THUR 11/3: Beer, Shorts, Talks, Stars, Tunes

Not that you need any more persuasion to brave the throngs clamoring for a free beer, but I love sandwiches.

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THUR 11/3

6pm to 9pm
Free Beer w/ Sandwich Purchase
at All-Star Sandwich Bar, 1245 Cambridge St, Cambridge (Inman Sq)
* Cost of Food

The only way you could leave this place unsatisfied would be that you didn't want a sandwich in the first place.

It's "National Sandwich Day", so why not celebrate perhaps the greatest culinary invention with a fine specimen washed down with a free Harpoon beer.

Yep, that's right. (I wish this place could fit more people!)

THUR 11/3

6pm to 8pm
Thirsty Thursdays
at Beantown Pub, 100 Tremont St., Boston
21+/free

I wouldn't mind a free Miller Lite. I wouldn't go out of my way for it.

These Weekly Dig sessions seem so passive, the reward almost doesn't match the effort... Hey -- if you're already there, get a free brew!

THUR 11/3

6:30pm to 8:30pm
"Animation Show of Shows": Screening
at Room 202, Walker Bldg, 120 Boylston St, Boston (near Boston Common)
FREE

Because I complained about the dearth of free-to-the-public events at Emerson, I saw this program of animated shorts from around the world that includes Pixar's "La Luna" that will be seen by general audiences next year.

Curator Ron Diamond will be in attendance.

THUR 11/3

7pm
Wendy Williams, "Kraken: The Curious, Exciting and Slightly Disturbing Science of Squid"
Discussion & Book Signing
at Harborside Learning Lab, New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf, Boston (Waterfront)
FREE

Does anyone else say, "Release the Kraken!" when something monstrously awesome is about to happen?

This won't be that exciting, but squids -- especially the giant squid -- is mysterious...

Registration is requested.

THUR 11/3

7pm
Colson Whitehead, "Zone One": Reading
at Porter Square Books, 25 White St, Cambridge (near Shaws Market)
FREE

I heard Whitehead on the radio last week, and he sounded like a funny, nerdy guy. I imagine that the folks at the MacArthur Fellowship didn't expect him to write a 'zombie novel'. (It actually seems like a deep, interesting idea.)

THUR 11/3

7pm
Dennis Lehane, "Moonlight Mile": Reading
at Newtonville Books, 296 Walnut St, Newton
FREE

Boston's reigning master of crime novels has written a sequel to "Gone Baby Gone". If you're interested in going to the reading, you probably already knew it.

THUR 11/3

8pm
Sue French, "CfA's Fall/Winter Sky Guide": Observatory Night
at Phillips Auditorium, Harvard-Smithsonian Center, 60 Garden St, Cambridge (between Porter Sq & Fresh Pond)
FREE

Aspiring stargazers will get a good start by listening to Sky & Telescope contributing editor Sue French explains what New Englanders may see in the near future.

There may even be some iPhone tips before heading to roof to stare into space...

THUR 11/3

Babydriver (11:30pm), Spirit Kid (10:30pm), Girlfriends (9:45pm), The Big Big Bucks (9pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$8 / 18+

At $2 per band, there's a lot of rock value happening here. Personally, there's very few that do fuzzy, punky garage-pop better than Girlfriends. I also dig the powerpop goodness of Spirit Kid, and The Big Big Bucks make me like them more every time I hear them. Babydriver will end on a deliberately crafted tone that may also grow on me.

THUR 11/3

10pm
Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers
at Johnny D's, 17 Holland St, Somerville (Davis Sq)
$10

Since they won the Boston Blues Challenge last year, Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers may technically be the best blues band in town. That was already my feeling before the BBC.

Erin Harpe plays the hell out of the acoustic-fingerstyle blues of the early 1900's, and the band format (especially with harp player) has the feel of early WWII blues bands that are just a couple evolutionary steps from rock 'n roll. And it sounds fantastic.