THUR 5/20: Talk, Music, Science, Mimes

1) After seeing "Downtown Crossing Block Party" in print ads and on various sites, you may have seen them too. I passed through last week, and it isn't something that's worth a special trip. If you're around downtown, it's a good place to get a reasonably priced beer outside.

There's a DJ too. Although I wasn't paying attention, there seemed to be the occasional prize offering. It's right on Summer off of Washington from 5pm to 8pm.

2) Oxfam is having an event next Thursday (5/27) where they'll screen "Sisters on the Planet", a documentary about how climate change affects women around the world to a different degree. They'll also encourage you to volunteer with them. It's happening at the First Parish Church (Harvard Sq), and today is the last day to RSVP. (Thanks, Amy C.)

3) It's still Bay State Bike Week, and tomorrow would be a good day to ride into Boston.

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THUR 5/20

6:30pm to 8pm
"Lessons from the Financial Crisis: More Government or Less?": Discussion
at Main Function Room, Suffolk University, 120 Tremont St, Boston (Beacon Hill)
FREE

This could be an interesting discussion when you have Yaron Brook from the Ayn Rand Institute and Peter Kadzis of the Boston Phoenix talking about financial regulation. I've read that Alan Greenspan is a Randian objectivist, and he's admitted that he was wrong about the market's ability to regulate itself.

Can we prevent another economic disaster? Probably not, but you may hear some interesting thoughts.

THUR 5/20

7pm
James Greer & Joseph Mattson: Reading
at Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard St, Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
FREE

Two examples of "novel-rock": After writing for Spin magazine then playing bass for Guided By Voices, James Greer has written a funny and complicated novel "The Failure". Joseph Mattson is not in the band, hover his new book "Empty the Sun" comes with a soundtrack by Six Organs of Admittance. Hopefully the reading will include an excerpt of the music.

THUR 5/20

7pm
Melvern Taylor & His Fabulous Meltones
at Toad, 1912 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Porter Sq)
FREE

Besides the intrinsic charm of Melvern Taylor's songs, these guys play with a perfectly breezy, old-time swing as Taylor strums the ukulele and sings in a clear and rich tones. This masterful blend of country, jazz, and Tin Pan Alley should be heard.

The Baker Thomas Band plays at 10pm.

THUR 5/20

7:30pm to 8:30pm
Giovanni Fazio, "Viewing the Universe with Infrared Eyes: The Spitzer Space Telescope"
at Phillips Auditorium, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden St, Cambridge (between Porter Sq and Fresh Pond)
FREE

The Hubble gets the limelight, but the Spitzer is up there and still providing data past it's anticipated mission length. Dr. Fazio will discuss the benefits of research with an infrared telescope in the sky (and not the local folk singer).

It should be a beautiful night, so go up to the roof after the lecture for a little (standard) telescope viewing of the sky.

THUR 5/20

8pm
Brendan Boogie w/ Sidewalk Driver, Dan Nicklin
at Arts at The Armory Cafe, 191 Highland Ave, Somerville (Spring Hill)
$7 / All Ages

Brendan Boogie continues his May residency, and song collaborations keep on coming! Beside his own poptastic tunes, he's joined by two more guests and two more songs written for this occasion. The format should go something like this: One of the guests will perform, Brendan joins at the end for the new song, he'll do his set, then play a song with the last performer before their set.

Tonight brings an acoustic performance from glam-rockers Sidewalk Driver fronted by magnetic singer with amazing pipes and the multi-talented leader of Old Jack playing his first (semi-)solo gig.

You can watch a bunch of videos from previous weeks.

THUR 5/20

8pm
"Don't Believe the HYPE!"
at Club Oberon, 2 Arrow St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$8 standing / $12 seats

There are so few mime shows around town. I didn't even know Tufts had a mime troupe, but they're performing an assortment of funny, sad, and/or twisted vignettes.

By the way, you won't sit in silence for an hour; music replaces the dialogue. You'll probably have a new opinion about mimes if you go. (Thanks, Jeff.)

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THUR 5/20

9:30pm
Golden Bloom, The Backup Factor, Sodafrog, Corin Ashley
at Middle East - Upstairs, 472 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10 / 18+

For those of you who wanted to hear the ukelele version of Neutral Milk Hotel's "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea", maybe Shawn Fogel and Golden Bloom might reprise a song from his performance a couple weeks ago. If not, you'll be treated by some of the best powerpop I heard last year.

While we can't hear any music from The Backup Factor yet, the members have played in bands like Okay Thursday and The Motion Sick so it's should be fun, catchy rockiness. Without a doubt, Sodafrog and Corin Ashley are going to bring some wonderful folky & poppy songs whether or not they'll be joined by bands.

THUR 5/20

Magic Man (Midnight), Magic Magic (11pm), ArpLine (10pm), Some Say Fire (9pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$9 / 18+

There's magic in the air at this gig with several bands with buzz to hear. Magic Man are Boston guys who apparently put this batch of electronic-flavored indie-rock while traveling in France, so that's pretty cool. We don't have to take our musical cues from the UK, but I'm surprised that I don't hear more local pride for Salem's Dedham's Magic Magic who are huge over there. MM's generally sunny, dreamy chamber-pop-rock pricks up my ear as something special.

