International Pop Overthrow 2006

WED 11/1 to MON 11/6

Doors open at 6:30pm
International Pop Overthrow
at Paradise Lounge, 969 Comm. Ave., Boston (near BU)
$10 / 18+

I remember going to the original Poptopia festival shows back in L.A. many years ago. International Pop Overthrow has taken up the mantle of presenting dozens of bands over several days that all share a love for the pop that’s really ‘popular’ anymore: catchy songs with jangly/loud guitars. A lot of bands still take that classic formula and put their own twist on it, and there’s a boat load of ‘em here in Boston. It’s 5 nights of 30-minute sets, so don’t think about it too much -- just go when ever you can. You’re bound to hear something you like. I still haven’t been to a bad show.

I might write more, but here's the list of bands for each night:

WED 11/1Cookie Cutter Girl: Pop Superhero (11:30pm), The Kickbacks (11pm), The Cautions (10:30pm), Girl On Top (10pm), Mike Previti (9:30pm), Anushka Pop (9pm), Andy Pratt (8:30pm), Jillian Wheeler (8pm)

FRI 11/3
Minky Starshine and The New Cardinals (11:30pm), My Little Radio (11pm), The Flashcubes (10:30pm), The Luxury (10pm), Rooftop Suicide Club (9:30pm), Temper (9pm), The Silver Lining (8:30pm), The Naomi Star (8pm)

SAT 11/4:
Rock E. Rollins (11:30pm), Sass (11pm), The Brett Rosenberg Problem (10:30pm), The Banana Convention (10pm), The Irresponsibles (9:30pm), A Wish For Fire (9pm), Scamper (8:30pm), Mitch Linker (8pm)

SUN 11/5:
The Motion Sick (11pm), RUTH (10:30pm), Coley (10pm), School For The Dead (9:30pm), Mark Renburke (9pm), Justin Levinson (8:30pm), Jen Tobey (8pm), Dave Aaronoff (7:30pm)

MON 11/6:
The Mystery Tramps (11pm), Static Of The Gods (10:30pm), The New Thirty (10pm), The Fawns (9:30pm), The Buckners (9pm), Fireking (8:30pm), Satch Kerans (8pm), Cheater Pint (7:30pm)

http://www.internationalpopoverthrow.com/
http://www.internationalpopoverthrow.com/artists-Boston-2006.htm
http://www.internationalpopoverthrow.com/schedule-boston-2006.htm
http://www.thedise.com/

NEMO Festival -- 9/28 to 9/30: Addendum

Okay. In case you’ve just stumbled upon this, here is the original listing from the weekly e-list:

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

THUR 9/28 to SAT 9/30

Various Times
10th Annual NEMO Festival
at Various Clubs around Boston
$10 or less for most shows / $25 for 3-day pass

This is Boston's mini-version of Austin's South by Southwest music festival. I assume NEMO tands for 'New England Music, Oh'... If you feel like catching a boatload of bands in 3 days, it's a good deal to get the 3-day pass and pace yourself. Aw, screw pacing! Go ape-crazy...

Many of the shows are at the clubs where I usually find cheap entertainment, but some bigger names are playing that would cost more than $10. Keep in mind that the 3-day pass does not guarantee entry, but you wouldn't have to pay the normal cover charge.

There are way too many shows to list here, but these are some of my ideas:

Thursday -- It might be worth the pass to try to catch Yo La Tengo at Avalon (full price $20) on Thursday and catch one more show; opening act is Why?, an Anticon label, indie-rap guy... Allston-wise, I'd try to catch Peelander-Z at Great Scott then up to Harper's Ferry for Humanwine then back to Great Scott for Wild Zero... On the Cambridge side, I would start with some folkish bands at Club Passim then head to Plough and Stars for the Irish Showcase until about 10:30pm then finish at TT's for The Bleedin Bleedins, The Head Set, and Violet Nine...

Friday -- The whole lineup at the Plough and Stars is really good; it's called a 'Cutting Edge Blues Showcase', but The World's Great Sinners are a must-see-for-yourself soul band; two sets by Scissormen bookend the night... I'd also be interested to hunker down at Abbey Lounge for 'Halifax Pop Explosion' night to hear how things are rockin' in Canada... If I'm in the mood for bizarre hip-hop, Kool Keith alias Dr. Octagon is one of the weirdest, well-known rappers I know of... I've heard Grace Potter and the Nocturnals have moved in a louder, rock-influenced direction; they're playing FRI and SAT in the main room at the Paradise... There's also a good set of acts at Harper's Ferry and Bill's Bar...

