SAT 11/12: Food, Country, Rock, Americana, Surf

If you didn't check out the Allston Open Studios or the Anarchist Bookfair today, there's always tomorrow.

I tried to see MIThenge in the spring, and it was somewhat disappointing. The time was right but the clouds/sky were not. It might be seen this weekend around 4:20pm.

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SAT 11/12

7pm
Cooking Demo w/ Marissa Guiggiana and Jamie Bissonnette
at Trident Booksellers & Cafe, 338 Newbury St, Boston (Back Bay)
FREE

Chef Jamie of Toro and Coppa did a similar presentation in May, and I had 2 cups of amazing tripe & beef tongue stew. Maybe this time he'll do the pig ear terrine that was also featured in the cookbook, "Primal Cuts: Cooking with America’s Best Butchers" compiled by Marissa Guiggiana.

SAT 11/12

8pm
"For the Sake of the Song": Tribute to Willie Nelson
at Arts at The Armory Cafe, 191 Highland Ave, Somerville (Spring Hill)
$8

Feat: Susan Cattaneo, Highway Ghosts, Glenn Yoder

Aw, who doesn't love Willie?

The red-headed stranger may be one of the few musical icons that appeals to hipsters and their grandparents. It's well-deserved, because he's written some of the best songs in country/pop music like "Crazy" & "Always On My Mind".

The performers will play some of their favorite songs by America's -- the world's -- favorite unabashed, septuagenarian stoner as well as some of their own.

SAT 11/12

9pm
Yale MA, Secret Music, Candy Hearts, Awful Man
at O'Brien's, 3 Harvard St, Allston
$9 / 21+

Yeah, baby, this is some wicked punchy goodness bookended by the meaty hooks of Yale MA and the fast 'n loud crunch of Awful Man. It might be love at first verse with Candy Hearts and their girl-group sweetness of the vocals over the speedy grind. Secret Music adds some palate-cleansing new wave to the party.

SAT 11/12

Eddie Japan (9pm), Late Cambrian (10pm), The Lights Out (11pm), The Blackboard Nails (Midnight)
at Radio, 379 Somerville Ave, Somerville (Union Sq)
$5 / 21+

Holy crap, this would've been a monstrous gig at next week's International Pop Overthrow next week down the street.

I love the romantic, loungey powerpop of Eddie Japan. I had to figure out when the Late Cambrian period was, and they didn't have fuzzed-out guitars over sweet melodies. There are few bands that can execute really tight guitar-heavy pop-rock and tickle your classic-rock bone like The Lights Out without going over the top into cheese-land. By the tight musicianship of The Blackboard Nails, I assume they're Berklee kids who may have more than just chops.

SAT 11/12

9pm
Truth & Salvage Co, Musikanto, Coyote Kolb
at Brighton Music Hall, 158 Brighton Ave, Allston
$10 / 18+

California's Truth & Salvage Co headlines a night of earthy, rocking Americana that includes folk-rock singer-songwriter Musikanto from Chicago and our own Coyote Kolb who gets deep, down, 'n bluesy.

If really want to ensure the $10 advance price: get there before the doors open at 8pm, buy your tix, and hang out at one of the fine drinking establishments in the area.

SAT 11/12

10pm
Beware the Dangers of a Ghost Scorpion, The Electric Heaters
at Atwoods Tavern, 877 Cambridge St, Cambridge (near Inman & Kendall Sq)
$5 / 21+

Where Matt Heaton & The Electric Heaters are a more traditional surf trio (with an extra bit of twang), Beware the Dangers of a Ghost Scorpion are a band of masked marauders who enjoy nothing more than take it up a couple notches and get a little creepy while they're at it.