Mary Bichner and Eliza Kopczynska of Box Five (photo by Justin Moore)
It’s understandable that Mary Bichner of Box Five dreamt of one day being accompanied by a full orchestra. Her extraordinary, classically-informed vocals make her sound as though she’s been plucked from a Victorian salon. It’s amazing that Leave The Earth Behind is her debut full-length album, as its virtuosic performances, multi-textured complexity and overall cohesiveness would suggest otherwise.
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On this morning’s Expanding Awareness program, Victor will be discussing “The Political Jesus” with his guest, Stuart Weinberg, proprietor of Seven Stars bookstore in beautiful Central Square. Check them out (and call in with your thoughts) at 90.3FM in the Boston area or at wzbc.org. You can also listen after the fact by visiting the WZBC Archive (all of ‘ZBC’s shows are online for two weeks).
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The Kristen Ford Band, Lady Lamb The Beekeeper, Lori McKenna, and Cassavettes.
No fancy embellishment; just a quick rundown of some Boston-area bands of note this week, before the week’s over. Thursday is a busy night. The Kristen Ford Band is at Precinct (Union Square, Somerville) with Goli, Box Five, and School for Robots. Thursday also brings newly transplanted from Maine but now Boston local, the absolutely brilliant Lady Lamb The Beekeeper, to the Lizard Lounge, along with Angeline and Naked On Rollerskates. It also begins a three-night residency at Club Passim for folk songstress Lori McKenna. And on Saturday, Boston Americana-folk-rock favorite Cassavettes sadly performs their final show at the cozy Middle East Upstairs, joined by the Luxury and the Autumn Hollow Band.
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It’s a special “encore presentation” this week, probably from at least 20 years ago! Victor will be discussing Hopi Prophesies with his guest Steven McFadden, author of “Profiles in Wisdom” and “The Call of the Land”. It’s beginning as I post this (on 90.3FM in the Boston area or at wzbc.org); however, you can also listen after the fact by visiting the WZBC Archive (all of ‘ZBC’s shows are online for two weeks).
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Holy moly, what an overwhelming (and fantastic) experience. Never in my life have I been to something quite like this. Musicians and music fans, hipsters, scenesters, photographers and bloggers… a wild circus of sights and sounds, with my buddies Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys appropriately holding court in the lobby with grandeur, party favors, boobs and bubbles, as only they can (sadly, they didn’t win ‘Live Artist of the Year’, but no matter – they’re playing First Night!). Confronted by a total sensory overload, I became a sort of comatose bloodhound in search of great live music. And happily found it everywhere.
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Performing this week: Black Fortress Of Opium (photo by Derek Kouyoumjian), Tristan Allen, Girlfriends, and A.K.A.C.O.D.
There are five shows of special note this week, starting on Wednesday. Three of them feature winners from the Boston Music Awards on Sunday night (more on that soon). First… well, technically she’s not a Boston artist anymore, as she’s moved to Austin, but Monique Ortiz had been a strong presence on the Boston music scene until just recently, and will be performing with beloved locals Dana Colley and Larry Dersch as A.K.A.C.O.D., so if you’d like your music smoky and soulful, with deep, sensuous vocals and gorgeous sax, most certainly head to the Plough & Stars tonight. On Thursday, Ajda the Turkish Queen‘s lushly gothic Black Fortress of Opium are joined by the fascinating “dope folk” of Narcoterror (also featuring Ajda) and Happy The Clown at P.A.’s Lounge. And just announced is a special Friday night “2010 Boston Music Awards celebration party” at Great Scott: Best DJ/Dance Night (The Pill) & TimeOut Boston Editor’s Choice (Mystery Roar). Sunday, there’s a special performance at the Berklee Performance Center with BMA ‘Artist of the Year’ Amanda Palmer and Tristan Allen, the Berklee Summer Student pianist whom Ms. Palmer met and was so impressed with, she helped put out his debut EP. Also on Sunday, for those more in the mood for a good ol’ fashioned rock club, Great Scott is having their holiday party with You Can Be A Wesley and BMA winners of ‘Rock Artist of the Year’, Girlfriends.
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May as well make this a trifecta of ‘blasts from the past’. Brian Eno is an old favorite (meaning I’ve liked him for a long time, no offense Brian), though I’ve lost touch with what he’s been doing in recent years. Make that many years. I’ll still put on his wonderful early solo albums when I’m in need of that warm, loving, quirky embrace. So now, as he just released his latest album last month, Small Craft On A Milk Sea (Warp Records), it’s high time to catch up.
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(pilfered from his facebook page; photographer unknown)
Yes, I’m two months late on this, but it’s just in time for your gift-buying consideration. Back in September, one of David Bowie’s most important albums was celebrated in grand fashion with remastered special and deluxe editions by Virgin/EMI. Station To Station is an astonishing album on many levels. As an artist known for his musical departures, this particular one was probably one of the most important, both personally and professionally.
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