Tim’s Picks: It’s gonna be May …

Some fine ideas to get you out there this week.

Dave Bangert

Apr 30, 2026

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Here’s host for this edition …

By Tim Brouk / For Based in Lafayette

West Lafayette Tacos, Nachos and Beerfest, 5-9 p.m. Friday, May 1, Brokerage Brewing Company, 2516 Covington St., West Lafayette — Three of the greatest things in life are tacos, nachos and beer, so huge thanks to West Lafayette’s Brokerage Brewing Company for presenting the second annual West Lafayette Tacos, Nachos and Beerfest. The all-ages event will gather several Mexican food trucks from Greater Lafayette and beyond in a festive atmosphere featuring live music and a “family fun zone” for the kids.

Opening receptions, 6 p.m. Friday, May 1, Art Museum of Greater Lafayette, 102 S. 10^th St., Lafayette — The newest shows at the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette open this weekend. Leading the way will be “Poetics of Metal” by Sishi Wang and Jessica Mohl. The women use metal to form evocative sculptures. Wang incorporates her Chinese culture into her work, which incorporates natural materials and forms. The Art Museum described Wang’s works as honoring “the moments that have profoundly shaped her — each piece capturing a feeling, an experience, or an aspect of herself. Together, they trace her identity as an individual, a daughter and a foreigner navigating the spaces between cultures.” This show runs through Aug. 2. Also opening will be “Time for Tea,” an exhibit that features unique and artistic teapots from local collectors.

Incel Castrator with Master Hunter, Damn Us All and Detached, 8 p.m. Saturday, May 2, North End Pub, 2100 Elmwood Ave., Lafayette — One of the best and most brutal — in the best possible sense — Indiana metal bands will be making its Lafayette debut this weekend. Incel Castrator not only has a brilliant name but the insane chops to pull off grindcore just as brilliantly — so fast, so heavy, so vocally guttural. The band’s debut album, “Consensual Cannibalism,” offers such short but nuclear sonic explosions between about two minutes to as brief as 24 seconds (“I SAW THE MICHIGAN DOGMAN”). Incel Castrator also wins song title of the year with “Gallons of Polluted Water Forced Through the Trachea of AI Tech Bros.” Regionals Master Hunter and Damn Us All and Cincinnati’s Detached will share the bill. $10.

Plus …

Pop-up art gallery, 7 p.m.-midnight Friday, May 1 — The volume in North End Pub will be a little lower for one of its first forays into fine visual art. A pop-up art gallery will feature the works of local artists Wade Harrington, Ericka Kerrigan and Taylor Fortin. These talents will be selling works as well as demonstrating their skills with live painting throughout the night. DJ Circle T will be spinning artful vinyl throughout.
NecroticGoreBeast with Carrion Vael, Atoll and Shoved into Traffic, 7 p.m. Thursday, April 30 — Our town’s Doom Room has gone international. Tonight, the local heavy metal promotions company will welcome Quebec City’s own NecroticGoreBeast. With a “slamming brutal death metal” sound, the French Canadian four piece has been stomping around North America for almost 10 years. It’s latest release, “Brute,” includes the title track and four other tracks not for the faint of heart. NCB will be joined by tourmates from Phoenix Atoll, Richmond death metal act Carrion Vael and Lafayette’s own Shoved into Traffic. $15.

Lafayette Master Chorale, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2, St. Mary Cathedral, 1207 Columbia St., Lafayette — The Lafayette Master Chorale, formerly known as the Bach Chorale, will close out season 61 with a celebration of America’s 250^th birthday. “E Pluribus Unum: Out of Many, One Song” will feature patriotic songs and other selections from American composers — tunes from Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story,” “The Last Words of David” by Randall Thompson and an interesting take on “The Star-Spangled Banner” complete with additional lyrics. These excellent singers — almost 60 of them — will be backed by a 14-piece orchestra, which will sound extra glorious in St. Mary’s historic confines. Happy Semiquincentennial, America! $22 in advance, $25 at the door, $10 for students ages 18 and older; children are free with adults. Tickets.

Clave Caribe, 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, People’s Brewing Company, 2006 N. Ninth St., Lafayette — Your Cinco de Mayo celebrating could do no better than to take in Greater Lafayette’s top band for Latin and South American sounds. Clave Caribe is back from its winter break to ensure your May 5 is a hot one with sounds of cumbia, merengue, salsa and more. While Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, Clave Caribe’s members’ heritages are from all over the globe, which makes the band’s sound perfect for any occasion — as long as there’s a dancefloor. Tickets.

Tim Brouk is a longtime arts and entertainment reporter. He writes here (almost) weekly, tracking things to do for Based in Lafayette.

Bonus cuts …

The Arts Federation will hold an opening reception from 6-8 p.m. Friday, May 1, for three exhibits – Kathleen Lee’s “Art, an Exploration;” Sunday Mahaja’s “Falling Pollinators;” and Brian Hitselberger’s “Poems.” All three will be up through May 29 in TAF galleries, 638 North St. in Lafayette.
LaLa Gallery and Studio, 1816 Main St. in Lafayette, will bring its pop-ups from around the community closer to home for the Indiana Makers Market Yard Market from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at the studio. The event will feature the work of Indiana makers, along with music from Annie Hatke at noon and Kelsey Patton at 1 p.m. Admission is free.
The first day of the Lafayette Farmers Market is Saturday morning on Fifth Street, between Columbia and Ferry streets, and Main Street, between Fourth and Sixth streets. Here’s more of preview …