FRI 7/1: Art, Comedy, Music

Happy Canada Day!

The festivities to celebrate our country's day are in full swing with Harborfest.

If you're heading out of town, have a great weekend! If not, I expect more cheapness later in the day.

--------------------------------------------------------------

FRI 7/1

10am to 9:45pm
"Free Fun Fridays"
at Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave, Boston (Fenway)
FREE

I gave advance notice (along with almost any Boston-related information source. Thousands will walk through the museum doors today, but they won't be there at the same time.

Maybe visit on your way out to do something else. You'll want to tell people about the amazing glasswork from Dale Chihuly.

As part of "Free Fun Fridays", there are three other cultural locations that are free today: the Edward Gorey House and the Heritage Museums & Gardens on the Cape, and Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford.

FRI 7/1

5pm to 9pm
First Friday Open Studios
at SoWa Arts Bldg, 450 Harrison Ave, Boston (South End)
FREE

For a probably less crowded art experience, you can walk around and check out the dozens of artist studios.

FRI 7/1

7:30pm
The Gas
at Great Scott, 1222 Comm Ave, Allston
$5 / 18+

Feat: Laura Crawford, Chris Flemming, Ryan "The Guzz" Douglass, James Nixon, Wes Hazard, Tim Vargulish, Justin P. Drew, Andrew Mayer

You know what could happen? Someone could say something that is so funny, you'll think about for the next few days and resume laughing.

Or maybe there'll be just a few laughs, but I do believe the laugh-to-dollar ratio will be high. Will there be jokes about Canadians? There's always a chance...

Rob Crean hosts.

FRI 7/1

9:30pm
Hello Ninja, Streight Angular, Pray for Polanski, Frost Watson
at PA's Lounge, 345 Somerville Ave, Somerville (Union Sq)
$10 / 21+

Oh, boy. Lot's of bouncy, high-energy, melodic, fuzzy indie-rock. I've given big thumbs-up to each of these bands on various occasions -- except for Frost Watson.

These Philly guys sound great. If they're the first band to write a song called "The Smash", then they should get a free round of drinks and much adulation.

Wear comfortable shoes, because you might even want to dance from beginning to end.

FRI 7/1

9:15pm
Roadside Graves, Coo & Howl, Summer Villains
at Lizard Lounge/Cambridge Common, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge (between Harvard Sq & Porter Sq)
$7 / 21+

The Alt-country/Americana quotient is strong with NJ's Roadside Graves on the bill who are getting a lot of good press. I also dig that their new album was inspired by "The Outsiders".

Summer Villains (from Medford?) rock out in a similar vein, while Coo & Howl have a lot of influences winding around each in a mainly acoustic setting.