bradley's almanac - a boston music blog

boston area shows of note:

thursday, august 21st

yndi halda

caspian

irepress

@ tt the bears

friday, august 22nd

varsity drag

lump

charcoal lavage

jake and the jakes

@ o'briens

friday, august 22nd

obits (ex-hot snakes/rftc)

viva viva

dead cats dead rats

sunday morning music

@ the middle east

saturday, august 23rd

the soft drugs

higgins

the toothaches

drama queens

@ pa's lounge

saturday, august 23rd

amo joy!

franklin bruno

(from nothing painted blue)

one happy island (ep release!)

@ the lily pad

saturday, august 23rd

newbury comics / unnatural axe

30th anniversary bash

the meatmen, queers, nasties,

unnatural axe, sleazies

@ the middle east down

sunday, august 24th

don cabellero

ponytail

irepress

@ harper's ferry

tuesday, august 26th

the final installment of...

neil cleary's 'doozy'

a guest-packed august residency

@ the lizard lounge

wednesday, august 27th

liz phair performing

'exile in guyville'

@ the paradise

wednesday, august 27th

xiu xiu

prurient

@ the paradise

friday, august 29th

liz phair performs

'exile in guyville'

@ the paradise

monday, september 1st

the juan maclean

@ the middle east downstairs

wednesday, september 3rd

ryan's smashing life presents...

justice of the unicorns

tigers & monkeys

spanish armada

wild business

@ the middle east

friday, september 5th

silver jews

hallelujah the hills

who shot hollywood

@ the middle east downstairs

saturday, september 6th

my morning jacket

@ the bank of america pavilion

saturday, september 6th

matt pryor (get up kids)

kevin devine

mike fiore (faces on film)

@ harper's ferry

sunday, september 7th

ryan adams & the cardinals

@ the bank of america pavilion

tuesday, september 9th

paul weller

@ the berklee performance center

friday, september 12th

mission of burma

in-store performance

7pm @ newbury comics, newbury st.

friday, september 12th

buffalo tom

as part of the boston arts festival

@ christopher columbus park

saturday, september 13th

wfnx disorientation 2008

the kooks, flogging molly,

alkaline trio, rogue wave,

and more to be announced

@ bank of america pavilion

sunday, september 14th

lymbyc systym

this will destroy you

arms and sleepers

@ harper's ferry

monday, september 15th

lagwagon, mxpx,

only crime, & tat

@ harper's ferry

monday, september 15th

sunset rubdown

@ the middle east

monday, september 15th

james

@ the paradise

tuesday, september 16th

a place to bury strangers

@ the paradise

thursday, september 18th

the walkmen

@ the middle east downstairs

friday, september 19th

sigur ros

@ the bank of america pavilion

friday, september 19th to

sunday, september 21st

all tomorrow's parties

with my bloody valentine, low

built to spill, mogwai, shellac,

polvo, yo la tengo, lilys, autolux

dinosaur jr, mercury rev, & more

@ the catskills in nyc

saturday, september 20th

mike viola (solo)

(1st of 3 weekly residencies)

with guest blue and their

band, the major labels

@ the lizard lounge

saturday, september 20th

noah & the whale

@ toad

sunday, september 21st

the low lows

magic magic

ryan lee crosby

@ tt the bears

monday, september 22nd

the broken west

@ the middle east

monday, september 22nd

oxford collapse

love as laughter

takka takka

@ tt the bears

monday, september 22nd

mogwai

fuck buttons

@ the wilbur theatre

tuesday, september 23rd

writer dennis lehane

(release day for 'the given day')

@ the coolidge corner theatre

tuesday, september 23rd

weezer

angels & airwaves

tokyo police club

@ the tsongas arena

tuesday, september 23rd

cut copy

the presets

@ the paradise

wednesday, september 24th

joan as policewoman

@ the middle east

wednesday, september 24th

low

tulsa

@ the museum of fine arts boston

saturday, september 27th

mike viola (solo)

(2nd of 3 weekly residencies)

@ the lizard lounge

saturday, september 27th

built to spill

performing 'perfect from now on'

dinosaur jr.

