Alejandro Escovedo and James Mastro come to the Center for the Arts of Homer, Suzanne Vega returns to Ithaca for a sold-out at the Hangar Theatre, loadbang is back at Cornell, and the Faux Paws play the Downstairs – all tonight!
Note: Today's shows are listed in chronological order in two sections below.
Lotsa Laughs
Deep Dive continues its bi-weekly comedy night, "Dive Into Comedy,” produced by Comedy On The Commons. “Brace yourselves for waves of laughter every other Wednesday, as the stand-up scene in Ithaca takes a deep dive into humor! Your hosts for the night, Mike Stewart and Andre ‘Pnut’ Williams, promise to keep your spirits afloat with their unique styles… So mark your calendars, call your friends, and get ready to dive into a night filled with laughter, good vibes, and the most diverse comedy acts in town. Who knows? You might even discover your new favorite comedian!”
When: 6:30 p.m. every other Wednesday
Where: Deep Dive
Rootsy Revelry
The Faux Paws bring their blend of bluegrass, old-time, Celtic and other rootsy influences to downtown Ithaca. The band includes Andrew and Noah Van Norstrand of Great Bear along with Chris Miller of the Revelers.
“The Faux Paws have a problem. They’re a triangle band in a land of circles. Musically impossible to describe, they don’t even fit into todays often hyphenated-genre world. No fan, industry expert, nor member of the band can seem to sum up this band’s sound in any kind of marketable way. They continue to remain a singularly unique outfit in the acoustic music community, always on the fringes, always memorable and with an increasing number of die-hard fans who feel like they’ve uncovered a secret.
“Is it bluegrass? Not usually. Old-time? Occasionally. Is it Celtic? Can’t quite say that. Is it Folk? Americana? Jazz? Singer-songwriter? None of the above, but members of the Paws have deep ties to all of these traditions and blend their elements effortlessly to serve whatever musical idea is being presented. So what can we say? This band takes risks. They’re dynamic, exciting, sincere, irreverent, infectious, and surprising. They move deftly between moods, influences and instruments but always maintaining a “groove” that pulses through the music like a heartbeat (you may not always be aware it’s there but it gives the thing life).
“A Faux Paws live show is an explosive roller coaster ride that brings the audience along. Virtuosity on the fiddle, mandolin, guitar and saxophone, sure, but also vulnerability, personal lyrics, tight 3-part brother harmonies, playful interplay, intricately arranged details and soaring improvisations.”
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 10
Where: The Downstairs
Cost: $15-$25 sliding scale
With a Bang
New music ensemble loadbang returns to Cornell for their final visit as the Stucky Residency for New Music guest ensemble, presenting two concerts.
At 7:15 p.m. Wednesday in the Alice Cook House Common Room, loadbang gives an intimate performance titled “Reckoning: Orienting in a Musical Space,” with pieces by Raven Chacon, Jon Yu, and Eva-Maria Houben.
At 3 p.m. Sunday in Barnes Hall, the ensemble performs world premieres by Cornell composers María Bulla, James Parker, and Michael Li, along with Oscar Bettison’s I Am A Garden Adorned.
"New York City-based new music chamber group loadbang is building a new kind of music for mixed ensemble of trumpet, trombone, bass clarinet, and baritone voice. Since their founding in 2008, they have been praised as ‘cultivated’ by the New Yorker, ‘an extra-cool new music group’ and ‘exhilarating’ by the Baltimore Sun, ‘inventive’ by the New York Times and called a 'formidable new-music force' by TimeOutNY. Creating 'a sonic world unlike any other' (The Boston Musical Intelligencer), their unique lung-powered instrumentation has provoked diverse responses from composers, resulting in a repertoire comprising an inclusive picture of composition today.
"The Residency for New Music at Cornell was created to honor the memory of beloved colleague, educator, and composer Steven Stucky and was funded through the generosity of more than 50 donors."
When: 7:15 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Alice Cook House Common Room, Cornell
Cost: free and open to all
When: 3 p.m. Sunday
Where: Barnes Hall, Cornell
Cost: free and open to all
City Sounds
Suzanne Vega returns to the Hangar Theatre for the first time since 2014, bringing her “Old Songs, New Songs and Other Songs” tour to Ithaca.
“Widely regarded as one of the foremost songwriters of her generation, Suzanne Vega emerged as a leading figure of the folk revival of the early 1980s when, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, she sang what has been called contemporary folk or neo-folk songs of her own creation in Greenwich Village clubs. Since the release of her self-titled, critically acclaimed 1985 debut album, she has been known for performances that convey deep emotion, with NPR Music noting that she “has been making vital, inventive music” throughout the course of her decades-long career.
Vega’s latest album, “An Evening of New York Songs and Stories,” was released in 2020.
Read a new Q&A with Suzanna Vega here!
When: 8 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Hangar Theatre
Cost: SOLD OUT!
Double Feature
Acclaimed Texas singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo returns to Central New York to promote his latest album, “Echo Dancing,” which features reworkings of 14 of his songs “painted with a fresh palette.”
“No one has really ever been able to define themselves and their music like singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo does. His life in music of all kinds sometimes feels like a swirl through the sky, where his songs point out all the majesty and mystery of how he sees the world. The sounds he makes take him places that he might not even predict, but once there, greatness always follows. It's just the way Escovedo is. It has happened over and over for decades, almost like a fateful agreement he has with the cosmos. There is a good chance it cannot be explained, especially by him.”
Hoboken-based rock/Americana singer-songwriter-guitarist James Mastro (The Bongos, Health & Happiness Show, Ian Hunter) will open the show, performing songs from his new full-length debut solo album, “Dawn of a New Error.” He’ll play guitar in Escovedo’s band, too!
When: 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 10
Where: Center for the Arts of Homer
Cost: $35-$40, available online here
Going Galactic
The Galactic Escort Service returns to Deep Dive for Galactic Wednesday, with Ashley Ickes, Tenzin Chopak, Josh Oxford, Emmett Scott, and Michael Schuler ready to whip up some atmospheric grooves.
“Every other Wednesday, a core group of Ithaca-based musicians join forces to create live improvised music on the spot. The group projects both obscure and classic films to aid in enhancing the experience as both audience and performers embark into the unknown spaces and places of the sonic realm. Guaranteed no two shows are the same, come be a part of the excitement of musical creation in real time.”
The kitchen is open from 6-10 p.m. featuring Yxi's Arepas
When: 9 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Deep Dive
Cost: $10
More Shows
The Argos Grove Trio plays jazz at the Argos Inn at 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays
What’s Cookin’ Jazz plays at Brookton’s Market at 6-8 p.m. Wednesday
Greg Neff is at Scale House Brewery at 6-9 p.m. Wednesday
Rachel Beverly is at Salt Point Brewing at 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday
DJ Dale hosts Trivia Night at Revelry Yards at 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays
Sacred Root Kava Bar and Tea Lounge hosts its weekly Open Mic Night at 7 p.m. Wednesday
The Upstairs hosts its weekly Open Mic Night at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday
Salsa Ithaca hosts a Latin Dance Party at the Range at 9 p.m. Wednesday