Things to Do in Durham this Weekend (Mar 30 - Apr 2)
Check out our full Durham events calendar.
If you'd like to add an event to our calendar, submit an event here. Please check with the event owners to see if events change due to weather. Have a great weekend!
March Featured Event
The Hunt for the Golden Bulls with Bull City Burger and Brewery
The 13th annual “Hunt for the Golden Bulls”: a scavenger hunt inspired by the golden tickets from the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Throughout the month, clues and puzzles will be revealed on social media and at bullcityburgerandbrewery.com. The clues, once deciphered, lead participants to public spaces around Durham where a golden bull has been carefully hidden.
Golden Bulls #1, #2, #3, and #4 have been found.
Multi-Day Events
The Durham Savoyards presents Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Yeomen of The Guard at The Carolina Theatre
Do you need a comic operetta fix? In their 60th year, the Durham Savoyards are performing Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Yeomen of the Guard. The show promises a live orchestra, a travelling jester and his lovely lady, an assistant jailer interested in torture and comedy, a deviously flirtatious woman, a vanishing prisoner, sweetheart stealing, a blindfolded bride, a shot in the dark, a cock-and-bull story, and enough lies and connivances to make your head spin, if the headsman doesn’t get it first.
Fri, Mar 31 at 8:00 p.m.
Sat, Apr 1 at 7:00 p.m.
Sun, Apr 2 at 3:00 p.m.
$40
Events at The Pinhook
Thu, Mar 30 at 8:00 p.m. - Yolo Karaoke!
Fri, Mar 31 at 8:00 p.m. - ¡Tumbao! / Akita / Mami’s and the Papis!
Sat, Apr 1 at 7:00 p.m. - Horizontal Hold / Neill Wyeman / Osowa Tome
Sat, Apr 1 at 10:00 p.m. - The House Of Coxx Presents: Drag Divinity
Sat, Apr 1 at 11:55 p.m. - Rent Due Dance Party!!!
Sun, Apr 2 at 7:00 p.m. - Matty Frank / Debbie The Artist / Jr – LGBTQ Center Benefit!
Improv Comedy at Mettlesome
Thu-Sat at 8:00 p.m. | Romance is Dead: A Sketch Comedy Show About the Darker Side of Romance
Fri, Mar 31 at 7:00 p.m. | The Racket - See indie improv teams from around the Triangle show off their stuff.
Fri, Mar 31 at 9:00 p.m. | Hush Hush - Improv inspired by anonymous secrets from the audience.
Sat, Apr 1 at 9:00 p.m. | House Party - A mix of short-form (similar to Who's Line is it Anyway?) and long-form inspired by an audience interview.
All shows $8
Events at Motorco Music Hall
Thu, Mar 30 at 8:00 p.m. - Ryan Montbleau with Bryan Elijah Smith
Fri, Mar 31 at 8:00 p.m. - The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band with The Hooten Hallers
Live Music at Blue Note Grill
Thur, Mar 30 at 7:30 p.m. - Blood Brothers: Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia
Fri, Mar 31 at 6:00 p.m. - The Duke Street Dogs
Fri, Mar 31 at 9:15 p.m. - Wiley Fosters Play Foster Wiley
Sat, Apr 1 at 7:30 p.m. - Armand & Bluesology featuring Carter Minor
Events at Moon Dog Meadery
Thu, Mar 30 at 6:30 p.m. - 90's Trivia Night with The Durham Library
Sun, Apr 2 at 7:00 p.m. - Moon Dog Open Mic
Live Music at Sharp 9 Gallery
Fri, Mar 31 at 8:00 p.m. - Peter Bernstein/Joey Calderazzo Quartet
Sat, Apr 1 at 2:00 p.m. - Peter Bernstein Masterclass
Sat, Apr 1 at 8:00 p.m. - Peter Bernstein/Joey Calderazzo Quartet
Events at Arcana
Thu, Mar 30 - Matt Southern & Kit McKay and Tarot with Virginia
Fri, Mar 31 (bar opens at 8 p.m.) - Andrew Kasab and Tarot with Virginia
Sat, Apr 1 - Bardo Bloom Tarot with Rene
