Quite a lot of reggae this week, not to mention lots of other good summer vibes, such as pie. But this being quirky old New Haven, you’ll also find a slide guitarist in a crash helmet, a string quintet playing grunge, a kids’ radio station amid dinosaurs, Hamlet in Russian and a free porn-rock show by John Valby.
Monday, Aug. 4
Community Profile
The third Beecher Park Summer Concert Series & Pie Contest, 6 p.m. at the Mitchell Branch library (37 Harrison St., 203 – 946-8117), stars Profile (the long-established Danbury-based reggae band which promises “roots, roots and more roots”), the Meat Truck food truck and pies made with stone-fruit (you know, like peaches).
Plus pie!
Tuesday, Aug. 5
Angst with Strings
The literate, poetic jazz/folk/pop stylist Alice Limoges joins forces with The Tet Offensive string ensemble (which plays modern classical variations on classic grunge-rock songs) for an unusual night of music at Café Nine (250 State St.; 203 – 789-8281).
Wednesday, Aug. 6
Log Shot
The singular slide guitarist Bob Log III performs while wearing the uniform of a circus performer who is about to be shot out of a cannon. He transmits his vocals through a telephone set-up in his crash helmet. While he picks and slides on his classic Silvertone Archtop guitars, he drums with his feet, one-man-band style. Log, whose punkish playing has been likened to “quick Delta blues,” performs his death-defying music tonight at 9 p.m. for free in BAR (247 Crown St.). There are two opening acts: another curious solo act, The Pork Torta, and the New Haven-based quartet Rusty Things.
Thursday, Aug. 7
Rez the Roof
The diverse rock/reggae/funk band Spiritual Rez plugs in at Stella Blues (204 Crown St.; 203 – 752-9764).
Friday, Aug. 8
To Be USSR Not to Be
There’s a “Soviet Film Sampler” unspooling 5:30 p.m. at the main (Ives) New Haven Free Public Library (133 Elm St., 203 – 946-8130). It’s Part One of a series, and it’ll be a hard act to follow: Grigori Kozinstsev’s brilliant screen version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, using a Russian translation by Doctor Zhivago novelist Boris Pasternak.
Free and Dirty
John Valby, the renowned pornographic pop parodist and perverse pianist, has plied his trade at Toad’s Place for decades. The ever-popular scatological entertainer plays a free show there tonight at 10 p.m. 300 York St. (203) 624-TOAD.
Saturday, Aug. 9
Mickey Mouse and the Dinosaurs
Radio Disney, the kid-friendly radio network run by the Disney empire, is hosting “two hours of dino-themed fun” at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History (170 Whitney Ave.), including a “raptor rap.” 11 a.m.
“Jersey?! Jersey?!”
New York City stand-up Joe Narvaez, who apparently has a car with Jersey plates and tells a Connecticut-based anecdote about that phenomenon, finishes up a two-night stand at Jokers Wild (232 Wooster St., 203 – 773-0733), with Rick Carino opening.
Sunday, Aug. 10
Have a Nice Weekend
Toad’s Place (300 York St., 203 – 624-TOAD) is known for its warm embrace of reggae music, especially in the warmer months. Tonight the club hosts Beres Hammond, whose ‘90s hits include “Tempted to Touch” and “Respect to You Baby.” His most recent album, One Love One Life, was released in 2012.
