FRI 10/16: Art, Cars, Music

I appreciate the T for taking me around for $59 per month, but it sucks for all sorts of reasons including just stopping for longish periods of time. (Friggin' red line...)

I still like my chances to get more cheapness out today.

So I went to the New Alliance open house last night. Movers & Shakers sounded great. I missed most of The Cold Beat since I was hanging out, but I liked what I heard after walking through the wrong door and ending up standing behind the band...

It was good times all around; I especially liked when someone thought I was an undercover cop.

--------------------------------------------------------------

FRI 10/16 to SUN 10/18

Noon to 8pm
"Kia Soul Collective"
at Artists for Humanity, 100 W. 2nd Street, Boston (Southie) [PDF map]
FREE

If only the weather cooperated, this could be super-excellent weekend. It can still be damn good with the Fort Point open studios and related stuff like this art/music/car-promotion.

I don't know anything about this car, but you can take a test drive and get a pair of tickets to Sunday's performance by The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. The rest of the performances are free.

FRI 10/16:

Here We Go Magic (6:30pm), White Rabbits (7:15pm)

SAT 10/17:

Boy Crisis (6pm), The Antlers (7pm)

SUN 10/18:

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart (8pm)

FRI 10/16 to SUN 10/18

11am to 6pm
(Friday: 4pm to 7pm)
Annual Fort Point Open Studios
all around Fort Point (South Boston/Seaport)
FREE

Some of the artist studios are open tonight, a bunch of artists are still in Fort Point and you can see it (the art) for yourself.

There's the Kia thing (see above)... There's an arty party tonight with a DJ (and probably free vodka drinks) from 5pm to 9pm...

FRI 10/16

7pm
Andrew Hoover
at Borders, 255 Grossman Dr, Braintree
FREE

Hey, people in Braintree (and the vicinity) who love soulful singer-songwriter types: check out Andrew Hoover before you do whatever else tonight.

It's good stuff, and he's opening for Sister Hazel at the Paradise on WED 10/21. If you go tonight, you could win tickets to the show...

FRI 10/16

8pm
Reverse, Old Jack, Populace, Gaslight Revival
at Church, 69 Kilmarnock St, Boston (Fenway)
$10

It's difficult to get my original impressions about Reverse out of my head, because it was so damn good. They're still doing good stuff, but it's not the same as that original heavy riffing. Definitely something to listen and hear. You also have the soul-infused rock of Old Jack and the rootsy Gaslight Revival.

Do you know how hard it is to find a website for a band named "Populace"?

FRI 10/16

9:30pm
Brownout, Mmoss, Babydriver
at Milky Way Lounge / Bella Luna, 284 Amory St, Jamaica Plain (The Brewery Complex)
$7 / 21+

Franky, I'm shocked this show is actually happening at the new Milky Way. I guess we won't really know until it's happened, but how does a horn-heavy Latin/funk band from Austin end up playing a cheap show in JP? Brownout is an offshoot of Grupo Fantasma, and they've jammed with Prince (and other musical heavyweights) on more than one occasion.

Local indie-rock bands open. Yes, this will be awesome.

FRI 10/16

9pm
Televandals, Have Nots, Side Effects, Six String Bullets, Burning Streets
at Middle East - Upstairs, 472 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$9 / 18+

Televandals could be the next big band out of Boston for grafting electro and punk together in a exciting, delicious way. It's going to be a punk party all night long.

FRI 10/16

Youth Group (Midnight), The States (11pm), The Honors (10pm), Leo Blais (9pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10

Believe it or not, I'd probably go to this show loads of tuneful, modern rock. I've seen Youth Group perform, and they've got great songs. (They're really nice guys from Australia too.) The States have a lot going on in their sound that I'd like to hear live. The Honors and Leo Blais are really friggin' good.

10/16: MIT Cardboard Regatta

2:30pm to 4pm
Third Annual Head of the Zesiger
at Zesiger Center Pool, 120 Vassar St, Cambridge (MIT campus)
FREE to watch

There are items on the calendar, but this was something I had to share.

If I worked in Kendall Sq, I might sneak out to catch MIT's geeked-out take on this weekend's Head of the Charles. (An indoor option doesn't sound bad this year...)

The boats are made of cardboard.

All sorts of rules to make it challenging for the builders and rowers, so there's really a lot of paper between crew and water.

My Thoughts: Happiness (Part I)

Let's not get old.

Let's not become wiser.

Never grow up.

Never mature.

Keep living.

Have fun.

Make less mistakes,

Or make smaller mistakes.

(At least know when someone is watching.)

Eat.

Drink.

Be happy.

Repeat.

THUR 10/15: Parties w/ Music & Art, Film

I'm subtitling this "WTF Thursday!?" Why are there so many cheap parties on the same night? I am leaning towards one, but I wish I could go to all of them. The resourceful cheapo will hit more than one of these.

Good luck!

The Massachusetts Poetry Festival is mainly happening at locations in Lowell through Sunday, but one of the kick-off events is a panel discussion at the BPL. Not thrilling like a party with beer, but poetry needs to flourish.

While over $10, if you're interested in some downtown dinner & murder-mystery, someone pointed me to this deal...

--------------------------------------------------------------

THUR 10/15

7pm to 10pm
Movers & Shakers, The Cold Beat -- New Alliance Open House
at EMF Building, 110 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE

These two bands were going to celebrate 7" split-record at a Charlies Kitchen gig a couple months ago, but it wasn't ready. Who knows how many turntables are out there, but they're still going to celebrate at the studio where they recorded it.

After years near Fenway, New Alliance moved to Cambridge a few years ago. It's not that often one gets to walk around a recording studio without paying an hourly rate, so think about catching some tunes and enjoying some free beer and food.

