FRI 4/24: Green Stuff, Art, Comedy, Rock, Funk, Film, Plays

Oh, I really want to get more info about the weekend. It could be a busy day slaving over a hot keyboard, but we'll see more CTB today... (Why won't my coworkers let me goof off in peace???)

Did anyone else wear a short-sleeve shirt today? Yeah, baby!

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FRI 4/24

11am to 4pm
Go Green Walk/Ride Day & Care for the Square Party
at Winthrop Park, corner of JFK St & Mount Auburn St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
FREE

If I was going to be near Harvard Sq, I might wear green and trawl for free stuff, food samples, and giveaways... (You probably could have a "lunch" from the free samples.)

Zipcar is going to offer membership discounts. You can drop off unwanted computers & monitors for free. Boloco is giving away composted soil, WTF...?

FRI 4/24

6pm to 8pm
MCA / Evil Design & Magmo The Destroyer, "Destroy You, Boston!": Opening Reception
John Tyson, "Luziden": Video Installation
at Space 242, 242 E Berkeley St, 2nd Fl, Boston (South End)
FREE w/ RSVP

Evil Design and Magmo are different entities who both make some cool stuff, and it seems as they've worked together on projects. You can take a peek at what you'll see. Check out the interactive video installation of dreams...

Final Fridays at Space 242 is probably the best regular art happening in Boston. You're not overwhelmed by the amount of art, there's a bar with free beer (it's okay to tip, cheapo), it isn't too crowded, and you have a little buzz before you head into the rest of Friday night.

You can probably RSVP still (or just casually walk in)...

FRI 4/24

7pm
The Gas
Feat: Mike Pincus, Ex-Girlfriends, James Lawrence, Ken Reid, Alana Eisner, more
at Great Scott, 1222 Comm Ave, Allston
$5 / 18+

It's comedy for cheap with funny people like Ken Reid and funny songs from The Ex-Girlfriends. As I like to say, "No drink minimum -- or drink maximum!"

You can even stay and dance at The Pill for one low price...

FRI 4/24

8pm
"It's Yours, Take It, Boston": Free Art Throwdown
at Godine Gallery, North Bldg, 621 Huntington Ave, Boston (MassArt)
FREE

Take a look at the photos of the gallery. You can go home with something off the wall... Seriously, go get a free piece of art. Everything should go! All the pieces are intended to be given away to an appreciative home.

Stay for music, dancing, good times, etc. I walked by the Godine Gallery a few weeks ago; it's deep in there somewhere near the courtyard [PDF campus map]. Follow someone else who looks like they know where they're going.

FRI 4/24

The Vital Might (Midnight), John Powhida International Airport (11pm), Topheavy (10pm), The Crushing Low (9pm)
at Church, 69 Kilmarnock St, Boston (Fenway)
$8 / 21+

I've always been a fan of John Powhida since I saw The Rudds some years ago. He's got an great vocal range and stage presence with plenty of killer songs. All of the band are pretty darn good!

FRI 4/24

10:30pm
Shea Rose & Ramzy Suleiman
at Alchemist Lounge, 435 S Huntington Ave, Jamaica Plain
FREE / 21+

Shea Rose hits funk and rock and folk equally well with sexy, soulful power; and she's aware of dynamics and balance. Singer-keyboardist Ramzy Suleiman is studying at Berklee (Shea's alma mater) and is joining the funk party tonight.

FRI 4/24 (thru TUES 4/28)

Various Times
Independent Film Festival of Boston
at Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville
$9

There are screenings at The Brattle, the best bets (imho) are at Somerville: "500 Days Of Summer" (7pm), "Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison" (9:15pm), "Big Fan" (9:30pm), and "In The Loop" (11:30pm).

Patton Oswalt fans will love "Big Fan" (from the writer of "The Wrestler"). "In The Loop" is a satire about the machinations behind the Iraq War.

FRI 4/24

5:30pm, 7pm
Inaugural Harvard Playwrights Festival
at New College Theater Studio, 10 Holyoke St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
FREE

11 plays from 11 undergrads that took an advanced playwriting course with Gideon Lester and playwright Christine Evans (whose "Trojan Barbie" is currently at the A.R.T.) are having staged readings over the next couple days. I didn't find info about the plays, so it's a crapshoot.

Tonight's plays by Pallas Snider ('10) and Laura Hirschberg ('09). They seem like interesting individuals, Hey, it's free drama...

Performances through SUN 4/26.

* * * Almost Cheap Thrill * * *

FRI 4/24

The Rock n' Roll Rumble Finals

The Outlets (Midnight), The Dirty Truckers (11:10pm), Gene Dante & the Future Starlets (10:20pm), The Luxury (9:30pm)
at Middle East - Downstairs, 480 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$12 / 18+

It's the finals, and they are all good bands. The favorite might be Gene Dante & the Future Starlets, but I've hung out with Tom of The Dirty Truckers and I think they could blow the judges away with some balls-out, locomotive-straightahead rock and roll. The Luxury have a good thing going on, so anyone could win. The crowd is going to hear a great show.

The "guest band" is The Outlets to cap the night and rip it up even better than they did the last time they played the Rumble (in 1981).