I made my first-ever stop at Marshall Wharf Brewing Co. in Belfast on Saturday, and I can say right now that I intend to stop whenever I go Down East. They make some unusual beers — including three smoked beers while I was there — and they make them well. But I am not going […]

• CONCERTS TODAY Great Big Sea, Canadian Celtic band, Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield. $60. stonemountainartscenter.com. 8 p.m. Open stage, acoustic open mic, Local Sprouts Cooperative, Portland. Free. 899-3529. 8 p.m. Conspirator, electronica, with Cyborg Trio, Port City Music Hall, Portland. $17 to $35. portcitymusichall.com. 8 p.m.  FRIDAY Trey Anastasio, rock, State Theatre, Portland. Sold […]

• HOT TICKET Nothing funny about winter? Try ‘M&M’ STEPHEN UNDERWOOD leads a terrific cast of Portland actors in the delightful winter comedy “Moonlight & Magnolias,” presented by Good Theater. The play tells the fictional back-story of the making of “Gone With the Wind.” WHEN: 7:30 tonight and Friday; 3 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. […]

It’s Oscar time — the winners will be announced Feb. 27 — and, as much as I rail against the Academy’s annual choices of the best films and performances of the year (because, you know, they screw it up so often), I have to confess that I still love the whole overblown, deeply flawed, mostly […]

The last 15 years have been particularly tricky to navigate for professional musicians. For all of the history of rock ‘n’ roll, the pie-in-the-sky objective has been the elusive record deal. Get enough attention, and the fat cats will foot the bill for your big debut. Of course, the bigwig record label was always just […]

Perhaps the time is right for a glib, predictable and comforting sermon about life after a layoff. “The Company Men” will connect with anyone for whom “the new reality” of today’s economy hits close to home. But anyone looking for insights deeper than the business world cliches in writer-director John Wells’ film may find this […]