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thursday, september 2nd

lou barlow + the missingmen

wye oak

the unfamiliars

@ the middle east upstairs

saturday, september 4th

mg lederman (ex-victory at sea)

cd release show with

the wrong reasons

the beat awfuls

brant deatley

@ the plough & stars

sunday, september 5th

sweet apple

(w/j mascis on drums)

black helicopter

zombie radio

@ the middle east downstairs

sunday, september 5th

the milling gowns

what time is it, mr. fox?

faux ox

jaggery

@ harper's ferry

monday, september 6th

wallcreeper

@ charlie's kitchen

monday, september 6th

shellac

helen money

@ the middle east downstairs

tuesday, september 7th

tortoise

greg davis

ben vidas

@ the paradise

tuesday, september 7th

someone still loves you boris yeltsin

telekinesis

golden bloom

@ tt the bears

tuesday, september 7th

kele (from bloc party)

does it offend you, yeah?

@ the royale boston

wednesday, september 8th

hot hot heat

22-20s

hey rosetta!

@ the middle east downstairs

wednesday, september 8th

airborne toxic event (acoustic)

with the calder string quartet

@ the somerville theatre

thursday, september 9th

apple betty

this blue heaven

the backup factor

apollo run

@ tt the bears

friday, september 10th

i, pistol

black fortress of opium

the crushing low

@ precinct

friday, september 10th

the charlatans uk

sherlock's daughter

@ the royale boston

saturday, september 11th

school of seven bells

active child

@ the middle east downstairs

saturday, september 11th

neutral uke hotel (nmh covers on ukelele)

the michael j. epstein memorial library

@ cafe 939, berklee

saturday, september 11th

28 degrees taurus

magic shoppe (record release!)

@ the rosebud

saturday, september 11th

jamie lidell

@ the royale boston

friday + saturday

september 11th + 12th

the life is good festival

lots of bands, raising money for kids

over 2 days in canton, ma

sunday, september 12th

jarrod gorbel

(of the honorary title)

air traffic controller

@ great scott

sunday, september 12th

blondie

@ the house of blues

sunday, september 12th

vampire weekend

beach house

dum dum girls

@ the boa pavilion

monday, september 13th

dirty projectors

owen pallett (final fantasy)

@ the wilbur theatre

monday, september 13th

isobel campbell

mark lanegan

willy mason

@ the middle east downstairs

tuesday, september 14th

rush

@ the td garden

wednesday, september 15th

laura veirs + the hall of flames

the watson twins

led to sea

@ tt the bears

thursday, september 16th

of montreal

janelle monae

@ the house of blues boston

friday, september 17th

one happy island

kevin dunn

cotton candy

7:30pm @ the lily pad, cambridge

friday, september 17th

broken social scene

@ the house of blues

friday & saturday

september 17th & 18th

the 5th annual

viva la vinal festival!

with live performances from

audrey ryan, kingsley flood,

this blue heaven, bridget + the squares,

the international string trio, & justin shorey

6-10pm on friday + 12-9 on saturday

@ somerville community growing center

on vinal ave. in somerville's union square

saturday, september 18th

pavement

jenny (lewis) + johnny (rice)

@ agganis arena

saturday, september 18th

wavves

@ brandeis university, waltham

sunday, september 19th

thee oh sees

the human tail

thick shakes

@ the magic room gallery, brighton

sunday, september 19th

caribou

holy fuck

emeralds

@ the paradise

monday, september 20th

girlfriends

carnivores

weekend dads

@ o'brien's

tuesday, september 21st

superchunk

versus

@ royale boston

tuesday, september 21st

basia bulat

the acorn

john shade

@ tt the bears

tuesday, september 21st

sea wolf (alex acoustic)

sera cahoone

patrick park

@ the middle east upstairs

wednesday, september 22nd

phantogram

railbird

@ the paradise

wednesday, september 22nd

david bazan

the mynabirds

@ tt the bears

wednesday, september 22nd

field music

@ great scott

thursday, september 23rd

aloud (album release party!)

st. claire

old jack

with special emcee

poet/author james caroline

@ church of boston

thursday, september 23rd

stars

wild nothing

@ the house of blues

thursday, september 23rd

!!! (chk chk chk)

fol chen

@ the royale boston

thursday, september 23rd

bettie serveert

meandjoancollins

the painted lights

@ tt the bears

friday, september 24th

eels

@ the royale boston

saturday, september 25th

teenage fanclub

@ the royale boston

saturday, september 25th

james

ed harcourt

@ the paradise

sunday, september 26th

come (reunited!)

