Monday, February 22, 2010

MON 2/22: Crime, Food, Gig Info, Trivia, Drama, Folk, Pop


My apologies for net getting too excited about the Chinese New Year Lion Dance Festival yesterday. I don't know what my problem was the first time I went, but it was pretty enjoyable. There's a lot more fun than most North End festas with the giant dragons and firecrackers.

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MON 2/22

6pm to 8pm
"The Truth About Crime": Screening & Discussion
at Starr Auditorium, Belfer Center, 79 JFK St, Cambridge (Kennedy School of Govt)
FREE

Believe it or not, Oxford is a very average city as far as demographics in England. This is the kind of serious TV that you can find on the BBC -- or at a Harvard forum -- but they studied the crime patterns for two weeks to explore how crime really affects citizens.

Filmmaker (and Crimson alumnus) Roger Graef will participate in the discussion.

MON 2/22

6pm to 9pm
Sprouting Workshop & "Food Inc" Screening
at Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave, Somerville
FREE

6pm: Workshop on how to sprout grains -- Bring a wide mouth glass jar.
6:30pm: "Food Inc."
For my Somerville homes (and whoever else is interested), bring a wide-mouth glass jar and they'll show you how to grow sprouts. It made me think, "Then what do you do?" It turns out that you can eat the stuff.

After the DIY food tutorial and before you go home with all the stuff you need to grow something on your counter top, watch a documentary about mass food production that will probably make you want to get dozens of jars or maybe think about going to the farmers market more often.

MON 2/22

7pm to 9pm
Rock Shop #3: "How Do I Get a Show?"
at Middle East - Downstairs, 480 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE / All Ages

Who knows why these music pros are holding free monthly panel discussions? Maybe because they're tired of dealing with people who don't have clue. In tonight's third program, the subject is quite important -- getting a gig.

Bookers from The Middle East, TT the Bear’s, and Great Scott offer insights on how to influence them. Maybe you can try out some pointers with them afterward...

MON 2/22

7pm to 9pm
"Hospitality Homes Trivia Night"
at The Baseball Tavern, 1270 Boylston St, Boston (Fenway)
$10 / 21+

Most Stump Trivia nights are free, and the prize is a gift certificate for your next bar tab. It's better than a kick to the head yet still not that exciting. Tonight's fundraiser for Hospitality Homes claims there will be prizes for some trivia losers as well with some door prizes, raffles, etc.

The prizes will probably include sports tickets, theater tix, ski stuff, restaurant gift certificates, etc. The last one may be similar to most trivia night prizes, but this benefiting a local nonprofit dedicated to housing the families and friends of patients traveling to Boston for medical treatment.

Teams of up to five people each are welcome.

It's okay to go a little bit hungry, because there should be some free food (alias "early bird buffet") and half-price appetizers all night. Some draft beer will be $2 and other drink specials.

MON 2/22

7:30pm
"Victory Blues" by Alan Brody: Reading
at Boston Playwrights Theatre, 949 Comm Ave, Boston (BU campus)
FREE

Playwright Alan Brody teaches theater at MIT and has written quite a few plays, so there must be a strong chance this is an interesting play. In what sounds like a post-WWII existential drama that seems that probably has meaning in our current national situation, six actors will read the play. The same drama without the sets and dancing...

"All readings followed by wine, cheese and conversation"

MON 2/22

Boy Without God (11:30pm), Ryan Lee Crosby Quartet (10:40pm), The Wailing Wall (9:50pm), Sleepy Very Sleepy (9pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$8

With 4 folky-rocky bands at $8, you're only paying $2 per band. For the majority of these groups, I know there's a main creative leader, but it looks like a lot of ensemble support tonight.

When you listen to Boy Without God, you might be struck that deep, deep voice. I don't remember him being so basso profundo in person, but he's got a deep voice and poignant songs and a passionate delivery. Most of the time Ryan Lee Crosby seems to perform solo, but I saw some photos of a video shoot for a song on his last CD, an unrecognizable Bad Brains cover of "Big Takeover". Then there's this 'quartet' show. With really heavy lyrics and delicate delivery, this group gig could be really cool. The Wailing Wall does some pleasant indie-folk that you might catch somewhere in your mind.

MON 2/22

9:30pm
V.V. Brown, Ma'ayan Castel, Yeah Right
at Great Scott, 1222 Comm Ave, Allston
$9 / 18+

For some reason, I thought UK popster VV BRown had already toured through Boston, but this could be her first visit. Give it a lesson, and you might enjoy the modern/organic singer-songwriter approach. Ma'ayan Castel is a jazzy, electro-world-pop performer that sounds and looks quite lovely. Fresh off a performance at Together Boston electronic music festival about a week ago, dance band Yeah Right from Providence has been added as the opener.

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