Editor’s Note: Welcome to V3 Weekend, Vanyaland‘s guide to help you sort out your weekend entertainment with curated selections and recommendations across our three pillars of Music, Comedy, and Film/TV. It’s what you should know about, where you need to be, and where you’ll be going, with us riding shotgun along the way.
Music: Jake Swamp and The Pine at Brighton Music Hall
The last time Jake Swamp and The Pine graced the stage of Brighton Music Hall, Drew Zieff’s well-traveled Americana project was adding some songwriter storylines to the 2021 Boston Music Awards. Fast-forward to tonight (June 2), and Zieff takes center stage for the Hometown Release Party for his debut album Simpson & Banks, a smoky collection of rustic compositions that’s named after the cross streets in Somerville where Jake Swamp and The Pine was launched. Zieff will have plenty of company at the show, as the Sudbury native is joined by collaborators from Wolff Sisters, Copilot, and STL GLD, and has enlisted Julie Rhodes and Grace Givertz to round out the lively bill.
JAKW SWAMP AND THE PINE + JULIE RHODES + GRACE GIVERTZ :: Friday, June 2 at Brighton Music Hall, 158 Brighton Ave. in Allston, MA :: 7 p.m., all ages, $17 :: Event page :: Advance tickets
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Comedy: Sandra Bernhard’s ‘Spring Affair’ at City Winery
Pride Month has kicked off in kaleidoscopic colors, and tonight (June 2) Boston’s City Winery welcomes Sandra Bernhard to its stage as the legendary comedian, actor, singer, and author brings what she calls a “Spring Affair” to town. It’s billed as “a completely unique and raucous mix of cabaret, stand-up, rock n’ roll, and social commentary” and what’s not billed for the one-woman show is Bernhard’s true unpredictable nature. From early appearances in 1982 film The King of Comedy and ABC’s Roseanne to recent appearances on FX Television’s American Horror Story and POSE, as well as hosting award-winning radio show Sandyland for SiriusXM’s Radio Andy, Bernhard has been a defiant and steady presence over several decades.
SANDRA BERNHARD ‘SPRING AFFAIR’ :: Friday, June 2 at City Winery, 80 Beverly St. in Boston, MA :: 6 p.m., $50 to $75 :: Info and advance tickets
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Film/TV: Léon: The Professional at The Coolidge
We spent a great deal of last weekend outside, because hey, Memorial Day demands there be no roof over our collective heads. But we’re headed back into the safe comforts of the theater this weekend, and back to the Coolidge Corner Theatre as its After Midnite series brings Léon: The Professional back to the big screen on Saturday (June 3). Come for Gary Oldman, stay for Jean Reno. Here’s a refresher for the 1994 cult classic: “Calling himself a ‘cleaner,’ the mysterious Léon is New York’s top hitman. When his next-door neighbors are murdered, Léon becomes the unwilling guardian of the family’s sole survivor — 12-year-old Mathilda. But Mathilda doesn’t just want protection; she wants revenge. Training her in the deadly tricks of his trade, Léon helps her track the psychotic agent who murdered her family. From the electrifying opening to the fatal finale, Léon: The Professional is a nonstop crescendo of action and suspense.”
LÉON: THE PROFESSIONAL :: Saturday, June 3 at Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St. in Brookline, MA :: 11:59 p.m., $15.50 :: Info and advance tickets