Fall is here, and so is the 39th annual Downtown Ithaca Apple Harvest Festival, which features a dozen local acts this weekend. Also, two fiddle masters perform, a reggae legend returns, and an Oktoberfest celebration comes to Burdett!
Please be sure to check with each venue for its covid protocols, as well as potential postponement or cancellations due to the weather. Stay safe, and enjoy as much live music as you can in the coming days!
Fall Fun
The 39th annual Apple Harvest Festival returns to downtown Ithaca, offering three days of food, crafts, fun and live music. Here’s the schedule for the Bernie Milton Pavilion stage on the Commons this weekend
Saturday, Oct. 2:
Noon to 12:45 p.m. – Mirage Belly Dancers
1-1:45 p.m. – East Hill Trio
2-2:45 p.m. – GIAC Jumper
3-3:45 p.m. – Good Dog
4-4:45 p.m. – Busking Raed ft. Joe Hayward
5-5:45 p.m. – Papa Muse
Sunday, Oct. 3
Noon to 12:45 p.m. – Taksim
1-1:45 p.m. – La Llorona
2-2:45 p.m. – Fall Creek Brass Band
3-3:45 p.m. – GoGone
4-4:45 p.m. – Kitestring
5:15-6 p.m. – DJ WhoIsBrianTech
Where: Bernie Milton Pavilion, The Commons, downtown Ithaca
Cost: free
String Struck
Banjo master Richie Stearns returns to showcase his vast repertoire of traditional tunes along with original songs written for the Horse Flies, Richie & Rose, Evil City String Band, Ti-Ti Chickapea and many other bands. Finger Lakes Flatbread will be serving wood-fired pizza throughout the show
When: 5-8 p.m. Thursday
Where: South Hill Cider
Cost: free
Feel the Rhythm
Miami’s Afrobeta will bring its Latin-inflected electronic pop grooves to downtown Ithaca. The duo of Cuci Amador and Tony “Smurphio” Laurencio were recently the subject of a documentary, “Birthright,” which followed them on a trip to Cuba to perform in their parents’ homeland. Their latest release is “Illusion Motel.” Learn more here.
When: 6-8 p.m. Thursday
Where: Press Bay Alley Stage
Cost: free
At 10 p.m., you also can check out the band at The Upstairs for the “Feast of Beats”!
Unmellow Yellow
Reggae legend King Yellowman returns to Ithaca with his No More War Tour, joined by the Sagittarius Band. Known for his boastful and bodacious lyrics and high-energy stage presence, Yellowman has been one of reggae’s biggest dancehall artists since the 1980s. After surviving a bout with jaw cancer in 1986, he has gone to continue to release albums and tour, winning fans around the world. Find out more here. K’reema, the daughter of King Yellowman, will open the show. Learn more about her here.
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: The Dock
Tickets: $15, available online here
Brothers in Arms
Cornell Cinema will screen “The Sparks Brothers,” Edgar Wright’s acclaimed documentary about Ron and Russell Mael, whose band Sparks has been “successful, underrated, hugely influential, and criminally overlooked all at the same time.” Fans such as Flea, Jane Wiedlin, Beck, Jack Antonoff, Jason Schwartzman, Neil Gaiman and others guide the audience through the band’s unique five-decade career, which continues to this day. Learn more here.
When: 9 p.m. Thursday, 9 p.m. Sunday
Where: Willard Straight Theatre, Cornell University
Tickets: $9.50
Note: Cornell Cinema events are now open to the general public. All patrons, including members of the Cornell community, will need to provide one of the following to gain admittance: Cornell ID; or Proof of vaccine; or Proof of negative PCR test within 72 hours of the event.
Piano Duo
The Midday Music series continues with pianists Miri Yampolsky and Xak Bjerken, who will perform Beethoven’s Sonatas Opp. 28 and 31.
When: 12:30 p.m. Thursday
Where: Lincoln B20, Cornell University
Cost: free and open to all; masks are required for all individuals regardless of vaccination status.
Fiddling at its Finest
Bruce Molsky is one of the most revered “multi-hyphenated career” ambassadors for America’s old-time mountain music. For decades, he’s been a globetrotting performer and educator, a recording artist with an expansive discography including seven solo albums, well over a dozen collaborations and two Grammy-nominations. He’s also the classic “musician’s musician” – a man who’s received high praise from diverse fans and collaborators like Linda Ronstadt, Mark Knopfler, Celtic giants Donal Lunny and Andy Irvine, jazzer Bill Frisell and dobro master Jerry Douglas, a true country gentleman by way of the Big Apple aptly dubbed “the Rembrandt of Appalachian fiddlers” by virtuoso violinist and sometimes bandmate Darol Anger.
