Cultural Pittsfield This Week
Friday: Peter Yarrow with Bethany & Rufus @ The Colonial
Legendary artist and activist Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary performs with soulful, folk jazz duo Bethany & Rufus, featuring Yarrow’s daughter Bethany and virtuoso cellist Rufus Cappadocia. Folk classics like "Puff, The Magic Dragon" and "Blowin’ in the Wind" meet Bethany & Rufus’ blend of contemporary jazz, soul, roots and world music. This musical creativity has always gone hand-in-hand with Yarrow's commitment to social change. |
| Click here for more information on the show! |
Friday & Saturday: Samba Sounds & Gypsy Rock
The Berkshire Bateria's samba band Bossa Triba plays Jae’s Spice Friday night, and the dance floor will be hopping! The Berkshire Bateria Escola De Samba features a number of talented performers that include drummers, dancers, singers and melodic instrumentalists. The group performs a wide variety of music from Brazil, including hot samba rhythms and cool bossa nova jazz. Wild gypsy kezmer punk rockers, Bella’s Bartok (pictured left) will pack the house at Mission Bar & Tapas on Saturday night with up to sixteen muscians playing! Experience their musical cacophony of wanderlust and bohemian rhapsody while enjoying Spanish wines and tasty tapas, served until midnight. |
| Click here for song samples and more info on the Berkshire Bateria |
Friday & Saturday: Hardcore & Alt Rock @ Rebel Sound Records
Friday, Mudlark celebrates their debut vinyl LP release on Fun With Smack Records with their first show in months at The Room at Rebel Sound Records. The show will also feature White Pressure, Peace Creeps, and from Virginia, Yours For Mine! Saturday night its hardcore punk with Cut Short from Delaware and Rock Bottom from Pennsylvania plus other special guests. Both shows are all ages!
Mudlark Record Release | Friday, November 20 | 7-10pm | the Room @ Rebel Sounds Records | 146-A North Street | $7/$6 w/ Student ID Cut Short, Rock Bottom & more | Saturday, November 21 | 7-10pm | the Room @ Rebel Sounds Records | 146-A North Street | $7 ($6 w/ Student ID)
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| Click here for more info on Rebel Sounds Records |
Saturday: Benefit Music Concerts, Ballroom Dancing & More Downtown!
Romance, Soul & Rock N' Roll presents their 2009 show, entitled Peace, Love & Music. Returning for their 8th season with an all new show, once again they promise a full evening of entertainment with plenty of singing and dancing to benefit the Jimmy Fund of Berkshire County. At First United Methodist Church, Giving Thanks Concert ’09 features singer-songwriter Bobby Sweet and The BSweet Band along with Mary Verdi in a benefit concert for Berkshire Community Action Council. Raffles this year will include cordwood, heating oil, gasoline gift certificates, and food gift certificates. If you are feeling like dancing, get your Latin groove on at the Masonic Temple with salsa dancing lessons beginning at 7pm from Dancin’ David and the party continues into the evening with FREE pizza and refreshments. |
Saturday & Sunday: Delicious Thanksgiving Feasts
Saturday night, Dottie’s Coffee Lounge hosts an early Thanksgiving feast, vegan-style, as The Dancing Vegan prepares a multicourse dinner featuring Caramelized Squash, Tempeh Wellington, Yam Biscuits, Cornbread, Hot Mulled Cider, Pumpkin and Pecan Pie, and much, much more! On Sunday, come down to St. Stephen’s Parish and meet with members of the local LGBT community at the BSCC Thanksgiving Potluck. Turkey will be provided; all that is asked is that you bring a side dish and some friendly conversation. Friends, families, and allies are all invited to take part in this holiday affair. |
| Click here for more info on The Dancing Vegan! |
Saturday: Local Author Book Signing
Pittsfield author Jim Ciullo will be signing copies of his latest novel, Maracaibo at Barnes & Noble at Berkshire Crossing. Maracaibo is a contemporary political conspiracy woven from headlines we may soon be reading. Much of it takes place in the oil-rich area around Maracaibo, Venezuela and the nearby borderlands with Colombia, along the semi-lawless Guajira peninsula. There is no shortage of bad actors from an anti-US Venezuelan president, to Colombian para-military operatives, to al-Qaida agents among the Muslim population of the Guajira peninsula, to power-hungry conspirators well-placed in the US Government. Come out and meet this very talented local writer! Saturday, November 21 | 7-9pm | Barnes & Noble Bookstore | 555 Hubbard Ave | 496-9051| FREE |
| Click here for more information on Jim Ciullo. |
Friday & Saturday: Art Openings Galore!
