THUR 7/15: Art, Music, Lantern Fest

The annual New England Sand Sculpting Festival is starting to take shape for the weekend. It's not much to see at this point, but the sculptors are already working at Revere Beach (closer this T station than Wonderland).

While the items are technically under $10, I don't think the "Sustainable Oyster & Vodka Pairing" at Turner Fisheries (4pm to 7pm) is going to cheap overall. Gosh, they sound good though...

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THUR 7/15

5:30pm to 7:30pm
Karl Stevens, "The Lodger": Reception & Book Signing
at Carroll & Sons, 450 Harrison Ave, Boston (South End)
FREE

Yes, I read The Phoenix on a regular basis. The cartoons are some of favorite items, including the serials done by Karl Stevens. Many of the strips have a detail you don't usually see in this kind of forum. (I especially like the strong cross-hatching.)

This exhibit includes "comics, oil paintings, watercolors, and drawings", and he'll be there tonight to sign books; his most recent is "The Lodger".

Exhibit on display through SAT 8/21.

THUR 7/15

6pm to 8:30pm
Tais Alvarenga
at Institute for Contemporary Art, 100 Northern Ave, Boston (South Boston/Seaport)
FREE

Brazilian-born, Boston-based, Berklee alumna Tais Alvarenga performs her folky, Latin-flavored pop outside of the ICA while the museum galleries are free to all from 5pm to 9pm. Her music sounds even better when you can see her, since she could inspire the SC governor to hike the Appalachian Trail.

THUR 7/15

6pm to 9pm
Annual Lantern Festival
at Lake Hibiscus, Forest Hills Cemetery, 95 Forest Hills Ave, Jamaica Plain
FREE ($10 suggested donation per lantern)

Based on the Japanese midsummer Bon Festival, a Buddhist ritual in memory of loved ones in which lanterns represent the souls of the dead are floated out to sea and prayers are offered so that they might rest in peace.

You can send a lantern(s) floating into Lake Hibiscus at sunset in memory of loved ones. Write some thoughts about your departed on
The shades of the lantern can contain a combination of Japanese calligraphy and your personal message.

You can watch and picnic for free too. There is a variety of music and dance from 6pm to about 8pm, including gospel singer Ron Murphy, the Samurai Taiko drummers, dancers from the Showa Boston Institute and from Chinese and Balinese traditions.

A flashlight is suggested, but you'd be okay without one -- in my experience. Bug repellent wouldn't be a bad idea.

It's a beautiful sight, and don't forget about the shortcut via Tower St.

Raindate: THUR 7/22

THUR 7/15

7pm
Stephen Fredette Benefit
at Lizard Lounge/Cambridge Common, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between Harvard Sq & Porter Sq)
$8 / $10 after 11pm / 21+

If you don't know Stephen Fredette (ex-Scruffy the Cat, now-Pony), it's still a great night of music that just happens to help local musician with his medical bills related to Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Healthcare reform doesn't make everything free, folks. (More about previous benefits here and here.)

Schedule:

7:20pm -- New Black Magic Rainbow Trio
8pm -- The Beat Awfuls
8:40pm -- Pine Cone Teeth
9:20pm -- Banditas
10:10pm -- Pony
11pm -- Frank Morey Bigger Band
Midnight -- The Swinedells

There is just a load of fine rock/blues/folk/more. The New Black Magic Rainbow Trio looks like trumpet-bass-drums tonight. Tommy of Drug Rug is joining The Beat Awfuls. Pine Cone Teeth features Amy Griffin (Raging Teens, Darkbuster, etc).

THUR 7/15

SuperPower (Midnight), Humanwine (11pm), Rob Potylo (10pm), Bacchus King (9pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$9

Rob Potylo is celebrating the release of a double-length CD. Whatever goes down at this show might end up in an episode of "Quiet Desperation", the web sit-com that is loosely based on the misadventures of Potylo (fka Roadsteamer). Members of these bands have appeared in "Quiet D" along with hundreds of other local performers.

Since abandoning the Roadsteamer alter ego, the music is more earnest and less aggressive. The rock hammer will definitely come down with the hardcore SuperPower, and Bacchus King does a rifftastically thick, heavy rock. Humanwine also perform their own brand of multi-culti, time-traveling, politically-aware rock that is too clever and slippery to be held down to easy genre-tagging.

Comedian Bigg Nez will emcee.

THUR 7/15

9pm
Asa Brebner & Friends, Ray Mason Band
at Rosebud Bar & Grill (behind Diner), 381 Summer St, Somerville (Davis Sq)
$5 / 21+

I noticed this gig is part of a "ThirdThursdays" series brought to you by the folks behind the New England Pop Festival. Both Asa Brebner and Ray Mason are well-seasoned veterans that can't help but make top-notch rock 'n roll.

They say the music actually starts at 9pm and finishes up around 11:30pm, and I believe it can happen here at this sorta-secret pub that is really your average music club.

THUR 7/15

9:30pm
Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling, Faux Ox, We Are Hex, Who Killed Who
at PA's Lounge, 345 Somerville Ave, Somerville (Union Sq)
$8 / 21+

Before heading off on tour next week, Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling gets into gear with a hometown gig full of rock to grab you by the ears. Tell your friends around the Northeast and along the Seaboard!

I dig the minimalist, punchy art-punk of DNFMOMD since they make catchy yet challenging music that's also inspired "The Prisoner". (I think I hear motifs of the TV show's music here and there too.) You'll also catch the Boston debut of We Are Hex from Indianapolis who are getting a quite bit of buzz for a dark blend of gothy, noisy, amped-up post-new-wave rock. Faux Ox and Who Killed Who each get hard, heay, and angular in their own ways.