A concert of epic proportions: Superheroes don’t always wield huge hammers or lightning bolts and battle bad guys. Sometimes they wield – trumpets. And violins. And flutes. This Sunday, Nov. 3, at the Vero Beach High School Performing Arts Center, “Musicians are Superheroes” will be presented by the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra, and conductor Aaron Collins will be wielding … a baton. This is a don’t-miss-it concert for the family, definitely including kids, who are invited to come in superhero garb and meet fellow superheroes who will be hanging out in the lobby and roaming the concert hall. Says the orchestra promo, the program will include a short, animated screenplay, during which Collins and the orchestra “will battle evil and bring the incredible power of music to the world,” proving that – “Musicians are Superheroes.” There will also be the cool, thrilling and heroic themes from “Superman,” “The Incredibles,” “Spiderman,” “Batman,” “How to Train Your Dragon,” “The Avengers,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Madagascar” and others, some of which will be accompanied by movie clips. So load the kids into the Batmobile and share an afternoon of super music. Times: 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Admission: free tickets can be reserved. 855-252-7276.
A weekend to harken back to the area’s unique history on the river: For an authentic, for-the-whole family Old Florida experience focusing on life along the storied Indian River (lagoon), you really can’t beat the (17th annual) Sebastian Clambake Lagoon Festival. You should absolutely carve yourself time for this very, very popular food- and music-centric event, which opens this coming Friday, Nov. 8, for a three-day run. Organizers put it this way: The festival “celebrates our special way of life along the Indian River, which has been the life-blood of our community since the 1700s.” The venue, too, is ideal: Riverview Park is, indeed, right along the river, oak-shaded, its broad, winding path lined with vendor and food booths. Lots of food booths. Live bands provide virtually non-stop music throughout the weekend. So, for the duration, the air is filled, in equal parts, with lively music and wonderful aromas. There’ll be beer, too (regular and craft), and a special Kid Zone, as well as historical reenactments. The Clambake supports local nonprofits and, over the years, has donated $675,000. Times: Friday, 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission: free. Purchase food and bev tickets. sebastianclambake.com.
Mixing up a smooth brew of smooth jazz: Working their jazz magic at the King Center in Melbourne this Friday, Nov. 1, it’s a group the show promo calls “one of the founding fathers of smooth jazz” – Acoustic Alchemy. An English “new-agey fusion group” that, says Wikipedia, “blends jazz and pop with flamenco, reggae and folk,” three decades of jazz fans know them for such hits as “Mr. Chow,” “Lazeez,” “Flamoco Loco,” “Catalina Kiss” and “Jamaica Heartbeat.” Their live shows are said to be among the most exciting in the biz, as they present a “dazzling array of genres,” while keeping their signature acoustic guitar up front. Time: 7:30 p.m. Tickets: start at $70.50. 321-242-2219.
“Right now” is always a good time to pause and remind ourselves that there’s still much that’s wonderful – and beautiful – about our home planet. This Sunday, Nov. 3, the 50 men and women of the Treasure Coast Chorale bring a musical program to help us accentuate all the positives. Entitled “What A Wonderful World: A Potpourri for the Thanksgiving Season,” the concert will take place at the First Baptist Church of Vero Beach and will, according to the Chorale’s promo, “focus on the beauty of the world we live in, its skies, seas, mountains and canyons.” Under the baton of Dr. Michael Carter, the Chorale will raise your spirits with such compositions as “For the Beauty of the Earth” and “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” as well as Irving Berlin’s “Blue Skies” and “I Got the Sun in the Morning.” (Remember that so-singable tune from the Broadway musical “Annie Get Your Gun”?) Praising his Chorale members’ “highly experienced voices,” Carter shares that he’s recently come across a “new piece of music” – Mark Patterson’s 2016 “Grand Canyon Sunrise,” which, he says, “perfectly suits the soaring harmonic sounds created by our select Chorale.” This uplifting concert will be further enhanced by the presence of a handful of talented special guest performers you may very well recognize: guitarist Dave Mundy, drummer Richie Mola, and everyone’s favorite Oldies trio, the Dolls. Judy Carter accompanies on piano. Time: 4 p.m. Doors open at 3 p.m. Admission: free. Donations always appreciated. 772-231-3498.