MON 6/11: Bikes, Talk, Trivia, Jazz, Rock

Hey, it's a pretty good Monday night.

I was surprised to see that "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" was released 30 years ago. Where does the time go? I'm confident no one will remind me about the premiere of "Prometheus" in 30 years.

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MON 6/11

5pm to 9pm
16th Annual Bike Party & Benefit
in front of Redbones, 55 Chester St, Somerville (Davis Sq)
$15

Feat: The Second Line Social Aid & Pleasure Society Brass Band

A CTB price exception is made for the annual Redbones bike party, because they include a meal and drink as well as a raffle ticket in the admission amount. (Plus it's at a barbecue joint I like in a neighborhood I love with a horn band that has never played a bad note to my ear in support an awesome mode of transportation.)

You don't have to arrive by bike, but there will be complimentary valet service.

Proceeds benefit NEMBA and MassBike.

MON 6/11

6pm to 8:30pm
"Can We Talk?": Discussion of The Latino Community & the Boston Busing/Desegregation Crisis
at Villa Victoria Center for the Arts, 85 W Newton St, Boston (South End)
FREE

Panelists: Miren Uriarte (UMass Boston), Carmen Pola (activist & educator), José López (Teachers Activist Group)

Clips from the documentary "Can We Talk?" about Boston's busing/desegregation era of the '70s will likely be shown to spark the panel discussion as it relates to contemporary issues with a Latino focus. The conversation should be in English since it says, "Spanish translation provided."

MON 6/11

8pm
The Big Quiz Thing
at Club Oberon, 2 Arrow St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
FREE

Until I go to some of interesting trivia nights that have popped up recently, I will cautiously say BQT is the best interactive trivia experience I've had. It has tremendous production values that can't be touched, and there is a wit from the questions to the banter to the format. Let's not forget a $200 cash first-place prize (on free admission) and something for the 2nd and 3rd teams.

I'm not organizing a team tonight, but it's a good time whether you win or lose against this very competitive crowd.

MON 6/11

9pm
Greg Hopkins Big Band
at The Beehive, 541 Tremont St, Boston (South End)
FREE

Longtime Berklee professor and trumpeter Greg Hopkins has done way more than teach and knows how a big band. Besides leading his own groups Hopkins spent time with with Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson, and others. If you listen to one of his big band recordings, you'll know that a bopping romp awaits.

MON 6/11

9:30pm
Party Pigs, Ex-Planets, Novus 2
at Charlie's Kitchen, 10 Eliot St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$5 / 21+

Some Rhode Island bands are too cool to have a website or dedicated page where there is a sample of music and some background info can be found together. Still Party Pigs bash it out in an volatile guitar-drum duo racing each other to the end of the song. And their buddies Novus 2 surf it up rather faithfully. I like the punk/new-wave mix of Ex-Planets; they've got some fun tunes.