TUES 3/16: Talk, Avant, Rock

You can party tomorrow, but you may want to practice a little tonight...

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TUES 3/16

5:30pm to 7pm
Humaira Awais Shahid, "Violence Against Women in Pakistan"
at Room 190, Pierce Laboratory, 33 Mass Ave, Cambridge (MIT campus)
FREE

Gender issues in Pakistan must be complex. One may think that social violence might decrease as Pakistani women make professional gains. Pakistan has had a female prime minister, which seems still years away in the US -- yet honor killings, forced marriages, and worse occur relatively unabated.

Before her time at Radcliffe, Shahid has been a journalist and a member of the Pakistani Parliament so this information is rather close to the source.

TUES 3/16

8pm
Jennifer Hymer, "Kalimba"
at Goethe-Institut Boston, 170 Beacon Street, Boston (Back Bay)
FREE

Part of "Music Technology Electroacoustic Series"

This looks like a full program of modern thumb-piano and electronics from a pianist who's lived in Germany for 15 years. I think it could be interesting, but enter at your own risk. Eleven pieces are on the program with an intermission.

Introduction by Austrian composer Karlheinz Essl

TUES 3/16

9pm to Midnight
Humanwine, What Time Is It Mr. Fox?, Clara Engel
at Lizard Lounge/Cambridge Common, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between Harvard Sq & Porter Sq)
$7 / 21+

I don't listen to Humanwine very often, but I assume this is a flaw in my character... (Likewise I'm not a fan of all upper-case letters.) Maybe I need to slow down and listen for a while and let the songs penetrate me instead of trying to examine the songs. In a stripped-down format at this March residency, the songs may still be mysterious yet more accessible? This week's guests, What Time is It, Mr Fox? and Clara Engel, have theatrical/cabaret angles which should be potent even the basement club.

TUES 3/16

9:30pm
Bacchus King, Croquet, Cathy Cathodic, The Ugly Fucklings
at Middle East - Upstairs, 472 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$9 / 18+

The draw is that each band is quite different -- like flipping to 4 channels and watching for 45 minutes or so. Damn to oxymoron, Bacchus King offers clever, deft stoner-rock. There's a laid-back skew to Croquet's indie-rock. It's always a party with my favorite underground Boston hip-hop MC whose name rhymes with Wrathy Rhapsodic. The Ugly Fucklings not only have a cool name but they combine punk with an old-time rock 'n roll sensibility and wild live shows. (Scroll down for photo evidence of a mad cap live performance.)

TUES 3/16

10pm
Cutthroat Society, The Old Edison
at Alchemist Lounge, 435 S Huntington Ave, Jamaica Plain
FREE

Going to a show like this means you'll be one of the first to begin celebrating St Patrick's Day at 12:01am... The Old Edison are probably going to celebrate from tonight until tomorrow's gig at the Middle East (Upstairs). They don't really play Irish music so much as play raw punk-folk that channels the experiences of being a bunch of guys from Southie.

I'm not sure if the Alchemist usually hosts hardcore bands like Cutthroat Society, so maybe they'll ratchet down into something acoustic too. Or maybe they'll blast full-bore Boston punk.