When: 6:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Sweet Land Farm, 9732 State Route 96, Trumansburg
Cost: $20; advance tickets are available here.
Double The Fun
The Friday Night Farm Jams continues with double bill featuring Trumansburg singer-songwriter Rena Guinn opening for the Amalgamators. Guinn recently released her debut EP, “Shine,” which showcases her distinctive voice and blend of folk, blues and country. Find out more here. The Amalgamators – Camilo Nascimento on guitar, Travis Forte on bass, and Steve Gabriel on drum set, plus a special guest on pedal steel guitar – perform homespun versions of vintage surf rock and revved-up gypsy jazz. Learn more here.
When: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Finger Lakes Cider House, Interlaken
Cost: $5
Global Explorers
Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas return to Ithaca to showcase their instrumental mastery with cutting-edge fiddle and cello explorations of Scottish and global music. Fraser, “the Michael Jordan of Scottish fiddling,” and Californian cellist Haas have played together more than 16 years, releasing four albums and setting a new standard for their instruments in traditional music.
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: Hangar Theatre
Cost: $25-$30; tickets are available here.
Going Solo
Hot on the heels of releasing his latest album, “No Man Is An Island,” hair-tossing keyboardist Samuel B. Lupowitz returns to downtown Ithaca for a solo show at the Lucky Hare stage. He’ll play a variety of material from his past and present projects, along with whatever else inspires him.
When: 5-7 p.m. Friday (postponed from last week)
Where: Press Bay Alley
Cost: free
Gettin LITZ
LITZ returns to Ithaca, bringing its funktronic jams back to town after a long hiatus. Find out more about the band here.
When: 9 p.m. Friday
Where: The Range
Cost: $10 in advance, $15 at the door
Stranger Than Fiction
Cinemapolis will host present the local premiere of “The Nowhere Inn,” directed by Bill Benz (“Portlandia,” “At Home With Amy Sedaris”). “From real-life friends Annie Clark (a.k.a. GRAMMY award-winning recording and touring artist St. Vincent) and Carrie Brownstein (“Portlandia,” Sleater-Kinney, the best-selling “Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl”) comes the metafictional account of two creative forces banding together to make a documentary about St. Vincent’s music, touring life, and on-stage persona. But they quickly discover unpredictable forces lurking within the subject and filmmaker that threaten to derail the friendship, the project, and the duo’s creative lives.”
When: opens Friday
Where: Cinemapolis
Tickets: Available online and at the door
It’s a Celebration
The Solera Tap House in Hector will host an Oktoberfest celebration featuring a variety of competitions, tastings and live music from area bands Two Horse Johnson (1-4 p.m.), Feed the Fire (4-7 p.m.) and the Notorious Stringbusters (7-9 p.m.)
When: 12-10 p.m. Saturday
Where: Solera Tap House, 4394 State Route 414, Burdett
Cost: free to attend
Singin’ and Slingin’
Acclaimed vocalist SingTrece and popular comedian Kenneth McLaurin will showcase their act “Singing Notes and Slinging Jokes,” in which they take the audience on a journey of life, love and laughter through a mix of song, storytelling and comedy.
When: 7-9 p.m. Saturday
Where: Liquid State Brewing
Cost: $15-$45, available here
A Glacial Goodbye
Trumansburg’s Glacial Erotics will play their farewell show, as drummer Mark Taylor heads south for his retirement. For one last time, check out the band’s distinctive sound: “Original rock music. Character sketches, the American condition, the Human condition. Quirky, sardonic, off-color, funky, raucous.”
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Garrett’s Brewing Company, Trumansburg
Cost: small cover
Fall Debut
The Cornell Wind Symphony performs its first concert of the year, with James Spinazzola conducting. The program includes Eric Whitacre’s “October,” “Pasquinade” by Gottschalk, “On-Again, Off-Again” by Jack Frerer, and Marquez’s “Conga del Fuego Nuevo.”
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Bailey Hall, Cornell University
Cost: free and open to all. Please note that all events will continue to follow university-wide guidelines regarding Covid-19, and these are subject to change. Masks are required for all individuals regardless of vaccination status; they must also present proof of vaccination for COVID-19 or results of a recent negative COVID-19 test. Learn more here.
