Some Early Weekend Cheapness -- FRI 9/28 & SAT 9/29

FRI 9/28

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 last dance, the last dance this year... But there will be no disco ball in sight tonight. When the weather is warm and the moon is full, tango is the game (but if you keep to the side, you could pretty much do anything like a dance like in junior high. There's a brief dance lesson session, and then you do your best on the basic tango step while you bump into the the real dancers -- or maybe that's just me.

It's a good time anyway. It's free, and the view is beautiful. Take your loved one and look like a romantic hero(ine) -- or show up and dance with a stranger. There are usually enough people without partners. Stay as long as you want.

Rain date: 9/29


SAT 9/29

Midnight
J. Cannibal's Feast Of Flesh V: Music, Burlesque, Horror Film, etc
Feat: Bad Ash, Black Cat Burlesque, "Evil Dead"
at Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St, Brookline
$10

This guy does not wait until Halloween to freak you out. I say J. Cannibal is creepy, because he's an undertaker -- and he looks & acts really creepy. One of his other vocations is organizing the Feasts of Flesh where zombies & freaks (and zombie/freak lovers) get together for music, film, burlesque, and all-around wickedness and weirdness.

I admit it's been a long time since I've seen 'Evil Dead', but it's still one of the best horror movies I've seen. Remember that it was done on a low, low budget (even for 1981: $50k); but it was still friggin' scary and gory -- cheesy special effects and all. It's not just me, because it's considered one of the all-time horror cult classics. Director Sam Raimi has since helmed the Spiderman movies and others.

Tonight's band could not be a better fit; Bad Ash (named after Bruce Campbell's character in the 'Evil Dead' movies) slams the night into gear with an opening set. Their horror-influenced punk with a humorous bent gets a little metal at points, and there's even a little bit of ska horns. For those who enjoy hot 'ghoul on ghoul' action should dig the spine-chilling lovelies of Black Cat Burlesque who have been "raising pulses, the dead and a whole lot of hell since 2003."

Free 'gory' goodie bags for all, there will be some cool prizes for best zombie costumes -- and there are some serious contestants. SEIBEI, a t-shirt company, has "Intramural Zombie Hunting League" t-shirts to sell and will give some customized ones away.

Cheap Thrills SAT 9/22 to FRI 9/29

Okay, okay. I was going to post my archives before starting my regular posts, but it looks like it's on a Big Dig timeline. Come back and check on days besides Fridays (hopefully Thursdays soon), because I might post other things as I find out about them...

My plan is to usually post the basic info here. You have to subscribe to the weekly email to get my witty commentary... (or go to going.com or my BostonNOW blog, but I'll probably add those here too.)

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SAT 9/22
* ClimbFest
* CollegeFest
* "Sound of our Town": Release Party
* "Yacht Rock Night"
* Boston Blues Festival -- and 9/23

SUN 9/23
* Allston Village Street Fair
* RiverSing 2007
* "Keggers and CliffsNotes"

MON 9/24
* Rick Berlin w/ Todd Drogy, Katya
* "365 Days/365 Plays" -- thru SUN 9/30

TUES 9/25
* Ukulele Noir
* Robert Tavernor, "Smoot's Ear: The Measure of Humanity": Lecture
* Tom Sachs, Steve Miller, Tiger by the Tail!: Opening Reception

WED 9/26
* Opera Boston Underground

THUR 9/27
* Dirty Movie Night
* MFA College Night w/ Thurston Moore
* BeanTown Jazz Warm-Up

FRI 9/28
* Chandler Travis Philharmonic
* Tango by Moonlight
* AltWheels Festival -- and SAT 9/29

SAT 9/29
* Feast of Flesh V

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SAT 9/22

9:00am to 4:30pm
ClimbFest 2007
at Quincy Quarries, Ricciuti Drive in West Quincy
$3 suggested donation

Rain date: 9/23


SAT 9/22 and SUN 9/23

Noon to 7pm (6pm on SUN)
CollegeFest
at Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston St, Boston (Back Bay)
$10 with College ID


SAT 9/22

8pm
"The Sound of Our Town: A History of Boston Rock & Roll": Release Party
Feat. Too Many Good Names To List On 1 Or 2 Lines
at Middle East - Downstairs, 480 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$12 / 18+

Many of the bands Brett Milano has written about will be playing mini-sets tonight including Muck & the Mires, Robin Lane & The Chartbusters, Twinemen, Nervous Eaters, Willie Alexander & The Boom Boom Band, Lyres, The Neighborhoods, The Gravel Pit, and The Shods. Asa Brebner will lead the house band through an hour of guest singers doing their 'hits' or covers of Boston classics. Besides those listed above, expected guests include: Dennis Brennan, Frank Rowe (Classic Ruins), JJ Rasler (Downbeat 5, etc), John Powhida (Rudds), Andrea Gillis, Lizzie Borden, Ellie Vee & Joe Wizda (The Charms). Who knows what kind of crazy jams will break out.


SAT 9/22

8:30pm
"Yacht Rock Night"
Three Day Threshold (1am), Roadsteamer (12:10am), The Stolen Records (11:20pm), Okay Thursday (10:35pm), B for Brontosaurus (9:50pm), Tristan Da Cunha (9pm)
at The Bulfinch Yacht Club, 234 Friend Street, Boston (near North Station)
$9 with secret password* / $12 / 21+

* "Fuck you, Loggins!"


SAT 9/22

Mr. Airplane Man (11:45pm), Digger and The Pussycats (10:45pm), The Terribles (9:45pm), Hospital Rats (9pm)
at Abbey Lounge, 3 Beacon St, Somerville (Inman Sq)
$8


SAT 9/22 and SUN 9/23

Noon to 6pm
Annual Boston Blues Festival 2007
at Hatch Shell, Charles River Esplanade, Storrow Dr, Boston
FREE


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


SUN 9/23

Noon to 6pm
Allston Village Street Fair
at Harvard Avenue between Brighton Ave. and Cambridge St. , Allston
FREE Admission


SUN 9/23

6pm to 7:30 pm
RiverSing 2007: Bridging the Charles with Voice and Light
Over the Charles River on the Weeks pedestrian bridge, Memorial Drive side, near Dewolf St, Cambridge
FREE


SUN 9/23

7pm to 9pm
"Keggers and CliffsNotes": Amy L. Clark, Beth Woodcome, Brian Foley, & Janaka Stucky
at Grub Street, 160 Boylston St, 4th Floor, Boston (near Boston Common)
FREE / 21+


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


MON 9/24

10pm
Rick Berlin w/ Todd Drogy, Katya
at Jacques Cabaret, 79 Broadway, Boston (South End)
$6


MON 9/24 to SUN 9/30

Various Times
"365 Days/365 Plays": Week 46
at Various Locations around Cambridge
FREE

MON 9/24
10pm
at Rendezvous, 502 Mass Ave (Central Sq)

TUES 9/25
7pm
at Whole Foods, 340 River St (Central Sq)

WED 9/26
12:30pm
at The Broad Institute, Monadnock Lecture Room, 2nd Floor, 7 Cambridge Center (Kendall Sq)

THUR 9/27
8pm
at Serene Chocolate, 1105 Mass Ave (Harvard Sq)

FRI 9/28
7pm
at Porter Square Books, 25 White St (near Star Market)

SAT 9/29
2pm
at Cambridge Public Library - Main Branch, 359 Broadway (near Central Sq)

SUN 9/30
1pm
at Mariposa Bakery, 424 Mass Ave (Central Sq)

Presented by The Nora Theatre Company and Underground Railway Theater.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


TUES 9/25

10pm
Ukulele Noir Feat. Craig Robertson, Bliss Blood, Greg Hawkes, Mark Occhionero, Ian Schwartz
at Johnny D's, 17 Holland St, Somerville (Davis Sq)
$10


TUES 9/25

6:30pm to 8:30pm
Robert Tavernor, "Smoot's Ear: The Measure of Humanity": Lecture
at Kirsch Auditorium, Stata Center, 32 Vassar St, Cambridge (MIT Campus)
$10

It will probably sell out. Online registration is recommended.


TUES 9/25

6pm
Tom Sachs, Steve Miller, Tiger by the Tail: Videos by Indian Female Artists: Opening Reception
at Rose Art Museum 415 South St, Waltham
FREE


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


WED 9/26

7pm
Opera Boston Underground: "€œViva! Songs of Spain and Latin America"
at Lizard Lounge/Cambridge Common, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between Harvard Sq & Porter Sq)
$8 / 21+


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


THUR 9/27

8pm
Dirty Movie Night
at The Video Underground, 385 Centre St, Jamaica Plain
$5 suggested donation


THUR 9/27

7pm to Midnight
MFA College Night w/ Thurston Moore
at Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Avenue, Boston (The Fens)
FREE with college ID


THUR 9/27

9pm
BeanTown Jazz Warm-Up
at The Beehive, 541 Tremont St, Boston (South End)
FREE


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


FRI 9/28

9pm
Chandler Travis Philharmonic
at The Midway Cafe, 3496 Washington St, Jamaica Plain
$5


9/28

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

The last one of the year.


