Tattoo Convention, TheaterWorks’ haunted house and Sea Tea explores supernatural
It’s a week of Blues and boos. Ana Popovic is playing at Infinity Hall, bluesy rock singer/songwriter Joe Flood is at cafe nine, and there are two separate theatrical experiences involving haunted houses. Dark days are ahead, lightened by some great entertainment.
Here comes the Flood
Joe Flood, the longtime Connecticut resident who has written songs for or recorded with the likes of The Band, Blues Travelers, Dr. John and many others, is holding an album release party at cafe nine, 250 State St., New Haven, Oct. 17 at 4 p.m. Playing alongside Flood at the festivities will be Michael Cleary, Jerry Dugger, Ron Sunshine, Andres Villamil, and Scott Kessel plus “special guests,” as if those guys weren’t special enough. Free. cafenine.com.
Week of yucks
Local comedy has become reliable again. The Comedy Craft Beer Tour has shows upcoming at Aquila’s Nest in
Sandy Hook (Oct. 17 at 6 p.m.), Stony Creek Brewery in Branford (Oct. 20 at 7 p.m.), Priam vineyards in Colchester (Oct. 22 at 7 p.m.) and Saturday shows in two locations: City Steam Brewery in Hartford (Oct. 23 at 8 p.m.) and JJ Stacks in Brookfield (Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.). That’s more jokes than you can count, and some that you may really need. comedycraftbeer. com.
Exiled punks
Philadelphia punk band The Menzingers’ latest album, “Hello, Exile,” has songs inspired by isolation, politics (“America, You’re Freaking Me Out”) and a Chekhov short story. The Menzingers, plus The Dirty Nil and Worriers, are at the Webster Theater, 31 Webster St., Hartford, Oct. 17 at 8 p.m. $30. webstertheater.com.
Barrel Fever
The comic essayist David Sedaris, regularly found in bookstores and in august publications like The New Yorker, is just as well known for his speaking tours, where he fills theaters for his readings and offhand observations. His new book is the second compilation of his diaries, “A Carnival of Snackery.” Literate and loquacious. David Sedaris is at The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford on Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m. $36-$68. bushnell.org.
Top Blues
Blues guitarist Ana Popovic gives an intimate performance at one of the state’s top listening rooms, Infinity Hall, 30 Front St., Hartford, Oct. 20 at 8 p.m. Her latest album, “Like It On Top,” explicitly explores feminist themes. $39-$59. infinityhall.com.
Tattoo You
Hundreds of the top artists in their field convene at Tommy’s Tattoo Convention, Oct. 22-24 at the Connecticut Convention Center, 100 Columbus Blvd., Hartford. There are also dozens of vendors, and thousands of tattooed attendees. Friday from 4 to 11 p.m., Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. $20 for one day ($17 in advance), $40 for all three ($37 in advance; children free. ctconventions.com.
Haunted House
TheaterWorks has gone back to virtual programming, rather than compromise its planned live premiere of the audience-interactive “Monster Songs” (which will now happen next season). They’ve found a Halloween-friendly doozy: “Someone Else’s House,” performed by the techsavvy theater maven Jared Mezzocchi performs, based on a haunting experience in a house he grew up in. Mezzochi was one of the key collaborators in TheaterWorks’ “Russian Troll Farm” last year. “Someone Else’s House” is done live online every night and sends items to viewers by mail so that their participation makes each performance unique. TheaterWorks is also holding in-person viewing parties in its 233 Pearl St. space. Oct. 22-31 at 8 p.m. $45-$60. twhartford.org.
Illmatic
Nas is the real deal, emerging from the New York rap scene of the late ‘80s. He paid tribute to his forebears as a producer and narrator of the hip-hop history series The Get Down. Of course, he also announced “Hip Hop is Dead” on a hit single. He’s collaborated with everyone from Mobb Deep to Lauryn Hill and was one fourth of the supergroup The Firm. His latest album, “King’s Disease,” won a Grammy this year. Oct. 23 at 8 p.m. $75-$130. https://www. foxwoods.com/entertainment/view-all-shows/ shows/nas/.
How bazaar
The Bizarre Bazaar, for the next two Saturday afternoons in Hartford’s Pratt Street Historic District, is excellent prep for Halloween. It’s even outdoors and has food, just like trick or treating. Live music on Oct. 23 includes Ghostwoods at 12:30 p.m., Kevin MF King at 2:30 p.m. and The Miles Elliot Experience at 3:30 p.m. hartford. com.
House that again?
TheaterWorks has a haunted house show, and so in its way does the Sea Tea Comedy Theater, 15 Asylum St., Hartford. On Oct. 23 at 9 p.m., “Your House is Haunted” is an audience participation event where members of the audience describe eerie incidents they’ve experienced, and an “expert team of occasionally clairvoyant improvisers” weighs in on the supernatural implications. $10. seateaimprov. com.