The new Cure

By Sarah Tomlinson  |  May 7, 2008

Almost as much of a classic rock band as Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin at this point, the Cure has salved the spirits of misfit teens for nearly three decades. Helping launch the Goth movement, spikyhaired, lipstick-smeared frontman Robert Smith was the alt rock poet laureate and heartthrob who also crafted perfect pop gems for the times when his moody teen fans wanted to quit moping and start dancing. The band has undergone several lineup changes, but Smith is still at the helm, and fans can look for its 13th studio album this fall. 7:30 p.m. $38.50-$63.50. Boston University, Agganis Arena, 925 Commonwealth Ave., Boston. 617-931-2000. bu.edu/agganis

"Harmony in the Age of Noise" City life is a symphony of sounds, from wailing sirens and boisterous sports fans, to jackhammers and car alarms. Most urban dwellers block out the cacophony without even thinking about it. But anthropologist and poet David Guss wants people to turn up the volume. He enlisted sound artist Bruce Odland to help him build "Harmony in the Age of Noise," a sonic observation post on the roof of the Tisch Library at Tufts University. Created in conjunction with sculptor Mark McNamara, media artist Michael Luck Schneider, and more than 80 Tufts students, the project creates sound maps of the campus and surrounding neighborhoods. Stop by to hear the noise. Open to the public 24-7. Free. Tufts University, Tisch Library, 35 Professors Row, Medford. 617-627-3563. http://age-of-noise.net/about.php

Michael Israel: Heroes and Icons Tour Part ad-libbed painting, part performance art, Michael Israel creates artwork onstage while his audience anticipates his every brushstroke. Israel has participated in fund-raisers for causes from the Special Olympics to the American Red Cross and has shared stages with everyone from Jay Leno to Bruce Springsteen, all the while delivering a dramatic spectacle that mixes social commentary and artistic expression. This program benefits Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley. 8 p.m. $25-$250. Merrimack College, Rogers Center for the Arts, 315 Turnpike St., North Andover. 978-946-1467. merrimack.edu

The Mathematics in Music What does music have to do with science? Everything, according to pianist-engineer Elaine Chew, whose program "The Mathematics in Music" is part concert and part conversation. Her performance will include the Boston premiere of two new pieces, "Sudoku Variations," and "A Simple Gift for Elaine," and explanations of the mathematical techniques used in each of the compositions, so listeners can learn about the rhythmic, melodic, and tonal concepts that go into a piece of music. 4:30 p.m. Free. MIT, Killian Hall, Building 14-W, Room 111, 160 Memorial Drive, Cambridge. 617-253-4347. mit.edu

"Julie Mehretu: Eye of the Storm" New York City-based artist Julie Mehretu, who will give the commencement address at Montserrat this year, seeks patterns amid the constant ebb and flow found in both nature and contemporary life. Her drawings and watercolors, many of them created while she was a MacArthur Fellow in 2005, feature explorations of the places where nature and society meet. Mehretu uses symbols, such as maps and graphs, to illustrate the intersections between organic chaos and structured life. Mon-Fri 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thurs 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sat noon- 5 p.m. Free. Montserrat College of Art, Carol Schlosberg Alumni Gallery, 23 Essex St., Beverly. 978-921-4242, ext. 3. montserrat.edu/galleries

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