all ears

Among this month's musical treats is a free concert at Newport Public Library by La Bella Musica String Ensemble on 4/2 at 2pm. Linden Place mansion has a special show with folk singer-songwriter Allysen Callery on 4/7 and the Greenwich Odeum hosts Rusted Root on 4/27.


The Narrow's Center for the Arts' April line-up features James McMurtry on 4/6, Miracle Legion on 4/7, Morgan James on 4/8, Kinky Friedman on 4/12 and The Jayhawks on 4/19. On 4/20 Dave Alvin & The Guilty Ones and Carolyn Wonderland split sets, as do Neal & The Vipers and Roberto Morbioloi on 4/21 and The Suitcase Junket and Julie Rhodes Band on 4/28. The month winds up with Carbon Leaf on 4/27,

Island talent of every type can be enjoyed at open mics around town most every night. Among them are Wednesdays at The Parlor on Broadway (with free billiards) and Thursdays at Jimmy's Saloon Ocean Mic.

daffy days & tree week   

Newport Daffodil Days Festival from 4/15-4/23 features dozens of events for young and old including an Opening Kick-off at Bannister's & Bowen's Wharves on 4/15, The Tour de Jonquilles Bike Ride on 4/16 and Daffodil Days Sidewalk Parade on 4/22. Visit the Daffodillion website for more many events and details. Blithwold Garden's also celebrates their Annual Daffodil Days this month, among their special events is Daffodils at Dusk on 4/21 and 4/28.

Newport Arboretum Week runs from 4/21- 4/2. In addition to special events planned, the organizers encourage all Newporters to "Light Your Trees!" Their goal is to see "Newport's urban forest bathed in brilliance." This sounds pretty cool to me-- I'm in! (Event organizers recommend economical, easily-installed, non-light-polluting laser fixtures-- available at Newport Hardware, Bellevue) Visit Arboretum Week for info on additional events including First Light Night and Art of the Arbor opening night on 4/21.

roll 'em 

For me, nothing is more cozy than catching a film on a rainy day.. April's offerings include:  The Zookeeper's Wife from 3/31/-4/6 and George Orwell's 1984 on 4/4, both at the Jane Pickens Theater. Also at the Pickens are two Exhibitions on Screen, Claude Monet on 4/2 and American Impressionism on 4/23. The Newport Public Library's Leading Ladies Film Series wraps up with Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? on 4/14. And finally, newportFILM has an early outdoor screening among the daffodils entitled SEED, The Untold Story on 4/20.

"April Showers" by Jennifer Thermes