Seth Rogovoy

Danielle Ponder brings her alluring blend of pop, R&B, blues, rock, and moody trip-hop to Courtyard C at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Mass., tonight at 8. Ponder, whose early influences include gospel artists such as Shirley Caesar and the Blind Boys of Alabama and blues shouters including Koko Taylor and Big Mama Thornton, left behind a career as a public defender to pursue her musical dreams, as encapsulated in the title of her debut album, Some of Us Are Brave. (Fri, Aug 18)

Jacob’s Pillow in Becket, Mass., celebrates the 50th anniversary of hip-hop -- the diverse culture and art movement catalyzed in the Bronx in August 1973 -- with a one-of-a-kind program, Hip Hop Across the Pillow, featuring dance artists including Rennie Harris Puremovement American Street Dance Theater, Rokafella and Kwikstep, and d. Sabela grimes, and the Ladies of Hip-Hop, running today through Sunday. (Wed-Sun, Aug 2-6)

With so much going on culturally speaking in our region, this is my highly selective, curated snapshot of some of the most promising events happening this weekend.

Xian Zhang conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra in a program featuring Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring and Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 in the Shed at Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass., tonight at 8pm. Joining the BSO for the performance is contemporary ensemble Nimbus Dance. (Fri, Jul 21)

With so much going on culturally speaking in our region, this is my highly selective, curated snapshot of some of the most promising events happening this weekend.

With so much going on culturally speaking in our region, this is my highly selective, curated snapshot of some of the most promising events happening this weekend.

With so much going on culturally speaking in our region, this is my highly selective, curated snapshot of some of the most promising events happening this weekend.

With so much going on culturally speaking in our region, this is my highly selective, curated snapshot of some of the most promising events happening this weekend.

With so much going on culturally speaking in our region, this is my highly selective, curated snapshot of some of the most promising events happening this weekend …

With so much going on culturally speaking in our region, this is my highly selective, curated snapshot of some of the most promising events happening this weekend.