TUES 11/30: Talk, Party, Music, Film, Comedy, Art

Yeah, there are two events listed at the same place tonight. And I listed the tree lighting in Copley Square, because I was already going to list the talk at the BPL. What are you going to do? All seemed appealing and had no cover charge...

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TUES 11/30

5pm to 6pm
Tree Lighting
at Copley Sq, Clarendon St & Boylston St, Boston
FREE

Feat: United States Air Force Brass Band Quintet, Trinity Church Choristers, Brian Jones & the Copley Singers, and "participatory caroling"

Not exactly the most exciting event, but Copley Square is a great view any time of year with Trinity Church and the Hancock Tower(s).

If you're going to a reading/discussion at the Boston Public Library (see below) and get there early, you could enjoy some holiday music and maybe some complimentary refreshments.

TUES 11/30

6pm
"The Best American Sports Writing": Discussion
at Rabb Lecture Hall, Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St, Boston (Copley Sq)
FREE

Feat: Peter Gammons, Bob Ryan, Bob Hohler, Glenn Stout

Tonight's discussion will help you recall some of the best sports stories of the last year or so. The series editor Glenn Stout with this year's guest editor, Peter Gammons. As I understand it, Stout chose a bunch of articles for consideration, then Gammons picked 25 to be included in the antology.

Both Bob Ryan and Bob Hohler of the Globe have articles included, so I imagine most won't be disappointed by a Boston-centric conversation.

TUES 11/30

6pm to 9pm
Boston Music Awards: Nominee Bash
at Enormous Room, 567 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE / 21+

Feat: DJ Paul Foley

The voting is closed, so you'll have to wait until Sunday's ceremony to find out who won. A bunch of the nominees and performers should show up tonight for a pre-show party. Anyone is welcome to join in and hang out. I can't say "everyone is welcome", because the room isn't really enormous.

TUES 11/30

7pm to 9pm
"Perfect Pitch": Berklee Music Battle
at Middle East - Upstairs, 472 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$5 / 18+

So it's not a competition to see who has perfect pitch (although maybe some Berklee geeks do have an underground competition like that).

What has happened: Berklee songwriters submitted songs, singers auditioned, and now performers have been matched with 15 songs. They'll be backed by a Berklee band, and the audience will choose the winner who receives $3,000 in studio time.

The material is a healthy mix of genres and could be interesting. I already thought it was funny that one guy is singing, and someone else is performing the song he wrote.

TUES 11/30

8pm
"Four Boxes": Screening
at Room 120, Bldg 6, 182 Memorial Drive (Rear), Cambridge (MIT campus)
FREE

The trailer makes this indie flick look suspenseful and clever, but the feedback on IMDb is rather negative.

It was shown at Seattle International Film Festival and SXSW last year and hasn't been released in theaters yet. You can make up your own mind tonight instead of being influenced to pay for something might be stupid in the future.

TUES 11/30

9pm to 1am
Monthly Comedy Night
at Enormous Room, 567 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE / 21+

Feat: Ken Reid, Dan Boulger, Sameer Naseem, Matt D, Patrick Barrett, Matt Kona

After the Boston Music Awards party (see above), the Enormous Room is presenting the first of its monthly comedy night. I think Ken Reid is really funny, and Dan Boulger has made me laugh whenever I've listened to him. (Dan also won the Boston Comedy Festival a few years ago.) Maybe Patrick Barrett will do his character "MC Yung Homofobe"; good stuff.

TUES 11/30 (and TUES 12/1)

11pm to 11pm
"Medicine Wheel"
at Cyclorama, Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont St, Boston (South End)
FREE

Tomorrow is World AIDS Day, and there are various local events happening today and tomorrow to commemorate it. This 19th annual art installation/event that evolves every year will open tonight, and all are welcome to visit for 24 hours.

Around 11:45pm, a procession starts outside the Cyclorama. There are usually some performances throughout the event. (I think on the hour.)

I went one year, and it was a very heavy and somber experience.