WED 4/20: Talk, TV, Film, Music

I checked Flickr for a funny "420" image, and I just went with this one.

The first time I heard about Neutral Uke Hotel, I flipped a bit because it seemed like clever synthesis of a classic album and musical trend. Turns out that the idea has legs. The musicians are playing tonight at Brighton Music Hall (7pm, $12) together and separately (as Golden Bloom & Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library) as well as going on not-their-first tour. Definitely worth a listen.

BTW: If you have a college ID, you probably already know you can go inside Fenway Park and hang out in the bleacher area from noon to 6pm for some >free fun 'n games. I imagine they won't let you leave to go to a nearby bar, so be ready.

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WED 4/20

5:30pm to 8:30pm
"Freedom Riders": Screening & Discussion
at JFK Presidential Library & Museum, Columbia Point, Boston
FREE w/ RSVP

Usually JFK Library events fill up before the day of the event, but there is room to watch the American Experience show "Freedom Riders" then listen to a panel discussion that includes civil rights leader Bernard Lafayette who participated in the Freedom Rides that put the integration of buses into practice.

Callie Crossley of WGBH radio moderates.

There are still a few spots to see the related exhibit at the WGBH Studios, if you have some time during the day.

WED 4/20

6:30pm to 8pm
"Boston's Fairest: First 50 years of Women in the BPD": Lecture
at Orientation Room, 1st Fl, Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St, Boston (Copley Sq)
FREE

Women have been protecting Boston in a police uniform for 90 years -- and they weren't given guns initially.

BPD spokesperson Kim Gaddy and BPD archivist Margaret R. Sullivan share some of the early tales of bravery and intrigue.

WED 4/20

7pm
"Rooms Down the Hallway": Reading
at Hallway Gallery, 66A South St, Jamaica Plain
FREE

Feat: Stace Budzko, Sue Williams, Dawn Dorland Perry

I just like that this place is pretty much a wide hallway...

WED 4/20

7pm
48 Hour Film Project: "Best of the First Ten Years"
at Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St, Brookline
$9.75 / $6.75 seniors, children

Over the last 10 years, thousands of short films have been made in 48 hours from beginning to end -- writing, filming, editing -- and Jennifer Lopez hasn't been in any of them!

A third of tonight's 15 selections were made for Boston's 48HFP weekends; besides the other domestic films are works from London, Tel Aviv, and Johannesburg.

The next local 48 Hour Film Project is happening in a couple weeks, so maybe you'll be inspired to enter.

WED 4/20

8pm
Iguana Music Fund Night
at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
FREE

Feat: Kristin Andreassen, Andy Cambria & Sarah Green, The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library, Mark Erelli, Margaret Glaspy, Zack Hickman, Naseem Khuri, Amanda Kowalski, Kimber Ludiker, Austin Nevins, Dami Noah, Nikola Radan, Maria Sangiolo, Sub Rosa songwriting members (Amy Correia, Sean Staples, Dinty Child & David Champagne)

Patronage of the arts is alive and seemingly well, when 17 musicians have been given $30,000 in grants for their projects.

Tonight's show featuring the Iguana Music Fund recipients was supposed to be $10, but another donation was made to let people in for free.

Hear some music and what these folks are going to do with the money.

WED 4/20

Personal & the Pizzas (11:20pm), Barreracudas (10:25pm), Thick Shakes (9:35pm), Wide Iris (8:45pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$8

I dig Thick Shakes because they churn out golden, garagey nuggets of rock as if they could been on one of those compilations. A sign of awesomeness is when a band reminds me of something I already love without sounding like an imitator. Thick Shakes do it. (And if you're hip and/or own a turntable, they'll have a 7" record for sale.)

Barreracudas do a good job of doing it in a punky, early powerpop way. Wide Iris is a bunch of guys who played the Rumble over 10 years and have recently decided to rock together again -- good stuff! I'm not so hot on Personal & the Pizzas, because I prefer The Ramones. You might like them, or you could head home early...

WED 4/20

9pm
Lake Street Dive, Mr. Sister
at Lizard Lounge/Cambridge Common, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between Harvard Sq & Porter Sq)
$10 / 21+

I'm just going leave what I wrote for the first of Lake Street Dive's 2-night thing, except that I think tonight's opener Mr. Sister is some pretty amazing singing of songs:

Let's not nitpick that Lake Street Dive's self-titled album was released about 5 months ago, these New England Conservatory grads have returned for 2 nights at the wonderfully intimate Lizard Lounge.

My standard description of their sound was "jazzy country-soul-folk-pop"; the new collection has them creating delightfully agile pop with those other flavors occasionally woven through here and there.

They just might be able to trick a wide audience into liking good music...