FRI 1/21: Film, Art, Music

Either half of "Shoah" is under the CTB cost ceiling ($9 / $7 students, seniors), which is playing this weekend at the Harvard Film Archive as a 25th anniversary screening in collaboration with the Boston Jewish Film Festival. I don't know if I can do more than tell people the 9+ hour Holocaust documentary is happening.

Didn't get tickets to Patton Oswalt's show tomorrow night? His reading in Coolidge Corner ($5) didn't say "sold out" when I last looked... Whoops, it is now. Sorry.

BTW: It's time for the "2nd Annual Soozapalooza" tomorrow night at the Middle East - Downstairs. It doesn't matter if you know Sooz or not, because she knows good music. Advance tickets are $10.

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FRI 1/21 (and FRI 1/28)

2pm to 9pm
"Free Film Fridays"
at Mugar Omni Theater, Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston
FREE

I think I saw an 'IMAX Dome' movie many years ago. It was pretty darn cool, and I think it's even better when you don't have to pay. Not a bad diversion, if you have the day (or next Friday) off -- or feel like heading over after work. (I think the nearest bar may be in the EF building.)

The schedule varies, but these are today's times:

"Whales" -- 10am, 6pm, 7pm
"Australia: Land Beyond Time" -- 11am, 4pm, 5pm
"Thrill Ride: The Science of Fun" -- Noon, 1pm
"Mysteries of the Great Lakes" -- 2pm, 3pm, 8pm
"Adrenaline Rush: The Science of Risk" -- 9pm

Here's a tip: Pick up the tickets as early as possible. A lot people know about this promotion, and a lot of people just visit the Museum in general. When I tried to go, the next 2 screenings were already sold out.

FRI 1/21

6pm to 8pm
"This Must Be The Place": Opening Reception
at Mills Gallery, Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont St, Boston (South End)
FREE

Feat: David Lloyd Brown, Aileen O. Erickson, Kathleen A. Kneeland, Douglas Kornfeld, Suzanne Merritt, Selina Narovlyansky, Konstantin Simun, David Addison Small

The reason why I enjoy going to an art reception on a Friday:

A) You're rarely the only person in the gallery.
B) There is usually some complimentary wine & cheese.
C) It's nice to have a cultural stop on an otherwise drunken night.
D) One usually can interact with the artist instead of simply wondering about the art.

The exhibit is about "process, practice and proposals" so there is a lot of discussion potential.

An art "Swap Meet" is also on view where it sounds like it will change over the month as artists add a piece in exchange for another? I think...

FRI 1/21

Full Body Anchor (11:30pm), The Full-Time Dreamers (10:30pm), Shakyfoot (9:30pm), The Hammond Group (8:30pm)
at PA's Lounge, 345 Somerville Ave, Somerville (Union Sq)
$8-ish / 21+

My favorite band in this line-up is Full Body Anchor. It's big, loud, fuzzy indie-rock that doesn't bash you over the head. There's texture in the music and emotion in the vocals (although I haven't paid much attention to the lyrics).

No one is going to take it easy. The Full-Time Dreamers go fairly straightahead rockin' rock, Shakyfoot has got a bluesy-rock vibe, and I think people will either hate or grudgingly appreciate The Hammond Group.

FRI 1/21

American Hi-Fi (11:45pm), Kenny Chambers (10:50pm), Auto Interiors (9:55pm), The Daily Pravda (9pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10

It's weird to think that American Hi-Fi's "Flavor Of The Weak" came out 10 years ago. My roommate would play that song over and over again, and it would drive me mad thinking that there were so many better songs in the world.

Former Letters to Cleo/Veruca Salt drummer Stacy Jones has a certain ear rock-flavored pop. After that hit, he's spent a long stint as bandleader for Miley Cyrus for the last 5 years. Since most of American Hi-Fi is in Miley's band, they'd do their own gigs on off-nights. Now they have a new CD that maintains their sound.

While Kenny Chambers has rocked furiously with classic bands like Moving Targets and Bullet LaVolta, I think he's doing a rootsier thing these days. It could add a nice balance to the night that includes the glammy post-wave of The Daily Pravda and fuzzy garageness of Auto Interiors.

FRI 1/21

9:30pm
The Red River, The Rodeo Church, Mornin' Old Sport
at O'Brien's, 3 Harvard St, Allston
$5 / 21+

What I find interesting about The Red River is the way the songs unfold in a rather plainly and slowly yet with enough force to keep you listening and wondering where the story-like lyrics will go over the orchestral folk-pop. Hey, Brian Eno and the dude from "All Things Considered" likes them...

I listened to Rodeo Church's EP, and these guys have also got something cool going on. They're rock out with a tasty blend of guitar and keyboard that occasionally reminded me of a feral version of Spoon. Yes, their song "Miserable" has ended up on a couple mix CD's I've made (and they're on Team Coco).

Mornin' Old Sport has a variety of sonic flavors to hit your palate. There is the instrumentation that offers a general taste of folky chamber-pop, then I hear some jazziness here and some cabaret there. Definitely a lot of good listening ahead.