Hey -- there's still time to have some fun... Plenty of outdoor ethnic food and culture, but the the food is the main thing... Italian, Chinese, Indian...
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SAT 8/16
* +/-, Broken River Prophet, Animal Hospital, Ba-Na-Nas
* Field Trip #6
* Cambridge Discovery Days
* KC and The Sunshine Band, Ball in the House
* Fisherman's Feast -- and SUN 8/17
* "Romeo and Juliet" -- and SUN 8/17
* "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)" -- and SUN 8/17
* Bicycle Film Festival -- and SUN 8/17
SUN 8/17
* August Moon Festival
* India Day
* Ryan Lee Crosby, Tony The Bookie, Mr. Sister, Mike Fiore
* "Visionaries, Radical Thinkers, and Agents of Change": Walking Tour
MON 8/18
* "The Big Lebowski" Bowling Party Extravaganza
* Bitches Brew w/ Terkel Noergaard
TUES 8/19
* Neil Cleary's Doozy w/ James Kochalka Superstar, David Kamm, Jesse Popp, MC Mr. Napkins, The Artificial Hearts
* Peter Mulvey
* The Sneaks
WED 8/20
* Alice Hunter: Puppet Show & "Vertigo"
* Ikea Crayfish Party
THUR 8/21
* Old-time Baseball Game
* Inman Under The Stars: Movie Night & Neighborhood Social
FRI 8/22
* Bike Fridays
* Chris Wilhelm
* Jabe Beyer and The One-Night Stands
* Baker, Marc Pinansky, George Lewis Jr., Drug Rug, American Car, The Needy Visions
* The Figgs w/ John Powhida -- and SAT 8/23
SAT 8/23
* Project MUM: Somerville's Final Frontier
* Boston Caribbean Carnival
SUN 8/24
* Cambridge Carnival
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SAT 8/16 and SUN 8/17
Happy "Tax Holiday" weekend!
SAT 8/16
10am to 5:30pm
Cambridge Discovery Days
at Various Locations around Cambridge
FREE
Learn about Cambridge History in approximately one hour tours/presentations... Check out the schedule [PDF] for something that interests you.
SAT 8/16
4pm to 6:30ish
Field Trip #6
Feat: Nmperign, Baba Yaga, Earth People Orchestra, Dan Blakeslee, The Accident That Led Me To The World
meet at Green Street T Stop, about 150 Green St, Jamaica Plain
FREE
The last Field Trip! Listen to good music, take a little walk, listen to more good music, take a little walk. Repeat.
SAT 8/16
7pm to 9:30pm
KC and The Sunshine Band, Ball in the House
at Hatch Shell, Charles River Esplanade, Storrow Dr, Boston
FREE
Disco party by the river!
SAT 8/16
9pm
+/-, Broken River Prophet, Animal Hospital, Ba-Na-Nas
at Middle East - Upstairs, 472 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$9 advance / $10 day of show / 18+
+/- and Broken River Prophet are very good. Both put care into their sound to make something that sounds different whether it lives near indie-rock or Americana. Am not so excited by Animal Hospital and Ba-Na-Nas.
BUT there's a Cupcake Happy Hour from 9pm to 10pm (while supplies last) from Somerville's Kickass Cupcakes!!
SAT 8/16 and SUN 8/17
Noon to 11pm
Fisherman's Feast
about 300 North St, Boston (North End)
FREE
Italian food and entertainment.
SAT 8/16 to SUN 8/17
7pm (Sun: 4pm)
"Romeo and Juliet"
at Somerville Community Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave, Somerville (near Union Sq)
FREE
A newish group called "The Lonesome Coyote Theater" presents a minimalist outdoor production of the classic play with no set or costumes. Does true love really need that stuff?
Update: I went Thursday night, and this was exceptionally good! The way it's presented brings the play to life in a way that speaks to a contemporary audience. Tip: Bring a blanket or lawn chairs.
(Unfortunately when they said "no costumes", the women were still wearing clothes...)
"To check on weather cancellations, call: 978-314-6403"
SAT 8/16 and SUN 8/17
8pm (SUN: 3pm)
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)
at Boston Playwrights Theatre, 949 Comm Ave, Boston (BU campus)
FREE
Yes, I know. More free Shakespeare, but this is a funny retooling of all his plays in about 97 minutes. This play is supposed to be hilarious, and the people putting it on have done some very cool projects in the past (and are doing this and will do more cool plays)...
No reservations are needed, but seating is limited. At least it can't be rained out.
SAT 8/16 to SUN 8/17
1pm (SUN: 11:30am)
Bicycle Film Festival
at Various Locations
$10 per program
The national Bicycle Film Festival is in town for the first time. All sorts of of bikes and biking are represented in various programs of shorts usually followed by a long-form. There's a dance/rock party at Great Scott tonight. While no films are screening on Sunday, there's a free ride and brunch.
