SAT 1/15: Somerville Fun with Snow

There is so much good music tomorrow night, there are plenty of options on the calendar.

Before it gets any later, you should know about the Snow fun in Somerville.

As part of their 15th anniversary, Anna's Taqueria is offering freebies on the 15th of the month through May. This Saturday is a Mexican coffee (with the order of any burrito, taco, quesadilla, or plate).

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SAT 1/15

1pm to 4pm
Snow Art Flash Mob
at Union Sq Plaza, Somerville (nexus of Somerville Ave, Washington St , Bow St)
FREE

The folks at nearby art space Artisan's Asylum have put together a few hours of creative snow play.

They say:

We want you and all your friends to come make epic snow art[...]

Grab your gloves and jackets and come help us build snow forts, scenes from Calvin & Hobbes, elaborate snow sculpture and anything else you can imagine!

Even if you don't have an idea for an art piece, come by anyway and help us lug massive amounts of snow around the square.

Some shovels will be there for anyone to use, but feel free to bring whatever tools work for you.

You can also enjoy a complimentary Mexican hot chocolate from Cantina La Mexicana.

If that's not enough art for you, there's an art reception at the Washington Street Art Center at 7pm.

FRI 1/14: Film, Science, Music

So I succumbed to the futon again. Here are some ideas for tonight.

Thanks, Muffin.

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FRI 1/14 (and 1/21 & 1/28)

2pm to 9pm
"Free Film Fridays"
at Mugar Omni Theater, Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston
FREE

The first screening of the day is 10am, but we missed that one today...

The schedule varies, but these are today's times:

"Arabia" -- 2pm
"Mysteries of the Great Lakes" -- 3pm, 8pm
"Australia: Land Beyond Time" -- 4pm, 5pm
"Whales" -- 6pm, 7pm
"Adrenaline Rush: The Science of Risk" -- 9pm

Here's a tip: Pick up the tickets as early as possible. A lot people know about this promotion, and a lot of people just visit the Museum in general. When I tried to go, the next 2 screenings were already sold out.

FRI 1/14

5pm to 8pm
Second Fridays
at MIT Museum, 265 Mass Ave, Cambridge (near Central Sq)
FREE

Honestly, there are lots of cool stuff at the MIT Museum that's worth the price of admission, but it's even better when you can get in for free. They recently began a monthly program that offers special presentations, demonstrations, and displays with free admission.

MIT is celebrating its sesquicentennial (a thoroughly underused word) anniversary, and it sounds like there is a lot additional cool stuff in the museum.

FRI 1/14

6pm
Parlor Night
at Lily Pad, 1353 Cambridge St, Cambridge (Inman Sq)
$10

Feat: The Lily Pad Quartet (6pm to 8pm), Pandelis Karayorgis Trio (9pm), Ronald Reagan (10pm), Gill Aharon Trio (11pm)

In a step forward, there will be beer and wine for sale. There will be complimentary gumbo while it lasts along with the classical, jazz, and quirky saxophone covers for the rest of the night.

FRI 1/14

9pm to 11pm
Open House
at Brighton Music Hall, 158 Brighton Ave, Allston
FREE / 18+

Harpers Ferry has been renovated, and there will be fewer jam bands in its new incarnation.

Live music is promised although the specific entertainment is unknown. Not a bad chance to check out the new venue...

Update: As seen in the comment below, the expected bands are Magic Magic and The Fagettes (guys dressed like gals, who may be in this Australian band).


FRI 1/14

All These Elements (11pm), Taller In Person (10pm), I Pistol (9pm)
at Church, 69 Kilmarnock St, Boston (Fenway)
$10 / 21+

The main draw is really I Pistol who dish out loud, power-popping rock goodness. The other bands may be seem alright, and All These Elements seem to be cheese-tastic rock performance.

FRI 1/14

9:30pm
The Wandas, Straightjacket Slumber Party
at Tommy Doyle's, 96 Winthrop St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$5

I shouldn't mind that The Wandas used a laptop to augment their live set when I saw them, but it did a little bit. They still have super-catchy batch of tunes.

12/14: Bad News, Good News

Bad News: I didn't finish my writing last night, and I think I have all the symptoms that are mentioned in a Nyquil commercial.

Good News: I'm sitting up and could have a Friday post up in a bit. And I have most of the day to finish the weekend...





Maybe I do need help.

THUR 1/13: Music & Talk

I went to work yesterday, and they announced the office closure while I was on my way. I didn't have to take 9 hours to return home, but it was a beautiful snowy day.

The fresh snow looks wonderful and tamps down the city noise. I don't think I was in a friendlier-than-usual mood, yet I had two extended conversations with strangers.

Yes, I intend to have some kind of weekend post up later tonight.

