5 Things To Do This Weekend, Sept. 18-20: You outta be in pictures

manic abraxas1. It’s art walk night in Downtown Bangor, with lots of things to see and do in town, including a musical performance and are show from The City Proper at Coespace, a special show featuring Bangor tattoo artists and much more. It’s also the Battle of the Bands event at 7 p.m. at the Cross Insurance Center, featuring three cover bands (Motor Booty Affair, Juicebox and the Stone Doctors) raising money for Acadia Hospital, and there’s the monthly contradance at 8 p.m. at the UU Church on Park Street. Later that night, enjoy either Koostix at Paddy Murphy’s, Indigo jazz at Nocturnem Drafthaus, songwriter Travis Cyr at Blaze, the Rotating Taps at Woodman’s and Eric Green at Black Bear Brewery, both in Orono, and Magnetic North at the Boomhouse in Old Town. On Saturday, the Downunder Lounge at Seasons hosts comedian Louie Katz at 6 p.m. and rockers the Blast Addicts at 9 p.m.; there’s an excellent metal show at Zen featuring Manic Abraxas (pictured above), Taboo and Jambomb 3; there’s Stesha Cano at Paddy’s, there’s local rockers Justice for the River at the Boomhouse in Old Town, and there’s songwriter Meaghan Clark at 4Points BBQ & Blues in Winterport. On Sunday, local favorite Chris Ross plays a solo set at 4Points to close out the weekend.

Photo by Troy Bennett

Photo by Troy Bennett

2. Friday night in Portland brings the premiere of this year’s Playing for Change video at Portland HOME, an event that brings together tons of local musicians young and established alike, set for 7 p.m. That night also brings the Eli Young Band with Maine rockers Chris Ross and the North at the State Theatre, Greensky Bluegrass at Port City Music Hall, Throwback Hip Hop night at Empire with DJs Wisdom and KTF, songwriter Chris Smither at One Longfellow Square, and a screening of “Christmas with the Dead” at 8 p.m. at Geno’s Rock Club. On Saturday, there’s a CD release party for local artist Oliver Waterman with guests Nick Perry and the Brass Tax, Whitney Walker and Erik Neilsen; there’s also Jimmy and the Soul Cats and Tommy O’Connell and the Juke Joint Devils at Portland HOME, and Oh Land and Parlour Tricks at Port City. On Sunday, there’s the rescheduled-from-the-summer Noshbow Street Festival, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. outside Nosh on Congress Street, featuring skateboard demos, food trucks and tons of local music from Murcielago (pictured above), Eldemurr Krimm, Covered in Bees, Paranoid Social Club, When Particles Collide, Eric Bettncourt and the Pubcrawlers. That night there’s also bluesman Charlie Musselwhite at One Longfellow, and guitarist Ana Popovic at Asylum.

3. In Blue Hill the Boatyard Grill — a very nice place to have a drink, btw — hosts its Rock the Boat end of summer party on Saturday, starting at 2 p.m. featuring music from the Blood Orange Martinis, the Bad Daddys and David Raitt and the Main Line. Across the bay in Knox County, songwriter Dana Rader is at Rock City Coffee and the aforementioned Blood Orange Martinis are at the Speakeasy, both in Rockland on Friday night, as well as singer-songwriter Sarah J at Trackside Station, also in Rockland. On Saturday, there’s  George Stephens and Kathy Westra at Rock City, and Bill Barnes Jazz at the Speakeasy.

The-Strand-Camden-International-Film-Festival-2012-600x4004. This weekend brings the Camden International Film Festival, a weekend of wonderful screenings, panels and parties that I can personally attest to is one of the best events each fall in Maine. Some highlights include a screening of “Going Clear,” (Friday) Alex Gibney’s Scientology documentary with the filmmaker in attendance, “Meru,” the incredible Himalaya documentary (Friday), “How To Change The World,” about Greenpeace activists (Saturday), and “Best of Enemies,” about William F. Buckley and Gore Vidal (Sunday). There are many, many more than this, throughout Camden, Rockland and Rockport; visit camdenfilmfest.org for a full schedule.

5. Saturday is also Open Winery Day, in which vineyards and wineries will throw open their doors to anyone that loves wine (which is a lot of people including myself). The list includes (deep breath) Bar Harbor Cellars, Bartlett Maine Estate Winery & Distillery, Blacksmith’s Winery, Boothby’s Farm Orchard & Winery, Breakwater Vineyards, Catherine Hill Winery, Cellardoor Winery, The Fat Friar’s Meadery, Maine Mead Works, Prospect Hill Winery, Ricker Hill Orchards, Savage Oakes Vineyard & Winery, Shalom Orchard Organic Farm and Winery, Sweetgrass Farm Winery & Distillery, Tree Sprits Winery & Distillery, Two Hogs Winery, Urban Farm Fermentory, Winterport Winery and Younity Winery. Whew! Check each winery’s website for more information.

Emily Burnham

About Emily Burnham

Emily Burnham is a Maine native, UMaine graduate, proud Bangorian and a writer for the Bangor Daily News, where she's worked since 2004. She reports on everything from local bands to local food to all the cool things going on in the Greater Bangor area. In her quest for stories, she's seen countless concerts and plays, been lobster fishing, interviewed celebrities, hung out with water buffalo and played in a ukulele orchestra. She's interested in everything that happens in Maine.