meat puppets

@ the orpheum

sunday, september 28th

the bird and the bee

willoughby

@ great scott

sunday and monday

september 28th and 29th

ratatat

@ the paradise

thursday, september 30th

boston spaceships

(gbv's robert pollard)

big dipper

@ the paradise

thursday, september 30th

say hi

jukebox the ghost

@ the middle east

thursday & friday

october 2nd & 3rd

baltimore round robin

29 bands playing in a circle,

non-stop, one song at a time,

with you in the very center

with dan deacon, beach house,

creepers, the death set, adventure,

and everyone listed here

@ mass art

friday, october 3rd

death cab for cutie

@ agganis arena

friday, october 3rd

the fratellis

airborne toxic event

electric touch

@ the orpheum

saturday, october 4th

mike viola @ friends

(3rd of 3 weekly residencies)

@ the lizard lounge

sunday, october 5th

old 97s

@ the wilbur theatre

sunday, october 5th

pinback

@ the paradise

monday, october 6th

the wedding present

the jealous girlfriends

@ the middle east downstairs

monday, october 6th

fleet foxes

@ the somerville theatre

monday, october 6th

stereolab

monade

@ the paradise

tuesday, october 7th

liam finn

the veils

@ the paradise

wednesday, october 8th

wire

@ the middle east downstairs

thursday, october 9th

chuck ragan (of hot water music)

ben nichols (of lucero)

tim barry (of avail)

with guest jesse malin

@ the middle east

saturday, october 11th

the feelies

@ the roxy

sunday, october 12th

the residents

@ showcase live, foxboro

sunday, october 12th

the notwist

@ the roxy

sunday, october 12th

jamie lidell

@ the paradise

sunday, october 12th

against me!

ted leo & the pharmacists

the future of the left

@ the wilbur theatre

monday, october 13th

tv on the radio

the dirtbombs

@ the wilbur theatre

tuesday, october 14th

cold war kids

@ the paradise

thursday, october 16th

ben kweller

whitley

@ the paradise

thursday, october 16th

jonatha brooke

glen phillips

(from toad the wet sprocket)

@ the wilbur theatre

friday, october 17th

hallelujah the hills

wonderful spells

capstan shafts

@ tt the bears

friday, october 17th

jonathan richman

with drummer tommy larkin

@ the somerville theatre

saturday, october 18th

ra ra riot

walter meego

the morning benders

@ the middle east

sunday, october 19th

the spinto band

frightened rabbit

@ the middle east

monday, october 20th

magnetic morning

(adam swervedriver & sam interpol)

julie ocean

springhouse (w/jack rabid)

@ great scott

tuesday, october 21st

minus the bear

annuals

sylvie

@ the wilbur theatre

tuesday & wednesday

october 21st & 22nd

billy bragg

@ the somerville theatre

wednesday, october 22nd

yeasayer

@ the paradise

wednesday, october 22nd

lyle lovett & john hiatt

(acoustic, on stage together)

@ the orpheum

thursday, october 23rd

lykke li

@ the paradise

thursday, october 23rd

deerhoof

experimental dental school

@ the middle east down

friday, october 24th

fujiya & miyagi

@ the paradise

sunday, october 26th

broken social scene

land of talk

@ the wilbur theatre

monday, october 27th

matthew sweet

@ the paradise

wednesday, october 29th

legendary pink dots

@ the middle east down

thursday, october 30th

of montreal

@ the orpheum

friday, october 31st

the rumble strips

birdmonster

@ tt the bears

friday, october 31st

david byrne

performing the songs of byrne & eno

@ the wang center

saturday, november 1st

henry rollins (spoken word)

