The After Dark Music Series presents Loudon Wainwright III at 8 p.m. on Friday at the Town Hall Theater in Middlebury.
Loudon Wainwright III has had a long and illustrious career highlighted by more than two dozen album releases, a 2010 Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album for “High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project,” and two previous Grammy nominations for “I’m Alright” (1985), and “More Love Songs” (1986). His 2012 recording “Older Than My Old Man Now” was named one of NPR’s Top 10 Albums of the Year. And in 2014, “Haven’t Got the Blues (Yet)” — or “HGTB(Y),” for short — marked his 26th career release.
Wainwright is perhaps best known for the novelty song “Dead Skunk (in the Middle of the Road)” and for playing Capt. Calvin Spalding (the “singing surgeon”) on the television show “M*A*S*H.”
His songs have been recorded by Bonnie Raitt, Johnny Cash, Earl Scruggs, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Rufus Wainwright and Mose Allison, among others. As an actor, Wainwright has appeared in films directed by Martin Scorsese, Hal Ashby, Christopher Guest, Tim Burton, Cameron Crowe and Judd Apatow.
The doors open at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. For more information and tickets, call 388-0216 or visit afterdarkmusicseries.com.
TANGO FESTIVAL
The town of Brandon turns into an international tango destination when the historic charm of the Brandon Town Hall and the Brandon Inn combined evoke images of old Buenos Aires, Argentina, and lend some authentic feel to a weekend of tango featuring world-class dancers performing to a live tango orchestra.
The 10th anniversary celebration of the “Moonlight in Vermont” tango festival kicks off at 7 p.m. Thursday with a performance by the Boston-based Orquesta Sin Trabajo, a tango orchestra with nationally acclaimed musicians Carlos Moreno, Tilly Kimm, Abigale Reisman and Rob Flax, who will bring early 20th-century Buenos Aires tango music (violin, bandoneon, bass, piano) to the Brandon Town Hall.
International tango dancers and teachers will give performances at the Brandon Town Hall concert and throughout the festival: from Argentina, Ariel Barrionuevo and Lorena Gasse, Fabian and Roxana Belmonte, and Gustavo Benzecry-Sabá and María Olivera; from Texas, George and Jairelbhi Furlong; and from San Francisco, Christy Cote.
They will teach dancers from Vermont, New England, New York and beyond how to perfect their tango moves and expand their understanding of the music and history of tango. And according to tradition, the nightly dancing goes into the morning hours. The festival takes place at the Brandon Inn through Sunday afternoon.
The $15 tickets are available at Carr’s Florist and Gifts, at the Brandon Inn or at tangovermont.com. For additional information, contact [email protected].
9 HORSES IN BRANDON
9 Horses comes to Brandon Music on Saturday, at 7:30 p.m. as part of its New England tour celebrating the release of the trio’s album “Perfectest Herald” (Sunnyside Records).
9 Horses’ fusion of classical, jazz and Americana styles is a distillation of their separate influences into one unique voice. The trio, composed of Joe Brent (mandolin), Sara Caswell (violin) and Shawn Conley (bass), all leading lights on their own instruments, creates a unique and gorgeous blend of instrument virtuosity. All three hail from a classical background, but Brent’s indie-pop sensibility, combined with Caswell’s jazz-inspired lyricism and Conley’s extraordinary skill, taken together are a breathtaking display of color, melody and rhythmic drive.
Tickets are $20. A pre-concert dinner is also available for $20. Reservations are recommended for the show and required for dinner. Venue is BYOB. Call 247-4295 or e-mail [email protected] for reservations or for more information. Brandon Music is located at 62 Country Club Road in Brandon.
TWO BROTHERS TAVERN
There will be three live musical performances this week at Two Brothers Tavern in Middlebury.
Join Two Brothers every Wednesday at 9 p.m., for the Open Mic, an evening of music, comedy, or anything else, alternately hosted by Mark Sikora and Kai Stanley. Come cheer on your friends or let loose on the stage. It’s free to enter, and there is no cover charge.
Then, at 6 p.m. on Friday, Two Brothers presents Small Change, an extremely talented collective of local musicians dedicated to performing the jazz-influenced material of Tom Waits. The group features Bob Gagnon on vocals and guitar, Mark van Gulden on vibes, Steve Sawyer on tenor sax, Andy Smith on bass and Tom Teare on drums and percussion. Free entry.
Finally, at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Cooie DeFrancesco takes to the Tavern’s stage for the first time. Cooie DeFrancesco brings lyrics to life, whether singing traditional tunes or popular songs. Her clear and vibrant vocal styling evokes a dollop of blues, hints of jazz, folk and some old time rock-and-roll. Free entry. For more information, call 388-0002.
EVENTS AT 51 MAIN
There will be two events this week at Middlebury’s 51 Main. In conjunction with the Middlebury Arts Walk, from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, there will be an opening reception for the exhibition, “Catching the Moment: The Art of Photographing Live Performances.”
Since it began producing shows 15 years ago, Town Hall Theater has been blessed with four photographers who have chronicled nearly every production: Trent Campbell, Cindi Duff, Max Kraus and Ernie Longey. Capturing a play or concert on film is a tricky business. Actors are always on the move, dancers more so, and though a stage looks bright the amount of candlepower is actually quite low. The work of these four photographers demonstrates that theater photography is not just a recording of a play or a concert, but an art form all by itself.
Then, at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, the Justin Perdue Group will perform. This adventurous band delves into everything from ballads and blues to modal jazz and funky soul with their unique repertoire of original compositions, standards and post-bop jazz.
All ages, no cover. For additional information visit www.go51main.com or phone 388-8209.
NEW EXHIBIT AT COLLEGE
A new exhibit, “The Art of Storytelling: Five Tales from Asia, Then and Now,” opens on Tuesday in the Overbrook Gallery at the Middlebury College Museum of Art on South Main Street (Route 30).
The five Asian tales at the center of this exhibition have inspired artists for centuries and continue to capture the imaginations of writers of comics and graphic designers today. Painted and printed interpretations of these compelling narratives from the 16th century to the present are complemented by contemporary comics, illustrations and other digital media, as well as a studio space where visitors can view sketches by artists in the show and create their own comics. The exhibit, which runs through Dec. 13, is free.
HARVEST FAIR
The White River Valley Players’ 27th annual Harvest Fair will take place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Rochester Park off Route 100 in Rochester Village. This event includes a full day of live entertainment, plus food, crafts, games, a flower show and more.
Admission is by donation at the gate. For more information, call Martha Slater at 767-3025 or [email protected].