Jupiter Nights | May 5 at Basilica Hudson
To celebrate the unveiling of its newly opened year-round gallery space, Basilica Hudson is kicking off a weekly multimedia art series, "Jupiter Nights," on May 5. The inaugural event will be hosted by Davon with poetry readings by O Zotique and featuring DJ sets from Adrian is Hungry, Laura Se Fue, Sonido Talacha, and DJ Uncle Rudy. Murals made by local youth during a spray-paint workshop will also be on display, as well as work by Ramiro Davaro-Comas.
Major Stars/Blues Ambush/Staubitz and Waterhouse | May 7 at Tubby's
Boston psychedelic band Major Stars have been tripping the light fantastic since 1997, releasing freaky, fuzzed-out records on Drag City and other labels (a 2000 split LP with Comets on Fire made for a perfecting pairing of acts). Philadelphia’s Blues Ambush include drummer Dave Siebert of notorious noiseniks Jackie O Motherfucker, and it’s been said that their unstoppable riffing “[makes] Endless Boogie sound like Steely Dan.” Experimental duo Staubitz and Waterhouse features Russ Waterhouse (Blues Control) and Mary Staubitz (Donna Parker). The three acts converge for this night at Tubby’s. (Guerilla Toss throws down May 12; Black Marble rolls in May 27.) 7pm. $15. Kingston.
The Workshop Experience | May 7-8, Hillsdale
Think about a skill you’d like to sharpen. Maybe you want to learn to knit or plant your own garden, or master some simple dance steps. The Workshop Experience in Hillsdale will provide a plethora of opportunities to better yourself and your craft on May ٧-٨ at various locations across the town. The weekend-long festival brings together over 35 hands-on classes hosted by the Hillsdale Workshop Alliance and taught by various professionals. A sampling: Nocturnal Bird Migration, Podcasting 101, Art of the Woodland Terrarium, What the !@#$% is the Metaverse?, and Springrolls & Wontons with Chef Kiam Lam Kao.
Your 33 Black Angels/Unto/Haley Moley | May 12 at No Fun
When a new venue is named after a Stooges song, music fans can certainly take that as a good sign. The latest Capital Region hotspot, No Fun, is an extension of the craft beer and bottle shop Pint Sized and open seven days a week (happy hour is weekdays from noon to 6pm). Decidedly DIY, the club skews hard toward underground punk, indie, and experimental, much of it booked by vital presenters Super Dark Collective. For example: this bill by lo-fi oufits Your 33 Black Angels (New York), Unto (Philadelphia), and Haley Moley (Ballston Spa). (Elephant Stone, the Abyssmals, and Zoon psych out May 21; Candy Ambulance, Battleaxxx, and Pencil Dive arrive May 28.) 8pm. Free. Troy.Hudson Valley Pirate Festival | May 14-15 at the Ulster County Fairgrounds
Think of it as a Ren Faire for pirate enthusiasts—and you know who you arrrrrre. Captains, peasants, mateys, and wenches will run up the Jolly Roger in New Paltz for a weekend of sword play, singing (those pandemic sea shanties finally come in handy), and living the life of a pirate. The Hudson Valley Pirate Festival will feature four stages of live entertainment, dozens of vendors selling corsets and crystals and wands, food and grog aplenty, and camping. Avast ye!
Bob Mould | May 17 at Daryl's House
The venerable founding member and singer-songwriter of Hüsker Dü and Sugar is back out on the road with a solo electric tour that will bring him to the Hudson Valley area for a handful of rare local shows. One of them is this date at Daryl’s House, which will see the guitarist and vocalist performing tunes from his new EP The Ocean, his recent run of solo-retrospective Distortion box sets, and, one would expect, several chestnuts from the Hüsker Dü and Sugar catalogs. Order the fried calamari and yell out for “Do the Bee.” (“Little Steven’s Underground Garage” presents Ryan Hamilton, Soraia, and Kurt Baker May 8; Max Weinberg’s Jukebox jams May 11.) 8pm. $40, $55.
Jeff Parker and Lee Ranaldo | May 18 at Levon Helm Studio
This appetizing occasion at Levon Helm Studios brings together two of modern music’s most innovative and influential guitarists: Chicago’s Jeff Parker, best known for his membership in Tortoise, and New York’s Lee Ranaldo, a cofounder of indie icons Sonic Youth. The stylistically diverse Parker has worked with a range of artists that includes Meshell Ndegeocello, Andrew Bird, Yo La Tengo, Toumani Diabate, Vijay Iyer, and Joshua Redman. Since Sonic Youth’s 2011 breakup, Ranaldo has continued in his restlessly creative activities as a musician and writer. His most recent album is 2021’s instrumental acoustic In Virus Times; also released in 2021 was Churning of the Ocean, a collaboration with Jim Jarmusch. (Midlake floats in May 13; Margaret Glaspy makes a visit May 19.) 7pm. $35, $45. Woodstock.
