Rock
After helping make possible the once-exciting prospect of “alternative-rock,” Sonic Youth briefly flirted in the early ’90s with wider acceptance and more conventional song forms. But the 20-year-old quartet always has been, at heart, a noise band, less about embracing the conventions of the now than carving out the future. Its recent albums are slightly quieter affairs but still bristle with invention, teetering between rock thrust and avant-garde swirl. Above all, Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, Kim Gordon and Steve Shelley consistently refresh the language of the basic guitar-bass-drums combo. Expect even more surprises on the current tour when the quartet is joined on bass by Chicagoan Jim O’Rourke, producer of the band’s latest stellar album, “NYC Ghosts & Flowers.”
Sonic Youth performs Saturday at the Riviera, 4749 N. Broadway, Chicago; 312-559-1212.
— Greg Kot
Jazz
Frank Wess and Teddy Edwards: Two venerable tenor saxophonists will be backed by Chicago’s Willie Pickens Trio; Tuesday through Sunday at Jazz Showcase, 59 W. Grand Ave.; 312-670-2473.
Howard Levy: The brilliant multi-instrumentalist leads “Bachanalia,” a stylistically free-ranging homage to J.S. Bach; 8 p.m. Wednesday in the Martin Theatre of the Ravinia Festival, Lake-Cook and Green Bay Roads, Highland Park; 847-266-5100.
— Howard Reich
Rock
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Hank Williams III: He’s got recklessness in his genes, honky-tonk in his heart and a rock ‘n’ roll band led by ex-Jesus Lizard guitarist Duane Denison; Friday at Schubas, 773-525-2508; Saturday at Double Door, 773-489-3160.
— Greg Kot
Theater
“1776”: The stirring, vastly entertaining musical about the signing of the Declaration of Independence, in a rousing revival; through July 16 at Drury Lane Oakbrook, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace; 630-530-0111.
“All’s Well That Ends Well”: An impeccably cast, designed and directed (by Barbara Gaines) production turns one of Shakespeare’s problem plays into no problem at all; through June 11 at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave.; 312-595-5600.
“Hunchback”: Redmoon Theater, with a little help from Victor Hugo, in person, presents an imaginative array of actors, marionettes, shadow puppets, masks, towers, ladders, packing crates, cut-outs and pop-up books for its distinctive version of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”; through June 11 in Steppenwolf Studio Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St.; 312-335-1650.
“Loot”: Joe Orton’s furious black comedy of upended moral values in a genteel English household gets a rousing, hilarious production, courtesy of director Gary Griffin and a top-notch cast of zanies; through June 11 at Writers’ Theatre at Books on Vernon, 664 Vernon Ave., Glencoe; 847-835-5398.
“Side Show”: An admirable, ambitious, smaller-scale production of the intelligent, tuneful Broadway musical about the lives and loves of Daisy and Violet Hilton, Siamese twins in 1930s show business, with first-rate performances by Susie McMonagle and Kristen Behrendt; through July 2 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie; 847-673-6300.
— Richard Christiansen
Classical music
Coriolis Singers: Ensemble opens a four-part “Fete de la Musique” with French a cappella choral works by Debussy, Poulenc and others; 3 p.m. Sunday, Alliance Francaise de Chicago, 810 N. Dearborn; 312-337-3019.
Quartett Avance: Versatile young German foursome, based in Stuttgart, makes its Chicago debut in a free concert at 7 p.m. Monday in Preston Bradley Hall, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.; 312-744-6630.
Bachanalia: Ravinia Festival season opens with a delightfully offbeat J.S. Bach commemorative featuring Bach arranged for voices, brass quintet, banjo, bandoneon, jazz combo and what-have-you; the roster includes harmonica player Howard Levy and the Oriana Singers; Martin Theatre, Ravinia, Highland Park; 847-266-5100.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Resident conductor William Eddins leads final subscription concerts of the season, including world premiere of John Stevens’ “Journey” (contrabass tuba soloist Gene Pokorny) and Aaron Copland’s Symphony No. 3; 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday; Symphony Center; 312-294-3000.
— John von Rhein
Architecture
Forum: Guggenheim Museum director Thomas Krens heads a group of panelists who will speak at a free program on the transformation of Bilbao, Spain; the forum supplements the museum’s show, “Guggenheim, Bilbao, and the Changing Role of the Museum in the City”; 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Rubloff Auditorium of the Art Institute of Chicago, Michigan at Adams; 312-443-3600.
— Blair Kamin
Art
“Transforming Images: The Art of Silver Horn and His Successors”: Final week; David and Alfred Smart Museum, 5550 S. Greenwood Ave.; 773-702-0200.
Slide lecture/gallery talk: The art of visionary draftsman Achilles G. Rizzoli; 6:30 p.m. Tuesday; Intuit, 756 N. Milwaukee Ave.; 312-243-9088.
“Cornelia Parker”: Installations by the British Turner prize nominee; opens Friday; Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario St. 312-787-3997.
— Alan G. Artner