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

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Thursday Music Miscellany

Well, last week's string of 4 rock shows in 4 days took a toll, and I've been pretty much out of commission since. The ol' constitution she ain't what she used to be, so lack of sleep and exposure to hundreds of fellow music fans left me with a nasty virus that I've been trying hard to kick. And I'd better kick it soon, because tonight is the big Sleepyhead / Thalia Zedek Band / Retribution Gospel Choir show. And tomorrow night: the return of a reunited Polvo. With the added bonus of some New Radiant Storm King and Birds of Avalon. Boosh.

Tickets for a couple of gonna-be-great Boston-area autumn shows go on sale tomorrow morning, so prick up your ears:

Built to Spill will be performing the entirety of their "Perfect From Now On" album at the seated Orpheum Theatre on Saturday, September 27th (a week after I see them do that in the Catskills). And for openers? Howzabout Dinosaur Jr. and the Meat Puppets? A pre-sale is happening right now (password: owl, until 10pm 6/19), and the rest will be available here at 10am tomorrow.

Billy Bragg has booked two nights at the Somerville Theatre on October 21st and 22nd, and tickets should be available here tomorrow morning as well.

And while you won't need to buy tickets for this one, you'd do well to RSVP soon-ish for the just-announced free Hold Steady at the Paradise next week. On Thursday night the 26th the band will play one of those gratis Miller Lite-sponsored Going.com promo events, and joining them will be local gents Aberdeen City. Head here to sign up and add yourself to the guest list, and I'd show up early that night to make sure you get in. The H.S. could sell out the place on their own, but with free admission and A.C. on the bill, it's gonna be super-crammed. Stop back here tomorrow when I'll be doing a giveaway for some special passes to the thing as well.

As I mentioned, I'll finally be seeing the now-active Sleepyhead tonight when they open for Alan Sparkhawk's Retribution Gospel Choir, and sandwiched between 'em will be the excellent Thalia Zedek and her band. Check out a recent interview with Thalia on on Well-Rounded Radio (Mp3). Thalia & Co. are on a tour that stops at the Mercury Lounge in NYC tonight, hits our Middle East show tomorrow, and heads to Canada for a couple dates before ending in Chicago on Sunday. Word is that West coast shows and some European dates are also in the works, so keep an eye peeled here for updates.

Bottomless Pit comes back to Boston next month (with the Kadane Bros.) for the first time since their September 2006 set at the Middle East. The band will be bringing their new "Congress" EP, four songs on vinyl (with a CD included) that make a relatively quick follow-up to their debut full-length last year. You can get the EP tracks digitally right now at the Comedy Minus One label site, or pre-order the vinyl here or straight from the band. It ships in mid-July, but for an advance taste, grab the Mp3 of the track "Fish Eyes" right here. More BP goodness: Watch this video of the band performing the excellent "Cardinal Movements" at the 2008 Villette Sonique Festival in Paris.

Congrats to reader Jeff from Cambridge, who won the 'Nac ticket giveaway for tomorrow night's Shearwater show at TT the Bears. I'll be next door at the Middle East, but I'm hoping to be able to skip over to TTs pre-Polvo. Hopefully the timing will work out. If you haven't been fortunate enough to hear the gorgeous voice of Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg in person, this might do: NPR streamed the band's recent appearance at the Black Cat in DC, and you can listen to the whole show here.

Another broadcast you should bookmark for later listening: Elbow will be performing at the Paradiso in Amsterdam next Wednesday night, June 25th, and Fabchannel will be delivering the whole show live. The site's audio (and yes, video) quality is usually top-notch, so jot down that date.

Buffalo Tom's Bill Janovitz is in the middle of a weekly (and month-long) residency at the tiny Toad in Cambridge, MA. These free Thursday night shows are typically rollicking affairs (he calls it a "shambolic hootenanny"), with random cover songs scattered among Bill's solo, Buffalo Tom, and Crown Victoria material, with random guests possibly partaking as well. The second installment of the residency is tonight from 9pm to close, the third next Thursday, and the last one on July 3rd.

