The Weekender, Jan. 18-20: I mean, who needed a polar vortex, anyway?

SnowCon 2016

Do you have your bread and milk? Got your shovels ready? Is your coziest sweater all clean? Because Sunday is going to be a doozy. There’s still two days of weekend before that, however, so here are some fun things to do on those days. On Friday night in Bangor, improv troupe the Focus Group performs at the Bangor Arts Exchange, singer-songwriter Stesha Cano is at the Sea Dog, Allison Bankston and Hippie Soup are at Nocturnem Drafthaus and songwriter Justin Walton is at Black Bear Brewing. This weekend also brings SnowCon, the yearly tabletop gaming convention, with an opening night party on Friday night at Queen City Cinema Club in Bangor, and two days of gaming on Saturday and Sunday at the Cross Insurance Center. On Saturday, local indie rock band the Rotating Taps play at Nocturnem, the Fox and the Hound is at Paddy Murphy’s, and at the Bangor Arts Exchange, Maritime/Celtic duo Richard Wood and Gordon Belsher perform. In Brewer, the Skyliners Big Band plays its monthly swing dance at the Next Generation Theatre.

KGFREEZE

On Friday in Portland, Portland House of Music hosts Papa Tim and the Desperate Man Blues Explosion, guitarist Johnny A is at One Longfellow Square, the Apohadion Theater hosts its annual Psychfest, an evening of Maine psychedelic bands, and at Geno’s, there’s a night of experimental electronic music featuring Fyvr, Bruhv, One Pound, BZA and Turquoise Crown. On Saturday, Portland rock band KGFREEZE plays its farewell show with guests Johnny Cremains and Pretty Sad at Portland House of Music, Port City Music Hall hosts a big screening of “The Big Lebowski” and accompanying themed party, and More Tongues Than Teeth, YEAHMAN and Max Hansen play at Geno’s.

On the Midcoast, on Friday night, jazz musician Wayne Delano plays at the Blue Cafe at the Camden Opera House, and at the Samoset in Rockport, the annual Ice Bar opens for the season with a dance party. On Saturday, it’s vinyl night at Thresher’s Brewing in Searsmont, and rockers Late Nite Selfie are at the Myrtle Street Tavern in Rockland. On Sunday, the Whitehead/Dean Group plays at Fog Bar in Rockland.

In movie theaters this weekend, M. Night Shymalan’s “Glass” hits screens. On TV this weekend, season two of “Marvel’s The Punisher” and season six of “Grace & Frankie” premiere on Netflix on Friday, while on Sunday, new seasons of “High Maintenance” and “Crashing” premiere on HBO, and a new season of “Shameless” is on Showtime. I also hear there’s some big football games this Sunday? Patriots vs. Chiefs, and Rams vs. Saints? Kind of a big deal? That’s what they tell me, anyway.

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.