FRI 4/6: Art, Talk, Film, Comedy, Music

If fashion around town looks a bit more daring than usual this weekend, keep in mind that Boston is hosting PAX East and Anime Boston.

There's also a Burlesque Exposition in Cambridge, but I doubt many of those ladies will be swinging on the bars of the T. I don't even recommend touching them if you don't have to...

Weekend cheapness is on the calendar.

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FRI 4/6

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

When I've gone, there were decent crowds passing through. Several dozen studios with interesting works are always open in the rather large building, and there's bound to be refreshments in a few...

Go tonight or any first Friday of every month.

FRI 4/6

6pm to 8pm
"To Stand Against War": Conversations with Hamid Dabashi
at Room 522, College of Arts & Sciences Bldg, 725 Comm Ave, Boston (BU campus)
FREE

The event is subtitled, "The Costs and Consequences of War with Iran".

The biggest takeaway from this discussion probably won't the information about Iran's nuclear program or the effect of sanctions on the average citizen -- I think it may be a good chance to get a taste of the Iranian persona compared to the caricature of the country's president.

FRI 4/6 (thru SUN 4/8)

Various Times
8th Annual European Short Film Festival
at Room 250, Bldg 10, 222 Memorial Dr, Cambridge (MIT Campus)
FREE

Friday -- 7pm
Saturday -- 3pm, 7pm
Sunday -- 7pm

The annual Euro-Short Fest offers a variety of styles from around the continent with films from Germany, Romania, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, and Poland.

That's just tonight's program which clocks in around 2 hours & 20 minutes by my count (without the intermission).

This could be the first night of your polyglot journey! Or just pleasant viewing experience with free popcorn and soda...

FRI 4/6

8pm
Kitsch In Sync: "Greatest Story Ever Told"
at Castlebar, 575 Washington St, Brighton (Oak Sq)
$5 / 21+

If you don't get it, "The Greatest Story Ever Told" is an old movie about Jesus that is still broadcasted on a few channels every year on Easter. This improv group is actually making fun of the other epic that's getting recycled, "Titanic" -- and who knows what other topics will get skewered.

When googling for "Titanic" and "Castlebar", you find out that some passengers bought their tickets to a watery death in this Irish pub.

FRI 4/6

8pm to 11pm
"The Spring Ramble"
at Arts at The Armory Performance Hall, 191 Highland Ave, Somerville (Spring Hill)
$10

Feat: Patrick Coman & the Lo-fi Angels, The Autumn Hollow Band, Meg Smallidge & the Wednesdays, The Pennies

This ain't the most T-friendly venue in the area (try #88 or #90), but there's a lot of fun inside that white fortress of culture.

It happens to be a 'seasonal fundraiser' at the Armory, so there will be amusements along with the Americana. (Yes, there will be adult beverages too.)

FRI 4/6

9pm
Riki Rocksteady & The Arraignments, Soulshot, Freddy Loco
at Radio, 379 Somerville Ave, Somerville (Union Sq)
$7 / 21+

With DJ Selector Star David

It's always good to have an angle to promote your gig, but is it really a big deal to be the first reggae night at a club that's less than a year old?

On the other hand, Riki Rocksteady and Soulshot are really good ska/reggae performers.

And when was the last time you've heard Belgian ska like Freddy Loco? Has there been a first time?

FRI 4/6

9:30pm
2012 Rock 'n' Roll Rumble Preliminary Night #5
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$8

Feat: The Bynars (11:45pm), Bow Thayer & Perfect Trainwreck (11pm), Brownboot (10:15pm), Pray For Polanski (9:30pm)

There's no point in trying to predict who will win tonight's preliminary round. I wish this was a semi-finals night, because I like them all.

Don't expect The Bynars to follow Bow Thayer again, and it's doubtful Pray For Polanski and Brownboot are going to pair up for a month-long residency. Still this is the synthy-rootsy-indie-rock fun of the Rumble. Say "Hallelujah!"

FRI 4/6

9pm
Spitzz, Bugs and Rats, Beware the Dangers of a Ghost Scorpion!, Brave Cavemen, War on Words
at Precinct, 70 Union Sq, Somerville (Union Sq)
$10 / 21+

This could be called a punk-rock extravaganza, even though Beware the Dangers of a Ghost Scorpion are deep into the surf sound and Spitzz is leans garagey, except for peculiar meanderings of Brave Cavemen. Maybe that's what makes this lineup so punk...