Your Complete Calendar of February Events

Catch some of the top activities to spend your time in the Hudson Valley this month.

Music

Feb 1: Umphrey’s McGee

The jam fan’s jam band, UM brings all the adventurousness you’d expect of Phish peers, along with the chops of a classic progressive rock group. Expect both the hits and tracks off 2018’s companion It’s Not Us, It’s You albums.

Palace Theatre, Albany, 518.465.4663, www.palacealbany.org

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Feb 2: riverrun

Spyro Gyra pianist Jeremy Wall is joined by flutist John Ragusa for an evening of world fusion, jazz, and classical.

Rockland Center for the Arts, West Nyack, 845.358.0877, www.rocklandartcenter.org

 

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Feb 8: The Bad Plus

This experimental jazz trio mines the basics (piano, bass, drums) for the vast potential contained therein. It is currently touring behind Never Stop II, the first album with new pianist Orrin Evans.

The Egg Center for the Performing Arts, Albany, 518.473.1845, www.theegg.org

 

Our Pick


photo by Deneka Peniston

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Trumpeter Keyon Harrold brings his Sound the Trumpet! Jazz and the Birth of Hip Hop set to the Fisher Center, for a show unlike any other you’re likely to see this year. Highlighting the inter-genre interplay, Harrold will perform his own original compositions as well as rearranged classic songs from throughout the evolution of hip hop, demonstrating in the process how interpenetrated the music has always been.

Feb 9, The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, 845.758.7900, www.fishercenter.bard.edu

 

Feb 14: Abba Dancing Dream Valentine’s Day Concert

What could be more romantic than a night of ESL hits from these Swedish popsmiths? New York City’s biggest ABBA tribute band plays a special concert just for the holidays, with costumes, choreography, and plenty of grooves.

Westchester Broadway Theatre, Elmsford, 914.592.2222, www.broadwaytheatre.com

 

Feb 16: Schubert’s Winterreise

A special performance of Franz Schubert’s most famous song cycle, with tenor Rufus Müller and Kayo Iwama on piano.

The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, 845.758.7900, www.fishercenter.bard.edu

 

Feb 16: Threading Strands

The Newburgh Symphony’s first concert of 2019 focuses on the interplay between the simple and the complex, the organic and the academic, with selections including Arvo Pärt’s devastating “Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten.”

Aquinas Hall, Mount Saint Mary College, Newburgh, 845.913.7157, www.newburghsymphony.org

 

Feb 17: Dropkick Murphys

Celtic punks, Boston’s boys, the heaviest band to include a tin whistler — all these appellations and more apply to the DMs, who will be stopping in Poughkeepsie as part of their 2019 St. Patrick’s Day tour.

Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, 845.454.5800, www.midhudsonciviccenter.org

 

Feb 22: Lyle Lovett & John Hiatt

These two master singer-songwriters come to Tarrytown with twangy voices, clever turns, and more than a few classics drawn from their deep and venerable catalogs. Expect more than a few tears in your beer.                

Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown, 914.631.3390, www.tarrytownmusichall.org

 

Feb 23: The Wailers

More than 35 years after the death of Bob Marley, the Wailers continue to probe the possibilities of reggae. Led by founding bassist Aston Barrett, this incarnation of the band includes several young and legacy musicians.                           

Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown, 914.631.3390, www.tarrytownmusichall.org

 

Daryl’s House Club

Feb 6: Andy McKee

You might recognize McKee from the many popular YouTube videos documenting his guitar wizardry, a unique style based around a mixture of tuning, picking, and tapping that makes the guitar as much of a percussive as a melodic instrument.

 

Feb 13: Ana Popovic

This firecracker guitarist, praised by the Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen, transforms the basics of jazz and slide guitar into something funky, with more than a little snarl.

 

Feb 20: Jontavious Willis

At just 21, Willis has been acclaimed as a blues prodigy, with a classic acoustic style.

 

Feb 21: Josh Rouse

Funny, catchy, and more than a little old-fashioned, Rouse writes tunes that bridge country, pop, and soul and contain more than a bit of observational charm.

 

Pawling, 845.289.0185, www.darylshouseclub.com

 

Theater and Dance

From Feb 15: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time

Directed by Andy Weintraub, this Tony-winning Broadway smash focuses on the mystery of a dog’s death and the young autistic boy who means to solve it. Based on the best-selling novel by Mark Haddon.

Center for the Performing Arts at Rhinebeck, Rhinebeck, 845.876.3080, www.centerforperformingarts.org

 

Feb 16: Cirque Zuma Zuma Acrobats

A blend of circus high-wire heroics and modern culture, these performers from sixteen African nations demonstrate tumbling, contortions, singers, acrobatics, and general gymnastics as part of an electrifying, and celebratory, evening.

