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 …
The String Bean Party (courtesy artist)
STRING BEAN PARTY BRINGS QUIRKY ACOUSTIC BLEND to DEWEY HALL
Old-time acoustic duo String Bean Party brings its quirky blend of early folk, string-band music, vaudeville, Central European cabaret and Gypsy jazz all the way from Germany to Dewey Hall in Sheffield, Mass., on Saturday at 7:30pm. (Sat, Oct 8)
Eddie Montgomery (courtesy Colonial)
EDDIE MONTGOMERY BRINGS COUNTRY-ROCK HITS to THE COLONIAL
Eddie Montgomery of acclaimed country-rock duo Montgomery Gentry performs at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, Mass., tonight at 7:30. With his late partner, Troy Gentry, Montgomery ruled the country music charts in the early oughts. (Fri, Oct 7)
Walter Parks (photo Paul Storey / courtesy artist)
WALTER PARKS BRINGS SWAMP-BLUES to THE EGREMONT BARN
Swamp blues guitarist Walter Parks is at the Egremont Barn in South Egremont, Mass., tonight at 7:30pm. Three-time Grammy Award-nominated trombonist-composer Alan Ferber warms up the crowd for Parks with his distinctive blend of modernist jazz. (Fri, Oct 7)
WEST STOCKBRIDGE PLAYERS BRING CHAMBER MUSIC to WEST STOCKBRIDGE
The West Stockbridge Chamber Players perform works by Kodály, Mozart, Natalie Hunt’s Quartet for clarinet, violin, viola and cello, and more at the Old Town Hall in West Stockbridge, Mass., on Sunday at 4. (Sun, October 9)
Borromeo String Quartet (courtesy Clarion Concerts)
BORROMEO STRING QUARTET BRINGS HAYDN, BEACH to THE STISSING CENTER
The Borromeo String Quartet will perform works by Amy Beach, Alberga and Haydn, presented by Clarion Concertsat the Stissing Center in Pine Plains, N.Y., on Sunday at 4. (Sun, Oct 9)
Reggie Harris and Greg Greenway (courtesy Spencertown Academy)
REGGIE HARRIS and GREG GREENWAY BRING ‘DEEPER THAN THE SKIN’ PROGRAM to SPENCERTOWN ACADEMY
Singer-songwriters Reggie Harris and Greg Greenway bring their “Deeper Than the Skin” program, dedicated to breaking down racial divisions, to Spencertown Academy in Spencertown, N.Y., on Sunday at 2pm, as part of the venue’s Annual Regional Juried Gallery Show titled Deeper Than The Skin. (Sun, October 9)
Joel Ross (courtesy artist)
JOEL ROSS BRINGS JAZZ to SCHENECTADY C.C.
Vibraphonist-composer Joel Ross brings his quintet to A Place for Jazz at SUNY Schenectady Community Collegetonight at 7:30. (Fri, Oct 7)
Jonathan Biss (courtesy Capitol Region Classical)
JONATHAN BISS BRINGS BERG, SCHUMANN and SCHUBERT to UNION COLLEGE
Pianist Jonathan Biss will perform works by Berg, Schumann, and Schubert, at Union College’s Memorial Chapel in Schenectady, N.Y., on Sunday at 3, in a program presented by Capital Region Classical. (Sun, Oct 9)
Amanda Palmer (photo Seth Rogovoy)
MERCURY REV, KIMBRA, AMANDA PALMER HEADLINE KINGSTON’S O+ FESTIVAL
The O+ Festival, dedicated to building access to year-round healthcare for artists and musicians, takes place this weekend in Kingston, N.Y., and features dozens of performances and other art experiences, including film, comedy, and mural painting. Musical headliners include rockers Mercury Rev, electro-pop star Kimbra, and rock singer-songwriter Amanda Palmer. The festival takes place today through Sunday at various venues in and around Kingston. (Fri, Oct 7-Sun, Oct 9)
Michelle Dorrance
DORRANCE DANCE HEADLINES HUDSON VALLEY DANCE FESTIVAL
This season’s Hudson Valley Dance Festival takes place on Saturday at the Historic Catskill Point in Catskill, N.Y.Headlining the festival is Dorrance Dance, the Limo?n Dance Company, the Stephen Petronio Company, and Adam H. Weinert, sharing an excerpt of his forthcoming work Anthem. Performances are at 2pm and 5pm. (Sat, Oct 8)
Bettye Lavette (photo Seth Rogovoy)
BETTYE LAVETTE BRINGS SOULFUL ROCK to CAFFÉ LENA
Soul singer Bettye Lavette, known for her impassioned, elastic vocals and her dynamic R&B remakes of pop and rock hits by the likes of the Who, Bob Dylan, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Sinead O’Connor among others, brings her Grammy Award-winning sound to Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on Saturday at 8. (Sat, Oct 8)
Gerard Malanga (courtesy artist)
GERARD MALANGA HEADLINES ALT-FESTIVAL at TIME AND SPACE
Poet, filmmaker, and self-described Andy Warhol superstar Gerard Malanga headlines an evening of performance at Time and Space in Hudson, N.Y., on Tuesday, October 11, at 7pm. Other performers include No Land, featuring poetry and guitar courtesy of Bentley Anderson and former Patti Smith Group member Oliver Ray, and the Drew Wesely / Kevin Murray Duo. (Tues, Oct 11)
Jeff Beck (photo Steve Hefter / courtesy artist)
JEFF BECK BRINGS PATENTED GUITAR PYROTECHNICS to UPAC
Grammy Award-winning 1960s blues-rock guitarist Jeff Beck brings his blend of psychedelia and heavy metal to UPACin Kingston next Thursday, October 13, at 7:30pm. (Thurs, Oct 13)