THUR 2/5: Urban Happiness, Spelling, Rock

Yeah, it's cold. You live in Boston! Layer up and do stuff!

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THUR 2/5

6:30 p.m
"Urban Happiness" w/ Enrique Peñalosa
at Rabb Lecture Hall, Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St, Boston (Copley Sq)
FREE

Boston could improve its transportation & education systems and take maeasures to maximize our public areas. Some people will always say, "That won't happen he-ah." Bogota seems to be a much different city; but if they can make strides there, we can learn some lessons. Enrique Peñalosa was mayor of Bogota about 10 years ago, and he initiated many radical programs that apparently still benefit the city today.

A bunch of organizations have collaborated to bring him here for public presentations as well as meetings with local officials.

If you can't make it tonight:

FRI 2/6
8:15am to 9:30am
at 1 Financial Center, 18th floor, Boston
Hosted by MoveMass (RSVP info in PDF)

3:25pm to 5pm
at Room 200, Richards Hall, Northeastern U., 360 Huntington Ave, Boston

SAT 2/7

3:30pm to 4:30pm
at Bikes Not Bombs, 284 Amory St, Jamaica Plain

THUR 2/5

7:15pm
Spell or Dare!
w/ Laura Cortese and the Mack-ademia Panel
at Toad, 1912 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Porter Sq)
FREE

Even though my friend sooz and I haven't organized our really cool monthly yet, some playful spelling (and daring?) is going on. Sign ups start at 7:15pm, and the action bee-gins around 7:45pm.

Laura Cortese is a really good singer/fiddler, but I don't think she's singing tonight. But you could stick around for Jen Kearney and The Lost Onion at 10pm. Some funky, jazzy, soulful music will help forget that you can't spell well.

THUR 2/5

10pm
The Diamond Mines, Hot Box, Zoig Ma Noig
at Plough & Stars, 912 Mass. Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE

Amen to The Diamond Mines for giving the saxophone some punk-rock love! As a guy who's currently in the midst of "Moby Dick", I love the title of the band's new CD, "Pave the Whales for Oil". The Diamond Mines already knew how to rock and swing at the same time with vim and vigor. Now the songs are stronger, and the vocals are even better. This is a damn good reason to be at The Plough every Thursday night in February.

Hot Box has that ramshackle, female-vocals indie-rock vibe that I dig, and I think they'll keep your attention. I don't know how someone makes music with a Gameboy, but Zoig-Ma-Noig will be happening again tonight.

THUR 2/5

9:30pm
Illinois, Mean Creek, You Can Be A Wesley
at Great Scott, 1222 Comm Ave, Allston
$9 / 18+

I saw Illinois a couple years ago opening for Stellastarr*, and they were my favorite band of the night. The more I listened, the more I loved their rootsy, twangy indie-rock. Get a taste of some excellent rootsy-rockness from Mean Creek and feel-good-poppy-rockness of You Can Be A Wesley.