It may be Super Bowl weekend, but there are plenty of shows to check out before the Chiefs and 49ers kick off on Sunday night!
It’s Happy Hour Again
Kick off the weekend with some live music at various venues around Ithaca and beyond: Vee Da Bee is at South Hill Cider at 5:30-8 p.m., Noon Fifteen returns to Hopshire Brewing in Dryden, Bob Keefe and Mike Tolomeo will team at Ithaca Bakery at 6-8 p.m., hard rockers Bendher return to the Haunt at 6-9 p.m., Radio London is at the Westy at 7-9 p.m., Dimitri Cosimo is at Flynn’s Roadhouse at 7-9 p.m., Rochester’s Jackson Cavalier returns to Agava Restaurant at 7-9 p.m., Grassanova is at Summerhill Brewing in Locke at 6-8 p.m.; Roger Decker is at Rex’s Pasta at 7 p.m., and Steve Romer is at BRU 64 at 7 p.m.
When: Friday
Where: Various locations
Cost: free
Sonic Explorations
This weekend, the Cornell University Department of Music presents Ithaca Sounding 2020, a festival that will explore modernist and experimental music in and from Ithaca. Running through Sunday, the event will feature a variety of events, including concerts, lectures and readings. See the website for the full schedule.
When: Friday-Sunday
Where: Cornell, Ithaca College, and Buffalo Street Books
Cost: All of the events are free and open to the public
A Good Cause
Glacial Erotics will headline a fundraiser for the Australian brush fires, with all proceeds will be donated to the New South Whales Rural Fire Service and the Wires Wildlife Rescue Organisation. The event also will feature guest taps from Lucky Hare Brewing Company and Two Goats Brewing, and baskets filled with locally made and donated items will be raffled off.
When: 5-10 p.m. Friday (music at 6-9 p.m.)
Where: Garrett’s Brewing Company in Trumansburg
Hitting the Road
Ithaca Underground will present a tour kickoff show at the Chanticleer. Local artists Jen Kutler and Bubba Crumrine, who both released intriguing albums last year, will be joined by Matt Luczack from New York City, C.H.S. from Belchertown, Mass, and the mysteriously named flubber boiler//soggy doggy, which hails from parts unknown.
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Chanticleer Loft
Cost: $7, open to all ages
Read more about this show here!
In The Spotlight
Local youth theater troupe Running to Places will present its Winter Showcase. The program will include “What Is This Feeling,” from “Wicked,” “Time Warp” from “The Rocky Horror Show,” and “Freak Flag” from “Shrek,” a full-throated anthem to individuality, self-expression and love.
When: 7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday
Where: Ithaca High School’s Kulp Auditorium
Cost: $17 general admission, $13 for students and seniors and $25 for Priority VIP, which includes reserved seating
Thought For Food
Local bands Metasequoia and the Bob Roberts Calamity will join forces to host a community food drive. All proceeds will be donated to Loaves & Fishes; find out more at loaves.org.
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Sacred Root Kava Lounge and Tea Bar
Cost: $5, or bring a canned good or non-perishable item for free entry
Vaudeville Variety
The Cherry Arts will present “La Cerise Noire,” a scripted neo-vaudeville show peppered with a tantalizing variety of delectable delights including burlesque, drag, comedy, circus arts, bellydancing, grown-up puppetry, music, and much more. Hosted by producer-creator Mickie Quinn as Cherry Bombe, with Nate “The Great” Marshall co-hosting and on piano, the show features a script by Ithaca author Bob Proehl and performances by Aundre Seals (musical comedy), Ben D Kaufman (acrobatics), Dizzy DeScretion (drag), Isaac Sharp (musical storytelling), Kitschy Scofflaw (drag), LilySilly Puppets (live music and puppetry), Regina (bellydance), Scorpiana Von Lilith (burlesque), with Rob Natoli as Buck the Spotlight Operator, Katt “Double T” Hass as Emilio the Stagehand, Tazio as the Postal Delivery Person, and featuring Scott Hitz as Benny Black.
When: 8 p.m. Friday-Sunday
Where: The Cherry Artspace
Cost: $25, $35 for VIP seating
Jam Sandwich
Local jam band Dapper Dan and Long Island jam band Baked Shrimp will team for a show in downtown Ithaca.
