The Ladles. Photo by Noel Woodford
The Ladles
8 p.m. Saturday. One Longfellow Square, 181 State St., Portland, $20 in advance, $25 at the door. onelongfellowsquare.com
Roots and folk trio The Ladles is fiddler/singer Lucia Pontoniere, guitarist/singer Katie Martucci and banjoist/singer Caroline Kuhnwith. The band was formed five years ago when they met and bonded at the New England Conservatory of Music’s Contemporary Improvisation program. Much of their quarantine time in 2020 was spent making the album “Springville Sessions,” which was recorded in Springville, New York, and released in 2021. Dense with three-part harmonies, the album checks boxes in pop, jazz and folk, with songs like “Cruisin'” and “Pages.” Singer-songwriter and Mainer Louisa Stancioff opens the show.
Melissa Etheridge. Photo by Myriam Santos
Melissa Etheridge
7:30 p.m. Saturday. Discovery Park at L.L. Bean, Freeport. llbean.com
Sixteen albums into a recording career that started in 1988 with a self-titled album, home to “Similar Features” and “Bring Me Some Water,” Melissa Etheridge has been a steadfast live performer. Hits include “Come to My Window” and “I’m The Only One,” and you haven’t lived until you’ve heard the fire-breathing live version of “Like the Way I Do,” which shows off Etheridge’s astounding guitar and vocal chops. Here’s a chance to see her live for free under the pines at L.L. Bean’s Discovery Park.
Sadie the dog and Griff Washburn (AKA Goth Babe). Photo by Ian Durkin
Goth Babe
8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug 8. State Theatre, 609 Congress St., Portland, $27.50 in advance, $35 day of show, $127.50 VIP meet & greet. statetheatreportland.com
Goth Babe is the moniker of indie-pop creator Griff Washburn, who lives on a sailboat in California with his dog, Sadie. His tunes, including the latest tracks “Bioluminescence” and “Alone in the Mountains,” are multi-layered, high-energy songs that will likely get the rafters rattling at the State Theatre. Both are from the forthcoming album “Lola,” due out in the fall. Mainer turned Californian Zach Hurd, who performs as Bay Ledges, will open the show. His tune “Safe” caught fire in 2016 and racked up just under 25 million streams on Spotify.
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