WED 8/5: Classical, Plays, Rock

If you don't want to risk a Shakespeare rain-out in the Common, there's another option below.

Hey -- if you go out tonight, some of thes places have TV's, and the Sox might go into extra innings anyway...

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WED 8/5

7pm
Boston Landmarks Orchestra, "Damsels in Distress"
at Hatch Shell, Storrow Dr, Boston (Charles River Esplanade)
FREE

The Boston Landmarks Orchestra continues their Wednesday series at the Hatch Shell, and they'll be joined by the MIT Summer Philharmonic Orchestra for two symphonic adaptations of classic lit.

Tchaikovsky's "Francesca da Rimini" is inspired by a tale from Dante's "Divine Comedy", and "Scheherazade" by Rimsky-Korsakov is the musical retelling of a "Thousand and One Arabian Nights". Let's agree that a potential beheading or being in Hell can be considerd "distress".

Rain Location: Kresge Auditorium, 48 Massachusetts Ave (Rear), Cambridge (MIT campus)

WED 8/5

7pm
"Jeanie Don't Sing No Mo'": Staged Reading
at Deane Rehearsal Hall, Calderwood Pavilion, Boston Center for Arts, 527 Tremont St, Boston (South End)
FREE ($10 suggested donation)

Wow, it's hard to believe the Breaking Ground Festival of New Play Readings is almost over, especially since I missed the first 3 readings.

As I understand it, this is pretty much close to the last step before a new play is ready for a full production. I'm not sure if any previous plays have won Tony's or Obie's, but some go on as part of the Huntington Theatre's regular season.

A brief description of tonight's offering:

Jeanie, a once-famous blues singer, stopped speaking the day her father died, and she and her Southern family carry the burden of secrets long concealed.

WED 8/5

9:30pm
The Mieka Canon, Dwight and Nicole
at Lizard Lounge/Cambridge Common, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between Harvard Sq & Porter Sq)
$8 / 21+

Mieka Pauley and her band are kicking off a weekly August residency that coincides with a new EP release. Sometimes I neglect to list these things at the beginning, because I have this idea that I'll go the first week and report back. Well, we know that I usually wait 'til the end...

Don't make the mistake of missing her, because it's shocking that we can see her in such a small venue. I really get the feeling that Mieka has everything to make a huge international splash -- including that special something beyond songs, talent, ambition, etc.

Various guests will open each week. Dwight & Nicole is a great way to start as this soul/blues/jazz/folk duo are amazing.

WED 8/5

9:30pm
The Rural Alberta Advantage, Joshua English w/ Lisa Molinaro, Baby Teeth, Jennifer Greer
at Middle East - Upstairs, 472 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$9 / 18+

This is a rather impressive night of semi-acoustic and/or keyboard-based indie pop from around the continent as well as some local representation.

I guess a band from Toronto called "The Rural Alberta Advantage" is an example of Canadian irony, but many of the songs on their CD refer to places in that Western province.

Joshua English used to front Boston rockers Six Going on Seven, and now lives in Oregon writing some more really excellent songs. Josh is joined by ex-Decemberist Lisa Molinaro on viola, accordion, vocals, kitchen sink, etc.

Baby Teeth from Chicago sound really interesting power-poppish group that also has an anthemic vibe to their songs with an undercurrent of white-boy soulfulness that reminds me of early Springsteen.

If you're a keyboard-playing singer-songwriter without a Y chromosome, theirs is bound to be a certain set of inescapable influences and comparisons. That's fine, because Jennifer Greer does a great job of bringing her plucky, breezy Jennifer-Greer-ness to the game.

WED 8/5

10:30pm
M.G. Lederman, Aaron Perrino, Mr Sister
at Plough & Stars, 912 Mass. Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$5

This would be a much more exciting show if there wasn't so much else going on, but everyone tonight is really damn good. It's also one of those rare evenings to hear Aaron Perrino of Dear Leader (ex-Sheila Divine) play a solo set (but I get the feeling we may be seeing him around a bit more).