Getting Back

My apologies, folks.

I should have written more before I left for vacation, and I should've expected that I wouldn't get much time to write.

My Sunday post was almost ready to go, but I didn't post before Easter brunch, then it was all over...

Who could've predicted that my friends and family would want to spend time with me -- and I had to pay attention to my girlfriend too!

I've been really close to getting back to a good spot where events can be posted a week ahead of time, and I think this could be the week. Spring is here, and it's a perfect time for renewal.

I'm at LAX, so maybe a Tuesday post and/or calendar items will be up before I get to Boston.

~rob

SAT 4/3: Rock & Rocky Horror

Stuff to do tonight...

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SAT 4/3

Voodoo Screw Machine (Midnight), Gene Dante & The Future Starlets (11pm), Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling (10pm), Vostok 4 (9pm), Corey Tut (8pm)
at Church, 69 Kilmarnock St, Boston (Fenway)
$10 / 21+

An abundant night of excellent rock and theatrics.

SAT 4/3

The Last Ones (11:30pm), Classic Ruins (11pm), Third Rail (10:30pm), Fox Pass (10pm), The Boize (9:30pm), The Varmints (9pm), Willie Loco Alexander (8:30pm)
at Cantab Underground / Club Bohemia, 738 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10

A "Rat Reunion" where people will "party like it's 1976"...

SAT 4/3

9pm
Kingsley Flood, Cassavettes, The Grownup Noise, Spouse
at Middle East - Upstairs, 472 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10 / 18+

A combo of fine roots-rock and indie-rock.

SAT 4/3

11:55pm
"Rocky Horror Picture Show": April Fool's Version
at Loews Harvard Square, 10 Church St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$9.75

They follow along in a different way this weekend.

FRI 4/2: Art, Rock, Bunny Crawl

I was traveling last night, and really thought I would type more on the plane...

I will try to sneak away to get more up tonight. There are some good cheap options over the weekend like two top-notch in-store performances at different Newbury Comics.

Also think about checking out my pals Kingsley Flood or Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling tomorrow.

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FRI 4/2

5pm to 9pm
First Friday Open Studios
at SoWa Arts Bldg, 450 Harrison Ave, Boston (South End)
FREE

Since Sally commented this week, I might as well remind everyone about SoWa open studios.

Unless you actually spend a full 4 hours, it's doubtful that you'd get to all of the approx. 50 artist studios. Don't fret, because this happens on the first Friday of every month. Maybe some of the artists will have some pieces "priced to move"...

Go in a direction or pick a floor or just wander around until you see something you like through the open door. (Say "hi" to Sally, if you got to her studio.)

FRI 4/2

7:30pm
Ramona Cordova, Ponies In The Surf, The Needy Visions, The Craters
at Brookline Access Television, Top Floor, 46 Tappan St, Brookline (near Brookline Hills T)
FREE / All Ages

Join the crowd on a cable-access show, and dig loads of indie-rock fun. Go crazy in a controlled and respectful way.

FRI 4/2

8:30pm
The Lights Out, Roman Traffic, The Luxury, Lunic, Social Hero
at Church, 69 Kilmarnock St, Boston (Fenway)
$10 / 21+

For the straight-ahead rock lovers that enjoy big, epic tunes and bobbing the head.

FRI 4/2

9pm
6th Annual Boston Bunny Barhop
start at Miracle of Science, 321 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between MIT & Central Sq)
- Whatever you drink -

The only requisite to join this pub crawl is a set of rabbit ears; creativity is encouraged, but not required. Any sort of 'glow' is highly encouraged as well. The crawl hippity-hops up Mass Ave towards somewhere around People's Republik.

FRI 4/2

10pm
The Figgs, The Charlie Watts Riot
at Rosebud Bar & Grill (behind Diner), 381 Summer St, Somerville (Davis Sq)
$5 / 21+

The Figgs are simply awesome. I love these guys, and you should too. Am not sure if The Charlie Watts Riot have played in Boston, but fellow upstate NY rockers are coming along to the frosting to a kick-ass cake.

