5 Things To Do This Weekend, March 31-April 2: Can’t sleep, clowns will eat me?

Photo courtesy Warner Bros./Entertainment Weekly

1. I’m still recovering from that “IT” teaser trailer that went up earlier this week. Seriously. It’s bad enough that I already live in Derry, a.k.a. Bangor. Now we have to deal with water and sewer work mere feet from where I work every day. I’m just saying. If I see anything weird going on, I am running towards Brewer. No clowns there. I think. Friday night in Derry — I mean, Bangor — take your pick from several excellent entertainment options. Songwriter Heather Maloney performs at 58 Main, indie artists Jordan Coffey, Livid Orange, the Doug Quaids and Front Seat Dream are at the Central Gallery, in a benefit for the Trevor Project, the Tune Squad is at Paddy Murphy’s, and jazz ensemble Four is at Nocturnem Drafthaus. There’s a Marvin Gaye tribute act at the Gracie Theatre at Husson University, and there’s a night of local punk and hardcore with The Banner Year, Under Fire, Dreamer & Son, Adulting and The Eff Chord at the Downunder Club at Seasons. Up in Orono, Sassquatch is at Black Bear Brewing, and Phosphenes and the Cards are at Woodman’s. On Saturday, Stesha Cano, Rotating Taps and Harry Magdalene play a benefit for the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter at the Central Gallery, Los Federales are at Paddy’s, Dr. Funxtable is at Nocturnem, Lucie and the Undercover Band are at the Sea Dog. A few miles up the road, the Mallett Brothers Band are at the Boomhouse, and the Doo Wop Project is at the Collins Center for the Arts.

KGFREEZE

2. Wow! What a weekend for music in Portland! Let’s waste no time, shall we? On Friday night, there’s a pretty epic bill of metal with Unearth, Exact, Darkness Divided, Bottomfed and Ruin at Port City Music Hall. Wobblesauce and Consider the Source are at Portland House of Music, rockers Jon King, Hours North, Wyld Lyfe, Andrew Baillie are at Empire, Mark Tipton and Les Sorciers Perdus perform at Mayo Street Arts, indie rockers Leverett and Midwestern Medicine are at Bayside Bowl, and the always entertaining KGFREEZE plays with Burr, $300 and Bruv at Geno’s Rock Club. On Saturday, Maine Youth Rock Orchestra accompanies local bands Armies and Wild Adriatic at Port City Music Hall, 80s cover band the Awesome is at Portland House of Music, songwriters Heather Maloney and Sorcha Cribben-Merrill are at One Longfellow Square, Big Mean Sound Machine and Akela Moon are at Empire, metal bands Desolate, Hatred Alive, HISS and Exclave are at Geno’s, and Revibe is at Bayside Bowl. On Sunday, Wet, Nat Baldwin and Blonder perform at Port City Music Hall, and the Luxotica Lounge burlesque cabaret is at Geno’s.

3. On the Midcoast, Friday night brings some very cool stuff in Rockland, including Quebecois band Le Vent du Nord at the Strand Theatre, stand up comedy at Trackside Station with Ian Stuart and friends, and electronic duo Quantum at Rock City Coffee. On Saturday, folk ensemble Rusty Hinges are at Rock City Coffee, while up in Belfast, it’s the annual Poets and Fools show at Waterfall Arts, featuring a costume contest, raffle and music from Fan Jones and People of Earth. There’s also the Beatles for Sale Beatles tribute act at Unity College Center for the Performing Arts. On Sunday, The Doo Wop Project is at the Camden Opera House.

BDN FILE PHOTO OF ROBINSON BALLET

4. What else is good in the hood? In Bangor this weekend, the Robinson Ballet presents its annual spring showcase, with “Extensions” set for Saturday and Sunday at the Brewer Performing Arts Center. Penobscot Theatre offers its final weekend of Maine play “Papermaker.” And the Cross Insurance Center offers three family-friendly events this weekend: the annual Bangor Home Show, a “game” from the Harlem Globetrotters, and, on display from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, there’s the Patriots’ Super Bowl trophy from this year. Oh, and don’t forget: Maine’s other garden show, the Maine Flower Show, is at Thompson’s Point in Portland through Sunday.

5. Finally, even though spring technically started well over a week ago, it still certainly feels like winter — and nowhere is that more apparent than in Maine’s ski country, where an estimated 5 to 12 inches of snow are set to fall this weekend, meaning comparatively warm April skiing is in the forecast for this Saturday and Sunday. This could very well be your last chance this year to hit the slopes, so whether you like Sugarloaf, Sunday River, Saddleback, Shawnee, Mt. Abram or any of the multitude of others, now’s your chance!

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.