Warm up with pre-Valentine’s engagements; fashion and family history; and jazz, classical and metal guitar work.
Monday, February 3
At 6 p.m., Branford’s Blackstone Library has fashion historian Ren Antonowicz discussing “The Golden Age of Hollywood Fashion”—the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s, when “fashion… was not only glamorous and influential, but also was enjoyed as an ‘escape’ from the problems of each decade”
At 6:30 at Creative Arts Workshop, Jennifer Coggins, an archivist with the Beinecke Library, offers a primer on “preserving the records and stories you want to pass on to future generations.” “Have old family documents you want to keep safe for the future? Worried about losing your digital photos? Have boxes of stuff and aren’t sure where to start? … Learn strategies for deciding what to keep, preserving materials in different formats, and applying ‘archival thinking’ in our day-to-day lives.”
Wednesday, February 5
With all previous shows selling out at least a week in advance, today’s 2 and 7 o’clock performances at SCSU’s Lyman Center offer the first listable chances to see Long Wharf Theatre’s El Coquí Espectacular and the Bottle of Doom. “From the streets of Sunset Park, Brooklyn, emerges a masked protector: the iconic Puerto Rican superhero, El Coquí Espectacular! Behind the mask lies Alex, a struggling comic book artist with a secret identity of his own. As he grapples with self-doubt and the lure of a steady job in advertising alongside his brother Joe, Alex must navigate the challenges of being a hero both on and off the page.”
Thursday, February 6
At 5 p.m., RJ Julia hosts “beloved chef, Food Network star, and bestselling author” Alton Brown “as he signs copies of his debut essay collection. Filled with wit, insight, and behind-the-scenes stories, Food for Thought is a must-read for food lovers and fans of Brown's unique perspective.”
At 7, the next Treasures from the Yale Film Archive screening at Yale’s Humanities Quadrangle is a double. The first film is 26-minute short The Beginnings of Bebop (1981), “a guided tour of New York’s historic jazz hotspots led by Dizzy Gillespie.” The second is full feature Cabin in the Sky (1943), “a musical fantasy about a gambler with one last chance to redeem his soul” featuring an “all-Black cast.”
Friday, February 7
At 7 p.m., Armada Brewing blends the time of year and its own fantastical theming into a Love, Lore and Legends Trivia Night. Which sounds like it might as well be a general trivia night, covering “romantic movies, February history, mythical matchmakers, and all things wintery.”
At 8:30 and 10, Firehouse 12 hosts “a new group with long-standing collaborators” led by decorated jazz guitarist Bill Frisell.
Saturday, February 8
A Guitar Extravaganza at Yale’s Morse Recital Hall features 25 guitarists across an all-day set list of concerts, masterclasses and a panel discussion, starting with a morning show at 10 and an evening show at 7:30.
From 1 to 5, a pre-Valentine’s popup market at Strange Ways features local vendors selling handmade jewelry, candles, paintings and more.
Starting at 7 at Jazzy’s Cabaret, it’s also pre-Valentine’s Day, as a singles mixer and speed dating event offers drink specials, free chocolates and an after-party with an encouraged red, black and white dress code.
Sunday, February 9
IRIS’s annual 5K Run for Refugees, freshly rebranded the Run with Refugees & All Immigrants, starts at 10 a.m. from Wilbur Cross High School (where it also finishes), with an after-party starting at 10:15 and an awards ceremony at 11.
From noon to 3 at BAR, A Broken Umbrella Theatre performs readings from (A)Pizza Play, a home-baked work in progress featuring “stories from three generations of a New Haven apizza family and their pizza shop.” Also on the menu are a pizza buffet, remarks from congresswoman Rosa DeLauro and an expert discussion of “New Haven’s pizza legacy and culture.”
At 3 in Woolsey Hall, the New Haven Symphony Orchestra invites us to “experience one of the greatest American choral works of all time, American composer Robert Nathaniel Dett’s The Ordering of Moses, performed by hundreds of combined voices from the Fairfield County Chorale, Heritage Chorale of New Haven and New Haven Chorale.”
At 7, a showcase of three acts signed to Wallingford-based Redscroll Records—and a fourth that isn’t but hails from New Haven—heads to Hamden’s Space Ballroom. The headliner is Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean, whose gloomy, sludgy metal carries a whiff of future dystopia. The fourth act is Killer Kin, whose more straight-ahead rock still harbors metal energy, especially live.
Written by Dan Mims. Image features Lena Horne and Eddie Anderson in Cabin in the Sky. Readers are encouraged to verify times, locations, prices and other details before attending events.