SAT 8/16
1pm
"Road to Roubaix"
4pm
"Pedal"
6:30pm
"Fun Bike Shorts"
9pm
"Urban Bike Shorts"
at Institute of Contemporary Art, 100 Northern Ave, Boston (Seaport/South Boston) $10 each
10pm
"Bikes Rock!" After Party
Team Robespierre, Truman Peyote, DJ Etan, DJ Mark Pearson
at Great Scott, 1222 Comm Ave, Allston
$8 (FREE w/ BFF Ticket) / 21+
SUN 8/17
11:30am
Urban Bike Ride & Bike-in Brunch
start at Christian Science Center Plaza, 175 Huntington Ave, Boston
to Grand, 374 Somerville Ave, Somerville (Union Sq)
FREE
If you want to go on a ride around Boston, it appears a free meal is waiting at the end...
Valet bicycle parking provided by
MassBike at screenings.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
SUN 8/17
10am to 5pm
August Moon Festivalnear Chinatown Gateway, about 50 Harrison Ave, Boston
FREE to walk around and watch
Chinese food and entertainment. Try a mooncake!
SUN 8/17
4pm to 9pm
India Dayat
Hatch Shell, Charles River Esplanade, Storrow Dr, Boston
FREE to walk around and watch
Indian food and entertainment. A little light on the arts & crafts in years past, but who knows -- if that's your sort of thing...
SUN 8/17
4pm to 6pm
"
Visionaries, Radical Thinkers, and Agents of Change": Walking Tour
meet at Main Gate,
Forest Hills Cemetery, 95 Forest Hills Ave, Jamaica Plain
$9
People have beng dying around here for centuries. First it was the Pequots and the Wampanoags and so on. In the last four centuries, there have been the immigrants from around the world, and many are remembered historically. Others quietly live on through the influence of their above-ground endeavors and ideas. Forest Hills is a 'resting place' for many influential Americans since the 1800's. It's a beautiful place to walk around without a guide (free, btw), but I think it might be interesting to hear the stories of "abolitionists, suffragists, educators and spiritualists – as well as pioneering inventors, philosophers and artists..."
Wear comfortable shoes and bring water; this is a 2-hour walk (with frequent stops) over varied terrain.
SUN 8/17
10pm
Ryan Lee Crosby & Friends
Feat:
Tony The Bookie,
Mr. Sister,
Mike Fioreat
Toad, 1912 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Porter Sq)
FREE
Plenty of excellent acoustic music.
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MON 8/18
7pm
"
The Big Lebowski" Bowling Party Extravaganza
at
Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St, Brookline
$9.75
Having a Lebowski party behind a movie theatre isn't the same as a bowling alley (like Kings last month), but this is the best damn Monday night fun to be had. After pre-gaming with some White Russians, this will get even better... Prizes will be awarded for best costume (a crowd of Dudes, Walters, and Jesuses... "Jesi...?") and Big Lebowski trivia knowledge. Other contests in previos years have included (and why not have them again?): "most convincing nihilist quip" (whip out the Nietzsche books and Cure CD's), "most impassioned Walter rant", and "toy bowling".
This movie is hilarious the first time you watch it, and there are a million things to make you laugh everytime you see it -- just ask anyone here at the 'Big Lebowski' Party. Most of them could quote all the dialogue to you before the movie starts, but there’s other fun stuff to do. The movie will start around 8pm -- depending on when they can corral the audience into the theatre.
Can a
cult classic be a masterpiece? It doesn't matter. The Dude abides...
MON 8/18
9:30pm to Midnight
Bitches Brew w/
Terkel Noergaardat
Church, 69 Kilmarnock St, Boston (Fenway)
$5
There's something cool about a drummer from Denmark jamming with our local electric Miles Davis -- and reaching back to the classic 50's/60's period.
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TUES 8/19
9pm
Neil Cleary's Doozy,
James Kochalka Superstar,
David Kamm,
Jesse Popp,
MC Mr. Napkins,
The Artificial Heartsat
Lizard Lounge/Cambridge Common, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between Harvard Sq & Porter Sq)
$10 / 21+
Of Neil Cleary, I liked this snippet from All Music Guide; I'd want to say something similar:
Look at it this way: y’know that guy that all of Aimee Mann and Liz Phair’s breakup songs are about? Okay, imagine if he wrote those songs about himself, but he didn’t quite get what they were so ticked off about: that’s a fair approximation of the lyrical thrust of this album. John Hiatt, Nick Lowe and Randy Newman have all toyed with this persona as well, and echoes of all three waft through these dozen rootsy power pop tunes.
James Kochalka is a cartoonist from Burlington, VT; but he wrote one of my favorite songs called "Hockey Monkey". It's truly a gem! It should be a fun show with some comedy, some more music, and a funny musician (MC Mr. Napkins)
TUES 8/19
9:30pm to Midnight
Peter Mulveyat
Atwoods Tavern, 877 Cambridge St, Cambridge (near Inman & Kendall Sq)
$10
WTF? There's almost never a cover at Atwoods! Well, Peter Mulvey is passing through town and he's worth it. Apparently this songwriter spent a couple years in Boston and often played in the T. (He recorded a whole CD of cover songs at the Davis Sq station in '01.) You might not have tipped him, so pay up for a night of songs from his rich rasp over sweet guitar work.
TUES 8/19
10pm
The Sneaksat
Middle East - Corner, 480 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE
There's some free pop-rock too.
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WED 8/20
6:30 pm
Alice Hunter:
Puppet Show & "
Vertigo"
at Raymond Park, about 200 Upland Rd, Cambridge (near Porter Sq)
FREE
Anything that is preceded by a puppet show makes me laugh, even if it's a Hitchcock movie. The brief description I read said it's "an interactive, aquatic puppet show" followed by cartoons and the film.
Rain Date: WED 8/27
WED 8/20
6pm to 9pm
All-you-can-eat Crayfish Partyat Ikea Restaurant & Cafe, upper level,
1 Ikea Way, Stoughton$9.99 / $4.99 Ages 12 and under
Not much cheap fun going on tonight, so this is for those hungry on the South Shore and/or need some furniture. Besides crayfish, there will be "cheeses, crispbread, and soup or salad." (And you have to think Swedish meatballs too, right?)
Beverages and dessert not included. (Adult beverages also available.)
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THUR 8/21
7pm
Old-Time Baseballat St. Peter's Field, 57 Sherman St, Cambridge (near Fresh Pond)
FREE
A vintage baseball game was put together during the '94 baseball strike, and it's become an annual event. It's a casual evening of baseball with college players and occasionally a retired pro playing in vintage-style uniforms from various teams and eras.
I went last year and had a great time. I did talk to Johnny Pesky (one of the team managers) after the game, and he was awesome. People flocked to him, but he easily obliged my autograph request. "It won't buy you a cup of coffee," he said. Pesky is scheduled to be one of the managers again, and Lou Merloni is going to play.
A corporate sponsorship presents the game and will make a charitable donation to the Todd J. Schwartz Memorial Fund, which supports the Jimmy Fund Clinic. The concession proceeds might benefit the cause too; the sausage was darn good last year... It's not a bad idea to bring a blanket or a chair.
Raindate: FRI 8/22
THUR 8/21
6pm to 11pm
Inman Under The Stars: Movie Night & Neighborhood Social
at the
East Cambridge Savings Bank's parking lot, 1310 Cambridge St., , between Hampshire and Cambridge Streets (Inman Sq)
FREE
They can't say it, but the hint is so obvious that it's
Star Wars. It better be, because none of the 3 prequels could be described as "an inter-galactic adventure loved by all!" Performers from ImprovBoston's "
Henchmen" show will be goofing around Inman Sq before the movie, and they do have some sci-fi material. The screening begins around 8pm, and there should be free popcorn and bottled water...
In case of rain, the event will be canceled.
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FRI 8/22
6:45am
Bike Fridayfrom Various Points in the Area to City Hall Plaza, Boston
FREE
If you are hesitant about riding your bicycle to work, this might be a good time to try it out. It won't get much safer than guided convoys escorted by Boston Police. They did this last month, and no one died...
Take a look at the map to see the closest starting point to you:
- Newton, Brookline, Watertown
- Lexington, Arlington, Somerville, Cambridge
- Dorchester
- West Roxbury, Roslindale
- Brighton, Allston
- Jamaica Plain
There's a free breakfast at City Hall Plaza and some kind of bike expo.
Advance registration appreciated.
FRI 8/22
10pm
Chris Wilhelmat
Middle East - Corner, 480 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE
FRI 8/22
10pm
Jabe Beyer and The One-Night Stands
at
Toad, 1912 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Porter Sq)
FREE
FRI 8/22
9:30pm
Band In Boston Residency
Feat:
Baker,
Marc Pinansky,
George Lewis Jr,
Drug Rug,
American Car,
The Needy Visionsat
PA's Lounge, 345 Somerville Ave, Somerville (Union Sq)
$7 -- 21+ / $10 -- 18+
FRI 8/22 and SAT 8/23
9:30pm
The Figgs w/
John Powhidaat
Lizard Lounge/Cambridge Common, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between Harvard Sq & Porter Sq)
$10 / 21+
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SAT 8/23
9pm - 1am
Project MUM: Somerville's Final Frontierunder the McGrath Highway (Union Sq)
$10 suggested donation
"Open-air dance party under McGrath Highway becomes an intergalactic space odyssey featuring 4 hours of music led by
DJ Flack and
DJ Yamin."
SAT 8/23
1pm to 7pm
Boston Caribbean Carnival Paradefrom MLK Blvd to Franklin Park, Dorchester (Seaver St / Blue Hill Ave side)
FREE
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SUN 8/24
Noon to 6pm
Cambridge Carnival Paradefrom Central Sq to Kendall Sq, Mass Ave to about 450 Main St, Cambridge
FREE
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Links of the Week:
I didn't do it right, but friends of mine have
made faces on the latest internet time-waster.
What is going on in
Georgia.
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Quote of the Week:
"It is easier to lead men to combat, stirring up their passion, than to restrain them and direct them toward the patient labors of peace."
-- Andre Gide
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th-th-that's all, folks.
~r