Saturday -- In Cambridge, I'd start early with Tim Blane at Club Passim. If I'm staying mellow, I'd move to Lizard Lounge to catch Mieka Pauley and Dwight & Nicole; or I'd go to Johnny D's for Sarah Borges, The Rudds, The SnowLeopards, etc. There are a couple good bands at Great Scott and Harper's Ferry, but probably not enough for me to head that way... I might not be in the mood for British synth-pop and Brazilian rock-tronica, but Ladytron w/ CSS would be a cool show to catch at Avalon... If I was already going to see Yo La Tengo or Ladytron, I'd pick up a NEMO pass for an extra $5...

Getting around for cheap: If you don't have a monthly T pass, a 1-day / 3-day "visitor's pass" (works on all subway lines, local & CT buses, commuter rail to Porter Sq, and more) is available for $7.50 / $18 -- the cost of about 6 or 15 subway rides...

As part of my public service, I might put up a 'Cheap Thrills'-customized NEMO schedule by Monday-ish at my little bloggo (that will likely never be regularly useful for anyone but me).

NEMO Schedule
Buy a Pass
Where to buy MBTA Visitor Pass
NEMO Homepage

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I thought I was going to list the whole schedule, but I just realized that there are some shows missing. Those were the shows that I didn’t see at least a couple of bands that I liked.

So here are shows that I thought were the best chances for good music. If you check back in a day or two, there might be more info… or not...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

===============================================
THUR 9/28
===============================================

* * * BOSTON / ALLSTON * * *

9pm (doors @ 8pm)
Yo La Tengo w/ Why?
at Avalon, 15 Lansdowne St, Boston (Kenmore Sq)
$20.25


9pm (doors @ 8pm)
Joseph Arthur, Annie Stela
at the Paradise, 967 Comm. Ave., Boston (near BU)
$12


Wild Zero (12:45am), Love Weapon (11:45pm), Bury the Needle (10:45pm), Peelander - Z (9:45pm), The Izzys (9pm)
at Great Scott, 1222 Commonwealth Avenue, Allston
$8


Campaign For Real Time (1am), The Chainletter (12:15am), HUMANWINE (11:30pm), The Rewinds (10:30pm), Moving Picture Show (9:45pm), Virgo Loves Cancer (9pm)
at Harpers Ferry, 158 Brighton Avenue, Allston
$8


The Dents (12:15am), The Humanoids (11:15pm), We're All Gonna Die (10:15pm), Superpower (9:15pm)
at O'Brien's, 3 Harvard St, Allston
$10


* * * CAMBRIDGE * * *

"MySpace Showcase"
Violet Nine (12:10am), The Head Set (11:25pm), The Bleedin Bleedins (10:45pm), No Lindsay (9:55pm), The WalkUp (9:10pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10


"NEMO Irish Connections Showcase w/ Brian O'Donovan (WGBH Celtic Radio)"
Traditional Irish Seisuin -- open to all (Midnight), The Dangerous Brothers with Jimmy Ryan and Christian McNeill (11pm), Matt and Shannon Heaton (10pm), Paddy Saul (9pm)
at Plough & Stars, 912 Mass. Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$5


Walter the Orange Ocean (10:15pm), Ryan Lee Crosby (9:30pm), Katamine (8:30pm), Leerone (7:45pm), Ponies in the Surf (7pm)
at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$12


The Break Mission (Midnight), [undetermined band] (11pm), The Spies (10pm), The Churchills (9pm), Mercy James Gang (8pm)
at Lizard Lounge/Cambridge Common, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between Harvard Sq & Porter Sq)
$10


Corin Ashley (Midnight), The Rockwells (10:30pm), The Comfies (9pm)
at Toad, 1912 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Porter Sq)
FREE


The Dirty Whites (11:45pm), Pretty and Nice (10:45pm), Appomattox (9:45pm), The Mugs (9pm)
at Abbey Lounge, 3 Beacon St, Somerville (Inman Sq)
$10


===============================================
FRI 9/29
===============================================

* * * BOSTON / ALLSTON * * *

Taxpayer (12:30am), The Sterns (11:30pm), Gene Dante and the Future Starlets (10:30pm), Fancey (9:30pm), Faces On Film (8:30pm)
at Bill's Bar, 5.5 Lansdowne Street, Boston (Kenmore Sq)
$5

9pm (doors @ 8pm)
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals w/ Peter Prince and Moon Boot Lover
at the Paradise, 967 Comm. Ave., Boston (near BU)
$13.50

9pm
Audible Mainframe, The Boston Afrobeat Society, AfroDZak, Mr. Nash, Omega Red
at Harpers Ferry, 158 Brighton Avenue, Allston
$8


