TUES 11/3: Film, Talk, Jazz, Folk

I'm starting to think Tuesday may be the least 'thrilling' day of the week, but there some interesting things around for cheap...

Update: I forgot to encourage people to vote. Please exercise your rights -- especially if you live in Boston!

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TUES 11/3

6pm
Movie Night: "Tales of Travel, an evening of 5 short films"
at Radcliffe College Room, Schlesinger Library, 10 Garden St, Cambridge (Radcliffe Yard)
FREE

Movie Night happens most months at the Schlesinger Library. It's often an esoteric selection, but this program includes really cool stuff that you won't see anywhere else.

"Packing a Suitcase" is supposed to be a funny Shell Oil promo film from the '50s where a women's travel consultant giving tips on fitting a week's worth of clothes into an overnight bag. "Beautiful Japan" is a travelogue from 1918 that had a curious production, which they should talk about. You'll also see home movies from the Schlesinger collection, including '30s footage from China & Maine and Morocco in the '70s.

Discussion will be led by Schlesinger Library audiovisual cataloger Melissa Dollman and PhD candidate Jeremy Blatter.

They say, "open to the public," so go if you like.

TUES 11/3

7pm
Ethan Gilsdorf, "Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks: An Epic Quest for Reality Among Role Players, Online Gamers, and Other Dwellers of Imaginary Realms": Reading, etc
at Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard St, Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
FREE

At some point in his teens, Ethan Gilsdorf probably fantasized being related to the wizard Gandalf.

In his new book, the local author comes clean about his Dungeons & Dragons adolescence and travels around to explore other facets of gaming culture and what drives their passion.

I went to one of Gilsdorf's readings, and it was far from boring. There may not be a sword-play demonstration tonight, but a fantasy-trivia contest goes down before the reading. (There's an online contest to share your geekiest moment.)

I imagine this tome will help laymen understand their LARPing loved ones as well as provide gamers a better sense of their subculture. (I was also surprised by the touching personal side of the story.)

TUES 11/3

7:30pm
Ben Ratliff w/ George Garzone, "The Jazz Ear: Conversations over Music": Discussion
at Regattabar, Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
FREE

Ben Ratliff is a jazz critic for the NY Times who would often interview musicians for a regular article where they would listen to music together. The book is the long version of that idea as a collection of jazz greats talking about what they're hearing.

Ratliff will speak about it then will be joined by local jazz saxophonist George Garzone for a "jazz ear" discussion, Garzone should give the crowd some live music.

TUES 11/3

9:30pm
Caught in Motion, St. Claire, Mr. Sister
at Tommy Doyle's (upstairs), 96 Winthrop St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$3

Tuesday Acoustic Showcase at Tommy Doyle's usually hosts decent performers. I'm fond of both Mr. Sister and St. Claire, who are two variations of clever, shadowy, folky, atypical songistry. Caught in Motion have traveled from Portland, Oregon to share their acoustic pop.