TUES 2/23: Pancakes, Gitmo, Haiti, Hip-Hop, Rock

Rock Shop was interesting last night mainly to interact with the bookers of the Middle East, TT's and Great Scott in person. Maybe the other best part was seeing the singer of a Rod Stewart tribute band. I think I picked up a few hints on the topic ("How to book a show"), and I encourage interested musicians to go to the monthly get-together in the future.

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TUES 2/23

7am to 10pm
National Pancake Day
at Participating IHOP Locations
FREE

I already wrote something below. Pancakes are delicious anytime of day. Get a little, give a little. There are a few local options. (Thanks, Maria A!)

TUES 2/23

7pm
Contributors, "The Guantanamo Lawyers": Reading
at Porter Square Books, 25 White St, Cambridge (near Star Market)
FREE

Mark Denbeaux and Jonathan Hafetz have represesented military detainees (or "enemy combatants"), and it may be understandable that people involved with the process may feel that public knowledge may be incomplete.

They've collected more than 100 stories from other lawyers who have represented detainees at Guantanamo, Bagram, and various CIA black sites.

Denbeaux and Hafetz will be joined by 4 other attorneys from the New England area: Steve Oleskey, Melissa Hoffer, Jerry Cohen, and Rheba Rutkowski.

TUES 2/23

8:15pm
Concert for Haiti
at Berklee Performance Center, 136 Mass Ave, Boston (Back Bay)
$10

Berklee does its part to play some good music and help Haiti. The performers include Berklee students, faculty, alumni, and more:

- Berklee Reggae Ensemble
- Pitch Slapped (co-ed a-cappella)
- Women of the World (umm, international music by women)
- Donna McElroy (jazz vocals)
- OAMEC Ensemble (young Haitian violinists)
- Livingston Taylor (another singer-songwriter from the Taylor family)
- Music of the Dominican Republic (Berklee merengues?)
- Brandon Maclin/Darek Cobbs Tribute Band (probably a Michael Jackson tribute)

Proceeds to benefit several organizations including Mercy Corps.

TUES 2/23

9:30pm
Big Shug
at Wonder Bar, 186 Harvard Ave, Allston
FREE

There's no doubt that Big Shug is the real deal since he was part of the early Gang Starr crew, but I wanted to check out his Monday residency before I wrote about it.

Last month's Monday night residency has turned into a Tuesday night thing. My understanding is that a live band starts out, and Shug joins them in the second set.

Don't take my word about Big Shug. Chris Faraone (my main source for what's happening in hip-hop) did a piece on him a little over a year ago.

TUES 2/23

9:30pm
Dan Webb & the Spiders, The Young Leaves, Luau, Bummer
at O'Brien's, 3 Harvard St, Allston
$7 / 18+

If you're looking to hear some new loud/fast rock tonight, there's a good chance that you haven't listened to a couple of these bands. I tried and couldn't hear anything by Bummer, but all of the other groups sound good. It's fun and energetic, and none seem to get way out there just for the sake of being raw and confrontational.

It's a bit hard for me to put Dan Webb & the Spiders into any particular genre compartment other than "rock"; it's straightforward stuff that doesn't veer too far into any niche. It's easy to hear the influences that The Young Leaves list on MySpace; they mention Husker Du, Dinosaur Jr, Archers of Loaf, Superchunk, etc. From song to song seem to emulate their predecessors with good results.