FRI 6/11: Museum, March, Idea Party, Music

Have you been feeling prouder and/or gayer this week? There is a good reason for that, because we're in the thick of Boston Pride Week. There's the Dyke March (and a few hours of "penis monologues"...?) tonight.

Besides tomorrow's parade and festival, there are block parties and plenty of other fun that ranges from free to $10. Check out the official site; I saw that Bay Windows had a good list of events.

Of course, everyone is welcome at any event -- whatever team you play on -- if one is interested.

It's cool to see some good free music on a Friday too!

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FRI 6/11

5pm to 8pm
Second Fridays
at MIT Museum, 265 Mass Ave, Cambridge (near Central Sq)
FREE

Honestly, there are lots of cool stuff at the MIT Museum that's worth the price of admission, but it's even better when you can get in for free. They recently began a monthly program that offers special presentations, demonstrations, and displays with free admission.

I think there may even be some of their recent acquisitions from the Polaroid/Land company.

This is definitely one of the last days of another exhibit "Mind and Hand: The Making of MIT Scientists and Engineers". At 6pm, gallery curator Deborah Douglas will share "stories of MIT's history and behind-the-scene anecdotes about this beloved gallery."

FRI 6/11

6pm
Boston Dyke March
meet at Parkman Bandstand, Boston Common, Boston (Tremont St Side)
FREE

This is one of the annual pre-parade activities to march a bit more specifically. It seems like the first hour is casual gathering before the march begins at 7pm. A little bit of solidarity and probably some chants through Back Bay is followed by some speakers and music including Kit Yan and Black Kettle, a band that has some wonderful tunes.

FRI 6/11

6:30pm
Awesome Foundation Fellowship Party: "Grassroots Mapping"
at Design Annex, 66 Union Square #103, Somerville
FREE

The Awesome Foundation gives monthly grants of $1,000 to some who has an awesome idea. You can celebrate April's win by Jeffrey Yoo Warren, an MIT Media Lab guy who came up with a super cheap method of satellite photography with balloons, kites and standard digital cameras.

He's already helped map the oil spill in the Gulf. Maybe you'd like to meet and chat with idea-loving people, and maybe you'll be inspired to submit an awesome idea...

[Facebook]

FRI 6/11

7:30pm
Greg Attonito, Shanti Wintergate, Kepi Ghoulie, Kevin Seconds
at Middle East - Upstairs, 472 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10 / 18+

Yes, it's part of a promotional thing for Vespa, but these folks (with punk roots) have been driving scooters on a week-long tour from Philly.

I really like Greg Attonito's work with punk band Bouncing Souls, but his solo stuff may be my least favorite of the four. It sounds like interesting stuff, but I keep waiting for lyrics that never come. Kepi from the Groovie Ghoulies has been in town a couple times for acoustic gigs over the last year or so, and Kevin from 7 Seconds has gone acoustic as well. Should be a good show.

FRI 6/11

9:30pm
Full Body Anchor, Tik Tok, The Dirty Truckers, The Spoilers
at The Beachcomber, 797 Quincy Shore Dr, Quincy (Wollaston Beach)
$7 / 21+

If you're in Quincy, this is going to be a pretty rocking' show. The Dirty Truckers excel at rip-roaring, occasionally twangy, rock in a vein somewhere between the Petty and The Stones. When they were in last year's Rumble, they were my pick to win it. The Spoilers don't mess around either, and the female fronted vocals add a really good melodic element to their sassy punk.

It's not too far from the Wollaston T...

FRI 6/11

9:30pm
Audrey Ryan, Shepherdess
at Milky Way Lounge/Bella Luna, 284 Amory St, Jamaica Plain (The Brewery Complex)
$7 / 21+

Wow, the Milky Way is making a big splash back into full-on loud band performances with Shepherdess. Frontwoman Hilken Mancini has been making uncannily tasty indie-rock in every band she's been in since Fuzzy in the 90's. I don't know what an Shepherdess' song "Aquaplanagerie" means, but it's a damn cool song.

Perhaps Audrey Ryan will be joined by others, or maybe she'll do her one-woman-band thing. Her beautiful melodies usually distract from the lyrics, but every now and then I stop and think "Wow, those are really clever stories she's singing." If you haven't jumped on the Audrey Ryan bandwagon yet, do not pass 'Go' or collect $200 until you do!

I liked the old Milky Way better, but the new location is good in its own way...

FRI 6/11

9:30pm
Coyote Kolb, Highway Ghosts, TheyWillHateUs
at House of Blues -- Front Room, 15 Lansdowne St, Boston (Kenmore Sq)
FREE / 21+

Wow, there's a truck-load of free alt-country/Americana from Coyote Kolb and Highway Ghosts. TheyWillHateUs are a male-female team that specialize in old, deep country tunes which they describe as "Gothicana".

FRI 6/11

10pm
Jenny Dee & The Deelinquents
at Toad, 1912 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Porter Sq)
FREE

I don't know how this gigantic neo-soul band of awesomeness can fit even in the general vicinity of the tiny stage, but even a stripped-down version of Jenny Dee & The Deelinquents doing 3 sets of the best original version of joyful soul music in town (with some cool covers).