We say goodbye to February and hello to March with three big shows at the State Theatre of Ithaca. And there are a bunch of other cool shows ranging from classical and jazz to reggae, funk and beyond in area venues this Leap Year weekend.
Busting Boundaries
Kamasi Washington will make his Ithaca debut. After releasing his groundbreaking “The Epic” in 2015, the acclaimed saxophonist and bandleader has continued to expand the boundaries of jazz with his latest album, 2018’s “Heaven and Earth.” Along the way, he has worked with Kendrick Lamar, John Legend and Run the Jewels and also created “Harmony of Difference,” a standalone multimedia installation, during the 2017 Biennial at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. And earlier this month, he released the film “Kamasi Washington Live At The Apollo Theater,” which is available on Amazon Prime. DJ Gourd will open the show.
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: State Theatre
Cost: $28.50-$38.50
It’s Happy Hour Again
Friday, catch some happy hour shows around the area: Big J Blues and Mr. B are at Agava Restaurant at 4-6 p.m., the Stone Fence String Band (Richie Stearns, Rosie Newton, Ben Gould, Steve Selin) is at South Hill Cider at 5:30-8 p.m., The Beauchesnes return to Hopshire Farm and Brewery at 6-8 p.m., the Small Kings return to Grist Iron Brewing at 6-9 p.m., the Bonnie and Clyde Band is at Flynn’s Roadhouse at 6:30-9 p.m., Erin and the Backwoods Blues Project return to Two Goats Brewing at 7-10 p.m., Mike Stark will play a solo piano show at the Westy at 7-9 p.m., and The Purple Valley is at Stella’s Barn at 7:30-9:30 p.m. In the greater Cortland area, Teddy Kilts, Cierra Rae and Darrell Negley will play at the Center for the Arts at 5 p.m., Tracy and Chris are at Summerhill Brewing at 6-8 p.m., Travis Rocco is at BRU 64 at 7-10 p.m., Dimitri Cosimo is at Cortland Beer Company at 7 p.m., Roger Decker returns to Rex’s Pasta at 7 p.m., Jimmy Lawler is at the St. Charles Hotel at 8-10 p.m., and the Johnny West Trio is at the One Cent Saloon at 9:30 p.m.
When: Friday
Where: Various locations
Cost: free; donations always welcome
Winter Wonderland
The annual Wintersquabee Festival returns this weekend, with more than two-dozen area bands performing Friday-Sunday to raise funds for the protection of local water resources. Visit the event’s Facebook page for the complete lineup and schedule.
When: from 5 p.m. to midnight Friday, from 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Stonecat Café, Hector
Band of Brothers
The new documentary “Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band” plays at Cinemapolis. Directed by Daniel Roher, the film tells the story of one of the most-influential groups of the past 50 years as seen through the eyes of Robertson, its guitarist and main songwriter.
When: Opens Friday
Where: Cinemapolis
Cost: $10.50
All in the Family
The Center for Arts also will rev up its spring season beginning this weekend, as The Travelin’ McCourys come to Homer. Led by Ronnie and Rob McCoury of the Del McCoury Band, the lineup also includes fiddler Jason Carter, guitarist Cody Kilby and bassist Alan Bartram. The quintet’s self-titled debut earned the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album, showing the brothers are wholly capable of adding to the family legacy.
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: Center for the Arts, Homer
Cost: $10-$30 SOLD OUT!!
Marvelous Night for a Moon Dance
The Hudson Valley-based quartet Telepathic Moon Dance will bring its “jazz-infused dance-funk with house, world, and dub flavors” to downtown Ithaca.
When: 9 p.m. Friday
Where: Sacred Root Kava Lounge and Tea Bar
Cost: small cover charge
Double Trouble
Local favorite Vee Da Bee will join forces with Buffalo blues-funk-rockers Strange Standard in downtown Ithaca.
When: 9:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Lot 10
Cost: $5
Funky Leap Year
The Range will host a Leap Year Party, with Syracuse favorites Sophistafunk returning to team with locals Metasequoia for a funk-filled evening.