Both bands rock. All the components for my infatuation Cold Beat are there (loud... fast... manly riffs...), but the love hasn't quite happened yet.

On the other hand, I love Movers & Shakers. In their Clash-like integration of influences, they make a brilliant, punky stew.

[Facebook]

THUR 10/15

7pm to 10pm
Nave@5 Birthday Bash
at Nave Gallery, Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church, 155 Powder House Blvd, Somerville (Teele Sq)
$5 / All ages

Feat: DJ Mark E. Moon, Mr. Sister, Shepherdess

One should expect a large contingent of local artists to celebrate the 5th anniversary of this active gallery and performance space. There is top-notch indie-folk/rock from Mr. Sister and Shepherdess. DJ Mark E. Moon (who also happens to be visually gifted) will take care of party music when bands aren't playing.

The proceeds will benefit the Nave's mission, so think about the silent auctions or the $5 raffle for an awesome lunch-box full of art.

Drinks aren't free, but the beer will actually be good.

THUR 10/15

8pm
"The Night of Funk": Weekly Dig / Miller Lite VIP Party
at Church, 69 Kilmarnock St, Boston (Fenway)
FREE-ish / 21+

Feat: The Chicken Slacks, DJ Frank White

Maybe you can still enter to "win" a night of live funkiness and free Miller Lite... (I tried to see what would happen, and I guess I didn't win.)

THUR 10/15

7:30pm to 10pm
The Soul Collective: Opening Party
at Artists for Humanity, 100 W. 2nd Street, Boston (Southie) [PDF map]
FREE w/ RSVP

Feat: Cymbals Eat Guitars, DJ Redd Foxx

You don't have to buy a car for free music and drinks, but it looks like you could go for a test-drive in the next couple days. I'm looking into this is just the first of a couple events this weekend.

Out of Brooklyn comes Cymbals Eat Guitars, who seem to hit town on a decent frequency to keep people interested are getting enough buzz to sell out to a car company. Good for them! Bands making jangly, noisy rock goodness should be heard.

You probably can still RSVP for tonight. Some good bands are playing this weekend...

THUR 10/15

8pm
"Luckey": Screening & Discussion
at Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$10

This is the indie-film pick of the night. It's a documentary with feature-film story. A father who creates giant, functional structures suddenly falls ill and is stricken to a wheelchair. His architect son jumps in to help him finish a project for the Boston Children's Museum. Tensions appear to rise.

The post-screening discussion includes filmmaker Laura Longsworth and architects featured in the film.

Presented by Truth Serum and Boston Society of Architects.

WED 10/14: Opera, Swayze, Jazz, Pop, Hip-Hop

Feeling like getting out on humpday? There's some pretty good stuff tonight...

If I get my act together, there are a couple free parties along with other cheap gigs happening tomorrow.

--------------------------------------------------------------

WED 10/14

7pm to 8pm
Boston Lyric Opera, "Carmen": Presentation & Performance
at Rabb Lecture Hall, Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St, Boston (Copley Sq)
FREE

I have a feeling that most of the hour will be discussion about how BLO is attempting to take a fresh approach to their upcoming production of much-loved opera "Carmen". The scheduled speakers are the general & artistic director, director of artistic operations, director of production, and stage director. (Believe it or not, these are four different people.)

The presentation will likely conclude with an excerpt of the opera by Dana Beth Miller who performs in the title role.

WED 10/14

7:30pm
"Dirty Dancing"
at Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$9.75

10pm
Dirty Dance Party
at ZuZu!, 474 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE

The Penguin Club (who are a couple DJ's who do Wednesdays at ZuZu) and the Brattle are putting on a two-part tribute to Patrick Swayze.

You'll obviously be inspired to get down 'n dirty after watching the film, so boogie down to Central Sq (or take the T) for "Dirty Dancy Party" that may feature songs from that era, but they'll probably play current grooves for dirty dancing.

If you're bleary-eyed tomorrow, remember "Nobody puts Baby in a corner..."

WED 10/14 (& THUR 10/15)

8pm
Dafnis Prieto Si o Si Quartet
at Cafe 939, 939 Boylston St, Boston (Back Bay)
$10 / All Ages

The secret to any good band is a good drummer, especially in jazz. After leaving Cuba 10 years ago, drummer Dafnis Prieto been demonstrating his monstrous talent. While it just sounds like amazing music to me, others who are paying closer attention praise him for a fresh synthesis of Afro-Cuban rhythms and jazz.

This is the fourth installment of the "Marsalis Berklee Jams" series (think Branford) where the band will do a set, then Berklee students will join them for a jam session.

WED 10/14

9pm
Former Ghosts, White Hinterland, Boy Without God
at Middle East - Upstairs, 472 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$9 / 18+

If you're in the mood for synthpop, there's Former Ghosts which includes one of the guys from Xiu Xiu.

When I last listened to White Hinterland, she was doing jazzy, poppy folk stuff. Her new stuff sounds much more electronic and atmospheric, but still maintains a strong sense of melody.

I went on a field trip with Boy Without God before he left for Denmark. Now he's back in town and premiering his full band with horns and singers. I've liked evertything I've heard before, so this should be a positive musical experience.

WED 10/14

10pm to 2am
Edan, Mister Jason
at Good Life, 28 Kingston St, Boston (Downtown Crossing)
$0.75 / 21+

We first heard Edan as a underground MC out of Boston a few years ago. Now he's releasing a mix CD "Echo Party", and you can listen to it with Edan and Ricky Powell (Friend of Beastie Boys) will be "host". Mister Jason will spin a set to start things off. I assume much of the local hip-hop guys in the know will be hanging out.

I like that the cover is 75 cents...