Canadian legend Gordon Lightfoot returns to the State
Jim Catalano
Forty years ago this week, the Edmund Fitzgerald, a freighter carrying 29 people, sank in Lake Superior during a horrific storm. That tragedy provided the impetus for one of the most memorable story-songs of the 1970s, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." This weekend, the man who wrote that song will return to Ithaca.
Gordon Lightfoot will perform at the State Theatre at 8 p.m. Saturday as part of his "50 Years on the Carefree Highway Tour." The Canadian singer-songwriter, who's now 76, scored a bunch of big hits in the 1970s — "If You Could Read My Mind," "Sundown," "Carefree Highway" — that blended folk, rock and pop influences with his robust voice.
Lightfoot continued to release new albums through the 1990s and 2000s; his latest record is 2012's "All Live." Find out more at the fan site www.gordonlightfoot.com.
Tickets are $35 to $55 for the show. Visit www.stateofithaca.com to learn more.
Three days of IU
Beginning Thursday night, Ithaca Underground will host three-day series at the Community School of Music and Arts that's part of the Ithaca International Fantastic Film Festival.
The series is divided into three themed shows. Thursday's show will feature several regional independent hiphop favorites: Sammus; Ceschi Ramos, from New Haven, Connecticut; Smacked Records' co-founder Mr. McBean; Kristina Camille; and Flocarious (brothers Damiano Malvasio & Magnetic The Shaman). Gunpoets co-frontman Jayhigh — the nom de rap of Josh Higgins — will headline the show.
"I'm coming out with solo music in addition to the Gunpoets," Higgins said. "I am working on a performance piece and some new recorded music. I am in the early stages of a project, basically. I reached out to IU and asked them if I could be involved with a hip-hop show. They seem to always have artists who are pretty fringe and eclectic, and I consider my solo music outside the box and fringy as well.
"I'm performing music with beats from tons of different producers in addition to myself, Jsan, Colin Smith — but this music is decidedly hip-hop and quite different than what I do with Gunpoets. I'm excited to share this with people. I know there are a lot of people that are curious what type of music I do on my own." Hear for yourself at soundcloud.com/jayhigh.
Friday will shift the focus to heavier music, with Relapse Records band Tombs topping the lineup in continuing support of their latest LP "Savage Gold." They'll be joined by Black Anvil, Syracuse's Bleak, Ithaca-NYC duo Twin Lords, The Gonopods — a new solo effort from King Sized Pegasus drummer and 73 Records co-founder Etienne Griener — and Nihilist Rulebook/Deadbeat Choir, for an evening ranging among black metal, death metal, hardcore and noise.
Saturday's show will feature the return of Screaming Females, the New Jersey trio fronted by Marissa Paternoster, one of the best guitarists you'll ever hear. Their Don Giovanni Records label mates Aye Nako will make their first Ithaca appearance. Del Paxton will return from Buffalo, along with Misses Bitches, and the newly monikered Sorry I Was Sleeping will open the show.
Admission is $5 per night; $10 for all three shows. Visit www.ithacaunderground.com to learn more.
It's another busy week on the local scene, including a couple of shows — Rhiannon Giddens and Colin Hay — at the Hangar Theatre, and the Ithaca Underground three-day series at the Community School of Music and Arts.
• Thursday, Stone Cold Miracle will perform at Casita del Polaris. The local R&B-funk-soul band recently added Zaun Marshburn on drums to provide the solid backdrop to the fiery vocals of Elbonee Stevenson. There's no cover for the 8 p.m. show, but donations are welcome.
• Thursday, the Funk Underground will visit from Rhode Island to showcase its hiphop grooves at the Dock. Locals Beet Juice and Remstar Steele will open the 9 p.m show. Cover is $5.
• Friday, the East West Blues Band will perform at the Eagle Hotel in Lodi. The band originally formed this summer to pay tribute the Paul Butterfield Blues Band's early albums, but has since expanded its repertoire. There's a small cover for the 9 p.m. show.
• Friday, Lera Lynn will make her Ithaca debut at the Dock. The Nashville-based singer-songwriter has been featured on the HBO series "True Detective," both as an actor and on its soundtrack. Her second album, "The Avenues," has garnered much praise. Visit www.leralynn.com to learn more. Anna Bergendahl will open the 7 p.m. show. Cover is $15. Visit www.thedockithaca.com for more information.
• Saturday, the Center for the Arts in Homer will continue its "CNY's Finest" series with Cortland rockers Muddy Dove joining forces with Ithaca's own Fly Rods for a 7 p.m. show. Visit www.center4art.org for information.
• Saturday, HmfO will return to Ithaca, bringing their Hall and Oates tribute show to the Haunt. The band has played here a few times opening for its alter ego Start Making Sense (the Talking Heads tribute), but this will be its first all HmfO show in town. Expect to hear lots of the hits — "Private Eyes," "She's Gone," "Maneater," etc. — along with some deep album cuts from the best-selling duo in rock history. Cover is $10 for the 9 p.m. show.
• Saturday, Johnny Dowd will return to the Rongovian Embassy in Trumansburg; he'll be joined by Beet Juice for the 9 p.m. show, for which there's a small cover charge. By the way, Johnny recently posted an old Neon Baptist song, recorded in 1991 at the old Haunt, on www.johnnydowd.com. Check it out; it's pretty cool.
• Sunday, local jazz saxman Mike Titlebaum will perform at the Carriage House Café, where he'll be joined by three fellow Ithaca College faculty members: drummer Greg Evans, bassist Nicholas Walker and pianist Nick Weiser. "We'll be doing all new compositions of mine, written this year," Titlebaum said. Visit www.carriagehousecafe.com for more information on the 8 p.m. show.
• Sunday, Travis Knapp will perform on Bound for Glory. The local singer-songwriter released an excellent album last year, and performs on piano, banjo and other instruments. He's a great singer, too. Visit www.travisknapp.com to learn more. There's no cover for the 8 pm. show, which is broadcast live from the Café in Cornell's Anabel Taylor Hall.