When: 10 p.m. Friday
Where: The Range
Cost: $10
Ready for Release
Ithaca singer-songwriter Jen Cork has just unveiled a new single, “Maybe Someday” – her first release since her stellar 2015 debut album “Forever to Fall." Hear that song and many other originals, plus a few well-chosen covers, at this intimate venue on the Cayuga Wine Trail.
When: 1-2:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Red Newt Cellars, Hector
Cost: free; donations welcome
Classical Concert
Opus Ithaca will present a kid-friendly performance of Paul Dukas’ “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” which tells the story of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s famous ballad. The program also will include music from favorites such as “Harry Potter” and “Peer Gynt.” The ensemble features musicians from the faculties of Opus Ithaca, Ithaca College, Cornell University, and the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, and will be conducted by Opus Ithaca’s own Madeline Schatz-Harris.
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
Where: St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 402 N. Aurora St.
Cost: free and open to all
Saturday Songs
Saturday, catch some tunes around the area: The StiffTones are at Chateau Dusseau in Locke at 3-6 p.m., John Bunge and William Hurley will bring their Narrow Path Tour to the Community School of Music at Arts at 4-6 p.m.; Vee Da Bee is at Summerhill Brewing at 5-8 p.m.; Beverly Stokes is at Brewer’s Café and Taproom at 6-8 p.m.; Mama Rabwa returns to Sacred Root Kava Lounge and Tea Bar at 6 p.m., along with DJ Evo, Julie Brown and Mighty Jet; JP Payton and Liam Lawson return to Bike Bar Ithaca at 7-9 p.m.; Stereopticon is at Trax Pub and Grille at Greek Peak; Billy Golicki is at the Union Tavern in Groton at 9 p.m.; and Chasing Neon is at Goody’s Lake Como Inn at 9 p.m.
When: Saturday
Where: Various locations
Cost: free; donations always welcome
We Have a Winner!
The Cornell Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Katherine Kilburn, will perform a featuring Joy Zhang, winner of the 2019 concerto competition. Zhang, a human biology, health and society major, studies flute with Elizabeth Shuhan and will play Georges Hüe’s “Fantasie for Flute and Orchestra.” The program also includes Gabriela Lena Frank's “Apu” and Sibelius’ “Symphony No. 6 in D Minor, Op. 104.” A pre-concert instrument petting zoo presented by Hickey’s Music Center begins at 2 p.m. in the lower lobby
When: 3 p.m. Saturday
Where: Bailey Hall, Cornell University
Cost: free and open to all
A Good Cause
For more than 30 years, Cortland musicians have been coming together for the annual Phil Clarke Benefit Concert. This year’s event will feature several youth bands – The Offbeats, Butterchunks, The Screw Drivers, The Butter Chunks and Bikini Bottoms – along with Colleen Kattau, Mel Drake and Tanglewood, and Cloey Tierno. Proceeds will go to the Cortland Youth Bureau Scholarship Fund, which provides music lessons for children in need.
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: BRU 64, Cortland
Cost: donations
Saturday Swing
The Enfield Valley Grange will host Swing Dance Night, with Dance Club – guitarist Dave Richman, bassist Chris Gibbons, percussionist Keith Evan Green and saxophonist Ken Zeserson – providing a mix of swing standards, blues and country.
When: 7-10 p.m. Saturday
Where: Enfield Valley Grange, 178 Enfield Main Road, Ithaca
Cost: Suggested minimum donation is $10, which will support the Grange Building Fund
Triple Threat
Root Shock will make its Cortland debut, as the popular Syracuse reggae-rock band will perform at Rose Hall, a new venue in an old church (it’s kitty-corner from the Cortland Free Library), along with hometown favorites Unknown Woodsmen and Stiv Morgan.
