I give up on expecting the weather, or the news, or anything, really, to ever be predictable. The only constant is change, am I right? After a 50-degree Thursday, enjoy a 20-degree weekend in Bangor, starting on Friday, when bluegrass trio The Ballroom Thieves and guests Gentle Temper play at the Bangor Arts Exchange, reggae duo Mai Kheet and Glen Dubose are at Black Bear Brewery, it’s vinyl night with Queen City Sound System at Nocturnem Drafthaus, and Ten Bucks Theatre presents a one weekend only production of the hilarious spoof “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” at its new theater space at the Bangor Mall. Up in Orono, rock band The Giant is at Woodman’s, and Crystal Radio is at Black Bear Brewing’s Orono outpost. On Saturday, the Downunder Club at Seasons hosts a metal show featuring 11 Maine metal bands, with proceeds benefiting the family of slain musician Jason Moody. Elsewhere, the annual Winter Wigout Dance Party (wear a wig!) is set for the Bangor Arts Exchange, rock band Stone Free is at Paddy Murphy’s, Plus Four Jazz is at Nocturnem, and Improv Acadia presents longform improv at 8 p.m. at 51 Main St. On Sunday, the Bangor Symphony Orchestra performs at the Collins Center for the Arts in Orono at 3 p.m.
On Friday night in Portland, The Wood Brothers and Priscilla Renea are at the State Theatre, Vacationer and Sun Parade are at Port City Music Hall, Bella’s Bartok and Skyfoot are at Portland House of Music and Events, Ghost Runner, Borderlines and the Pissed Mystics are at Empire, Nice Life, Lemon Pitch and FCC are at the Space Gallery, and old-timey band Ali McQuirk is at One Longfellow Square. On Saturday, the Maine Dead Project is at Portland House of Music, Tiger Bomb and Batons play at Empire, the Tarbox Ramblers are at One Longfellow, and the Gamma Goochies, the Tarantula Brothers and Euphemia are at Geno’s.
Three favorite Maine events that always happen in January are happening this weekend, catering to a wide variety of tastes and interests. In Bangor, the Dysart’s Sno-X Snocross event takes place on Saturday and Sunday at Speedway 95 in Hermon, featuring snowmobile racing starting at 9 a.m. both days; admission is $12 per day. Also in Bangor, this Saturday the Bangor Celtic Crossroads organization hosts a Burns Night dinner, honoring the legendary Scottish poet Robert Burns, set for 6 p.m. at the Bangor Masonic Center at 294 Union St.; tickets are $18 at the door. There’s also a Burns Night in Belfast, organized by the Maine Celtic Celebration, also set for Saturday, at the United Farmer’s Market of Maine in Belfast, with a Scotch tasting at 4 p.m. and a dinner at 6 p.m.; tickets are $15. Finally, Sunday brings the 15th annual Pies on Parade event in Rockland, set for 1-4 p.m. and featuring 27 different locations each offering a different type of pie, both savory and sweet. Adult tickets are $30, or $15 for kids.
In movie theaters this weekend, lots of films hit screens statewide, including Oscar contenders “Green Book” and “The Favourite,” M. Night Shyamalan’s “Glass” and kid flick “The Kid Who Would Be King,” all at Bangor Mall Cinemas. On TV this weekend, the second half of the final season of “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” premieres on Netflix, and on Sunday, Fox broadcasts a live performance of the musical “Rent.”