November 23, 2024
Column

Coming up

MUSIC IN THE AIR

Live performances on two stages will be a big part of the 12th annual Full Circle Summer Fair, to be held 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, July 8, at the Union Fairgrounds, Route 17, in Union.

The event will benefit eastern Maine’s community radio station, WERU 89.9 FM (Blue Hill) and 102.9 FM (Bangor).

Schedule for the River Stage is: 10 a.m., opening ceremony featuring community drumming; 11, Frye Mountain Band (traditional country music); noon, Allstonians (Boston-area, ska); 1 p.m., keynote address by Amy Goodman, journalist and host of “Democracy Now!;” 2, Boneheads (Southern Maine, roots rock); 3, Ben Rogers Band (New York City, pop-rock); 4, Went (New York City, groove); 5, Laurie Jones (Lubec, contemporary rock); 6, closing, community spiral dance with Rhythm Inlet Drummers.

Scheduled for the Music-in-the-Park Stage: 10 a.m., Bangor singer-songwriter Larry Milder; 11, Maine folk duo Jade; noon, Maine singer-songwriter Jim Whitman; 1 p.m., folk singer George Swanson; 2, folk singer Kate Callahan; 3, Fitzroy Free Joseph (Dominica island rasta); 4, Maine singer-songwriter Carol Noonan; 5, Maine bluegrass band Evergreen.

Admission is $7 for the general public, $4 for WERU members and seniors, and free for children under 12. For more information, call 469-6600 or access www.weru.org.

BELIEVER REDUX

After more than 30 years, these boys are coming to your town … again.

To be more specific, The Monkees are coming to Portland for a 7:30 p.m. concert Tuesday, July 10, at the Portland Expo, 239 Park St.

Three of the original quartet still tour: Davy Jones (“the cute one”), Mickey Dolenz (“the funny one”) and Peter Tork (“the spacy one”). Mike Nesmith (“the smart one”), heir to the Wite-Out fortune, went on to become a music-video pioneer and is now a music and TV producer, and he has passed on reunion tours.

Long before ‘N Sync and Backstreet Boys, even before New Kids on the Block, The Monkees were an early manufactured group. Jones, Dolenz, Tork and Nesmith were chosen over 500 applicants to play a zany rock quartet.

Despite being derided as the “Prefab Four” by rock purists, they went on to enjoy such hits as “Last Train to Clarksville,” “I’m a Believer,” “Daydream Believer,” “Pleasant Valley Sunday” and “(I’m Not) Your Steppin’ Stone.”

The NBC series aired for two seasons, which the band becoming more polished as musicians along the way. They broke up when the show ended, but the Nesmith-less trio has reunited in recent years to tour.

Tickets for The Monkees, with special guest Natural, are $35 and $27.50, and are available at Ticketmaster outlets or by calling 775-3331.

HEY, BABY,

NICE BUXTEHUDE

Hear the organ they call “The Mighty Kotzschmar” in action at Portland’s Merrill Auditorium when the New England Regional Convention of the American Guild of Organists hits town July 8-11. Featuring organ and choral workshops, master classes and worship services presented by internationally and nationally known artists and clinicians, it’s a must-attend for the “Pipe Dreams” set. Call 767-4317 for details.


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