The heat is on in the Hudson Valley, but not even 90+ degree temperatures will stem the tidal wave of events in our area. Patrons continue to pack venues as artists and musicians celebrate a summer of finally being out and about. What’s a little sweat when you’re having experiences you’ll remember forever?
This week, we’ve got a full event menu of sonic adventure, nostalgic reminiscence, survival skills and eGames. You’ll find something for everyone – if not here in print, then online at calendar.hudsonvalleyone.com, where all area events are listed.
1
Hear Columbia via New York. Combo Chimbita at Spiegeltent (Bard SummerScape) on Friday, July 29, 8 p.m. This quirky quartet bounces modern psychedelic rock influences off traditional cumbia rhythms, a style they call “tropical futurism.” You’ve never heard anything quite like it, and this is an opportunity to experience their mind-warping sound in one of the coolest venues in the Valley. Tickets are $25.
2
Get in the game. Grand Opening of NYXP eSports Gaming Center on Saturday, July 30, 12 p.m. Kingston is getting a new eSports gaming center on Morton Boulevard, next to Plaza Pizza. They’ll host tournaments, parties, and drop-in games featuring today’s most popular titles. Expect all your favorite digital and animated characters to make an appearance: Pikachu, Sonic, Mario, Roblox and SpongeBob are rumored to be dropping by. There’s also a raffle to win your choice of PS5 or Xbox X. Grab a controller, take a seat, and see how you stack up against the area’s savviest button-mashers.
3
Get shaken by underground rhythms. Taiko Masala Troupe at the Widow Jane Mine at the Snyder Estate, Saturday, July 30, 3 p.m. When this group of percussionists and martial artists roll out the 250-pound O-daiko drum, you know they mean business. Last time they played this unique venue, their spectacular rhythms ricocheted off the rock walls to form an alien sonic landscape of pure percussion. Oh yeah, they also are pulling off martial arts moves as an integral part of the performance. And because you’re underground in literally the coolest venue in town, it’s a perfect concert for the dog days of summer. Donations recommended.
4
“It’s alive!” Frankenstein (1931) at Rosendale Theater, Saturday, July 30 at 10 p.m. Now nearly a century old, Frankenstein is known to us as a classic. But it’s still easy to imagine theater-goers of the 30s getting their minds blown by this dark and twisted tale which had a lasting impact on cinema. It starts with a fourth-wall breaking warning about how shocking and horrifying the film would be. Censors of the era tried with varying success to cut scenes they deemed offensive. Today’s audiences may be inured to death and violence, yet Frankenstein remains a talisman of Hollywood shock and awe. Tickets are $10 for the public, $6 for members.
5
Get bass all over the place. Jimmy Keneally at Lydia’s Cafe, Saturday, July 30, 7 p.m. With Fender bass in hand, Jimmy Keneally will front a set of R&B and American classic rock. Picks span Sam Cooke to Steely Dan, The Police to The Eagles, with a few original tunes popped into the set.
6
Have a brush with history. Artist reception with Bennet Harris Horowitz at Woodstock Art Exchange, Saturday, July 30, 3 p.m. Natural Resources: Scenes from the Catskills and Hereabouts brings together the artist’s deep art education history with the historic splendor of our area. Seeing his rich technical and artistic skill brought to bear on our beautiful surroundings is a breathtaking experience, whether you call the Hudson Valley home or are just visiting through art.
7
Hear a mix of sweet, sour and sublime. Speedy Ortiz (with Adult Mom and Zenizen) at Tubby’s, Friday, July 29 at 7 p.m. To call Speedy Ortiz “indie darlings” would be selling them short. Yes, they regularly score in the 7s and 8s on Pitchfork, and they’re your favorite indie band’s favorite band. But their music is far more complex than the “indie” moniker lets on, and that goes for the lyrics too. Fronted by the enigmatic and energetic Sadie Dupuis, the band has a way of turning the sour to sweet and back again in the blink of an eighth note. They’re ferocious but understated, groovy but gangly, catchy but noisy. Tickets are $18.
8
Go where the wild things are delicious. Edible and Medicinal Plant Walk with Dina Falconi at Opus 40, Sunday, July 31 at 11 a.m. Have you ever looked around your yard and thought, “What can I eat?” For over 30 years, Dina Falconi has taught a steady stream of plant-curious people how to use herbs for food, medicine, personal care and pleasure. Guests will enjoy foraging with her on the sculpted grounds of Opus 40, learning to identify and use the most helpful native plants available. Tickets are $25 for the public, $10 for members.
9
Dance your way to West Africa. Mamadou’s Fantastic Band featuring members of Super Yamba at White Feather Farm in Saugerties, Friday, July 29, 7 p.m. Theoria Foundation will present this Mamadou Mbenge, a master of the tama talking drum, joined by members of Afro-funksters Super Yamba from Brooklyn. The headliner hails from Senegal, West Africa. And while his music is founded in traditional West African rhythms, you’ll find soul, jazz and R&B floating in and out of the mix. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door, and $10 for students.
10
Travel through space and time with brass instruments. Brasskill at Gardiner Brewing Company, Sunday, July 31, 3:30 p.m. If you missed the Brazzamatazz Festival at Seed Song Farm last weekend, here’s your chance to redeem yourself. Brasskill is a high-energy, 14-piece brass band known for reliably inciting ecstatic dance parties. Their set list includes everything from traditional New Orleans second line tunes, through international favorites, all the way up to today’s punk and pop.
Join the family! 
