THURSDAY 26
HISTORY LESSON | The Portland Public Library doesn’t want you to forget history. Like other educational organizations in the city, the folks there have been hosting some important discussions and events around racial justice through a historical lens. Tonight, as part of their Civil Rights Film Series, they’re screening the 1994 Academy Award Nominee for Best Documentary, Freedom On My Mind. It follows a group of young activists in Mississippi as they fight for basic human rights in the '60s. Witness how far we’ve come, and how far we still have to go when it comes to achieving equality.
| FREE | 6:30 pm | Portland Public Library, 5 Monument Sq., Portland | https://www.portlandlibrary.com/ |
BATTLE OF THE SEXES | If you’re still fired up from the events of last week’s “Women’s March,” than you might love this upcoming film screening at the SPACE Gallery. Simply put, The Love Witch, is a badass feminist film, that defies genre tropes, understands the nuances of gender relations, and offers a impressive visual homage to the bygone era of '60s technicolor thrillers. Many could use a viewing of this thought-provoking (and critically acclaimed) exploration of female fantasies, pathological narcissism, and victim-fueled witchcraft.
| $8 | 7:00 pm | SPACE Gallery, 538 Congress St., Portland | http://www.space538.org/ |
GOODIES AND BADDIES | This world is essentially a battleground between good people, evil people and those that dance along the troubling lines of neutrality. From Shrek and Gandalf, to Darth Vader and Donald Trump, our fictional (and real life) world is littered with heroes and villains. Dress up as the one that resonates with you the most and wiggle to some dance jams courtesy of DJ Corbin from Atlantic Event Design. Awards will be given to the best, worst, punniest, and most obscure costumes.
| $6 | 8:00 pm | Portland House of Music and Events, 25 Temple St., Portland | http://www.portlandhouseofmusic.com/ |
PANIC ATTACK | The Charleston alternative country-rock band SUSTO is rolling through town to unleash their sophomore album & I’m Fine Today. They’re anti-Trump rockers who named their band after a Latin-American medical condition, and are committed to performing jams about “punching through life’s difficulties and learning to be comfortable with who you are as a person.” If a rock show’s capable of making you feel “one with the universe,” this might be it. They’re joined onstage by the indie-rock and dance jam blenders of Blue Healer.
| $12 | 8:00 pm | One Longfellow Square, 181 State St., Portland | https://onelongfellowsquare.com/ |
FRIDAY 27
BREAK THE CHAINS | Slavery is alive and well here in America. It has just taken on a new, insidious, and perfectly legal form. Don’t believe me? Watch Ava DuVernay’s highly lauded documentary, 13TH, which is screening for free at USM. The film has served as a wake-up call for many that were once unaware of the racist agendas at play in America’s prison systems. Stay woke readers.
| FREE | 6:30 pm | Hannaford Hall, USM, Portland | http://usm.maine.edu/ |
SHARP SETS | Promising a master performance in jazz-fusion improvisation, Umphrey’s McGee’s From the Hip set has got people talking. Most aren’t sure what to expect from this concert, but are still confident they’ll be awestruck. These veteran musicians have been mixing bizarre but palpable musical concoctions (classical mixed with '70s reggae?) for almost 20 decades, so it’s safe to say they thrive outside of the comfort zone. They’re joined onstage by the jazz artist Joshua Redman, and the electro-funk “therapy band” SPAFFORD.
| $30 | 8:00 pm | State Theatre, 609 Congress St., Portland | http://www.statetheatreportland.com/ |
CHASING FIREFLIES | Looking for a definitive answer on what contemporary American reggae sounds like? Look no further than John Brown’s Body, a band that’s been exploring lyrical themes beyond just religion and marijuana, for over two decades. They use the vocabulary of reggae to relate to their own personal experiences and are hailed as “future roots, reggae, and dub with an intricately balanced weaving of vocals, percussion, keyboard, bass, guitar, and stunning three-piece horn section that ties it all together.” The local outfit Raging Brass will take the stage first and fill the space with '60s Jamaican instrumentals.
| $15 | 8:00 pm | Port City Music Hall, 504 Congress St., Portland | http://www.portcitymusichall.com/ |
BUILD BRIDGES NOT WALLS | If there was ever a truly unifying force in the world, it’s music. Bask in that solace tonight, as you hear the great Zapion perform works from Egyptian and Lebanese composers. Immerse yourself in classical Arabic music and remind others that learning about other cultures is exciting, enlightening, and necessary.
| $15 | 8:00 pm | Mayo Street Arts, 10 Mayo St., Portland | http://mayostreetarts.org/ |
EMO NIGHT | If your personal life, or just the general state of world affairs makes you feel like crying, maybe it’s time to deal with it the way you might have in highschool: by donning some black clothes, cranking up My Chemical Romance and calling yourself emo. You’ll get the chance to do just that at PHOME, where your favorite emo, pop-punk and post-hardcore hits will be blaring all night long. But maybe you should leave your real tears and fits of sadness at home; this night is about having fun.
| $10 | 8:00 pm | Portland House of Music, 25 Temple St., Portland | http://www.portlandhouseofmusic.com |
SATURDAY 28
SPIRIT GUIDE | The local healer/spiritual guru Pia Louise Capaldi has planned something delightfully new-agey for this night: a guided shamanic journey of meditation and movement to discover your own creative energy and the personal process of working with it. Now I’m not sure what this event’s actually going to be like — I imagine drum circles, candles, and spirit animals will be involved — but isn’t that part of the fun? The uncertainty of entering a strange, yet harmonious space, and emerging lighter, empowered and more focused. But first, pay up; enlightenment doesn't come cheap.
