A highly selective preview of cultural events taking place this weekend in the greater Berkshire region, including new wave avatars the B-52s; modern dance; a reggae legend; a book fair; chamber music; political satire; and a whole lot more.
Ahmad Simmons, Elena d’Amario, Eoghan Dillon, Geena Pacareu, Ian Spring, Omar Roman De Jesus, Sarah Braverman, Zoey Anderson / Parsons Dance (photo Lois Greenfield)
PARSONS DANCE BRINGS DOWN CURTAIN on PS21 SUMMER SEASON
(CHATHAM, N.Y.) – Parsons Dance brings down the curtain on the third annual Chatham Dance Festival and the performing arts summer season at PS21: Performance Spaces for the 21st Century with its 11th consecutive appearance at PS21 on Friday and Saturday, September 2 and 3, at 8pm.
Internationally renowned for creating and performing accessible and enriching dance of extraordinary artistry, the modern dance ensemble will present new work by choreographer Katarzyna Skarpetowksa, as well as works by artistic director David Parsons.
Everton Blender
EVERTON BLENDER’S JAMAICAN RHYTHMS BRING CURTAIN DOWN on SUMMER at MASS MoCA
(NORTH ADAMS, Mass.) — Reggae legend Everton Blender brings his signature fusion of classic roots and dancehall rhythms to Courtyard C at MASS MoCA on Saturday, September 3, at 8pm. Blender’s spiritually uplifting themes infuse deeply rooted cultural pride into his music, making him a powerful presence in the world of Jamaican culture.
The B-52s (l-r) Cindy Wilson, Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson (photo Pieter M Van Hattem)
THE B-52s BRING NEW WAVE BACK to TANGLEWOOD
(LENOX, Mass.) – The summerlong party continues at Tanglewood on Friday, September 2, at 8pm, when new-wave avatars the B-52s are joined by Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra for a trip back to the early 1980s, when the then-Athens, Ga.-based band ruled MTV with their creative videos for their danceable, space-rock hits including “Love Shack,” “Rock Lobster,” “Private Idaho,” and “Roam.” Thirty-five years later, the group still boasts the front line of founding vocalists Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider and Cindy Wilson.
Russell Shorto (photo Keke Keukelaar)
CELEBRATION of BOOKS RETURNS to SPENCERTOWN ACADEMY
(SPENCERTOWN, N.Y.) – Spencertown Academy’s 11th annual Festival of Books, featuring a giant used book sale, two days of discussions with and readings by esteemed authors, and a children’s program, takes place over Labor Day weekend, Saturday, September 3, through Monday, September 5. Featured authors this year include Christopher Breiseth, Elizabeth Brundage, Michelle Hoover, Courtney Maum, David Pietrusza, Ruth Reichl, Russell Shorto, Will Swift, Mark Wunderlich, and Steve Yarbrough.
Melissa Matsuki Lillie
WORKS by MELISSA MATSUKI LILLIE GO on VIEW at BERKSHIRE MUSEUM
(PITTSFIELD, Mass.) – Works by Melissa Matsuki Lillie will be featured in the BerkshireNow gallery space at Berkshire Museum from Friday, September 2, through Sunday, November 20, 2016. The exhibition opens with a reception on Friday, September 2, from 5 to 8pm, in conjunction with Pittsfield’s First Fridays Artswalk, when the museum’s BerkshireNow gallery is open to the public at no cost.
CAPITOL STEPS WRAPS UP ELECTION YEAR SUMMER RESIDENCY at CRANWELL
(LENOX, Mass.) – There are a handful more chances to laugh off some election-year stress this weekend as the award-winning musical satire group The Capitol Steps completes its summer residency at Cranwell Spa & Golf Resort in four final shows on Sunday, August 28; Monday, August 29; Thursday, Sept. 1; and Friday, Sept. 2, at 8pm each night.
The Capitol Steps are always at their best in an election year, when the material is ripe for satire. This year’s bizarre presidential race provides the troupe with plenty of fodder, which gets updated by the day and by the minute, with fresh material straight from the headlines.
Eric Umble (photo Tayla Nebesky)
CHAMBER CONCERT FEATURES WORKS by IVES, CARTER, DVORAK at THE CLARK
(WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.) – Leading players of The Orchestra Now and the Juilliard School will perform works by Charles Ives, Elliott Carter, and Antonin Dvorak on the Spencer Terrace of the Lunder Center at Stone Hill at the Clark Art Institute on Saturday, September 3, at 3 pm. The chamber music repertoire in this free concert is inspired by the Clark’s exhibition “Sensing Place: Reflecting on Stone Hill,” on view through October 10.
Performers include Izzy Lepanto Gleicher on flute, Kemp Jernigan on oboe, Eric Umble on clarinet, David A. Nagy on bassoon, and Patrick Jankowski on horn.
Dave and Phil Alvin (photo Jeff Fasano)
DAVE and PHIL ALVIN BRING ROOTS-ROCK to HELSINKI HUDSON
(HUDSON, N.Y.) – Dave and Phil Alvin, who cofounded seminal early LA punk-roots band The Blasters in 1979, bring their brotherly reunion tour to Club Helsinki Hudson on Saturday, September 3, at 9pm. Dave and Phil Alvin and the Guilty Ones continue to make up for lost time, which also happens to be the name of their most recent album, “Lost Time.” Helsinki Hudson’s favorite goddess of twang-rock, Sarah Borges, will warm up the crowd for this celebration of the power of brotherly love.