Tim’s Pick’s: Selena fans, welcome here
Tim’s Pick’s: Selena fans, welcome here
‘The Selena Experience,’ for free. Purdue Springfest (sans cricket spitting). Corey Asbury in downtown Lafayette. Slow Pulp at Loeb Playhouse. And head banging in the North End. That, and more.
Thanks to the sponsor of today’s edition, Purdue Convocations, presenting ATLYS. The string quartet’s repertoire consists of unique covers of pop and rock hits, striking original compositions and a dose of classics. The group’s upcoming residency will be a homecoming for violinist Jinty McTavish, who made her solo debut with the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra at age 10. She will help lead ATLYS through FREE performances TODAY in downtown Lafayette at The Lobby by Greyhouse (noon, 526 Main St.) and MatchBOX (6 p.m., 17 S. Sixth St.). Learn More.
And now, our weekly five choice ideas for the weekend and beyond in Lafayette/West Lafayette.
By Tim Brouk / For Based in Lafayette
Genessa & The Selena Experience, 6 p.m. Friday, April 14, Long Center for the Performing Arts, 111 N. Sixth St., Lafayette — Young Genessa Escobar grew up idolizing the late pop star Selena in her native New York City. Through hard work and determination while keeping her passion and love for Selena, Escobar fulfilled her dreams of becoming a professional singer while paying tribute to her childhood influence when she joined The Selena Experience, a group formed in 2015 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Selena’s tragic murder. Thanks to Netflix’s “Selena: The Series” and the late singer’s enduring pop legacy, Selena’s memory is strong within fans new and old. Genessa gets to sing the music of her fallen hero every night and the passion for the music can be witnessed. This FREE show is produced in cooperation with the Purdue University Latino Cultural Center, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Springfest, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, April 15, Purdue — The sun is shining; the birds are singing; arms are going into a live cow’s stomach. Yes, spring is finally in the air in West Lafayette, just in time for Purdue’s annual Springfest. A Purdue College of Agriculture initiative, the event has grown to an almost campuswide bash. It’s a day for programs to show the community what they do in a fun and family-friendly way. There’s tons of hands-on science experiments, arts and cultural experiences, plant sales and more animal action from the College of Veterinary Medicine. Sadly, an eyebrow-raising Springfest tradition has been retired. Cricket spitting, once fodder for Guinness Book of World Records, was rebranded to “cricket flinging.” The event is taking a break in 2023 but will return for the 2024 event. However, bug lovers can still get up close and personal to numerous species of insects and arachnids at the bug zoo in Smith Hall. There’s also honey tasting and insect-inspired jewelry. Take in all the sights, smells and creepy feels that help make Purdue unique. Maps, demonstrations and more here.
Cory Asbury with Riley Clemmons, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 15, Long Center for the Performing Arts, 111 N. Sixth St., Lafayette — Christian contemporary music (CCM) star Cory Asbury will bring his Pioneer Tour to downtown Lafayette this weekend. The young musician with a twang to his sound has earned Dove Awards (the Christian music industry’s Grammy), a Grammy nomination (secular music’s Dove Award) and a recent gold certification for his single “The Father’s House.” Asbury’s 2018 single, “Reckless Love,” stayed atop the CCM charts for an amazing 18 weeks. Opening this show will be 23-year-old CCM singer Riley Clemmons. The Nashville, Tennessee, performer started writing songs at 13. All the work led her to getting signed to Capitol Records’ Christian division, and her singles “Broken Prayers” and “Better for It” have received significant airplay over recent years. $29-$79. Tickets.
Indomitable, King’s Gambit, Poisoned Breath and Feed the Grave, 8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 15, North End Pub, 2100 Elmwood Ave., Lafayette — Heavy metal’s back at North End Pub — and with a vengeance. A mix of Indiana and Illinois bands are ready to make you metal thrashing glad you live in Laffy. Indomitable from Indianapolis are death metal maniacs evidenced by brutal riffs and snarling vocals. King’s Gambit is a thrashcore five-piece. Check out the band’s new video, “Grasping,” for a sweet banjo intro and real flaming arrows. Chesterton’s Poisoned Breath is a maelstrom of metal fury, according to its latest album “No Kings. No Gods.” Central Illinois’ Feed the Grave are alive with metal and great guttural vocals. “The New King” is a (head)banger. $10.
Slow Pulp with Code Red and The Jeebs, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 19, Wednesday, Loeb Playhouse-Stewart Center, Purdue — On the heels of April 5’s successful Sudan Archives show, Loeb Playhouse will sneak in another must-see show before the end of the academic year. Chicago indie rock act Slow Pulp will make its West Lafayette debut fresh from a recent European tour with Death Cab for Cutie. Led by Emily Massey’s dreamy guitars and soaring vocals, Slow Pulp’s vibe is quite chill yet emotionally powerful. Check out this miniset from Slow Pulp on KEXP. Opening will be two Purdue bands that have made significant noise the last couple years. The Jeebs have gigged around some bars around Lafayette and West Lafayette while hard rockers Code Red has helped cultivate a burgeoning house show scene that hasn’t been this exciting since the Jurassic Pop days from about a decade ago. Huge propers to the Purdue Student Concert Committee for not only bringing in Slow Pulp but also for giving a couple of deserving Purdue heavy hitters a taste of the big stage. $10-$16. Tickets.
Tim Brouk is a longtime arts and entertainment reporter. He writes here (almost) weekly, tracking things to do for Based in Lafayette.
Thanks, again, to Purdue Convocations, presenting ATLYS, for sponsoring today’s edition. For more about ATLYS’ free shows, continuing Thursday, April 13, here’s your link.
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