Special Events
May 4: Death of a Gangster
A combination of throwback night out and murder mystery, you and other gumshoes must investigate the intrigues at a Mafioso wedding, with dinner, show, and an open wine/beer bar. Dress to the nines — or at least the 1920s.
Brotherhood Winery, Washingtonville, 845.496.3661, www.brotherhood-winery.com
May 11–12: Basilica Farm + Flea Spring Edition
For the first year, the Basilica’s ultra-popular upscale flea market is opening its doors to the bright spring weather. Try fine teas, local foods, and handcrafted goods in this converted glue factory, a few steps from the Amtrak station.
Basilica Hudson, Hudson, 518.822.1050, www.basilicahudson.org
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May 17–18: Flyday Music Festival
Lovers of dub, reggae, and all things jam will love this music festival in the scenic Catskills hamlet. Expect performances from The Nth Power, Dub Trio, and the Big Takeover.
Blackthorne Resort, East Durham
May 18–19: L.A.B. Fest
Artists collaborate, brewers brew, and performers break new ground at this hybrid festival. Visitors can sample local beers, watch cutting-edge dance, and wander the Center’s historic 14 acres.
Garner Art Center, Garnerville, 845.947.7108, www.garnerartscenter.org
May 24–27: 7th Annual Uke Fest
If you love your uke and you gotta show it, this festival of jamming, concerts, and informative master classes is right up your alley, punctuated by an all-star concert on the 25th. Raise a polite racket at $545 per person.
Ashokan Center, Olivebridge, 845.657.8333, www.ashokancenter.org
Music
May 2: Adult Mom
Songwriter and SUNY Purchase grad Stephanie Knipe brings a full band to this tour behind last year’s indie breakout Soft Spots. With support from Gobbinjr and Long Neck.
Colony Woodstock, Woodstock, 845.679.7625, www.colonywoodstock.com
May 3: Art Garfunkel
The big-hair half of the classic folk harmonizers plays all the hits and plenty of deep cuts from his solo career.
Troy Music Hall, 518.273.0038, www.troymusichall.org
May 4: Hudson Valley Philharmonic – The Mighty Hudson
A night of compositions inspired by the Hudson River with projected images from visual artist Jon Bowermaster, as well as additional marine pieces from Mendelssohn, Britten, and Bernstein.
Bardavon, Poughkeepsie, 845.473.2072, www.bardavon.org
May 5: Turn, Turn, Turn! – Celebrating Pete Seeger
Local musicians and dancers team up to celebrate the 100th birthday of late legend — and lifelong local — Pete Seeger, performing many of his famous songs with accompaniment from noted hoofers.
Bardavon, Poughkeepsie, 845.473.2072, www.bardavon.org
May 5: Maceo Parker
Get the funk up! Maceo Parker is a legendary solo saxophonist, blazing his own path through jazz alongside stints with James Brown and Parliament Funkadelic.
Troy Music Hall, 518.273.0038, www.troymusichall.org
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May 5: Martin Hayes
Hayes is a star of traditional Irish music, touring the world and playing huge venues in London and New York. This special solo show will be your chance to see where the craic is at without the pomp and circumstance.
Towne Crier Café, Beacon, 845.855.1300, www.townecrier.com
May 5: Emily King This Grammy-nominated R&B/indie-soul songwriter relocated to Catskill before 2019’s Scenery, adding a pastoral tinge to tightly-crafted R&B tunes.
Colony Woodstock, Woodstock, 845.679.7625, www.colonywoodstock.com
May 5: And the Kids, TEEN
This co-headlining tour features new spins on punk, goth, and pop, from bands that obliterate genre altogether.
BSP, Kingston, 845.481.5158, www.bspkingston.com
May 9: Deborah Bonham
A night of jazz and blues standards with a raw, rocking twist. Don’t let her famous brother’s shadow eclipse Bonham’s spirit and voice.
Daryl’s House Club, Pawling, 845.289.0185, www.darylshouseclub.com
May 10: Karla Bonoff
Bonoff’s career stretches back to her string of gold records in the ’70s. You might know some of her tunes from hit versions by Bonnie Raitt, Lynn Anderson, and Wynona Judd.
The Egg, Albany, 518.473.1845, www.theegg.org
May 11: ARC IRIS
This Providence-based group has made a career of messing around, moving from indie folk to avant pop to a complete reimagining of Joni Mitchell’s landmark Blue on 2018’s Foggy Lullaby.
Towne Crier Café, Beacon, 845.855.1300, www.townecrier.com
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May 11: Don McLean
Sure, you know the one song — how could you not? — but have you realized that there were a whole bunch of other songs? Come find out — and yes, sing along to “The Day the Music Died.”
Paramount Hudson Valley Theater, Peekskill, 914.739.0039, www.paramounthudsonvalley.com
May 12: Delta Rae
This sibling band of Duke grads has found much success with their bluesy rock riffs and honey-sweet harmonies. It’s been four long years since After It All, so expect more than a few new tunes.
Daryl’s House Club, Pawling, 845.289.0185, www.darylshouseclub.com
May 13: The Meat Puppets
These punk heroes have been going their own way for four decades, purifying their particular blend of country tunes, DIY resolve, and hazy Neil Young solos on album after album.
Colony Woodstock, Woodstock, 845.679.7625, www.colonywoodstock.com
May 15: KT Tunstall
Tunstall splits the difference between shiny mid-00s British pop and swaggering rock attitude. Though never quite a hit in the US, Tunstall has been making waves in her native UK, piling up hits and BRIT awards for a decade and a half.
Daryl’s House Club, Pawling, 845.289.0185, www.darylshouseclub.com
May 17: Martin Sexton
A night of blue-eyed Americana and soul with this Syracuse-born songwriter, producer, and independent label owner.