Westchester Community College, Valhalla, 914.606.6262, www.sunywcc.edu

 

Feb 21: Black History Heroes, Soldiers, and Spies

This touring production, presented specially for Black History Month, tells the stories of the many black Americans who built this country, from abolitionists to explorers, inventors, and aviators. For all ages.

Center for the Performing Arts at Rhinebeck, Rhinebeck, 845.876.3080, www.centerforperformingarts.org

 

Through Feb 24: Ain’t Misbehavin’

This lively dramatization of the life of swing legend Fats Waller won the 1978 Tony Award for Best Musical for its lively plot and deeply felt performances of Waller’s many ragtime and jazz standards. Starts January 31.

Westchester Broadway Theatre, Elmsford, 914.592.2222, www.broadwaytheatre.com

 

Our Pick


photo courtesy of Palace Theatre

Two generations of viral comedy come together as Larry the Cable Guy and John Crist bring their distinctive perspectives to Albany. Star of screen, radio, stage — you name it, Larry the Cable Guy has warmed his signature character’s dim-witted way into America’s heart for the better part of two decades. Crist, meanwhile, has formed a solid brand with his many viral videos documenting the joys and absurdities of Middle American life.

Feb 16, Palace Theatre, Albany, 518.465.4663, www.palacealbany.org

 

Art

Feb 2-24: Rachel Rickert Solo Show

This young artist focuses on intimate moments: of dressing and undressing, shower routines, laundry drying on a line. In so doing, she teases out patterns that operate, unnoticed, in life.

John Davis Gallery, Hudson, 518.828.5907, www.johndavisgallery.com

 

Through Feb 23: Jackie Battenfeld — One Fine Day

This solo show focuses on Battenfeld’s gorgeous arboreal paintings, reminiscent of traditional Japanese screen painting, as well as her more aggressive and abstract landscape watercolors.        

Kenise Barnes Fine Art, Larchmont, 914.834.8077, www.kbfa.com

 

From Feb 17: Spirit of Being

A multi-disciplinary exhibition celebrating the spiritual in art. There will be an opening ceremony on February 24.

Rockland Center for the Arts, West Nyack, 845.358.0877, www.rocklandartcenter.org

 

Film

Feb 11: Waiting to Exhale

In this should-be romantic comedy classic, four very different African-American women work through relationships, careers, and their own deep friendships in ’90s Phoenix.

Palace Theatre, Albany, 518.465.4663, www.palacealbany.org

 

Feb 14: The Awful Truth

In perhaps the prototypical screwball comedy, Cary Grant and Irene Dunn play a divorced couple who simply can’t leave one in peace. Funny, biting, and with more than a hint of melancholy.

Jacob Burns Film Center, Pleasantville, 914.773.7663, www.burnsfilmcenter.org

 

Feb 25: The Big Sleep

Starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, Howard Hawks’s film-noir classic follows Philip Marlowe down an increasingly treacherous path of debt, crime, and murder.

Palace Theatre, Albany, 518.465.4663, www.palacealbany.org

 

Town Crier Cafe

Feb 2: Driftwood

This Binghamton group blends the many sounds of Americana (folk, funk, soul) with rock ’n’ roll verve and an electrifying live presence. With guest Hugh Pool.

 

Feb 9: Roomful of Blues

A long-running group of dance-floor-friendly roots revivalists, this eight-piece band has been performing for more than 45 years. Led by vocalist Phil Pemberton and with a full horn section.

 

Feb 15: Spyro Gyra

This jazz fusion group has been playing shows for more than 40 years, performing cuts from platinum-selling albums like Morning Dance.

 

Feb 16: Mary Fahl

You might recognize this singer-songwriter’s powerful pipes from her starring role in the ’90s chamber pop group The October Project, but she has kept trucking along on her own. Live at the Mauch Chink Opera House, her latest, was awarded Album of the Year at the Indie Acoustic Awards.

 

Beacon, 845.855.1300, www.townecrier.com

 

Family

Feb 2, 9, 16, 23: Saturday Morning Family Series

These 50-minute plays begin every Saturday morning at 11 a.m. and are for younger viewers and their parents. This month’s selections include The Dragon King, Pirate Song, Wizard of Oz, and Margaret Steele’s Amazing Magic Show.

Center for the Performing Arts at Rhinebeck, Rhinebeck, 845.876.3080, www.centerforperformingarts.org

 

Feb 9: The Cat in the Hat Dr. Seuss’s classic tale brought to life with vivid costumes and colorful sets. For ages 5+.

Emelin Theatre, Mamaroneck, 914.698.0098, www.emelin.org

 

Feb 9: Liyana

Five orphaned African children construct a fairy tale from their dreams, only to take part in a grand and painful story when its heroine, the titular Liyana, comes to life. For ages 10+.

Jacob Burns Film Center, Pleasantville, 914.773.7663, www.burnsfilmcenter.org

 

Feb 10: Silence Searching for Words

As part of the ongoing “Shadows Searching for Light” exhibition, spoken word poet Marcus John will explore connections between written and painted expression for a younger audience. $10 per family.    

Edward Hopper House, Nyack, 845.358.0774,  www.edwardhopperhouse.org

 

Feb 18: The Iron Giant

Jon Favreau’s Cold War parable of militarism, paranoia, and the possibilities (and limits) of connection is a modern classic of animated film. Nothing is more likely to get both children and their parents bawling as they leave the theater.

Jacob Burns Film Center, Pleasantville, 914.773.7663, www.burnsfilmcenter.org

 

Feb 20: Family Fun Day — Frozen Sure, your kids have been singing these songs every day for the past five years, but seeing Disney’s take on the Hans Christian Andersen original takes on a whole new life in the theater. Kids under 12 get free popcorn.

Palace Theatre, Albany, 518.465.4663, www.palacealbany.org

 

Our Pick


Photo courtesy of UPAC

In Rhapsody in Black, veteran stage actor LeLand Gantt explores the story of his life and his many collisions with American racism. This one-man show follows Gantt from a childhood of poverty to teenage experiments with drugs and crime, and eventually into acting, presenting not an uplifting story of overcoming but an emotional reckoning with the ways that racism structures and poisons everyday life. Presented as part of Kingston Black History Month, with free admission.

Feb 22, Ulster Performing Arts Center, Kingston, 845.339.6088, www.upac.org

 

Comedy

Feb 1-2: Michael Kosta

Though he started in professional tennis (rank: 864), Kosta has been a successful stand-up comedian for many years, touring the world, starring in a Comedy Central special, and hosting commentary shows on ESPN and E!

Nyack Levity Live, 845.353.5400, www.improv.com/nyack

 

Feb 2: Luis J. Gomez

New York City’s Gomez has made his mark through his XM radio show “The Countdown,” popular podcast network, and appearances on many storied radio and TV shows.

Laugh It Up! Comedy Club inside Mahoney’s Irish Pub, Poughkeepsie, 845.418.3989, www.laughitup.net

 

Feb 16: Jessica Kirson

Kirson’s wit and incisive character work have made her a hit on the Howard Stern show and YouTube, providing bitesize takedowns of many common irritants. She has extended her deconstructive eye to her own life through a role as herself on HBO’s Crashing.

Laugh It Up! Comedy Club inside Mahoney’s Irish Pub, Poughkeepsie, 845.418.3989, www.laughitup.net

 

Feb 22-24: Orny Adams

With three stand-up specials and six seasons of Teen Wolf under his belt, Adams knows how to weave between the topical and the personal with a neurotically observational persona. Nyack Levity Live, 4210 Palisades Center Dr, 845.353.5400, www.improv.com/nyack

 

Special Events

Feb 2: Imbolc Riverfire 

Spanning the worlds of art, performance, and folklore, this unique celebration of midwinter life uses the Greek story of Demeter and Persephone as the springboard for an incendiary mixture of puppetry, dance, and contemporary art. Kids under 6 free. 

Basilica Hudson, 110 S. Front St, Hudson, 518.822.1050, www.basilicahudson.org

 

Feb 9: Valentine’s Day Couple’s Feeding Time This special twist on the Aquarium’s typical animal feeding event is for adult couples only, giving unsqueamish romantics a chance to go behind the scenes and deliver rays, terrapins, and even big sharks their morning meal. $100 per couple.              

Maritime Aquarium, Norwalk, 203.852.0700,  www.maritimeaquarium.org

 

Feb 23-24: 26th Annual James Campbell Memorial Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show and Sale

Gem-heads, crystal fiends, and the otherwise geologically minded won’t want to miss this massive conclave of the Northeast’s best rock vendors, and all the wares they provide. Entry benefits the Museum’s mineral-acquisition fund.

New York State Museum, 518.474.5877, www.nysm.nysed.org

 

Our Pick


photo by Paula Kovarik

Exploring ideas of love, psychology, and nature, Paula Kovarik’s Thread of Consciousness exhibition will showcase some of her hand-stitched quilts. Attempting to make visible a different, collective unconscious, Kovarik’s work uses intersecting patterns and stitch-lines to delineate new zones of being.

From Feb 17, Rockland Center for the Arts, West Nyack, 845.358.0877, www.rocklandartcenter.org

 

Workshops/Classes

Feb 2: Critical Community Lecture 

A conversation between local community organizations and the communities they serve, informing local residents of the services available to them with a talk-back period for questions.

African Roots Library, Kingston, www.blackhistorymonthkingston.org

 

Feb 23: Art as Healing Discussion

This panel discussion will focus on how art can help those struggling with trauma, with a focus on the personal search for spiritual meaning and quiet, internal space, and its connections to PTSD treatment. Rockland Center for the Arts, West Nyack, 845.358.0877, www.rocklandartcenter.org

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