We’ve got another great week of live music on tap, with a little something for everyone to enjoy. Leading the pack is two nights with one of America’s biggest names in jam band rock; there’s an ultra-high energy night of dueling pianos, a night dedicated to Scottish fiddling, and an afternoon at the orchestra for kids as they start their school vacations.
Don’t forget that you can always check out our Live Music Tonight calendar for the full list of live music in Portland!
THE HEADLINER
If you’re a fan of classic jam band rock, you’ve got two chances to catch one of the greats this week in Portland. New York-bred moe. is coming to the the State Theatre for two nights, Friday, February 17th, and Saturday, February 18th. Both shows start at 8:00PM.
Tracing their origins as far back as 1989, moe. joined the ranks of American jam bands in the 90s, quickly growing in popularity alongside other bands such as Phish and Widespread Panic.
As their popularity grew, they decided to hit the road, and have never stopped for too long since. They’ve played countless shows and festivals over the years, including several of their own festivals in their home state of New York, such as Moe.lennium, a 3-day countdown to the year 2000.
If you like good times, good vibes and just jamming along with the tunes, be sure to get your tickets to night one, night two, or both! With the band’s knack for ingenuity and improvisation, you can be sure you’ll experience two entirely different shows if you make it to both nights.
LIVE & LOCAL
If you’re looking for a fun and unique night out this weekend, get to the Shipyard Tasting Room this Friday, February 17th for Dueling Pianos featuring local musicians Jim Ciampi and Seth Holbrook.
Don’t let the pianos fool you; this night of live music is incredibly high energy, often including costumes, sing-alongs, dancing and plenty of crowd participation. Sip on some fresh Shipyard beer, and dine on pizza, pretzels, sandwiches and salads, but be ready to move your feet! The evening’s pianists are there to make sure you have a good time, and they have a clear winning record at doing so.
Get your tickets now for this incredibly fun Friday night out.
MID-WEEK MUSIC
Get ready for a night of European-inspired folk music this Wednesday, February 15th at One Longfellow Square, with the Scottish Fiddle Festival, featuring the Katie McNally Trio, and Ryan McKasson & Colin Cotter.
McKasson & Cotter, faculty members of Northern California’s Valley of the Moon Scottish Fiddling School, kick off the evening at 8:00PM. The two have been playing together for over 20 years, since meeting at the school as students, traveling the country playing music and sharing their creative spark ever since.
The Katie McNally Trio then take the stage to perform songs from their newest album Now More Than Ever. The trio couldn’t be more excited to finally be showcasing their new music live, after a three year hiatus in their band schedule. Katie McNally fronts the project, leading with her elegant and powerful fiddle-playing, backed by a genre-crossing pianist, and a bluegrass phenom on viola. The three combine to create a robust folky sound that is sure to delight fiddle and bluegrass enthusiasts.
Get your last-minute tickets for the performances now.
STAFF PICK
School vacation is just around the corner, and what better way to kick off the break than with a kid-friendly Sunday matinee with our own Portland Symphony Orchestra at the Merrill Auditorium?
The PSO will spend the afternoon bringing to life beloved fairy tales and daring adventures through live music for the whole family to enjoy. Sunday’s program includes music from favorites such as Frozen, Harry Potter, Encanto, and more. This is the perfect opportunity to spend an afternoon downtown with the family, and introduce them to the symphony in a way that will keep them interested and excited.
Best part – tickets for the 2:30PM show are only $10!
There’s so much live music happening around the city at any given time that we’d never have the time to list them all here.
Check out our Live Music Tonight page for a full calendar of live events happening in Portland, Maine.