Jam Plan
Hailing from the Southern Tier, Amongst The Monks is a musical trio that blends rock, blues and funk influences into its original sound. They’ll be joined by Organ Fairchild, a Buffalo band that includes Joe Bellanti (organ, keyboards), Corey Kertzie (drums) and Dave Ruch (guitar), and was recently voted #1 out of 64 up-and-coming bands in the NYS Music statewide 2021 March Madness competition.
When: 8-11 p.m. Saturday
Where: The Dock
Cost: $10
Positive Vibes
Root Shock returns to the Range after a long absence to showcase its infectious reggae grooves leavened with a heavy dose of pop, soul, funk, and rock. The Syracuse band features Jessica Brown (vocals, melodica), Phil Grajko (vocals, guitar), Bill Eppel (bass), Brian Lauri (keyboards), and Tyre Outerbridge (drums). The group released its self-titled debut album in 2016, followed the 2018 EP “Many Paths” and the 2019 single “Waves.” Find out more here.
When: 9 p.m. Saturday
Where: The Range
Cost: $15
Joining Forces
The Cornell Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra will present a joint concert. Led by Interim Director of Orchestras Michelle Di Russo, the Chamber Orchestra performs Assad’s “Suite for Lower Strings” and Richter’s “Vivaldi: The Four Seasons Recomposed (Spring & Summer)” with soloist Rebecca Anderson. The Symphony Orchestra performs Márquez’s “Danzón No. 2” and Dvořák‘s “Symphony No. 9.”
When: 3 p.m. Sunday
Where: Bailey Hall, Cornell University
Cost: free and open to all. Please note that all events will continue to follow university-wide guidelines regarding Covid-19, and these are subject to change. Masks are required for all individuals regardless of vaccination status; they must also present proof of vaccination for COVID-19 or results of a recent negative COVID-19 test. Learn more here.
Spirits in the Night
The State Theatre of Ithaca will present “Behind the Hauntings: An Intimate Evening with Amy Bruni and Adam Berry, Hosts of Travel Channel's ‘Kindred Spirits.’” The pair, stars and executive producers of “Kindred Spirits” on the Travel Channel and formally partners on the SYFY channel original series “Ghost Hunters,” dive deep into their history and adventures as real-life paranormal investigators. “Sharing captivating stories of their own terrifying paranormal encounters, Amy and Adam will shed light on cases they have worked on and reveal intimate behind the scenes accounts of their epic investigations.”
When: 8 p.m. Sunday POSTPONED to next year: Oct. 28, 2022!
Where: State Theatre of Ithaca
Tickets: $22-$100, available here
Music in the Air
There are a bunch of cool shows around the area in the coming days; most are free of charge except where noted.
Thursday
DJ Mike Judah will spin reggae grooves at the Youth Entrepreneurship Market at the Ithaca Farmers Market at 5-8 p.m.
Mike Lucey is at Grist Iron Brewing at 5-8 p.m.
Bad Alibi is at the Dock at 8 p.m.
Tommy Tornado is at Cortland Beer Company at 8 p.m.
Friday
Insolent Cur is at Brookton’s Market at 5-8 p.m.
JT Horne is at Two Goats Brewing at 5-7 p.m.
Tru Bleu is at Collegetown Bagels City Centre at 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Darkwine is at Homer Hops at 6 p.m.
Janet Batch is at Hopshire Farm and Brewery at 6-8 p.m.
All Strung Out is at the Stonecat Café at 5-8 p.m.
The Boot Hill Band is at Grist Iron Brewing at 6-9 p.m.
Billy Golicki at Cortland Beer Company at 8 p.m.
Saturday
The Steam Boiler Works are at Treleaven Winery for its Oktoberfest at 2-6 p.m. ($5)
Stratcat Willie and the Strays are at Two Goats Brewing at 5-7 p.m.
Levi and the Wranglers return to Drifters on Owasco in Moravia at 5-8 p.m.
Sydney Irving and the Mojo are at Homer Hops at 6-9 p.m.
Nora Starr is at Brewer’s Café and Taproom in Dryden at 6-8 p.m.
Terrapin Station is at Grist Iron Brewing at 6-9 p.m.
City Limits is at the Dock (to celebrate Dan Paolangeli’s birthday!) at 6-8:30 p.m.
Route 13 is at Cortland Beer Company at 8 p.m.
Sunday
Tru Bleu is at Treleaven Winery at 1-4 p.m.
DJ EVO is at Brookton’s Market at 2-5 p.m.
Erin and the Backwoods Blues Project are at Two Goats Brewing at 4-6 p.m.