In addition to the 'magical' acts, ArpLine fits in nicely with their heavily textured Brooklyn synth-rock; and I expect Some Say Fire will be a pleasant surprise as they increase the intensity while decreasing the volume. In the video I watched, they take an old work-song, and transform it into a jazzy groove a la Antony & The Johnsons.

THUR 5/20: "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day"

Before I post today's stuff (see calendar), I wanted to say a few words that is under $10...

Seattle artist Molly Norris suggested that today should be "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day" to support "South Park" after they were threatened for depicting the Muslim prophet. Obviously the threats haven't stopped.

From what I understand about Islam, images of Mohammed/Muhammad are discouraged to avoid worship of the man. The brouhaha is sadly a case of fundamentalists going too far, and they appear to have contradicted the original message of not worshiping him.

With the state of the world, worshiping an image of Muhammad seems to be a minor problem. We can see above that the rules weren't always so strident.

Now, many folks are going to draw pictures for reasons other than defending free speech. Whatever happens, it's being perceived by some people as an insult -- instead of an exercise against censorship.

Whether you draw or not, it's more important that everyone respects and tolerates different opinions.

Update:

I thought this image from a contest was pretty funny...

WED 5/19: Photo Talk & Music

Besides the Hark! Philharmonic ($12 at the door, more below) and Bay State Bike Week, there's more Humpday cheapness.

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WED 5/19

6pm
Susannah Sayler, "The Canary Project": Presentation
at Rabb Lecture Hall, Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St, Boston (Copley Sq)
FREE

The Canary Project's mission is to photograph places around the world that have been affected by climate change, including drought, melting ice, extreme weather, and other drastic changes to the ecosystem. The photography s pretty amazing although the subject matter is not usually good news.

Photographer and founder Susannah Sayler discusses her experiences -- and hopefully displays some photos.

WED 5/19

9:30pm
Eldridge Rodriguez, The Beatings (acoustic), St. Claire, Ted Billings
at O'Brien's, 3 Harvard St, Allston
$6 / 21+

In the middle (or perhaps "waning quarter"?) of Eldridge Rodriguez's May residency, his bandmates The Beatings are joining him for an acoustic performance that should be pretty cool since it's a band whose music doesn't seem like it would translate well to an acoustic setting. The songs are solid at their core, but I dig that fuzzy post-punk noise they usually make.

I assume Rodriguez will also do a set of his solo material, which is a quite tasty mix. St. Claire adds some sweet folk-noir goodness to the party, and Ted Billings is playing without his band Hot Protestants (ex-Age Rings).

The songs between bands can't suck, because the guy behind the laptop (right?) is Brad from the excellent music blog, bradley's almanac.

WED 5/19 (and THUR 5/20)

9:30pm
Slim Jim & the Mad Cows
at House of Blues Restaurant, 15 Lansdowne St, Boston (Kenmore Sq)
FREE / 21+

These guys have got a great angle: Slim Jim & the Mad Cows take classic metal/hard rock songs from the likes of Zeppelin/Motorhead/Judas Priest/Iron Maiden/etc, and they've rearranged them as country tunes.

It's great fun if you've never seen them before (including the fine back-up vocals by "Lazy Sue" and "Honey Do" usually in campy outfits), but the novelty wore out for me the next time I saw them. You have a chance to make up your own mind, since they're playing two sets each night. Expect them to start after the Sox game.

WED 5/19

10pm
Elastic Waste Band
at Atwoods Tavern, 877 Cambridge St, Cambridge (near Inman & Kendall Sq)
FREE

If you don't recognize the name, you'll recognize the sound former Morphine sax-drums combo of Dana Colley and Jerome Dupree. Over the last year, they've been collaborating with Deltabilly-blues guitarist Jeremy Lyons who moved here after Hurricane Katrina. They play some Morphine tunes, some stuff by Lyons, and new stuff they call "Psycho-Delta Low Rock". Lyons will whip out a 2-string bass at some point in the night. Do I need to say more?

These guys have been doing Atwoods Wednesdays for a while, but I've been keeping it in my back pocket for a night that didn't have much going on. My apologies (and no disrespect intended for the other gigs tonight).

There's also Team Pub Trivia at 7:30pm ($5 per team). I get the impression this night is more challenging than your typical "Stump Trivia" night.

Sneak Peek 5/19: One-Night Orchestra (and more)

9pm
"The Hark! Philharmonic", John Shade, Visqueen, The Motion Sick
at Middle East - Downstairs, 480 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10 advance / $12 day of show / 18+

I'm always interested in new experiences, especially one-time only performances, so I want to pass this on. There will probably never be another full-on orchestra to play at the Middle East.

Most orchestras don't want to play at rock clubs, and their audience usually doesn't want to them where a faint aroma of stale beer wafts around the room.

Things will change tomorrow, and this is not one of those "rock band with strings" deals! Christopher Pappas (The Everyday Visuals and Forest Fires) conducts a group of more than 25 players through three of his original compositions.

Without hearing a note of it, I wholeheartedly believe it will be something worth hearing based on all of his other outstanding music. He explains the origin of the project:

For a while now, I had been writing orchestral music in my head, however, I never really had the initiative to bring the pieces to fruition because of the 'minor' detail: I never thought they would actually have the chance to be played by a real orchestra.

Then I met a Violist by the name of Susannah and she asked the very simple question: "Why not?" And with that she promised me that if I wrote out the pieces, she would find an orchestra.

Although the name is related to Forest Fires' CD title ("Hark! and Other Lost Transmissions"), I assume the three original pieces are not orchestral versions of tunes from the album. If look towards the end of this interview, he talks about Wednesday's endeavor and mentions the group will also play a Vivaldi concerto.

There are three top-shelf acts that precede the orchestra, and I have it from a good source that The Motion Sick will begin at 9pm sharp. I suggest you not miss any of the music!

To keep it under $10, you can buy advance tickets without service charge at the "Middle East Box Office" everyday from 1pm to 7pm. Go into the doors of the "Upstairs" room (to the left of ZuZu), and you'll see a stairway in the back to the left.

The bartender will likely give mild encouragement if you feel unsure about going up...

TUES 5/18: Booze, Film, Rock

Don't blame me for the solid choices for cheapness tonight... Pick something -- or is there a new episode of "Lost" on?

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6pm to 9pm
Secret Sherry Society
at Villa Victoria Center for the Arts, 85 W Newton St, Boston (South End)
FREE w/ RSVP

Why not enjoy some tapas and a cocktail or two?

I tried to give you a little advance notice, and you may still be able to RSVP...

As I said yesterday: If the website doesn't work to RSVP and you really want to go, you can try emailing Pamela with your name, age, and a friendly request.

TUES 5/18

6pm to 8pm
"A Village Called Versailles": Screening & Discussion
at Rabb Lecture Hall, Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St, Boston (Copley Sq)
FREE

You could watch this film whenever it's on PBS, or you could watch the story about the Vietnamese community in New Orleans in a group setting where you'll have a chance to discuss it with others. From the generational tension before Hurricane Katrina to the plucky renewal and activist defense of the neighborhood, its subsequent flourishing is inspiring.

TUES 5/18

7pm
"They Came To Play"
at Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St, Brookline
$9.75 / $6.75 child, senior

Besides the main Van Cliburn event, there apparently is a competition for amateur pianists.

In this documentary, one meets many of the participants of the "Fifth International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs". The trailer seems to present the message that being a musician has more to do with your heart (and fingers) than whatever may be on your business card.

Three pianists who appear in the film live nearby and will perform following the screening along with a Q&A session.

TUES 5/18

8:30pm
Spectrum, Broken River Prophet, Vacant Lots
at Middle East - Upstairs, 472 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10

Oh, boy. There's going to be a lot of neo-psychedelic, droning, shoegazey rock in one room. I like to see line-ups that connect complementary bands, but this could be pretty darn intense. The three bands really don't sound alike, but there is a general approach that links them. It may go back to Spacemen 3, since Spectrum is led by one of the main Spacemen and has continued where that band left off over the past ten-plus years.

The Vacant Lots (from Vermont) take it in a rough, punkier direction; while Broken River Prophet veer towards a dark Americana vibe.

TUES 5/18

9pm
John Shade & The Neave Quartet, Laura Cortese, Jocie Adams
at Lizard Lounge/Cambridge Common, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between Harvard Sq & Porter Sq)
$8 / $6 advance / 21+

John Shade continues his May residency with a couple more guests that kick up the awesome quotient. Beside Shade's set with the string quartet backing. Fiddler-singer Laura Cortese will likely blow you away with her beautiful voice and songs. (She also has a kick-ass cover of The Cure's "Just Like Heaven" on her MySpace that is so good, it might make Robert Smith smile.) If that isn't enough, Jocie Adams from sleeper success story The Low Anthem is also performing.

If you haven't listened to John Shade yet, you should. Period.

TUES 5/18

9:30pm
Tim Fite, The Wailing Wall, Vikesh Kapoor
at Great Scott, 1222 Comm Ave, Allston
$10 / 18+

Tim Fite anchors a night of thoughtful songwriting. Fite's style doesn't maintain loyalty to any genre, but you wouldn't be taken off-guard if I told you to prepare for quirky, hip-hop-influenced folk. He's not afraid to tackle big subjects, and the new album is titled "Fair Ain't Fair". When you have time, you should check out the massive amount of stories and drawings on his website besides the music available including his best-known set of songs "Over the Counter Culture", which is appropriately free to download.

The Wailing Wall's new album was produced by Tim Fite, and the songs add Central Asian influences to the generally folk-rock sound. Vikesh Kapoor is a lone guitar man who sing their songs clearly and directly for maximum impact that wouldn't have been out of place at Club Passim back in the Sixties.