FRI 9/10: Art, Fest, Film, Comedy, Music

Pretty good weekend, folks...

Wish me luck as my mother is visiting...

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FRI 9/10 (to SUN 9/12)

Noon to 6pm
"Ahts": Boston Arts Festival
at Christopher Columbus Park, about 225 Atlantic Ave, Boston (Waterfront/North End)
FREE

Art on view and performances on multiple stages. I say go for the music, then browse around the art. Below are some of my highlights. Both of tonight's bands are damn good.

Friday:

5:45pm -- Air Traffic Controller
6:45pm -- Mean Creek

Saturday:

1pm -- Melissa Ferrick
2:15pm -- BalletRox
3:30pm -- Boston Ballet

Sunday:

1pm -- Quartet of Happiness
3pm -- The Susan Constant
3:30pm -- Boston Ballet

There's art in Charlestown too on Saturday.

FRI 9/10

5pm to 8pm
"Ustav!": A Festival of Punjabi Culture
at Union Sq Plaza, Somerville (nexus of Somerville Ave, Washington St, Bow St)
FREE

Okay, so here's the story as I understand it. "Utsav" means "festival" in Hindi (I think?), and it's also the name of a movie that will be screened.

There's going to be music and dance and food to make it a good, ol' Punjabi time. We thankfully live in an open-minded part of the country. From the little that I know, many Sikhs (who wear turbans) are from the Punjab region, and it's different than Islam.

It's a good time to find out more about another culture!

FRI 9/10 (thru SUN 9/12)

Various Times
2nd Annual Boston Improv Festival
at ImprovBoston, 40 Prospect St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
at CCTV, about 45 Prospect St, Cambridge (across the street)
$10 for most shows

Again... I'd like to be able to recommend specific shows to you, but you never know what's going to happen. Right? (And I didn't do the research on each performance group...)

Performers from around the country and beyond have convened to make you laugh on the fly. We came out to support them last year, so let's shoot for the third annual Improv Fest.

No one can guarantee that an improv show is going to be good, but many of these performers are very good at what they do.

Today's schedule:

8pm

"John Hughes High School"
at ImprovBoston Main Theater

"Booth & Pat", "Clyde Bananaglass is Dead"
at CCTV Satellite Stage

8:30pm

"Maxitor", "People's Sketch Association"
at ImprovBoston Studio

9pm

"Hidden Falls", "Froduce"
at CCTV Satellite Stage

9:30pm

"Elvis & Me", "Kim & Rebecca"
at ImprovBoston Studio

10pm

"Junior Varsity", "WDWMKR"
at ImprovBoston Main Theater

"Borealis", "Dark Horse"
at CCTV Satellite Stage

11pm

"Adrift", "Bastards Inc."
at ImprovBoston Main Theater

"Browntown", "Big Bennessy"
at ImprovBoston Studio

Midnight

"Nat Turner Revue", "Meg & Rob"
at ImprovBoston Main Theater

Look at the descriptions, and see what premise may tickle your fancy. If you're interested in seeing more than one show tonight -- or this weekend -- discount passes are available at: 5-for-$30 ($6 per show) and 10-for-$50 ($5 per show).

Note: There may be some shows that are more than $10.

FRI 9/10 (and SAT 9/11)

8pm
"Under the Stars": International Movie Nights
behind the Old Fire Station, 165 Broadway, Somerville (East Somerville)
FREE

Friday -- "Johnny Stecchino"
(Italian w/ English subtitles)

Saturday -- "El Ratón Perez"
(Spanish w/ English subtitles)

There's a hidden parking lot behind the old fire station in East Somerville, and international cinema visits for the 4th year. I like the idea of going to a secret party while still being outside.

As generally a fan of Roberto Begnini's movies, "Johnny Stecchino" is pretty friggin' hilarious. Even if you don't want to read the subtitles, you'll get most of the jokes by the situations and the tones. If you liked "Ratatouille", then you might like another animated story about a rat from Argentina...

They say, "Picnickers welcome!" Donate $6.50 online and receive: bottomless popcorn, a drink and movie theatre candy of your choice

FRI 9/10 (and SAT 9/11)

9pm
The Cover-Up Boston: Traveling Wilburys Weekend
at Lizard Lounge/Cambridge Common, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between Harvard Sq & Porter Sq)
$10 advance / $12 door / 21+

Feat: Kingsley Flood (Bob Dylan), Jason Dunn (George Harrison), Spirit Kid (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers), Mercy James (Jeff Lynne), Brendan Boogie (Roy Orbison)

I wrote a little bit below, and I think this will be rather impressive chain of performances.

I hope you can get in, even if you pay $12.

FRI 9/10

Muck & the Mires (9:30pm), The Dirty Truckers (10:30pm), Jay Allen & the Arch-Criminals (11:30pm)
at Rosebud Bar & Grill (behind Diner), 381 Summer St, Somerville (Davis Sq)
$5 / 21+

When you have Muck & The Mires (who were named "best garage-band in the country" a few years ago) followed by the ballsy/twangy rock of The Dirty Truckers (who were in the Rumble finals a couple years ago), then it's okay to finish up with Jay Allen & the Arch-Criminals. He's a guy that admirably does his thing, except I've never been that excited about it.

Maybe you'll love every band or maybe you'll want to leave early. It's a free country -- in some respects, "leaving early" is included.

FRI 9/10 to SUN 9/12

Various Times
Greek Music & Food Festival
at The Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church, 29 Central St, Somerville (Spring Hill)
FREE

Friday -- 5pm to 11pm
Saturday -- Noon to 11pm
Sunday -- Noon to 9pm

Unlike the North End Italian feasts where most of the vendors seem like professional outfits, these Greek festivals are usually associated with a church where the members put the food together.

Since I don't otherwise get homemade Greek food, I love these opportunities and share them with you. There's live music, but I mainly go for food and atmosphere.

If you want to take the T, think #88 (Davis Sq/Lechmere) or #90 (Davis Sq/Sullivan Sq).