WED 7/23 & THUR 7/24: Movie, Music, Culture, Ice Cream

I might try to update this before tomorrow. We'll see...

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WED 7/23

7:30pm
"American Teen"
Free Preview Screening

5:30pm
"The Breakfast Club"
$9.50

at Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)

Here's the deal: Those who watch the 5:30pm screening of "The Breakfast Club" will get into the "American Teen" screening. That's what you should do if you really want to get in. It's the perfect warm-up for the new documentary that probably falls somewhere between the 80's classic and reality television with humor and heart.

WED 7/23

7pm
Boston Landmarks Orchestra, "Gershwin and Gospel"
at Hatch Shell, Charles River Esplanade, Storrow Dr, Boston
FREE

A "Night Of All-American Music"... featuring Gershwin’s An American in Paris, Excerpts from Porgy and Bess including "Summertime", and a handful of gospel songs with guest singers.

WED 7/23

Ed Harcourt (11pm), Jeff Klein (10pm), Boxborough (9:05pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10

I really like Ed Harcourt's stuff. The clever songs are full of melody and intricate arrangements -- it's what I liked Rufus Wainwright before he got boringly self-indulgent.

WED 7/23

6:30pm
"Brazilian & Portuguese Culture in Somerville":
Presentation & Music w/ Andrea Allen, Receita de Samba, Folclorico Coraces Lusiadas
at Somerville Museum, 1 Westwood Road, Somerville
FREE

The first part might be TMI -- even for many Somervillians -- as anthropologist Andrea Allen has researched Brazilian and Portuguese culture in Somerville for a year to understand how the city can better serve these communities through the arts.

After the discussion, Receita de Samba will play samplings of early samba, bossa nova, and choro (described as traditional Brazilian improvisation music). A local dance group, Folclorico Coraces Lusiadas, will demonstrate some Portuguese dances.

(I bet some refreshments will be served...)

WED 7/23 thru SUN 7/27

8pm (SUN: 7pm)
"As You Like It": Shakespeare in the Park
at Parkman Bandstand, about 165 Tremont St, Boson (Boston Common)
FREE

Whoops! I forgot this begins on Tuesdays through Sunday...

The annual Free Shakespeare performances are really one of the best gifts to the city, so we should appreciate it and take in a performance.

It's one of the Bard's sylvan love stories, which the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company will twist it in their way as they usually do each year. From what I can tell, it looks like the sets will be reinterpreted in a 1930's/40's style.

Also Playing: TUES 7/29 to SUN 8/3

WED 7/23 to SAT 7/26

7:30pm
"The Real Inspector Hound" w/ "Hidden in This Picture"
at Mary O’Malley Park, Commandant’s Way, Chelsea Waterfront
FREE

There's more free open-air theatre!

English Performances on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

~En Espanol~ on Fridays and Sundays:
"El Verdadero Inspector Sabueso" con/ "Escondido En La Imagen"

Here is your reason to go to Chelsea: two one-act plays -- by Tom Stoppard and Aaron Sorkin. Both works are comedies in English and Spanish... Take the #111 bus for an adventure in free theatre -- and who knows what else -- on the other side of the Tobin.

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THUR 7/24

5pm to 8pm
Neighborhood Nights
at Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, 280 The Fenway, Boston (The Fens)
FREE

Hey -- if the weather is nice or not, the museum is amazing. This is the second of their annual trio of free summer night fun.

This week's theme is "Heritage Alive":

- Explore art from Egypt, China, Japan and Spain.
- Plant seeds in peat pots to take home. (Prob. for kids?)
- Listen to dancer and storyteller Tara Ahmed
- Groove to the world beat of Zili Misik

And really, go take a look at the current exhibit, "Luisa Rabbia: Travels with Isabella", that's inspired by Isabella's time in China.

THUR 7/24

7pm
"We Scream for Ice Cream"
at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
FREE

I usually list their "Winedown" events, because I think this is a great bookstore in a easy T location. Don't go out of your way, but why not enjoy a enjoy a couple scoops of free ice cream (usually free glasses of wine)... I don't think author Sally Sampson ("Ice Cream: 52 Easy Recipes for Year-Round Frozen Treats") or Toscanini's founder Gus Rancatore (guess where the ice cream is from tonight) will speak for very long.

THUR 7/24

Killer Abs (12:10am), Sidewalk Driver (11:20pm), Pony (10:35pm), David Lee & His Mercenaries (9:45pm),
IZA (9pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$8

That's a whole lotta good rock, especially the last 3 bands of the night.

THUR 7/24

9:30pm
Serious Geniuses, Movers and Shakers, Get Bent
at Great Scott, 1222 Comm Ave, Allston
FREE / 18+

Good free rock tahnks to the Weekly Dig.


THUR 7/24

I don't want too many people to go the Amstel Light party, but see below for something that needs an RSVP...