Sun, Apr 2 - Slow Teeth w/Robert Chamberlain and Tarot with Emily
Events at Rubies on Five Points
Thu, Mar 30 at 8:00 p.m. - Piedmont with Scivic Rivers
Fri, Mar 31 at 10:00 p.m. - DJ Bagaceiro Presents: Still Rising – A Tribute To De La Soul
Sat, Apr 1 at 10:00 p.m. - Renaissance Disko V with DJ Vsprtn Brings You The Fifth Edition Of Disko
Events at The Fruit
Thu, Mar 30 at 8:00 p.m. - Below Decks: Isabel Essence / Acfx 969 / K Ward / Miss Ashley
Thu, Mar 30 at 8:00 p.m. - Rabbit Foot Puppetry Presents: The Clown Car Rolls On
Sat, Apr 1 at 9:30 p.m. - Ignition Featuring: Popov (Form Music)
Sun, Apr 2 at 12 p.m. - The Fruit Flea: Monthly Flea Market
Ira Knight Presents From Myth To Man: Martin Luther King, An Interpretation at Walltown Children's Theatre
An audience talkback with actor and playwright will follow each performance. This original one-man play is currently touring colleges and universities in the United States.
Fri, Mar 31 at 7:00 p.m. and Sat, Apr 1 at 2 p.m.
$22
NCCU Dance Repertory Spring Concert at NCCU University Theatre
The Department of Theatre will present its annual Spring Dance Concert.
Sat, Apr 1 at 8:00 p.m.
Sun, Apr 2 at 3:00 p.m.
$10
Thursday, Mar 30
Relay Relay at Boxyard RTP
Relay Relay is the feel good, free-spirited indie pop group led by the husband and wife songwriting team of Hannah and Jamie Rowen. Their music blends retro soundscapes into a uniquely modern sound with powerful vocal melodies, vibey guitar riffs, dreamy synth tones and rich harmonies woven together with a strong pop sensibility.
5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Free admission
Vinyl Night with DJ Deckades at Gizmo Brew Works
Enjoy fresh vibes on the patio with DJ Deckades. Bring your own vinyl to share or just listen to what the DJ is spinning.
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Free admission
Boulders & Brews Meetup at Triangle Rock Club - Durham
Show up and climb at TRC Durham, then head over to Hi-Wire for some brews. Don't worry if it's your first time or haven't bouldered before; everyone's welcome.
Your first visit to the gym with the Meetup includes free admission and gear rental, and subsequent visits with the meetup are $15 and include harness rental (outside of meetups, day pass rates of $19 apply and do not include rentals).
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Al Strong Presents Jazz on the Roof at The Durham Hotel
The Durham is excited to bring back “Al Strong Presents.” A favorite rooftop event, it’s back by popular demand! Join us for live jazz music on the Roof overlooking downtown Durham.
7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Free admission, but space is limited
Live Music in the Taproom at The Glass Jug Beer Lab - Downtown Durham
Glass Jug offers local live music EVERY Thursday in their Downtown Durham taproom.
7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Free admission
Trivia Night w/Big Slow Tom at Clouds Brewing Brightleaf Square
Join Clouds Durham for Big Slow Tom's Trivia Night, every Thursday. Win some prizes, drink some beer, and show your smarts.
Enjoy $4 select draft and $5 rotating bartender's choice all night.
7:30 p.m.
Free admission
Friday, Mar 31
Tasting at Ten at Counter Culture Coffee
Every Friday morning at 10 am, Counter Culture Coffee opens their Training Centers to coffee lovers who want to learn more about Counter Culture Coffee’s high-quality, sustainably sourced menu.
10:00 a.m.
