SAT 9/15: Day Cheapness

I think we may be on track. Stay tuned, folks...

And there's cheapness through Sunday on the calendar.

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8am -- Boston Open Powerlifting Championship
11am -- South Boston Street Festival
11am -- South End Open Studios
Noon -- Annual Boston Freedom Rally
Noon -- Somerville Riverfest
12:30pm -- "Rumble on the River"
1pm -- "Boston is Burning: A Day at the Boston Fire Museum"
2pm -- New England Americana Festival: Outdoor Concert
3pm -- "Halfway to St Paddy's Day!"
4pm -- Boston College Sesquicentennial Celebration Mass
4pm -- "We Are All Cylons": Free Screening

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SAT 9/15

8am to 3pm
Boston Open Powerlifting Championship
at Morss Hall, Walker Memorial Bldg, 142 Memorial Dr, Cambridge (MIT campus)
FREE

At first, I thought this would be strong nerds hanging out all day in the gym. On the contrary, MIT is hosting male and female USA Powerlifting members of different ages who will lift much more than you.

It may not be your thing, but spectators are welcome.

SAT 9/15

11am to 6pm
South Boston Street Festival
on East Broadway, between I and L Streets, Boston (Southie)
FREE

It may be of more interest to the folks in the neighborhood or those who just love Southie. If you recently moved here -- or in the last 10 years -- it might be a way to break the ice with the indigenous peoples if you see them strolling around the food/arts/crafts merchants.

There's is live music like folky Irish (Hogan’s Goat, 11:30am) and bluesy rock (Greg Luttrell, huge in China, 2:30pm) and some cover bands and step dancers.

SAT 9/15 (and SUN 9/16)

11am to 6pm
South End Open Studios
at Various Locations, many around 450 Harrison Ave, Boston (South End)
FREE

There are different open studio events in the South End during the year, but one of this weekend's appeal is that every major studio building is open this weekend including the BCA's studio building.

Over 200 artists are displaying their work, and it may not be too early for holiday shopping or the random upcoming birthday -- perhaps not cheap but original.

SAT 9/15

Noon to 6PM
Annual Boston Freedom Rally
at Boston Common, Boston
FREE

Main Stage:

Noon -- Battle for the Rally Winner
12:35pm -- Matalon
1:10pm -- Big Ol’ Dirty Bucket
1:55pm -- Nicole D’Amico & Friends
2:35pm -- Moe Pope
3:10pm -- Myster DL
3:45pm -- DJ Slim
4:20pm -- The Indobox
5:15pm -- Spiritual Rez

Parkman Stage:

Noon -- Green Line Inbound
12:35pm -- Claudia Varona & The Phobia
1:10pm -- Solo Sexx
1:45pm -- Dude Fuckin’ Yeah
2:20pm -- Pipeline Riot
2:55pm -- Leaders Led
3:30pm -- Dead Cats Dead Rats
4:05pm -- BRUNT OF IT
4:40pm -- Grey Sky Appeal
5:20pm -- The Shills

What used to be known as HempFest is now the Boston Freedom Rally. I'm not sure if the actual festival has been instrumental in relaxing marijuana-related laws in MA, but the speakers have probably had a hand in the baby steps towards decriminalization.

I doubt the schedule won't be exact. It's not because it's a festival for stoners; there will be speakers between bands.

I went a few years ago, and it's a really chill crowd as expected. Good vibes and times, and a fine opportunity to get a jokey marijuana t-shirt (and a contact high).

Yes, students (and anyone else), you can find a weed connection.

SAT 9/15

Noon to 8pm
Somerville Riverfest
at Assembly Row, 1 Assembly Square Dr, Somerville
FREE

Live music:

Noon -- The Beat Horizon w/ Pete Doom
1pm -- Sunlea
2pm -- Run Gazelle Run
3pm -- Fantastic Liars
4pm -- Lauren Bateman
5pm -- Hayley Jane & The Primates
6pm -- Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band
7pm -- Afrobrazil

It's a short, not-very-scenic walk from Sullivan Square (and it will probably piss commuters off when they add a Orange Line stop in the future) to find Somerville's major development project. Although Ikea is not coming, I think the commercial and residential area is starting to shape up.

I'd suggest going towards the end of the day to hear Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band and the other later bands. Of course, there's entertainment for young people; and food trucks are there for the hungry.

There will also be fireworks at 8pm.

SAT 9/15

12:30pm to 6:30pm
"Rumble on the River"
at Harry Parker Boathouse, 20 Nonatum Rd, Brighton
FREE

12:30pm -- Kingsley Flood
1:35pm -- Joe Fletcher & the Wrong Reasons
2:45pm -- Jesse Dee
4:05pm -- Otis Grove w/ Akrobatik
5:30pm -- Gentlemen Hall

My experience last year was mixed, and it was mostly my fault. The music is awesome again; in fact, I think the lineup is better this year with a nice mix of rootsy, soulful, funk, and pop. Congrats to MySecretBoston for putting it together.

Get there early and hear one of my favorite rock and roll bands Kingsley Flood, and the party takes a twangier twist until the party vibes keep on rising.

Do yourself a favor and RSVP to get into the beer garden if you'd like to really whet you whistle!

And don't casually stroll from Harvard Square; that's a long walk.

SAT 9/15

1pm
"Boston is Burning: A Day at the Boston Fire Museum"
at Boston Fire Museum, 344 Congress St, Boston
$7

I'm not really sure what you get for $7. The museum doesn't charge anything (donations accepted), so it's intriguing what an organization dedicated to finding 'amazing places' will do to inaugurate their local chapter. Proceed at your own risk...

SAT 9/15

2pm
New England Americana Festival: Outdoor Concert
at Winthrop Park, about 50 JFK St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
FREE

2pm -- Fiddlin' Quinn & his Big Folks Band
3pm -- Sarah Blacker
4pm -- Greg Klyma
5pm -- Brian Carroll
6pm -- Cask Mouse

The evening shows at this weekend's New England Americana Festival around Harvard Square are $15, so I can cheer for the free daytime show. It's a savvy move to share a variety of folky, twangy, poppy, rocky sounds that fit under the Americana umbrella.

I didn't listen to Fiddlin' Quinn, but I like that he's a little kid who plays with tall musicians.

SAT 9/15

3pm
"Halfway to St Paddy's Day!"
at Sally O'Brien's, 335 Somerville Ave, Somerville (Union Sq)
FREE

3pm -- Johnnie Come Latelies
6pm -- Josh Lederman & the CSARs
9pm -- One Thin Dime

Maybe if I was Irish-American or a binge drinker, I'd be watching the calendar for St Paddy's Day. Regardless of the reason, the lineup is classic Union Square with a couple mainstays when it's time to celebrate March's drinking holiday and a reunion of a band that includes Morphine saxophonist Dana Colley.

Sally O's is even serving Irish boiled dinner.

SAT 9/15

4pmBoston College Sesquicentennial Celebration Mass
at Fenway Park, 4 Yawkey Way, Boston (Kenmore Sq)
FREE w/ Registration

You may not be able to register, but isn't interesting that they're holding a Catholic mass at Fenway Park?

Can you imagine what people will be praying for?

SAT 9/15

4pm
"We Are All Cylons": Screening
at Somerville Theater, 55 Davis Square, Somerville
FREE

I know people loved the latest "Battlestar Galactica" TV series, because people were still talking about it in a bar the other night -- without knowing about "We Are All Cylons", 42 minutes about how BSG says something about Humankind's past and future.

While this is part of the Etheria Film Festival that has 2 screenings tonight, this documentary should get its own listing.