WED 4/4: Protest, Lit, History, Music

How about a 'Thought of the Day':

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
--Margaret Mead

Sometimes it's difficult to believe...

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WED 4/4

3pm to 8pm
Public Transportation People's Assembly
in front of State House, 24 Beacon St, Boston (Beacon Hill)
FREE

3pm -- People's Hearing
5pm -- Rally to Save the T
8pm -- MLK Remembrance

An overwhelming majority must believe that the proposed fare increases and service cuts will have a negative impact on Eastern Massachusetts.

Today the powers that be will likely approve a compromise plan which will still cause financial hardship to many citizens, but protests demonstrate that the people care -- but politicians consider the sight of potential voters uniting for a cause.

People are already out there in front of the State House. Although your support may not stop the fare hikes, maybe it will influence action by the Legislature.

WED 4/4

4pm, 6pm
"Nick Flynn in the Spring": Reading, Q&A
at Charles Beard Room, Little Building, 80 Boylston St, Boston (near Boston Common)
FREE

4pm -- Q&A with Nick Flynn & John Skoyles
6pm -- Nick Flynn reading & book signing

Every issue of literary magazine "Ploughshares" has a respected guest editor, and they're often known to the general public.

Nick Flynn might even be an Oscar-winner by next April since the movie based on his memoir "Another Bullshit Night in Suck City" is about to be released -- as "Being Flynn" starring Robert DeNiro and Paul Dano.

WED 4/4

7pm
"The Fife is Right: 7th Annual Old South History Challenge"
at Old South Meeting House, 310 Washington St, Boston (Downtown Crossing)
$10

Theme: "Boston Underground"

Don't worry, the competitors have already been chosen. You can sit back and watch the 2 teams struggle to answer local history and trivia while pretending you know all of it. However don't be too smug, because they might be able to ask for your help.

"Tickets include a light snack and soft drink."

WED 4/4

7pm to 10pm
"Wiretap Wednesday": Open Stage
at Arts at the Armory Cafe, 191 Highland Ave, Somerville (Spring Hill)
FREE

7pm -- Sign up / social time
7:30pm -- Open stage begins
8:30pm -- Feature performer: Nick Zaino
9pm to 10pm -- Open stage resumes

The Arts at the Armory hosts a lot of cool stuff including the monthly open-stage night organized by Mike & Sophia who are behind Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling and many other cool projects.
Performers (up to 20 per night) are invited to sign up and share their best short work (5 minutes or shorter including setup) and have video live-streamed and archived on the Internet. Each month will also include a featured artist playing a 25-minute set.

So far it's been mainly singer-songwriter types, but the invitation is open to any performer (within reason), so I make another call to comedians, magicians, plate-spinners, spoon-slappers, and even mimes (who should not use their full 5 minutes).

WED 4/4

8:30pm to 10pm
"Quartet for the End of Time"
at Morse Auditorium, 602 Comm Ave, Boston (BU Campus)
FREE

The historical context for the multi-movement composition for piano, violin, clarinet, and cello is that composer Olivier Messiaen wrote it in 1941 at a prisoner-of-war camp in Gorlitz, Germany.

Pianist Peter Hill will give a pre-concert talk, "The genesis of the Quartet".