It was a wondrous and hilarious clashing of cultures in the House of Blues restaurant on Lansdowne Street after Evelyn Evelyn’s tour finale in the big room. Jaggery brought a huge helping of class to this section of town best known for baseball, burgers and beer. And Walter Sickert and The Army of Broken Toys, with a wicked gleam in their eyes, tried to see just how far they could go before having the plug pulled. Pretty damn far, I’m happy to report. Jaggery harpist extraordinaire Petaluma Vale commented after their classical and gothic-inspired ethereal set, “I think I’m overdressed for this place,” as she glanced down at her elegant long skirt, appearing for all the world like a fairy princess lost in Walmart. I argued that the Lansdowne Street eatery was lucky to have such a classy event grace their establishment.
share this:Tag: Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys
I present to you two evenings of stark contrast: a theatrical spectacular of epic proportions – the closing night of Evelyn Evelyn‘s whirlwind worldwide tour, with special guests Amanda Palmer, Jason Webley, and Sxip Shirey), followed by an ultra-special afterparty featuring Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys and Jaggery at the House of Blues Saturday night; and For the Sake of the Song, a stripped-down, unplugged acoustic showcase founded by Boston musician Patrick Coman, also featuring local singer-songwriters Dan Emino and Levi Schmidt, and indie folk duo Flightless Buttress, which touches down on Sunday at O’Brien’s Pub in Allston.
share this:Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys CD Release Soiree with Jaggery @ Cafe 939 ~ June 04, 2010
On the cover of their brand new CD, Steam Ship Killers, there is a portrait of a multi-tentacled sea creature, ominous and threatening. But the curiously inviting keyholes at its base suggest that if one has the necessary fortitude, one might unlock its secrets. The same could be said of its protectors, Walter Sickert & The Army Of Broken Toys. A ‘Toys’ virgin might well be confounded and overwhelmed at first – what to make of this motley gathering? Marionette and puppetmaster, musicians and dancers, a bawdy and boisterous mistress, the uke player with the filthy mouth… At the center, the master of ceremonies himself, Walter Sickert, who, on this special night, took us on a shamanistic journey. It was an inspired extravaganza. It was also my opportunity to finally see Jaggery, and they were every bit as marvelous as I thought they would be. With their orchestral gothic brilliance, Singer Mali’s ethereal and acerbic vocals, and a dark, extra menacing rendition of “O Scorpio”… what’s not to love?
share this:Three bands featured this week who are performing on two consecutive nights at the cozy Cafe 939. This is a really nice coffee house and performance space down the street from the Berklee School Of Music (and run by its students). First up is Hanna and the Bloodlines on Thursday night, featuring jazzy pop vocals from Hannah Sumner. The following night is going to be quite an extravaganza – it’s Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys‘ CD release party for SteamShipKillers, and they’ll be joined by their good friends, Jaggery.
share this:Featured this week, just barely, is: a wildly crazy April Fool’s show at Church (Walter Sickert & the ARmy of BRoken TOys, Mighty Tiny, HUMANWINE, and Somerville Symphony Orkestar); dance night on Friday at Great Scott, with special live guests The Daily Pravda; a Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling CD release party at Church on Saturday; and for folk/Americana fans – a CD release party at the Middle East for Kingsley Flood, which also features the very popular Boston Americana group, Cassavettes.
share this:Craziness abounds on ‘musings’ right now, and in April I have plans to see (and cover) perhaps as many as ten shows, so I’m scaling this back a bit. This week, I’ll have a quick look at two shows happening Thursday and Friday night – from theatrical otherworldly cabaret (OwlWatcher, Jaggery, Walter Sickert And The Army Of Broken Toys, HUMANWINE); to the bluesy, rootsy, and down-to-earth (Orchestra Morphine, Treat Her Right).
share this:A most unusual and extraordinary evening of carnival, cabaret and social commentary, the perfect musical accompaniment to the controlled chaos that so often transpires inside my brain. Imagine a lifetime of scream-therapy; Cirque de Soleil, a tawdry Parisian brothel, and the Victorian Era; Dead Can Dance, an apocalyptic Hans Christian Anderson, and Democracy Now, stuffed into a dimly-lit hat box, and you’ll maybe come close to my experience seeing Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling; Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys; and H.U.M.A.N.W.I.N.E. at the Church of Boston Saturday night…
share this:Well, I guess this isn’t going to be a weekly feature, but here’s some Boston-area bands playing this week anyway.
You can see The Secret Sea at Great Scott on Wednesday. Also on Wednesday, Supa Dupa! plays T.T. The Bear’s. On Thursday, Hallelujah The Hills is at the Middle East (downstairs). On Friday, Monique Ortiz performs at Toad, and Elevator Drops plays at the Middle East (downstairs) for, apparently, a one-time-only reunion. On Saturday, Your Favorite Ex does an afternoon show at the Middle East (upstairs) as part of a “Boston Music Spotlight”, and Street Dogs play the Paradise. At Toad on Saturday, folk-rock/Americana group Cassavettes are performing with the rootsy Don’t Kill Antz. There’s a cool show on Sunday at the Middle East (downstairs) – The 5th Annual Yule Ball, a Harry Potter-inspired extravaganza featuring Harry and the Potters, Draco and the Malfoys, Whomping Willows, MC Kreacher, and more. And Street Dogs are at the Paradise again.
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