The Weekender, Oct. 12-14: Sweaters and scarves and pumpkins and stuff

Photo courtesy Weakened Friends Facebook

In Bangor this weekend, on Friday night, indie rock bands Weakened Friends, They Called Me Legion and Wait are at the Bangor Arts Exchange, Bill Barnes Jazz Trio is at Nocturnem Drafthaus, jam band Zesty is at Paddy Murphy’s, Little Rodeo is at the Sea Dog, metal band Emptyhead is at the Downunder Club, and in Orono, Crystal Radio is at Woodman’s. On Saturday, the Dave Mello Band plays at Nocturnem, the Salty Dogs are at Paddy’s, there’s the return of Dean Ford’s Purple Brainz Halloween Prince tribute at the Downunder Club, and there’s a bonus contradance this month starting at 6 p.m. at the UU Church on Park Street, featuring the Mighty Folquemeisters and callers Cindy Larock and Tavi Merrill. On Sunday, folk trio Sugarbush performs at the Bangor Arts Exchange.

There’s a ridiculously long list of shows happening in Portland this weekend, so let’s waste no time and get right to it! On Friday night, the legendary Peter Wolf is at Port City Music Hall, the William Thompson Funk Experiment and Bandwich are at Empire, jam band Harsh Armadillo is at Portland House of Music, rockers Glider, MOTO and Pop Gun are at Bayside Bowl, local blues band The Renovators play a benefit for Preble Street at One Longfellow, there’s some local punk with the Gamma Goochies, the Gala and the Tarantula Brothers at Geno’s, and indie rock duo Tiger Saw is at the Apohadion. There’s also a live taping of the “Welcome to Nightvale” podcast at the State Theatre.

On Saturday, rapper Watsky performs with Chukwudi Hodge and Feed the Birds at Aura, there’s a Misfits tribute night at Port City Music Hall, there’s the End of Summer Hip Hop Fest at Empire, jam bands Moon Boot Lover and Hambone are at Bayside Bowl, Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters play at One Longfellow Square, and metal bands Ruin, Death Ray Vision, Bloodborn and Alions at Geno’s. There are also two burlesque shows in town — the Suicide Girls burlesque show pays another visit to the State Theatre, and there’s local burlesque at Portland House of Music.

Three Tides

Moving onto the Midcoast, on Friday, Vicky Andres and Life Itself perform at Rock City Coffee in Rockland, while on Saturday, Maine’s own Chris Ross and the North play with Travis James Humphrey at the Camden Opera House, and in Belfast, Three Tides hosts its annual Beer & Mussel Fest, set for 5 to 11 p.m. and featuring music from the Fremont Street String Band. 

Saturday brings the first day for Fright at the Fort, the annual haunted affair at Fort Knox State Park in Prospect, with a Stephen King theme this year; the fun is set for 5:30 to 9 p.m., and tickets are $7-$13. In Ellsworth, the Grand Theatre premieres its fall musical, “Annie,” with shows on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. And in Rockland, the Farnsworth Art Museum on Saturday hosts its Fall Family Festival, a fun and free event set for 4 p.m. and featuring pumpkin carving, face painting, games, crafts, live music and snacks.

This image released by Amazon Studios shows Kerry Bishe in a scene from “The Romanoffs,” premiering on Oct. 12. (Jan Thijs/Amazon Studios via AP)

In cinemas this weekend, new movies include Neil Armstrong biopic “First Man,” scary movie for kids “Goosebumps 2,” and “Bad Times at the El Royale,” a star-studded, stylish thriller. In Portland, the annual Damnationland Short Film Festival (Maine-made horror films) is set for 7 p.m. Friday at the State Theatre. On TV, “The Romanoffs,” the new show from the creators of “Mad Men,” premieres on Amazon, and all week, everything new has premiered on The CW, including “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” “Black Lightning,” “Supergirl,” “The Flash,” “Riverdale” and “Supernatural.” 

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.