Good morning from eastern Maine, where last weekend I participated in the Marden’s Challenge at a friend’s birthday party. The challenge: go to Marden’s. Find the most ridiculous collection of items you can, or the best, most outrageous deal. Spend no more than $25. Present your finds. Among the items purchased in this year’s challenge: a set of partially-broken coasters themed to Boca Raton, Florida; a white sweatsuit decorated with puffy paint in tribute to the birthday boy; tiny little animals hand-knitted from Marden’s yarn; a hastily-constructed putting green made from Marden’s astroturf, wood and a flowerpot; and a can of expired peaches.
Bangor does not deserve Cara Pelletier. I am lucky enough to know her personally, and can attest to her thoughtful, cooperative and kind nature, her intelligence, and her sincere desire to be a helper. She loves this town and wants it to be better. A bunch of assholes were cruel to her and her family - to the point where she decided it was better to resign as chair of the Bangor City Council rather than stay in the public eye and face more harassment and abuse. So, yeah. Good job, Bangor. Hounding a devoted public servant out of office. Very classy.
I’m truly so sad to see Black Bear Brewing in Orono close its doors for good. It was one of the OG craft breweries not just in the Bangor area, but in all of Maine - just the 14th in the entire state, founded more than 20 years ago. I have very fond memories of brewer and founder Tim Gallon’s beer even before Black Bear, when he was brewing for the Bear Brew (RIP) in Orono. I’m sorry to see it go.
Speaking of Orono-related beer news, last year UMaine finally started serving beer at hockey games - except that people had to consume said beer in a stupid separate area where you couldn’t even see the ice, which kind of defeats the purpose of serving beer at a sporting event at all. Anyway, now they’ve changed that and you can bring your beer into the stands, which is what should have happened in the first place. Why is UMaine so weird about some things?
They’re moving the setting of the next game in the perennially popular video game franchise “Silent Hill” from Maine to Japan. Not that I’ve actually played any of the games. They are too scawwy for me.
LOOK AT THE MAINE PUFFINS. LOOK AT THEM. ADMIRE THEIR BRIGHT ORANGE FEETSIES AND BEAKSIES FULL OF FISH. PROTECT THEM AT ALL COSTS.
25 YEARS AGO - September 2000
One of the most shocking murder trials in Bangor history ended 25 years ago this week, as Geraldine Malmstrom was acquitted of killing her husband, Dr. John Malmstrom, a pediatric neurologist, who was shot five times in their home in 1997. No one has yet been convicted of the crime, though speculation will always exist, given that Malmstrom was participating in a police investigation into other physicians and medical professionals in what is now the Northern Light system, who may have been selling prescription narcotics. Who shot him? Was it another doctor? A cop involved in the investigation? His eldest daughter, as Geraldine Malmstrom’s defense tried to argue? We’ll probably never know.
If you’ve been to Bangor Pride or LGBTQ+ events at UMaine, gone to one of her drag bingo or trivia events, or just been involved in progressive politics or queer life in eastern Maine in recent years, you’ve probably met Carrie the One - known out of drag as Rob. They’ve been deeply involved not just as a performer in the region, but also as a constant supporter of organizations like the Mabel Wadsworth Center, Needlepoint Sanctuary, Equality Maine and the Maine Women’s Lobby. Rob had a serious medical event last week and has been hospitalized since. They are in pretty rough shape. A friend of theirs has organized a fundraiser to help cover their mounting medical bills. Please consider chipping in.
Music & Dance
Sept. 11: Sea chantey singalong, 4 p.m., Penobscot Marine Museum, Searsport
Sept. 12: Smoked Salmon, jam band, 6 p.m., Orono Brewing Company, Orono
Sept. 12: Along for the Ride, community band, 7 p.m., Stonington Opera House
Sept. 12: Texas Hippie Coalition, metal band, 7 p.m., Morgan Hill Event Center, Hermon
Sept. 12: Rigometrics, Bangor Transit Authority and Buoy, indie and alt-rock bands, 7 p.m., Old Town Theatre, Main Street, Old Town
Sept. 12: Songwriter-guitarist Don Sarlin, 7 p.m, Surry Arts Barn, Surry
Sept. 13: Delicious Drag Divas, 7 p.m., The Break Room, Ellsworth
Sept. 13: Sunset Crossroads, 6 p.m., Fogtown Brewing Company, Ellsworth
Sept. 13: Livingston Taylor, 7 p.m., Criterion Theatre, Bar Harbor
Sept. 14: DaPonte String Quartet, 4 p.m., Surry Arts Barn, Surry
Sept. 17: Bagaduce Music presents Ezekiel’s Wheel Klezmer Band, 7 p.m., UU Church, Belfast
Theater & Comedy
Sept. 11-14: Weekend two of Penobscot Theatre Company’s “Steel Magnolias,” daily, Thursdays-Sundays, Bangor Opera House
Sept. 13: Some Theatre Company’s 24-Hour Musical; a musical created in 24 hours by STC members, 7 p.m., Some Theatre at the Bangor Mall
Sept. 13: Comedy at Conant’s, feat. comedians Adam Hatch, Ian Stuart and Ryan Waning, 7 p.m., Conant’s Apple Orchards, Etna
Arts, Books, Film & Culture
Sept. 11: Bangor Celtic Crossroads presents Irish fiddle workshop with Kevin Burke, 2 p.m., Bangor Public Library
Sept. 11: “Reading the Village: Town Planning Lessons,” talk by master architect Sargent Gardiner, 6:30 p.m., Jesup Memorial Library, Bar Harbor
Sept. 11: “Upcycled Adornment,” jewelry repair and repurpose workshop, 7 p.m., Dream Charm Bar, Bangor
Sept. 11-12: “Mary Poppins,” 7 p.m. screenings nightly, Criterion Theatre, Bar Harbor
Sept. 12-14: Weekend shows at the Jordan Planetarium at the University of Maine; “Living Worlds,” all ages, 7 p.m. Fridays; “Magic Treehouse: Space Mission,” kid’s show, 2 p.m. Sunday; “Ozzy Osbourne: Tribute to the Prince of Darkness,” music show, 4 p.m. Sunday
Sept. 13: NT Live Broadcast, “A Streetcar Named Desire,” 1 p.m., Collins Center for the Arts, Orono
Sept. 13: “The Sound of Music,” 3:30 and 6 p.m., Black Bear Cinemas, Orono
Sept. 14: “Kerouac’s Road: The Beat of a Nation,” documentary 6 p.m., Criterion Theatre, Bar Harbor
Sept. 15: “Who Do You Choose To Be? Service, Collaboration and Resilience,” talk by Gabe McPhail of Resilient Communities, 3 p.m., Norman Smith Hall, University of Maine
Sept. 16: “Building Hope: Ending Homelessness,” documentary screening, 7 p.m., Stonington Opera House
Sept. 16: Garden Tea Party and make your own tea workshop, 3:30 p.m, Orono Village Green at the Orono Public Library
Sept. 17: “Just in a Happy State of Flounce: Jane Austen’s Economies of Alteration,” 3 p.m., Ellsworth Public Library
Sept. 17: “Beyond Snow: Landscaping for Winter Appeal,” talk by UMaine horticulturalist Kate Garland, 5:30 p.m., Bangor Public Library
Sept. 17: Derry-Free Horror Book Club reads “The Library at Hellebore” by Cassandra Khaw; 7:30 p.m., Bookspace, Columbia Street, Bangor
Fairs, Festivals, Markets, Food & Misc.
Sept. 13: Beal University Craft Fair, vendors and food trucks, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Beal University, Bangor
Sept. 13: Champion the Cure paddle challenge, 9 a.m., Brewer Waterfront; to register, visit ctcchallenge.org
Sept. 13: Orland River Day, events and activities throughout the day along Narramissic Drive and at Orland Community Center, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Sept. 13: Old Town-Orono YMCA barbecue cookoff and cornhole tournament, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m., Old-Town Orono YMCA, Old Town
Sept. 13: Fall Festival of Mums, fall flower and planting celebration, food trucks, big sales; 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Sprague’s Greenhouse & Nursery, Bangor
Sept. 14: Maine Apple Sunday; orchards all across the state open their doors for a celebration of the humble apple; check out maineapples.org for a full list
Sept. 14: Transportation Festival, family-friendly event to get up close to big trucks and things; 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Cole Land Transportation Museum, Bangor
Did I miss your listing? Email me at emilyburnham207@gmail.com and I’ll make sure it gets in next time!
It’s a bit late at this point, but I do want to join the minor discourse on Bob Dylan’s performance in Bangor last weekend. As many have noted, Mr. Dylan spent 99 percent of his set behind the piano, which was turned away from the audience, hidden by what appeared to be a black hoodie and two strategically-placed lamps. Perhaps he was inside the piano? His absolutely incredible backing band notwithstanding, yes, I agree: you can’t understand most of what he says. When it’s songs you do recognize - and I only recognized maybe half? - you just have to know the words by memory. Bob’s certainly not giving you any hints.
I don’t know what compels him to stay out on the road. Does he enjoy it? Is it just something he has to do? Willie Nelson I almost understand - chilling on the tour bus, smoking weed, being around family, being rolled out to play an hour-long set, being beloved by literally every person in the country. Not a terrible life for a 92-year-old. What does Bob get out of it? Is he having fun on tour? Maybe he is. I don’t know. No one will ever truly know Bob Dylan. I think that’s always been the point.
Regardless: It will never not be utterly chilling/thrilling to see “Masters of War” performed live. Especially given, you know… <gestures widely>… everything.
I saw Dylan in Maine in the late 1980s. The venue was a field outside of Portland. He ignored the audience and behaved as if he’d rather had been anywhere else. I was unimpressed. He’s a great songwriter, a whiny singer, and a crap performer.
What keeps Dylan on the road? Maybe a Boomer's self-entitled inability to relinquish money, power or attention?