Weekend Ideas: December 17, 2015

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Hard to believe it’s been 30 years since saxophonist/composer Russ Gershon assembled a little big band dubbed the Either/Orchestra, a 10-piece group that reflected Ellington, Mingus and Sun Ra, pop and prog-rock, and in recent years, Ethiopian music. In fact, the Either/Orchestra will perform its three-part Ethiopian Suite as part of its 30th anniversary concert at Johnny D’s Uptown on Friday, the exact date of the band’s first gig at the Cambridge Public Library. Over the years, Gershon nabbed a Grammy nomination for one of his arrangements, and the group boasts many noted alumni (John Medeski, Matt Wilson, Miguel Zenon) and some of them (such as drummer Jerome Deupree and guitarist John Dirac) will join Gershon and regulars like baritone saxophonist Charlie Kohlhase, co-founding trumpeter Tom Halter and congas player Vicente Lebron at Friday’s early show.

Another Either/Orchestra alumnus, bassist Mike Rivard, revs up his experimental groove collective Club d’elf with guest guitarist Dave Fiuczynski, keyboardist Alain Mallet and Either/Orchestra’s Lebron later Friday night at the Lizard Lounge, then joins the reggae-steeped Dub Apocalypse at the same club on Saturday. Johnny D’s shifts gears as well on Saturday with veteran Americana singer/songwriter James McMurtry touring behind his latest album, Complicated Game. Or the song remains the same if you want classic rock, when drummer Jason Bonham brings his Led Zeppelin Experience to House of Blues on Saturday with ho, ho lotta love.

Two hot multi-night stands pop up on this close-to-holiday weekend. The Boston-born Street Dogs , fronted by ex-Dropkick Murphys singer Mike McColgan, bring their spirited punk-rock to the Brighton Music Hall for “Wreck the Halls” shows Friday through Sunday. And singer/songwriter Lori McKenna, who’s gone from Stoughton housewife to Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, makes her annual pilgrimage to Club Passim with band shows on Saturday and solo shows on Sunday as a sweet aside from shopping.


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