It’s “Cultural Chaos” time again, a day when Cottage Street in Easthampton keeps out the coughing cars and makes way for a smiling stream of people and art makers. Live music, hula-hoopers, acrobats, “on-the-spot poetry” writers, life-size puppets, all-ages arts-and-crafts projects, maybe even a local resident wandering around with his pet snake wrapped around his shoulders … it’s the city’s yearly street festival, happening Saturday from noon to 7 p.m.
Last year’s “Cultural Chaos” was one of my favorite summer days of 2015, strolling up and down the closed road as part of the happy mob, soaking up the sun, sights and sounds (and soaking my shirt in the heat).
Live music will dazzle on three stages and other smaller performance areas along the thoroughfare. This year’s artists include wild and crazy ska-dub-party band Beige (who put on one of last year’s most fun sets), bluegrass/country act The Rambling Kind, singer/songwriter Pamela Means, Now’s the Time Jazz Ensemble (pictured, above left), flamenco duo Crimson Canary (pictured, above, right), man about town (and Sebadoh co-founder) Eric Gaffney, reggae/pop band The Addis Revolution, Wild Bill & the Flying Sparks, bluesman Mark Nomad and his band, Ballads & Softcore Porn, Behold! True Believers, The Buddy McEarns Band, Little Roots, Tony Silva and many others.
Even you — yes you — can be part of the day’s entertainment: The event invites you to sing or play at one of the “Buskers Stations” along the street.
There’s also an all-day indoor music showcase at The Luthiers Co-Op, featuring Abe Loomis, Rocky Hill Revival, The Chandler Travis Philharmonic, Kevin Neenan, Jim Eagen, Michael St. Martin, Ray Mason, Masala Jazz and Bok Choy.
For more information about this year’s “Cultural Chaos” street festival (including a full schedule of events, musical and otherwise), visit easthamptoncityarts.com.
Local Americana singer/songwriter Amber Wolfe (who released her debut EP, “I Left the City,” earlier this year, pictured) and Lady Jane (aka Esperanza Friel, a one-woman band with an electric guitar she named Eurydice) join forces with author Jedediah Berry (responsible for the fascinating “story in cards,” “The Family Arcana”) for a show at the Montague Bookmill Friday at 8 p.m.
Northampton-based indie instrumental electronic funk band Mammal Dap teams up with fellow locals Outer Stylie, a heavy psychedelic jam band, at Gateway City Arts in Holyoke Friday at 9 p.m.
The National plays its only headlining show in the Northeast this year at MASS MoCA in North Adams Saturday at 7 p.m. The concert is a benefit for the Hawthorne Valley Association and MASS MoCA. Throughout the weekend the museum will be screening “A Lot of Sorrow,” a six-hour documentary filmed on tour with the band by Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson. There will also be a benefit silent auction, with one of the items being a 2013 Airline electric guitar used by band member Aaron Dessner. The concert will be held rain or shine. San Francisco group YASSOU starts off the show. For info, visit massmoca.org.
Valley singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Rick Murnane has decided to hold off on putting out another album in order to try a different avenue for his fresh material: releasing a new song on his Bandcamp page on the last Friday of every month. He’ll play a special afternoon show with his Rick Murnane Band at Mocha Maya’s in Shelburne Falls Sunday at 2 p.m.
The Wu-Tang Clan’s GZA/Genius has long been working on a new record, “Dark Matter” (featuring collaborations with Vangelis), and it’s due out later this year. In the meantime, he’ll appear at Pearl Street in Northampton Wednesday at 8 p.m. Heems (from Das Racist) starts off the night.
The Argiro Quintet, originally inspired by the music of the George Shearing quintet, plays unique originals and its own versions of jazz standards at the 121 Club in the Eastworks building in Easthampton Thursday at 7 p.m.