Thursday, July 10, 2008

Sneak Peek: FRI 7/11 to SUN 7/13

Eiffel Tower, Bastille Day -- Cambridge Celebration on 7/13

Okay, things are moving along...

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FRI 7/11

All Day Long
7.11-ounce Slurpees
at participating 7-Eleven stores
FREE

Yes, it's true. I try to go every year and have at least one free mini-slurpee. It's actually a good amount if you consider that a 7.11-ounce slurpee has 7 ounces of sugar. It's also sufficient to get a brain-freeze.

I assume most, if not all, stores are participating. I know I'd be pissed if I went to one that wasn't doling out the freebies. Back in L.A., the 7-11's were stacked like Dunkin' Donuts and CVS locations combined, but there are still enough in the Boston area to get multiples without much trouble...

(While cup supplies last.)

FRI 7/11

Varsity Drag (11:45pm), Dirty Truckers (10:45pm), Buttercup (9:45pm), The Sneaks (9pm)
at Abbey Lounge, 3 Beacon St, Somerville (Inman Sq)
$8

I can tell you firsthand that The Dirty Truckers and Varsity Drag dole out some top-notch rock.

FRI 7/11

10pm
Dave Aaronoff
at Plough & Stars, 912 Mass. Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$3

Rocker extraordinaire Dave Aaronoff is showing off his fondness for country-western on his new CD and will likely be backed by some of his friends known as The Protagonists.

FRI 7/11

10pm
Jacques Labouchere
at Middle East - Corner, 480 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE

Peculiiar American singer-songwriter decides to move to Sweden a few years ago and makes some good music. Not a bad free entertainment choice...

FRI 7/11 to SUN 7/13

7:30pm
"The Real Inspector Hound" w/ "Hidden in This Picture"
at Mary O’Malley Park, Commandant’s Way, Chelsea Waterfront
FREE

English Performances on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

~En Espanol~ on Fridays and Sundays:
"El Verdadero Inspector Sabueso" con/ "Escondido En La Imagen"

Here is your reason to go to Chelsea: two one-act plays. Take the #111 bus for an adventure in free theatre -- and who knows what else -- on the other side of the Tobin.

There are 2 more weeks with no Sunday show at the end, so other performances are on: 7/16, 7/17, 7/18, 7/19, 7/20 & 7/23, 7/24, 7/25, 7/26.

FRI 7/11 to SUN 7/13

Various Times (most 7:30/8pm)
"Unbound 2008: A Festival of New Plays"
at Boston Playwrights Theatre, 949 Comm Ave, Boston (BU campus)
$10 / $15 festival pass

What can I say -- they're new plays. Works from previous years have made it to Off-Broadway... You have a good chance of seeing something bold/adventurous/funny; it might be rough, but it won't be amateurish.

The schedule:

FRI 7/11
8pm: "Beautiful American Soldier"

SAT 7/12
8pm: "12 Dogs"

SUN 7/13
2pm: "Coma, Patient"
4pm: "Listening"
5:30pm: "Beautiful American Solider"
7pm: "12 Dogs"

I assume the festival pass is good for all 4 days, but you could see every play on Sunday for $15.

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SAT 7/12

10am to 4pm
"Big-Bugs": Opening Day
at New England Wild Flower Society, 180 Hemenway Rd, Framingham
$8 / $6 seniors & students / $4 ages 3 to 18 / FREE under 3

Giant bug art returns to their favorite botanical garden/nature walk in Framingham with a swarm of buggy activities/exhibits.

To go along with the bugness, a Beatles tribute band, "HELP!", will play (1pm to 3pm).

SAT 7/12

10am to 6pm
Learn to Windsurf
at Community Boating, 21 David G. Mugar Way, Boston (Esplanade/Beacon Hill)
$10 / FREE 16 and under

Do you want to give windsurfing a try? The guy I talked to said the weather on Saturday should be "perfect" for whooshing across the Charles on a board with a sail...

As of Thursday afternoon, there are still some slots available. Call: 617-523-1038.

All equipment supplied but be prepared to get wet! You must wear sneakers or rubber booties to go on a windsurfer. They, and you will get soaked. Bring a clothing change.

Classes start every thirty minutes.
You can get a head start by watching video lessons here.

(Whenever I see windsurfers on the river, I like to imagine it's John Kerry out there.)

SAT 7/12

11am
"Gun Crazy"
at Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
FREE

This should be shown late at night, but this is the monthly Saturday series, "Elements Of Cinema". Wild characters + danger + romance + cool camera work + sassy script = great film noir.

Discussion to follow screening.

SAT 7/12

2pm to Close
Trashfest
Feat: The Konks (Midnight), Leather Uppers (11pm), The Tampoffs (10pm), Almighty Terribles (9pm), Jay Allen & the Arch Criminals (8pm), Tunnel Of Love (7pm), Gozu (6pm), White Man's Magic (5pm), Starry Crown Nightstick (4pm), The Throwaways (3pm)
at Abbey Lounge, 3 Beacon St, Somerville (Inman Sq)
$10

I'm not associated with any of these bands, but should be a really fun show from beginning to end. Maybe a dozen bands playing punk/garage/rock/blooze is an excuse for people to get trashed, but that's fine. You don't have to drink to oblivion, but no one will judge you here...

Unfortunately, it looks like there's no free beer, but PBR tallboys are $2 from 2pm to 4pm (and won't be much more after).

SAT 7/12

3pm to 7pm
Riverfront Music Festival
Feat: Blind Melon, Need to Breathe, Matt Nathanson, The Brother Kite
at Market Landing Park, about 1 Merrimac St, Newburyport (Market Sq/Riverfront)
FREE

Blind Melon is back with a guy that sounds quite a bit like the late Shannon Hoon. Close your eyes and find out if you're happy, disoriented, or creeped out. Presented in cooperation with The River (92.5FM), so keep that in mind when you wonder about the other artists.