Free, but donations accepted
Carolina BBQ Fest (Dreamville Pop-Up/ Flea Market) at Studio Motif Durham
The Carolina BBQ Music Festival is an indoor/outdoor event curated to highlight North and South Carolina's emerging talent, such as performing and visual artists, brands, small businesses and content creators. Prepare for an action packed performance and networking with over 100's of creatives and like-minded music lovers from all over the Carolina's and the USA.
2:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
$20
Durham Bulls Kickoff Party at CCB Plaza
Join us at CCB Plaza on game day starting at 3:30 p.m. for music from DJ Piddipat, free popcorn provided by Self Help and cornhole. You also won’t want to miss the special guest appearance from Wool E. Bull himself!
3:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Free admission
Swing into Spring at the Durham Art Council Truist Gallery
Join the Durham Art Guild for a night celebrating the arts. It’s their first in-person event since 2019! Enjoy local entertainment, Art experiences, food and drink, and place your bids on fabulous art pieces and items celebrating the best of the Bull City!
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Free admission
Open Mic Stand-Up Comedy at Durty Bull Brewing Company
This weekly event takes place indoors in the Barrel Room, with seating available for nearly 100 people. There's no better way to unwind after a long week than a night of laughter with Ashley & Ebony. Interested in performing? Please contact Ashley and Ebony.
8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
21+
Free admission
Pub Karaoke at West 94th St Pub
Hosted by All King Entertainment.
10:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Free admission
Saturday, Apr 1
parkrun Durham at Southern Boundaries Park
A free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event. Walk, jog, run, volunteer, or spectate. It's up to you!
8:00 a.m.
Free admission
Durham Farmers’ Market at Durham Central Park
The Durham Farmers’ Market offers locally grown fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, cut flowers, artisanal cheeses and breads, home-baked pies, honey, handmade chocolates, preserves, local wines, handmade soaps, fresh pasta, and artwork of all sorts!
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Free admission
South Durham Farmers' Market at Greenwood Commons Shopping Center
The market strives to support new and growing farms and vendors in the greater Durham area, and they are also home to some of the most iconic Durham brands around.
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Free admission
Durham Master Gardener Volunteers Plant Festival at Durham County Cooperative Extension
Join Durham County Cooperative Extension and other community partners for a fun and educational day. Learn about native plants, composting, beekeeping, bird-friendly habitats, the Durham Library seed library, local community gardens, patio gardening, and MORE. There will be kid-friendly, hands-on exhibits and a story time. While you’re there, learn about the Plant Sale the following week and the first 200 get a free plant.
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Free admission
Art-n-Soul Market at Mystic Farm & Distillery
Come shop handmade in this special setting. Mystic Farm & Distillery in Durham offers a unique place to gather and enjoy local spirits. The Art-n-Soul Market brings the best local artisans, food trucks and live music out to the farm for bourbon tastings, craft cocktails, food trucks and distinctive gifts you won't find anywhere else. Bring your friends and meet us at the bourbon farm! Dogs welcome.
12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Free admission
Crafternoons at Gizmo Brew Works
Free pint with purchase of craft box. Choose from a variety of craft packages available for all ages.
12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sunday, Apr 2
Public Tour at Duke University Chapel
Learn about the history, architecture, and life of Duke Chapel in this tour. The tour begins at 12:15 p.m., or immediately following the conclusion of the Sunday morning service, and lasts approximately 45 minutes. No reservation is required but if you plan to bring a large group please contact
[email protected]. Meet the docent on the front steps of the Chapel.
12:15 p.m.
Free admission
Trivia at Navigator Beverage Co.
Hosted by the Triangle’s Trivia team, Hammered Trivia, gather your team and post up to compete for prizes and enjoy an afternoon of great drinks, great friends, and great games.
