Bradley’s Almanac

Nothing is Enough and Everything’s Too Much

Posted on September 13, 2004 at 2:08 pm | No Comments

No foreplay today, just jumping right on in. Mostly music-type things this time around…

A brand new Audio Learning Center track has just been posted to their site, and whoa, is it a good one. Titled “New Calvary“, the song almost made it onto their latest record (the criminally underheard Cope Park), but wasn’t quite finished in time. Now that it’s done, it’s ours for free. (or you can pick up the latest Vagrant Records compilation, it’s on there, too… although misspelled as ‘Cavalry’. Silly spellchecker.)

Oh my oh my oh my. Just found out that Rilo Kiley‘s October 5th Boston show was moved from the Middle East over to the much bigger Somerville Theater (seats!). Wanna know why? Well, it wasn’t because the show was in danger of selling out (although it probably is)… it was to accommodate the 10 PIECE ORCHESTRA that they’re touring with. Siiiigh… I’m such a sucker for strings. The ending of “Does He Love You?” is going to sound like heaven.

So not only did I pick up those Rilo Kiley tickets yesterday, but I grabbed some to Ted Leo‘s December 9th gig as well. I chose that one over his show on the 8th since his brother Chris’ band, Vague Angels, will be making their Boston debut, opening up that second night. Plus, Matt Pond PA. Hell of a triple bill.

Oh, and we got Pixies tickets. Pricey weekend. Buh-bye, bank account.

I’ve been on an Arcwelder kick recently, which I tend to do once a year or so… going back through all their albums, wondering if they’ve got any new music in the works. It’s been too waaaay too long since the release of 1999’s Everest. So, an a whim, I dropped them an email through their website. This morning’s response…

“Hey Brad –

Believe it or not, we have been kinda working on a few new tunes. Not enough to be a record or anything, but a few that seem OK. It may be that they will be an internet release only kind of thing, who knows.

The band is really kinda on the back burner these days, but we aren’t 100% ready to give it up yet either, so who knows. We just don’t have a lot of time to put in to getting things in shape for recording.

Anyway – Thanks for your continued interest in the band, I’m glad you like the music.

Rob, (Scott, Bill) arcwelder”

So there’s hope for new stuff on the horizon. Great news. I’m probably pushing it to hope for a tour someday (hell, it’s been 8 years), but ya never know. One of the best live bands I’ve ever seen, no lyin’.

The tracklisting to Rhino‘s upcoming box set, Left of the Dial: Dispatches From the ’80s Underground is fairly respectable. Target-designed for people like, uh, me I suppose. Well, maybe to people like me who don’t already own most of the songs, that is, and who don’t care about the rest. Talk about a bit of schizo-sequencing… Camper into Suicidal Tendencies into the Cocteaus? Party programmers beware. Still, might make a good gift come Christmas.

Suddenly, it’s 12 years ago all over again. Not only is New Radiant Storm King back with a few shows to followup the release of their excellent Leftover Blues singles/rarities collection (they hit the Allston Plan on October 1st), but Thursday, October 7th will see the out-of-nowhere return of the one and only Green Magnet School to the stage, along with Kudgel the day after, and all for a good cause. The details…

THE “BARTLEY’S CHOICE” MEMORIAL BENEFIT/NOISEROCK REUNION

THURSDAY-FRIDAY, OCT. 7th and 8th

MIDDLE EAST UPSTAIRS, CAMBRIDGE

The fertile, late 80’s-early 90’s Boston noiserock scene is born again hard when several bands from that era reunite to honor good friend and fan, Tim Bartley, who died recently, leaving a wife and young daughter.

*Proceeds from the event will benefit the Tim Bartley Family Fund* The show will be 18+, 21 to drink, and will be $10 at the door.

Many of the bands featured over the 2 nights, including Kudgel and Red Bliss, have been disbanded for over a decade. Former Sub Pop recording artists Green Magnet School will be playing 2 sets, the first featuring all original members, the second with the ’92-’94 “Illuminatus” lineup.

Noise-art terrorists Red Bliss, famously banned from every club they ever played, have members traveling hundreds of miles to do the benefit, as are others as well. Of course, these are all “one-off” performances, so this is going to be an amazing, rare chance to see and hear what the Boston “noise scene” was like in the late 80’s-early 90’s.

Earplugs are recommended for the faint of heart, and lobotomies are promised for those who take this raw sonic shrapnel without protection.

