WED 5/12: Words, Art, Music, Burlesque

So I went to the final Rob Crean Show last night, and it was a great time! Lots of hilarious stuff... Lots of killer tunes courtesy of Bone Zone... I took pictures, and I might do a full post about it.

One of my favorite parts was staying until almost the very end and walking to Cambridge. Really! It was good to ramble for a little bit. I wasn't even tired when I got home.

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WED 5/12

6:30pm
"Comedy's Creative Power to Persuade"
at First Parish Church, 3 Church St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
FREE

The question is: Can two guys from The Onion be funny/entertaining/insightful on the spot? Have they been brainstorming for good content? Will they bring a funny infographic?

That's three questions, but you get the idea. Editors John Krewson & Joe Garden and talk about humor and the news. In a time when most news coverage is ridiculous, the news sources that dependably get to heart of the matter are ridiculous.

Cambridge Forum is also a radio program, so they'd appreciate it if you didn't scream an f---ing obscenities.

WED 5/12

7pm
An Evening with "Her Deepness" Sylvia Earle: Lecture
at Cahners Auditorium, Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston
FREE

Seating is limited. Passes are available in the Museum lobby beginning at 5:45pm on the day of the program. First come, first served.

Trailblazing oceanographer/marine biologist Sylvia Earle has spent more time underwater at greater depths than most people. In a short paragraph, I can't begin to scratch the surface of her accomplishments.

In between mapping the oceans and saving the environment, she's written a new book about the big blue thing's terrible condition: "The World Is Blue: How Our Fate and the Ocean's Are One".

"Book signing to follow."

WED 5/12

6:30pm
Michael Reiskind, "Boston Beer: A History": Lecture
at Orientation Room, 1st Fl, Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St, Boston (Copley Sq)
FREE

If you've been on the Sam Adams brewery tour, they told you that Jamaica Plain and Roxbury used to have dozens of breweries before Prohibition. Then you probably forgot it well before they started pouring pitchers in the tasting room.

Local historian and active JP community member Michael Reiskind looks back at Boston's rich beer history.

BPL even posted some old Boston beer images on Flickr.

WED 5/12

8pm to 9:30pm
"Mass Art Invades The Armory"
at Arts at The Armory, 191 Highland Ave, Somerville (Spring Hill)
$5 to $10 Donation / All Ages

Who knows why these kids wanted to invade Somerville. It probably has something to do with Duncan Wilder Johnson, spoken-word dude and rock-meister, who's also an alumnus of MassArt's SIM program. Another guy once described it to me as "make up your own major"...

A bunch of fresh artists in various media (including music/sound, spoken word, performance art as well as painting, video, sculpture) will be anchored by performances from aesthetically sophisticated performers such as singer-songwriter extraordinaire Rick Berlin and Humanwine who make beautiful Humanwine-music.

WED 5/12

9:30pm
Doomstar!, Drink Up Buttercup, French Cops
at House of Blues Restaurant, 15 Lansdowne St, Boston (Kenmore Sq)
FREE / 21+

This another of the ridiculously good, no-cover line-ups since they recently started hosting bands in the restaurant next to the club.

Because I'm an old fart, I listen to Drink Up Buttercup and think about bands like Super Furry Animals or Teenage Fanclub -- British bands that took all those classic influences and distilled it into something new, sometimes quirky, hooky rock -- even though they're from Philly. Take this for what it may be worth: I'm going to buy the Drink Up Buttercup CD (appropriately titled "Born and Thrown on a Hook").

The sweet psych-rock keeps coming with the ramshackle bliss of Doomstar and The French Cops who describe themselves as "pop driven psychedelic country rock blues stomp bash brigade with a Southern accent and prog-chops."

(I'm wondering why Drink Up... isn't playing at the Middle East or Great Scott, etc. This is a big value for music-lovers, so think about that when you see the merch.)

WED 5/12

10pm
Rocking Horse Rodeo
at Alchemist Lounge, 435 S Huntington Ave, Jamaica Plain
FREE

When I was listening to this band and read they had changed their name, I knew I had heard them before. Then they sent me an email that included their old handle ("Jesus & the Argonauts").

Here's to the inaugural as Rocking Horse Rodeo, which fits them much better as a band that makes clean, melodic Alt-country with not too much twang to get your legs wet from Nashville flood waters. I don't know how serious they were, but there was a mention of a horn section(?) along with mandolins and the like.

They should play at least two sets since their upcoming album could be a double-length affair. Check them out, and you might find yourself listening to one right after the other...

Again, this could be one of the last music nights at the Alchemist.

WED 5/12

10pm
Rogue Burlesque: "School's Out!"
at Middlesex Lounge, 315 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$5 / 21+

Guests: Honeysuckle Hype, Tracy McAskill of Bella Curva

If I noticed something from the clips I've seen, Rogue seems to put a solid effort into the comic aspect of burlesque AND they also dance off most of their clothes. Tonight's theme will celebrate the end of school year. Students rejoice another successful year, and residents rejoice for the student exodus. Someone better twirl some graduation tassels!

Am guessing that a portion of the show will be allotted for Honeysuckle Hype's "burlesque, live cooking show, short films and audience-participatory performance", which is at the beginning of an East Coast tour (from Seattle).

Her performance could be some challenging stuff -- as the project grew out of a valentine card that was inspired by a book on "feminist-vegetarian critical theory". And the performance supposedly includes a lot of honey... and meat...