The Weekender, March 22-24: Get your sap flowing

On Friday night in Bangor, there’s good stuff like improv comedy ensemble The Focus Group at the Bangor Arts Exchange; Will Bradford and Ian Riley of Seepeoples at Black Bear Brewing, vinyl night with Queen City Sound System at Nocturnem Drafthaus, and Fleetwood Mac tribute band Rumours at the Gracie Theatre at Husson University. On Saturday night, indie rockers Greasy Grass, Buddusky and Wait are at the Bangor Arts Exchange, songwriter Charlie Butera is at Paddy Murphy’s, Plus Four Jazz is at Nocturnem, Quiet The Giants is at the Sea Dog, and the Uncrowned Kings rock the Downunder Club at Seasons.

In Portland on Friday night, hard rock bands Division North, Ascent to Power and Devil’s Nite Out play at Empire; Snughouse and Max Garcia Conover are at Portland House of Music; Raging Brass Reggae is at One Longfellow Square; Beat Circus, Viking Moses and Greg Jamie are at the Apohadion; and Johnny Cremains, Elizabeth Color Wheel, Cushing and LEPRA are at Geno’s. On Saturday, the Space Gallery hosts a night of experimental pop, with Buke and Gase, Mmeadows and RJ Miller. There’s also the Huntertones and The New Motif at Empire; a night of burlesque at Portland House of Music; Palaver Strings at One Longfellow; New England stalwarts Lovewhip at Bayside Bowl, Billy Wylder and Sorcha & Jo at the Apohadion, and Trawl, Iron Dynamite and Tried and True at Geno’s.

In Rockland this weekend, Kattam and the Tam Tams play West African music at the Strand Theatre on Friday, while on Saturday, roots music favorite Dom Flemons performs. At the Camden Opera House on Saturday, Maine icon Tim Sample performs, and at Thresher’s Brewing in Searsmont on Saturday, rockers the Midnight Riders perform. And on Sunday at 3 p.m., back again at the Strand Theatre, there’s the annual Cat Video Fest, the touring program of yes, you read that right — cat videos.

Gov. Janet Mills celebrates the start of maple syrup season after taping a maple tree on the Blaine House lawn with Lyle Merrifield, president of the Maine Maple Producers Association, Tuesday, March 5, 2019 in Augusta, Maine. Producers around the state will welcome guests on Maple Syrup Sunday, on March 23. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

There are two perfectly season-appropriate food-centric events happening this weekend, which alternately warm you up and cool you down. On Friday night in Bangor, there’s the annual Bangor Professional Firefighters Chili and Chowder Cookoff from 6 to 8 p.m. at Hollywood Casino — $10 gets you practically unlimited chili from pros and amateurs from throughout eastern Maine. Then, on Sunday, it’s one of the first true signs of spring: Maine Maple Sunday. Nearly 100 sugarhouses and farms in all 16 counties will open up their doors for people to buy every kind of maple syrup product imaginable. Plus, in many places, animal encounters, live music, demonstrations and more. A full list of all events can be found online at the Maine Maple Producers website.

In movie theaters this weekend, Jordan Peele’s hotly anticipated follow-up to “Get Out,” horror movie “Us,” hits screens, as does moon landing documentary “Apollo 11.” On TV this weekend, a new season of “The OA” premieres on Netflix, as does Motley Crue biopic “The Dirt,” while over on Hulu, true crime miniseries “The Act” already went up on Wednesday.

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.