THUR 12/10: Museum, Talks, Film, Music

If you'd like some holiday entertainment, Underground Railway Theater is presenting a double-bill of the Christmas stories by Truman Capote and Grace Paley that are light on schmaltz and heavy on "good will towards men". It's at Central Square Theater tonight with more performances thru 12/27. You can purchase tix for $10 with the discount code. More later.

If you're into graphic design, a South End firm is opening their doors for a ten-year anniversary open house tonight.

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THUR 12/10

5pm to 8pm
"Night at the Museum"
at Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St, Cambridge (Harvard campus)
FREE

Free admission for three hours and 20% discount at the Museum Shop

Lecture at 6pm: "Six Years on Mars"
Prof. Andrew Knoll will discuss his time with NASA's Mars Exploration Rover project and what the search for water, etc on Mars means to Earthlings.

THUR 12/10

5:30 pm
"Civil Rights: Here and Now": Discussion
at JFK Presidential Library & Museum, Columbia Point, Boston
FREE w/ RSVP

In the centennial year of the NAACP, President Benjamin Jealous and Chairman Julian Bond visit the JFK library to the past, present and future in regards to the organization and their movement.

Patricia Sullivan, who has written a history of the NAACP, will moderate.

THUR 12/10

7pm
The Cormack Cook Colossal Cinema Collection
at Screening Room, Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St, Brookline
FREE

A program of animated and live-action shorts from New England and New York filmmakers. I can't say much; I watched a couple samples from Alex Cormack and liked the comic-strip-influenced style.

Other filmmakers include: Ashley Cook, Jordan Baker-Caldwell, Joe Botsch, Greg Condon, Adam Cormack, Tim Finn, Geoff Marian, Mark Mullaney, Melinda RainsBerger

THUR 12/10

7pm
David Chang, "Momofuku": Discussion
at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
FREE

I've heard so many good things about David Chang's Momofuku noodle bar, I might just take a trip to NYC for some ramen, have a few drinks in the village, then get back on the bus. His segment on Jimmy Fallon was rather good as well. I wonder how 'zen' the cookbook is -- or can someone make the food before embracing the concept...?

THUR 12/10

8pm
The Twilight Hours
at Cafe 939, 939 Boylston St, Boston (Back Bay)
$10

Matt Wilson and John Munson started playing together in Trip Shakespeare in the late '80s way back when well-crafted, pop-rock was called "college" or "alternative" rock. Munson went on to play with Wilson's brother in Semisonic, but they've continued to make beautiful together. Thus, we have The Twilight Hours. It could be a full band; it could be the two of them.

I'm guessing a Berklee student band will open, and there are plenty of good ones.

THUR 12/10

Videodrome Discotheque (Midnight), The Sun Lee Sunbeam (11pm), Jeddo Stars (10pm), Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling (9pm)
at Harpers Ferry, 158 Brighton Ave, Allston
$10 / 18+

Hey, it's December so why not call your gig a 'holiday extravaganza'? Hey, why not let loose on a weeknight, forget about all the crap you should do, and enjoy yourself.

These three bands are all led by women, and it's a good line-up for catchy rock. The Sun Lee Sunbeam exudes a good time when they're on stage. From the former singer of The Charms, The Jeddo Stars has smoothed out the edges versus her old band, but it's still rocks.

Before the recent remake was aired, I watched the remake of "The Prisoner" from which the name, Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling, originates. It was an arty, mysterious, exciting spy show. There are parallels with the bass-drums duo who whip up an arty, mysterious, rockin' spy-theme rock with clever lyrics.

Videodrome leads a visual dance party afterwards and between sets.

THUR 12/10

10:30pm
Kay McKinstry & The Good Pour
at Plough & Stars, 912 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE / 21+

Since the last time I checked, you can now hear some songs from Kay McKinstry and The Good Pour. This chilled alt-country/Americana is damn good music to drink to -- in my humble opinion. If you don't want to pay close attention, you'd think that someone might have found some Patsy Cline/Sparklehorse remixes on the jukeboxes. Pay attention, and you'll notice the beautiful is blasting you from the corner of the room.