Feb 4 - Feb 10

Three Worlds at Flinn Gallery (see Monday)  (Lacey Terrell photo)

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 4

Emerald Eying
America and its globe-encircling power are primary focuses of Irish artist Tom Molloy, so it's a surprise his new show at the Aldrich is his first in the States. Molly's quirky, high-concept creations include a grid of 50 small drawings of mug shots of men executed in Texas under Gov. George W. Bush, a large dollar bill cut in the shape of the world's continents, and an alternative-universe book cover of Barack Obama's Dreams of My Father with an upset-looking white dude on the cover. Despite Molloy's America-centered themes, the Aldrich is taking on the vibe of Ireland for tonight's First Thursday opening party, with live Celtic music and Irish food and drink. Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, 258 Main St., Ridgefield. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Free. (203) 438-4519, www.aldrichart.org.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5

Planespoken
New York/Connnecticut trio Planeside are torchbearers for meat-and-potatoes 1990s alternative rock, which might seem a bit prematurely retro until you consider the guys have been at it for 10 years. That's an impressive run for a band on the local club scene, where original bands tend to fizzle out and splinter after a couple years. Perhaps Planeside's longevity has something to do with their road-warrior nature. Rather than stew in their own juices in the same five or six area clubs, they do laps around the eastern U.S. Or perhaps it has something to do with the fact that there's something evergreen and appealing in their gutsy riffs and throaty but melodic singing. In any case, Planeside has outlasted countless upstart bands to become a regional institution. Catch them at Sub Rosa Party tonight with Mascara, a Boston rock band fronted by a dude who has modeled his stage moves for "Rock Band" video game avatars (seriously). Sub Rosa Party, Cousin Larry's, 1 Elm St., Danbury. 9 p.m. $5. (203) 730-0035, www.myspace.com/subrosaparty.

For Those About to Walk
Over the past few years, approximately one zillion young musicians have put their own spin on a fusion of contemporary indie rock and American roots music. It's quite a trick to stand out from that pack. Sidewalk Dave does. The New Haven-area band's album Songs for Cowards was one of our favorite local releases of 2009 and holds its own amongst the work of their nationwide peers. Sidewalk Dave (a guy actually named Dave, plus his bandmates) plies raucous garage-country and folk rock with slow dynamic builds, genuinely thoughtful lyrics, and the spirit of someone young and eager who nonetheless has really lived. The band's at the Heirloom tonight, with fellow indie-folkers The Proud Flesh, Pale Horse Company and Small Houses. Heirloom Arts Theatre, 155 Main St., Danbury. 9 p.m. $5. heirloomarts.org.

First There's Love, Then There's Overkill
A.R. Gurney's Love Letters consists of only that. The play, produced in time for Valentine's Day by the Square One Theatre, is a set of monologues in the form of letters to and from a pair of childhood friends being read aloud. The correspondence is between an uptight lawyer-turned-U.S. Senator and a lively, mildly alcoholic mother with an artsy streak. The two, of course, discover they have feelings for each other. And speaking of love affairs, it seems local theater groups have gone mushy over A.R. Gurney. The Long Wharf is producing Sylvia this month, while the Westport Country Playhouse did Children last year and is going to debut a new Gurney play in 2011. Sheesh, that's a lot of Gurney — just sayin.' Square One Theatre Company, Stratford Theatre, 2422 Main St., Stratford. Fri. & Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. through Feb. 20. $20; $19 for students and seniors. (203) 375-8778, www.sqaureonetheatre.com.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 6

Simple Jim
Like a late '80s comedian walking the get-on-Carson-then-do-a-sitcom path, Jim Gaffigan has come remarkably far with clean material and a few acting gigs. His pale skin, his own laziness and ridiculous food items (from Hot Pockets to Domino's Pizza) make up a large chunk of the stubbly-bearded, Indiana-raised comedian's material. Gaffigan, whom the Stamford Center for the Arts is bringing in tonight, is also into self-depreciating asides. His film credits include Super Troopers and Away We Go, and you may have seen him on the sitcom My Boys, though we sorta doubt it because we don't know anyone who watches TBS's original programming. Stamford Center for the Arts, Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St., Stamford. $7 p.m. $39.75 - $49.75. (203) 325-4466, www.stamfordcenterforthearts.org.

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 7

Word Up
No less than New York Times Puzzle Editor Will Shortz will be on hand to emcee the Westport Library's eleventh annual Crossword Puzzle Contest today. (He's also offering up some word games.) The contest is a timed competition happening in the library's McManus Room. For some practice, turn to our classified section. Westport Public Library, 20 Jesup Rd., Westport. 1 to 4 p.m. Free. (203) 291-4800, www.westportlibrary.org.

MONDAY FEBRUARY 8

View From Afar
As much as we love localism, sometimes it's good to have an arts organization scour the country for the best of the best. That's what the Flinn Gallery did for its current photography show, Three Words, which features three outstanding lens men, only one of whom is from Connecticut. Phil Stein, from Bethlehem, Pa., puts together mosaics of street scenes using a combination of in-focus and out-of-focus, oversized and undersized images, to create a feeling of fragmentation appropriate for our over-mediated world. Lacey Terrell, from West Hollywood, Ca., is showing his shots depicting the one of the few traveling circuses left in the U.S. (pictured opposite). The sole Connecticut artist, Andrew Buck, from Farmington, has black and white photos of places, including some excellent panoramics from America's tobacco country. Flinn Gallery, Greenwich Library, 101 W. Putnam Ave., Greenwich. Open daily, see Web site for hours; through March 17. Free. (203) 622-7947, www.flinngallery.com.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 9

What I Bought on My Summer Vacation
If there are three things rich white people like, they are traveling, fine art and buying stuff. The Bruce Museum, located in the world capital of rich white people, combines all three with Exotic Encounters, a showcase of art rich people bought while traveling to Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa, then donated or lent to the Bruce. The artists range from French sculptor Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux to American artist Romare Bearden (work pictured) to a bunch of anonymous craftspeople. Check it out to return to a time of loose spending, back before we all had to take staycations. Bruce Museum, 1 Museum Dr., Greenwich. Tue. to Sat., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sun., 1 to 5 p.m. through April 25. $7; $6 for students and seniors. (203) 869-0376, www.brucemuseum.org.

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10

Weiser Than He Looks
Sam Weiser is accomplished even for a child prodigy. At only 15, the Fairfield violinist has already been admitted to the Manhattan School of Music, released an EP called Sam I Am, and has been acclaimed for his individualistic mix of jazz, classical, bluegrass and western swing. He started playing at age 3 and was a concert master by age 10. He's jolted past the other teen savants, who've merely mastered Handel and Mozart. Today, at the Fairfield Theatre Company's StageOne, the little squirt is celebrating the release of his first full-length album, an expanded version of Sam I Am. Fairfield Theatre Company, StageOne, 70 Sanford St., Fairfield. 7 p.m. $15. (203) 259-1036, www.fairfieldtheatre.org.

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