FRI 9/28 to SAT 9/29

FRI: 9am to 7pm
SAT: 10am to 6pm
AltWheels Festival
at City Hall Plaza, Boston (Govt Center)
FREE


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


SAT 9/29

Midnight
J. Cannibal's Feast Of Flesh V: Music, Burlesque, Horror Film, and more
at Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St, Brookline
$10


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Links of the Week:

Free admission to many museums across the country on SAT 9/29

What should happen to Barry Bonds' record-breaking ball? You decide.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Quote of the Week:

"If we could read the secret history of our enemies we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility."

-- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

th-th-that's all, folks.

~r


(see header for subscription info)

Sorry, folks.

It doesn't look like The White Stripes are continuing the 'secret shows' on the US leg... :-(

~r

International Pop Overthrow 2006

WED 11/1 to MON 11/6

Doors open at 6:30pm
International Pop Overthrow
at Paradise Lounge, 969 Comm. Ave., Boston (near BU)
$10 / 18+

I remember going to the original Poptopia festival shows back in L.A. many years ago. International Pop Overthrow has taken up the mantle of presenting dozens of bands over several days that all share a love for the pop that’s really ‘popular’ anymore: catchy songs with jangly/loud guitars. A lot of bands still take that classic formula and put their own twist on it, and there’s a boat load of ‘em here in Boston. It’s 5 nights of 30-minute sets, so don’t think about it too much -- just go when ever you can. You’re bound to hear something you like. I still haven’t been to a bad show.

I might write more, but here's the list of bands for each night:

WED 11/1Cookie Cutter Girl: Pop Superhero (11:30pm), The Kickbacks (11pm), The Cautions (10:30pm), Girl On Top (10pm), Mike Previti (9:30pm), Anushka Pop (9pm), Andy Pratt (8:30pm), Jillian Wheeler (8pm)

FRI 11/3
Minky Starshine and The New Cardinals (11:30pm), My Little Radio (11pm), The Flashcubes (10:30pm), The Luxury (10pm), Rooftop Suicide Club (9:30pm), Temper (9pm), The Silver Lining (8:30pm), The Naomi Star (8pm)

SAT 11/4:
Rock E. Rollins (11:30pm), Sass (11pm), The Brett Rosenberg Problem (10:30pm), The Banana Convention (10pm), The Irresponsibles (9:30pm), A Wish For Fire (9pm), Scamper (8:30pm), Mitch Linker (8pm)

SUN 11/5:
The Motion Sick (11pm), RUTH (10:30pm), Coley (10pm), School For The Dead (9:30pm), Mark Renburke (9pm), Justin Levinson (8:30pm), Jen Tobey (8pm), Dave Aaronoff (7:30pm)

MON 11/6:
The Mystery Tramps (11pm), Static Of The Gods (10:30pm), The New Thirty (10pm), The Fawns (9:30pm), The Buckners (9pm), Fireking (8:30pm), Satch Kerans (8pm), Cheater Pint (7:30pm)

http://www.internationalpopoverthrow.com/
http://www.internationalpopoverthrow.com/artists-Boston-2006.htm
http://www.internationalpopoverthrow.com/schedule-boston-2006.htm
http://www.thedise.com/

NEMO Festival -- 9/28 to 9/30: Addendum

Okay. In case you’ve just stumbled upon this, here is the original listing from the weekly e-list:

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

THUR 9/28 to SAT 9/30

Various Times
10th Annual NEMO Festival
at Various Clubs around Boston
$10 or less for most shows / $25 for 3-day pass

This is Boston's mini-version of Austin's South by Southwest music festival. I assume NEMO tands for 'New England Music, Oh'... If you feel like catching a boatload of bands in 3 days, it's a good deal to get the 3-day pass and pace yourself. Aw, screw pacing! Go ape-crazy...

Many of the shows are at the clubs where I usually find cheap entertainment, but some bigger names are playing that would cost more than $10. Keep in mind that the 3-day pass does not guarantee entry, but you wouldn't have to pay the normal cover charge.

There are way too many shows to list here, but these are some of my ideas:

Thursday -- It might be worth the pass to try to catch Yo La Tengo at Avalon (full price $20) on Thursday and catch one more show; opening act is Why?, an Anticon label, indie-rap guy... Allston-wise, I'd try to catch Peelander-Z at Great Scott then up to Harper's Ferry for Humanwine then back to Great Scott for Wild Zero... On the Cambridge side, I would start with some folkish bands at Club Passim then head to Plough and Stars for the Irish Showcase until about 10:30pm then finish at TT's for The Bleedin Bleedins, The Head Set, and Violet Nine...