wussy

@ tt the bears

sunday, september 26th

mr. sister (debut album release!)

coyote kolb

tallahassee

@ great scott

sunday, september 26th

mates of state

@ the paradise

monday, september 27th

rogue wave

midlake

peter wolf crier

@ royale boston

tuesday, september 28th

lcd soundsystem

sleigh bells

@ the orpheum

tuesday, september 28th

best coast

male bonding

@ the middle east downstairs

wednesday, september 29th

quilt

paper castles

toothache

@ the lilypad

wednesday, september 29th

foals

esben + the witch

@ the paradise

thursday, september 30th

mc frontalot

@ tt the bears

thursday, september 30th

menomena

suckers

@ the royale boston

thursday + friday

sept 30th + oct 1st

built to spill

revolt revolt

pretty & nice

@ the paradise

friday, october 1st

the tallest man on earth

s. carey (of bon iver's band)

@ the somerville theatre

friday, october 1st

ra ra riot

chikita violenta

we barbarians

@ the royale boston

saturday, october 2nd

gayngs

(with bon iver's justin vernon)

glasser

@ the paradise

saturday, october 2nd

film school

the depreciation guild

static of the gods

night fruit

@ tt the bears

sunday, october 3rd

the xx

@ the orpheum

sunday, october 3rd

tom tom club

caravan of thieves

tony castles

@ the paradise

sunday, october 3rd

lost in the trees

@ tt the bears

tuesday, october 5th

the vaselines

jeffrey lewis

@ the paradise

tuesday, october 5th

chapterhouse

ulrich schnauss

@ the middle east downstairs

tuesday, october 5th

ratatat

dom

@ the house of blues boston

wednesday, october 6th

gorillaz

@ agganis arena

wednesday, october 6th

the hold steady

wintersleep

@ the royale boston

thursday, october 7th

the walkmen

a.a. bondy

blood feathers

@ the royale boston

friday, october 8th

death

@ the middle east downstairs

friday, october 8th

fountains of wayne

marshall crenshaw (solo)

@ the paradise

friday, october 8th

bell x1 (acoustic)

@ the brattle theatre

saturday, october 9th

paul f. tompkins

@ the brattle theatre

sunday, october 10th

deerhoof

xiu xiu

father murphy

first show @ the paramount!

sunday, october 10th

miike snow

@ the house of blues

sunday, october 10th

primus

mucca pazza

@ the orpheum

tuesday, october 12th

ingrid michaelson

@ the house of blues

wednesday, october 13th

dead kennedys

@ the paradise

thursday, october 14th

the thermals

cymbals eat guitars

@ the paradise

thursday, october 14th

the morning after girls

the lovetones

the december sound

ghost box orchestra

@ tt the bears

friday, october 15th

nick lowe + his band

graham parker (solo acoustic)

@ the somerville theatre

friday, october 15th

jimmy eat world

@ the house of blues

friday, october 15th

bowerbirds

death vessel

@ tt the bears

friday, october 15th

belle + sebastian

@ the wang theatre / citi center

saturday, october 16th

deerhunter

real estate

casino vs. japan

@ royale boston

sunday, october 17th

the henry clay people

the dig

@ tt the bears

monday, october 18th

greg dulli

(afghan whigs/twilight singers)

first-ever solo tour

with opener craig wedren

(of shudder to think)

@ the brattle theatre

monday, october 18th

bad religion

the bouncing souls

@ the house of blues

monday, october 18th

the drums

the hairs

@ the paradise

monday, october 18th

phoenix

two door cinema club

wavves

@ agganis arena

tuesday, october 19th

massive attack

thievery corporation

@ the orpheum

wednesday, october 20th

the pains of being pure at heart

yuck

eternal summers

@ the paradise

wednesday, october 20th

helmet

@ the middle east downstairs

sunday, october 22nd

gary numan

rasputina

playing 'the pleasure principle'

@ the paradise

saturday, october 23rd

local natives

the ruby suns

union line

@ the house of blues

sunday, october 24th

woven bones

frankie rose & the outs

@ tt the bears

monday, october 25th

the corin tucker band

hungry ghost

darren hanlon

@ the paradise

wednesday, october 27th

a sunny day in glasgow

candy claws

@ great scott

wednesday, october 27th

black prairie

(members of the decemberists)

sarah jarosz

@ the middle east upstairs

thursday, october 28th

the tt's halloween bash

with members of mean creek + campaign

for real time (as talking heads)

john powhida (as todd rundgren)

preacher roe (as guided by voices)

