FRI 5/18: Boozy & Dancey Pride, Surf, Rock, Blues, Country

Plenty of cheapness happening tomorrow: Earthfest, Porchfest, bikes, kites, sailing, art, zombies, and more...

If you see some film crews rushing around town this weekend, they're probably trying to complete a short film -- story to editing -- in 48 hours.

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FRI 5/18

6pm to 8pm
"Sip the Rainbow": Cocktail Reception
at Boston Center for Adult Education, 122 Arlington St, Boston (Bay Village)
$10 [Register]

Boston Pride Week is around the corner, so it's a perfect time to review how the local celebration has progressed in "Pride: 40 Years of Protest & Celebration" culled from the photo archive of The History Project.

Running concurrently is photographer Joel Benjamin's portraits of Pride revelers from 1992.

Tonight's reception isn't free, but your donation includes 3 Grey Goose cocktails inspired by different colors in the Pride flag.

Registration is likely required (but they shouldn't turn away someone if there is space).

FRI 5/18 (and SAT 5/19)

8pm
Sean Dorsey Dance, "The Secret History of Love"
at Hibernian Hall, 184 Dudley St, Roxbury
$10 to $30

Wow, it's a busy LGBT night. The basis of the dance presentation is a 2-year research project that interviewed transgender and queer seniors in San Francisco and Boston. Their stories about the last 100 years of (usually) unspoken love narrate the choreography of the 4 performers.

As I see it, there are 3 price tiers that starts at $10.

FRI 5/18

9pm
Matt Heaton & The Electric Heaters, The Derangers, Surf's Up Spicoli
at Sally O'Brien's, 335 Somerville Ave, Somerville (Union Sq)
$5

Everyone has their tolerance level for instrumental surf music. If you can handle it, this is a perfect setting to drink and chat without feeling bad about ignoring the lyrics. There may be even be a subtle urge to shake and shimmy with friends and strangers.

FRI 5/18

9pm
The Rationales, Aloud
at Tommy Doyle's, 96 Winthrop St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$5 / 21+

It's still a mystery why the original House of Blues doesn't host more nights with what I consider the better bands in Boston. There's a proper stage in a comfortable-sized room that sounds pretty good.

Tonight is one of the occasional exceptions where two excellent rockers combine a la Wonder Twins. The Rationales take the form of breezy, rootsy powerpop. After recently celebrating their 10th anniversary, Aloud delivers a genuine tunefulness in fine form that should new listeners to the merch table or iTunes.

FRI 5/18

9:30pm
Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers, Ten Foot Polecats, Yankee Cockfight
at the Midway Cafe, 3496 Washington Street, Jamaica Plain
$10 / 21+

The blues will probably expand as the night goes on. I wouldn't be surprised if NH duo Yankee Cockfight kick things off with their rough, gutsy, down-home guitar/harmonica/foot-stomping blooz. The Ten Foot Polecats are are a trio influenced by this minimalist, greasy blues and bring their own local take on it.

If you went to Arnold Arboretum last Sunday, you would heard Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers get mothers and children dancing on the lawn. This is going to be a Friday night party, and you're going to hear some of the best blues as Muddy and Wolf did it when they first started playing with electric bands.

FRI 5/18

10:30pm
Joe Fletcher & the Wrong Reasons
at Plough & Stars, 912 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$5-ish / 21+

They call themselves Americana, but Joe Fletcher & the Wrong Reasons are the kind of Americana that goes well with cowboy hats and shit-kickin' boots. One doesn't need to see the band to enhance your beer-swilling good time, but let's hope there aren't too many cowboy hats tonight.