Sorry we missed you the past couple months, we were too busy seeing shows! Hopefully you were too. May is here, the flowers are blooming, and so is the live music in Rochester. Here are five lovely shows popping up this month that you should probably go check out.
May 10: Acid Mothers Temple at Bug Jar
Acid Mothers Temple returns to the Bug Jar from Japan for the first time in a handful of years, bringing back their intensely psychedelic rock perfectly suited for the trippy little bar on Monroe. Whether you’re on drugs or not, prepare to be sent to another dimension. Austin’s My Education joins them and Rochester’s Pengo will get things kicked off.
The show starts at 9pm and tickets are $15/$18dos.
May 11: Seán Barna at Radio Social
A day before his new album, An Evening at Macri Park, drops on Kill Rock Stars, Seán Barna will play a free show at Radio Social. Be one of the first to hear this incredible queer singer/songwriter and his band perform the album, which was recorded locally at 1809 Studios. Pluck and Cece Vile will open the show.
Show starts at 8pm and is free.
May 12: Pimp Biscuits at Flour City Station
Pimp Biscuits is Aqueous’ Mike Gantzer and Evan McPhaden, and Pickle Mafia’s Marco Cirigliano. They don’t get together often, but when they do, watch out! And with Aqueous on indefinite hiatus, all the more reason to get in to enjoy some Gantzer and McPhaden magic. With previously recommended Vertices opening the show, we’re in for a night of heavy improvisation. With Pigeons Playing Ping Pong opening up the Lilac Festival earlier in the evening, the possibilities for some nice sit-ins are high.
Show starts at 10pm and tickets are $15/$20dos.
May 16: Sam Grisman Project at Lilac Festival
David Grisman’s son Sam recently assembled a band, heavy on Rochester talent, to explore the music of his father and Jerry Garcia and beyond. Area guitarist Aaron Lipp and drummer Chris English join him, and multi-instrumentalist Ric Robertson rounds out the quartet. They interpret the music acoustically, electrically, and eclectically. This one is going to sound great nestled in between the lilacs. Get there early for Organ Fairchild and Digglers Bridge.
Music starts at 4pm, Sam Grisman comes on at 7pm, and it’s all free.
May 24: Margaret Explosion at The Little Cafe
Margaret Explosion is a long running institution in Rochester. There’s no one named Margaret and the music is decidedly unexplosive, but their regular gigs at the cafe inside The Little Theater are always a treat. Their shows are completely improvised “slow-motion psychedelia.” Melissa Davies has been joining the quartet on cello recently and the results have been stunning.
Show starts at 7pm and is free.
Bonus! May 6: Sadies at Skylark Lounge
We highlighted this show for you back in December but unfortunately that show got cancelled. It was postponed to May 6 and of course we still flag it as can’t-miss, so consider this a reminder.
Show starts at 10pm and tickets are $15/$20dos.
The post Five Can’t-Miss Shows in Rochester in May appeared first on NYS Music.