@ tt the bears

friday, october 29th

frightened rabbit

plants and animals

the phantom band

@ the paradise

saturday, october 30th

hallelujah the hills

magic magic

boy without god

@ great scott

sunday, october 31st

florence and the machine

the smith westerns

@ the house of blues

monday, november 1st

blonde redhead

pantha du prince

@ the paradise

monday, november 1st

social distortion

lucero

frank turner

@ the house of blues boston

tuesday, november 2nd

junip (jose gonzales)

sharon van etten

@ the royale boston

tuesday, november 2nd

black mountain

the black angels

@ the paradise

wednesday, november 3rd

the dandy warhols

blue giant

@ tt the bears

wednesday, november 3rd

land of talk

suuns

little scream

@ tt the bears

thursday, november 4th

through sunday, november 7th

the international pop overthrow

4 nights @ pa's lounge

thursday, november 4th

matt + kim

javelin

@ the house of blues

thursday, november 4th

blitzen trapper

@ the paradise

friday, november 5th

guided by voices

blitzen trapper

@ the paradise

sunday, november 7th

drivin 'n cryin

@ tt the bears

monday, november 8th

clinic

the fresh & onlys

@ the paradise

tuesday, november 9th

the morning benders

@ the paradise

thursday + friday

november 11th + 12th

sufjan stevens

@ the orpheum

thursday, november 11th

shearwater

horse feathers

damien jurado

anais mitchell

@ the house of blues

thursday, november 11th

deer tick

@ the royale boston

thursday, november 11th

mumford & sons

cadillac sky

king charles

@ the house of blues

friday, november 12th

bottomless pit

black helicopter

chris brokaw

@ the middle east downstairs

saturday, november 13th

roky erickson

@ the royale boston

saturday, november 13th

grinderman

(nick cave, warren ellis, + more)

@ the house of blues

sunday, november 14th

elizabeth mitchell (of ida)

and friends

(a children's show!)

4:30pm @ club passim

sunday, november 14th

man or astro-man?

@ the middle east downstairs

monday, november 15th

la roux

@ the house of blues

tuesday, november 16th

a night of springsteen covers

with chris keene (mean creek),

corin ashley, dave aaronoff,

brendan little, hilken mancini,

the dirty truckers, drew o'doherty,

and more to be announced

marking the release of the new

6-disk 'darkness on the edge of town'

box set @ tt the bears

tuesday, november 16th

the posies

brendan benson

aqueduct

@ the royale boston

wednesday, november 17th

cornershop

@ the middle east downstairs

thursday, november 18th

kate nash

@ the paradise

thursday, november 18th

bear in heaven

@ the middle east downstairs

friday, november 19th

township

the lights out

the organ beats

@ tt the bears

saturday, november 20th

delorean

lemonade

@ the middle east downstairs

wednesday, november 24th

idlewild

happy hollows

@ the middle east downstairs

thursday, december 2nd

director/actor kevin smith

@ the house of blues

saturday, december 4th

peter hook + the light

play joy division's "unknown pleasures"

@ the royale boston

saturday, december 4th

killing joke

@ the paradise

visit tourfilter for more shows

Greetings from Boston, aka 'waterworld'. When will the sunshine arrive and release us from this constant cloud-covered hell? I thought the old addage started 'April showers...', not 'All-of-May showers...'. Yeesh. I mean, I'm a fan of rainy days, but only to a point.

Ok, enough about the weather then...

So we saw the second 'Serenity' preview last night, another early look at Joss Whedon's big-screen continuation of his too-short-lived 'Firefly' sci-fi tv series. It's not out until September, so the cut we saw was supposedly rough, using temporary music, although it looked to me like most of the effects were finished. I can only assume that there will be lots of tweaking with color balance and contrast in the months remaining, as the lighting swayed between too dark, just right, and too white, but the story and dialogue were more then enough to overcome any visual shortcomings. It's like the anti-Episode III... substance holding you when style comes up short (ironic that the movie includes a subtle yet very direct Star Wars homage... look for it). If only Lucas had paid Joss to script-doctor 'Sith', because boy did that dialogue need some serious medical attention. But I digress. Don't get me started on ol' George.

