Results tagged “elviscostello”

Christopher Guest - actor, director, writer, musician, and Grammy-winning composer - stood solemn in his academic regalia on Friday night as a packed Berklee Performance Center crowd gave him a standing ovation. Looking every part the dignified scholar, Berklee's newest Honorary Doctorate of Music recipient nodded to the crowd. Then he raised his hand, made devil's horns, and got down to business. Guest told a story of a young boy, one who grew up in...

As the saying goes April showers bring May flowers. We're willing to subscribe with that theory. April looks to be a bit soggy for us in the beginning, especially considering the current seven day forecast. That means that frolicking in the outdoors will be limited and heading into the haven of the local rock haunts will be plentiful. Lucky this week provides a host of great shows around the Boston area. Included this week is the Shoot the Moon residency at Abbey Lounge. Another one of those wonderful local bands we first heard while tuning into Exploit Boston Radio.

Tuesday 7/11:

Tuesday 5/30

There is only so long that we’re going to be able to hold out before the entire list of the week’s picks will be outdoor venues. Well, that’ll probably never happen until they dome the roof at Paradise and we can rock under the stars. We are, however, ecstatic about the warmer temperatures and the daylight which stretches until late – it helps us gear up for the night’s show. After a weekend of...

Hang on Mike [download]
Bostonist Stefan lists The Candy Butchers among his favorites and although had issues narrowing his track choice down to one, recommends "What to Do with Michael" as your first download. Boston shout out: Mike Viola, lead singer, grew up in Stoughton.

Bostonist gave a little squeal of "Oh no she didn't!" when Natalie Portman's odious Sam, in last year's more odious Garden State, cites Lyle Lovett as an ugly dude who bagged a hottie with his 1993 marriage to Julia Roberts. (PS. Boston-area media: stop citing Portman-who really inspires awful copy from drooling men-as a celeb Boston can be proud of. Just because she went through 4 years at Harvard meant that some hard-working kid who lacked the connections, cash, or film career to get in didn't get in. So whatever to her SAT scores.) If "Sam" had seen Lyle Lovett live, or knew how he's written scathing, hilarious songs, she would've shut up about his percieved "unattractiveness." Because Lyle Lovett has fantastic hair and he can write a kick-ass song, from the early "God Will" to "That's Right (You're Not From Texas)" (And for the last one, he leaves his "girl from Georgia" on the side of the highway for daring to ask "How come you're always going on/about that lone star state?", all of this delivered in a jaunty western swing tune.) Bostonist has seen him 4 times live and he always puts on a show. One show, a drunken woman yelled out at one point, "I love you Lyle!" when he was delivering a monologue about how he wasn't popular with the ladies in high school and he replies, with perfect timing, "Where were you when I needed you?" A country iconoclast who writes lovely songs, give Lyle a chance. (and unemployed Bostonist free tickets?) He's at The Bank of America Pavilion, aka Harborlights, and it's on the banks of the harbor where the descent of night is a pretty show. If you're too poor for Harborlights, Bostonist recommends going there anyways and listening to the sounds coming out of the tent. You can chill out on the bench in front of the houseboat and have a good time-bring some wine and it's a hot date-all the same, whether it's at Lyle Lovett, Elvis Costello on Saturday, or maybe when uber-dreamy geek Clay Aiken comes to town.

Admittedly, Bostonist should tell you about tonight's Kathleen Edwards show at the Paradise. She's a Canadian variation of the venerable Lucinda Williams and she has a knack for writing hard-luck songs--Bostonist's personal favorite, "Westby", is a scathing Lolita track with a snotty chorus: "If you weren't so old I'd probably keep you/ If you weren't so old I'd tell my friends/ But I don't think your wife would like my friends." Catty! She's country,...

Reports, The Carlisle Sound, Clickers, and Night Rally are prepared to rock you five ways until Sunday with some jangle, some pop, and a Fugazi influence, natch. Bostonist has heard nothing but good things about Clickers, respects the tenacity (and floppy hair as seen in photo) of newbie band Reports (reportedly playing tonight despite a bloody finger injury!), and has much love for The Carlisle Sound, having snuck into their shows as a twenty year old youngin’. However, Bostonist is most excited for Night Rally. Named after a great Elvis Costello song (c’mon, sing the chorus: “Night! Rally! