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

Monday, February 26, 2007

Monday Music Miscellany

Let's see how fast I can crank through this one. Compulsive spellcheckers, enjoy...

In case you hadn't heard 'em, I snagged the audio from a these two recent live television appearances. Great performances, all...

Mp3: Explosions In The Sky - "Welcome, Ghosts" (live on Conan O'Brien)

Mp3: Arcade Fire - "Intervention" (live on SNL)

Mp3: Arcade Fire - "Keep the Car Running" (live on SNL)

Whitney over at Pop Candy was in the Saturday Night Live audience and wrote up her experience. Y'know, Win Butler's guitar-smashing didn't bother me a bit, but I am just glad he didn't start kicking things with his gigantic feet. Now that would have been some serious destruction.

Starting this morning, you can stream the entirety of Arcade Fire's slightly-hyped new album, "Neon Bible", thanks to NME...

Album Stream: Arcade Fire - "Neon Bible"

You'll have to register for an NME account, but that's a small price to pay. I've been holding off listening to any leaked tracks (aside from the live SNL cuts, of course) so I could get the full-on experience, and let's just say I 'm glad I did.

Tickets for Arcade Fire's only Boston date, on May 10th at the Orpheum, went on sale Friday and promptly sold out, no surprise there. My fast-clickin' fingers treated me well. The Craigslist madness has already begun, drowning out the pleas for extra tix to next month's long-since-sold-out Explosions in the Sky show. I swear, if I lacked a music-fan's conscience, I could make a killing on the Craigslist ticket speculation market.

Out tomorrow is "Back Numbers", the second full-lengther from former Luna and Galaxie 500 frontman Dean Wareham and his musical companion Britta Phillips. I've spent a lot of time with it over the past few weeks, and while I sometimes miss the full-band-feel of Luna, it's a welcome addition to the Dean-involved discography. Here's the second track from the disc, courtesy of Rounder Records imprint Zoe...

Mp3: Dean & Britta - "Words You Used To Say"

Don't forget that Dean & Britta are playing at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston on Friday, March 9th. Tickets are still available here.

While the headlines exclaimed that "Sonic Youth, Slint to play classic albums" as part of this year's "Don't Look Back" concert series, I was far more excited by the fact that the House of Love will be performing the entirety of their 1988 self-titled debut. Yeah, wrong continent, but I can still hope a recording gets out there, either officially or through some industrious taper. Even better, let's see the band make its way to American shores. Can someone get on that for me?

So I've been waiting patiently for this show to get scheduled, and it finally appeared: Kristin Hersh returns to the Boston area in support of her fantastic new disc, "Learn To Sing Like A Star" on Saturday, April 21st. She's hitting the Regent Theater in Arlington, and it won't be your run-of-the-mill solo acoustic performance... this time around not only will she have a full band, but string accompaniment as well (who I can only assume will be the brilliant McCarricks). As a sucker for string work, and especially their brand of it, I couldn't be more excited. Tickets go on sale this Saturday, March 3rd, through Ticket#$!@*, the Middle East box office, and hopefully, Virtuous.

Kristin recently played three songs from the new album ("In Shock", "Winter", and "Under The Gun") on WXPN's World Cafe, and you can listen to them at NPR's website right here.

Also just announced: A Boston-area stop for the Ben Gibbard (DCFC) / David Bazan (PTL) solo troubadour tour. The two are teaming up for dates this Spring, and they'll be hitting our Somerville Theater on the 7th of May with Johnathan Rice. Tickets go on sale this Friday morning, March 2nd, at 10am right here.

The official site for the Poster Children has received a spiffy redesign thanks to singer/guitarist Rick's web skillz, and the band has just started a feature called the "Single of the Moment" through their 12 Inch Records imprint. I'll let Rick's words explain...

"There's a lot of nattering about 'The Future of Music' but what people are really talking about is 'The Future of the Music Business', and as a music fan and music maker I don't really care how or if Sony, Time Warner, Rupert Murdoch or Apple will be able to make millions of dollars off of other people's creativity in the next few years- I'm interested in hearing the next song or band that will make my day. The future of music is what it has always been: the future of music is musicians.

