Friday Happenings

Dead Boys

-- Cheetah Chrome, a 53-year-old veteran of punk rock, still calls himself a Sonic Reducer ("ain't no loser"). Chrome got his start in the legendary Cleveland garage band Rocket from the Tombs, which spawned both Pere Ubu and Chrome's band, the Dead Boys. He's playing alongside punk rockers young and old to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Dorchester's Unnatural Axe. Church, 69 Kilmarnock Street, 7 p.m. $15.

La Perfecta

-- Legendary jazz pianist Eddie Palmieri was on instrumental in many of the stylistic shifts in the Latin sound, introducing the low-end trombones of New York jazz to Puerto Rican samba. The effects can still be heard today in the bass-heavy sounds of reggaetón. Scullers Jazz Club, 400 Soldier Field Rd., 8 p.m. $30.

Bellydance

-- Johara is a lynchpin in the Boston bellydance scene. She's the director of Snakedance Theater and the Bellisima dance troupe and she's offering a free dance lesson tonight. Featuring music by Musaner and part of ICA's You Dance Fridays series. Institute for Contemporary Art, South Boston, 6 p.m. Free with admission.

Bridezillafest

-- The "running of the brides" began this morning at 8am sharp, after the first teams got in line in the middle of the night. There may still be dresses left this afternoon, but they may not be the ones you've dreamed of. Hold on to your themed t-shirts and distinctive headgear, it's gonna be a fight for your life--er, your wedding dress. "Filene's Basement" at Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston. 8am. Free; designer dresses on sale for $249-699. (KS)

Kerry Skemp contributed to this post.
Image of Johara from her website.