PS21 Center for Contemporary Performance presents composer and cornetist Ben LaMar Gay at the Crandell Theatre
Chatham, N.Y.— On Wednesday, February 18th at 8:30 p.m., PS21 Center for Contemporary Performance, as part of their fearless winter festival, presents composer and cornetist Ben LaMar Gay at the Crandell Theatre
Ben LaMar Gay moves sound, color, and space through folkloric filters to produce electro-acoustic collages. Ben’s true technique is giving life to an idea while exploring and expanding on the term “Americana.” With his band, the Ben LaMar Gay Quartet, he will dive into the hypnotism of their cosmopolitan blues, with old and new tales as well as selections from their latest release “Yowzers.” This work represents a leap forward in the lexicon of Gay’s recorded output and a veritable masterwork of ancient inner-body rhythms and intuitive melodic storytelling.
The concert is on Wednesday, February 18th at 8:30 p.m. at the Crandell Theatre, located at 48 Main Street in Chatham, N.Y. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Richmond Sanctuary presents a free Valentine’s Day concert with Mark Kelso
Richmond— On Saturday, February 14th at 7 p.m., the Richmond Sanctuary presents a free Valentine’s Day concert with Mark Kelso.
Kelso, on the venue’s new owners and a former Virgin Records recording artist who has worked with Michael Jackson, Christopher Reeve, and a host of other inspirational speakers, musicians, and authors, will be joined that evening by a number of other vocalists and songwriters.
“I want to feature songs that could be interpreted in the broadest sense as love songs,” Kelso says. “Songs that might be termed as love songs for the soul, or as devotional songs but could easily work as songs for a beloved even if that beloved is ourselves or someone who has passed away.”
Kelso’s piano music has been featured on HBO, the A&E Channel, hundreds of CDs, and is available on Spotify, YouTube, and almost anywhere that music can be streamed. His music production studio, Muddy Angel Music continues to work out of the former church, its home for almost 30 years.
The free concert is on Saturday, February 14th at 7 p.m. at the Richmond Sanctuary, located at 1515 State Street in Richmond. More information can be found online.
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Jewish Federation of the Berkshires presents ‘The Einstein of Sex: Dr. Magus Hirschfeld, Visionary of Weimar Berlin,’ a virtual book talk with journalist and author Daniel Brook
Pittsfield— On Wednesday, February 19th at 7 p.m., the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires presents “The Einstein of Sex: Dr. Magus Hirschfeld, Visionary of Weimar Berlin,” a virtual book talk with journalist and author Daniel Brook.
More than a century ago, Hirschfeld earned the nickname “the Einstein of Sex” for his revolutionary theory of sexual relativity, arguing that each individual embodies a unique blend of masculinity and femininity. At a time when same-sex relationships were criminalized and gender roles rigidly defined, Hirschfeld emerged as a bold public intellectual and compassionate clinician. Hirschfeld’s prominence also made him a target of the Nazis, who ransacked his Institute for Sexual Science and publicly burned his books. Forced into exile, he traveled widely through the United States, Asia, and the Middle East, pursuing a global study of sexuality. The program explores the remarkable career of this pioneering Jewish advocate for sexual and gender freedom in early 20th-century Germany.
Daniel Brook is a journalist whose work has appeared in Harper’s Magazine, The Nation, and The New York Times Magazine. He is the author of several books, including “A History of Future Cities” and “The Accident of Color: A Story of Race in Reconstruction.”
The virtual talk is on Wednesday, February 19th at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Registration and more information can be found online.
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Roots Rising presents ‘ArtSwitch,’ a live, collaborative art fundraiser
Pittsfield— On Tuesday, February 17th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Roots Rising, as part of the 10×10 Upstreet Art Festival, presents “ArtSwitch,” a live, collaborative art fundraiser.
The event brings together 10 locally known artists who create artwork live, rotating through one another’s pieces when the music stops. This shared process results in a series of one-of-a-kind works that reflect collaboration, adaptability, and community—values central to the mission of Roots Rising, a Pittsfield-based nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth and building community through food and farming.
Participating artists include Anastasia Drayton, Bruce Laird, Deb Carter, Diane Firtell, Joanie Ciolfi, Katie Malone-Smith, Marion Grant, Mark Mellinger, Mike Carty, Shany Porras, and musician Amy Attias. Community members are invited to observe the creative process, enjoy light refreshments, and participate in a silent auction featuring the newly created artworks.
The fundraiser is on Tuesday, February 17th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Dottie’s Coffee Lounge, located at 444 North Street in Pittsfield. Proceeds from the event benefit Roots Rising. More information can be found online.
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North Berkshire Community Dance to hold contra dance with calling by Steve Howland and live music by Seamus Connor, Alex Moon, and friends
Williamstown— On Saturday, February 14th from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., North Berkshire Community Dance will hold its monthly contra dance with calling by Steve Howland and live music by Seamus Connor, Alex Moon, and friends.
Contra dancing is a living New England folk tradition. The music is live, the dances are taught, and anyone is welcome, with or without a partner. The caller teaches dance moves and skills as needed so that newcomers can participate fully from their very first event.
The dance is on Saturday, February 14th from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. in the Community Hall of the First Congregational Church, located at 906 Main Street in Williamstown. An introductory lesson will be held at 7:15 p.m. More information can be found online.
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Becket Arts Center call for art
Becket— The Becket Arts Center is accepting submissions for fine art in all mediums – drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media – for its exhibition season from April through September.
Selected artists will be featured in the galleries alongside three other artists in one of several group shows. One piece will be selected for the season’s Poster Award, and that artwork will represent the Becket Arts Center on its seasonal promotional poster. The winning artist will be awarded $300 as well as a solo show in August.
The deadline for submissions is March 1st. More information can be found online.
