WED 7/25: Talk, Music, Shakespeare

There are 8 happenings listed below, and 6 of them are free. Hell, yeah, Greater Boston area!

Interesting that there's a Shakespeare play in one park and a play about a Shakespeare play in another...

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WED 7/25

6pm to 7pm
Max & Whit Alexander, "Bright Lights, No City": Author Talk
at Rabb Lecture Hall, Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St, Boston (Copley Sq)
FREE

Have you ever played "Cranium"? Not only does Whit Alexander create a great board game, he and his journalist brother come up with a business idea to assist people in Ghana.

Of course, the next step is to write a book about it.

WED 7/25

6:30pm
PanNeubean Steel
at Titus Sparrow Park, 200 W. Newton St, Boston (South End)
FREE

It seems like PanNeubean Steel plays the music series at this park every year. It should be a beautiful night to soak in the island sounds led by the steel drummer.

Whether you dance away or close your eyes pretending to be on distant beach, be careful about dancing with your eyes closed.

WED 7/25

7pm
Boston Landmark Orchestra, "At the River" Clean Water Concert
at Hatch Shell, Storrow Dr, Boston (Charles River Esplanade)
FREE

Program:

Strauss, "On the Beautiful Blue Danube"
Duke Ellington, "The River"
Schumann, "Symphony No. 3, Rhenish"
Smetana, "The Moldau"

For the last 6 years, one of the Landmarks Orchestra's seasonal concerts has been a general tribute to nature with the Charles River as their inspiration. Of course the music is inspired by the Danube, the Rhine, and the Moldau.

I'm not sure if Duke Ellington was thinking of a specific river, but he did grow up in DC. "The River" is meant to represent the journey of life -- maybe life is like the Potomac...

If you get there early, you could win a prize by visiting the info tables of various local environmental groups.

Maybe concertgoers will be able to jump into the Charles in the near future.

Rain location: Back Bay Events Center, 180 Berkeley St, Boston

WED 7/25

Chris Wilson (8:30pm), Ross Niblock (7:45pm), Michael Joseph (7pm)
at Arts at the Armory Cafe, 191 Highland Ave, Somerville (Spring Hill)
$5

Singer-songwwriter Chris Wilson has left Los Angeles without most of his band except the saxophone player. They're hitting the road to share soulful songs and see the country. Not a bad idea.

From what I heard of Wilson, I liked. I couldn't find anything notable on the openers. Good luck.

WED 7/25 (thru SAT 7/28)

7:30pm
"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead"
at Mary O'Malley Park, Commandant’s Way, Chelsea Waterfront
FREE

Alternating Bilingual Nights:

English: Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday
Spanish: Friday

The movie was rather funny in an absurd way, so I can imagine the source play should be even better.

The titular characters were two minor players in Shakespeare's "Hamlet" who do play an important part in serving the overall plot despite their short appearances. The premise of this play is "What were Rosencrantz and Guildenstern doing?"

Tonight and tomorrow's show will be dramatized in English, the Spanish-language cast takes over every other night.

The #111 bus may be your best bet for an adventure in free theatre on the other side of the Tobin. (They recommend bringing lawn chairs or blankets -- I sat on the grass.)

WED 7/25 (thru SUN 8/12)

8pm
Shakespeare on the Common: "Coriolanus"
at Parkman Bandstand, about 165 Tremont St, Boston (Boston Common / Tremont St Side)
FREE

Tuesdays to Saturdays -- 8pm
Sundays -- 7pm

In its 17th year, Shakespeare on the Common is perennially one of the best cheap thrills you'll find in Boston. Sure... New York has 'Shakespeare in the Park', but not every town has professional actors bringing the Bard to life outside where anyone can walk up and get cultured.

The story in "Coriolanus", a play set in Rome and written 400 years ago, might be familiar to the contemporary audience: People rioting in the street, because resources are being withheld from the masses. Those in power think they don't deserve it, and the main character has a special disdain for the common person although he's encouraged to run for office.

Although last year's film may have earned some accessibility for the play, it's long been said to be one the lesser works of Shakespeare. Like the movie, the sets probably won't look like Rome; there will also be some fight scenes.

Despite my indifference to the selection, I will still list the play every night, because 1) you might like it anyway and 2) this is an annual gift to the residents (and visitors).

"May not be appropriate for all ages. Parental discretion is advised."

On more note, live music precedes the drama from 8/3 to 8/12.

WED 7/25

9:30pm
Private Shapes, The Long Tones
at Milky Way Lounge / Bella Luna, 284 Amory St, Jamaica Plain (The Brewery Complex)
FREE / 21+

Let me share a little something with you. I was dancing in my chair while listening to the synth-popping Private Shapes and the slinky funk from The Long Tones. If you're in the mood for some fun and dancing at a place with a bar, this is not a bad way to stay out late on a Wednesday.

WED 7/25

9pm
Boston Accents Funeral Parties
at Great Scott, 1222 Comm Ave, Allston
$10 / 18+

Feat:Gentlemen Hall, Black Light Dinner Party, Bearstronaut, Stereo Telescope

As of Friday, WFNX ceased to exist as we knew it. Until the new format begins, a zombie-style music station can still be heard. It's too bad that radio doesn't play the same role in discovering new music as it did years ago.

While radio doesn't break national bands anymore, FNX was tremendously supported to local bands via "Boston Accents" (and continued exposure via the Phoenix). New bands can get attention through other channels, but it sucks to see the options decrease.

On the third and final night of the 'Funeral Parties', the line-up is giving a middle finger to anyone expecting a sad farewell. Get ready to dance and party the night away.

Hey, turntable owners: Black Light Dinner Party could be giving away 40 vinyl copies of their album to people who ask for them.