SAT 5/21: Art, Earthfest, Porchfest, Fights, Songs

I don't think I can explain the attraction of capoeira, except it looks cool. It looks like dance, but it's supposed to be a martial art.

A new capoeira studio in Brighton is having a festival today, and the public is welcome to watch the workshops, etc.

If you're in the neighborhood, someone over there told me it'd be better to visit towards the end of sessions when they're doing their group fight-dance thing.

Oh, and there's Sunday cheapness on the calendar.

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SAT 5/21 (and SUN 5/22)

Noon to 6pm
Cambridge Open Studios: North/West
from Alewife / Fresh Pond to Porter Sq & Harvard Sq, Cambridge
FREE

Noon to 6pm
East Boston Open Studios
near Maverick Square & Beyond, Boston
FREE

You could walk around Cambridge or Eastie and chat with artists. If you look at the PDF brochure, most of the studios in Cambridge are between Porter Square and Alewife.

Since I don't go to Eastie enough, I like the idea of a few spots with a bunch of art bundled together.

SAT 5/21

Noon
Earthfest
at Hatch Shell, Storrow Dr, Boston (Charles River Esplanade)
FREE

Feat: Ed Kowalczyk (3:45pm), OK Go (2:30pm), Sponge (1:15pm), Atomic Tom (Noon)

As far as I'm concerned, OK Go is the best reason to go to Earthfest. I remember liking Sponge back in the 90's, and Ed Kowalczyk will probably play most of Live's hits although there might be some solo material too.

SAT 5/21

Noon to 6pm
Somerville PorchFest 2011
throughout Somerville (Round 1, Round 2, Round 3)
FREE

What a clever idea. About 75 musical groups are just going to play on porches or generally outside. There are 3 time periods in different part of town. I imagine some people could go rogue and start playing if they're not part of the official event.

I might seek out: Mike Rivard, Greg Klyma, Mount Peru, and there's a whole bunch of awesome at Q Division Studios (near Davis Sq) where they're also having a 'yard sale' today.

SAT 5/21 (and SUN 5/22)

1:30pm to 7pm
"Play-Jurisms: creativity! copyright! ethics! appropriation!"
at Democracy Center, 45 Mount Auburn St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
FREE

Sunday: 2pm to 8pm

Anyone can attend, however people who create in whatever medium might be more interested -- especially if you build on the works of others.

Schedule:

1:30pm -- Copyright Offense and Defense for Artists
3pm -- Recent Trends in Artists Rights
4:30pm -- Culture Should be Shared, Not Monopolized
7pm -- “Sonic Outlaws”

If you haven't clicked the link yet, the last session is a documentary.

SAT 5/21

5pm
MEMENDS
at Meme Gallery, 55 Norfolk St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE

This is probably the last happening at Meme Gallery, and a lot of cool stuff happened in the little room.

There'll be a variety of performances and art (7pm) as well as a basketball game with peculiar nets (5pm).

It's a farewell party, they suggest to "bring something yummy to share with everyone that starts with M or E!"

With Seth Barger, Phil Fryer & Sandrine Schaefer, the MEME team, and DJs Jesse Kaminsky, Ricardo De Lima, Flandrew Fleisenberg.

SAT 5/21

7:30pm
"Stand Tall Against Sexual Violence": All Female Fight Night
at Redline Fight Sports, 614 Mass Ave, Cambridge
$10

Umm, since it's for charity... I should leave my preconceptions about gender behind, because I know women can kick ass. They will fight in various styles, and it'll be entertaining and probably eye-opening.

Proceeds benefit the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center.

SAT 5/21

7:30pm
Sarah Borges
at Toad, 1912 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Porter Sq)
FREE

I'm not sure if she's really going to play tonight, but it's worth a shot to grab a beer and be disappointed to hear Sarah and her fantastic voice. I think she'll be quite preggers based on the photo on her site. (Or maybe the baby has already arrived?)

SAT 5/21

9pm
Age Rings, Taxpayer, Pretty & Nice, You Can Be A Wesley
at Middle East - Downstairs, 480 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10 / 18+

Holy Cow, there's a lot of excellent indie-rock packed in one show.

And Age Rings have recorded a lot of material, because they're releasing a double-CD (whoa!?). Taxpayer is not my favorite, but they have a very well-put-together sound. I'm more enamored with the punky skew of Pretty & Nice or even the You Can Be A Wesley's fuzzy bounce.

If you want to hear rocking' tunes in your face, look no further.