C ultural highlights include actual lights in the form of a Japanese lamp workshop, as well as an eight-band ska festival and the pop hijinks of NRBQ. There’s also food and thought at a special theater/wine-tasting event at Lyric Hall, and the start of this year’s foreign film series at the NHFPL.
Monday, July 9
Chamber Winds is a one-week series of master classes, rehearsals and a culminating public performance for “intermediate or advanced high school, college and adult players” of flutes, oboes, bassoons and French horns. The tuition is $260 for the week. Registration required. Neighborhood Music School, 100 Audubon St., New Haven. (203) 624-5189.
Tuesday, July 10
This year’s International Film Series at New Haven Free Public Library begins this evening with Con Fidel Pase Lo Que Pase (“With Fidel, Come What May.”) The one-hour documentary, released last year, compares the vision promoted during the celebration of the 52nd anniversary of the Cuban Revolution with the day-to-day living conditions of citizens. The screening was arranged through the film’s director, Goran Radovanovic, and is sponsored by the City of New Haven Peace Commission. 5:30 p.m., 133 Elm St., New Haven; 203-946-8835.
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Wednesday, July 11
Remember the lively throng of young folks swaying their hips and arms to the brass-heavy Indian pop sounds of Red Baraat on New Haven Green a couple of weeks ago? Well, the style (both the music and the dance) is called Bhangra. A Bhangra movement class begins today at Yale’s International Center (421 Temple St., New Haven) and meets every Wednesday from 5:30-6:30 p.m. through August 8. You don’t need dance experience to delve into this basic intro to Bhangra, but expect to move. $5 per lesson; $3 for Yale faculty & staff, $2 for Yale students. Email [email protected] for information.
Thursday, July 12
Ska is the sound of summer. Originally borne of Jamaica rhythms and rock-and-roll impulses in the 1960s, the style was permanently transformed with the punk revolution of the 1970s and became a high school band phenomenon in the ‘80s. There’s been a fervent revival of the brass-section-inflected quicktime rock/reggae hybrid in recent years, and today The Space (295 Treadwell St., Hamden; 203-288-6400) blows that point home with an eight-band Ska Fest beginning at 5 p.m. The acts—Murphy’s Kids, The Pomps, Llama Tsunami, The Excitement Gang, Stop Exploding You Cowards, For Serious and Waffle Stompers—hail from Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and elsewhere and promise to overwhelm you with youthful abandon. $10.
Friday, July 13
One of the great party bands of the 20th century, NRBQ combines an encyclopedic knowledge of American pop, R&B, be-bop and other styles with a deep-rooted desire to entertain. The original line-up changed years ago, but founding keyboardist Terry Adams is still with the band, which plays the Hamden Arts Commission free summer concert series tonight in Town Center Park (2761 Dixwell Ave., Hamden; 203-287-2546).
Saturday, July 14
Tasty Theatre is serving up three one-acts—Friendly Fire, Designated Driver and After the Ball—by playwright and webcaster (Suburban Legends) Frederick Stroppel. Why do they call it Tasty Theatre? Because the plays are paired with hors d’ouevres from Savour Catering and wines selected by The Wine Thief. The cast of professional actors includes Sachi Parker, Tom Zingarelli, Daniel Sarnelli, Nadine Willig and Joanna Keylock. 8 p.m. at Lyric Hall Stage, 827 Whalley Ave., New Haven. (203) 389-8885. $40 includes the food, drink and entertainment.
Sunday, July 15
Create your own Japanese Shoji lamp at a one-day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. workshop led by artist Phillip Chambers at Creative Arts Workshop (80 Audubon St., New Haven; 203-562-4927). $100, $90 for CAW members.
Written by Christopher Arnott.
