Tim’s Picks: The Break a Leg Edition
Five ideas for your weekend and beyond.
Sponsorship help for this edition comes from Purdue Musical Organizations. The 91st Annual Purdue Christmas Show is the must-see event of the year! Gather your family and friends, and create lasting memories as you sing along to your favorite songs and marvel at the extraordinary Purdue student talent on display. Get tickets here.
And now, with five suggestions for your Greater Lafayette week, it’s …
By Tim Brouk / For Based in Lafayette
A Motown Christmas, 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15, Long Center for the Performing Arts, 111 N. Sixth St., Lafayette — After enchanting Lafayette with song and good cheer in 2022, A Motown Christmas is back at the Long Center. This ensemble of singers includes former members of The Temptations (“My Girl”), The Contours (“Do You Love Me”) and The Miracles, which featured a young Smokey Robinson back in the 1960s. You’ll hear the old hits as well as Christmas standards, all in those unmistakable and irresistible Motown harmonies. $43-$63. Tickets.
The Tillers with The Pickin’ Pear, 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15, Duncan Hall, 619 Ferry St., Lafayette — Another Mom & Pop Productions and Friends of Bob co-presentation, the “recovering punk rockers” that comprise the New York City bluegrass band The Tillers still play with the energy of a punk band but with numerous outside influences, from Woody Guthrie to Southern blues, Appalachian string music to gospel. The band has released five albums since it first started playing for tips and burritos in 2007. Chicago pair The Pickin’ Pear will open the show. The duo performs upbeat tunes on ukulele and banjo. $15. Tickets.
Holiday Market and Maker Showcase, 1-5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, MatchBOX Studio, 17 S. Sixth St., Lafayette — Get a jump on your holiday gift needs at this gathering of more than 30 local artists, artisans and makers in a festive atmosphere that only the downtown Lafayette jewel known as MatchBOX can provide. The event coincides with Global Entrepreneurship Week, which is fitting as MatchBOX has fostered dozens of Greater Lafayette start-up businesses over the years.
Crush, a Bon Jovi Experience, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, Long Center for the Performing Arts, 111 N. Sixth St., Lafayette — Never lump Bon Jovi into the hair metal club. The band was massive during that era, but its longevity and penchant for pop radio transcended the likes of Warrant, Slaughter and Poison, even though some members of Bon Jovi had magnificently huge hair. Unlike most of those aforementioned bands, Bon Jovi’s success bled into the 21st century with the album “Crush,” fueled by the huge hit “It’s My Life.” This later album inspired one of the nation’s top Bon Jovi tribute bands in Crush, the Bon Jovi Experience. Led by Doug Shepard and Andrew Goodpastor, who both have striking resemblances to Jon Bon Jovi and guitarist Richie Sambora, respectively, Crush has performed all over the United States and Canada. The band makes its Lafayette debut this weekend. $34-$54. Tickets.
“A Baroque Concert,” 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17, St. John’s Episcopal Church, 600 Ferry St., Lafayette — For Generation X-ers like me, it’s stupefying to hear Nirvana, Pearl Jam and other 1990s bands being mentioned as “oldies.” I wonder if people in the 18th century thought the same of their favorite early classical music being lumped into baroque — the period assigned to music composed from 1600-1750. Regardless, these early classical masterpieces live on thanks to the Tippecanoe Chamber Music Society. The organization of local and regional classical musicians will present a program of baroque works by the likes of Handel, Couperin and Rameau as performed by Miyo Aoki (recorder), Jonathan Oddie (harpsichord) and Erica Rubis (viola da gamba). $15, free for students kindergarten-college. Tickets.
BONUS PICK
I am honored to be a part of the Civic Theater of Greater Lafayette’s production of “School of Rock” as an ensemble member. I’ve never, ever been in a play or musical in my life. The show is a hoot and is well worth a look and listen, but the overall experience of doing this show since September has been so positive and uplifting. The people on-stage and back-stage are simply phenomenal, and I recommend all to get involved with Civic somehow, someway. This season has been a strong one already and hot shows like “Psycho Beach Party” and “Urinetown” are still yet to come in 2025. “School of Rock” stars Rivers Blue as Dewey Finn, Hope Young as Principal Rosalie Mullins, and nine young kids that put my singing, acting and dancing skills to shame. The show is directed by Laurie Russell with music direction by Paul Addison and choreography by TJ Rosa. “School of Rock” runs 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 14-16; 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17; 7:30 p.m. Nov. 21-23, and 2:30 p.m. Nov. 23. $17-$26. Tickets.
Tim Brouk is a longtime arts and entertainment reporter. He writes here (almost) weekly, tracking things to do for Based in Lafayette.
Thanks today for support from Purdue Musical Organizations, presenting the 91st Annual Purdue Christmas Show, Dec. 7-8. Get tickets here.
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Tips, story ideas? I’m at davebangert1@gmail.com.
We saw the Tuesday night dress rehearsal, thanks to LUM, and I can only say we were blown away! So impressed with the kids. This show is a MUST SEE!!.