FRI 9/4: Film, Art, Smelly Wonka, Folk, Dance, Rock

(Whoops, I didn't publish the post...)

How did Labor Day weekend get here already? I'm trying to focus on having a long weekend, but this feels like the end of summer in my mind. Forgive me; I might feel wistful for the next couple days.

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FRI 9/4

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

I think you get the idea from the titles...

Maybe I'll write a separate post about it, but you should know the Museum of Science is regularly free on Friday nights for observatory stargazing from 8:30pm to 10pm (weather permitting).

FRI 9/4

5pm to 9pm
First Friday Open Studios
at SoWa Arts Bldg, 450 Harrison Ave, Boston (South End)
FREE

There is usually a good crowd of people walking around and checking out the approximately 50 artist studios.

FRI 9/4

6pm to 9:30pm
"Willy Wonka in Smell-o-vision"
at Union Sq Plaza, Somerville (nexus of Somerville Ave, Washington St , Bow St)
FREE

Smellovision should be the next step for television -- as long as you can turn it off.

What better program to present with olfactory stimulation than a tour through a candy factory? "Willy Wonka in the Chocolate Factory" (the original film, of course!) was first presented in smell-o-vision two years ago. It returns to the premiere's location after being reprised a few times elsewhere.

I wish I could tell you what it was like to smell chocolate, blueberry, butterscotch, etc while watching this much-loved tale. If there were any kinks in the system, I have to believe artistic mastermind Megan Dickerson, Bridget Matros, and their oompah-loompahs will have Willy smelling better than ever before.

FRI 9/4 to MON 9/8

Noon to Midnight-ish
(FRI: 6pm start)
"Cutting Edge of the Campfire Festival"
at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$10 per day / $25 all 4 days

There is no open fire, so you can bring marshmallows but they won't burnt into crispy goo at Club Passim. The good news is that they now serve beer and wine after 50+ years.

The real good news is that the weekend is jam-packed with wall-to-wall folky goodness. Performers will sing some songs solo as well as join together for impromptu collaborations -- just like a... campfire sing-along! But better than most campfires.

The music starts at 6pm, but the festivities begin at noon over the next 3 days.

Tonight's schedule:

6pm -- Dean Haakenson, Greg Beson, Stephanie Nilles, Kat Goldman
7:30pm -- Eleanor Murray, St. St., Invisible River
8:45pm -- David Wax Museum
9:30pm -- Bess Rogers, Sarah Sample, Amy Campbell, Margaret Glaspy
11pm -- Zack Hickman's Cavalcade of Whimsy

Even more good news: I doubt there'll be any mosquitoes inside.

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FRI 9/4

7:30pm to 11pm
Tango By Moonlight
at Weeks Memorial Footbridge, Memorial Dr & DeWolfe St, Harvard Sq
FREE

Hey, folks. This is could be the best weather of the tango nights this summer. There's one more session next month, but it might not be as nice as this and definitely won't have that big harvest moon. (Well, there'll be a full moon...)

As usual, they'll start with brief period of tango instruction, then you can try for as long as you like until you feel like dancing any way you like.

It's a fun time with and without a partner, since you can usually find a partner or two. Perhaps the spirit will move you. And if the tango stymies you, it's fine to sway and turn however you like...

FRI 9/4

8pm
Kate Schutt Trio, Sylvie Lewis
at The Lily Pad, 1353 Cambridge St, Cambridge (Inman Sq)
$10

If dozens of folksters is more than you'd like tonight, Kate Schutt and Sylvie Lewis are a superb alternative. It's interesting that both went to Berklee, and I actually like their music. (Just kidding!)

Jazz-guitaring singer-songwriter Schutt takes an easygoing approach to bring the '30s vibe into the present with splendid results in her mature songwriting (including dramatically rearranged, quirky covers). Is it bad to equate it to Norah Jones with guitar? Then forget I said and listen to Kate Schutt. Wow, it's a joy to listen to Sylvie Lewis sing too. She has a lovely subtlety and a pack of good songs.

FRI 9/4

9:30pm
The Crushing Low, Airport, Dana Labb
at Precinct, 70 Union Sq, Somerville (Union Sq)
$5 / 21+

The Crushing Low have put a lot of effort in their EP/CD, and they want to party with you by rocking out over an excellent set of swirl of fuzzy, noisy songs. When I saw Airport included members of Waltham, I tensed up a bit expecting something akin to cheesy arena-rock. I promise you that's not what you're going to hear -- it's really outstanding, rootsy pop-rock. Dana Labb opens with an acoustic, and this guy knows his way around a melody.

FRI 9/4

10pm
The Pill w/ Televandals
at Great Scott, 1222 Comm Ave, Allston
$5 / 21+

I like dancing, but I'm not fond of dancing in clubs. If I ever wanted to go, it would a night at The Pill where they play danceable Britpop/rock, etc. If I went, I'd hope they'd play some Televandals, but they're going to a live set of electro-rock (that almost got me out of my chair) tonight.