Elvis Costello’s return to the State Theatre has sold out in advance, but there are still plenty of other shows to catch in the next three days.
Roll Them Bones
St. Paul & the Broken Bones will make their Ithaca debut in a show postponed from June. Led by powerful singer Paul Janeway, the Alabama-based rock-soul band is touring to promote its 2018 album, “Young Sick Camellia,” a worthy follow-up to 2016’s “Sea of Noise” and 2014’s “Half the City.” &More, the Philadelphia-based hiphop duo of Chill Moody and Donn T, will open the show.
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: State Theatre
Cost: $35-$40
It’s Happy Hour Again
Kick off the weekend with some live music at various venues around the Ithaca and Cortland. Sandbox is at Hopshire Farm and Brewery in Dryden for a Halloween-themed happy hour at 6-8 p.m., Tru Bleu returns to the Westy at 7-9 p.m., Ted Walsh and Tom Gath are at Rex’s Pasta at 7-9 p.m., Virgil Cain is at BRU 64 at 7 p.m., and Off The Rails is at Cortland Beer Company at 7 p.m.
When: Friday
Where: Various locations
Cost: free
Finnish Film
The Finger Lakes Finns will present a special musical movie event: A live performance of Finnish classical and folk music arranged for organ, violin, and piano as the original soundtrack for the 1931 Finnish silent film "Laveata Tietä" (“The Wide Road”), in Finnish with English subtitles. Organist Kent Washburn, formerly of Ithaca and now based in Arlington, Va., will be joined by Tuulikki Tammi on violin and a pianist, to perform the new soundtrack live.
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: First Unitarian Church of Ithaca (corner of Buffalo and Aurora Streets)
Cost: free and open to all; donations accepted
Rocking ‘Round NYC
The Fleshtones return to Ithaca for the first time since 2013. The NYC-based band has been a garage-rock favorite since the late 1970s, and is still going strong with singer Peter Zaremba and guitarist Keith Streng (also recently seen here with the Split Squad). Their latest album is 2016’s “The Band Drinks for Free.” The IthaCats will open with a set of rockabilly classics.
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: The Haunt
Cost: $16 in advance, more at the door
Planet Rock
New Planets, the local all-star band that debuted this summer, will return to the state. The lineup includes Alicia Aubin, Archer Cowen, Angelo Peters, Emmett Scott, Yao “Cha Cha” Foli Augustine and Cooper Casterline, who play a variety of originals that blend African, jazz and funk influences.
When: 9 p.m. Friday
Where: Casita del Polaris
Cost: $10
Double Header
At 7 p.m. Journey West will perform global traditional music with guest Turkish vocalist Gizem Kilic. At 5:15 p.m., Adam Johnson and Nima Shirazi will host a live recording of “Citations Needed,” a podcast about the intersection of media, PR, and power, with special guest professor Shannon Gleeson; in conjunction with the exhibition "how the light gets in," they'll discuss "How the Media Helps Stir Up Anti-Immigration Fervor" in the context of tracing the histories of tying immigrants to drugs and crime, and the fear-mongering about open borders.
When: 4:30-9 p.m. Saturday
Where: Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell
Cost: free
Spooky Sounds
The First Presbyterian Church will present a “Spooktacular Organ Concert,” with several Ithaca organists performing a program of Halloween favorites and other fun works.
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: First Presbyterian Church, 315 N. Cayuga St.
Cost: free, open to all ages
Let’s Go Honky Tonkin’
Lloyd’s Boys will host a Honky Tonk Swing Dance Night featuring Hillbilly Swing, Jugband Blues, Country and Cajun for two steps, swing dancing, waltzes, free-style dancing and more. The band includes Lloyd Graves, Harry Aceto, Dave Davies, John Hoffman, Jerone Gagliano and Stuart "Kraz" Krasnoff.
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Enfield Valley Grange, 178 Enfield Main Road
Cost: $5-$15 suggested donation, proceeds support the Grange Building Fund
Music and Mayhem
As part of Ithaca Fantastik's October Series and Cinemapolis's Halloween Spectacular, the ElectroZone presents “a ghastly group of electro-musicians to thrill you and chill you,” followed by a screen of the cult classic “Chopping Mall” at 9:30 p.m.
When: 7-9 p.m. Saturday
Where: Cinemapolis
Cost: free (film requires a separate ticket)
Funked Up
“The Great Funkin’ III,” the third annual Halloween-themed show curated by local promoter Nick Frazier of Sticky C Key Productions (they put on the Finger Lakes Thaw), returns. On the lineup are Massachusetts circus-rockers Bella’s Bartok, Connecticut funk favorites West End Blend and local funksters Max Childs, with DJ Gourd spinning classic vinyl throughout the night.
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: The Range
Cost: Advance tickets for the 7 p.m. show are $20; cover is more at the door.
Raising Their Voices
Cornell’s Atkinson Forum in American Studies will present the legendary Fisk Jubilee Singers in a free public performance. Comprising vocal artists and students at Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn., the group continues the tradition of singing the Negro spiritual to audiences everywhere, sharing this rich culture globally while preserving this unique music.
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: Statler Auditorium, Cornell University
Cost: free; no tickets required
Future Soul
The Auroras return with their distinctive brand of “future soul, party funk, neo-blues”; the quintet released a new EP, “Chicco,” earlier this year. Singer-guitarist and main songwriter Liam Lawson is joined by Colleen Countryman on keys, Nate Cowles on bass, Erik Babcock on bari, and Zane Seubert on drums.
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: Agava Restaurant
Cost: free; donations welcome
Pennsylvania Pair
The Districts return to Ithaca; the Pennsylvania-based indie-rock band recently released its third album, “Popular Manipulations.” Philadelphia “dark-pop” quartet Corey Flood will open the show.
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: The Haunt
Cost: $15 in advance, $18 at the door
Halloween Explosion
Cortland funk band The X'Plozionz will host a Halloween dance party featuring a costume contest and more fun.
When: 8:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Rex’s Pasta, Cortland
Cost: free
Freaky Saturday
“The Freak Show of Death,” a new event hosted by local performer Charmion, will present an eclectic lineup that also includes Athena Merlot, Kitana Scofflaw, Komorov, Scorpiana Von Lilith, The Mighty Mickie Quinn, Beliah The Basket Case, The Mystical Computer Man and others performing a variety of routines throughout the night.
When: 9 p.m. Saturday
Where: Sacred Root Kava Bar and Tea Lounge
Cost: free; tips for the performers are welcome.
Goin’ Goth
Goth Night returns to the Chanti Loft as DJs Rob Haze and Joe Tragedy spin everything from Post-Punk, Goth Rock, and Darkwave to EBM, Industrial, Electro, and Synthwave)
When: 9 p.m. Saturday
Where: The Chanticleer
Cost: free
Riding That Train
The Cornell Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Paul Merrill, will present “Mythology, Folklore, and Freedom,” a concert highlighting train imagery in early blues, folk, jazz, and pop, joined by singer-guitarist Miche Fambro. The program features music from a wide variety of artists, including Lead Belly, Elizabeth Cotton, Henry Thomas, Duke Ellington, Mary Lou Williams, Thelonious Monk, Arlo Guthrie, Johnny Cash, Bob Marley, The O'Jays, and more.
When: 3 p.m. Sunday
Where: Bailey Hall, Cornell University
Cost: free
Spiritual Music
The Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers (DCJS) will present an afternoon of Negro Spirituals. The Ithaca-based group, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, is dedicated to preserving the Negro Spiritual and its themes of sorrow, despair, and hope to promote racial healing and social justice; and to furthering civil rights leader (and longtime Ithaca resident) Dorothy Cotton’s message of freedom and hope through music.
When: 3 p.m. Sunday
Where: Ithaca High School’s Kulp Auditorium
Cost: free with a suggested donation.
Power of Two
The Sopko/Tomino Duo, featuring Mike Sopko on guitars and Joe Tomino on drums, comes to Ithaca. Both artists are based in Cleveland, Ohio; Tomino, best known for his work with Dub Trio, recently performed at Maxie’s with Birth, while Sopko has played with everyone from Bill Laswell, Dave King to Thomas Pridgen and Hamir Atwal.
When: 6-9 p.m. Sunday
Where: Maxie’s Supper Club
Resonant Sounds
Infusing Middle Eastern and cantorial music into American folk, rock, blues and jazz sounds, Resonate includes Abbe Lyons, Will Fudeman, David Frumkin, and Mahmud Burton, joined by special guest Desmond Bratton.
When: 7 p.m. Sunday
Where: Congregation Tikkun v'Or (Ithaca Reform Temple), 2550 N. Triphammer Road.
Cost: $10-$25 sliding scale at the door
Event Info
https://www.facebook.com/events/763872244054235/
Hot Jazz
The Djangoners return with their take on Django Reinhardt-style vintage jazz, with fiery flatpicker Bobby Henrie joined by violinist Eric Aceto, rhythm guitarist Harry Aceto and bassist Brian Williams.
When: 7-10 p.m. Sunday
Where: Argos Warehouse
Cost: free; donations welcome
Rolling On
Grassanova returns to Ithaca’s West End with its unique take on bluegrass and roots music.
When: 7-9 p.m. Sunday
Where: The Westy
Cost: free
New England Folk
Bound for Glory continues its 53rd season with the return for Larry Kaplan, who’s known for his songs of the sea, the land and his favorite Connecticut River. “He has a marvelous way with words, and he sings the truth in life,” said BFG host Phil Shapiro.
When: 8-11 p.m. Sunday
Where: Alternatives Library, ANabel Taylor Hall, Cornell University
Cost: free and open to all
Voice of a Generation
The new documentary “Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice” continues to screen in downtown Ithaca. The film chronicles the career of the versatile vocalist whose mastery of several styles – country rock, pop, rock, new wave, Mexican, and more – kept her at the forefront of popular music for decades.
When: all week
Where: Cinemapolis
Cost: $10.50