Friday Happenings

Art
Somerville's Nave Gallery has brought us thoughtful installations before, but their new "Ghost Town" sounds positively compelling. Artists imagine our earth in a process of transformation, with cities growing and shrinking, populations moving, people interacting with nature, and everything cycling both naturally and unnaturally toward growth, decay, and chaos. Might sound like a bunch of hippie nonsense, but we think it makes for some appealing art. "Ghost Town" runs through March 21 at the Nave, but don't miss the opening reception from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm today.

Music
--The Academy of Ancient Music plays Bach, Handel, and Telemann on period instruments at Emmanuel Church. 15 Newbury Street, 8:00 pm, $25-$64 (student discounts available).

--PA's lounge brings you the sweetest post-Valentine's show imaginable, with Cuddle Magic being joined by Bird Names and Dave Lamb of Brown Bird for a twitterpatingly "tweet" evening. Milo Jones also plays, though sadly doesn't fit into the cuddly bird theme quite as well.

--Darkbuster's Hometown Throwup continues with The Shods, The Rum Fits, and S4G. Bostonist has the scoop about all the bands playing this week's Throwup. Harper's Ferry, 9:00 pm, $10.

Zeds and Noughts
Peter Greenaway is responsible for the kinkiest date movies ever released on film. The Brattle's screening two of his freakiest: The Draughtsman's Contract (the contract involves tons of sex) and A Zed and Two Noughts (to be avoided by bioethicists). Both films screened last year at the HFA, so this is sort of a return engagement. Tonight and tomorrow, Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle Street, Cambridge, $9.50 (Double-feature). Showtimes and more information.

Hippies
The Holy Modal Rounders were freaky folk artists before you had to be self-conscious about it. The duo started out as a street act in Greenwich Village and ended up on the Easy Rider soundtrack. Chart the course of the Rounders (and the 60s subculture) tonight as the MFA screens The Holy Modal Rounders... Bound to Lose. Bonus: Rounder Peter Stampfel performs with his new group the Velocity Ramblers after the screening. Remis Auditorium, Museum of Fine Arts, 7:00 pm. $14/$18.

Dance
Choreographer Robert Battle has seen his pieces performed by the biggest names in dance. Tonight BattleWorks, his dance company, will bring his colorfully bizarre work to the ICA. Catch a sample on YouTube. Q and A follows. Institute for Contemporary Art, South Boston, 7:30 pm (also performing Saturday). $35/$31.50.

Thunderdome
There's dance, and then there's Thunderdome. This Thunderdome will feature Trouble and Bass. Greek American Political Club, Cambridge, 10:00 pm. Bring falafel money.

Avoid at All Costs
Unless you want to be run down by brides with images of bargains twinkling in their eyes. The annual "Running of the Brides" has been relocated from Filene's to the Hynes Convention Center. 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.

C. Fernsebner, Rick Sawyer, and Kerry Skemp contributed to this post. Image of the work of Martha Friend from the "Ghost Town" exhibit.

The listed events were chosen by the editors of Bostonist and brought to you by the 2009 Toyota Corolla.