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THUR 1/13

6pm
Cage The Elephant: Performance & Signing
at Newbury Comics, 332 Newbury Street, Boston (Back Bay)
FREE

On their new album, Cage The Elephant injects more "indie" into their rock. It's probably still recommended to listen to the band when they're really loud.

In a potentially semi-acoustic setting, I suspect you'll enjoy the 30 or so minutes if you don't have to wait outside in the cold for too long.

THUR 1/13

6pm
"Lowell Lecture": Keith Lockhart
at Rabb Lecture Hall, Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St, Boston (Copley Sq)
FREE

The conductor of the Boston Pops for the last 15 years will likely discuss his favorite subject: Keith Lockhart and and various achievements during his tenure.

THUR 1/13

6pm to 7pm
Amy Vedder & Bill Weber, "Gorillas to Grizzlies: Conservation in Action from Africa to the US": Lecture & Booksigning
at Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St, Cambridge (Harvard campus)
FREE

Husband-and-wife conservationists will discuss their years in Rwanda studying mountain gorillas and how the lessons learned could be used to preserve America's natural wonders.

(If you saw "Gorillas in the Mist", their time in the mountains of Rwanda overlapped with Dian Fossey.)

THUR 1/13

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

Any night is a good night to hear free live music at Toad. This is one of the better nights with the breezy, old-time acoustic swing of Melvern Taylor's ukulele and the Meltones chugging along.

THUR 1/13

7:30pm
Karen Armstrong, "Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life": Reading & Booksigning
at Congregation Kehillath Israel, 384 Harvard St., Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
$5

Tickets available at Brookline Booksmith or by phone: 617-566-6660.

Hey, it might nice to hear a few tips on compassion...

THUR 1/13

9pm
"Rearview 2010"
at River Gods, 125 River St. Cambridge (near Central Sq)
FREE

Ashley from Boston Band Crush and Brad from Bradleys Almanac are going to play some of their faves from the last year.

They're also going to give away tickets to various shows at the Brighton Music Hall (fka Harpers Ferry) on a loosely hourly basis, so show up at anytime, hang out, and enjoy the sounds of 2010.

THUR 1/13

9pm
Jeremy Lyons w/ "Washtub" Robbie Phillips & Sean Mannion
at Smoken' Joe's BBQ, 351 Washington St, Brighton (Brighton Center)
$5-ish

I've gone by Smoken Joe's a couple times (across the street from Porter Belly's) but haven't actually visited. On most nights, there is some high-quality live blues going on.

Maybe you've been there before, or maybe you'd want to take a chance to hear ex-NOLA slide guitarist with his washtub-bassist and drummer buddies.

THUR 1/13

9pm
Born of Fire presents: Ashers, Razormaze
at O'Brien's, 3 Harvard St, Allston
$5 / 21+

On a monthly basis, Born of Fire plays a bunch metal & hardcore records, and bands play a couple sets to mix it up. Tonight's performers sound like they're on the punk/thrash range on the metal spectrum.

WED 1/12: Early & Late Music

There was going to be a quite a few things happening on Wednesday. Most of them were canceled due to weather.

BTW: Do you need (or want) a replacement for your favorite winter coat?

They say Rescue Buy Sell Trade is having a 35% sale on coats & winter accessories through the end of the month (before they move to another location on Newbury St.

(I'm guessing they'll be open. Maybe call ahead.)

There's a Stuff Boston party on TUES 1/25 at Noche (South End). I think it may already be full, because the RSVP form doesn't have an active 'submit' button. (Maybe it'll work for you.)

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WED 1/12

5:30pm
Nick Dinnerstein & Pei-Yeh Tsai: Schubert, Chopin, Etc
at Church of St. John the Evangelist, 35 Bowdoin St, Boston (Beacon Hill)
FREE

Cellist Nick Dinnerstein has played, studied, and performed in various settings around the world, and he also happens to read this site now and then. He and pianist Pei-Yeh Tsai will do works by Schubert, Chopin, and others.

As of Tuesday night, this is a go and will probably happen unless the T stops running.

I could see that a fun part of the blizzard could be getting plastered then going to a near-empty church to hear classical music.

WED 1/12 (and WED 1/19)

10:30pm
Rick Berlin w/ Nickel & Dime Band
at Plough & Stars, 912 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE

By this time of night, we all should be comfortable with all of the snow on the ground; so the gig probably has a better than 50-50 chance of happening.

If anyone can make you feel good about going out to hear live music after a blizzard, it could be Rick Berlin and the Nickel & Dime Band. Rick Berlin's songs are so raw and visceral that you won't be sure if it's the booze or the lyrics that's causing the disorientation.

Berlin will be backed by Nickel & Dime Band who used to host the live-band karaoke at the old Milky Way (and have resumed at the new location). They might even let some people sing with them on this night.

They're scheduled to play next Wednesday too.