CONCERTS & GIGS
Tophouse. June 4. This Montana-based quartet blends folk string instrumentation with indie rock energy, building soaring, harmony-driven songs around banjo, fiddle and cinematic arrangements. 8 p.m. The Burl, 375 Thompson Road. www.theburlky.com
Railbird Pre-Party: Bayker Blankenship. June 5. Emerging country and Americana songwriter Bayker Blankenship headlines this Railbird Festival kickoff event at The Burl, bringing a stripped-back Southern sound shaped by gravelly vocals and reflective storytelling. The outdoor pre-party serves as an early start to Railbird weekend festivities in Lexington. 8 p.m. The Burl, 375 Thompson Road. www.theburlky.com
Edwin McCain / Five for Fighting. June 7. Singer-songwriters Edwin McCain and John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting team up for a co-headlining evening of piano-driven pop rock and late ’90s radio staples, including “I’ll Be,” “Superman” and “100 Years.” Both artists perform full-band sets built around melodic songwriting and conversational stage presence. 7:30 p.m. Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short St. www.lexingtonoperahouse.com
Mash Grass will headline a show at The Burl in June 10, to kick off the Spirit of the Bluegrass Festival taking place that weekend at the Kentucky Horse Park. Photo furnished
Spirit of the Bluegrass Festival Kickoff: Mash Grass. June 10. Lexington bluegrass band Mash Grass launches the Spirit in the Bluegrass festival week with high-energy jam-grass improvisation and festival-style musicianship. The kickoff show serves as an early celebration ahead of the multi-day bluegrass gathering at the Kentucky Horse Park. 8 p.m. The Burl, 375 Thompson Road. www.theburlky.com
Nick Shoulders will perform at The Burl on June 18. Photo furnished
Nick Shoulders. June 18. Arkansas singer-songwriter Nick Shoulders brings his distinctive blend of country, folk and yodeling traditions to Lexington as part of his Apocalypse, Never! tour. Drawing from honky-tonk, country blues and outsider Americana, Shoulders pairs sharp humor with old-school vocal techniques. 8 p.m. The Burl, 375 Thompson Road. www.theburlky.com
Fruit Bats, led by frontman Eric D. Johnson, will perform at The Burl on June 19. Photo by Chantal Anderson
Fruit Bats. June 19. Led by songwriter Eric D. Johnson, Fruit Bats crafts warm, melodic indie folk built around reflective lyrics, layered harmonies and breezy West Coast textures. The long-running project moves between psychedelic folk, Americana and classic pop influences, creating songs that feel both nostalgic and expansive. 8 p.m. The Burl, 375 Thompson Road. www.theburlky.com
Brother Smith (pictured above) and Wax Monkey will perform at The Burl on June 26. Photo furnished
Brother Smith / Wax Monkey. June 26. Lexington indie rock bands Brother Smith and Wax Monkey share a hometown bill at The Burl, bringing together two longtime staples of the local music scene. Brother Smith blends melodic rock with tightly layered instrumentation and emotional songwriting, while Wax Monkey channels groove-heavy alternative rock shaped by funk, jam and psychedelic influences. 8 p.m. The Burl, 375 Thompson Road. www.theburlky.com
Art & Exhibits
Artists' Attic is hosing a solo exhibition of work by Lexingotn artist Damon Farmer throuhg June 27. Image furnished
Imaginated: The Paintings of Damon Farmer. On display through June 27. Artists’ Attic presents a solo exhibition of narrative paintings by Lexington artist Damon Farmer, whose work blends whimsical storytelling, mechanical imagery and fantastical scenes inspired by invention and imagination. Through richly detailed acrylic paintings, Farmer creates playful, dreamlike worlds that balance curiosity, humor and surreal visual logic. Gallery Hop reception 5-8 p.m. Fri., June 19. Gallery hours: Fri.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Artists’ Attic, 401 W. Main St., fourth floor. www.theartistsattic.org
Stacey Chinn-Hart: “REcreation.” On display June 5-July 17. Presented by the Lexington Art League at the historic Loudoun House, this solo exhibition spans three decades of work by artist Stacey Chinn-Hart. Through layered mixed-media works and personal visual narratives, Chinn-Hart explores memory, identity and the act of revisiting creative practice across time. Artists’ reception Friday, June 5, 5-8 p.m. Gallery hours: Wed.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Loudoun House, 209 Castlewood Dr. www.lexingtonartleague.org
Ed Lawrence: “The Gloaming.” On display June 5-July 17. Lexington Art League presents a new body of work by photographer Ed Lawrence exploring the transitional space between daylight and darkness. Using atmospheric landscapes and low-light imagery, “The Gloaming” reflects on mood, stillness and the shifting visual textures that emerge at dusk. Artists’ reception Friday, June 5, 5-8 p.m. Gallery hours: Wed.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Loudoun House, 209 Castlewood Dr. www.lexingtonartleague.org
ETC.