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Free admission
Running Art Exhibits
Art Exhibition: 'Marc Chagall and the Bible' at Duke Chapel
In partnership with Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts (DITA), the Chapel is presenting an exhibition of prints of works by the distinguished, modernist artist Marc Chagall. Curated by the art collector Sandra Bowden, the exhibition, Marc Chagall and the Bible, features etchings and lithographs with biblical themes.
The Chapel is open daily from 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. but is sometimes closed to the public for private ceremonies
Runs through March 30
No tickets or reservations required.
The Textile Art of Debbie Secan in the Great Hall of the Golden Belt Campus
Debbie Secan fell in love with weaving as a teenager and has worked with woven structures ever since, in the textile industry and as a fine artist. The materials in her work are repurposed for environmental reasons and to exploit the breadth of resources we discard.
Runs through Mar 31
Mon-Sat from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. | Sun from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Free admission
The Art of Nicholas Edward at the Building 2 Gallery at Golden Belt Campus
Derrick Nicholas is the artist behind Nicholas Edward. Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, he moved to Raleigh in 1995 and has been a Triangle resident ever since. A North Carolina A&T University class of 2008 graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design, art has been Nicholas’ passion since the age of 6. He loves to express and create through various mediums including pencil, digital, and paint, and finds that each provides a unique and therapeutic satisfaction.
Runs through Mar 31
Mon-Sat from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. | Sun from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Free admission
Mi Casa, Your Casa Experience at The Streets at Southpoint
Designed to look and feel like an inviting home, Mi Casa, Your Casa 2.0 encourages visitors to come together and feel a sense of warmth and community as they step in, swing, and relax in one of the glowing red houses.
Runs through Apr 2
The Mind’s Eye: Gallery Members Exhibition at 5 Points Gallery
5 Points Gallery celebrates cleverness in the Year of the Rabbit with their new exhibit called “The Mind’s Eye”.
Runs through Apr 15
Free admission
Damian Stamer Collaborations: New Paintings at Craven Allen Gallery
Collaborations features both new paintings from Stamer’s continued exploration of home, memory, and place as well as a new body of work created in collaboration with Artificial Intelligence. Instead of his traditional process of using photographs as source material, Stamer used an AI text-to-image generator to compile reference imagery. The resulting oil paintings are visually striking and raise timely questions about our relationship with the digital world.
Runs through May 6
Free admission
Beyond the Surface: Collage, Mixed Media and Textile Works from the Collection at the Nasher
This exhibition includes approximately 40 works, primarily from the Nasher Museum’s collection. With a focus on collage, mixed media and textile works, Beyond the Surface explores how artists bring together disparate materials and ideas to create artworks that engage with all audiences.
Tue-Fri from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Sun from 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Runs through May 14
Free admission
Patrimonio | Heritage at John Hope Franklin Center Gallery
A series of drawing interventions on “Llanchama” (Amazonian tree bark) by Peruvian/American artist Renzo Ortega.
Mon-Fri from 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Runs through May 18
Free admission
Exhibits at 21c Museum Hotel
Whitney Stanley: We Just Be in the Vault Gallery
This We Believe in the Main Gallery
Runs through May 31
Open 24 hours
Free admission
Spirit in the Land at the Nasher
Spirit in the Land is a contemporary art exhibition that examines today’s urgent ecological concerns from a cultural perspective, demonstrating how intricately our identities and natural environments are intertwined. Through their artwork, 30 artists show us how rooted in the earth our most cherished cultural traditions are, how our relationship to land and water shapes us as individuals and communities
Tue-Fri from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Sun from 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Runs through Jul 9
Free admission
Art of Peru at the Nasher
This gallery features ceramics, textiles, metalwork and carvings produced by ancient cultures across what is known as present-day Peru.
Tue-Fri from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Sun from 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Runs through Dec 2
Free admission
0 notes
The Joey Calderazzo Trio: Live From The Cotton Club, Tokyo, Volume 1 (Dot Time Records, 2018)
Joey Calderazzo: piano; Orlando LeFleming: bass; Donald Edwards: drums.
