WED 9/23: Film & Music

True story:

My friend was in Downtown Crossing yesterday around 4pm, and he saw a guy running down the street holding a colonial-style hat in his hand.

Benjamin Franklin was chasing this kid.

An undercover cop joined the chase and almost threw the perp into a plate glass window. Ever mindful of private property, he instead slams the guy into a brick wall.

Ben Franklin catches up and starts whacking the thief with his cane, so the cop starts yelling, "Easy with the cane! Easy with the cane!"

After the scrum calms down, the guy says he bought the hat from Mr. Franklin.

Old Ben doesn't break character, "Why I would never sell my hat, and it is valued at twice as much [as the supposed price]."

There was a big crowd by the end, so maybe it'll end up on YouTube today...

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WED 9/23

7pm
Tournees Film Festival: "Les Temoins"
at Room 206, Photonics Center, 8 Saint Mary's St, Boston (BU campus)
$2 / Free with BU ID

You might be thinking the same thing as I am: "Contemporary and quality French cinema for $2...?"

That's the beauty of having so many colleges around. They let general public go to a bunch of their cultural-type events.

The Tournees Film Festival is the baby of the French American Cultural Exchange with other screenings on THUR 9/24, MON 9/28, THUR 10/1, and FRI 10/2.

The best local info is on Facebook.

WED 9/23

MyNameIsJohnMichael (11pm), Steve MacDonald & the Okay Win (10pm), Coalmine Canary (9pm)
at Church, 69 Kilmarnock St, Boston (Fenway)
$6 / 21+

We know that MyNameIsJohnMichael has at least 52 songs to select for their set. What started out as a project to write a song every week in '08 turned into a 6-piece band that's out on the road. It's definitely a singer-songwriter pop, but there's little bits of hometown New Orleans here and there; they even won "Best Emerging Group" at the Big Easy Awards earlier this year.

This is one of those nights when all of the acts jibe really well into a big bowl of indie-folky-pop goodness. I think Coalmine Canary is going to start close to 9pm, and they shouldn't be missed.

WED 9/23

The Allstonians (11:15pm), Ska-Prest (10:15pm), Rock Steady All Star Super Soul Revue (9:15pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10 / 18+

Doesn't it make you proud that we still have excellent local ska bands like The Allstonians? They've been doing it for more than decade, and why quit if it still rocks -- er, skanks? Though they don't have the kind of recognition as The Bosstones, Bim Skala Bim to the average listeners, The Allstonians have got the goods.

There's not much info on "Rock Steady All Star Super Soul Revue" formerly known as "Mr. Williams' Rocksteady Super Soul Revue" except that local reggae/ska man Riki Rocksteady leads a band consisting of players from various top-notch local rock/punk bands.

I know less about Ska-Prest, but you get the idea of how things are shaping up. Roots & Razors Sound System DJ's will keep it everything bumping.

WED 9/23

Walter Sickert (Midnight), Zoe Boekbinder (11pm), Mali Sastri (10:30pm), Clara Engel (10pm)
at The Lily Pad, 1353 Cambridge St, Cambridge (Inman Sq)
$10 / All Ages

It's an easy out to call this an eclectic singer-songwriter night, but each performer seems to have an intense personality.

Walter Sickert has a strong voice, and there's the creepy/performance-art aspect to his work with his "Army of Toys". Zoe Boekbinder has a honeyed jazz-pop timbre with slightly quirky songs; I wouldn't be surprised if she catches fire ends up on year-end "Best of" lists. Mali Sastri dominates her band Jaggery with her vocals and piano, so I imagine her set will sound like stripped-down, dark, dreamy soundscapes. And it seems like Clara Engel can grab hold of you quite strongly with just her and a guitar...