Officially, these are the lineups over 2 nights…

Bartley’s Choice Memorial Benefit

Middle East Upstairs

18+ $10.00

*proceeds to benefit the Tim Bartley Family Fund*

Thursday October 7th:

Green Magnet School (2 sets)- headlining.

Slughog (featuring members of Barbaro, Liquor Tricks)

Luca Brasi (Members of Blacktail)

Donna Parker – opener

Friday October 8th:

Kudgel – headlining

Red Bliss

The Beatings

St. Bastard (From NYC, featuring Dave Gwiazdowski of Badass)- opener

There will be a limited edition double 7″ Kudgel/Luca Brasi single for sale, as well as material from all featured bands, including their current endeavors.”

Couple of sure-to-be-good records getting released tomorrow: Silkworm‘s “It’ll Be Cool”, and Thalia Zedek‘s “Trust Not Those In Whom Without Some Touch of Madness”. The lead track off of the Silkworm disc is available here, and Thalia’s got a sample mp3, Evil Hand, available here, too.

Set the TiVo: Ambulance Ltd. will be playing on Last Call with Carson Daly this Thursday night (well, technically Friday morning), September 16th.

Anyone else catch that Six Feet Under season finale last night? Now that was some good teevee right there. I tell ya, I’ve had a difficult time riding the elevator here at work today. Yikes.

Duty calls, more later on…

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  • BOSTON-AREA LIVE SHOW ACTION
    Thursday, November 6th
    Matt Pond PA
    @ the Fallout Shelter, Norwood

    Thursday, November 6th
    Colin Hay (Men at Work)
    @ the Chevalier Theatre

    Thursday, November 6th
    Robert Plant's Saving Grace
    featuring Suzi Dian
    @ the Shubert Theatre

    Thursday & Friday
    November 6th & 7th
    The Lone Bellow
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, Friday, & Saturday
    November 6th, 7th, & 8th
    Buffalo Tom's 2nd annual
    "Please Come to Boston" fest
    with special live performances
    & guests each night
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Friday & Saturday
    November 7th & 8th
    Steve Martin & Martin Short
    three shows @ the Wang

    Friday, November 7th
    The Nervous Eaters
    Classic Ruins
    @ the Burren

    Friday, November 7th
    Minibeast
    Sky Furrows
    Linnea's Garden
    @ Deep Cuts

    Saturday, November 8th
    Luke O'Neil
    "We Had It Coming"
    Book Release Party
    4pm @ the Sinclair

    Saturday, November 8th
    Oneida
    Thalia Zedek Band
    Bong Wish
    @ Deep Cuts

    Saturday, November 8th
    Cracker
    with special guests
    @ Abbot Hall, Marblehead

    Saturday, November 8th
    Howl Owl Howl
    @ the Paradise

    Saturday, November 8th
    The Mars Volta
    @ House of Blues

    Sunday, November 9th
    Flock of Dimes
    @ the Rockwell

    Sunday, November 9th
    Wesley Stace
    with guests
    Josh Kantor & Bob Pernice
    @ Club Passim

    Sunday, November 9th
    The Samples
    @ City Winery

    Monday, November 10th
    Constant Smiles
    The Shallows
    @ Deep Cuts

    Tuesday, November 11th
    Jason Bonham's
    Led Zeppelin Evening
    @ the House of Blues Boston

    Tuesday & Wednesday
    November 11th & 12th
    Micky Dolenz (the Monkees)
    Songs & Stories
    @ City Winery

    Wednesday, November 12th
    Jens Lekman
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, November 13th
    Janeane Garofalo
    two shows
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Thursday, November 13th
    Major Stars
    Mountain Movers
    Gossip Collar
    @ Deep Cuts

    Thursday, November 13th
    Celebration of Hip-Hop with
    Hall of Fame Induction of Rakim
    @ Berklee Performance Center

    Friday, November 14th
    The Smithereens
    with John Cowsill
    @ City Winery

    Friday, November 14th
    John Fogerty
    doing CCR songs
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Friday, November 14th
    Tequila Sirens
    Cryin Caleb
    Headband
    Lunch Mother
    @ the Loft, Somerville

    Friday, November 14th
    Geese
    @ the Paradise

    Friday, November 14th
    Spiller
    The Long Wait
    @ the Middle East

    Saturday, November 15th
    Hallelujah The Hills
    (20th anniversary show!)
    with the return of the mighty...
    Ho-Ag! @ Deep Cuts

    Saturday, November 15th
    Kris Thompson's
    Amazing Birthday Bash!
    with The Croaks,
    Daughter of the Vine,
    Happy the Clown (reunion),
    & Winds of Alluria
    @ the Lilypad

    Saturday, November 15th
    Beach Fossils
    @ the Paradise

    Sunday, November 16th
    The Faint
    Hercules & Love Affair
    @ the Royale

    Sunday, November 16th
    Die Spitz
    @ the Sinclair

    Sunday, November 16th
    Black Flag
    (Ginn & the kids)
    @ Taffeta in Lowell

    Monday, November 17th
    Tom Morello & Friends
    (electric full band show)
    @ the Paradise

    Tuesday & Wednesday
    November 18th & 19th
    The Barr Brothers
    Land of Talk
    @ the Sinclair

    Wednesday, November 19th
    EARFULL series
    "Writers reading, songwriters playing"
    with authors
    Peter Orner & Nick Flynn
    and musicians
    Dead Gowns & Future Teens
    @ Regattabar, Cambridge

    Wednesday, November 19th
    Author Joe Hill
    presenting 'King Sorrow'
    @ Brookline Booksmith

    Thursday, November 20th
    Weakened Friends
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, November 20th
    Sarah McLachlan
    @ the Orpheum

    Thursday, November 20th
    SOM
    Hiroe
    Girih
    Bedroom Eyes
    @ Deep Cuts

    Friday, November 21st
    Queensrÿche
    Accept
    @ Somerville Theatre

    Friday & Saturday
    November 21st & 22nd
    Letters to Cleo
    The Cavedogs
    @ the Paradise Rock Club

    Saturday, November 22nd
    Couch
    @ Roadrunner

    Sunday, November 23rd
    Story of the Year
    Senses Fail
    Armor for Sleep
    @ Roadrunner

    Monday, November 24th
    Stevie Nicks
    @ TD Garden

    Monday, November 24th
    Bar Italia
    Lifeguard
    @ the Paradise

    Monday, November 24th
    Patti Smith
    Horses 50th Anniversary Tour
    @ the Orpheum

    Tuesday & Wednesday
    November 25th & 26th
    The English Beat
    @ City Winery

    Wednesday, November 26th
    The Lemonheads
    @ The Wilbur

    Saturday, November 29th
    Chris Brokaw
    Beth Kaplan
    Franklin Bruno
    @ the Lilypad

    Saturday, November 29th
    Portugal. The Man
    @ Roadrunner

    Saturday, November 29th
    Vundabar
    @ the Sinclair

    Sunday, November 30th
    Caspian
    Aisha Burns
    @ Sonia

    Monday, December 1st
    (second show added)
    The Beths
    Phoebe Rings
    @ the Royale

    Thursday, December 4th
    Claire Rousay
    @ the Rockwell

    Friday, December 5th
    The Besnard Lakes
    @ Deep Cuts

    Friday, December 5th
    STL GLD
    House Party
    with Bad Rabbits
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, December 5th
    The Bug Club
    Spirit Ghost
    Dinos
    Joy Boys
    @ O'Brien's

    Saturday, December 6th
    The Aimee Mann & Ted Leo
    Christmas Show featuring
    Paul F. Tompkins, Nellie McKay,
    & Josh Gondelman
    @ the Chevalier Theatre

    Saturday, Dec 6th
    Freezepop
    Mellow Bravo
    Harris
    Replaced By Robots
    @ the Middle East Downstairs

    December 6th
    Sorry
    @ the Middle East Up

    Tuesday, December 9th
    They Are Gutting A Body Of Water
    Hooky
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Wednesday, December 10th
    EARFULL series
    "Writers reading, songwriters playing"
    @ Regattabar, Cambridge

    Thursday, December 11th
    The Ladybug Transistor
    Giant Day
    Gold Dust
    @ Deep Cuts

    Saturday, December 13th
    Paula Poundstone
    @ the Mosesian Center, Watertown

    Saturday, December 13th
    Will Dailey
    @ the Paradise

    Saturday, December 13th
    Converge's SADDEST DAY Fest
    with Touché Amoré, Coalesce,
    The Hope Conspiracy, Soul Glo,
    Year of the Knife, Stress Positions,
    Wormwood, and more
    @ Roadrunner

    Saturday, December 13th
    A John Waters Christmas
    @ Berklee Performance Center

    Saturday, December 13th
    J. Robbins Band plays
    Burning Airlines
    @ Deep Cuts

    Sunday, December 14th
    Cursive
    AJJ
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Monday, December 15th
    Algernon Cadwallader
    @ the Sinclair