Friday -- The whole lineup at the Plough and Stars is really good; it's called a 'Cutting Edge Blues Showcase', but The World's Great Sinners are a must-see-for-yourself soul band; two sets by Scissormen bookend the night... I'd also be interested to hunker down at Abbey Lounge for 'Halifax Pop Explosion' night to hear how things are rockin' in Canada... If I'm in the mood for bizarre hip-hop, Kool Keith alias Dr. Octagon is one of the weirdest, well-known rappers I know of... I've heard Grace Potter and the Nocturnals have moved in a louder, rock-influenced direction; they're playing FRI and SAT in the main room at the Paradise... There's also a good set of acts at Harper's Ferry and Bill's Bar...

Saturday -- In Cambridge, I'd start early with Tim Blane at Club Passim. If I'm staying mellow, I'd move to Lizard Lounge to catch Mieka Pauley and Dwight & Nicole; or I'd go to Johnny D's for Sarah Borges, The Rudds, The SnowLeopards, etc. There are a couple good bands at Great Scott and Harper's Ferry, but probably not enough for me to head that way... I might not be in the mood for British synth-pop and Brazilian rock-tronica, but Ladytron w/ CSS would be a cool show to catch at Avalon... If I was already going to see Yo La Tengo or Ladytron, I'd pick up a NEMO pass for an extra $5...

Getting around for cheap: If you don't have a monthly T pass, a 1-day / 3-day "visitor's pass" (works on all subway lines, local & CT buses, commuter rail to Porter Sq, and more) is available for $7.50 / $18 -- the cost of about 6 or 15 subway rides...

As part of my public service, I might put up a 'Cheap Thrills'-customized NEMO schedule by Monday-ish at my little bloggo (that will likely never be regularly useful for anyone but me).

NEMO Schedule
Buy a Pass
Where to buy MBTA Visitor Pass
NEMO Homepage

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I thought I was going to list the whole schedule, but I just realized that there are some shows missing. Those were the shows that I didn’t see at least a couple of bands that I liked.

So here are shows that I thought were the best chances for good music. If you check back in a day or two, there might be more info… or not...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

===============================================
THUR 9/28
===============================================

* * * BOSTON / ALLSTON * * *

9pm (doors @ 8pm)
Yo La Tengo w/ Why?
at Avalon, 15 Lansdowne St, Boston (Kenmore Sq)
$20.25


9pm (doors @ 8pm)
Joseph Arthur, Annie Stela
at the Paradise, 967 Comm. Ave., Boston (near BU)
$12


Wild Zero (12:45am), Love Weapon (11:45pm), Bury the Needle (10:45pm), Peelander - Z (9:45pm), The Izzys (9pm)
at Great Scott, 1222 Commonwealth Avenue, Allston
$8


Campaign For Real Time (1am), The Chainletter (12:15am), HUMANWINE (11:30pm), The Rewinds (10:30pm), Moving Picture Show (9:45pm), Virgo Loves Cancer (9pm)
at Harpers Ferry, 158 Brighton Avenue, Allston
$8


The Dents (12:15am), The Humanoids (11:15pm), We're All Gonna Die (10:15pm), Superpower (9:15pm)
at O'Brien's, 3 Harvard St, Allston
$10


* * * CAMBRIDGE * * *

"MySpace Showcase"
Violet Nine (12:10am), The Head Set (11:25pm), The Bleedin Bleedins (10:45pm), No Lindsay (9:55pm), The WalkUp (9:10pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10


"NEMO Irish Connections Showcase w/ Brian O'Donovan (WGBH Celtic Radio)"
Traditional Irish Seisuin -- open to all (Midnight), The Dangerous Brothers with Jimmy Ryan and Christian McNeill (11pm), Matt and Shannon Heaton (10pm), Paddy Saul (9pm)
at Plough & Stars, 912 Mass. Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$5


Walter the Orange Ocean (10:15pm), Ryan Lee Crosby (9:30pm), Katamine (8:30pm), Leerone (7:45pm), Ponies in the Surf (7pm)
at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$12


The Break Mission (Midnight), [undetermined band] (11pm), The Spies (10pm), The Churchills (9pm), Mercy James Gang (8pm)
at Lizard Lounge/Cambridge Common, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between Harvard Sq & Porter Sq)
$10


Corin Ashley (Midnight), The Rockwells (10:30pm), The Comfies (9pm)
at Toad, 1912 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Porter Sq)
FREE


