FRI 9/11: Film, Art, Food, Comedy, Rock, Dr Who

Horace said a couple thousand years ago, but it's true today:

Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is later than you think.

It's a bit cloudy with inclinations for precipitation, but I believe tomorrow and Sunday will be better. Stay tuned for further cheapness...

--------------------------------------------------------------

FRI 9/11

10am to 9pm
"Free Film Fridays"
at Mugar Omni Theater, Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston
FREE

I wholeheartedly believe that IMAX is best utilized when projecting really, really big science and nature films. Best of all, they're free all day long on Fridays in September.

Shows are every hour on the hour. The schedule varies, but these are today's times:

"Deep Sea" -- 10am, 11am
"Antarctica" -- Noon, 1pm, 8pm, 9pm
"Amazon" -- 2pm, 3pm
"The Greatest Places" -- 4pm, 5pm
"Mystic India" -- 6pm, 7pm

I think you get the idea from the titles.

I doubt there will be free observatory stargazing tonight.

FRI 9/11 (thru SUN 9/13)

Noon to 6pm
(ahts): The Boston Arts Festival
at Christopher Columbus Park, Boston (North End/Waterfront)
FREE

This thing is getting bigger every year. Three days of art and performances, including some really good bands. Try to catch The Motion sick and Mean Creek, if you go on Saturday. Artists will be displaying (and selling) from noon to 6pm each day.

Performance schedule:

FRI 9/11 (may get rained out)

5:30 pm -- Community Music Center of Boston
6:15 pm -- Boston Gay Men's Chorus

SAT 9/12

12:30pm -- Sam Cornish (Boston Poet Laureate)
1pm -- World Rhythms
1:45pm -- City Stage: "A taste of Shakespeare"
2:15pm -- Boston Ballet
3pm -- Zaira Meneses
3:30pm -- Opera Boston
4:15pm -- Hayley Jane And The Primates
4:45pm -- The Motion Sick
5:45pm -- Mean Creek

SUN 9/13

1pm -- Balletrox
1:45pm -- In Like Lions
2:15pm -- Boston Ballet
3pm -- Grace Kelly
3:30pm -- A Far Cry
4:15pm -- Cars On Mars
4:45pm -- A Night At The Rock Opera

FRI 9/11 to SUN 9/13

Various Times
Greek Music and Food Festival
at The Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church, 29 Central St, Somerville (Spring Hill)
FREE

Friday -- 5pm to 11pm
Saturday -- 12pm to 11pm
Sunday -- 12pm to 9pm

I love Greek food and Greek music! You might end up spending more than $10 on food and drink, but it'll be worth it. There will be other activities and such that you might see at fairs & festivals, so it should be a good time.

Via T, think #88 (Davis Sq/Lechmere) or #90 (Davis Sq/Sullivan Sq).

FRI 9/11

6pm to 9pm
Charles Daniels, "In Through the Out Door": Opening Reception
at Nave Gallery, Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church, 155 Powder House Blvd, Somerville (Teele Sq)
FREE

Most of the work in his online portfolio consists of photos of dancers, but the exhibit will span decades and should include some amazing rock band photos when Charles Daniels worked at the Boston Tea Party, partied with the Sones, etc. Some video wil also be on display.

The exhibit runs through SUN 10/4, and there's a closing reception from 2pm to 5pm.

FRI 9/11

6pm to 8pm
"POP Craft": Opening Reception
at Society of Arts and Crafts, 175 Newbury Street, Boston (Back Bay)
FREE

Exhibiting artists include: Rick Beck, Joseph Cavalieri, Shannon Goff, Arthur Hash, Margaux Lange, Peter Morgan, Ianna Nova Frisby, Erica Rosenfeld, Justin Rothshank, Sean Scully, Karen Shapiro, Connie Verrusio

Yes, there are plenty of messages. Go as deep as you, even if it's enjoying the art for looking cool. That's the primary level, isn't it?

"POP Craft seeks to discover and present the ways in which the lessons of Pop Art have been absorbed and filtered by contemporary artists working in ceramics, fiber, glass, metal and/or wood."

One of the artists, Joseph Cavalieri, makes some provocative stained glass. Three of his pseudo-religious "Simpsons" pieces will be on display including the one on top. Sean Scully has been nominated for the Turner Prize twice. Karen Shapiro creates many 3-D works that have a strong Warholian influence.

FRI 9/11 to 9/13

Various Times
Boston Improv Festival
at ImprovBoston, 40 Prospect St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
at CCTV, 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge (across the street)
$10 per show / $25 Nightly pass

Friday -- 7pm to midnight
Saturday -- 6pm to midnight
Sunday -- 5pm to 9pm

No one can guarantee that an improv show is going to be good, but many of these performers are very good at what they do. Shows start every 30 on one of three stages, so there are plenty of choices.

Look at the descriptions, and see what premise may tickle your fancy.

With a little support there may be a "Second Annual Boston Improv Festival"...

FRI 9/11

8pm
Magic Magic, Pretty & Nice, You Can Be A Wesley
at Basement, George Sherman Union, 775 Comm Ave, Boston (BU campus)
$5 / FREE for BU students

It's going to crowded just like everything else now that "the students" are back in town. You may feel like an old fart in this crowd if you've already graduated, but that's okay. These are three excellent bands!

Pretty & Nice may be my favorite, because I adore their punky powerpop! I whole heartedly recommend listening [non-MySpace music player], if you're into anything remotely Sloan-like.

I'm not sure if Magic Magic were already getting heavy buzz in the UK when I started hearing them in March, but I knew something could happen with these guys. Maybe because I really dig bands like The Shins, Flaming Lips, and Radiohead; but Magic Magic sounds better every I time I listen to the poppish, retro/psych indie-rock.

You Can Be A Wesley are no slouches either.

Kudos to WTBU Radio for organizing a killer show every year. The reception (89.3FM) stinks in my office, but maybe you'll listen sometime. You might even leave this show with a giveaway of some sort...

Getting there early is a good idea; I have a feeling this will sell out. Or maybe everyone will want get trashed at a frat party?

FRI 9/11 & SAT 9/12

9:30pm
Hooked on Who #4
at Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$5 minimum donation

Last August, the Brattle began its semi-regular Doctor Who series. I went to one of those first nights, and it was fun in a midnight-movie kind of way on the night. People were laughing and occasionally interjecting, They were episodes with Tom Baker, "The Doctor" of my youth, and there was a old-time serial quality to those shows. The new Doctors haven't been bad, but it's just not as silly.

FRI 9/11

9:30pm
David Tennant in "Planet of the Dead" & Audience Choice [Vote on the registration page]

SAT 9/12

2:30pm
Tom Baker in "The Invisible Enemy" & "K9 & Company"

9:30pm
Tom Baker in "The Invasion of Time"

It is strongly suggested that you RSVP, and $5 is the suggested donation amount -- but you can give as much as you want to the non-profit theatre. (There's a "Hooked On Who" t-shirt offer for a $25 donation; I would like to see it before I buy...) Your registration should be submitted by 6pm tonight.

You can still get in, if there are seats available.