Cheap Thrills: 3/14 to 3/21

I had too much 'fun' last night so Enrique, my intern from Paraguay, has done most of the writing this week. If I saw something that doesn't look true, I've added "(Blarney!)" afterwards...

Hey, let's try to keep our waste down. Try washable, reusable mugs/cups at the kegger this weekend.

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FRI 3/14
* MeandJOANCOLLINS, Super 400, Sonny Oaks, I Have Ears
* Lenny & The Piss Poor Boys, The Stumbleweeds, The Swinedells, The Allrighters
* Banger -- Feat. Passion Pit, Benefit Friends, Taxpayer, DJ AC Slater, more

SAT 3/15
* Scientology Protest
* FREE Rides from Cambridge Bars
* Siobhan O'Brien, Jimmy Ryan, The Brooklyns, Natalie Flanagan
* Yoni Gordon and the Goods, Tony Bear, Diamond Mines, Bridget & the Squares
* Don Byron's Musical Worlds Part II

SUN 3/16
* St. Patrick's Day Parade
* Dirty WaterReading Series, "Get Lucky": Reading & Party
* "On Broadway": Screening & Discussion

MON 3/17
* Squallie Greenthumb
* Shame O' The Irish St. Patrick's Day Party
* WFNX Ultimate Irish Breakfast w/ Louis XIV, Saint Poitin
* Battleship Potemkin
* Paddy Casey, Will Dailey, Sarah Blacker

TUES 3/18
* The Ting Tings, Mean Creek
* Throwed! w/ DJs + Barnicle, Blanks
* "The True Story of the MIT Blackjack Team": Lecture

WED 3/19
* Okkyung Lee/Steve Beresford/Peter Evans, Skinny Vinny
* "Maxed Out": Free Screening
* Lazlo Pearlman: Screening & Performance

THUR 3/20
* Anita F. Hill, "The 2008 Smith First Amendment Award"
* "The Wizard Of Gore"
* Allston Rock City Music & Style Show

FRI 3/21
* The Gentlemen, Downbeat 5, Dave Smith & the Country Rebels
* Dean Wareham, "Black Postcards: A Rock & Roll Romance": Music & Book Signing
* Boston Underground Film Festival -- to SUN 3/23

SAT 3/22
* International Pillow Fight Day

TUES 3/25
* Everclear, Street Credit

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FRI 3/14

Me and Joan Collins (11:45pm), Super 400 (10:45pm), Sonny Oaks (9:45pm), I Have Ears (9pm)
at Abbey Lounge, 3 Beacon St, Somerville (Inman Sq)
$8

Super 400 blew me away; killer power-trio rock with a hint of jamband. MeandJOANCOLLINS rock out with a lot of attitude, and the know what they're doing. I Have Ears is actually The Strokes playing under a different name. (Blarney!)

Big-haired PA singer-songwirter, Nathaniel HoHo, plays for free around 8pm.

FRI 3/14

9:30pm
Lenny & The Piss Poor Boys, The Stumbleweeds, The Swinedells, The Alrighters
at Middle East - Upstairs, 472 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10 / 18+

Some country, some rockabilly, some punkabilly. Some free hard candy. (Blarney!)

Some of the proceeds are going to the Jon Erik Johnson Memorial Scholarship Fund that helps provide music education for deserving students. Johnson was the former bassist of the Piss Poor Boys who passed last year.

FRI 3/14

9:30pm
Banger -- Feat. Passion Pit, Benefit Friends, Taxpayer, and DJs AC Slater, Michael Savant, B. Rich
at Middle East - Downstairs, 480 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10 / 18+

This is a the 2nd night of Banger, a monthly dance party, with live bands. Passion Pit and Benefit Friends should keep people dancing, but Taxpayer might be too "Coldplay" for the crowd. You might even get some free stuff from Bank Clothing throughout the night.

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SAT 3/15

11am
Scientology Protest
in front of Church of Scientology International, 448 Beacon St, Boston (Back Bay)
FREE

Did you hear about the people that protested Scientology in the South End recently? You can see it in person this time, or get a "V for Vendetta" mask and join in. (That's what "Anonymous" protesters wear.)

Tom Cruise is scheduled to use his magic powers to turn the protesters away. (Blarney!)

SAT 3/15

7pm to 4am
Cab rides
from Cambridge-licensed alcohol establishments
FREE

No blarney here! Call 617-864-5000 to get the city to pay for a cab ride to a residential address. No need to be a drunk idiot who hurts someone.

