Wed. April 25

 Dave Herily, Dave Martin, Dave Ingham and Ken Hickey attained a measure of fame during the '80s and '90s. They were a Boston-based band with a sound not unlike R.E.M.'s that established itself locally, but never hit the big time. We've known Herlihy since he was at Boston College (pre-everything) and have remained in touch, off and on, throughout. His post-O Positive career has been in music business law. What better training for the gig - for helping others avoid the myriad of pitfalls - than being in a semi-successful rock band? But Herlihy has not put down the guitar. It's just a sideline now. He, long with Martin, Ingham and Hickey, have put together a five-piece band called Hey Dave, for rather obvious reasons. (Hickey is one non-Dave in the group; the other is guitarist/keyboardist Charles Berman.) We asked Herlihy to tell us about the gig he and his mates play at the Lizard Lounge Wednesday April 25.
Said Herlihy: "O Positive released 6 critically-acclaimed and commercially successful releases throughout the 80’s and 90’s (including a full length album Toyboat, Toyboat, Toyboat on Epic Records). After O Positive stopped performing in 1995, Martin continued to write and record songs with his former band mates, and other pals, including Dana Colley from Morphine. Together with Dave Ingham, Martin has produced two full length CDs “One Has Hope For Her Soul”, and “Monkeys Can’t Stop the Show”, both on Smashing Records.
Dave Martin’s music is highly melodic and deeply personal and ranges in style from stripped down R&B to rootsy pop . Hey Dave opening for the Dennis Brennan Band at the Lizard Lounge. The band will be performing mostly Dave Martin songs, along with a few O Positive gems and some well-chosen covers."
You'll also want to see the headliner and longtime Boston rock vet Brennan. It's part of the Lizard's Soul Low series and is free. Starts at 7 p.m.

1667 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-547-0759 virtuous.com

 Tues. April 24

It seems like we've done a lot with flower exhibits lately. But why not? Tis the season. The hope that flowers represent springs eternal. The Museum of Fine Arts has its annual "Art in Bloom" event up through today, Tuesday the 24th. More than 20,000 people are expected over the four days. There are 66 floral exhibits put on by the same number of garden clubs. (You just pay the general admission of $15.) There are special events each day - master classes, special meals, other demos. Check the website below for the particulars.

465 Huntington Ave.,617-267-9300 mfa.org

Mon. April 23

Heard any good stories lately? Emphasis: good. We've all been bored to tears in bars, but how many of us have allowed ourselves to be put under the spell of, well, storytellers? In New York City, there's this thing called The Moth, where stories are told regularly. It's attracted raves like "New York's hottest and hippest literary ticket" (Wall Street Journal) and "an exuberant, moveable feast" (Village Voice). The Moth is, indeed, on the move with stops in Miami, Altanta, Austin, Washington, D.C. and Boston. The Boston performance happens Monday April 23 at the Calderwood Pavilion. It features Jonathan Ames, (in photo) who wrote the wonderfully witty "Wake up, Sir!," New Yorker humorist Andy Borowitz, Red Sox fan Joe Limon, "Prozac Diary" (not Nation) author Laruen Slater, "Candy Freak" writer Steve Almond and humorist/racounteur Mike Daisey, who's also got a show up and running at the A.R.T.'s Zero Arrow Theatre. (And he's got another one next month.) For this gig at the Calderwood, the writers perform without a net, with is to say no notes or cheat sheets. It's up one night only, Monday April 23 at 7 p.m. (Well, there's cocktails at 7; curtain at 8.) They call it "The Moth Story Tour," and it's in the Pavilion's Wimberly Theatre.  Tickets: $18.

539 Tremont St., 617-933-8600 bostontheatrescene.com themoth.org

Mon. April 23

Does a name have more intellectual impact than that of Albert Einstein? Not in pop cultural sense, certainly. Somebody who's flustered about something might respond, "Well, I'm no Einstein." Of course, how many of us really know the man behind e = mc2? There have been bios before but Walter Isaacson, former managing editor at Time, is the first book written after the full opening of his archived letters. And so, we learn about the German Jew who turned his back on both his religion and his nation as a teen, and made his mark in 1905 - a full half-century before his death. Isaacson writes about the science and the fame, but also about Einstein's personal life, including his first marriage to physicist Mileva Maric. (pictured together here) Einstein so wanted out of that in 1919 he promised her his expected Nobel Prize money! Einstein came to America in 1922, where he was treated as a celebrity; the Stephen Hawking of his time, he definitely would have done his voice on "The Simpsons" if asked. More seriously, he was one of the primary voices to counsel Franklin D. Roosevelt as to the big What If. That is, what if Germany got the atomic bomb? Isaacson will read from "Einstein: His Life and Universe" at the Coolidge Corner Theatre Monday April 23 at 6 p.m. Tickets: $2, which you get across the street from the sponsoring Brookline Booksmith.

279 Harvard St., Brookline, 617-566-6660 brooklinebooksmith.com

Tues. April 24

It's a star-studded stretch at Symphony Hall. And it's world premiere time. Sir Andre Previn, Grammy award-winning conductor, composer and pianist, is leading the Boston Symphony Orchestra for the debut of his Double Concerto for violin, double bass and orchestra through Tuesday April 24. The BSO people note that the concerto has bittersweet moments, but for the most part is full of witty, high energy music that makes good use of guest players, German violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter and Slovakian double bassist Roman Patkolo. Mutter is also soloist in Mozart's Violin Concert No. 1. Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik opens the program and Ravel's Mother Goose closes. The final show is Tuesday at 8 p.m. Tickets: $111 - $29. (There are half hour pre-concert talks the BSO puts on  at 6:45 and 12:15 for the respective night and day shows.)

301 Massachusetts Ave., 617-266-1200 bso.org