November is here in the Hudson Valley. Get into the fall spirit with these excellent events.
Rhiannon Giddens at the Bardavon | November 5
Rhiannon Giddens is a multiple Grammy Award nominee for her solo records and collaborative work with the influential Carolina Chocolate Drops; more recently, she has been a member of the acclaimed trio Our Native Daughters. The singer and banjoist, who performs at the Bardavon 1869 Opera House in Poughkeepsie on November 5 at 8pm, just unveiled a new solo album, They’re Calling Me Home, and in 2019 released there is no Other, a cooperative effort with multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi, who joins her for the show. Tickets are $43 and $58.
“Well/Being” Exhibit at the University of Albany | through December 11
“Well/Being,” an exhibition at Albany’s University Art Museum, features such thought-provoking artists as Carrie Mae Weems, Sanford Biggers, and Jeffrey Gibson, whose current work poses questions about being and well-being: How do people—queer bodies, Indigenous groups, Black and Brown bodies, bodies in pain, threatened bodies, vulnerable populations, students—interact with America’s cultural landscape and find space to thrive? How do artists resist cultural amnesia and engage with the past and create work needed to move forward and heal? The exhibit runs through December 11.
Wayne Shorter, Esperanza Spalding at Mass MoCA | November 5-6
Saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter is unquestionably one of jazz’s influential living legends, well known for his tenures with Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Weather Report, and his own bands. On November 5 and 6 at 8pm, the icon joins with his fellow multiple Grammy winner—and a young icon herself—bassist, vocalist, and composer Esperanza Spalding at Mass MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts, to present two preview performances of “Iphigenia,” a modern operatic reimagining of the tale of a daughter being sacrificed to the gods, with a set designed by the illustrious architect Frank Gehry. Tickets are $35 (advance), $45, and $60.
“Destination Saugerties” Night Returns | November 5
November 5 is the first Friday of the month, which means that once again the town-wide “Destination Saugerties” will return that night to the Ulster County village from 5 to 10pm. For the happening, which aims to boost community business and celebrate the historic town’s cultural vitality, participating Saugerties shops and other businesses keep their doors open later than usual; restaurants and bars run specials; and other special activities and events take place, encouraging visitors to shop, drink, dine, and play locally. More information is available on the organization’s website.
Prairie Prince Art Show in Ulster Park | through December 24
Besides being an in-demand musician, drummer Prairie Prince, known for his careers with the Tubes, Todd Rundgren, and Jefferson Starship, among many others, is also a revered graphic artist. “Colors and Passions: Music Art Magic,” an exhibit currently at Thunderhorse Hollow Farm in Ulster Park, offers a unique opportunity to view works from a retrospective of Prince’s life, performance, and extensive world travels as a percussionist, writer, and designer, and is a unique blend of visual art, music, and spoken word. Previously unseen signed, limited-edition prints and vintage Tubes tour posters will be available for purchase. Recorded musical selections from his upcoming album will be played throughout the exhibit. The display runs through December 24.
TC Superstar joins Johnny Dynamite in Kingston | November 6
Masterminded by singer Connor McCampbell and made up of several of his fellow University of Texas graduates, Austin synth pop collective TC Superstar are sure to delight diggers of ’80s dance sounds. “Everyone pitches in in different ways and everyone has their own talents that they contribute to the group,” McCampbell told KVUE-TV in 2019. “So in that regard, it is kind of a collective, but also any band is. We’re a self-described dancy [sic] band.” Joining the youthful troupe, which features dancers as well as musicians, for this engagement at Tubby’s in Kingston on November 6 at 8pm is fellow synth-oriented artist Johnny Dynamite, who heads up from his home base of Brooklyn. Tickets are $10.
“Requiem for Silence” Photo Exhibit in Hudson | through December 31
Presented now through December 31 at D’Arcy Simpson Artworks in Hudson, photographer David McIntyre’s “Requiem for Silence” is a series of mysterious and surrealistic photo montages that form environmental narratives from the viewpoint of Mother Nature herself. “These lush, ominous, and deeply activist-oriented compositions,” says the gallery’s website, “serve as a beautiful but somber post-apocalyptic extension of the Hudson River School.” See the website for images and further information.
John Street Jam is Back in Saugerties | November 7
Founded in 2003 by Steve and Terri Massardo but discontinued in 2015, the John Street Jam has been one of the Hudson Valley music scene’s most-missed events. A magically intimate monthly songwriters’ circle akin to the legendarily similar gatherings known to take place in music meccas like Nashville, it consistently drew large, attentive crowds to the church basement where it was held. On November 7 at 2pm, “the Jam”, according to Steve Massardo, “will rise Phoenix-like from the ashes of its former existence. It will be reborn on the stage of the Orpheum Theater on Main Street in Saugerties.” See the event’s Facebook page for a list of performers and other information.
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This article appears in October 2021.
