Nightlife Highlights, March 2011

Handpicked by music editor Peter Aaron for your listening pleasure.

by Peter Aaron, February 25, 2011

Natalie Merchant
March 5. It’s been just over a year since Chronogram featured local Natalie Merchant. At that time the alt-rock queen had just released the ambitious Leave Your Sleep , her long-anticipated studio return, and was gearing up to promote it. This concert in the Richard B. Fisher Center’s Sosnoff Theater benefits the Bard College Conservatory of Music and sees her performing tunes from the double album and beloved older hits, while backed by the conservatory orchestra led by conductor James Bagwell. 8pm. $60, $100, $200. Annandale-on-Hudson. www.fishercenter.bard.edu; (845) 758-7900.

Irish Sounds at New World
For nighttime revelers the Wearin’ of the Green is the big theme this month, a storyline that weaves its way through much of the music schedule at food and libations mecca nonpareil New World Home Cooking. In addition to the eatery’s weekly traditional Monday Irish and Celtic jam nights (March 7, 14, 21, and 28), the calendar also features the likes of Irish specialty outfit Splatter the Mud on Saint Patrick’s Day (March 17). Top o’ the evening, then. (The Kingston Sea Shanty Singers drop anchor March 9; Mambo Kikongo sprinkles the Latin and Afro-Cuban spice March 25.) 7:30pm. Free. Saugerties.
(845) 246-0900; www.ricorlando.com.

The Saw Doctors
March 8. Speaking of the Emerald Isle, the Saw Doctors began in 1987 as a humble County Galway pub band and these days are, arguably, Ireland’s largest rock export since U2 and Sinead O’Connor. After touring the following year with the country’s other big act, the Waterboys, the quintet unleashed a formidable 18 Top 30 singles, including a number one with the lusty, irreverent “I Useta Lover.” This likely Guinness-fueled evening at the Chance comes the week before Saint Pat’s—which just means the party starts that much earlier. (The Ready Set, All-Star Weekend, and more rock March 1; the Sick Puppies play March 17.) 7pm. $20. Poughkeepsie. (845) 471-1966;

www.thechancetheater.com.

Woodstock Goddess Festival
March 11, 12, 13. With beginnings in 2003, the Woodstock Goddess Festival is a three-day celebration of dance, music, and poetry that also happens to raise much-needed funds for Family of Woodstock’s battered women’s shelter. The first-named component of this commendably female-centric event is heavy on the ancient art of belly dance (Twisted Tassels, Barushka, Bard Belly Dance Troupe, Elizabeth Muise, others), while the latter element is served by a poetry slam emceed by Chronogram’s own Phillip Levine. In between there’s plenty of local music from Mamalama, Hemingway’s Cat, Wet Paint, Peggy Atwood, Half Naked, Fre Atlast, and more. A great time for a great cause. 7pm. $12. Kingston, Saugerties, Woodstock. See website or call for venues and schedule.
(845) 246-1625; www.facebook.com.

Pete Levin Trio
March 26. After some time in the fusion wilderness, area keyboardist Pete Levin has lately ditched the synths and landed back where he sounds best—in that great gritty ’n’ greasy jazz-organ groove. His new, self-released CD is the well-named Jump!, a burning set by his trio featuring young guitar lion Dave Stryker and ex-Miles Davis drummer Lenny White. (The album also boasts percussionist Manolo Badrena, drummer Danny Gottlieb, and late guitarist Joe Beck.) Here, Levin, Stryker, and White make a rare stopover at the Rosendale Cafe before hitting Europe. (Tibet’s Tenzin Choegyal and Nhuchhe Naravan arrive March 4; Mary Gauthier returns March 10.) 8pm. Call for price. Rosendale.
(845) 658-9048; www.rosendalecafe.com.