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Arts: Dig Brebner at the 'dise

In the Weekly Dig, Kate Ledogar drops in on Asa Brebner's exhibit of paintings and drawings at the Paradise Lounge, interspersed with quotes. The notion of "a Viking siege set at the Davis Square Goodwill" appeals. So does Ledogar's notion that with his misfit subjects and their follies, Brebner is speaking to an audience of "his peers-the people sweating and screaming on stages in a stylistically conservative town." Next Thursday Brebner and The Family Jewels will finish a monthlong residency at the venue, playing in the back room.

Music: Pops, Guster lure the kids

The Globe's Joan Anderman gives the Boston Pops a solid "mission accomplished" for their plan to attract a younger audience with last night's appearance by Guster. The hall was packed with "flip-flopped, jeans-clad" yutes who cheered on their boys - and the orchestra. Anderman even manages to find an 84-year-old Pops season-ticket holder who lauds Guster's sense of rhythm.

Arts: Gardner and 'Stray Dogs'

In the Herald, Ted Medrek wonders what Isabella Stewart Gardner would have thought of the comic book - excuse me, graphic novel - exhibit opening tomorrow at the museum that bears her name. Croatian-born Danijel Zezelj is having his first solo show here with an exhibit of drawings from his "Stray Dogs." Medrek concludes that the adventurous Gardner would have loved it.

Music: Dylan to rock...Pittsfield

Best read of the day might be the Berkshire Eagle feature by Benning W. De la Mater on the city of Pittsfield's preparations for what one resident calls the biggest event to hit town in decades: tonight's sold-out Bob Dylan/Willie Nelson concert at Wahconah Park, home of the minor-league Pittsfield Dukes. There's a lot of talk about traffic and parking and where Dylan is staying - heck, De La Mater notes where the truckdrivers ate. Personally I'm going to be sorry to miss the Willie Nelson Lookalike Contest at Pepe's. Y'all have a good time, Pittsfield.

Theater: Names rolling into Williamstown

A member of the Tony Soprano crew - memorably deceased - and the lead singer of Spinal Tap are among the familiar names announced in final casting for this summer's Williamstown Theatre Festival. Joe Pantoliano (left), best known as the nasty and eventually dismembered Raphie Cifaretto on "The Sopranos," will join Sarah Chalke of "Scrubs" and Michael Chernus in the Nikos Stage production "Creat Fate" July 13-24. Michael McKean, memorably moronic as David St. Hubbins in "This Is Spinal Tap," will be on the main stage Aug. 3-14 in Tom Stoppard's "The Razzle." And grownup former movie tot Gaby Hoffman will be on the Nikos Stage in "The Sugar Syndrome" July 27-Aug. 7. This is the first season for new Williamstown Artistic Director Roger Rees.

Williamstown also announced that Richard Thomas will hit the main stage Aug. 8 in "Blanche and Beyond," a new installment of Tennessee Williams' letters adapted and directed by Steve Lawson of the Williamstown Film Festival. Tickets are $30 and went on sale today online, at the box office and at (413) 597-3400.

Music: Miles ahead

Miles Davis heard Jimi Hendrix and others in the late 1960s and took his music in a new direction that electrified some fans and simply shocked others. On Aug. 29, 1970 he took to the stage before half a million people at the Isle of Wight festival and delivered a single 38-minute jam that was an intense expression of his new sound. Murray Lerner's "Miles Electric: A Different Kind of Blue" is a 2004 documentary that explores this period of transition in Davis' career, featuring current interviews with musicians like Carlos Santana and Keith Jarrett and ending with the complete Isle of Wight performance. "Once the jam begins, there are no distractions," the Coolidge promises. The film will have its Boston premiere Monday at 7:30 at the Coolidge Corner Theatre as part of the Coolidge/WGBH Summertime Blues series. The event, co-sponsored by Scullers, kicks off at 7:30 with live music from the Mike Tucker Quartet. Tix, $12/$10 for members, at the Coolidge box office or web site.

Music: BGMC trip getting interesting

I told you a couple of weeks ago that the Boston Gay Men's Chorus would be breaking barriers on its European tour, including being the first openly gay group to perform in Poland. The Herald's T.J. Medrek reports today that the stakes have gotten even higher after gay rights marchers were arrested in Warsaw. BGMC executive director Steven Smith says the group's performance has become "a minor sensation." The group will also lend its musical support to gay marriage in the Czech Republic with a benefit in Prague. Smith's European tour blog is here.

Music: Pops seeks elixir of youth

You read it here first yesterday, but you can pick up a Globe this morning and read about Gretchen Wilson, Big & Rich and Cowboy Troy joining the Boston Pops for the Fourth of July concert on the Esplanade. The more interesting piece, though, is Geoff Edgers' story on the decision to have Guster as the Pops' guest tonight and tomorrow, in hopes of attracting younger listeners. Too bad that Keith Lockhart's vision of an open-air show in Copley Square couldn't happen. The shows with the band of former Tufts students sold out rapidly; their set will include new material not due on an album until next year. And in addition to a little Stravinsky, Lockhart's going to throw Tod Machover's edgy "Jeux Deux" at the kids who turn up, complete with prepared "hyperpiano." Although some found the work underwhelming when it debuted a couple of weeks ago, that's just the kind of stuff orchestras will need to get that younger demographic. But someone ought to tell Lockhart and Pops manager Tony Beadle that "Generation X" is like, so 1993.

The morning papers

I haven't bothered to provide daily updates on the Inside Track's coverage of the star-studded Martin Scorsese flick, "The Departed," filming in town - the gals are gonna be all over it, every day, trust me - but it's worth picking up hard copy of the Herald and flipping to the Track today just to see the picture of Jack Nicholson in Charlestown in a leopard-print bathrobe. ... In the Globe, Christine Temin likes a photo exhibit of "sacred sites" in the Adirondacks at the Boston Athenaeum. ... And Richard Dyer mostly raves about last night's solo recital by Frederic Rzewski at Jordan Hall.

Music: White Stripes, Keith and many more shows

The usual Tuesday afternoon concert info dump from our friends at Tea Party Concerts includes two White Stripes shows at the Opera House Sept. 20-21, Toby Keith (left) at the Tweeter Center Aug. 27 and Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo headlining Avalon July 13. Plus with the cancellation of the Zooma tour, Trey Anastasio will be coming to the Bank of America Pavilion on Aug. 4.

Tickets for the White Stripes are $37.50-$47.50 and go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. at the box office, Ticketmaster and teapartyconcerts.com.Tix for Keith with openers  Lee Ann Womack and Shooter Jennings are $22.50-$58.75 and go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. at the box office, Ticketmaster and teapartyconcerts.com. Tix for Arroyo are $30, on sale now at Ticketmaster and the web site. Anastasio tix are $38 and go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. at the box office, Ticketmaster and the web site.

Other gigs announced include "Video Games Live" at the Pavilion on Aug. 22; the dino-rock trip of Howe, Squire and White at the Pav on Aug. 24; John Butler Trio at the Somerville on Oct. 2; and David Gray at Avalon Aug. 4. Check the web site for details.