musings from boston

screams, whispers and songs from planet earth

Month: January 2010 Page 1 of 2

The Airborne Toxic Event and Aushua ~ Benefit for Friendly House @ The Troubadour ~ January 27, 2010

By

On January 30, 2010

In Reviews, The Airborne Toxic Event

by Henry Ruiz

all photos by Henry Ruiz

all photos by Henry Ruiz

“Wow. Great show. New songs sound really good. The show was raw and powerful and edgy – no fancy stage props… just them and their talent.” – Tammy Asaki

The show Wednesday night was so incredible! 21 song set list, including one song that was played for the very first time. My cousin kat and I arrived at the Troubadour around 4:30 to beat the much dreaded L.A traffic. We stood in line for a bit and saw everyone pull up in separate cars, each band member waving and smiling at us as they drove by. Mikel came out during sound check and we talked for a bit before he had to go back in to finish up. The new record is hopefully going to come out this August/Sept followed by some possible touring… maybe. He said that as soon as he got back into town last month that everyone has been doing their own thing and that he tried but 48hrs later locked himself in his room and started writing song after song. That is so amazing, I think.

Read More

share this: Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Boston Bands This Week (01/27/10)…

By

On January 27, 2010

In Boston Bands, Gigs, Indie Music

The Bad Art Ensemble, Lone Pine Cones, and Rodfest 8

The Bad Art Ensemble, Lone Pine Cones, and Rodfest 8

Once again it’s midweek, and I’m just now doing this. How dumb, how like me. Just three bands/events are profiled, so I can get this posted before the first one actually happens. Which would be the Bad Art Ensemble, a proud Boston institution, who are at the teeny tiny Plough & Stars in Cambridge tonight. Another CNC Indie Music Marathon begins at 6pm on Friday at the All Asia Cafe (also in Cambridge), this time featuring – along with five others – the psychedelic dreamy space music of Lone Pine Cones, whom I’ve been enjoying as I write this. On Saturday, the Paradise hosts Rodfest 8, an annual benefit concert that honors the memory of a Stonehill College student, profits going to a memorial scholarship fund.

Read More

share this: Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

H.U.M.A.N.W.I.N.E., Mighty Tiny, Laura Jorgensen @ Cafe 939 ~ January 23, 2010

By

On January 25, 2010

In Boston Bands, Indie Music, Reviews

Laura Jorgensen, Mighty Tiny, H.U.M.A.N.W.I.N.E.

Laura Jorgensen, Mighty Tiny, H.U.M.A.N.W.I.N.E.

The most surreal of evenings began the moment I arrived at cafe 939’s Red Room. This utterly delightful and intimate (200-capacity) Twin Peaks-inspired venue immediately put me in the perfect mood for these amazingly talented otherworldly performers.

Read More

share this: Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker @ The Middle East Downstairs ~ January 17, 2010

By

On January 22, 2010

In Indie Music, Reviews

Camper Van Beethoven at the Middle East Downstairs

Camper Van Beethoven at the Middle East Downstairs

One of a long list of bands I had heard of throughout the years, but never got around to seeing, Camper Van Beethoven has been around since the early 80s (they celebrated their 25th Anniversary in 2008), performing their unique wicked-eclectic style of genre-fusing… well, I suppose one can loosely call it rock, for the sake of referring to it as something, though it’s actually many different, wondrous things.

Read More

share this: Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

The Wrens, Choo Choo La Rouge @ The Middle East Downstairs ~ January 16, 2010

By

On January 21, 2010

In Indie Music, Reviews

The Wrens

The Wrens

Hanging out with a bunch of folks at The Field before the show, we were talking about The Wrens. I was completely unfamiliar with this band I was about to see, though intrigued with their music and their story. It’s an all-too-familiar tale of mishaps and missteps, navigating the treacherous music biz in search of that elusive “big $$ recording deal”, though informed with a particularly charming, older-and-wiser cynical as hell world view. They’ve been performing (and on the rare occasion releasing something) since 1989, and a particularly dedicated Wrens fan who had driven up from New Jersey for the show marveled at their longevity, “they’re really old – they’re in their 40s!” (thank you honey, excuse me for a moment while I go slit my wrists). Fortunately, The Wrens (and I) have a sturdy and time-tested sense of humor, and after seeing their full-on crazy and wildly energetic, sweeping and majestic, ultra-classy performance, I’m very glad to have gotten out of my rocking chair to come out to see them. A new fan is born.

Read More

share this: Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Boston Bands This Week (01/20/10)…

By

On January 20, 2010

In Boston Bands, Gigs

The 1919 Boston Molasses Flood, Nick Flynn's memoir, Monkey Rock Writer's Circle, Rick Berlin, H.U.M.A.N.W.I.N.E., and Kellie Lin Knott (CNC Indie Music Marathon).

The 1919 Boston Molasses Flood, Nick Flynn's memoir, Monkey Rock Writer's Circle, Rick Berlin, H.U.M.A.N.W.I.N.E., and Kellie Lin Knott (CNC Indie Music Marathon).

So I stumbled upon some really interesting events, as per my usual, a few days before they’re happening. There’s the 1919 Boston Molasses Flood Commemoration benefit show at the Middle East Upstairs on Wednesday, and there’s also an uber-cool thing at Cafe 939 – Buffalo Tom will perform a short acoustic set before Nick Flynn reads from his new memoir. And a third thing on Wednesday, but apparently it happens every Wednesday at All Asia Cafe: Monkey Rock Writer’s Circle. On Thursday, notable Bostonian Rick Berlin and others perform at T.T. the Bear’s Place. At All Asia Cafe, there’s this ongoing CNC Indie Music Marathon which happens every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. And last, but most certainly not least, what promises to be a fascinating evening of music and performance – H.U.M.A.N.W.I.N.E., Mighty Tiny, and Laura Jorgensen at Berklee’s Cafe 939.

Read More

share this: Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

The Tree

By

On January 17, 2010

In Musings

He arrived to trim the giant blue spruce in front of my house. He must have been an arborist, a ‘professional man’ as my mother might say. I was at some higher vantage point, my mind engaged elsewhere. I think I was on the roof. Why was I on the roof?

Read More

share this: Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Avi Buffalo East Coast Shows – starting tonight!

By

On January 16, 2010

In Gigs, Indie Music

from <a href="http://www.subpop.com/artists/avi_buffalo">Sub Pop</a> site.

I’m still going to include this in my “Band Round-Up: Eastside L.A. Edition”, but as their East Coast dates start tonight in NYC, I wanted to get this up. These are exciting times for Avi Buffalo. They recently signed to Sub Pop and have their debut full-length album (recorded by Aaron Embry) due out in the Spring. Meanwhile, they have some shows lined up, including some East Coast dates (though sadly no Boston this time) – Sat. Jan 16 @ Pianos, NYC (Aquarium Drunkard presents), Mon. Jan 18 @ Bowery Ballroom in NYC w/Final Fantasy, Tues. Jan 19 @ Sonar in Baltimore MD w/ Small Sur, Secret Mountains, & Vetiver, Wed. Jan 20 @ Kung Fu Necktie in Philly w/Meg Baird & Vetiver, and Thurs. Jan 21 @ The Bell House in Brooklyn NY w/Kevin Barker & Vetiver. They’ve also been confirmed for SXSW in March.

avibuffalo7inch_350

“What’s In It For?” b/w “Jessica” 7 Inch Vinyl Single Available now on Sub Pop.

MySpace | Official site | Facebook | Twitter

share this: Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Boston Bands This Week (01/12/10)…

By

On January 12, 2010

In Boston Bands, Gigs

The David Wax Museum, The Broken River Prophet, Jimmy Ryan, Mission Of Burma (photo by Bryan Bruchman), and Asa Brebner.

The David Wax Museum, The Broken River Prophet, Jimmy Ryan, Mission Of Burma (photo by Bryan Bruchman), and Asa Brebner.

Racing to get this up. Kinda stupid, as the first bands are playing now. Oh well. I’ll try to do better next time. Tonight – David Wax Museum (cool Mexo-Americana) are at Toad; Jimmy Ryan & Hayride! tomorrow night at Lizard Lounge; and Friday night is the very cool and entertaining singer-songwriter-guitarist (and I would say comedian as well) Asa Brebner at Sally O’Brien’s in Union Square. Boston’s Mission Of Burma play at the Paradise Friday and Saturday nights; and The Broken River Prophet are at PA’s Lounge on Saturday.

Read More

share this: Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Expanding Awareness: Qi Gong & Chinese Medicine

By

On January 9, 2010

In Expanding Awareness

On Saturday’s Expanding Awareness show, Victor and his guest will discuss Qi Gong and Chinese medicine. Listen on Saturday morning at 10am on WZBC 90.3 FM (in the Boston area) or check him out online. You can also listen after the fact on the WZBC archive.

Read More

share this: Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Page 1 of 2

Next

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén