bradley's almanac - a boston-based music blog

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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

I'm still on a high from last night's as-always amazing American Analog Set show... was so wired up afterwards that I didn't get to sleep until 3am-ish. Needless to say, I'm lagging a little bit here at work.

I'll save some words for the sharing of their set when Monday comes, but I will say this much: There was no more perfect way for them to end their last Boston appearance than with what may have been their first-ever encore, and of a song I requested no less. Even as the rhythm section disappeared and the rest of the band began unplugging amps, as usual shunning the standard clap-and-we'll-come-back contrivance, the cheering crowd just wouldn't let up. You could tell Andrew Kenny was struggling with it... so I muttered "play She's Half by yourself." And he actually went for it. "Ok... I think we can do that." Unbelievable. He brought bassist Lee Gillespie back on stage to tap-out the low end, and keyboardist Craig McCaffery remained in his seat to help play a stripped-down version of my favorite track from their latest record, 'Set Free', a song they hadn't yet performed on this tour. The vocals were so delicate, so completely exposed without the guitar, which he left hanging silent as he sang. Just beautiful. What a gift.

I can't resist sharing it now, so here it is. A little preview of what's to come on Monday...

American Analog Set - "She's Half" (live)
(at TTs, Cambridge, MA, 11/16/2005)

I don't know if even a fraction of how magical that was in person comes across, because listening to it puts me right back there.

Anyway, moving on to less mind-altering things...

In case you hadn't heard, Low (and their brand new bass player) will be returning to stages this winter, and a Boston stop is happening on Thursday, February 2nd at the Middle East Downstairs. Considering they've sold out the much-larger Somerville Theatre before, don't delay on getting tix. Unless maybe now-ex-bassist Zak Sally was responsible for a third of their draw all this time? Hey, ya never know. Complete Low tourdate listing over at More Cowbell.

If a hype machine is gonna start cranking up, I'm just glad it's targeted at a band like Mogwai. Granted, the early raves on their now-finished next album are coming from their manager, but that manager happens to be ex-Creation now-Poptones Records guru Alan McGee. He supposedly said (in a doubtlessly unintelligible scottish accent) that the album, titled 'Mr. Beast' is "probably the greatest art rock record that I've been involved in since My Bloody Valentine's 'Loveless'. It's possibly better than Loveless." Um, uh... you don't just carelessly throw words like those around! But damn, I can't resist getting a little more excited about what we'll hear come March.

Thanks to Falfa for pointing out that Continuum Books has offered up a teaser from what is sure to be yet another fine addition to their album-as-novella 33 1/3 series: The Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique. Read the excerpt over here. The Dan LeRoy-penned book will be out in the spring.

The first issue of Brian Wood's new twelve-issue Oni Press comic series 'Local' came out yesterday, and he's really upped the ante from his work on last year's DEMO (note: collected next month!). While each installment will focus on (or at least include) Megan, the first issue's main character, all twelve will take place in a different North American locale, and will occur sometime during the subsequent year. So not only will you get a real sense of place (as artist Ryan Kelly perfectly pulls off for Portland, Oregan in #1), but you'll be able to mark the passage of time through Megan's experiences and potentially changing styles. It's a brilliant way to provide a thread of continuity and personal evolution while at the same time making each chapter its own self-contained tale. Love the idea, and loved the kick-off.

Locations on deck include Minneapolis in #2, Richmond VA for #3, Missoula MT for #4, and for our Canadian friends, Halifax, Nova Scotia in #5. I'm just waiting for him to schedule one for our shared hometown of Burlington, Vermont. Hey, Brian... if you put at least a drive-by cameo of 242 Main in there, I'll buy you a couple of Brooklyn Brewery bevs when I'm down your way. Actually, you'd probably have included it anyway, but still, beers on me.

Check out the Local Workblog for reader comments (and add your own, after you buy the thing), along with a preview of issue #2, and a bunch of other cool stuff.

Long as we're talking comics, I get a little thrill every time I see a new Cassaday/Martin cover for an always-long-awaited upcoming issue of Planetary. That's issue #25, due in March. Before that, we've got #24 in January. Take a gander at that cover right here. See that puzzle piece? Hot damn. Answers. From a recent Warren Ellis 'Bad Signal' mailing...

"I'm nine or ten pages into the new script (24), and right away I've wrapped up the connections between the Hong Kong cop, the Melanctha issue and John Leather, hopefully clearly explicated what the Century Babies do, explained why the Four let Planetary live, given a fairly strong hint about what The Drummer is, and described the above and below of the protective systems existing around life on Earth in the Planetary 'universe'."

Whoa. I'm ready to get giddy.

More comics stuff, you say? Okie doke: Hellboy. Love it. The Mike Mignola comics, that is. And the Christopher Golden novels and the BPRD stuff, too. The movie? More like than love, but it was a good start. So I'm wondering where on my like-love scale the in-production Hellboy animated series will fall. Very, very cool that there's already a production diary, and that producer Tad Stones has been updating it frequently right out of the gate. Totally appreciate that look behind the curtain.

Speaking of comics-in-motion, the new poster for the live-action adaptation of Alan Moore's 'V For Vendetta' actually has me moving back towards the optimistic side of things. Bald Natalie looks so aggro.

I totally didn't plan this, but here I go from mentioning Natalie Portman straight into something about Zach Braff. Total Garden State-themed coincidence, I swear. Anyway, Braff recently updated his little blog with a rare video post, and he talks a bit about what the hell is going on with Scrubs scheduling. Basically, he doesn't know, but they're not happy. You probably coulda guessed that. They're hoping to be back on the schedule in January, and they've already finished filming 7 out of the 22 ordered episodes. He claims they're even further 'out there' than normal, which is a very good thing.

(and I know that if Matt is reading this, he's thinking... "Ha! I remember when you used to hate that show!" Yes, yes, yes. You told me so.)

Braff also plugs a couple films he recently finished acting in: The Last Kiss (co-starring an ex-Real World-er?) and Fast Track (which has a killer cast). How about a second directorial project to follow up Garden State? Maybe starting in spring, he says. Oh, just watch that video post yourself.

It seems I've started talking about television. Ok then. If you haven't yet, go ahead and watch David Cross get pissed about the Fox marketing people who screwed Arrested Development out of a future. *&$@#$%s.

That new 'youth culture' guy on the Daily Show? He's Demetri Martin, and he used to be a writer for Conan O'Brien. Read this pretty amusing week-long journal that he wrote during his time at Late Night.

While we wait, and wait some more, for the fall '06 return of The Wire to our teevees (patience, do not fail me), it's nice of HBO to offer up a little new content for fans: A new interview with series writer/producer Ed Burns, with an introduction from co-creator David Simon.

I was saddened to hear about the death of one-time Star Trek show-runner Michael Piller a couple weeks ago... he played a large role in the best parts of the whole 'new Trek' universe that started with The Next Generation and got even better with Deep Space Nine (which is where it all peaked, as far as I'm concerned). Knowing that Battlestar Galactica writer/creator Ron Moore got his start on ST:TNG and excelled at DS9, I wondered if he'd have any thoughts to share with the world on the loss of Pillar. Well, he did, and if those words are the measure of a man, then Michael Pillar stood very tall indeed.

I'm a few chapters into George RR Martin's 'A Feast For Crows', and I'm just loving every page of the thing. It's going to be impossible for me to pick that new 'Wheel of Time' book back up when I'm done with it... Jordan's seemingly aimless ramblings read so much the worse by comparison. Do me a favor: Even if you're not a fantasy fan, try a little of the first book in Martin's 'A Song of Ice & Fire' series. As someone wrote recently: "It's fantasy for people who hate fantasy." And for those who love it, too. Hell, I can't think of anyone it's not for. Even Time magazine agrees. "The American Tolkien"? I'm not gonna argue with that.

Much to my surprise, when I saw Janeane Garofalo do stand-up here in Boston a couple years back, I actually enjoyed the opening comedian a little bit more. Which isn't to say I didn't dig Janeane's stuff, I just connected with Greg Behrendt's act and his 'getting a little too old to be cool' material. He's since gotten all famous, writing for a tv show (I don't hold that one against him), putting out a bestseller and recently appearing on The Colbert Report. I'd heard he was putting out a dvd of his stand-up act, and I'm glad to learn that it finally showed up on shelves this week. It's called "Greg Behrendt Is Uncool", and the title leads me to believe that it's material from the very same act I saw. Looking forward to netflixing that.

Excellent article/interview with comedienne Sarah Silverman in the new Rolling Stone. Glad it's online, I can't remember the last time I actually bought an issue of that once-relevant rag.

Chris Ott has a blog. This is a very good thing. It revolves around "outrageous auctions of pop music memorabilia", and the more words that former Pitchfork contributor and 33 1/3 author shares with us the better. Y'know what would be even sweeter, though? A new album from his musical outlet: The Grace Period. I still listen to his 'Dynasty' disc all the time. Seriously, make more music, Chris. (and thanks to this other Chris for tipping me to the online Ott action.)

I'll end this post with... hey, free stuff! I mentioned last week that The Magic Numbers are coming to Boston on November 29th, playing a show at Great Scott as part of the Fenway Recording Sessions. In honor of the ongoing tour that brings them here, I've been given the ok to offer up some prize merch: A 7" for the single "Love Me Like You", a copy of their new self-titled full length disc, and sure-to-be-spiffy t-shirt. If you want all that, drop a comment in the link below (include your email addy) and answer the following question: What's written on the side of the truck that splashes the posters in the 'Forever Lost' video? (links: qt/win/rp). I'll email the first person to respond correctly so I can get your mailing address.

Check out an online sampler for the album over here, or head to the Magic Numbers MySpace page for more.

Oh, and a fair warning to Brooklyn friends: Look out, here I come. Yup, I'm NYC bound on Saturday, December 10th for a little 3-day solo trip. I'm going down just for the hell of it, and 'the hell of it' includes taking in the new play 'Coronado', written by Boston author Dennis Lehane, and seeing Explosions In The Sky when they play the Bowery Ballroom on Monday night the 12th. I so cannot wait.

So, um, who wants to put me up for a night or two? ;) Actually, maybe that should have been my contest question... the winner gets, uh... me!

posted by brad at 4:40 PM | direct link |