Lexington Porch Fest. June 6-7. This free, city-wide community event features music performances on dozens of porches and lawns across the city. Attendees can either stay in their own neighborhoods or travel to other parts of town to enjoy live music and mingle with neighbors and community members. A full map and schedule are available at the website and in the Lexington Porch Fest section of this magazine. 12-6 p.m. both days. smileypete.com/lexingtonporchfest
Railbird returns to The Red Mile on June 6-7. Photo by Mary Jane Speers courtesy of VisitLex
Railbird. June 6-7. Railbird returns to the Infield at Red Mile with one of its biggest lineups yet, headlined by Kentucky native Tyler Childers and indie folk favorites The Lumineers. The two-day festival also features major sets from Caamp, Mt. Joy, Zach Top, Ella Langley, Muscadine Bloodline, Watchhouse, Houndmouth, Shakey Graves, Margo Price and Robert Earl Keen, alongside rising Americana and country acts across three stages. Beyond the music, Railbird continues its Kentucky-focused bourbon programming and festival atmosphere built around regional food, horse racing culture and roots music. Gates open daily at noon. Red Mile Gaming and Racing, 1200 Red Mile Road. www.railbirdfest.com
Voices Heard: A Women’s Theatre Festival. June 12-15. Hosted by Pioneer Playhouse, this annual festival celebrates the work of several women playwrights, directors and performers through staged readings, workshops and live performances featuring stories centered on women’s perspectives and experiences. The multi-day event brings together regional theater artists for a collaborative weekend focused on new work, conversation and creative exchange. Pioneer Playhouse, 840 Stanford Rd., Danville. www.pioneerplayhouse.com
Studio Players: “The Gods of Comedy.” June 5-7. Daphne and Ralph, two ambitious classics professors, see their academic breakthrough unravel when a desperate plea summons the gods of ancient Greece to campus. What follows is a fast-moving farce as myth collides with modern academia, sending up campus culture with screwball energy. 7:30 p.m. nightly; Sun., 2:30 p.m. Carriage House Theatre, 154 W. Bell Ct. www.studioplayers.org
Carnegie Center: Books in Progress Conference. June 5-6. Hosted by the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning, this annual conference brings together emerging and established writers for workshops, craft talks and manuscript consultations focused on developing book-length projects. The two-day program features sessions in fiction, nonfiction and poetry led by published authors, editors and literary professionals. Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning, 251 W. Second St. www.carnegiecenterlex.org/books-in-progress-conference
“It’s a Grand Night for Singing!” June 12-14; 9-21. Presented by UK Opera Theatre, this long-running Lexington tradition returns with a large-scale musical revue featuring Broadway classics and contemporary favorites performed by University of Kentucky students alongside community performers. The annual production blends full ensemble numbers, solos and theatrical staging in a celebration of musical theater spanning multiple eras and styles. Fri., 7:30 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 2 p.m. Singletary Center for the Arts, 405 Rose St. www.scfatickets.com
The New York City jazz duo Acute Inflections will present a multi-faceted show at the Lyric Theater on June 16. Photo furnished
Soulful Sounds: Love & Laughs. June 16. With a unique blend of Harlem Renaissance aesthetics with modern soul music, the New York City-based jazzy R&B duo Acute Inflections will bring its soulful sounds and vintage glamour to Lexington for an engaging evening of jazz and comedy. 7 p.m. Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center, 300 E. Third St. acuteinflections.com/product/06-16-2026
Monty Python’s “Spamalot.” June 19-21. Presented by Lexington Theatre Company, this Tony Award-winning musical comedy reimagines the legend of King Arthur through the absurdist humor of Monty Python. Packed with over-the-top musical numbers, fourth-wall-breaking jokes and intentionally ridiculous medieval chaos, “Spamalot” follows Arthur and his mismatched knights on their quest for the Holy Grail. Fri.-Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short St. www.lexingtonoperahouse.com
Antagonist Productions: “Trail to Oregon.” June 19-21; 26-28. This irreverent musical comedy from StarKid Productions transforms the classic educational computer game “The Oregon Trail” into a fast-paced stage parody filled with audience participation, absurd humor and songs about frontier survival. Presented by Antagonist Productions, the show follows a dysfunctional pioneer family navigating disease, disaster and increasingly ridiculous obstacles on the journey west. Fri.-Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center, 141 E. Main St. www.antagonist.productions
Aries Spears. June 28. Comedian and actor Aries Spears brings his rapid-fire impressions and stand-up comedy to Lexington for an evening built around celebrity impersonations, observational humor and stories drawn from pop culture and everyday life. Best known for his long-running tenure on “MADtv,” Spears’ career is built on sharp character work and high-energy delivery. 7 p.m. Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short St. www.lexingtonoperahouse.com