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Rose Hall, 19 Church St., Cortland
Cost: $10-$15
‘The Wall’ and all
The Machine Performs Pink Floyd will make its annual Ithaca visit to mark the 40th anniversary of “The Wall” by playing the double album in its entirety, plus an encore featuring favorites from other Floyd albums. Find out more at the band’s website.
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where:
Cost: $25-$35
Bringing the Noise
Ithaca Underground will present a show in downtown Ithaca, with Brooklyn’s Absolute Garbage joined by locals Zero Mean, Tilling, and Leonardo Decapitated for a night of hardcore, punk, noise and more.
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: Chanticleer
Cost: $7
Secret Society
The Electrozone returns to the Hotel Groton to host “Top Secret!” It’s a “Deep Listening Experience” that will feature local electronic artists Thomas Bruce, Finite Element, Shaawano and Fainting Lessons, as well as Brooklyn-based Via Intercom, who's currently touring the region.
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: Hotel Groton
Cost: $10, includes a mask!
Swinging Sax
The Ithaca College Jazz Ensemble will perform a set of swinging jazz big band jazz along with guest Alexa Tarantino, who was recently named one of the “Top 5 Alto Saxophonists of 2019” in the JazzTimes Critics’ Poll. For this concert, which will take place in Ford Hall in the Whalen Center for Music, all the music has been learned by ear and will be performed from memory.
When: 8:15 p.m. Saturday
Where: Ford Hall, Ithaca College
Cost: free and open to all
Dead Reckoning
Terrapin Station returns with its vast catalog of Grateful Dead tunes, as guitarist-singers Larry Honigbaum and Frank Raponi will lead the band through a night of classics
When: 9 p.m. Saturday
Where: The Haunt
Cost: $10
Ready to Rock
Celebrate Leap Year in downtown Ithaca, as local favorites Dapper Dan and the Bob Roberts Calamity will team for a show at Lot 10.
When: 10 p.m. Saturday
Where: Lot 10
Cost: $5
Sunday Songs
Catch some free music around the area on Sunday: Syracuse singer-songwriter Ashley Rose is at Ithaca Bakery at 4:30-6:30 p.m., Radio London is at Bickering Twin Restaurant at 5-7 p.m., and local jazz trio Wingnut is at Two Goats Brewing at 4-7 p.m.
When: Sunday
Where: Various locations
Cost: free
Funds from Flatbread
The Groundswell Center for Local Food and Farming will host a Flatbread Fundraiser at Agava Restaurant. The Local Farmers Union, from Cortland, will provided live music. Suggested donation is $5, and $5 of every flatbread purchase and $1 of every specialty cocktail goes towards training the next generation of local farmers.
When: 4-6 p.m. Sunday
Where: Agava Restaurant
Cost: $5 suggested donation
Dashing Debuts
Festival Chamber Orchestra will feature a sinfonietta performing new works by Cornell graduate composers Sergio Cote and Miles Jefferson Friday.
When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday
Where: Barnes Hall, Cornell University
Cost: free
Perfect Pair
Bound for Glory continues its season with the Vollmers, the husband-and-wife duo of Brian Vollmer (Simmerin’ Stew) and Claire Byrne (Driftwood). They play country, old-time and folk tunes on fiddle, banjo and guitar, some of which they captured on their 2019 debut CD, “Waves on the Sea.” Find out more at banjoandfiddle.com.
When: 8-11 p.m. Sunday
Where: Anabel Taylor Hall, Cornell University
Cost: free and open to all
American Music
Four-time Grammy Award winner Rosanne Cash will visit downtown Ithaca. After scoring numerous country hits – including "My Baby Thinks He's a Train" and “Seven Year Ache” – in the 1980s, Cash turned in a more pensive direction in the 1990s with her albums “Interiors” and “The Wheel." After putting out the acclaimed 2014 album “The River & The Thread,” Cash followed up in 2018 with “She Remembers Everything,” a poetic, lush and soulful collection of women’s narratives that reckon with a complex world.
When: 8 p.m. Sunday
Where: State Theatre
Cost: $35-$55