Note: There is a $35 cap on cab rides -- which should get you to someone's home near a Indian casino. (Blarney!)

SAT 3/15

9pm
Siobhan O'Brien, Jimmy Ryan, The Brooklyns, Natalie Flanagan
at The Midway Cafe, 3496 Washington Street, Jamaica Plain
$10

SAT 3/15

8pm to 10pm
"Don Byron's Musical Worlds Part II"
at Kresge Auditorium, 48 Massachusetts Ave (Rear), Cambridge (MIT campus)
$5

Don Byron was the host of "Soul Train". (Blarney!) A classical-oriented program tonight.

SAT 3/15

9:30pm
Yoni Gordon & the Goods, Tony Bear, Diamond Mines, Bridget & the Squares
at PA's Lounge, 345 Somerville Ave, Somerville (Union Sq)
$8 -- 21+ / $11 -- 18+

Yoni Gordon & the Goods and Diamond Mines are damn-good song-oriented rockers.

They've renovated PA's, and it looks awesome. (Blarney!)

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SUN 3/16

1pm
St. Patrick's Day Parade
starts at: Broadway T Station to Andrews T Station, South Boston
FREE

The website has the parade route. I've seen cops tell people to empty their red plastic cups, so this would be a perfect opportunity to use a coffee mug or an empty water bottle...

SUN 3/16

7pm to 9pm
Dirty WaterReading Series, "Get Lucky": Reading & Party
at Grub Street HQ, 160 Boylston St, 4th floor, Boston (near Boston Common)
FREE / 21+

How do you get people to show up at a reading? Free food & booze and prizes.

Luck/Irish-themed readings by Sommer Browning, Steve Himmer, Nina MacLaughlin, Felicia C. Sullivan; and Irish mad-libs.

SUN 3/16

7pm
"On Broadway": Screening & Discussion
at Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Sq, Somerville
$8

A made-in-Boston-by-Bostonians indie that's getting decent reviews starring Joey McIntyre, Eliza Dushku, Mike O'Malley, Amy Poehler, and me. (Blarney!) There will be a Q&A with writer/director Dave McLaughlin afterwards. They even serve beer at the Somerville Theatre. (True!)

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MON 3/17

9pm
Squallie Greenthumb
at Abbey Lounge, 3 Beacon St, Somerville (Inman Sq)
FREE

MON 3/17

11am
Shame O' The Irish St. Patrick's Day Party
at Dick's Last Resort, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston
No Cover

MON 3/17

6am
WFNX Ultimate Irish Breakfast w/ Louis XIV, Saint Poitin
at The Black Rose, 160 State St, Boston (Financial District)
FREE

FNX morning show, Sandbox, will broadcast live with an acoustic set from Louis XIV and folky Irishness by Saint Poitin. The first 100 people to show up get a free Irish breakfast, but they can't serve beer until 8am. (Supposedly...)

MON 3/17

7pm
"Battleship Potemkin"
at Harvard Film Archive, Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St, Cambridge (Harvard campus)
FREE

Sure... It's a Russian silent film, but the text should be in English. Free vodka will be served. (Blarney!)

MON 3/17

8:30pm
Paddy Casey, Will Dailey, Sarah Blacker
at Hard Rock Cafe, 22 Clinton St, Boston (near Faneuil Hall)
Free / 21+

Dubliner Paddy Casey is apparently very popular on the "Emerald Isle", so I wouldn't that a few Irish will be here. Will Dailey is pretty good local guy who's breaking onto the national scene. Sarah Blacker is a music therapist by day, which is cool.

Don't worry about getting there early; it shouldn't be crowded in a downtown bar with no cover. (ahem, Blarney!)

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TUES 3/18

10pm
The Ting Tings, Mean Creek
at Great Scott, 1222 Commonwealth Avenue, Allston
$10 / 18+

The Ting Tings were proclaimed to be one of THE bands of 2008 by a poll of British music critics, and their sound has been called "Scissor Sisters meets Gorillaz garage pop". Mean Creek dishes out some awesome rootsy indie-rock.

TUES 3/18

9:30pm
Throwed! w/ Barnicle, Blanks and DJs E-Marce, Chris Devlin, Michael T and Jess
at Middle East - Downstairs, 480 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10 / 18+

I know I already listed another dance party at the Middle East that also had live bands, but Chris Devlin is actuall Spank Rock producer Chris Rockswell. So he'll be playing some tasty stuff with the "Baltimore sound". I like Barnicle; am not so hot on Blanks, but you might dig 'em.

TUES 3/18

7pm to 9pm
Mike Aponte & David Irvine, "The True Story of the MIT Blackjack Team": Lecture
at Room 100, Building 26, 60 Vassar St, Cambridge (MIT Campus)
FREE

Two of MIT's blackjack team will share some stories that may or may not be in the movie based on the book, "Bringing Down The House". (I think the movie will be called "21"...) Maybe they'll give some free playing tips.

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WED 3/19

7:30pm
Okkyung Lee/Steve Beresford/Peter Evans, Skinny Vinny
at Lily Pad, 1353 Cambridge St, Cambridge (Inman Sq)
$8

Some jazzy cello/piano/trumpet improve from musicians with impressive CV's. Skinny Vinny will also do some noisy experimental stuff.

WED 3/19

7pm to 10:30pm
"Maxed Out"
at Room 101, Kenmore Classroom Bldg, 565 Comm Ave, Boston (BU campus)
FREE

David Edelstein of New York Magazine called this documentary a "...bone-chilling, bloodcurdling, hair-raising story of a country that's up to its eyeballs in credit-card debt." Jim Campen, Executive Director of Americans For Fairness in Lending will moderate a Q&A afterwards.

"Bring along your credit card horror stories for our red carpet interview and free giveaway event."

WED 3/19

9.30pm
CineMental presents:
Lazlo Pearlman, "Madame Pierre's Other Tongue & Unhung Heroes": Performance & Screening
at Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$10

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THUR 3/20

6:30pm to 8pm
Anita F. Hill, "The 2008 Smith First Amendment Award"
at Rabb Lecture Hall, Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St, Boston (Copley Sq)
FREE

Professor Anita Hill (Brandeis) will receive the Ford Hall Forum's First Amendment Award and discuss her life. I can guess what Clarence Thomas thinks the "F" stands for, and I would also wager that the award is not shaped like a coke can with a hair on it. Harvard Law professor Charles J. Ogletree will moderate.

THUR 3/20

7:30pm
"The Wizard Of Gore"
at Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$8 / $6 students & seniors

The opening night of the Boston Underground Film Festival presents the New England premiere of a remake of a creepy horror movie about a magician who may or may not be cutting women in half. The cast includes Bijou Phillips, Brad Dourif, and Crispin Glover. A music video (starring Suicide Girls) and a short will also be screened.

Director (and Emerson grad) Jeremy Kasten will be there. Crispin Glover will also be in attendance and you can have him karate kick you for $5. (Blarney!)

THUR 3/20

9pm
Allston Rock City Music & Style Show
w/ Bad Ash, Pulp45, Monolith, Vagiant, Superpower
at Harpers Ferry, 158 Brighton Avenue, Allston
$10 / 18+

I really liked Bad Ash and Vagiant when I saw them, so this will be full-on, kick-ass soundtrack to a fun night. Around 11pm, Allston residents will model the current fashion trends of their ambiguously bordered patch of Boston from local stores like The Lab, Horror Business, Stingray Body Art, Port of Prince, etc. House wares(?) will also be included. Probably a lot of modest, ankle-length dresses and fisherman sweaters. (Blarney!)

Proceeds will benefit Allston Village Main Streets, "working to revitalize -- not gentrify -- Allston Village."

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FRI 3/21

The Gentlemen (11:30pm), Downbeat 5 (10:30pm), Dave Smith & the Country Rebels (9:30pm)
at Abbey Lounge, 3 Beacon St, Somerville (Inman Sq)
$8


FRI 3/21

7:30pm
Dean Wareham, "Black Postcards: A Rock & Roll Romance": Music & Book Signing
at Lizard Lounge/Cambridge Common, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between Harvard Sq & Porter Sq)
FREE

FRI 3/21 to SUN 3/23

Various Times
Boston Underground Film Festival 2008
at Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
at AMC Harvard Square 5, 10 Church St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$8 / $6 students & seniors

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SAT 3/22

2pm
International Pillow Fight Day
at Copley Sq, Boston
FREE

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TUES 3/25

8pm
Everclear, Street Credit
at Parris/Ned Devine's, Faneuil Hall Marketplace , Boston
FREE w/RSVP / 21+

It's free...

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Link of the Week:

I really hope St. Patrick's revelers will not use red plastic cups. Get some encouragement here.

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Quote of the Week:

"From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs."

--Karl Marx

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th-th-that's all, folks.

~r