The Dirty Whites (11:45pm), Pretty and Nice (10:45pm), Appomattox (9:45pm), The Mugs (9pm)
at Abbey Lounge, 3 Beacon St, Somerville (Inman Sq)
$10


===============================================
FRI 9/29
===============================================

* * * BOSTON / ALLSTON * * *

Taxpayer (12:30am), The Sterns (11:30pm), Gene Dante and the Future Starlets (10:30pm), Fancey (9:30pm), Faces On Film (8:30pm)
at Bill's Bar, 5.5 Lansdowne Street, Boston (Kenmore Sq)
$5

9pm (doors @ 8pm)
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals w/ Peter Prince and Moon Boot Lover
at the Paradise, 967 Comm. Ave., Boston (near BU)
$13.50

9pm
Audible Mainframe, The Boston Afrobeat Society, AfroDZak, Mr. Nash, Omega Red
at Harpers Ferry, 158 Brighton Avenue, Allston
$8


* * * CAMBRIDGE / SOMERVILLE * * *

Dr. Octagon aka Kool Keith (Midnight), 7L and Esoteric (11pm), MC Kabir (10pm), Project Move (9:15pm), Starrs & Murph (8:30pm), Detroit Red (8pm)
at Middle East - Downstairs, 480 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$18 advance / $20 day of show


"New England Cutting Edge Blues Showcase"
Scissormen (12:25am), The World's Great Sinners (11:45pm), Ottomatic Slim (11:05pm), Tokyo Tramps (10:25pm), Scissormen (10pm)
at Plough & Stars, 912 Mass. Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$5


"The Halifax Pop Explosion Showcase"
Shotgun and Jaybird (Midnight), Dog Day (11pm), Caledonia (10pm), Julie Doiron (8:15pm), Carmen Townsend (7:15pm)
at Abbey Lounge, 3 Beacon St, Somerville (Inman Sq)
$10


===============================================
SAT 9/30
===============================================

* * * BOSTON / ALLSTON * * *

9pm (doors @ 8pm)
Ladytron, Cansei de Ser Sexy
at Avalon, 15 Lansdowne St, Boston (Kenmore Sq)
$18.25


9pm (doors @ 8pm)
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals w/ Lowell Thompson
at The Paradise, 967 Comm. Ave., Boston (near BU)
$13.50 / 18+


Read Yellow (Midnight), Jake Brennan (11pm), Foreign Islands (10pm), A Place To Bury Strangers (9pm), DJ Carbo, DJs from The Plan (8pm)
at Great Scott, 1222 Commonwealth Avenue, Allston
$10


The Long Winters (12:15am), Menomena (11:30pm), The Blizzard of '78 (10:45pm), Cousin (10pm), The Sharking (9:15pm), Sproll (8:30pm)
at Harpers Ferry, 158 Brighton Avenue, Allston
$12


* * * CAMBRIDGE / SOMERVILLE * * *

Cat and Mouse (12:35am), Tim Segreto (11:45pm), Shoney Lamar (11pm)
at Middle East - Corner, 480 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE


Pete Francis (12:15am), Easily Amused (11pm)
at ZuZu!, 474 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE


Jabe (12:15am), Cassavettes (11:15pm), Pete Kilpatrick (10:15pm), Tennessee Hollow (9:15pm), The Televangelist and the Architect (8:30pm)
at Abbey Lounge, 3 Beacon St, Somerville (Inman Sq)
$10


"Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival Emerging Artist Stage"
Scissormen (12:25am), Shaun Wolf Wortis (11:45pm), Goat (11:05pm), Michael Pickett (10:25pm), Scissormen (10pm)
at Plough & Stars, 912 Mass. Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$5


Michelle Lewis (11pm), David Berkeley (10:15pm), Kristin Cifelli (9:30pm), Heath Brandon (8:30pm), Jessica Sonner (7:45pm), Tim Blane (7pm)
at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$12


Mieka Pauley (Midnight), Dwight & Nicole (11pm), Matt Duke (10pm), Samantha Stollenwerck (9pm), Will Hawkins (8pm)
at Lizard Lounge/Cambridge Common, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between Harvard Sq & Porter Sq)
$10


Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles (Midnight), The Rudds (11pm), Carmen Townsend and the Shakey Deals (10pm), The SnowLeopards (9pm), Lomita (8pm)
at Johnny D's, 17 Holland St, Somerville (Davis Sq)
$10

NEMO Homepage
NEMO Schedule
Purchase a 3-Day Pass for $25 Here