Hudson Valley Beltane Festival | May 21 at Stone Mountain Farm in New Paltz
A family-friendly outdoor festival, this long-standing Beltane celebration features a rainbow of giant puppets, talking birds, dancing dragons, prancing horses, and a menagerie of mythical beings. There’s music, Capture the Flag with the Wayfinder Experience, a children’s maypole dance, flying trapeze lessons, and a Beltane pageant led by the Vanaver Caravan.
Tap NY | May 21-22 at Bethel Woods
There are almost 500 licensed breweries in New York State. Over 100 of them will be gathered this month at Tap NY’s new home at Bethel Woods to celebrate the world’s third-most popular beverage (after water and tea). Your tasting ticket gets you unlimited sampling, an all-you-can-eat food court, and entertainment. The Wallflowers headline on Saturday and Almost Queen tops the bill on Sunday. Before you tip back too many, you can take a ride on a mechanical bull.
Garner Arts Festival | May 21-22 in Garnerville
The Garner Arts Center is a 14-acre, 19th-century textile mill that’s been transformed into a contemporary art venue in Rockland County that’s home to artist studios, creative economy businesses, and the Industrial Arts brewery. The Garner Arts Fest offers world-class art exhibitions, large-scale installations, open studios, artisan demonstrations, live music, crafts, performances, craft beverages, and food. Highlights include an interactive installation by Brooklyn-based duo TROUBLE and The Wishing Booth, a surreal visualization by filmmakers Samtubia + Samgoma.
Ornettiquette | May 23 at Quinn's
As an Ornette Coleman admirer, your arts editor was enthusiastic in his August 2019 review of local trumpeter and band leader Chris Pasin’s Coleman-mining album Ornettiquette: “Pasin brings his knowledge and bright, burnished tone to the music, laying claim to his own rung of its ongoing evolution.” This date by Pasin’s Ornettiquette project for Quinn’s hip Monday Jazz Sessions series reunites the horn man with the album’s bassist and drummer, Michael Bisio and Harvey Sorgen, in the company of saxophonist Jeff Lederer. (Two Sisters, Inc. has Dave Sewelson, Claire Daly, Dave Hofstra, and Michael Sarin May 2; DJ Bill Skillz’s Diggin’ in the Crates Radio Roadshow rolls in May 28.) 8:30pm. $15. Beacon.
Stomp | May 26 at Ulster Performing Arts Center
What began as street performance in the UK has grown into an international sensation over the past 20 years—"Stomp" troupes have performed in more than 50 countries and in front of more than 24 million people. If you’ve not seen it, imagine percussionist/dancers dressed in ragamuffin-meets-grunge couture pirouetting with brooms, banging on garbage can lids, and crinkling newspaper in unison. The transfiguration of the commonplace into the incredible via the power of theater. Bardavon.org
Solid Sound Festival | May 27-29 at Mass MoCA
The Wilco-curated wonderfest wends its way back to Mass MoCA with still another stellar lineup of endlessly eclectic and entertaining attractions. Besides the host band and several of its members’ side projects, Solid Sound 2022 will include performances by Sylvan Esso, Japanese Breakfast, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Terry Allen and the Panhandle Mystery Band, the Sun Ra Arksestra directed by Marshall Allen, Iceage, Hand Habits, Cut Worms, Mike Watt and the Missingmen, Angle Bat David, Sam Evian, John Hodgman’s Comedy Cabaret, and much more. See website for schedule and ticket prices. North Adams, Massachusetts.
Savage Wonder Festival | May 29 at Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center
Veterans Repertory Theater presents a day of art, poetry, dance, music, and theater entitled Savage Wonder by veterans in honor of their comrades in arms on Memorial Day weekend. Performers include outlaw country singer and former Marine Gethen Jenkins, former Marine Roman Baca’s Exit 12 Dance Company, poetry by combat veteran Amy Sexauer, and many others. The event will coincide with Sugar Loaf’s Spring Festival, and the streets of the village will be shut down for the day. Proceeds benefit local veterans nonprofits: Clear Path 4 Veterans, Blue Star Families, YIT Foundation, and the Veterans Repertory Theater.