Bill has also announced that he'll be playing a set before a Regent Theatre screening of the locally produced film "On Broadway" (which I caught at the 2007 IFFB) on Friday night, June 27th. He provided the score for the film, and has shared one of the songs on his blog. If you recognize it, that's because it's a gorgeously slowed-down instrumental version of the Buffalo Tom song "You'll Never Catch Him", which was my favorite track off last year's "Three Easy Pieces" album. Stream it here.

Here's a bit of bittersweetness: While the release party for Sanguine Drone's debut album "Terrafracture" is tonight, it will also be their last show for the foreseeable future, and possibly forever. But at least they leave us with something to listen to, right? Check out some songs from the limited edition 8-track disc at their MySpace page, and if you can, pick up your own discounted copy at O'Briens in Allston tonight when they play with The Crushing Low, 28 Degrees Taurus, and Chris Pearson's Ekranoplan.

Back in February I pre-ordered my own copy of Wheat's limited edition two-disc "Move=Move" mini-album, which was to include new tracks, instrumentals, and videos, but there's been a bit of a delay that was explained by the Empyrean label thusly:

"In short, due to other opportunities for the band with the upcoming full length, "Move=Move" will never be released into stores - this was a mutual decision between Wheat and the label. The good news is that the record will be a very limited edition package and will be for fans that have already ordered it from the Empyrean site ONLY. To apologize for the delay we want to offer the record to you free of charge."

Well, I'll accept pretty much any apology that saves me twenty bucks, but I am still itching to hear some new Wheat songs. That message sounds to me like the band may have struck some kind of deal for the next album's release (title: "White Ink, Black Ink"), a deal that might include songs from the EP? If so, that's surely good news for them and for us fans, especially after the mess they went through playing with the majors for while.

Next week, Ontario band A Northern Chorus says farewell to the world with two final Canadian shows: Toronto on the 27th and Hamilton, ON on the 28th. I only wish I'd known that the most recent time I saw them would be the last, so I could thank them for making the trip down to the Boston area so many times. I was fortunate enough to catch them on least three or four occasions during their eight year existence, and even luckier to have shared the bill with them a couple of those times. I truly thought they'd hit a creative peak with their latest (and now final) album, "The Millions Too Many", so for me they're certainly going out on top. Thanks for the musical memories, ANC, especially that remarkable set you played at the Lizard Lounge while a torrential downpour soaked the streets outside. The open LL door let the cracking thunder be perfect accompaniment to your gorgeous set.

Ok, Almanac readers, face forward and pay close attention: I don't ask you for much, but when I do, know that it matters much to me...

A longtime friend from my Vermont days, musician and recording engineer Daryl Rabidoux, was in a terrible car accident in his adopted home of Providence, Rhode Island last week. Just look at this list of injuries: Two punctured lungs, a bunch of broken ribs, a torn liver, fractured sternum, and head trauma. One thing's for sure, in addition to being one of the nicest guys I know, Daryl is apparently one tough customah.

Now, if you know how these things usually are for working musicians, Daryl is without health insurance (thanks, country!), and a two-week stint in the hospital will leave him hurting financially along with physically. So I'm askin', for no other reason than he needs and deserves it, that you consider sending a couple bucks his way via the paypal button below to help cover his medical costs. Because he shouldn't have to deal with digging himself out of a monetary hole while he tries to get his health back.

And if you dug his excellent band The Cancer Conspiracy, then give a little bit extra. His friend and former Rocketsled bandmate Casey writes about Daryl, and shares information for musicians in need of insurance, here. Visit the Strangeways Recording MySpace page for updates from Daryl's studio partner Mike, and keep an eye out for benefit shows in Providence, Boston, and Burlington.

posted by brad at 2:39 PM | direct link | rss (1 :2) | |

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