WED 8/18: Talk, Jazz, Rock, Plus

Need a life change? There are Peace Corps information sessions at noon and 6pm (RSVP req'd for evening) in the O'Neill Federal Building.

On a side note: If you ever see me wearing my shirt inside-out, it's probably not on purpose. Feel free to tell me before the end of the day (or night)...

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WED 8/18

7pm
JC Hallman, "In Utopia": Reading
at Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard St, Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
FREE

You don't have to dream about Utopian society to be interested in the notion. The author has explored the historical and philosophical as well as the practical at some current utopian communities.

And if you can describe "Utopia" in 50 words or less by noon today, you could win a copy of the book and a $20 Brookline Booksmith gift card.

WED 8/18

8pm
Charlie Kohlhase's Explorers Club, The Sonic Explorers
at Johnny D's, 17 Holland St, Somerville (Davis Sq)
$10 / 21+

If you're in the mood for jazz, some of Boston's and Worcester's best straight-ahead stuff is blowing in Davis Square tonight for a nice price.

WED 8/18

9:30pm
Girlfriends, Eux Autres, Reports, Colleen Green
at Great Scott, 1222 Comm Ave, Allston
$8 / 18+

Well, Girlfriends did it! I told you they were going on a 6-week tour around the Lower 48 to blast their infectiously fuzzy garage-pop to the hip masses around the country. You can read about and see some pix on their tour blog. The noisy, punky ingredients are found in other bands, but Girlfriends got it right.

At some point, ex-Bostonian Colleen Green joined up with them and she's on tonight's bill for what will likely be a batch of songs on ragged guitar along with drum machine. Eux Autres must be own their own journey from San Fran and join the homecoming party. I can ignore the esoteric French name, because they play splendid, clean and clever indie-pop. Somewhere in there, Reports rocks it loud, angular and arty-style.

If I'm rambling around tonight, there's a good chance I'll try to move in this direction.

WED 8/18

10:30pm
Kay McKinstry & The Good Pour
at Plough & Stars, 912 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE

Thanks to several mutual acquaintances, I was at the first Good Pour show and I was shocked (and appreciative) that I didn't have to pay to hear Kay McKinstry 's beautiful voice radiating over chilled alt-country/Americana.

I'm not sure if Patsy Cline ever performed with a butt in one hand and a whiskey in the other "a la Billie Holiday", but I can imagine Kay doing something like that if it were possible in Mass. Close your eyes, and the vision may appear amid the torch and twang.