WED 7/21: Talk, Jazz, Michael Jackson, Avant

As I mentioned over the weekend, there's a free outdoor production of "Cyrano de Bergerac" in a Chelsea harborside park from Wednesday to Sunday through SAT 7/31. They alternate performances in English and Spanish, and tonight is in English.

Someone sent me a link to a Daily Beast article that lists Boston in the top 5 of gayest cities in the US. I was surprised to see that Portland has a higher gay index! I only know a few people in Portland, but I didn't really get that vibe (except for the high ratio of nice restaurants in Old Port). As the UCLA demographer who compiled the list says, "Gay people live everywhere."

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WED 7/21

7pm to 9pm
Rock Shop #5: "CMJ Marathon Info Session"
at Middle East - Downstairs, 480 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE

Thinking about going to CMJ Marathon? Bands still have a week to apply, and attendees will have to pay more after 7/28. Not exactly cheap at $425 ($245 student) -- or maybe it is?

Steve Theo from Pirate Promotions is moderating tonight's session to answer questions that are mainly geared towards the aspiring musician, but anyone can go.

WED 7/21

8pm
The Annie Darcy Band
at Club Oberon, 2 Arrow St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$10

Did you go to A.R.T.'s production of "Sleep No More"? It was an experimental version of "Macbeth" where you walked around an old school building in Brookline and saw the performance in a non-linear sequence.

The jazz-age vibe included a functional bar with a jazz band playing standards under assumed names (6 nights a week for 5 months). Annie Darcy is a character's name who is still living on as a band who has played at Oberon at least once before. It should be a cool environment to hear a piano trio fronted by two vocalists.

Doors open at 7:30pm.

WED 7/21

9pm
2nd Annual Michael Jackson Tribute
at Milky Way Lounge/Bella Luna, 284 Amory St, Jamaica Plain (The Brewery Complex)
$5 / 21+

It's understandable to have mixed feelings about many aspects of Michael Jackson's life and death. I find it indisputable that he was a consummate entertainer with a catalog that's full of awesome pop songs. He didn't do it by himself, but Jackson was the name above the various skin tones and nose shapes.

It's not his birthday or the anniversary of his death. The folks at Soulkore just like to organize a night celebrate the music of MJ and his whole family. (I assume they won't play many Latoya jams...) Dig out the sequined glove and zippered jacket.

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WED 7/21

9:30pm
Concord Ballet Orchestra Players, Lenkadu
at House of Blues - Front Room, 15 Lansdowne St, Boston (Kenmore Sq)
FREE

There's a soccer friendly match at Fenway tonight, and I'm guessing that fans of the Scottish and Portuguese teams may not be looking for experimental rock afterwards. The funny thing is that both performers have an international flair in their sounds.

I'm not sure if there are German musical themes inherent in krautrock or if bands like Faust and Can just successfully imparted Teutonic expressions in their recordings. The largish Somerville band Concord Ballet Orchestra Players has some of that influence in their improvised, instrumental music. While the format might be a turn-off for some, I was digging the "heads" on the tunes I listened to. Some groups might fall into boring wankery, and my gut says that's not the case with CBOP.

Lenka Chludova aka Lenkadu emigrated from the Czech Republic and seems to be an artist who works in sound and video. Who knows how much visual presentation will be part of the performance. I'm guessing fans of Bjork might be interested in checking her out.