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Aimsel Ponti
Aimsel Ponti is a Content Producer at MaineToday.com and a music writer for MaineToday.com and the Portland Press Herald. She has been obsessed with - and inspired by - music since she listened to Monkees records borrowed from the town library when she was six years old. She bought her first Rolling Stones record at a flea market when she was in 7th grade and discovered David Bowie a year later. She's a HUGE fan of the local music scene and covers it along with national musical happenings in her "Face the Music" column and with artist interviews that appear in print in the Portland Press Herald and online at Mainetoday.com. You'll also find her out and about absorbing live music like a sponge and roaming around local record shops and flea markets. Aimsel is also the host of Music from 207 on 98.9 WCLZ and appears monthly on the WCHS TV show “207” to talk about...music of course.
Live Music Lineup: Matisyahu, Mallet Brothers, Ellis Paul and Lettuce
Ellis Paul
8 p.m. Thursday. One Longfellow Square, 181 State St., Portland, $22 in advance, $27 day of show. statetheatreportland.com
Singer-songwriter, folk troubadour and native Mainer Ellis Paul is both poetic and prolific, and his singing voice will hold you in the palm of its hand. This year's show marks a decade of holiday shows in Maine. Boston-based singer-songwriter Jim Trick opens the show.
Photo by Jack Looney Photography
Lettuce
8 p.m. Friday. State Theatre, 609 Congress St., Portland, $20 in advance, $25 day of show. statetheatreportland.com
Portland becomes Funky Town on Friday night, and you won't want to hold the lettuce on this serving of classic fun and soulful grooves inspired by hip-hop that translate to a high-energy live show. The band's fifth album, "Mt. Crushmore," was just released last month. Instrumental rock fusion act Tauk and Portland's Jaw Gems open the show.
Photo courtesy of the artist
The Mallett Brothers Band
8:30 p.m. Saturday. Portland House of Music, 25 Temple St., Portland, $20 in advance, $25 at the door, 21-plus. portlandhouseofmusic.com
Ring in 2017 with The Mallett Brothers Band. Their sound blends country, rock, Americana and alt-country, and they've released four albums since 2009, including their most recent one, "Lights Along the River." These guys are the real deal, and they'll help start your new year off on a musically sound note. Also, we've just learned that Portland House of Music has prosecco on tap, so there will be no shortage of bubbles to imbibe 'round midnight.
Photo courtesy of the artist
Matisyahu
9 p.m. Saturday. State Theatre, 609 Congress St., Portland, $30 in advance, $35 day of show. statetheatreportland.com
He's performed in Portland three times as part of his Festival of Light tours that surround Hanukkah, so clearly he must like us. This year's visit falls, fortunately for Maine, on New Year's Eve. Matisyahu's music is a synthesis of rap, reggae, beatboxing and hip-hop with some jazz scat singing and Judaism's hazzan style of songful prayer. Said another way, he's fantastic and his shows are absolute celebrations where like-minded happy souls gather for a night of transformational music. What's more, Portland's Rustic Overtones and Phoenix-based singer-songwriter Alec Benjamin open the show.
Photo courtesy of the artist
