5 Things To Do This Weekend, June 2-4: These boots were made for art walking

Photo by Ashley Conti

1. In an increasingly chaotic and confusing world, I am choosing to be happy about the little things. A sunny afternoon. A good hair day. A nice cup of covfefe. Coffee. Sorry. Anyway, I’m happy about all the fun things happening in Bangor on Friday night, starting with the first Downtown Bangor Art Walk of the season, set for 5 to 8 p.m. Later that night, the Wax On DJs host Prom ’84, a night of 80s music and 80s outfits, set for 8 to 11 p.m. at 58 Main; there’s also Jordan Kaulback at Paddy Murphy’s, the Bill Barnes Trio at Nocturnem Drafthaus, Fighting Fiction at the Sea Dog, and Motor Booty Affair at the Downunder Club at Seasons. On Saturday, take your pick from either the Will St. Peter Duo at Nocturnem, a DJ dance party night at Paddy’s, rockers Driven at the Sea Dog, and tons of local metal at the Downunder Club with Chaos Machine, Seize The Vatican, The Waking Life, Destination: Void and Ripfence.

2. It’s also First Friday Art Walk night in Portland, set for 5 to 9 p.m. Later that night, enjoy either Spencer Albee’s record release for “Relentlessly Yours” with guests Starcrossed Lovers and DJ Mosart212; jam band Skyfoot at Portland House of Music, a Highwaymen tribute band at One Longfellow Square, or Italian music ensemble Newpoli at Mayo Street Arts. On Saturday, there’s some hard rock with Nonpoint, a Killer’s Confession and Nine Shrines at Port City Music Hall, there’s Phish cover band Shut Down Brown at Portland House of Music, there’s the Strangely Possibles and the Noonday Crawlers at Empire, and Miss Tess and the Talkbacks are at One Longfellow. On Sunday, blues legends The Robert Cray Band are at the State Theatre, and Francine Reed and Seth Walter are at One Longfellow Square.

Chris Ross and the North

3. Friday brings the monthly Belfast Contradance to the American Legion Hall, which starts at 8 p.m. It also brings the first concert of the summer season at the Blue Goose Dance Hall in Northport, featuring blues band Sugar Ray Norcia and the Bluetones; in Rockland, Happy Folk play at Rock City Coffee, and Rockland locals Group Therapy play at Rock Harbor Pub & Brewery. On Saturday, songwriter Peter Carriveau is at Rock City, the Shizzle is at the Myrtle Street Tavern, also in Rockland, and the Love Dogs play at the Blue Goose. And don’t forget — across the bay and a bit along the coast in Bar Harbor, there are two fun shows: a record release party for the new album from Chris Ross and the North at the Criterion Theatre on Friday night in Bar Harbor, and Bangor rockers When Particles Collide on Saturday night at the Lompoc Cafe.

Some Theatre Company will present “Gruesome Playground Injuries” this weekend.

4. Two unique theater group present two unique plays this weekend. In Orono, Some Theatre Company presents Rajiv Joseph’s dark two-person comedy “Gruesome Playground Injuries,” set for 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Keith Anderson Community Center. Also this weekend, in Belfast the Midcoast Actor’s Studio presents another interesting, contemporary two-person play: “Constellations,” at the Troy Howard Stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Other performing arts events this weekend include Improv Acadia’s first ImproVision of the summer, set for 11 p.m. Friday night at Reel Pizza in Bar Harbor — improv comedians riff alongside a B movie. Good times!

5. Festival season is nearly upon us, and there are a few this weekend, including the return of Sierra Nevada Beer Camp, the biggest craft beer festival in the country, stopping at Thompson’s Point in Portland between 6 and 9 p.m. (5 p.m. VIP entrance); for tickets, visit beercamp.sierranevada.com. Also this weekend is the fourth annual Belfast Ukulele Fest, set for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday all over downtown Belfast, with ukulele groups and solo acts performing throughout the day. Want something a little bit louder? MONSTER JAM is at Speedway 95 in Bangor, with shows at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. GRAVEDIGGER!

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.