Weekend Outlook: Music, Music, Music
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Remember the British Invasion? No, not that time they took over Boston. No, no, not when they burned Washington. Goodness no, not when all Edith Wharton's friends were marrying peers. We're talking about the time they showed up in pageboy haircuts and skinny ties (not in red coats), cutting a devastating path among a generation of teenage American girls. They called themselves the Beatles and they were just the vanguard of the mod revolution.
The Clark Art Institute is bringing those swinging days for its monthly "Clark After Dark"http://www.iberkshires.com/story.php?story_id=26067
Friday night from 8 to midnight. Admission is $10 ($8 per member), and you must be 21 or older to enter.
Put on your go-go boots, love beads and rose-colored glasses to dance to the Beatles, The Who, the Kinks and the Rolling Stones. Cornish pasties, fish fingers and chips, bangers in blankets, English trifle, and ginger scones with sweet butter and jam will be available. The cash bar will offer specialty gins, red and white wines, and English beer. Complimentary soft drinks will be available.
The galleries will be open for viewing works by some of Britain's great artists; The Who's "Quadrophenia" (1979, 115 minutes, rated R) will screen at 5:45 p.m.
Big Bands
Not into rolling to the Stones? If big bands are more your style we've got the just the thing - the Air Force Liberty Band.
<L2>Part of the U.S. Air Force Band of Liberty from Hanscom Air Force Base outside Boston, this ensemble has been entertaining audiences throughout the Northeast for more than a quarter century from the swinging sounds of Glenn Miller to the best of contemporary big band jazz, the United States Air Force Liberty Big Band plays it all with style and sophistication.
The band will play on Saturday, March 1, at 7 p.m. at Reid Middle School, 950 North St., Pittsfield. The free performance is being sponsored by the city of Pittsfield and the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival
The 18-member band takes pride in preserving the heritage of America's true art form - jazz. One of the few traveling big bands still around, it has been featured at numerous festivals.
No advance tickets are required for the performance, and all ages are welcome.
Orchestral Bands
The Berkshire Symphony Orchestra will perform tonight, Friday, at 8 in Chapin Hall at Williams College. There will also be a preconcert talk at 7:15 p.m. in Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall in Bernhard Music Center. This free event is open to the public.
The evening's program will consist of Felipe Lara's "Onda"; David Kechley's "Wakeful Visions/Moonless Dreams: A Symphony in Four Movements"; Kevin Kaska's suite from the video game "Lair," and George Gershwin's "An American in Paris."
A Duet
There's an abundance of music this weekend as Johnny Irion and Sarah Lee Guthrie, granddaughter of Woody Guthrie, bring their brand of folk music, bluegrass and a little bit of rock 'n' roll, mixed with storytelling and humor to the Common Grounds Coffee House on Saturday night at 7. <R3>
The husband-and-wife duo are said to produce a singularly rich harmony.
Admission is $15; the coffeehouse is at United Methodist Church at 55 Fenn St.
Downhill Chamber
Plenty of snow is headed our way this weekend so might as well take advantage of it.
The Catamount Ski Area in Egremont hosting a Chamber of Commerce Night to benefit the Southern Berkshire and Columbia County (N.Y.) chambers of commerce on Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m. The event is offered to chamber members, families and friends. Half of all the proceeds will benefit the chamber. No registration required.
Lift tickets and rentals are $15. Need some brushing up? Lessons are $10. More information: 413-528-1262.
Go West, Young Man, to Williamstown
William H. Truettner, senior curator at the Smithsonian American Art Museum will discuss "Creating and Collecting the Old West" at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute on Sunday at 2 p.m. The lecture is free.
Late 19th- and early 20th-century artist painted indelible images of the West on the American psyche, shaping our perception of the frontier and its peoples. In conjunction with the exhibit "Remington Looking West," on view through May 4, Truettner will explore how Western artists shaped the American identity and how their works were collected. Frederic Remington, Charles Russell and other artists and writers will be discussed.
You can also check out the exhibit, which includes photographs, drawings, and scrapbooks from Remington's personal collection that allow you to "look over Remington's shoulder" and understand his working process.
Got Rhythm?
<L4>Have you ever wanted to tap dance? Do you tap dance now and want more experience and fun? Northern Berkshire Creative Arts is holding a rhythm tap dance workshop on Saturday from 1 to 4. Some shoes will provided. All levels and interests of tap dance are welcome. To register call 663-8338 or
Can't make the lessons? Tap dancing legend Dianne Walker will be joined by John Sauer for a shuffle ball change and more tonight at Mezze's in Williamstown. The tapping starts and 9 and it's free.
Make Your Own Music
All you Keith Richard wannabes are invited to a virtual guitar smackdown on Sunday at Steeples Restaurant in the Holiday Inn in North Adams.<R5>
Sponsored by Steeples and Aaron's, the first annual Guitar Hero Tournament starts at 7 p.m. Prizes totaling $1,100 will awarded over four levels of play. The restaurant will make a donation to the winner's charity of choice, matching the prize money.
Registration was by Thursday but walk-ins can still compete with a fee of $30 at the door. Hors d'oeuvres will be provided.
