ROMANTIQUE. Live one of the most dramatic moments in three revolutionary artists’ lives. The second piece in Hershey Felder’s “imagination in music,” Romantique transports the audience to a momentous summer evening in a country house outside of Paris where Delacroix, Chopin and George Sand have gathered. Set in 1846, the play is a brilliant fusion of Sand’s revelatory writings, Delacroix’s poignant art and Chopin’s masterful music. Runs Friday, August 1 through Sunday, August 17. Tickets $45; $35 for students, senior citizens and subscribers, available in advance through the ART box office. Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St. (MRH)

AN IDEAL HUSBAND. Enjoy one of Oscar Wilde’s most true-to-life and touching stories in a piece that explores the mistakes we make and the power of compassion to overcome them. Directed by Jeremy W. Blocker ’04, the play is replete with political intrigue, the ups and downs of courtship and Wilde’s characteristic wit and style. Runs Friday, August 1 through Saturday, August 16. Tickets $14; $10 for senior citizens and students, available through the Harvard Box Office. Loeb Experimental Theater, 64 Brattle St. (MRH)

music

DEERHOOF. This R&B influenced garage rock group uses almost randomly placed, staggered guitar lines to create a sense of chaos that is brought back into order only by the smooth, Bjork-esque vocal stylings of Satomi Matsuzaki. Assaulting eardrums since 1994, the experienced quartet promises a show that lives up to the name of its latest single, “Holy Night Fever.” Isle of Citadel and Fat Worm of Error also perform. Wednesday, August 20, 9 p.m. $9. Upstairs at The Middle East, 472 Mass Ave. (JPK)

SILVERTIDE. Meet lead singer Walt Lafty, lead guitarist Nick Perri, rhythm guitarist Mark Melchiorre, bassist Brian Weaver and drummer Kevin Frank—five shaggy-haired time travelers hell-bent on resurrecting rock’n’roll. They strip their sound down to the essentials: wailing guitar licks, raucous vocals and crashing drums redolent of rock’s heyday in the 70s. Explicit lyrics might stave off mass appeal for Silvertide, but the rambunctious quintet out of northeastern Philadelphia strike that chord of mania and excess with rock fanatics. Tuesday, August 19 at 9:50 p.m. $6. T.T. the Bear’s Place, 10 Brookline St. (HLN)

THE DAY JACOB SMILED. An indie element on the move, the band molds music as distinct as its enigmatic name. Born from rock, groove, pop and jazz, the Boston trio’s mellow fare is made dissonant with noisy, upbeat guitar and drums. Catch guitarist/songwriter Gregory Kasabian, drummer Jason Bonarrigo and bass player Steve Moynihan while they still play weddings and are in the midst of moving onto bigger things. Sunday, August 17 at 10:55 p.m. $5. T.T. the Bear’s Place, 10 Brookline St. (HLN)

THE KINGSBURY MANX. Grammy-winning songstress Norah Jones nabbed a slice of the spotlight from today’s pop divas by eschewing the theatrics and focusing on her unique, raspy vocals. The Kingsbury Manx already seem to have learned that a whisper can speak louder than a whoop when it comes to polishing their own low-key tunes. Taking its cue from Britpop, the North Carolina outfit casts a shadowy and intimate tone over its songs, leaving listeners rocking on their country porches and floating away on meditations about cabbages, kings and everything in between. Friday, August 15 at 10:55 p.m. $8. T.T. the Bear’s Place, 10 Brookline St. (HLN)

ED O.G. The gruff emcee from Roxbury, MA recently made a comeback with his 2001 album The Truth Hurts. He knows how to package a bumping, catchy song, but don’t be fooled by the bouncy rhythms—Ed O.G. can still wrangle rhymes and create rap that’s real. His lyrics evade mainstream hip-hop’s party mentality, dealing with self-image and everyday decisions. In the DJ Premier-produced “Sayin’ Somethin’,” Ed O.G. raps: “If the opportunity presents itself / I might just have to go and reinvent myself.” It seems he already has. Friday, August 15 at 8 p.m. 18+. $14 advance, $18 door. Downstairs at The Middle East Club, 472 Mass. Ave. (HLN)

AERIAL LOVE FEED. With bursts of powerful, punky guitar riffs and electronic loops, this Brooklyn quintet’s sound borders on trip-hop. Vocalist Wade Settle’s broadcast style washes over the rest of the band to create the engulfing waves that other live performers lack. The show opens with Laguardia, The Cignal and December Sound. Friday, August 15 at 9 p.m. $9. Upstairs at The Middle East Club, 472 Mass. Ave. (JPK)

THE SECRET CHANNEL. These pop-punk locals incorporate atypical rhythms to make their songs ever more upbeat. Singer Eddie Gutierrez’s grinding vocals dynamically accentuate every nuance of the guitars, which are comparable to Sonic Youth. The Information opens, with Enon headlining. Thursday, August 21 at 10:15 p.m. $8. T.T. the Bear’s Place, 10 Brookline St. (JPK)

SUNTAN. Boston’s own space rockers crank up effects-laden guitars supplemented with organ swells to forge a new path for psychedelia. What the group lacks in bass they compensate with effects and the occasional violin sample. Also performing are Victory at Sea, Kingsbury Manx, and Jeffery Simmons & The Symptoms. Friday, August 15, 9 p.m. $8. T.T. the Bear’s Place, 10 Brookline St. (JPK)

SUPERHONEY. Combining the sounds of 60s soul and light rock, singer Joan Pimentel delivers stylized vocals that got her the nomination for Best Female Vocalist at the Boston Music Awards three years in a row. The funky trio has performed with the likes of George Clinton, among other greats, and their acclaim as a great undiscovered band suggests they may not remain undiscovered for long. Amusia warms up the stage. Saturday, August 16 at 9 p.m. $11. The House of Blues, 96 Winthrop St. (JPK)

PAWS ACROSS AMERICA. Every hipster’s favorite laptop punks—the Tigerbeat 6 crew—leave their footprints on Cambridge with performances by Kid 606, Dwayne Sodahberk and DJ /rupture, a.k.a. Jace Clayton ’97. Expect rousing, hyperdistorted mashups of Missy and jump-up jungle from the Kid, but be sure to check out /rupture on the decks—he creates narratives that subvert expectations and shatter synapses, throwing down everyone from Edgard Varese to the Clipse. And of course, the latest in bad man riddims from Kingston. Saturday, August 16 at 8 p.m. $10 advance, $12 door. Downstairs at The Middle East Club, 472 Mass. Ave. (RJK)

visuals

EXTRA ORDINARY EVERY DAY. A collection of art works, design objects and other materials related to the Bauhaus, Germany’s renowned art and design school from between the World Wars. The “tour” of some 20 works, grouped into five thematic sections (Lamp, House, Chair, Stage and Auto), reflects the contributions of the Bauhaus and its associate artists to modernity. These works represent the school’s ambition to penetrate and reform every aspect of society. Among the list of Bauhaus artists included is Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, whose sculpture “Light Prop for an Electric State” is presented in-depth. Through December 31. Monday through Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday: 1 to 5 p.m. $6.50, $5 students/seniors, free for Harvard ID holders. Busch-Reisinger Museum, Werner Otto Hall. (LAP)