WED 6/9: Licking, Rocking, Bluesing

I'd like to think it wasn't my fault for not saying, "Go Celts!" yesterday, but I'll try to offer my positive vibrations in case Ray Allen reads this...

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WED 6/9 (and THUR 6/10)

Noon to 8pm
Scooper Bowl
at City Hall Plaza, Boston (Govt Center)
$8 / $4 for children ages 3 to 9

Two more days of "all-you-can-eat ice cream".

More than 30 flavors of ice cream, frozen yogurt, and/or sorbet from 9 different companies including Ben & Jerry's, Häagen-Dazs, and Breyer's.

Today's Metro said that having a scoop of every flavor would be more than 5,600 calories, so maybe pick the 15 best flavors for only 2,800 calories and skip dinner.

Proceeds benefit the Jimmy Fund/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, so you're overindulging is for a good cause.

FYI: This is a rain or shine event.

WED 6/9 (and THUR 6/10)

5pm to 8pm
"Best Music Week" Concert Series
on Summer Street, Boston (Downtown Crossing)
FREE

Feat: John Shade, Kingsley Flood, Magic Magic
aka "Blog Night"

There are also 2 more nights of free outdoor music in Downtown Crossing. It's somehow related to the Phoenix's Best Music Poll. My guess is that's supposed to raise awareness that this year's winners are going to announced on FRI 6/11.

Could I be biased when I say that tonight's "blog night" is the best line-up of the series? Maybe -- but these are all kick-ass bands, and there's a good variety. TeaParty Boston, Boston Band Crush, and bradley's almanac each selected a band, and they didn't screw around!

There's no mention whether John Shade will be joined by the string quartet that's been backing him at many of his gigs. It doesn't matter, because the songs are gold in musical form.

Kingsley Flood make one of the best blends of rock and roots music, and the clever lyrics can keep you occupied for while if you feel like unspooling them. I wrote a review of their CD for Bostonist, and there are a couple of mp3's to download at the bottom.

When Magic Magic played its last local cheap gig, someone said they're from Dedham instead of Salem; and it looks like "Anonymous" was right. That's the last time I ever trust the British music press, but they have good taste when it comes to loving Magic Magic's delightfully chamber-pop/psych indie-rock. It shimmers and gurgles in all the right ways.

THUR 6/10

Mystery Roar, Bearstronaut, Mean Creek
aka "New Night"

The 'beer garden' should be open as it is for the Thursday Block Parties.

I'm not sure if you can still RSVP for an afterparty at the Woodward (near Old State House) tonight -- but you could try...

WED 6/9

9:30pm
Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers
at Milky Way Lounge/Bella Luna, 284 Amory St, Jamaica Plain (The Brewery Complex)
FREE

Erin Harpe plays the hell out of the acoustic-fingerstyle blues of the early 1900's, and now she has a band joining her two sets tonight, which includes the bassist from her electro-funk band Lovewhip and drummer.

They'll be joined by Richard "Rosy" Rosenblatt on harmonica tonight. If you watch a couple of the videos on the website. The band format, especially with harp player, has the feel of early WWII blues bands that are just a couple evolutionary steps from rock 'n roll. And it sounds fantastic.

If you can't make it tonight, the band will be here on the 2nd Wednesday of the summer months.