Emelin Theatre, Mamaroneck, 914.698.0098, www.emelin.org
May 18: Oleta Adams
Adams came up singing gospel music before pivoting to soul and, unexpectedly, a part in Tears for Fears’ hit 1989 single “Woman in Chains.” She is touring behind 2017’s Third Set.
Emelin Theatre, Mamaroneck, 914.698.0098, www.emelin.org
May 18–19: Judas Priest
Think you might be “Breakin the Law” by “Living after Midnight” to catch these “Metal Gods” “Take on the World” and “Rock Forever”? Then “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming”: “Some Heads are Gonna Roll” when Rob Halford and Co. come for this two-night stand in Albany.
Palace Theatre, Albany, 518.465.4663, www.palacealbany.org
May 25: Decora
The local resident, DJ, and hip-hop artist has toured the world and sold out Lincoln Center. At this intimate show he will perform songs from 2018’s Reverie.
Towne Crier Café, Beacon, 845.855.1300, www.townecrier.com
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Theater and Dance
May 5: Dance Off the Grid
Groundbreaking dance performances, ranging from contemporary ballet to comedy. Mamaroneck local Megan Williams will stage her own pieces, in addition to performances from Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance.
Emelin Theatre, Mamaroneck, 914.698.0098, www.emelin.org
May 11: Rhythm Rewritten Seema Mehta performs Indian Kathak, while Jason Samuels Smith dances jazz, and the two styles collide and fuse into an entirely new idiom.
The Egg, Albany, 518.473.1845, www.theegg.org
May 11: Jennifer Muller/The Works
Muller’s choreography pushes both the limits of bodily endurance and expressive virtuosity, resulting in electrifying,
expectation-busting dance performances.
Kaatsbaan International Dance Center, Tivoli, 845.757.5106, ext. 112, www.kaatsbaan.org
Through May 12: Newsies
The hit Disney Broadway show comes to Rhinebeck’s small stage. Set around the Newsie Strike of 1899, this musical pits young newspaper hustlers against the magnates who want to fleece them for all they’re worth.
Center for the Performing Arts at Rhinebeck, Rhinebeck, 845.876.3080, www.centerforperformingarts.org
From May 24: Arsenic & Old Lace
Deviously meta, this classic farce goofs on the intrigues of a murder mystery, as an upstanding young man must protect not only his batty aunts and their habit of poisoning lonely old men, but his career and reputation as well.
Center for the Performing Arts at Rhinebeck, Rhinebeck, 845.876.3080, www.centerforperformingarts.org
Art
Through May: STILL|LIFE|LIKE
An exhibition of photography, sculpture, and painting examining depictions of the natural world, with work from David Halliday, Frank DePietro, and James O’Shea.
Carrie Haddad Gallery, Hudson, 518.828.1915, www.carriehaddadgallery.com
Through May: Hudson Athens Light
This ongoing exhibition celebrates the scenic bend on which Hudson and Athens sit, famously depicted by the Hudson River School and reimagined today by local artists through painting, photography, and sculpture.
Hudson Hall at the Historic Hudson Opera House, Hudson, 518.822.1438, www.hudsonhall.org
From May 12: County Pride Exhibition
This special juried art show both celebrates and supports the Rockland County Pride Center. Talented young artists exhibit and sell their work, with all proceeds benefiting the Pride Center and its programs.
Rockland Center for the Arts, West Nyack, 845.358.0877, www.rocklandartcenter.org
Comedy
May 9: The Capitol Steps
Prefer your political comedy to take exactly zero stands and express no discernable opinion? Then pick up a ballot and write in this long-running DC fixture, who ever-so-lightly parodies politics through mildly-humorous tunes.
Troy Music Hall, 518.273.0038, www.troymusichall.org
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May 9–12: Liza Treyger
Fresh off a Comedy Central half-hour, Treyger tells it like it is, if “it” happens to be somewhat questionable riffs about children and politics.
Nyack Levity Live, 4210 Palisades Center Dr, 845.353.5400, www.improv.com/nyack
May 12: Brian Regan
The veteran comic performs the big, crowd-pleasing riffs made famous by his many albums and his recent Netflix special, Nunchucks and Flamethrowers.
UPAC, Kingston, 845.473.2072, www.bardavon.org
May 17–18: Tracy Morgan
This uproarious comedian is famous for his stage work as well as hit roles on 30 Rock, SNL, and The Last OG.
Nyack Levity Live, 4210 Palisades Center Dr, 845.353.5400, www.improv.com/nyack
Film
May 20: Grease Sing-Along Sure, it’s dirtier than you remember — but you can sing along in the safe anonymity of a full house at this special screening.
Palace Theatre, Albany, 518.465.4663, www.palacealbany.org
Jacob Burns Film Center
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Family
May 5: Madeline and the Bad Hat
This colorful musical tells the story of the classic children’s book through original songs, bright sets, and humorous performances. A special school outreach performance will be held on May 6.
Emelin Theatre, Mamaroneck, 914.698.0098, www.emelin.org
Workshops/Classes
May 17–19: Autoharps & Dulcimers Weekend
Enthusiastic about these esoteric instruments – or want to learn how? This weekend-long workshop teaches groups to play together, with lessons on old-time music, folk tunes, and even traditional dancing. $295 per adult.
Ashokan Center, Olivebridge, 845.657.8333, www.ashokancenter.org
May 18, 24, 26: Toward an Ethical Imagination
This special lecture and concert series focuses on the life of Alexander Gilson, an enslaved man who stayed on as gardener at Montgomery Place after being freed, and eventually operated his own nursery business. Performances are alternately ticketed and free.
Montgomery Place, Red Hook, www.bard.edu
