FRI 6/15: Fests, Music, Film

Tonight begins the free Friday movies at the Hatch Shell and the Boston Harbor Hotel. I couldn't get excited about "Happy Feet 2" or "The Way We Were" (respectively). On the other hand, the Hatch Shell has a nice big lawn for sitting/picnicking and BHH has various steps to sit if you don't like grass.

CTB is sounding a 'Greek Festival Alert': FRI 6/15 to SUN 6/17 at Saints Constantine & Helen Church (Cambridge).

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FRI 6/15 (thru SUN 6/17)

Various Times
4th Annual Waltham Riverfest
at Various Locations near Waltham Common, Waltham
FREE

Friday -- 5pm to 9pm
Saturday -- 10am to 9pm
Sunday -- 11am to 4pm

The same body of water that runs past the Cambridge River Fest also passes through Waltham. Over 3 days, the Waltham Common/Moody Street area will be teeming with music, dance, arts, culture, vendors, etc.

Some of the bands playing include Rick Berlin, Andy Pratt, Peter Parcek, and more on Saturday. The Lizzie Borden Band is playing tonight (8pm) among others. [See PDF program/schedule for details.]

Keep an eye out for people selling wristbands ($5). They grant you discounts to a bunch of restaurants/stores (such as Margaritas, Tempo, Watch City Brewery, Tom Can Cook, Gourmet Pottery, Stadium Bar) where you can save more than $5.

FRI 6/15

6:30pm to 11pm
Common Boston dParty
at BSA Space, Suite 200, 290 Congress St, Boston (near South Station/Fort Point)
$10 -- or a new/working flashing bicycle light

Kicking off a couple weekends of free architecture/design walking tours, this party seems like a chance to hang with creative people, try a honey-infused beverage (probably not an open bar at $10), and check out some sustainability art and information.

Either grab the flashing bicycle light from your ride, buy a new one, or hand over $10 when you get there. ("Registration is highly recommended.")

Proceeds benefit the Boston Cyclists Union.

FRI 6/15

Tallahassee (11:30pm), Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library (10:30pm), Cask Mouse (9:45pm), Velah (9pm)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10 / 18+

Nearly every performance of the Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library is an event in some way or another -- even just to coordinate gigs for a folky/poppy mini-orchestra. Beyond the twee-magical tunes, the extra-special aspect is that the MJE Memorial Library will provide live accompaniment to "A Brief History of Flight", the silent film that they created!

For those interested, there is a deal to get into this show, their July gig at Church, a limited-edition DVD, and a CD/download for $20 -- pretty sweet and you've got something to do on Friday 7/13.

It's a good variety with Velah that rocks like a new version of Static of the Gods (because it is) and the rootsy Rumble semi-finalists Cask Mouse. Tallahassee finishes up the night with solid indie-folk not expected from a guy who briefly played for the Pats.

FRI 6/15

9pm
Beware the Dangers of a Ghost Scorpion!, Horsehands, The Young Leaves, Lady Bones
at O'Brien's, 3 Harvard St, Allston
$8 / 21+

I wonder if guys in Beware The Dangers of a Ghost Scorpion still wear masks? There is little doubt they will assault the crowd with a set of horror-influenced surf rock. They're joined by a cadre of arty, punchy, noisy indie-rockers. There's nothing wrong with Lady Bones, but they were a bit of a let down after watching a cool video of another band that has a song called "Lady Bones".

FRI 6/15

10pm
Thick Shakes, The IOA Collective, Birthdays, Emma Young
at Plough & Stars, 912 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$5-ish / 21+

Another Rumble semi-finalist Thick Shakes are anchoring a fun night of garage-rock and freaky/funky Jamaica Plain bands. Yes, there will be poetry between bands. It should a crowded, semi-sweaty good time!

FRI 6/15 (and SAT 6/16)

Midnight
"Women's Prison Massacre": Screening
at Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St, Brookline
FREE

The previously scheduled midnight movie didn't arrive, so the Coolidge looked around their basement and found a 35mm print of a cheesy mid-'80s sexploitation movie with bad acting. Sounds like fun!

The plot doesn't need to be explained more than it takes place in a women's prison, right? Hey, it's free and they serve beer…