Pianist Joey Calderazzo is back on the scene in a big way with Live At Cotton Club, Tokyo, Volume 1. The veteran pianist gained major attention through touring with the late Michael Brecker at age 22, and an eight album deal with Blue Note that began with The In Door in 1991, but was pre-empted when the label decided to drop him after the third album. Starting in 2000, Calderazzo was Kenny Kirkland's replacement in Branford Marsalis' quartet after the innovative pianist's sudden, tragic passing. Calderazzo was a wonderful fit in the Marsalis quartet with their concentrated efforts on burnouts, spiraling rubato ballads, and hard swinging, the pushed at the boundaries of tradition. In the summer of 2017 while in South Africa, the pianist woke up to a numbness in his pinky and ring finger in his right hand, when he tried recording with Marsalis for an effort that was eventually scrapped and re recorded. He was eventually diagnosed with cubital tunnel syndrome which meant a slow, gradual climb back to form.
With a strong trio of New York based heavyweights Orlando LeFleming on bass and Donald Edwards on drums, there is absolutely no evidence of the struggles the pianist faced as one listens to the new album. This is a trio all about communication, a foundation some of the best trios from that of Ahmad Jamal, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Mulgrew Miller, Connie Han, Brad Mehldau and Keith Jarrett all share. The reason? Listening. If no one is listening with deep commitment to the cause, then the group is not on the same page. Calderazzo, LeFleming and Edwards are so in tune that the 6 original pieces, many of which the pianist has also recorded in contrasting versions, the music can go wherever it wants without disorganization.
The supreme level of communication is on display with the tribute to his compatriot in the Marsalis quartet, bassist Eric Revis on “Hats Off To Rebay”. Together, they navigate a freely flowing dark slightly angular intro, with the pianist's octaves, giving way to swing and a slightly quirky head. What's most impressive about the track is the interplay between Calderazzo and Edwards; the drummer erupting to Calderazzo's sharp rhythmic repetitions, over a LeFleming pedal point. LeFleming adds a welcome melodic relief with his solo. “One Way” is another great, fun number that also appeared on Going Home (Sunnyside, 2015) and is particularly humorous for it's thinly veiled references to Ron Carter's “Third Plane”. The ambling mid tempo swing allows Calderazzo to do everything he wants, with assured confidence, whether it be laid back behind the beat lines, or searing double timed flights. After LeFleming's carefully considered solo, the pianist lets space into the music so that the bassist and drummer can work out a bit in those crevices-- LeFleming walking, Edwards' authoritative ride beat pulsating, enhanced by short drum breaks. “Manifold”, builds to an almost unbearable intensity, Calderazzo's Tynerian quartal harmony in the left hand aiding absolutely torrid, gleeful, reckless abandon in the right. The curious fade out makes one wonder where the tune went next. “Free” is a gorgeous, sprawling ballad, and everyone swings out in style with the “Mighty Sword” which appeared on Branford Marsalis' Four MF's Playin Tunes (2012).
Sound
Live From Cotton Club, Tokyo, Vol. 1 is a very live sounding type of recording. It definitely captures a you are there type of front table type of experience, the piano sounds quite realistic and full bodied with Calderazzo's left hand represented in the left channel, with the mid and upper ranges in the right channel-- a correct stereo image. Bass is appropriately woody and the drums a bit further away in the mix behind the piano. Dynamically the recording doesn't quite have a huge range, but it isn't bad either, it just bears a heavy Pro Tools type stamp, which is very recognizable.
Closing Thoughts
Live From Cotton Club, Tokyo, Vol. 1 is simply an album of Joey Calderazzo in prime form leading a wonderfully tight trio through an engaging and exciting program of music. There's little sign of the health issues that plagued his playing, a palpable sense of creation for the joy of music, both for the fans and the musicians. Joey Calderazzo is back!
Music rating: 9/10
Sound rating: 8/10
0 notes