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 …
Comedians and real-life couple Liz Butler and Ben Jardine bring Live from International Waters, a character-driven improvised comedy concert, to the Foundry in West Stockbridge, Mass., tonight and Saturday night at 7:30pm. (Fri-Sat, Sept 9-10)
The Oldtone LITE roots music festival takes place this weekend at Cool Whisper Farm in Hillsdale, N.Y., tonight and all day Saturday. Performers include Tuba Skinny, JP Harris, the Down Hill Strugglers, Jesse Legé & Bayou Brew, FERD, Dumpster Debbie, and Nora Brown. (Fri-Sat, Sept 9-10)
The Orchestra Now kicks off its eighth season with Mahler’s heroic Fifth Symphony plus George Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Lilacs and Joan Tower’s virtuosic flute concerto in the Fisher Center at Bard College on Saturday at 7pm and Sunday at 2pm. (Sat-Sun, Sept 10-11)
New-folk singer-songwriter John Gorka brings his soulful baritone, his intimate portraits, and his biting wit to Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., tonight at 8. (Fri, Sept 9)
Singer-songwriter Steve Earle brings his blend of country, folk, rock and politics to Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, N.Y., tonight at 8. (Fri, Sept 9)
Tom Petty guitarist Mike Campbell brings his band, the Dirty Knobs, to Empire Live in Albany on Saturday at 8pm. (Sat, Sept 10)
Rock singer-songwriter Steve Wynn, best known for his work with the Dream Syndicate, Gutterball, and the Baseball Project, brings his clever, tuneful repertoire to Chromatic Studios in Kingston, N.Y., on Saturday at 7pm. RIYL Lou Reed and Warren Zevon. (Sat, Sept 10)
Eclectic avant-garde vocalist Theo Bleckmann performs with acoustic ambient duo Endless Field at the Falcon in Marlboro, N.Y., on Sunday at 7pm. (Sun, Sept 11)
Performance artist Jack Ferver premieres their first full-length work in three years, Is Global Warming Camp? and other forms of theatrical distance for the end of the world at MASS MoCA in North Adams tonight and Saturday at 8pm. (Fri-Sat, Sept 9-10)
Basilica Hudson in Hudson, N.Y., presents a benefit concert for its Basilica Green initiative on Saturday at 7pm. Artists in performance and conversation include Melissa Auf der Maur, CAConrad, Devesh and Veena Chandra, Rebecca Foon, Jim Krewson, Rudy Shepherd, Jesse Paris Smith, TROUBLE, and Patrick Watson. (Sat, Sept 10)
Tannery Pond Concerts series presents an all-Ravel program at the Darrow School in New Lebanon, N.Y., on Saturday at 6pm. (Sat, Sept 10)
The Neave Trio performs three French piano trios, including Maurice Ravel’s Piano Trio in A minor, at New Marlborough Meeting House in New Marlborough, Mass., on Saturday at 4:30pm. (Sat, Sept 10)
Seth Rogovoy is editor of the Rogovoy Report, available at rogovoyreport.com.
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