When: 9 p.m. Friday
Where: The Range
Cost: $5
Saturday Sounds
Saturday, catch some free music around the area: Andrew Alling will be at Chateau Dusseau in Locke at 3-6 p.m., Clint Bush will be at Summerhill Brewing at 5-7 p.m., the Andromeda Guitar Duo will be at Brookton’s Market at 6:30-8:30 p.m., Mijail Martinez and the Cantina Ramblers are at Bike Bar Ithaca at 7-9 p.m., and the Purple Valley will return to Sacred Root Kava Bar at 7-9 p.m.
When: Saturday
Where: Various locations
Cost: free
Let’s Dance
The Cornell Contra Dance Club will present an event with Faux Paws, with Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand and Chris Miller on the instruments and the Sarah VanNorstrand calling the dance. Schedule: 4-6 p.m., Advanced Contra Dance session; 7:30 p.m., Beginners Workshop; 8-11 p.m., Regular Contra Dance Session.
When: 4-11 p.m. Saturday
Where: Memorial Room, Willard Straight Hall, Cornell University
Cost: free for Cornell students, $2 for other students, $5 for the general public, for each session.
Birds of a Feather
The Free Little Birds will play the “Cabin Fever Reliever.” Marie Burns will be joined by her usual array of talented sidekicks, including Chris Broadwell, Dave Borisoff, Marty Horne and Doug Henrie, for a night of country music classics.
When: 7-11 p.m. Saturday
Where: VFW Post 6200, 7068 State Route 96, Ovid
Cost: $5
A Matter of Persistence
NYS Baroque will present “Nevertheless, She Persisted,” a concert featuring music by and about strong women in celebration of the 200th anniversary of Susan B. Anthony’s birth and the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. The program will feature works by Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre, Julie Pinel, Antonia Bembo, and others performed by Laura Heimes, soprano; Adriane Post and Boel Gidholm, violins; Lisa Terry, cello and viola da gamba; Naomi Gregory, harpsichord; and Deborah Fox, theorbo. Come at 6:45 p.m. for a pre-concert talk about the program.
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: First Unitarian Society, 306 N. Aurora St.
Cost: Tickets are $35, $20 for seniors, $20 for students, and free for grades 3-12.
Ready for Release
Juge Greenspun will play a release show for his new album, “Faces in the Carpet”; he’ll be joined by many of its contributing musicians, including Nate Richardson, Sim Redmond, Owen Erickson, Tom Gilbert, Max Shuhan, Angelo Peters and others. Rye Makepeace and Straw Hat will open the night.
When: 9 p.m. Saturday
Where: The Range
Cost: $10
Double Header
Local roots-rockers Kitestring, who put out the stellar album “Seven Years Good Luck” last year, will team with Rochester folk-pop band The Byways, who released the excellent EP “Something to Prove” in November. Find out more about them at kitestringband.com and bywaysroc.com. There’s a small cover for the 10 p.m. show.
When: 10 p.m. Saturday
Where: Lot 10
Cost: small cover
Sunday Songs
Celebrate Groundhog Day with some free local music around the area: Bert Salmirs is at Red Newt Cellars at 1-2:30 p.m., Immortal Jellyfish are at Six Mile Creek Vineyard at 2-4 p.m., and Metasequoia is at Ithaca Bakery at 4:30-6:30 p.m.
When: Sunday
Where: various locations
Cost: free
Big Band Battle
The fourth annual Ithaca Big Band Summit will feature performances by the Ithaca College Jazz Ensemble, Cornell Jazz Ensemble, and Ithaca High School Jazz Ensemble, under the respective direction of Mike Titlebaum, Paul Merrill, and Michael Treat.
When: 2 p.m. Sunday
Where: Ford Hall, Ithaca College
Cost: free, open to all
Not Your Average Joe
Bound for Glory continues its winter season with the return of Chicago-based singer-songwriter Joe Jencks. A founder of the now-defunct folk trio Brother Sun, Jencks has put out several stellar solo albums over the past 20 years, including his latest, “Poets, Philosophers, Workers, & Wanderers,” which was released in 2017 to critical acclaim.
When: 8-11 p.m. Sunday
Where: Anabel Taylor Hall, Cornell University
Cost: free, open to all ages