WED 5/5: Talk, Cinco de Mayo, Film, Theatre, Rock

Here's my Cinco de Mayo tip for 2010: cheap red wine and 7-Up in approximately equal parts make a quick and easy sangria for cheap party time.

If you're near Kings, this flyer should get you a free Quesadilla or Nacho from 7pm until 2am. And I saw a print ad where Masa is offering $5 margaritas (which is a pretty darn tasty and cheapish) all month. (This place has a fancy aura, but the food is good -- and they should be famous for perfect "bloody marias".)

Believe it or not, I joined a gym yesterday. BU's fitness center is having an "Open House" tonight where you can participate or watch some free classes. They're offering sign-up discounts, and it's open to the general public.

Keep in mind that the Marines are around town this week showing off their "Marine stuff" all week and so forth.

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WED 5/5

6pm
Roxana Saberi, "Between Two Worlds: My Life and Captivity in Iran": Reading
at Abbey Room, Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St, Boston (Copley Sq)
FREE

I saw Ms. Saberi on "The Daily Show" a few weeks ago. I'm sure she even has more interesting things to say about spending 4 months in an Iranian prison for espionage.

Her book is the story of an Iranian-American journalist who was living in Tehran for 6 years. Since she didn't have approval to work as a journo, she decided to interview people for a book. Bad idea!

Someone should ask what she thinks is the likely profile of an American spy in Iran. I wonder if she'll say it might be someone like her, or will she demur...?

WED 5/5

7pm to 10pm
Celebratin' Cinco de Mayo
at Dick's Last Resort, Quincy Marketplace, Boston
No Cover

The specials ($3 margaritas, $1 "Not So Macho" nachos) start at 11am for those who work near Faneuil Hall.

A dude with a guitar will play from 7 to 10pm, and there will be contests for prizes: Annual Mustache Bash (most creative real or fake moustache) and a Black Bean Eatin' Contest

Will they be too busy to be rude? Probably not.

WED 5/5 (and THUR 5/6, TUES 5/11)

7pm, 9:30pm
48 Hour Film Project: Premiere Screenings
at Kendall Square Cinema, One Kendall Square, Cambridge
$10

About 100 filmmaking teams created shorts from start to finish over this past weekend. On Friday they were each given a genre, a character, a prop and a line of dialogue. After writing, acting, and editing in 48 hours, they turned in the final product on Sunday night.

If you're hoping for potentially extreme, no-holds-barred cinema; take note: Tonight's early screening consists of filmmakers who intended to make nothing stronger than "PG-13".

WED 5/5

7pm to 9pm
All Things Horror Presents:
"George's Intervention" w/ "Psycho Hillbilly Cabin Massacre", "Auburn Hills Breakdown", "Mayfly"
at Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville
$5 / 17+

As much as I'd like to encourage people to take a chance the super-fast productions of the 48 Hour Film Project, I'm personally leaning towards hitting the monthly indie-horror film festival that began in January.

The format has been consistent: about three shorts are screened with a feature-length film that hasn't found distribution yet. It takes place in the theatre's screening room downstairs, and I can only guess the word-of-mouth is spreading to the point where it might be full every month. (It might be there already...)

"George's Intervention" looks hilarious with plenty of gore. The trailer backs up the review by All Things Horror: The low budget is apparent, but everything is high quality. Hey, think about the production value of "Evil Dead". I love the premise that zombie-ism is pretty much accepted, although this guy's friends thinks he's not adjusting and needs an intervention.

Grab a beer and popcorn, and you're still doing better than seeing a movie at any other theater.

WED 5/5 (thru SAT 5/8)

7:30pm
"Fallujah, Part 2"
at Studio 352, College of Fine Arts, 855 Comm Ave, Boston (BU campus)
FREE

The prequel to the play is a series of videos that portray a journalist going to Iraq and some of his experiences. In the play, it turns out that he's more affected by his adventures amongst the soldiers that led to many stories. Perhaps like the soldier in "The Hurt Locker", he ends up yearning to get back into the war zone to feel "normal".

There's performances at 2pm on FRI 5/7 and SAT 5/8 (no 7:30pm on Saturday).

WED 5/5

Red Elvises (10:30pm), Jordan Valentine & The Sunday Saints (9:30pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10

I was really shocked when I saw the Red Elvises playing a gig in Boston. I wondered if it was the same band that I saw playing on the streets of Santa Monica years ago. Indeed it was, and they thankfully haven't changed much. They're still whipping up a Russian-style rock 'n roll party. Yeah, it's a little kitschy and silly; and that's all part of the fun.

Jordan Valentine used to front a group of (World's Greatest) Sinners, and now she leads a group of Saints with a set of pipes that shine through the Memphis soul / New Orleans R&B grooves.

WED 5/5

9:30pm
Drug Rug w/ Man Alive! (5/5), Quilt (5/6)
at House of Blues Restaurant, 15 Lansdowne St, Boston (Kenmore Sq)
FREE / 21+

I wonder if people leaving Fenway Park or main room concertgoers can hear the music coming out of the restaurant. It's not a big room, and it could get packed if they hear indie-rock awesomeness of Drug Rug.

When I saw them rock a tiny room a few years ago, it was clear this band is absolutely primed for bigger things with killer songs, solid playing, and the overall dynamics. (Off the top of my head, I know they've toured with Dr Dog and Fiery Furnaces.)

You will be doing yourself a favor by listening to them, and you have two chances for free live performances! For openers, there's an alt-country duo tonight or some psychedelic, folky rock tomorrow.

Maybe drinks are overpriced in the big room; I've heard that 'Gansett tallboys are $3 in the front... (Yes, now there's free live, local music in the restaurant to the left of the club.)

WED 5/5

9:30pm
Dom, Magic Magic, The Royalty
at Great Scott, 1222 Comm Ave, Allston
$8 / 18+

The Wet Bandits (Banditos Mojado?) are two of the guys from Passion Pit who also DJ at shows they put together. I don't know of anything particularly Mexican about this show. Maybe someone will wear a sombrero.

It could be Dom. He and his band seem to be the kind of nonchalant wise-asses from Worcester who make superbly catchy, off-the-cuff, synth-heavy indie rock that can also pull off ironic hat choices. I wouldn't mind if Magic Magic turns out to be bigger than Passion Pit; they seem to be getting a good amount of attention (at least, on the other side of the pond), and I prefer chamber-poppish, psych-rock to PP's dancey stuff.

WED 5/5

9:30pm
Beat Circus, Alec K. Redfearn & the Eyesores, La Strada
at Middle East - Upstairs, 472 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10 / 18+

The connection I hear between these bands is the use of strings and other non-typical rock gear like accordions. Beat Circus are in the midst of recording a trilogy of albums they refer to as "Weird American Gothic", which aptly describes their sophisticated, dark Americana music. Alec K. Redfearn is all over the place with a peculiar blend of influences and approaches that like Old-World music for moderns. La Strada adds some lighter tones to the palette in a thoughtful, folk-pop twist.