Tim’s Picks: St. Patrick’s Day, and then some
Your guide to some choice picks for your Greater Lafayette week.
Thanks today for ongoing help from Based in Lafayette sponsor Long Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Lafayette. For tickets and details on all the shows and events, go to longpac.org.
As you’re picking out a suitably green wardrobe, it’s …
By Tim Brouk / For Based in Lafayette
With St. Patrick’s Day falling on Monday, much PTO has been spent in Lafayette-West Lafayette to make it a four-day St. Patrick’s party weekend spectacular. The nuclei of the celebration will be both local locations of Nine Irish Brothers. However, things will look a little different due to heavy construction around the pub and restaurant’s West Lafayette location. Both spots will be rocking all weekend and on the actual holiday, but the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade has been moved to the Lafayette location off Indiana 38 East. The parade is slated for 11 a.m. Saturday, March 15, and festivities are open to all-ages. Bands from near and far will be performing throughout. Raise a pint of Guinness or 12 and have a safe and lucky weekend. Here are more details and other Lafayette St. Patrick’s Day festivities worth a look and listen.
Nine Irish Brothers, 119 Howard Ave., West Lafayette — Laughing Jack, 9 p.m. Friday, March 14. Whiskey of the Damned (acoustic set), Lachlan and Highland Reign, noon-11 p.m. Saturday, March 15. You can’t stop economic development in West Lafayette nor can you stop St. Patrick’s celebration at Nine Irish Brothers (NIB). As the Rambler/Levee Landmark project is being dug, the West Lafayette NIB will still be rocking this weekend. Indianapolis traditional Irish music quartet Laughing Jack will return Friday night as a prelude to Saturday’s big bill of NIB favorites Highland Reign and Lachlan, but be sure to party early with Whiskey of the Damned, a Celtic punk band from Milwaukee. Inspired by The Pogues, the band usually lets it rip but will keep the volume down for an easy-on-the-hangover acoustic set Saturday afternoon
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Nine Irish Brothers, 3520 Indiana 38 East, Lafayette — Lachlan, 9 p.m. Friday, March 14. Parade and Family Day, 11 a.m. Saturday, March 15. Lucas Harry, Lachlan, Traveler’s Dream and Highland Reign, 11 a.m. Monday, March 17. After an Irish appetizer of local Celtic music trio Lachlan on Friday night, the Lafayette NIB will host the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade for the first time. The ceremonial start to the festivities will end at the entrance of the pub and grill, which will feature a soundtrack of four favorite NIB musical acts Lucas Harry, Lachlan, Traveler’s Dream and Indianapolis’ Highland Reign.
North End Pub, 2300 Elmwood Ave., Lafayette — Inumbris with The Foleys, Murder Burger and Built from Ruin, 8 p.m. Saturday, March 15. It’s headbangers and mosh at North End Pub for a big St. Patrick’s Day throwdown with Lafayette death metal act Inumbris’ debut album release. The four piece that has been jamming for a handful of years will be joined by fellow Lafayette metalheads Murder Burger and the debut of Built from Ruin for another Doom Room extravaganza. This is a rare Doom Room show where 75% of the bands are local with the only imported talent stemming from South Bend’s The Foleys, the pro wrestling superfreaks that seem to play Lafayette more than most local bands. $10
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Rat Pak Venue, 102 N. Third St., Lafayette — Drag Show, 9 p.m. Saturday, March 15. If you enjoy fierce lip sync battles, showstopping costumes and dazzling death drops, you’re in luck. But we’re not talking about any leprechauns here. We’re talking central Indiana’s top drag queens and kings giving you all they have at this St. Patrick’s Day themed drag show, which will feature the talents of Lafayette’s own Veronica Fox and Anita Schwanz. These glamorous queens will be joined by Jessika Savage, king Jeff St. James, and longtime Indianapolis performer Sinacian Moni, who has won multiple awards at Miss Gay Indiana competitions. $10, $15 for ages 18-20. Tickets.
Big League Sports Bar & Grill, 140 Frontage Road, Lafayette — St. Practice Day, 10 p.m. Saturday, March 15. DJ MMJ will be spinning shamrocking jams.
“Almost, Maine,” 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 14, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 15, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 16, Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette, 313 N. Fifth St., Lafayette — Spring might be springing – emphasis on might – but Civic Youth Theatre will give you a cozy option for your weekend. Its presentation of “Almost, Maine” consists of nine short plays exploring love and loss within the confines of mythical and magical Almost, Maine. Most of the young performers portray at least two different characters throughout. The incredibly versatile and talented TJ Rosa directs the ensemble show. $14. Tickets.
Uno Gold with The Cheswicks and Jacob Washlock, 9 p.m. Friday, March 14, The Spot Tavern, 409 S. Fourth St., Lafayette — Indie rockers Uno Gold will finally make good on a canceled Spot Tavern set from back in 2023 this weekend. The show will be worth the wait because the Indianapolis trio is driving up armed with its new EP, “Life Is a Race,” which was produced by the one and only Paul Mahern of The Zero Boys. Local support will come in the form of our town’s The Cheswicks and Jacob Washlock, guitarist from West Lafayette’s The Lunar Diamonds. $10.
BMFX Wrestling, 4 p.m. Sunday, March 16, The Arts Federation, 638 North St., Lafayette — It’ll be powerbombs instead of paintings, superkicks instead of sculptures when Greater Lafayette independent professional wrestling promotion BMFX makes its downtown Lafayette debut in The Arts Federation of all places. Most often home to art exhibits and concerts, it’s amazing to see the arts venue take a chance on the hard-hitting action of pro wrestling. The card features such talents as “The Casanova” Jayden Nite, Tyler Cannon, Thunder Kitty and longtime local grappler Jeremy Hadley. Besides the grunts, grips and groans, BMFX specializes in the green — every BMFX benefits an area nonprofit organization. Sunday’s proceeds will go to the Lafayette chapter of Abuse Awareness and Accountability, an organization that provides domestic violence intervention classes. $12 and $20.
Tim Brouk is a longtime arts and entertainment reporter. He writes here (almost) weekly, tracking things to do for Based in Lafayette.
Thanks, again, for ongoing help from Based in Lafayette sponsor Long Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Lafayette. For tickets and details on all the shows and events, go to longpac.org.
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