I’m a lousy liar, so I can’t get away with telling you I painted the town red last weekend. Instead, I was holed up eating Popsicles and saying to myself repeatedly, “Pneumonia? Really?”

I can, however, recommend an outstanding U2 documentary that I found on Hulu Plus, “The U2 Phenomenon,” which has some of the oldest, coolest footage I’ve ever seen. And I never met a rerun of “Lost in Space” that I didn’t love. Even the ones in black and white.

I was especially sad to be housebound because there were CD-release shows this past weekend by Whitcomb, Tricky Britches and The Mallett Brothers. Yeah for new local music! Look for my interview next week with Isobell, who also has a new CD coming out called “Sea Spells,” with which I am enraptured. 

SPEAKING OF CD releases, last week also brought with it the highly awaited new album from one of my favorite all-time musicians, who is from Maine, no less — Patty Griffin. It’s called “American Kid,” and I am falling madly in love with it.

Is it just me, or does it seem like it’s been a bazillion years since Griffin has paid Maine a visit? Well, that’s about to change, because she’ll be at The Waterville Opera House on June 8. Head to statetheatreportland.com for ticket info.

My friend Smitty can’t wait to go, and during a chat the other day, she told me about the time a friend gave her a bootleg Griffin recording that was made before she even had an album out. “Aimsel, I’m telling you, it’s because of Patty Griffin that I love music so much.” I totally get that. Don’t you? 

NOW THEN, let me leave you with a fantastic show suggestion for this coming weekend. Stay healthy, people. Trust me on this.

Soul singer extraordinaire Lyle Divinsky, a Mainer turned New Yorker, is bringing his band Lyle Divinsky & The Velvet Vagabonds to Portland. As the poster says, it will cost you 10 bucks to get into this 21-and-older show at The Big Easy (bigeasyportland.com) on Friday, but it’s absolutely free to get down. This is Divinsky’s last show before he heads back into the studio to record his next album. (Yeah!)

Furthermore, The Nat Osborn Band released “The King and the Clown” last month, and Alice and The Glass Lake has an EP coming out at the end of the month. Both will be performing alongside Divinksy’s band, so there will be no shortage of new tunes to sink your teeth — and hips — into. Showtime is 9 p.m. Friday.

Go to lyledivinsky.bandcamp.com post-haste, and thank me later. 

Aimsel Ponti can be contacted at 791-6455 or at:

aponti@pressherald.com