The Weekender, Sept, 27-29: What’s that crispness in the air?

The third annual Celtic Crossroads Festival kicks off this Friday night in Bangor, with Gaelic musicians Gerry O’Connor and Kevin McElroy at the Bangor Arts Exchange. Also on Friday, it’s College Night in downtown Bangor, with local bars and restaurants offering special deals for college students. There’s also blues band Between Dead Stations at Paddy Murphy’s, vinyl night at Nocturnem Drafthaus, and songwriter Michael Remy at the Sea Dog. On Saturday, there’s workshops and performances of Celtic music and dancing all day in various locations around Bangor, and that night, there’s a Scottish dance and concert at 7 p.m. at the UU Church on Park Street. Later that evening, jam band Smoked Salmon is at Paddy’s, it’s Latin Night at COESPACE, Little Rodeo plays at the Sea Dog, and Fully Completely Hip, a Tragically Hip tribute band, performs at the Downunder Club at Season. Up in Orono, Livid Orange performs at the Common Loon Pub, and at the Collins Center for the Arts, the official season kickoff performance features Bobby McFerrin.

On Friday in Portland, comedian Nick Kroll performs at the State Theatre, 90s band Candlebox plays at Aura, and there’s a double dose of blues, with Samuel James at Portland House of Music, and Popa Chubby at One Longfellow Square. There are also some big local punk shows, with indie punk bands Schwill, Gilroy, Your Diary and Swamp Ass at Sun Tiki Studios, pop punk and emo bands The Long Year, Adulting and Keep Flying at Geno’s, and Lemon Pitch and Together On Two at the Apohadion. On Saturday, legendary indie band Guided By Voices performs at Port City Music Hall, Chris Ross and the North play with These Wild Plains at One Longfellow, Smooth Hound Smith plays at Portland House of Music, there’s a drag show at Empire, comedian George Lopez is at Merrill Auditorium, indie bands Frankie Moon, Butterscotch Stanley, Buddusky and A Bird Among Men are at Sun Tiki Studios, and metal bands Feral, Exclave, Moy’noq and Eave are at Geno’s.

STRIKE UP THE BAND Old Town High School Band members perform during the Riverfest Parade on Sept. 25 in Old Town. The annual event offered a variety of activities for all ages. (BDN file photo)

This weekend brings the annual Old Town Riverfest, a two-day community celebration that this year takes on a special meaning after two fires devastated the community, including one that damaged or destroyed a major portion of Old Town’s downtown area. Saturday’s all-day festivities kick off bright and early, with a pancake breakfast, a parade at 10 a.m., and music, games and kid’s activities all day on the riverfront. Funds will be raised for those displaced by the fire.

This past week was the first week of premieres of all the new network television series, and there’s way too much of them to list here, so I’ll just refer to you to this handy list published by Rotten Tomatoes. On Netflix on Friday, season one of “The Politician,” starring Gwyneth Paltrow, premieres, and on Saturday night it’s the first episode of season 45 of “Saturday Night Live,” with host Woody Harrelson and musical guest Billie Eilish. In movie theaters this weekend, children’s movie “Abominable” hits screens.

Emily Burnham

About Emily Burnham

Emily Burnham is a Maine native, UMaine graduate, proud Bangorian and a writer for the Bangor Daily News, where she's worked since 2004. She reports on everything from local bands to local food to all the cool things going on in the Greater Bangor area. In her quest for stories, she's seen countless concerts and plays, been lobster fishing, interviewed celebrities, hung out with water buffalo and played in a ukulele orchestra. She's interested in everything that happens in Maine.