we should have expected that once Brookline’s Andres M. Pichardo a/k/a Grand Resort’s low-fi, electro-pop project left the bedroom it would hit the road. When we dubbed his ridiculously infectious track “Microscopic” our recent “MP3 of the Week” we were already waving goodbye. Luckily, we’ll be waving hello soon enough, when he returns home for a gig tonight with Young Adults, Creaturos, and Dive. Read more

Sunday @ Ames Hotel

Tennessee Williams’s little-known play Green Eyes — penned on the eve of his coming-out — was never staged or published in his lifetime. Perhaps that’s because the play’s racy, almost pornographic material (particularly some sadomasochistic undertones) didn’t quite jive with popular theater at the time. Not so in today’s world and, tonight, the erotically-charged “lost” play will be staged in a suite at the Ames Hotel. Unusual, to be sure, but the venue will serve to bring to life the story of young newlyweds battling the fall-out of both war and adultery in a New Orleans boudoir. Due to the venue, each show seats only 25 people, so order tickets for the Company One-produced graphic psychosexual thriller now. It comes to town tonight off of a sold-our New York run (at the Hudson Hotel) and runs through February 12. Read more

Sunday @ Brighton Music Hall

Stripped of all the sonic clutter that diluted the dark, seething undercurrents in Scottish alt-rockers the Twilight Sad’s first two albums, their latest, No One Can Ever Know (Fat Cat), lets that sinister rage shine through. This time around, the trio traded muddled sound machines for pounding synthesizers, to effectively astringent ends. Stronger, clearer, but no less intense, the Scots are joined by Micah P. Hanson and Forest Fire tonight. Read more

Monday @ Middle East Upstairs

When Jack White wants to try his hand at rap production for the first time because he’s feeling your steez, we guess that’s one way to tell you’ve made it. Underground Detroit emcee and producer Black Milk earned that distinction when he teamed up with the fellow Motor City native to produce his single “Brain” this past summer. Black Milk, who also has collabos with Danny Brown on his resume, hits town tonight on the second stop on his “Claps and Slaps” tour. He’s rolling with a live band, as well as Retrospek and more. Read more

Monday @ Brookline Booksmith

Occupy Boston’s troops might have been ousted from Dewey Square, but the movement continues to percolate. And the Phoenix’s intrepid reporter Chris Faraone has been right there with them since day one. If you haven’t been following Faraone’s extensive Occupy coverage — both here at home and from the road as he visited camps nationwide — here’s your chance to play catch-up. He discusses his new book 99 Nights With the 99 Percent at the Brookline Booksmith tonight. Pick yourself up a copy and then go get schooled. Read more

Monday @ Charlie's Kitchen

It’s an Allston take-over in Cambridge tonight when Dan Webb & The Spiders (comprising of members of Movers & Shakers, Get Laid, and the Cold Beat) play a tour kick-off show in advance of the garage punk band’s upcoming month-long European tour. Bid them adieu with an all-star line-up: the Spiders are supported by Tied To A Bear (nee the Human Racists, with Jeff Rowe and members of Landmines, the Choke Up, and Wolves and the Radio), The Fake Boys, and gritty garage-rock outfit Lube (ex-Frogball members). Read more

Monday @ Chum's Coffeehouse

According to a press release that made its way into our inbox, Portland, Oregon electro-funk duo Yacht have a New Year’s resolution: “Bring Fun to America.” No quite so lofty an ambition as bringing peace to the Middle East and whatnot, but still a cause we can get behind. We’re pretty sure their looped-out synth hooks and funky beats should further their cause when they play a show at Chum’s Coffeehouse at Brandeis. Read more