Few musical works immerse you in a gentle galaxy of swirling sound like Steve Reich’s beautiful and beguiling “Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organ.” It’s just one of the pieces that will be performed live at the “Bang On a Can Marathon” at MASS MoCA in North Adams Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m.
The six-hour concert is the finale to the always-fascinating three-week summer festival hosted by Bang On a Can, New York City’s contemporary classical music ensemble, which has been doing even-longer “Marathon” concerts in its home city since 1987. Vanity Fair said this about the potent and freewheeling yearly “Marathon” show: “Imagine ‘Lollapalooza’ advised by the ghost of John Cage.”
Bang On a Can started spending some of its summer at MASS MoCA in 2002, and this year the epic closing concert, performed by the festival ensembles and guests, will include pieces by 2016’s special featured composer, John Luther Adams, whose works are inspired by nature. (The New Yorker’s Alex Ross memorably described Adams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning orchestral piece “Become Ocean” as “the loveliest apocalypse in musical history.”)
In addition to Adams’ compositions and Reich’s mesmerizing piece mentioned above (which will end the night), Bang On a Can will also perform music from its co-founder Julia Wolfe (“Tell Me Everything”), as well as a world premiere of “Boil” by Brooklyn-based clarinetist/saxophonist/composer Ken Thomson, the fascinatingly melodic Akiko Ushijima piece “Distorting Melody” (Zappa fans take note) and works by Louis Andriessen, Missy Mazzoli, Frederic Rzewski, David T. Little, George Crumb and others.
For more information visit massmoca.org
The bonfire will be outside and the musical fire will be in the homey front room when Home Body returns to the one-of-a-kind Dream Away Lodge in Becket Friday at 8:30 p.m. The “electric fleshy cosmic fever pop” duo of Haley Morgan and Eric Hnatow create their own uniquely live mix of sound and vision no matter where they are. They’ll play two sets at the cozy space, a magical destination that is most definitely worth the drive. Get there early, have dinner, walk around the flowering labyrinth, lie in the hammock, make some summer memories.
Northampton band The Original Cowards just released a new single, the psychedelic fuzz-bass jam “Prepare the Dose,” and it will share a bill with Woodhead, Procedure Club and Pronoia at the 13th Floor Music Lounge in Florence Friday at 9 p.m.
Summer’s the time for outdoor concerts on lawns, which is where local jazz ensemble Now’s the Time will play at the Westhampton Public Library Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Roots rocker and multi-instrumentalist Mitch Chakour brings along his quintet for a return appearance at the 1794 Meetinghouse in New Salem Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Vocalist/keyboardist Kandace Springs just released her full-length debut on the Blue Note label, “Soul Eyes,” which finds her covering material by Shelby Lynne, War, Jesse Harris and others, as well as debuting a few new originals, like the bewitching slow-bump of “Too Good To Last.” Springs plays the Iron Horse in Northampton Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Irish acoustic trio Socks In the Frying Pan (guitar, fiddle, accordion and three-part harmonies) plays the “Watermelon Wednesdays” series at the West Whately Chapel Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. The summer concert series has been going strong for 17 years, and admission includes fresh watermelon during intermission.