* * * CAMBRIDGE / SOMERVILLE * * *

Dr. Octagon aka Kool Keith (Midnight), 7L and Esoteric (11pm), MC Kabir (10pm), Project Move (9:15pm), Starrs & Murph (8:30pm), Detroit Red (8pm)
at Middle East - Downstairs, 480 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$18 advance / $20 day of show


"New England Cutting Edge Blues Showcase"
Scissormen (12:25am), The World's Great Sinners (11:45pm), Ottomatic Slim (11:05pm), Tokyo Tramps (10:25pm), Scissormen (10pm)
at Plough & Stars, 912 Mass. Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$5


"The Halifax Pop Explosion Showcase"
Shotgun and Jaybird (Midnight), Dog Day (11pm), Caledonia (10pm), Julie Doiron (8:15pm), Carmen Townsend (7:15pm)
at Abbey Lounge, 3 Beacon St, Somerville (Inman Sq)
$10


===============================================
SAT 9/30
===============================================

* * * BOSTON / ALLSTON * * *

9pm (doors @ 8pm)
Ladytron, Cansei de Ser Sexy
at Avalon, 15 Lansdowne St, Boston (Kenmore Sq)
$18.25


9pm (doors @ 8pm)
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals w/ Lowell Thompson
at The Paradise, 967 Comm. Ave., Boston (near BU)
$13.50 / 18+


Read Yellow (Midnight), Jake Brennan (11pm), Foreign Islands (10pm), A Place To Bury Strangers (9pm), DJ Carbo, DJs from The Plan (8pm)
at Great Scott, 1222 Commonwealth Avenue, Allston
$10


The Long Winters (12:15am), Menomena (11:30pm), The Blizzard of '78 (10:45pm), Cousin (10pm), The Sharking (9:15pm), Sproll (8:30pm)
at Harpers Ferry, 158 Brighton Avenue, Allston
$12


* * * CAMBRIDGE / SOMERVILLE * * *

Cat and Mouse (12:35am), Tim Segreto (11:45pm), Shoney Lamar (11pm)
at Middle East - Corner, 480 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE


Pete Francis (12:15am), Easily Amused (11pm)
at ZuZu!, 474 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE


Jabe (12:15am), Cassavettes (11:15pm), Pete Kilpatrick (10:15pm), Tennessee Hollow (9:15pm), The Televangelist and the Architect (8:30pm)
at Abbey Lounge, 3 Beacon St, Somerville (Inman Sq)
$10


"Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival Emerging Artist Stage"
Scissormen (12:25am), Shaun Wolf Wortis (11:45pm), Goat (11:05pm), Michael Pickett (10:25pm), Scissormen (10pm)
at Plough & Stars, 912 Mass. Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$5


Michelle Lewis (11pm), David Berkeley (10:15pm), Kristin Cifelli (9:30pm), Heath Brandon (8:30pm), Jessica Sonner (7:45pm), Tim Blane (7pm)
at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$12


Mieka Pauley (Midnight), Dwight & Nicole (11pm), Matt Duke (10pm), Samantha Stollenwerck (9pm), Will Hawkins (8pm)
at Lizard Lounge/Cambridge Common, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between Harvard Sq & Porter Sq)
$10


Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles (Midnight), The Rudds (11pm), Carmen Townsend and the Shakey Deals (10pm), The SnowLeopards (9pm), Lomita (8pm)
at Johnny D's, 17 Holland St, Somerville (Davis Sq)
$10

NEMO Homepage
NEMO Schedule
Purchase a 3-Day Pass for $25 Here

Just felt like making a blog.

Hi,

I figured I should do something bloggy with this thang I do. Soon I'll put an abridged archive of my weekly lists, then maybe I'll put some of my items up (or something like that).

Here's a brief disclaimer:

I try to list things that cost $10 or less. There may be ancillary costs that might bring the cost of the outing over $10, but that's up to you... I do my best to bring you the most accurate information, but I can't guarantee anything will happen as expected. (My life is filled with examples of this...)

This is, of course, not a complete list of cheap free things to do. I pick the stuff that offer the best potential for fun -- or provide some value to your life and/or the world in general.

Or you can subscribe to my weekly e-list of things to do around Boston for $10 or less: cheapthrillsboston ] a t [ gmail.com.

Please feel free to send me tips/info too!

~r

** Hey, the Boston Globe (in November '08) said this was one of the best local websites, so I guess I'm doing something right...

** The Globe's "Go To It" likes me too: "He's got a gusto for good deals and a blog to share his thrifty finds."