OPENING FRIDAY “HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1” (2:26) (PG-13) Stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. Directed by David Yates. Voldemort’s power is growing stronger. He now has control over the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts. Harry, Ron and Hermoine decide to finish Dumbledore’s work and find the rest of the […]

• CONCERTS TODAY USM Youth Ensembles, performances by several area youth groups, Merrill Auditorium, Portland. $3-$6/donation. 780-5555. 7 p.m. Arlo Guthrie, folk, with Abe Guthrie and The Burns Sisters, Kents Hill School (Performing Arts Center at Newton Hall), Kents Hill. $55-$75. www.kentshill.org/concertseries. 7:30 p.m. James Keelaghan, folk/roots, Unity Centre for the Performing Arts. $10. 948-7469. […]

Jeff Beam has done a difficult but crucial thing in integrating a bit of cheek throughout his catalog early on. The young Maine-based songwriter and Of Montreal admirer swings his own versatile sound, from a spritely early Elvis Costello all the way to a more musing Elliot Smith, but his songs enjoy the burst of […]

• HOT TICKET Settle in at State for Sexton session BORN IN gritty Syracuse, N.Y., folk singer-songwriter Martin Sexton knows all about Northeast winters. So before the Maine winter sets in, why not see Sexton play a show in Portland? WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday WHERE: State Theatre, 609 Congress St., Portland HOW MUCH: $20 to $25; […]

With the tightening of social knots around the holidays, it’s nice to have a simple, trusty record around to loosen up with. Steve Jones’ retrospective “Dreamer’s Blues” has just that effect — a group of old friends laying it down with few surprises, but steady bluesy bounce. As a guitarist for The Boneheads, Jones developed […]