musings from boston

Boston Bands This Week…

On August 8, 2010

The New Collisions, John Powhida (and The International Airport), What Time Is It, Mr. Fox? (photo by Katrine Wheeler) and Goli (photo by Karen Clunes).

For this edition, we’re starting the week on Sunday (today), since I forgot to mention tonight’s Bent Wit Cabaret show last time. Their theme is “Mystery,” and the performance will feature spoken word artist Jha D, magician Dezrah the Strange, burlesque by Penny Candy and Abby Normal, The System of Soothing (a 7 minute opera by Frank Pesci based on a story by Edgar Allen Poe), and much more. There’s The Boston Waterfront Performing Arts Festival at Christopher Columbus Park (in the North End) on Tuesday (8/10), featuring Sarah Borges and The Broken Singles and the New Collisions. On Thursday, Club D’Elf are playing at the Lizard Lounge. On Friday, there’s three things of note: Agent Bishop Presents The Lucky 13 Bash at Church of Boston; Goli Going East (members of Fluttr Effect) and Cabiria‘s CD release party; and Jo-Jo’s (who’s Jo-Jo?) Birthday Roast featuring John Powhida’s International Airport. On Saturday, Otis Grove plays a free show at the Middle East Corner, and “Boudoir Noir” – billed as “an intimate carnival of delight and revolt” – promises to be quite cool, what with The Slomski Brothers, What Time Is It, Mr. Fox? and HUMANWINE.

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Expanding Awareness: Yoga For Today

By julie

On August 6, 2010

In Expanding Awareness

On Victor’s show tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 10am on WZBC 90.3 fm, he and his guest will be discussing “Yoga For Today”. You can also listen to the show online or after the fact on the WZBC Archive (all of ‘ZBC’s shows are online for two weeks).

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On VIP Concert Packages and the ‘Meet & Greet’ (a.k.a. Pay to say ‘Hey’)

By julie

On August 5, 2010

In Music Biz, Ruminations

Thirty Seconds To Mars VIP Packages, and inset: Bon Jovi VIP chair (from a photo by Richard Perry/The New York Times)

The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, August 15-18, 1969, featuring Richie Havens, Santana, the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix… $7 per day. Bon Jovi at the Meadowlands in New Jersey, May 24-25, 2010, the top VIP concert package (with a catered meal, leather bag, and the chair you sit in, custom-designed with the Bon Jovi logo): $1,875. My, how things have changed. In this rapidly shifting milieu of the music business, with a shrinking base of increasingly poor and fewer rich music consumers, new models for generating revenue from the concert-going elite are emerging.

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Boston Bands This Week…

By julie

On August 2, 2010

In Boston Bands, Show Previews

Three Boston/Allston bands will be converging at Great Scott on Saturday to pay homage, sadly, to one of them calling it quits. For Forest Henderson, whom I profiled back in April of last year, it’ll be their final show. They’ll be joined by the cool bluesy rock sounds of Big East and ‘folk punk’ quartet Pray for Polanski .

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Expanding Awareness: the exoteric and esoteric properties of crystals

By julie

On August 2, 2010

In Expanding Awareness

Once again giving you information after the fact, but on Saturday’s show, Victor had an “encore presentation” where he and his guest discussed “the exoteric and esoteric properties of crystals. Remember crystals? I still have mine. You can listen to the show on the WZBC Archive (all of ‘ZBC’s shows are online for two weeks).

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The (uber classy) Jaggery CD Release Party with Beat Circus & Incus @ the Church of Boston ~ July 28, 2010

By julie

On August 2, 2010

In Boston Bands, Indie Music, Reviews

Rachel Jayson and Mali Sastri of Jaggery

Sometimes it takes an unexpected glitch to realize how brilliant a band really is. No, not glitch; to lose power two songs into your set at the long-awaited CD release party for your new album is nothing short of a clusterf*ck. This was after having duplication problems with their new release, Upon A Penumbra, with the (somewhat) fixed CDs arriving just the day before. It was, as Jaggery‘s Mali Sastri pointed out the second time we were plunged into total darkness, “fitting.” But being the amazingly talented musicians they are, not only did they persevere; they wrapped their hands tightly around the neck of this debacle and shook it. Hard. What resulted was a powerful and poignant joining of spirits, and the most awe-inspiring set I’ve seen them perform.

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Artisan’s Asylum ~ A New Open-Access Community Workshop in Somerville

By julie

On July 30, 2010

In Boston-area news

Here’s something very cool for all you creative types. Artist’s Asylum is a newly opened non-profit community workshop (with facilities on Windsor St. and Joy St. in Somerville) whose mission is to “make creativity a way of life.”

They’re gathering skilled artisans from the Boston area to teach classes of all kinds, including precision metal machining, woodworking, welding, fabricwork, painting, photography, and much more. Currently they’re taking a survey to see what types of classes people in the community would be most interested in. Visit their site for more information, take the survey, and get involved!

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Show Preview: Jaggery CD Release Party @ the Church of Boston ~ Wednesday, July 28

By julie

On July 27, 2010

In Boston Bands, Show Previews

Jaggery (photo by Noah Blumenthal-Cook), Beat Circus (photo by Dave Bias), and Incus.

Jaggery (9pm), Beat Circus (10pm), and Incus (11pm)
at the Church of Boston, Boston, MA
Wednesday, July 28 ~ (doors at 8pm, 21+ show)

There’s a special evening going on at Church tomorrow night – Jaggery’s CD Release Party for their new album Upon A Penumbra. Their music is haunting and mesmerizing, and they’ll be joined two other fascinating bands with influences ranging from Southern gospel to Middle Eastern, Native American, African and Eastern European musical traditions, making for something quite different from your usual indie rock fare. Definitely worth catching.

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Lawrence Arabia and Crowded House at the House of Blues – July 17, 201

By julie

On July 21, 2010

In Reviews

as published on melophobe

Lawrence Arabia, Neil Finn and Nick Seymour of Crowded House

Crowded House. Seasoned like a fine wine, older and wiser and brimming with genuine warmth and self-effacing humor; they’re one of a small handful of bands that can turn the austere House of Blues into a loving embrace. Despite today’s corporate business of rock shows, it was an evening spent with old friends.

Supporting their new release Intriguer, they brought with them ideal touring companions, fellow New Zealanders Lawrence Arabia, who share their quirky Kiwi charm, insightful songwriting, and a love of the Beatles. As it happens, they’re also “family” — Neil Finn’s son Liam performs on their most recent album, Chant Darling.

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Good, clean family entertainment with the Army of Broken Toys @ Artbeat in Somerville

By julie

On July 21, 2010

In Boston Bands, Reviews

Madam Edrie, Band Matriarch ~ OFF WITH HER HEAD!!!

Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys treated a wildly diverse crowd at Somerville’s ArtBeat Festival last Friday to a humorous and sly “PG version” of their bawdy cabaret. As little kids danced in front and blew bubbles, they performed Tipper Gore-approved classics such as “Hole In The Boat,” Johnny Cash’s “Sam Hall,” “Sea Song (Mare Carmen),” “Planet Killer,” and their pop hit from the ’80s, “Ghostbusters.”

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