@ the orpheum

monday, november 3rd

coldplay

@ the td banknorth garden

sunday, november 9th

the hold steady

drive-by truckers

@ the orpheum

tuesday, november 11th

deerhunter

times new viking

the vivian girls

@ the paradise

wedneseday, november 12th

kings of leon

we are scientists

the whigs

@ the orpheum

tuesday, november 18th

m83

school of seven bells

@ the middle east down

thursday, november 20th

bishop allen

@ the middle east

saturday, december 13th

neil young

wilco

@ the dcu center, worcester

visit tourfilter for more shows

Friday, February 16, 2007

Mp3s: Martin Carr live in Allston, MA

A few months back, Boston was very fortunate to be treated to a visit from Boo Radleys guitarist/songwriter Martin Carr, who was making some extremely rare U.S. appearances. In fact, the short five-show tour marked his first North American dates since the Boo's breakup way back in '99. Our good fortune was not exactly by chance: it was due in no small part to Martin's friend and musical collaborator Corin Ashley, longtime Boston resident, solo performer, and member of the Pills. Corin not only assisted Martin on bass and backing vocals, but helped flesh out his backing band by recruiting fellow Boston musicians Ad Frank on keyboards and local DJ Jim "Ning Nong" on drums.

After a night at the Manhan Cafe out in western Mass., the assembled quartet played among friends at Allston's Great Scott as part of The Pill. The room was full of appreciative fans (including massive Boo-phile Mr. Clary, who drove down from VT), and provided the band a relaxed place to play before heading slightly south. Their next stops included an in-store at Brooklyn's Fix Cafe / Soundfix Records (which was put together by Jack Rabid and his essential Big Takeover Magazine), along with a couple of other club dates to finish out the trip.

The shows came just after Martin had decided to officially abandon the Bravecaptain moniker that he'd been recording and performing under during the 7 years since his former band packed it in. When I read that he was retiring the name, I was worried he'd stop making music altogether... and instead we get treated right away to his first live appearances under his own name. Hopefully a sign of more recorded material and return visits to come.

So here's Martin Carr and his Boston-flavored backing band performing at Great Scott back in November. The eleven-song set is made up not only of Bravecaptain songs, but two ace Boo Radleys numbers: "Lazarus" from 1993's "Giant Steps", and "The Old Newstand at Hamilton Square" from their final album, 1998's "Kingsize". Scroll below the set for lots of links, including where to download many more Martin mp3s...

Martin Carr

Live at The Pill @ Great Scott
in Allston, Mass.
on Friday, November 10th, 2006

01. Whatever Happened to the Fingertipsaint?
02. My Mind Pictures
03. Oh You
04. The Old Newstand at Hamilton Square
05. Hermit Versus the World
06. Dive
07. This Weight That You Have Found
08. Good Life
09. Big Black Pig Pile
10. Dead of Winter
11. Lazarus

Some Carr-centric links...

The Bravecaptain site, MySpace page, Martin's Wikipedia entry, the Boo Radleys' site, and the Boo's Wikipedia entry.

"Distractions", Martin's sixth and final full-length release under the Bravecaptain name, is available as a free download right here.

All previously released Bravecaptain studio material is listed here, where you can find links to several more free mp3s. The full discs can be purchased through the Bravecaptain shop.

The 10th anniversary of the Boo Radley's phenomenal album "Giant Steps" was marked with this commemorative minisite, which includes commentary on every track from Boo-members Martin, singer Sice, and bassist Tim. Martin's commentary is particularly candid: one track is "shite!", another is "fucking ace!", and that's just the tip of it. There are also several demo and live versions of the tracks to be streamed within the descriptions, and here's one of 'em...

Mp3: The Boo Radleys - "I Hang Suspended" (demo)

Corin Ashley's own website can be found here, although it's been down for a little while, so you're much better off visiting his MySpace page. Check out some of his solo songs over there, including, and I kid you not, a ukulele cover of Tears For Fears' "Head Over Heels" that totally works. You can pick up Corin's 2006 solo album "Songs From the Brill Bedroom" (which includes a guest appearance from Martin) over at CD Baby or via iTunes.

As I mentioned, Martin and the band headed down to Brooklyn after their Boston show, and you can check out a review of their Big Takeover party appearance over at Sound Bites, and some words from BT-publisher Jack Rabid right here.

the ever-present fine print... If anyone has an issue with this live set being made available, just say the word (contact info in the 'nac faq). Recorded with a Sony ECM-719 mic and a Sony MZ-RH10 minidisc, converted to .wav and then edited to 192kbps mp3s. Tracks are made available for a limited time, and are not reposted once removed.

Labels: livemp3s