Here are the Worcester Guardian’s five picks for things to do in Worcester this weekend:
- They can ring your bell….ring your bell: The New England Ringers bring their spring season to a close Sunday, May 31, with a 3 p.m. concert at Joy of Music Program. The community ensemble specializes in advanced handbell music that somehow manages to be both technically precise and unexpectedly entertaining, moving through classical arrangements, familiar songs and original compositions with enough energy to make you briefly reconsider what handbells are capable of. Part concert, part visual choreography, the performance also serves as a reminder that there are people out there who can coordinate this many bells without immediately descending into chaos.
- Three shows walk into a gallery: But it ain’t no joke. ArtsWorcester is opening not one, not two, but three new exhibitions during a reception Friday, May 29, from 6-9 p.m. at ArtsWorcester. In the West Gallery, solo exhibitions by Bridey McGlynn and Caitlyn Marsh explore the body, landscape, material and memory through paintings and sculpture that share an unexpected visual conversation. Meanwhile, the East Gallery hosts Still, a juried exhibition that takes the traditional still life and stretches it in several directions, from classic interpretations to more contemporary reimaginings. The reception is free and open to the public, with a cash bar available and plenty of opportunities to stand thoughtfully in front of artwork while pretending you immediately understood it.
- Between last call and a Springsteen B side: Johnny Blue Horn and The Caretakers return to the WCUW Frontroom on Saturday, May 30, for a 7 p.m. show built around blues, roots rock, R&B and the sort of musicianship that tends to sound especially good in smaller rooms. Fronted by Johnny Blue Horn, whose style pulls somewhere between Van Morrison and Bruce Springsteen territory, the band leans into soulful vocals, strong grooves and a live energy that feels more lived-in than rehearsed. Tickets are $20 at the door, with refreshments available—or, in true Main South fashion, pizza and Indian food waiting right next door if you plan accordingly.
- You say you want a revolutionary walk: So here. You’ve got one. Take a walk through Worcester’s revolutionary past on Saturday, May 30, during a guided tour tracing the people, taverns and flashpoints that helped push the city toward independence. Beginning and ending at Salisbury Mansion, the 1-2 p.m. tour follows the routes local revolutionaries traveled as they challenged royal authority and spread their ideas through town. Tickets are $15 for non-members and free for members of the Museum of Worcester. Comfortable shoes are encouraged, which feels appropriate given that nobody involved in the actual Revolution had access to modern arch support.
- When emotions jump from the art: Three artists exploring memory, emotion and the things that tend to linger just beneath the surface come together in “Threads of the Unseen,” a new exhibition opening at the Jean McDonough Arts Center. An opening reception takes place Friday, May 29, from 5 to 7 p.m., with live music by guitarist Peter Clemente. Featuring the work of Elisa Vanelli, Bayda Asbridge and Lynn Simmons, the show examines how stories, experiences and emotions can be carried through fiber, form and material rather than words alone. In other words, it’s the rare art exhibit where “read between the lines” may actually be part of the assignment.
For more events, visit the Discover Central Massachusetts events calendar.
Have an event, news tip, idea for a feature, information, joke, favorite recipe or anything else you’d like to tell us about? You should. Contact carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org
