SAT 11/26: Shakespeare, Holiday, Tubas, Rock, Hip-Hop

Wow, what a beautiful day! I'm not sure what I will do, but walking around a favorite part of town doesn't cost anything. (Until one stops for refreshments.)

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SAT 11/26

Noon
"The Merry Wives of Windsor": Open Rehearsal
at Downstairs at The Garage, 38 JFK St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
FREE w/ RSVP

I went to the open rehearsal for "Othello" last year. It was almost a full house, so attempting to go without an RSVP would mean that (A) you're already in Harvard Square and you see the doors near 7-Eleven at the Garage or (B) you really love to see the inner workings of a Shakespeare production.

I should mention that "The Merry Wives of Windsor" runs from 12/7 to 1/1 at the Davis Square Theatre. If you buy tickets between now and Monday, save 25% by using the name of this animal as the discount code.

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SAT 11/26

Noon to 8pm target="_blank"
City of Lights Parade & Holiday Art Stroll
around Downtown Lowell (PDF map/program)
Mostly Free/Cheap

Parade -- 4:30pm to 6:30pm

The Lowell Winterfest is a fun afternoon (in February) with human dog-sled races, marshmallows on a stick, free skating at Tsongas Arena, and so on. That's why I find it appealing to wander around downtown Lowell with some holiday kitsch here and there. Don't get your hopes up for a ride on the Lowell tour trolley, but you can call 978-970-5000.

It may be cold enough to vote in the hot chocolate competition (see PDF map) at 10 stores for 25 cents per cup. I like how a van has been decorated and converted into a mobile art store.

The parade at 4:30pm is basically a town Xmas parade, and a holiday choral concert in a church courtyard follows at 6:30pm.

There is free parking at 2 nearby garages (PDF map).

SAT 11/26

2pm
Annual Boston TubaChristmas
between Faneuil Hall & Quincy Market, 1 Faneuil Hall Market Pl, Boston
FREE

My assumption that a hundred tubas/euphoniums/sousaphones playing holiday music would be amusing and absurd. It's actually just as musical and pleasing as any holiday concert.

There is still a holly-jolly vibe, but the lower timbre rounded the edges on some of the songs.

It's not as silly as I had hoped, but that is a lot of tubas in one place.
I hesitate to recommend going out of your way, but I stayed much longer than expected as I passed by.

SAT 11/26

9pm
Eldridge Rodriguez, Stereo Soul Future
at Radio, 379 Somerville Ave, Somerville (Union Sq)
$5 / 21+

How many bands do you want for $5? If it's only two good ones, then it's preferable over 2 good ones and sitting through a couple clam-baggers.

If you're familiar with the fantastic Beatings, then you should dig Eldridge Rodriguez's (the head Beating) excellent solo work. The guitars are dialed down a bit and it's more Eldridge, but the songs still have some roughness and are really damn good.

I'm not sure if I've ever listened to Stereo Soul Future before although they've been around (on and off) for a while. It's doubtful that their well-crafted pop/rock will ever be called 'soul' in the future, but there are many fine melodies.

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SAT 11/26

9pm
Benefit For MC Exposition
at Church, 69 Kilmarnock St, Boston (Fenway)
$10 / 21+

Feat: Akrobatik, Virtuoso, J The S, Toussaint, The Un, Tag, Oak Lonetree, The Yukonn MC, D-Tension, more

Before they moved to California, Audible Mainframe was a much-beloved Boston hip-hop full band. Recently frontman -- and young guy -- MC Exposition was diagnosed with cancer.

He's moved back to Boston, and many of the raptastic & funkiest in town are performing at this benefit. There will be raffles, of course, so no harm in trying to win something and being generous at the same time.