The Ipswich Ale Beer Garden will be open from noon to 6pm across the parking lot behind the Custom House Maritime Museum.

It's supposedly well-attended, and some people show up at the crack of dawn to get a sweet picnic spot...

A commuter rail ride would cost $7.75 each way -- but you're not driving (about 90 miles round-trip from Boston)...


SAT 7/12

1pm to 4pm
Micro- & Mini-Car Day
at Larz Anderson Museum, 15 Newton St, Brookline
$10 (includes Museum admission)

A MINI Cooper is a friggin' minivan compared to these miniscule marvels from the '50s and '60s. The extra cool part is that you can go for rides in some of these cars.

It's like a convention for the micro/mini-car owners, so you might just see the flock of them driving around the area this weekend...

SAT 7/12

7pm to 9:30pm
The Guess Who, John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band
at Hatch Shell, Storrow Dr, Boston (Charles River Esplanade)
FREE

"WODS Oldies in Concert" Series

FYI: John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band were formed in Narragansett, RI. (Do you suppose they will drive separately or go in a van together?)

SAT 7/12

7:30pm to 11pm
Tango by Moonlight
over the Charles River, on the Weeks pedestrian bridge, Memorial Drive side, near Dewolf St, Cambridge
FREE

It's the first night of "dance on a bridge" season that lasts for the next 5 full moons or so. As usual, they'll start with brief period of tango instruction, then you can try for as long as you like until you feel like dancing any way you like. It's a fun time with and without a partner, since you can usually find a partner or two. It'll be too nice to be inside, so you might enjoy the atmosphere. Perhaps the spirit will move you.

Raindate: SUN 7/13
(Regardless of clear or cloudy skies, raindates are used only if it is actually raining at 8 pm on the primary date.)

SAT 7/12

9pm
Shaun & Suzi's Annual Bastille Day A-Go-Go
at Lizard Lounge/Cambridge Common, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between Harvard Sq & Porter Sq)
$10 / 21+

Shaun Wolf Wortis and Suzi Lee have been doing this for 15 years where they "turn a Boston-area club into a New Orleans house party, albeit resplendent in French Revolution duds, and tongue firmly in cheek." It's like their Mardi Gras Ball but different. But similar. Expect to hear a bunch of NOLA-style R&B/jazz/etc with many special guests.

I don't know if it's because Suzi is out of town, but the special theme is "Duets Night", featuring local rock star couples singing duets together:
Laurie Sargent & Billy Conway
Dave & Katie Champagne
Peter Moore & Sarah Rabdau
Jen D'Angora & Ed Valauskas
Other performers include Jim Infantino, Chandler Travis, and more.

SAT 7/12

The Watson Twins (11:45pm), Tim Fite (10:30pm), The Everyday Visuals (9:30pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10

The Watson Twins are probably best know for their CD with Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis, "Rabbit Fur Coat". The really do sing beautifully, don't they? And The Everyday Visuals are so darn good in general.

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SUN 7/13

2:30pm
Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School Cabaret: Life Drawing Class
at Great Scott, 1222 Comm Ave, Allston
$7 / 18+

Another edition of the best drawing session in Boston. Wilder and looser than any other art class you've been to. You won't feel so bad about your drawing skills. Crazy models, contests, and prizes -- oh my!

This month's model: Lola

SUN 7/13

3pm to 7pm
Eric Peterson, Swaggerin' Growlers, Tomorrow The Gallows
at Abbey Lounge, 3 Beacon St, Somerville (Inman Sq)
FREE (donations welcome)

SUN 7/13

3pm to 10pm
Bastille Day Party
along Holyoke Street, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
FREE

Is one Independence Day party enough for you? Celebrate the French one too with food, drink, music, dance, and miscellaneous fun.

There's a bunch of kids' activities from 3pm to 5pm, followed by Traditional French waiters race ("La Course des Garcon de Cafe") at 5:15pm. Performances by: Afrobrazil & Cirkestra (5:30pm to 8pm), Hot 8 Brass Band (8pm), then DJ Kamal drops the jams "a la Francaise" (9pm)...

Participating restaurants: Sandrine's Bistro, Chez Henri, Brasserie Jo, The Elephant Walk, Rialto, Petit Robert Bistro

Katrina Ritaville Express will park a FEMA trailer on Mt Auburn St. to -- y'know -- remind people.

SUN 7/13

9:30pm
TraniWreck: "Drag, Decadence, Dissent and Duos"
at Milky Way Lounge, 403 Centre St, Jamaica Plain
$8 / 21+
Our July Independence celebratory TraniWreck will feature performances about decadence and dissent and there'll be a few duos. Every time I come up with a theme for us the performers (in their irreverent way) say, "Yah, whatever, Heywood." So...we'll see. It's bound to be good. That's all I know.
Featuring:
MC/Host Heywood Wakefield, Becca D'Bus, Johnny Blazes, Frieda Fries, Maggie Crowley & Rachel Kahn (of The Femme Show), Elizabeth Whitney (of Bitches with Barrettes), Can Can Revolution and more.

SUN 7/13

10pm
Jeremy Lyons & The Deltabilly Boys
at Alchemist Lounge, 435 S Huntington Ave, Jamaica Plain
FREE

Our tasty bit of New Orleans in Boston, courtesy of Hurricane Katrina.

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(One extra gig for ya...)

MON 7/14

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin (10:40pm), Ha Ha Tonka (9:45pm), The Motion Sick (9pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10

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