Wed. Jan. 31

Occasionally, we'll check out a band based on its name or its CD's title. Such is the case with New York's The Press. Dull name, but their disc is called "Noxious Saucy Beast," so there you go. Dip into it and you'll find the brash, the bold and the melancholic. They're joined at the Middle East Upstairs Wednesday Jan. 31 by Killer Canary, a high-energy Boston alt-rock band where drummer Zak Andree handles most of the lead voice and songwriting chores. Joshua English, most recently of the Boston pop trio Six Going on Seven, is second on the bill and credits his inspirations thus: Raymond Carver novels and oceans' worth of black coffee. Muy Cansado, a alt-rock trio from these parts, like to sprinkle their songs with sarcasm and sex. Tucker Mayer opens up at 9 p.m. Tickets: $9. (In photo: The Press.)

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

Mon. Jan. 29

 Is there a sharper, funnier, more cynical - and yet self-deprecating - satirical writer out there than P.J. O'Rourke? At least one who's a Republican? No. O'Rourke was one of the guys we read as a teenager when we were hooked on the National Lampoon, and we've stayed with him. He made his stripes as an adult writer through his Rolling Stone adventures as a foreign correspondent, a guy whose contrarian view was always welcome, if not always agreed with. More often than not, though, we'd start out disagreeing and end up grudgingly thinking the man was right - and not a right-wing crank. Humor really can be the most persuasive device of all, and O'Rourke has got it down. (He's the reason we keep thinking we need to re-subscribe to the Atlantic, because he's a columnist there now.) O'Rourke wrote the classic "Eat the Rich," title cribbed from both an Aerosmith album title and a Motorhead song. He's a master of irony, a writer who can live with (and explain) contradictions, and an adept analyst of economics, class and the way the world is structured. There are many shades of gray - funny, bittersweet gray - in O'Rourke's world. His new book, "On the Wealth of Nations," may sound familiar because of Adam Smith's rather famous "The Wealth of Nations." What O'Rourke has done is distill the tome and explain the relevance of Smith's work - key revelation: the pursuit of self-interest is critical - to today's world. And, yes, there's plenty of humor in what you might think would be dry as dessert dirt. He speaks at the Coolidge Corner Theatre, part of the Brookline Booksmith Author Events on Monday, January 29 at 6 p.m. Get $2 tickets at Booksmith, across the street from the theater, ahead of time.\

290 Harvard St., Brookline, 617-734-2500 or 617-566-6660 (Booksmith) coolidge.org or brooklinebooksmith.com

Tues. Jan. 30

We've been tempted, upon occasion, to sign up for one of the myriad of medical tests offered around Boston by the gazillion or so hospitals and universities. Like one of the sleep clinic things, maybe. So, we made a call. Forget about it. The stipulations, the restrictions, the modest stipend, the very slim chance of solving the problem. Even the thought of going through the program and - being a journalist - writing about it held little appeal. But that's privileged little us. We can conjure up Ron and Nancy from the '80s and "Just Say No!" But what about impoverished people in Third World nations? They're not exactly in that position and they are fodder for the pharm industry, which is trying to develop drugs for the profitable First World countries. If this doesn't induce some sort of nausea and guilt, you're just not thinking. Takes us back to what we know about the Holocaust and the German "doctors" experiments upon the Jews. Sonia Shah spent several years in Africa and elsewhere investigating this world and came back with "The Body Hunters: Testing New Drugs onthe World's Poorest Patients." She'll be reading at Brookline Booksmith Tuesday Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. Free.

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

Wed. Jan. 31

Occasionally, we'll check out a band based on its name or its CD's title. Such is the case with New York's The Press. Dull name, but their disc is called "Noxious Saucy Beast," so there you go. Dip into it and you'll find the brash, the bold and the melancholic. They're joined at the Middle East Upstairs Wednesday Jan. 31 by Killer Canary, a high-energy Boston alt-rock band where drummer Zak Andree handles most of the lead voice and songwriting chores. Joshua English, most recently of the Boston pop trio Six Going on Seven, is second on the bill and credits his inspirations thus: Raymond Carver novels and oceans' worth of black coffee. The headliners, Muy Canssado, an alt-rock trio from these parts, like tosprinkle their songs with sarcasm and sex. Tucker Mayer opens up at 9 p.m. Tickets: $9. (In photo: The Press.)

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

mideastclub.org

Sat. Jan. 27

The Regent Theatre in Arlington is one of those old-school venues some of treasure more and more of nowadays. It was built in 1916 and is in need of a production equipment upgrade - certainly, not its first since pre-WWI, mind you, but one that's needed to keep up. Some of the acts that have played the Regent - the Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra (in photo), Ben Rudnick's Johnny and the Moondogs, juggler Dan Foley (of the Airborne Comedians) and members of the Legacy Dancers and faculty of the Dance Inn in Lexington - are staging a vaudeville-like benefit show for Saturday Jan. 27 at 8 p.m. True diversity. For us, the main attraction is rock opera from Sal Clemente and his URO buddies. We saw them rock the bejeesus out of "We Will Rock You" and other rock opera-esque songs a while back. You know, the Who, Bowie, Queen. Big chords and big themes. Then, there's the Moondogs acoustic-electric new and old rock, comedy and juggling from Foley and young dancers (ages 10 to 18) and their teachers doing tap, jazz and more. Fun for the whole darn family. Tickets: $30-$15.

7 Medford St., Arlington, 781-646-4849 regenttheatre.com