Most of the sounds I've loved over the past 20+ years have required some extra effort to find- commercial radio, chain stores and major labels rarely provided anything of interest; it was word of mouth channeled through friends, fanzines, college radio, independent record labels and independent record stores that gave me what I wanted. Now with the web, word of mouth is hyperlinked- it's easier than ever to find music that is in line with your specific tastes and there's no reason to spend any time or money supporting the major media companies' DRM infested business model that benefits neither the creator nor the consumer.

So we're going to try out an alternative way of doing things this year: The Single of the Moment. We've adopted the name of a series of 7" singles we put out in the early nineties but things are a bit different this time around. Once a month a new song featuring some or all of Poster Children will be posted on the Twelve Inch Records site. You may freely download, listen to and distribute the song, all we ask is that if you really like it, consider dropping a dollar in 'the hat'"

Love it. Head over to the site to listen to the first song, "Machines (Take Good Care Of The)", and drop a buck or two in the PKids hat. Put your money behind the true believers. And don't forget to tune in to Rick and Rose's Radiozero podcast.

Fellow Bostonian Chris Brokaw is heading out to Chicago this weekend to play "Molto Amore: A Salut! To Silkworm" on Saturday, and I only wish I could make the trip as well. Read an interview with organizer Joe Sepi on Glorious Noise.

According to Centro-matic's MySpace page, they'll have a new EP titled "Operation Motorcide" out this Spring courtesy of Houston Party Records. Tracks include "All This Fresh Mutiny", "Atlanta", "Operation Motorcide", "A Celebrated Grime", "Blood On The Floor", "Daggers Sharp Enough", "Circuits to Circuses", and "74 Cuts 74 Scars". Eight songs? That's a mighty generous EP, it is.

The weekly sharing of the Touch & Go Records 25th Anniversary video featurettes continues apace, with a new clip appearing every Monday morning like well-calibrated clockwork. So far we've got interviews and concert footage from Shipping News, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Calexico, Didjits, and this morning, a brand new clip from Quasi. It's overall amazing footage, the perfect compliment to last September's live experience, and I damn well hope it all ends up compiled on a DVD (with bonus live songs, perhaps?).

Ok, so the coolest part about the Jesus and Mary Chain reuniting (well, aside from the fact that the Jesus and Mary Chain are reuniting) is that their rhythm section is Ride drummer Loz Colbert and Lush bass player Phil King. Can you say "shoegaze soopergroop"? Actually, don't say it. It just sounds silly.

It's a crazy week for shows here in Boston... there's just far too much to choose from...

Tonight over at the Paradise we've got Sparklehorse in the main room and Catherine Wheel frontman Rob Dickinson right there in the Lounge. A painful coincidence, to have to choose between shows that are separated by a couple of walls. This morning's post over at Chromewaves has me leaning even more towards Sparklehorse... I've always wanted to see them/him live, and knowing that Mark Linkous and his band will be playing lots of old stuff kinda seals the deal. But if there's any possible way to sneak up for some of Rob's songs either before or after, I'm there.

And tomorrow, if I wasn't going to see a live staging of This American Life (with lots of great guests, including Mates of State and Sarah Vowell) at the Opera House, I'd probably be over at Great Scott checking out another Fenway Recordings Session. This one's got Elvis Perkins (fresh off some dates with Okkervil River) playing with Patrick Watson. If you haven't heard Perkins, check out his recent live Daytrotter Session.

Wednesday, yet another serious conundrum: Do I check out Pinback's Rob Crow doing a solo show at TT the Bears, or Asobi Seksu next door at the Middle East Downstairs. I'm digging Rob Crow's new solo album, but I love the Asobi Seksu disc. I prefer TTs as a live venue, and that show has the added benefit of the wonderful Geoff Farina opening up. But I feel like I need to make up for bailing on Asobi Seksu when they played a tiny room at Tufts and I couldn't deal with the jammed-in crowd. Hmmm. I suppose it'd be asking too much for the set-timing to allow me to see both? Yeah, probably would.

Back tomorrow with a great post I've been working on for awhile, and a new shared live set. Until then...

Labels: music