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    Thursday, March 19, 2009

    5 things to do this weekend, 2.19.09

    1. OK, here's a big plan for a night out in Bangor on Friday. Start the evening off with the Downtown Bangor Art Walk, set for 5 to 9 p.m. and featuring seven locations around downtown, including 31 Central Street, the Bennett Gallery, also on Central Street, Central STreet Yoga and Studios, Metropolitan Soul, the Exchange Street Building, the University of Maine Museum of Art and One Lupine Fiber Arts on PArk Street. It's completely free, and you'll get a chance to see some of the great artists that live and work in our community. For more info, call 561-3350.
    2. After that, check out the first Penobscot Theatre production of 2009 is "Dinner With Friends," the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama written by Donald Marguiles, which will open at 8 p.m. on Friday at the Bangor Opera House. Tickets are available at the box office; for more info, visit www.penobscottheatre.org.
    3. And then, after you've had Dinner with Friends, go have some drinks with friends, at the newly-reopened Luna Bar and Grille on Park Street, the downtown nightspot formerly known as the New Moon Cafe. A renovated space includes a piano bar, a revamped menu and new cocktails. There, now isn't that a delightful evening in the Queen City?
    4. HOWEVER! If you're not Bangor-centric, then take a drive up to Orono on Friday night to check out the National Acrobats of China at the Collins Center for the Arts. The performance starts at 8 p.m., and tickets are available by calling 581-1755.
    5. Finally, opening on Saturday at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockport is a new photography exhibit titled "On and Off the Midway." 25 photographers, including the BDN's own Kate Collins and Bridget Brown, document the festivities at state fairs, ice fishing derbys and and beach side resorts throughout the summer in Maine. The exhibit runs through June 21; for more info, visit www.cmcanow.org.

    Thursday, March 12, 2009

    5 things to do this weekend, 3.12.09

    1. They're back in their original formation, and I for one am thrilled: the Napper Tandies, Maine's finest Irish band, play a pre-St. Paddy's Day show this Saturday at Paddy Murphy's in Bangor. Original members Randy Billings, Matt Smith and fiddler Liam Andrews, on loan from South Carolina, will play starting at 9:30 p.m. For more info, visit www.myspace.com/thenappertandies.

    2. Mystery man Leon Russell will play a show at the Skowhegan Opera House this Saturday. Russell is a rock legend, writing for some of the biggest names in the biz all the while sporting his trademark white beard and long white hair. Show starts at 7:30 p.m.; for tickets, visit www.skowhegan.org.

    3. The Wrestler, featuring Mickey Rourke in the Oscar-nominated title role, starts at Movie Magic on the Odlin Road this Friday. As always, admission is just $3, and on Tuesday it's a buck!

    4. The Bangor Symphony Orchestra plays its fourth concert of the season at 3 p.m. this Sunday at the Collins Center for the Arts. The BSO, led by conductor Trond Saeverud, will perform Dvorak's "New World Symphony," along with selections from Schumann and Saevurud's granddad, the Finnish composer Harald Saeverud. For more info, visit www.bangorsymphony.org

    5. And finally, full disclosure: these guys are my buddies, but that means that I know how talented they are. The Colin Graebert Trio, a jazz group featuring pianist Graebert, will play from 4:30 until 9 p.m. at the Maine Cigar Shop on Main Street in Bangor. Smoke a stogie, listen to some sweet jazz, and unwind after work in one of Bangor's most comfortable, best kept secrets. For more info, visit www.cigarsmokeshoppe.com.

    Thursday, March 5, 2009

    5 things to do this weekend, 3.5.09

    1. OK, technically, this is occuring this weekend. Tonight, at midnight, Bangor Mall Cinemas will screen the long-awaited film version of the great graphic novel "Watchmen," much to the delight of comic book fans the world over. It's one of my absolute favorite books of all time, so I'm kind of ridiculously excited to see it. And midnight screening are always fun.
    2. On Saturday the Kave, the Bucksport all ages venue, will host about 8 bajillion bands starting at 5:30 p.m. See You Next Tuesday, Full Blown Chaos, Interrogator, A Plea For Purging, Grave Valor, A Day to Remember, The Falling Fight, Vail’s Gate, Fight For Blood and This and That Apocalypse will play until everyone is too tired to headbang. Admission is $15 at the door, for more info visit www.myspace.com/thekave.
    3. River City Cinema again hosts two Oscar-worthy flicks at the Bangor Opera House this weekend. Friday night check out the delightful Lebanese film "Caramel," and Saturday go see "Frozen River," and indie drama who's star, Melissa Leo, was nominated for Best Actress. Both movies start at 7:30 p.m., and both are $5.
    4. We don't get much ballet here in eastern Maine, so when one of our beloved regional dance companies perform, it's something you don't want to miss. The Atlantic Ballet Company will perform Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf" this Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Camden Opera House. Admission is $14 for adults and $10 for students; for more info visit www.atlanticballetcompany.com.
    5. Contrary to some silly rumors spread around the interwebs, the Bar Harbor Blues Authority is NOT closing, and in fact has expanded its weekend lineup of music to include a totally sweet blues brunch from 12 to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Local blues musicians spice up your post-Saturday night breakfast food extravaganze, and it's only 13 bucks. For more info, visit www.barharborbluesauthority.com.

    Tuesday, March 3, 2009

    Flan-tastic!


    The Flannery Brothers, the Bangor-based purveyors of delightfully wacky kid's music, have just received yet another major honor. Dan Flannery, one half of the songwriting team, won the children's music grand prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, a major yearly competition judged by music industry luminaries. Bob Weir, the Black Eyed Peas and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees were among the panelists this year. To listen to some Fllanery Brothers tunes, visit their web site, www.flannerybrothers.com. Congrats, fellas!