Eric Green, local bluesman extraordinaire.

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5 things to do this weekend, 2.26.09

1. Psychedelic folk rock supergroup Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams are Maine favorites, and they're playing not one, but two shows in the area this coming weekend. Check them out Friday night at 8 p.m. at College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, and Saturday night, also at 8 p.m., at the Unity Centre for the Performing Arts.

2. River City Cinema continues it's winter movie series, screening Academy Award-nominated documentaries and features. Friday night, check out "Trouble the Water," a documentary about Hurricane Katrina, and Saturday night go see the OScar-winning doc "Man on Wire," detailing the high-flying art of French tightrope walker Phillipe Pettite. Both movies screen at 7:30 p.m. at the Bangor Opera House.

3. Feel like taking the show on the road? Whether you're driving or you live in the area, take a haul down to Deer Isle and see almighty blues duo Green and Bosse play at Mikey's G Spot. It looks like we're in for slightly warmer weather this weekend, so hit the road and help bring spring a little closer.

4. 103 Ultra Lounge in Orono hosts a who's who of Maine bands this Friday, including the Divine Ruin, the Big Coffin Hunters, Afterblack, Wolves Among Sleep and the Exclusive. Show starts at 7 p.m., and tickets are $12 at the door.

5. And finally, OK, so Gilbert and Sullivan might not be everyone's cup of tea. But if it is, and you appreciate good, solid theater, then head down to Ellsworth this weekend for the Gilbert and Sullivan Society's take on "The Pirates of Penzance," set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Grand Theatre.

5 things to do this weekend, 2.19.09

1. Here is a very important thing: Demetri Martin is at UMaine this weekend. You may have seen him on his new show on Comedy Central, "Important Things with Demetri Martin," or you may remember him from the Daily Show. Either way, he's absolutely hilarious. He'll take the stage at the Collins Center for the Arts at 8 p.m. Saturday. For tickets, call 1-800-622-TIXX.

2. The Grand Theatre in Ellsworth hosts a Cabin Fever Bailout concert featuring a tasty lineup of local bands, including Rant, A Dying Breed, Poetic Acrimony and Stiff Whisker and the Driftwood Kids. The show starts at 7 on Saturday, and admission is $15.

3. John Cariani's "Almost Maine" is enjoying a nice run at various theatres throughout the state. The Broadway play about a small Maine community will be produced this weekend and next at the Center Theatre in Dover-Foxcroft; showtimes are at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and also at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

4. The Bar Stewards, Bangor's best Irish band, play at Paddy Murphy's pub this Saturday, starting at 9 p.m. Expect loud, raucous songs about drinkin', fightin' and lovin'.

5. The Academy Awards are set for this Sunday evening, and several area theatres will host simulcasts of the show, including big fundraisers at the Grand Theatre in Ellsworth and Reel Pizza Cinerama in Bar Harbor. For 15 to 50 bucks, you get hors d'oeurves, champagne and a chance to get all dolled up which watching the Oscars, and all the proceeds go to benefit at Beth C. Wright Cancer Center. Festivities begin at 6:30 p.m.; for more info, visit www.grandonline.org

5 things to do this weekend, 2.12.09

1. OK, first off, it's a very, very sad day for the denizens of downtown Bangor. Christopher's and Red Martini, the two bars that have become staples of Queen City nightlife over the past few years, are closing tonight, Thursday, for good. Yes, I know - it was a shock to me too. So, give it one last hurrah and come out tonight to bid goodbye to yet another casualty of downtown Bangor. It was nice knowin' ya, guys.

2. UMaine's spring production of the musical "Side Show" opens Friday night. It tells the story of conjoined twins Violet and Daisy Hilton, who worked in freak shows and vaudeville along with other famous freaks, like the Dog FAced Boy and the pinhead. The show is set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Hauck Auditorium on the UM campus. Admission is $10.

3. Saturday is the big day, and whether you've got a sweetie or not, check out the Lover's Leap event in downtown Bangor. From 4-6 pm River City Cinema will screen "Some Like It Hot" at the Opera House, from 6 to 8 p.m. J.B. Parker's will offer a delicious catered dinner, and from 8 to 10 p.m. the sweet sounds of Noir, Josh Mooers and Sarah Madelina will be on the bill back at the Opera House, along with a performance from the Penobscot Theater Company, magician Dr. Wilson and fashion designer Caitlyn Cogan. Admission is $10.

4. The International DAnce Festival takes the stage again this year at the Collins Center for the Arts on the UM campus. at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday dancers from places like Brazil, Iran, Cuba, Bulgaria and more will show off their skills. It's free, and it's a whole lot of fun.

5. Don't expect him to play "Rock n Roll Hoochie Koo." But do expect some serious blues chops to be on display when the legendary Johnny Winter performs at the Skowhegan Opera House on Sunday at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at skowhegan.org.

New albums you should listen to.

I think you should buy, download or whatever the following new albums:

Andrew Bird - Noble Beast
Franz Ferdinand - Tonight
Morrissey - Years of Refusal
Bat for Lashes - Two Suns
Mastodon - Crack the Skye

That is all.

Lincoln to Bangor in six minutes.

5 things to do this weekend, 2.5.09

1. The biggest band in the land, Rustic Overtones, will play a show with Tree By Leaf at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Camden Opera House. Tickets are $18-$28 and and are available by calling 470-7066.

2. Sometimes Why play progressive bluegrass, in the vein of Old Crow Medicine Show and the Yonder Mountain String Band, and its comprised of three massively talented young ladies. They'll play at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Unity Centre for the Performing Arts; for more info, visit www.unitymaine.org.

3. Hey, if you want to start your weekend early, you can head down to Benjamin's on Franklin Street in Bangor, the club formerly known as Fuzion, and party with Chris Rush, formerly of WTOS, as he spins rock n roll all night starting at 9:30 p.m. Classic rock, modern punk, punk rock, you name it.

4. Try something different this weekend. Saturday night at Dino's Pizza and Banquest Center on North Main Street in Brewer, Independent Wrestling Entertainment will host a night of local wrestling, featuring White War Pony Johnny Primer against Jivin' Jimmy Capone, Cameron Matthews versus Scotty Vegas, and Rockstar Chris Cole pitted against Mason X. Saturday, Saturday, Saturday! The bout starts at 7:30 p.m., and your $10 admission goes to benefit Eastern Agency on Aging's Meals for Me program.

5. Daniel Bernard Roumain is a composer and violinist who blends funk, rock, hip-hop and classical music into a new sonic vision of music. He's playing Sunday afternoon at Minsky Recital Hall on the UMaine campus, in a program titled A Civil Rights Reader, in which he pays tribute to people like MAya Angelou, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. It's probably some of the most interesting music you'll hear played in this area in a while. The performance starts at 3 p.m., and tickets are available by calling 581-1805.