WED 11/25: Punk, Rock, Reggae

We all have some reason to be thankful, but let's keep it simple and say that today is like a Friday for most people. Then there's another Friday after you stuff your face.

If you're in the music tonight, here are some cheap options.

I was wondering what I listed for last Thanksgiving (slim pickings again), and I noticed that the Abbey Lounge closed on the Wednesday before. It was really crowded, and I was stuck in the wine bar so I didn't stay long.

While it's not a dive bar, Trina's Starlight Lounge is a decent replacement. After having dinner with friends, everyone was satisfied if not blown away. My double-cheeseburger was darn good (way better than Charlies Kitchen), and they have cheap cans of beer like Schaefer.

Update: If you're out drinking at a bar ot restaurant in Cambridge, including all 3 of the venues below, the City has decided to help you get home safely by paying up to $35 of your cab fare -- you tip the cabbie -- if you call 617-876-2000 tonight between 10pm and 3am. (Maybe you should pin the PDF flyer to your jacket?)

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WED 11/25

Mark Lind & The Unloved (11:50pm), Death & Taxes (11pm), The Scars (10:10pm), The Rebel Dead (9:20pm), Marc Cannata (9pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$7 / 18+

There's a lot of cross-pollination between Mark Lind & The Unloved and Death &Taxes. So much so, that there have been times that I confuse the two bands in my mind. On my latest listening it seems like Death & Taxes continues to get rootsier and twangier, and Mark Lind still carries the torch for solid punk while adding dimension.

It's going to be damn good punk show all the way through with The Scars and The Rebel Dead. Marc Cannata, drummer/songwriter of Far From Finished, will also do a short solo set.

WED 11/25

9pm
Dennis Brennan & Friends
at Lizard Lounge/Cambridge Common, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between Harvard Sq & Porter Sq)
$7 / 21+

I'm thankful that Dennis Brennan plays so often around town. Not only is he a great singer-songwriter, but he's an awesome rocker who loves to play who'll do gigs to satisfy his blues side, country side, folk side, and points in between. I think he should be in the rock pantheon, so we're lucky to have him play at places like Lizard Lounge.

Advance tickets are sold out, but some will be available when doors open at 8:30pm.

WED 11/25

9:30pm
Toussaint & Buru Style, Guns of Navarone
at Middle East - Upstairs, 472 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10 / 18+

I like how this has been dubbed a "Skanksgiving Celebration". Are you hungry for funky reggae/soul and old-school ska? Former Soulive/China Band/etc vocalist Toussaint has has hooked with dub-funk outfit Buru Style, and this is really good stuff. The grooves are really deep in the pocket with a confidence to provide the perfect complent to Toussaint soulfulness. I might prescribe this gig for those who are tense about spending time with family tomorrow. Get loose and happy!

Guns of Navarone have been voted the "Best Ska Act" in Worcester County, and I'm sure that's an impressive feat... When anyone thinks of ska, they obviously think of Woostah! Named after the Skatalites song, they testify the early sounds of ska, rocksteady, and reggae by playing classics and the hidden gems of the era.