Top event picks of the week

THURS 7/21

‘‘SLANGUAGE’’ At its most basic, slanguage is the art of speaking in colloquialisms — an act not entirely unlike what our forefathers once did with CB radios. Fortunately, both wireless technology and slang have improved dramatically since the early 1970s. Now, the South Bronx performance troupe Universes turns slang into an art form. ‘‘Slanguage’’ is a mix of passionate jazz, poetry, hip-hop, and dance that serves as an ode to some of New York’s most poetic turns-of-phrase. The show debuts tonight at 8 at the Boston Center for the Arts. Tickets are $35, $28 seniors, $19.50 students. BCA Plaza Theatre, 539 Tremont St., Boston. 617-933-8600.

FRI 7/22

NORTHERN SOUL ALLNIGHTER In the grand, and unusual, tradition of skinny English boys bopping about in even skinnier ties to American soul music, local DJs F.E. Buxworth and Deano Sounds offer a night of super rare soul under the tag Northern Soul Allnighter. In the 1960s, Brits loved obscure American soul records almost as much as they loved mayonnaise and cucumber sandwiches. Buxworth and Sounds celebrate this phenomenon by playing authentic, obscure soul records from the O’Jays, Gloria Jones, and Stevie Wonder. It’s the kind of music that would have been heard at all-night parties in Manchester or Blackpool back in the day. The music starts at 10 p.m. at the Common Ground and there’s no cover. Bring your own skinny tie. Common Ground Cafe, 83-87 Harvard Ave., Allston. 617-783-2071.

SAT 7/23

ELVIS COSTELLO AND EMMYLOU HARRIS At one time, the pairing of Elvis Costello and Emmylou Harris would have sounded like the punch line of a joke. What on earth would the sardonic Brit, known for hiding behind geek glasses and jangly pop riffs, be doing with Harris and her folk-and-country influenced Americana? Given Costello’s recent mellowing and eclectic music explorations, the pairing now seems like an inevitability; their first collaboration appeared on Costello’s album, ‘‘The Delivery Man.’’ This weekend, Harris opens for and collaborates with Costello at the Bank of America Pavilion. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35-$55. Bank of America Pavilion, 290 Northern Ave., Boston. 617-728-1600.

SUN 7/24

THE ORIGINAL FAT BOTTOM REVUE The Lane Bryant-sized ladies of the Fat Bottom Revue swing their feather boas (and a few other things) at the Milky Way Lounge in a show that handily proves that not all sexy dancers are skinny Minnies. Before you call aunt Trudy and stage a sit-in against this perceived smut, please know that the Fat Bottom Revue sticks to the lost art form of burlesque, not the pole dancing, booty-shaking of ‘‘Showgirls.’’ The San Francisco dancers were recently recruited by Leonard Nimoy, who was won over by the troupe’s sassy attitude, to pose for his series of photos focusing on plus-sized folks. Catch their act at the Milky Way with openers the Femmetastic Fatales and Black Cat Burlesque. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $12, $10 advance. Milky Way Lounge, 401 Centre St., Jamaica Plain. 617-524-3740.

MON 7/25

BBQ WARS: REVENGE OF THE TONGS Local chefs clash over the charcoal in a heated battle to determine Boston’s king of the grill. Apron-wearing cooks from barbecue-friendly locations such East Coast Grill, Rouge, and Blue Ribbon BBQ fight for superiority from 7 to 9 p.m. at Jake’s Dixie Roadhouse. The ultimate beneficiary will be the crowd that gathers to consume all those ribs. Jake’s is also serving a special cocktail called the poor man’s martini, which is a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon served in a paper bag. Now that, my friends, is class. Reservations are required for this event, and we suggest you call early. Jake’s Dixie Roadhouse, 220 Moody St., Waltham. 781-894-4227.

WED 7/27

LIZ PHAIR Two years ago, indie rocking mom Liz Phair shocked the very critics who once championed her cause by releasing an album of lushly produced pop songs. While the effort helped land her on VH1, it did little to endear her to fans of her 1993 classic, ‘‘Exile in Guyville.’’ This week, Phair attempts to play the role of the great unifier by offering a pair of career-spanning acoustic shows at Paradise that are guaranteed to turn frowns upside-down. (Tuesday’s show is sold out.) She’s also previewing a few songs from her upcoming new album. Show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20. Paradise Rock Club, 969 Commonwealth Ave., Boston. 617-562-8800.

Christopher Muther can be reached at muther@globe.com