| $35 | 5:30 pm | Hustle and Flow, 155 Brackett St., Portland | http://hustleflowstudio.com/ |
OUT ON ICE | Gay locals and their allies are throwing a party on Thompson’s Point complete with: an ice rink, a live DJ, food trucks, a cash bar, and a fire pit. Proceeds from this winter party will go to support EqualityMaine and GLSEN-Southern Maine’s programs to create safer schools for LGBT youth.
| $8 | 6:30 pm | Thompson’s Point, 10 Thompson’s Pt., Portland | https://www.therinkatthompsonspoint.com/
2ND ANNUAL, COLD COLD NIGHT | Dark times and cold nights are ahead of us. Stories can serve as an antidote to nastiness, a bright, warm flame in the night. Over 10 of Portland’s finest performers, songsmiths and all around brilliant minds will converge on the SPACE Gallery to fearlessly share what’s in their heart. What makes this city great, are the artistic and intellectual forces driving it; some things that will be on full display this night.
| $10 | 8:30 pm | SPACE Gallery, 538 Congress St., Portland | http://www.space538.org/events |
TRIPLE THREAT | Organizers at Empire have cooked up a hot show of “gritty, sassy, feely, schmaltzy rock,” by booking Bangor’s jukebox heroes, Marathon Man. They’ll be joined by local rabble rousers Mechanical Banshees and the Very Reverend. It’s time to get schwifty.
| $10 | 9:30 pm | Empire, 575 Congress St., Portland | http://portlandempire.com/ |
SUNDAY 29
ALL THE FEELS | The performers at Maine Music & Health believe that our voices, and our community are stronger when they come together. Step into the peaceful space of Grace and lend your voice to a collective choir that aims to celebrate the values of love, resilience, diversity, compassion, equality. Stay vocal, and let love rule. This performance is also a call to action. After the concert you’ll be handed some resources to stay engaged, which might activate the inner-protester inside you. Join the resistance?
| FREE | 2:00 pm | Grace, 15 Chestnut St., Portland | http://www.mainemusicandhealth.com/ |
MONDAY 30
FOOD POLITICS | A new city initiative has launched and it’s called The Portland Food Council. Its members aim to foster a healthy community by shaping policy that will create resiliency, sustainability and vibrancy in the food system. But first, they need to hear community voices. Join them at the Fork Food Lab, alongside Mayor Ethan Strimling, Justin Alfond and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, and make your input matter.
| FREE | 4:00 pm | Fork Food Lab, 72 Parris St., Portland | http://www.forkfoodlab.com/ |
TUESDAY 31
OUR PARKS, OUR FUTURE | Most Mainers value the natural world as both a driver of economic growth, and an immensely beautiful force to be appreciated. USM invites you today to hear from David Evans Shaw, the founder of Idexx Labs and Shawn Gorman, L.L. Bean’s board chairman, about why national parks are essential.
| FREE | 5:00 pm | Hannaford Hall, USM, Portland | http://www.alumniusm.org/ |
SHORT FORM NONFICTION | Tonight you’ll learn that brevity can be powerful. Featuring individual films, episodic series, deep dive investigations, and plenty of juicy interviews is the provocative documentary Field of Vision. Well actually, it’s a stretch to categorize it as a documentary, so I’ll settle for “cinematic project.” Either way, it tells engaging stories from multiple corners of the world, and should definitely be on your radar. The screening is followed by a live video chat with the co-creator and filmmaker AJ Schnack.
| $8 | 7:00 pm | SPACE Gallery, 538 Congress St., Portland | http://www.space538.org/ |
WEDNESDAY 1
I AM GRUIT | I don’t care how much of a beer geek you think you are; the old gruit style is likely one you’re unfamiliar with. Get acquainted with its intense hop flavor and unique blend of local herbs and spices. The best ones will be on tap all day! Later in the evening, the head brewer of Gruit Brewing will host a workshop on the intricacies of this unique brew.
| FREE | 6:00 pm | Urban Farm Fermentory, 200 Anderson St., Portland | https://www.fermentory.com/#home |
SOMBER BUT HOPEFUL | The acoustic, pop-rock band from the “other Portland,” Blind Pilot will showcase their new album And Then Like Lions to an eager crowd. It’s being hailed as an extremely visual, emotive and uplifting work. Postpone suffering by riding out its gorgeous arrangements and majestic climaxes. Their melodies are solid tools to feel stable in an ever-changing territory of loss. Think Mumford and Sons, but with an intelligent writer.
| $25 | 7:00 pm | Port City Music Hall, 504 Congress St., Portland | http://www.portcitymusichall.com/ |
LOVE IS LOVE | The performers at Cast Aside Productions aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel with this show. They know the cliche, yet amorphous and mysterious concept of LOVE has been torn up and sewn together a million times in every art from. But they’ll still explore the complex emotion, with all of its ups and downs, through booze-fueled musical theater. It will likely be a compelling way to chase away the mid-week doldrums.
| FREE | 8:00 pm | Flask Lounge, 117 Spring St., Portland | http://flasklounge.com/ |
THURSDAY 2
PUSHING BOUNDARIES | What do you get when you mix hip-hop beats, multi-syllabic rhyming, lyrics that explore the struggle of the American black experience, and a full brass band? A powerful experience. Embark on the grand adventure that the PitchBlak Brass Band evokes when they explode on stage with their culturally significant, and sonically epic live show.
| $10 | 9:00 pm | Portland House of Music and Events, 25 Temple St., Portland | http://www.portlandhouseofmusic.com/ |