This weekend features a slew of new art exhibits opening all over downtown Pittsfield! On Friday, Pasko Frame & Gift will hold the reception for Junkers, an exhibit featuring photos of antique, dilapidated and wrecked automobiles, trucks and construction equipment by Jeff Gardner. Saturday, start your night at the Ferrin Gallery where two new exhibits will be on display. PAPER or POTTERY -not- PLASTIC is a "show within a show " featuring 100 plates, both paper and ceramic. This show is in an addition to the SMALL WORKS: Art + Object, the gallery's annual group show of small scale and affordable artworks featuring local artists such as Michael Boroniec, Maggie Mailer, Ven Voisey and Joe Wheaton. Next Temple 33 1/3 is featuring abstract work by Berkshire resident Will McDougal and around the corner at the Storefront Artist Project is the opening reception for the annual show 12 x 12 Exhibit, entirely comprised of work 12” by 12” in size that will be raffled off on December 12th.
Junkers Opening Reception | 5-7:30pm | Pasko Frame & Gift | 234 North St. | 442-2680| FREE SMALL WORKS: Art + Object Opening Reception | 4-6pm | Ferrin Gallery | 437 North St. | 442-1622| FREE Will McDougal Opening Reception | 5pm | The Temple 33 1/3 | 71 Federal Street | 496-9051 | FREE 12x12 Opening Reception | 6-8pm | Storefront Artist Project | 124 Fenn St. | 442-7201| FREE |
| Click here for more info on Pasko Frame & Gift Shop. |
Sunday: Free Concert to Celebrate the Life of Ellen Ruberto
The Colonial Theatre hosts a free concert, open to the public, on Sunday afternoon to celebrate the life of Ellen Marie Ruberto, Pittsfield Mayor James Ruberto’s late wife. Ellen was an enthusiastic trustee and supporter of The Colonial Theatre. The concert begins with the Pittsfield High School Orchestra directed by Alla Zernitskaya. Liam Geddes, known to Berkshire audiences as the Irish Idol, will perform some favorite Irish ballads, followed by the Gospel Choir of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church led by Paul Keel. Advance tickets will be required and general admission seating will be available starting at 3PM on the day of the event on a first-come-first served basis. Friday, November 22 | 4pm | The Colonial Theatre | 111 South St | 997-4444| FREE (advance tickets required) |
| Click here to learn more about this event. |
Wednesday: Thanksgiving Eve Bashes and Benefits
Pittsfield’s newest downtown culinary and nightlife addition, Flavours Malaysian Restaurant, throws a pre-Thanksgiving Bash that will be almost as spicy as their red curry! Rev Tor will be tearing up the stage alongside Catfish Blue and there will be great food, drink specials and giveaways all night long! And at First Church there will be a gathering of local musicians and poets sharing tunes and ideas to raise emergency heating funds, including Andy Kelly, Between the Banks, Linda Worster, Bert Marshall and more.
Wednesday, November 25 | Rev Tor w/ Catfish Blue | 9pm | Flavours | 75 North St | 443-3188| $8
Wednesday, November 25 | Benefit for Emergency Heating | 7:00pm - 8:30pm | First Church | 27 East St | 447-7351 | Donation