THUR 4/1: Music & Party

As far as I know, all these things are really happening. No joke (besides the earlier Brockton post).

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THUR 4/1

Angeline (7pm), Three Day Threshold (10pm)
at Toad, 1912 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Porter Sq)
FREE

Every night is a good night for free generally rootsy music across the street from the T. The early show features several singer-songwriters who've joined forces in the best folk-rock band with vibraphones, and the harmonies are beautiful.

Then Three Day Threshold brings on the boozey good times -- and I don't just mean their bourbon breath. This honky-tonking rock-country hodegpodge is music for drinking and whooping and more drinking.

THUR 4/1

8pm
826 Boston Moustache-A-thon Finale w/ Spirit Kid, The Needy Visions
at PA's Lounge, 345 Somerville Ave, Somerville (Union Sq)
Donation Requested / 21+

No facial hair is required to join the party for all the folks who have grown moustaches to raise money for 826 Boston, which offers tutoring for young people to encourage and improve their writing.

The funny and moustachioed Rob Crean will host the festivities that feature the groovy sounds of Spirit Kid and The Needy Visions. Both rock quite well, although I'm partial to S.K. Further entertainment will be provided by a talent show to choose the "champion" of the furry fundraisers.

It looks like the collective group is pretty close to raising $20k. Since you're not paying to get in, please give generously so a young person may one day write this blog much better than me...

THUR 4/1

8pm to Close
Social Boston Sports 3rd Birthday Party
at Redline, 59 JFK St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$10 -- advance tickets only

The guys at Social Boston Sports do a good job of offering an alternative to BSSC's various participatory leagues. And they throw a lot of parties, because having a good time is what softball and cornholing is all about. They're celebrating three years of fun, and I'll have to raise my glass from the airport.

I am thinking of switching softball leagues this summer to SBS; maybe others feel like grabbing a few drinks and checking out the vibe by going tonight. What do you get for $10?

8pm to 9pm: One drink ticket for a free Wachusett beer
8pm to 10pm: Free appetizers

You should get your money's worth in two hours. Some of the Boston Breakers are supposed to show up.

It looks like you might still be able to register to get in; there's a drop-down box to choose this event.

THUR 4/1

8pm
Adrien & the Fine Print, James Harris Moore, The Sand Dollar Four
at Cafe 939, 939 Boylston St, Boston (Back Bay)
$9

A fine evening of folky indie-rock, indie-folk, and general folkiness.

THUR 4/1

Killola (Midnight), Sick Of Sarah (11pm), Jeddo Stars (10pm), The Vivs (9pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10

I want to say "Girlpower!" in the most complimentary way. If not 4 all-female lineups, there's women at the helm from stem to stern of this bill.

Killola may not be the first garagey pop band with a trashy blonde singer, but they have a good sound and style. (I'm an anglophile who is old enough to remember a band called Transvision Vamp.) Besides the LA rockers, Sick Of Sarah is poppy indie-rock band from Minnesota. (Request "Purple Rain"...)

Two excellent local bands round it out. The Jeddo Stars include a couple former Charms who've brought their garage verve to an indie-pop sound. While she's blonde, Ellie Vee has always seemed more sassy than trashy. The Vivs were basically the band previously known as Edith, and they got the itch for rock 'n roll after years of family life. The new stuff builds on 90's indie-rock in solid power-pop songs.

THUR 4/1: Little Rockers

Happy April 1st! More coming...

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9pm
MiniKISS, U2
at Campanelli Stadium, 1 Feinberg Way, Brockton
$10

Who needs to pay full price for full-sizeed rockers? At a fraction of the cost to see KISS, you get at least a quarter (if not a third) of that classic jams of the greatest rock 'n roll band of all time!

Fellow diminutive rockers U2 will play a short opening set at the home of the Brockton Rox.