    Wednesday, December 17th
    Patti Smith
    Book Tour Stop
    @ the Chevalier

    Saturday, December 20th
    The Del Fuegos
    Early & Late shows
    @ City Winery

    Sunday, December 21st
    Samantha Fish
    Cedric Burnside
    Jon Spencer
    @ the Wilbur

    Saturday, December 27th
    John Oliver
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Sunday, December 28th
    The Felice Brothers
    Charlotte Cornfield
    @ the Sinclair

    Monday & Tuesday
    December 29th & 30th
    The Disco Biscuits
    Monday @ the Sinclair
    Tuesday @ the Royale

    Wednesday, January 14th, 2026
    Bishop Allen
    Mates of State
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, January 15th
    Cate Le Bon
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, January 15th
    Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
    "Piano & Voice" performance
    @ the MFA Boston

    Monday, January 19th
    Shame
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Thursday, January 27th
    The Residents
    Eskimo Live! Tour
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Thursday, January 29th
    Bad Bad Hats
    performing "Psychic Reader"
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Friday, January 30th
    Greg Freeman
    Golomb
    @ the Red Room at Cafe 939

    Saturday & Sunday
    January 31st & February 1st
    Something In The Way Fest 2026
    with Explosions In The Sky,
    Sunny Day Real Estate, Citizen,
    Tigers Jaw, The Hotelier, Momma,
    Angel Dust, February, First Day Back,
    Glitterer, Glixen, Gollylagging, Guv,
    Graham Hunt, Horse Jumper of Love,
    How Much Art, No Warning, Pelican,
    Park National, Pool Kids, Sheer Mag,
    Wicca Phase Springs Eternal,
    and Teen Suicide
    @ Roadrunner

    Thursday, February 12th
    Brandi Carlile
    The Head and the Heart
    @ TD Garden

    Friday, February 13th
    Nine Inch Nails
    @ TD Garden

    Friday, February 20th
    Marissa Nadler
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Saturday, February 21st
    Margo Price
    @ the Royale

    February 28th
    Ratboys
    Florry
    @ the Sinclair

    Tuesday, March 3rd
    Spiritual Cramp
    @ the Sinclair

    Wednesday, March 4th
    Cat Power
    "The Greatest 2026" tour
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
    March 13th, 14th, & 15th
    Dropkick Murphys
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Tuesday, March 17th
    Dropkick Murphys
    @ House of Blues

    Thursday, March 19th
    Julianna Barwick
    & Mary Lattimore
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Friday, March 20th
    The Hives
    The Chats
    @ House of Blues

    Saturday, March 21st
    Cass McCombs
    Chris Cohen
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Saturday, March 21st
    Joyce Manor
    Militarie Gun
    Teen Mortgage
    Combat
    @ House of Blues

    Monday, March 23rd
    Westerman
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, March 26th
    The Format
    Piebald
    Adult Mom
    @ Roadrunner

    Sunday, March 29th
    Ladysmith Black Mambazo
    @ Sanders Theatre

    Wednesday, April 1st
    Wednesday (the band)
    @ Roadrunner

    Thursday, April 2nd
    On Cinema Live! with
    Tim Heidecker
    & Gregg Turkington
    @ the Wilbur

    Friday, April 3rd
    Patrick Watson
    @ Somerville Theatre

    Saturday, April 4th
    The Dirty Three
    @ the Sinclair

    Saturday, April 4th
    Puscifer
    Dave Hill
    @ the Wang Theatre

    Thursday, April 16th
    Rhiannon Giddens
    @ the Orpheum

    Saturday, April 18th
    The Last Dinner Party
    Florence Road
    @ Roadrunner

    Sunday, April 19th
    Heavenly
    Swansea Sound
    Jeanines
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, April 30th
    Oklou
    @ the Royale

    Thursday, May 14th
    Melody's Echo Chamber
    @ the Royale

    Tuesday & Wednesday
    May 19th & 20th
    Belle and Sebastian
    play "Tigermilk" (19th) and
    "If You're Feeling Sinister" (20th)
    @ the Orpheum

    Thursday, June 11th
    Echo & the Bunnymen
    @ Roadrunner

    Wednesday, June 26th
    The Church
    The Singles Tour
    (rescheduled from 8/1/25)
    @ Somerville Theatre

    Friday, September 4th
    Peter Hook & the Light
    play New Order's "Get Ready"
    @ House of Blues

    Saturday, September 12th
    Rush
    @ TD Garden