'Serenity' is pure Whedon, all whip-smart words, unexpected emotional punches, and weighty-action bits mixed in together. Unlike the Star Wars prequels, there's a real sense of danger to the characters... their actions have consequences, the villians are a real threat, and most of the comedy comes as a relief from building tension. There are lots of laughs, but they're never forced. It's just a brilliant script, with lines still popping into my head this next morning. And Joss has such a great cast to deliver it all, people who believe in the material, who really connect with one other, parts of an ensemble that has become more shipmates than castmates. Whedon isn't afraid to pummel them, though... he's not comfortable with the status quo, with everyone being safe for sequels. He goes for broke, and comes up aces.

I so hope this movie finds a broader audience, if only for the selfish reason that I want to see these characters a whole bunch more. But it might be tricky convincing the mainstream that this world is one they want to visit; you want to build hype, to let people know that there's a reason this movie exists (i.e. the enthusastic Browncoats that have packed these previews), while at the same time not having them dismiss it as something too genre-bound and clicky (see the declining Star Trek movie audience). Put your average non-sci-fi-geek movie goer in the middle of the crowd last night, and they'd assume they were transported to the middle of a comic convention. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more extensive hive of freaks and nerdery. And I mean that in the most affectionate way, of course. A bit of pot, kettle, etc.

I'll be seeing it again opening weekend, and pestering my friends to do the same... won't be the last time it's mentioned on this site. If there's another screening between now and Sept. 30th, you should really check it out... they just don't make 'em like this any more, and it's a damn shame.

For those who missed Firefly during it's first and only season (and haven't picked up the fantastic DVD set), there's really good news: The Sci-Fi Channel is running the entire series (and unlike Fox, in the right order), airing them every Friday starting July 22nd, before new episodes of the excellent Battlestar Galactica. A perfectly planned build-up towards the movie.

Will my diminished opinion of the Star Wars universe keep me from catching the massive 'Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination' exhibit at Boston's Museum of Science when it opens in October? Probably not. I mean, if those first two prequels weren't enough to keep me from seeing number three, then I'm in for whatever they throw at me. Nostalgia is an unstoppable force.

So when Amie and I saw Revenge of the Sith, I was amazing that there was not one. single. commercial. Not one. Couldn't believe it. But I also couldn't believe the number of trailers we saw: TEN. Yes, a new record. Ten complete movie previews, which I admit was far easier than suffering through a Fandango promo or a cheesy Diet Coke singalong. Count 'em: The Da Vinci Code (nice cast), Mr. & Mrs. Smith (no thanks), Fantastic Four (sadly, looks terrible), Stealth (urk), The Chronicles of Narnia (promising), The Wedding Crashers (maybe), Batman Begins (yes please), The Pink Panther (why Martin why!?), War of the Worlds (please be good), and Serenity (head buzz, every time). A solid 20 minutes or so. In the days before the internet, before I'd seen most of 'em already, I woulda been pretty into that.

Ok, now this is high-larious. If you've seen ROTS (a better acronym, there is not), you know that the (second) most cringe-worthy moment is Darth's forced-perspective "NOOOOoooOOOOOO!" near the end. An instant classic. Well, you've gotta listen to this mini-mash-up that uses Liam Lynch's 'United States of Whatever' and Vader samples. Just awesome.

Miss Mary's second solo album is out! 'Ready 2 Pop', the long-in-the-works followup to 2000's 'Hey Blue!', is now available on Stereorrific Recordings, and you can sample/buy it over at CD Baby. The enhanced disc has 10 new songs, a couple demos versions, and throws in a couple of videos (hang around for a hidden track, too). It's a more rockin' affair than Hey Blue!, and it's better for it.

Mary has also started up her own little web-based handmade-crafty shop called Hollypop, and the site just barely went live. Head over to check out some stylin' totebags, purses, clothing, and other assorted accessories. Go Mary Go!

Boston comic book (sorry, 'graphic novel') fans take note: On Monday, June 13th at 7pm, the Friends of the Brookline Library will be hosting a free talk from author Steve Weiner entitled 'The Rise of the Graphic Novel'. From their website...

"Graphic novels are exploding off bookstore and library shelves, and into movies, college courses, The New York Times Book Review, and onto the coffee tables of the cognoscenti. What's fueling the explosion? Where did all the excitement come from? Steve Weiner, a comics historian and children's literature specialist, answers these questions in his talk, 'The Rise of the Graphic Novel'. From the Bronx tenements of Will Eisner's 'A Contract with God' to the holocaust vision of Art Spiegelman's 'Maus' to the teenage angst of Dan Clowes' 'Ghostworld', you'll journey into the heart of the graphic novel revolution.

It takes place in Hunneman Hall in the main building of the Brookline Library.

