PORTLAND, Maine — It's February, and it's easy to stay on the couch, but Aimsel Ponti from the Portland Press Herald's got some great music picks sure to get you up and out.
SHOW # 1
WHO: John Gorka
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 8
WHERE: Johnson Hall in Gardiner
HOW MUCH: $28 in advance, $31 at the door
TICKETS & INFO: https://www.johnsonhall.org/event/an-evening-with-john-gorka/
WHY GO: Folk singer John Gorka released his debut album in 1987 and 13 have followed. He’s got a tremendous warm, baritone voice and he’s funny and charming live.
SHOW # 2
WHO: Gunther Brown CD release show for “Heartache & Roses”
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 15
WHERE: One Longfellow Square, Portland
HOW MUCH: $12 in advance, $15 day of show
TICKETS & INFO: https://onelongfellowsquare.com/event-registration/?ee=1293
WHY GO: “Heartache & Roses” is a fantastic album (their third) from local Americana band Gunther Brown AND Jenny Lou Drew is opening the show. GB is Pete Dubec, Greg Klein, Mark McDonough, Derek Mills, Joe Bloom and Drew Wyman.
SHOW # 3
WHO: Soul Asylum with Local H
WHEN: Tuesday, Feb. 18
WHERE: Port City Music Hall, Portland
HOW MUCH: $28 in advance, $33 day of show, 18-plus.
TICKETS & INFO: https://statetheatreportland.com/events/soul-asylum-local-h/
WHY GO: Because the Minneapolis band, founded by and fronted by Dave Pirner have a great new record out called “Hurry Up and Wait” with the singles “Dead Letter” and “If I Told You” and also have 90s hits to draw from including “Runaway Train,” “Misery,” “Black Gold” and “Somebody to Shove.”
SHOW # 4
WHO: Altan
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 29
WHERE: Boothbay Opera House
HOW MUCH: $28 in advance, $33 day of show
TICKETS & INFO: https://boothbayoperahouse.com/event/altan/
WHY GO: They’re pretty much a legendary 5-piece Irish folk band from County Donegal who have been at it since the mid 80s. They’ve released more than a dozen albums and the most recent one is 2018’s “The Gap of Dreams”.
LIGHTNING ROUND
- KGFREEZE (Kyle Gervais) album release show for “Phalanges” is happening Thursday night (Feb. 6) at One Longfellow Square in Portland.
- Kenya Hall Band, Thursday, Feb. 20 at the newly opened Big Babe’s Tavern in South Portland. Kenya has a winter residency and shows are every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month
- Della Mae (bluegrass) with Mark Erelli (singer-songwriter), Friday, Feb 28 at Port City Music Hall in Portland
- Jazzy Ash and the Leaping Lizards (New Orleans jazz band), Friday, Feb. 28 at Strand Theatre in Rockland
RELATED: Muddy Ruckus Releasing New Music