Sometimes things are just better left unsaid. For Andrew Dawson, who will perform his new play, “Absence and Presence,” tonight in the Macgowan Little Theater, laconicism came in handy in turning his real-life loss into art. Read more...

“Sixteen Tons” Broad Art Center, New Wight Art Gallery Open through Oct. 26 With its breadth of variety and experience, the “Sixteen Tons” exhibit is seemingly perfect for the newly inaugurated Broad Art Center. Read more...

Garth Ennis, Darick Robertson “The Boys” #1-3 WILDSTORM COMICS (Out of 5) It wouldn’t be wrong to say that “The Boys” is what Garth Ennis does best: grotesque set-pieces, needless violence and human misery played for laughs. Read more...

Thunderbirds Are Now! “Make History” Frenchkiss Records (Out of 5) Thunderbirds Are Now!’s first album, “Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief,” was pure, unfiltered chaos with abrasive, angular guitars and absurd frequencies that could induce a “Mars Attacks”-esque alien brain explosion on any music listener. Read more...

Considering the suffering that was endured during the Spanish Civil War and the ensuing Franco era, it is not surprising that the witnesses from that time have long remained silent. Read more...

The Hold Steady “Boys and Girls in America” VAGRANT RECORDS (Out of 5) When The Hold Steady played at UCLA last year, frontman Craig Finn took advantage of the university setting to remind the crowd of his college major ““ English. Read more...

If you ever have the opportunity to engage in conversation with Howard Suber, listen very carefully to what he says. Then go home and forget everything he told you. Read more...