WED 3/18: Ting Tings, Film, Comedy, Lectures

Believe it or not, I drank for under $10 last night. At home...

There are other Tuesday nights to carouse...

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WED 3/18

5 PM
The Ting Tings -- Performance & Autograph Signing
at Newbury Comics, 332 Newbury Street, Boston (Back Bay)
FREE

I've generally leaned towards liking The Ting Tings. Sometimes sparse is good, but they'd benefit form a bit more instrumentation (at the risk of ruining their sound/chemistry). Their Paradise show is sold out but they're doing a few songs and signing CD's for free...

WED 3/18

7pm to 9pm
"Call and Response": Screening & Discussion
at Room 113, Sever Hall, Harvard Yard, Cambridge
FREE (but buy cupcakes)

This is going to be in a theatre soon, and there will be a buzz and good reviews. You're probably going to want to see it. Instead of buying a movie ticket and a cola, jam your face with Kickass Cupcakes ($3/$4), and the proceeds go to * free slaves * around the world.

Did you think you couldn't help slaves? Eat a cupcake! Or a really fancy cupcake!

The connection between slavery and music is clear in the history of the US as the field songs became gospel, folk, blues, and jazz -- and all their descendents. Described as a "rockumentary on modern-day slavery", the film takes footage of the global human trafficking/slavery crisis and combines it with musical performances and celebrity talking heads.

Some of those appearing in the film include: Talib Kweli, Cold War Kids, Matisyahu, Imogen Heap, Moby, Natasha Bedingfield, Five For Fighting, Switchfoot, Cornel West, Madeleine Albright, Daryl Hannah, and more.

Filmmaker & musician Justin Dillon will be in attendance.

WED 3/18

8:30pm
"Greater Boston Alternative Spring Comedy Fling"
at Middle East - Upstairs, 472 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$8 / 18+

Feat: Robby Roadsteamer, Mehran, MC Mr. Napkins, Chris Coxen, The Steamy Bohemians, Renata Tutko, Anderson Comedy Group, Ken Reid, Shane Webb (MC)

Even though it was $15 in December (at The Paradise), I had to give it a mention. Again -- this is a really funny group of comedians including some of my local favorites (Mehran, Mc Mr. Napkins, Ken Reid).

Musical guest Chris Keating will probably make you laugh as well.

Maybe one day I'll list comedy shows at comedy clubs, but I like laughing at other places.


A couple free lectures that I really didn't feel strongly about, but you might like:

WED 3/18

6pm to 8pm
Andrew F. Smith, "The Hamburger in American Life and Culture"
at Radcliffe College Room, Schlesinger Library, 10 Garden St, Cambridge (Radcliffe Yard)
FREE

Andrew Smith, a prolific and authoritative writer on food history and a frequent speaker at the Culinary Historians of Boston, will talk about the subject of latest work. He is editor-in-chief of he Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink, and author of single dish studies of the tomato, ketchup, tomato soup, the turkey, and peanuts, as well as an encyclopedia of American junk food.

WED 3/18

6pm
"The Human Genome: Where is the Map Taking Us?"
at Martin Conference Center, New Research Bldg, 77 Ave Louis Pasteur, Boston (Longwood Medical Area)
FREE

The nation's top geneticists discuss questions and concerns about emerging issues regarding gene sequencing; featuring HMS's David Altshuler, George Church, Jeffrey Drazen, and Ting Wu. Moderated by Raju Kucherlapati.

Registration strongly recommended: 617-432-3038 or email.