I've never read 'Everything is Illuminated' by Jonathan Safran Foer, but I've heard it's a love-it-or-violently-loathe-it type of novel, with little room for the inbetween. Makes me wonder if the upcoming movie adapatation will do the same. I'm a fan of actor Liev Schreiber, who's directing this time around, and I'm curious to see how Elijah Wood pulls off a lead role post-LOTR (if you don't count Hooligans, which is playing film fests).

What I'm more interested in, though, is seeing former/fellow Burlington, Vermont dweller Eugene freakin' Hutz in his first acting role. If his name doesn't sound familiar, maybe his band, Gogol Bordello, will. I heard he was in the movie and figured it was a small role, maybe with the band playing in one scene. Well, these pictures show it ain't so. Second billing, baby. He's the one fingering Frodo right here. Crazy.

Movie poster here. In-progress official site here.

Ten word TV season finale reviews...

Alias: Almost has me back. Cheap crash cliffhanger. More evil Sloan.
Lost: Not enough payoff. A freakin' ladder? You're so on probation.
Deadwood: Little less politics. I miss angry Bullock. Swijjin still rules.

I had much, much love for Portastatic, but lost track when Mac went through that little Brazilian fling. This news, however, has me back. A new album in August, and more of a full-bandy affair. I actually like the first couple Portastatic albums more than what Mac's main act, Superchunk, was doing at the time, so this sounds right up my alley.

I'm thinking about a movie sometime this weekend (shocker). Should it be Layer Cake? Unleashed? Anyone have any thoughts on either of those two films to share? Sell me.

So John Squire wants the Stone Roses to reform, eh? Tell ya what, if it's just to play the debut album start to finish, maybe as part of the Don't Look Back series, then I'm there. Otherwise, um, don't look back.

Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers collaborating on a movie apaptation of Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are?! How did I not hear about that?

There's a new library in Harvard Square, and it's exclusively for 'zines. Guess I'll put the Papercut Zine Library down on my 'must visit list'.

I've been meaning to mention this for a bit, and a recent post over at Chromewaves reminded me... lucky American Analog Set fans (who also happen to be in New York) can stop by a Brooklyn bar called Commonwealth (corner of 5th Ave & 12th st.) to hear their entire finished-yet-unreleased album, 'Set Free'. AmAnSet is label-less at the moment thanks to the closing up of Tigerstyle, but won't be for very long... I've heard the whole record, and it is far and away their best collection of songs since 1999's 'The Golden Band' (and to varying degrees, I love everything since). It's a new peak for them, and labels should be falling at their feet. If it comes out this year, it may just top my best of.

David Gedge of the Wedding Present presents some 'music you should hear' over at Amazon. I'm with him on about half of those.

Thanks to My Mean Magpie, who thanks Lacunae, for pointing out a brand new, completely free, entirely downloadable His Name Is Alive EP entitled 'Summer Bird', available at their site. Says it's for 'a limited time', so get over there.

Stream a new Son Volt song called 'Bandages & Scars' from their upcoming 'Okemah and the Melody of Riot' album, due on July 12th.

Allow me to draw your attention to a place I discovered through a comment left here at the 'Nac: Ryan's Aural Fixation live music photography site. Some amazing live and still shots of a range of artists, from the well-known to the obscure to the inbetween: Cinerama, Postal Service, Trash Can Sinatras, Lucksmiths... so much fantastic work in there. There's even a shot of Craig from Summer at Shatter Creek, which leads directly into this next bit...

Would you like a really nice, limited edition Summer at Shatter Creek poster print, signed by Craig & Emmy, courtesy of Fingerprints music in Long Beach, CA? ~~Be the first one to drop me an email (address on the left) with the subject 'SASC', and it's all yours.~~ Congrats to Michael in Louisiana, who won the poster.

Alright, my long weekend looms, time to check out. I hope everyone who's been listening to the Bradcast (my new random streaming radio station) has been digging it... I get a little thrill every time someone makes a request (via aol im: bradcast), so keep 'em coming. To listen, just open this URL in Winamp or iTunes. If you can't get on, it's either full or will be back up soon enough.

So far I've been streaming for about three weeks straight, nearly 24 hours a day, and it's up to track number 8,473 out of a total collection of roughly 23,000 songs. In another five or six weeks I'll randomize it all again and start over. I can't imagine the days before I was able to do this... having all my cds wired into my workplace is a revelation. Glad I can share it.

posted by brad at 2:23 PM | direct link |