screams, whispers and songs from planet earth

Tag: Johnny Blazes

Seeing Out The Year That Was: My 12 Favorite Shows of 2012

A last minute addition: The Magnetic Fields at Symphony Hall for First Night (last night)

A last minute addition: The Magnetic Fields at Symphony Hall for First Night (last night)

It’s a good thing I held off posting this, because I’ve just made it an even dozen in honor of the year that just flew by, 2012. The last one? A band I had the immense pleasure of seeing for the first time, on First Night just last night at the majestic Symphony Hall. [Why do they call it “First Night”? Shouldn’t it be “Last Night”?]

I saw a total of 24 shows this year. Not a whole lot for a music blogger, but I’ll tell you—nearly all of them were spectacular. That’s damn good odds. I’ve heard some people say that 2012 was an awful year. What I’ll say, from my personal perspective, is this: 2012 was a year of massive challenges and difficulties, but the rewards, if you were prepared to step up, and I mean step up in a major way, were equally impressive. It was most definitely not a year for lightweights. But it’s all moving forward, and it’s moving forward quickly. Hold on to something sturdy, because I have a feeling 2013 is going to be just as intense. Remember, with challenge comes opportunity. Happy New Year, everyone.

share this: Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Your Samhain/Halloween Plans: Walter Sickert’s SquidHouse of Horror

Walter Sickert’s SquidHouse of Horror
with Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys, Moe Pope, Darling Pet Munkee, XNY
Hosted by Johnny Blazes
Wednesday, October 31
Doors at 8 PM; Show at 9 PM; 18+ Show
Advance Box Office Price $15 | BUY TICKETS


There’s something about this show that makes perfect sense right now, with how positively loony life has been lately. It’s the combination, you know, of time exponentially speeding up, pent-up mass frustrations bursting at the seams and boiling over, crazy ranting lunatics running for public office, full moons, high tides, and bizarro ‘biblical end times’ weather. It all makes a person kinda nuts. Tell me, what kind of world are we all living in, at this very moment, than a Squidhouse of Horror? So it’s especially apropos that the master and mistress of that Victorian carnival funhouse of the apocalypse, Mr. Walter Sickert and Miss Edrie (along with the Bunny Collective, I presume), are hosting this ominous and not-to-be-missed event.

share this: Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

First Night Boston 2011: A Recap

A few sights of Boston\'s First Night: Johnny Blazes @ the Hynes, Judgement Day, the Bunny Collective, a parade!, bright & noisy fireworks on Boston Common, Somerville Symphony Orkestra.

A few sights of Boston's First Night: Johnny Blazes @ the Hynes, Judgement Day, the Bunny Collective, a parade!, bright & noisy fireworks on Boston Common, Somerville Symphony Orkestra.

Wow, what a busy and chaotic 2011, just one week in! While I’m swamped with new shows to list, bands to possibly profile, and a host of other things, I thought I’d show you what I did on New Year’s Eve, though it now seems like a distant memory… Only in Boston do First Night celebrations include parents with their children watching a parade, a man at Downtown Crossing advertising Judgment Day (May 21, in case you were wondering), impressive ice sculptures (melting in the unusually pleasant evening), little kids petting policemen’s horses, and a full-on protest for Palestinian rights. Such were the scenes in and around Boston Common, capped off by a wondrous and satisfyingly loud early fireworks display, and then an evening of awesome music.

share this: Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén