The Bollard Bulletin for January 17-19, 2025
Modern Friendship is among a full weekend of stellar live music + street activism
Highlight
Man, just a month or so ago I was digging into some of that Silver Jews stuff I’d passed on the first time around (that being the ’90s) and appreciating how great a songwriter David Berman was. Now comes Modern Friendship, a local indie-rock band with this guy Anthony Branca writing and singing smart lyrics about bad breakups and ace musicians Jimmy Dority, Alex Ouellette and Nick Thompson-Brown laying down the Pavement. They release their impressive new album, Truth in the Garden, this Friday with garage-rockers Tiger Bomb and a manifestation by psychedelic ensemble Talons of Spring at Mayo Street Arts (10 Mayo St., Portland) at 7 p.m. Tix: $18 (all ages). 879-4629. mayostreetarts.org.
Music
FRIDAY
Andy’s Old Port Pub
Garry’s County Bunker Band
7 p.m., free (all ages)
Blue Portland Maine
Robben Harris Project, Maddoc Johnson (jazz)
7:30 p.m., $15 (21+)
The Brunswick
Dan & Darren
3 p.m., free (all ages)
Tickle
8:30 p.m., free (21+)
Bubba’s Sulky Lounge
DJ (dance music)
9 p.m., low cover (21+)
Cocktail Mary
DJ Ben Spalding (house, disco)
9 p.m., low cover (21+)
The Dance Hall
Celia Wordsmith + Jason Anick Trio (folk)
7:30 p.m., $25 ($12 students, all ages)
Flask Lounge
“Friction” Feat. DJs Seratto and Undrig (house, UK garage, acid)
9 p.m., $5-$10 (21+)
The Frog & Turtle
Jimmy Macisso Band (jazz, lounge)
7:30 p.m., free (all ages)
Gary’s Olde Towne Tavern
DJ Scribblez (funky dance music)
9 p.m., free (all ages)
Hi-Fidelity Brewing
Andrew Lavouge & Friends Variety Show
8 p.m., free (21+)
Lenny’s Pub
Steve Jones & Erik Glocker
6:30 p.m., $5 (all ages)
Mayo Street Arts
Modern Friendship, Talons of Spring, Tiger Bomb (indie rock, post-psych, garage rock)
7 p.m., $18 (all ages)
Portland House of Music
Rose Alley (Jerry Garcia tribute)
8 p.m., $15 (21+)
SPACE
MAMM’s “Rock of (All) Ages” (youth rock and pop)
5 p.m., $10 ($5 students)
Stone Mountain Arts Center
Dervish (Irish)
8 p.m., $40 (all ages)
The Thirsty Pig
Will & A.P. Sawyer
7 p.m., free (all ages)
SATURDAY
Andy’s Old Port Pub
Truth About Daisies (folk pop)
7 p.m., free (all ages)
Blue Portland Maine
Party of the Sun, John Dorney, Duncan Pelletier (psych folk, singer/songwriters)
8 p.m., donations encouraged (21+)
The Brunswick
Tristan & Mike
2 p.m., free (all ages)
Sierra Harris (rock, R&B)
8:30 p.m., free (21+)
Bubba’s Sulky Lounge
DJ (dance music)
9 p.m., low cover (21+)
The Dance Hall
Primo Cubano (Latin dance music)
7:30 p.m., $17-$22 ($10 students, all ages)
Erik’s Church
Northern Groove (jam rock)
8 p.m., free (21+)
Lenny’s Pub
The Juke Joint Devils (blues, rock)
6:30 p.m., $5 (all ages)
Maine Craft Distilling
Tall Heights (indie folk)
7 p.m., $25-$30 (all ages)
Mayo Street Arts
Unique Unknown (kid-friendly hip hop)
2 p.m., $15-$18 ($10-$13 kids 12 and under)
One Longfellow Square
GoldenOak (neo-folk)
8 p.m., $20-$30
Oxbow Blending & Bottling
Harsh, Red Tail Hawk (R&B, hip hop)
8 p.m., $20 (all ages)
The Porthole
Andi Fawcett & Friends (soul, rock)
3 p.m., free (all ages)
Portland House of Music
Hello Newman (’90s rock and pop covers)
9 p.m., $10 (21+)
Portland Zoo
”Total Request Live” with DJ Nik Luis
7 p.m., free (21+)
SPACE
Heather Lynn, Oodelally, Emily Irving (folk rock)
8 p.m., $12-$15
Stone Mountain Arts Center
Quinn Sullivan (blues guitar)
8 p.m., $30 (all ages)
The Thirsty Pig
Henry Honkonen
2 p.m., free (all ages)
White Mountain Ramblers (bluegrass)
7 p.m., free (all ages)
SUNDAY
The Brunswick
Quiet Riot Act
2 p.m., free (all ages)
Erik’s Church
Anthony Bisceglia
11 a.m., free (all ages)
Flask Lounge
“Sundaze” (bass DJs)
9 p.m., free (21+)
GFB Scottish Pub
Mike Hayward’s open blues jam
7 p.m., free (21+)
Lenny’s Pub
Gary Richardson
11 a.m., free (all ages)
Oxbow Blending & Bottling
Thus Love, Lahnah, Red Eft (indie and “butt” rocks)
7:30 p.m., $17 (all ages)
Three Dollar Deweys
Henry Honkonen
10 a.m., free (all ages)
club guide
Performing Arts
FRIDAY
Funny at Flask comedy open mic, hosted by Chris Fritz, at Flask Lounge (117 Spring St., Portland) at 6 p.m. Tix: $5 (21+). 772-3122. flasklounge.com.
Comic and podcaster Rachel Scanlon (Two Dykes and a Mic) tells jokes at Empire Comedy Club (575 Congress St., Portland) at 7 p.m. Tix: SOLD OUT (21+). empirecomedyme.com.
Mad Horse Theatre Company presents Edward Albee’s play, A Delicate Balance, about a suburban couple’s growing unease with unexpected houseguests, at 24 Mosher St., South Portland, at 7:30 p.m. Pay-what-you-wish. 747-4148. madhorse.com.
SATURDAY
Actor, author and director Dorcy Rugamba gives work-in-progress readings of the English translation of his book, Hewa Rwanda — Letter to the Absent, at Mechanics’ Hall (519 Congress St., Portland) at 3 and 7 p.m. Tix: $7. 773-8396. mechanicshallmaine.org.
Comic and podcaster Rachel Scanlon (Two Dykes and a Mic) tells jokes at Empire Comedy Club (575 Congress St., Portland) at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Tix: SOLD OUT (21+). empirecomedyme.com.
Happenings
FRIDAY
Vermiglio, an Italian drama about a family confronted with a deserter in town after World War II, at the Portland Museum of Art (7 Congress Square) at 2 and 6 p.m. Tix: $10 ($6 matinee). 775-6148. portlandmuseum.org.
SATURDAY
Portland People’s March 2025 (formerly Women’s March Portland) rally and march for peace and justice, with speakers, at Portland’s Monument Square at 10:30 a.m.
Vermiglio, an Italian drama about a family confronted with a deserter in town after World War II, at the Portland Museum of Art (7 Congress Square) at noon and 3 p.m. Tix: $6. 775-6148. portlandmuseum.org.
The Maine Celtics play basketball against the College Park Skyhawks at the Portland Expo (239 Park Ave.) at 1 p.m. Tix: $14-$113. maine.gleague.nba.com.
Maine Roller Derby home teams face (and elbow) off during Wheelin’ in a Winter Wonderland at Happy Wheels (3 Chabot St., Westbrook) at 5:30 p.m. Tix: $12 (kids under 12 free). mainerollerderby.com.
SUNDAY
Vermiglio, an Italian drama about a family confronted with a deserter in town after World War II, at the Portland Museum of Art (7 Congress Square) at noon and 3 p.m. Tix: $6. 775-6148. portlandmuseum.org.
Brazen Bandits, a trans art collective, hosts a panel discussion about political and social organizing in Maine titled “Conspiring for Survival” at SPACE (538 Congress St., Portland) at 1 p.m. Free. 828-5600. space538.org.
The Maine Celtics play basketball against the Long Island Nets at the Portland Expo (239 Park Ave.) at 1 p.m. Tix: $14-$113. maine.gleague.nba.com.
Screening of Ben Pike’s “Growing in a Puddle” and other Maine indie film shorts at The Waldo Theatre (916 Main St., Waldoboro) at 6:30 p.m. Free. 975-6490. thewaldotheatre.org.