Sun. Nov. 12

The BBC called Scritti Politti "the thinking kids pop darlings of the early '80s." An avowedly left-wing trio, originally from Leeds, England, the band scored a couple of UK hits and made a Stateside dent. But among the problems the band had was its leader Green Gartside's cripping on-stage panic attacks, leading to the decision to simply not play live. Gartside sang backup on others albums over the years, but put the first Scritti Politti to bed, and then re-emerged in the mid-80s with a more synth-driven vehicle. (No gigs.) Then it went away again. Gartside, who has the sweetest of voices, just recently began playing again, having conquered the panic attack thing, and he and new group of Scrittis are on the road, stopping for a low-key gig at the Paradise Sunday Nov. 12, touring behind their first new album in decades, "White Bread, Black Beer." Tickets: $12. Jeffrey Lewis opens at 8 p.m.

967 Commonwealth Ave., 617-562-8801 thedise.com

Nov. 11-12

Slip into your pajamas, and go to the Coolidge Corner Theatre for the Nov. 4 midnight screening of "Wide Awake" (with its filmmaker Alan Berliner in attendance) and you'll get in free. And you'll get midnight snacks! Has the 18th annual Boston Jewish Film Festival gone wacky? No.The Coolidge does stuff like this and BJFF executive director Sara Rubin says New Yorker Berliner has "suffered from insomnia, and it's a meditaiton on insomnia - but it's very funny." The BJFF runs from Wednesday Nov. 1 through Nov. 12, but and Rubin says one of the questions raised by looking at the scope of the 57 movies (including 19 shorts) is: "Who's Jewish? There's such a range within Judiasm and there's a range in terms of observance. Our festival has tended to reach out to Jews who are secular or questioning their identity. ... We often have films that push the envelope." Rubin picks "Sisters," as tops in that realm this year. The Festival, which is primarily held at the Coolidge, the Museum of Fine Arts and the West Newton Cinema, includes "Wrestling with Angels" with playwright Tony Kushner, directed by Freida Lee Mock (Nov. 7, Coolidge, 7 p.m.).

Thurs. Nov. 9

When the singer-guitarist is named Dusty Sparkles, you might guess it's not his real name. (Actually, you do the backstory check and you find he drummed for the glittery act Glass Candy back in 2003.) When you check the name of the band, Danava, you'll find it meant "enemy of God" in Sanskirt. Ok, then. Sparkles and his three mates in the Portland, Ore.-based Danava don't consider themselves "hipster metalists" - guys who play the game, but know they're too smart to be doing this. They're into it for real. But it's not exactly metal, either - you'll hear influences such as Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer, Hawkwind and King Crimson. They like the long song, a certain compositional complexity, speed-riffing, some space-rock exploration. Lyrics? Not mindless, such as a meditation on the end of life, inspired by Sparkles' observations while working in a nursing home. They're at the Middle East Upstairs Thurs. Nov. 9 with Sweden's headlining Witchcraft. The 18-plus show gets under way around 9. An opening act may be added.

472 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-864-3278 mideastclub.com

Thurs. Nov. 9

We happen to think ex-Sudbury resident Paula Poundstone is one of the funniest women around, and clung to that belief even during her much-publicized battles with the authorities over her drinking and child-rearing.(Nothing funny about the situation; she's just someone we really wanted to see conquer her demons and get right.) Observational, off-the-cuff humor is no easy trick, and we've seen Poundstone, a former Mother Jones columnist and current NPR commentator on "Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me," pull that off time and again. Once at the Paradise, the power went out and she went around, literally, from table to table telling jokes. That's not likely to happen at Sanders Theatre Thurs. Nov. 9 and, really, we wouldn't want it to. A Harvard audience is where Poundstone should be in her element, upending the absurdities of everyday life and the politics of mainstream America. Starts at 8 p.m. Tickets: $35.

45 Quincy St. Cambridge, 617-496-2222 boxoffice.harvard.edu

Thurs. Nov. 9

Several years ago, I had the good fortune to have lunch with David Sedaris. I found him as witty and charming as audiences did on tv and radio, or in his books and New Yorker pieces. I have yet to have the good fortune to dine with his younger sister, actor-author-racounteur Amy Sedaris, but one can have dreams. Actually, I have a dream where she invites me over and cooks. This dream was generated by her new book, "I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence," where her skewed take on life takes shape in book form. But I've been a fan ever since I spotted her on the late night chat shows talking about her imaginary boyfriend and her fanciful life, pulling off the I'm-not-on-drugs-but-it-seems-like-it act really well. She's also a great flirt, which is probably one reason David Letterman likes her so much.
Another thing: She doesn't need to have a product to flog to be on TV or be funny. She can just, you know, be that way. And I expect that's what will happen Thurs. Nov. 16 at the Brattle Theatre at 9:30 p.m. Here's the deal. It's a free event and the "tickets" are all sold. But we understand "a limited number" will be available before her gig. And we guess there'll be lots of people milling about Brattle Street prior to. She'll follow the opening of Magner's Irish Film Festival, a screening of "Black Irish" at 7. Tickets for the film: $10.

40 Brattle St., Cambridge, 617-876-8021 brattlefilm.org