TUES 9/27: Music, Books, Art, Film

Okay, it often happens that I get a little top-heavy on these posts... There are a couple good rock options tonight.

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TUES 9/27 (and TUES 8/4)

6pm
"The Ames Sessions": Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players, Supercute!
at Woodward, Ames Hotel, 1 Court St, Boston (Downtown Crossing)
FREE w/ RSVP

Although last week's kick-off was taken inside due to rain, the weather and temperature are cooperating for the patio music series.

It would be typical for a hotel like Woodward to have a middle-of-the-road jazz band playing, but kudos to hosting a Tuesday music series that features cool, independent bands. No one expects to hear free live bands on a Tuesday evening at a hotel bar patio!

I went last week and heard a fantastic solo set by Leo Blais, and Anna Rose especially shined on the sassy, more country numbers from her new album as well as her superb Arcade Fire cover.

If you work downtown, I don't see why you wouldn't try to grab a spot on the patio for a couple Tuesday drinks, and the tunes are getting delightfully more peculiar over the next 2 weeks!

I think there was a year when the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players performed at PA's Lounge on the Conan O'Brien show. Papa, Mama, and daughter Rachel Tractenberg have a slew of off-kilter songs that are based on found slides that they project during their set. Teenage Rachel's own bubblegum group Supercute is opening tonight.

I couldn't see the benefit of RSVP'ing except maybe they'll save you a spot on the patio or maybe it enters you in a giveaway. (I couldn't tell, but things didn't go as planned.)

As I mentioned before: the cocktails are fancy, but they served me $3.50 'Gansett tall boys with no problem. They also have other beers in average price ranges.

If you don't go tonight, check out Kim Boekbinder and Audrey Ryan next week.

TUES 9/27

6pm
Neal Stephenson, "Reamde": Reading
at Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St, Brookline
$5

If you read "Cryptonomicon", you might be interested to see Stephenson read in person.

Get you tickets across the street at Brookline Booksmith.

TUES 9/27

6pm
Central Library
Daniel Yergin, "The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World": Discussion
at Rabb Lecture Hall, Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St, Boston (Copley Sq)
FREE

Daniel Yergin knows a lot about energy and politics, so it would be difficult to leave the hall without more knowledge about the issues.

TUES 9/27

6:30pm to 8:30pm
"Sting! XI: Object Relations"
at The Beehive, 541 Tremont St, Boston (South End)
FREE

Performance by Nat Mugavero SW-Rats Quartet

Feat: Arisa Boit, John Guthrie, Andrew Mowbray, Ross Normandin, Joshi Radin, Isabel Riley, Daniela Rivera, Jim Stroud, Bill Thompson, Doug Weathersby, Brian Zink

For their 11th "Sting" exhibit, the Beehive has invited 11 artists to show a broad array of work that "centers around the principles of abstraction". I think all of them are Boston-based, so it's a good night to ask the artists about their inspirations.

What's labeled as Nat Mugavero SW-Rats Quartet is probably close to Mugavero's Sewer Ratz project where he gets other tremendous players to create the abstract version of jazz.

TUES 9/27

7pm
Susan N. Herman, "Taking Liberties: The War on Terror and the Erosion of American Democracy": Discussion
at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
FREE

The president of the ACLU questions whether the Patriot Act has done more good than harm in the last 10 years. (Would you like to guess what she thinks?)

TUES 9/27

7:30pm to 9:30pm
Dr. Sketchy Boston: Evening Session
at Club Cafe, 209 Columbus Ave, Boston (South End)
$8 / 18+

Tonight's Models: Polly Surely & Busty Keaton

Have you wanted to go to Dr. Sketchy, but Sunday afternoons at Great Scott just don't work for you?

From first-timers to professionals, all are welcome to have some art fun with no one to tell you what to do. Just bring something to draw on and enjoy a judgement-free session while a couple burlesque gals pose.

Club Cafe is short walk from the Back Bay T station (if you exit to Clarendon St). The art is happening in the back room.

How many life-drawing classes have a cash bar...?

TUES 9/27

8pm
"Short & Sweet III": Animated Films from Germany
at Goethe-Institut Boston, 170 Beacon St, Boston (Back Bay)
FREE

Tonight's 79-minute program is titled "Dreams and Demons", so maybe you can get some scary ideas from German shorts of the last decade. Do I have to remind you about scary Germans (Nosferatu, Heidi Klum, etc)?

In German w/ English subtitles.

TUES 9/27

9pm
Banditas, Lanie Lane
at O'Brien's, 3 Harvard St, Allston
$8 / 18+

Retro styles meet with Australia's Lanie Lane who is a rockabilly gal with a bluesy/jazzy undercurrent and the country-tinged indie-rock of Boston's Banditas.

Lanie Lane has played at Big Day Out and recorded a couple songs with Jack White a couple months ago. While the songs are new, this is the sound of someone looking backwards -- with splendid results. Banditas may remind me of a female-fronted version of early-70's Stones, there's a modern edge which is pretty damn cool.

TUES 9/27

9:30pm
We Are Augustines, Leisure
at Great Scott, 1222 Comm Ave, Allston
$10 / 18+

Out of the ashes of Pela, one finds We Are Augustines. When I saw Pela a few years ago it was one of those "future of rock 'n roll" moments. It definitely wasn't their first time in Boston, because the crowd was going (appropriately) crazy. That early-Springsteen vibe has matured a bit, but there is still something there.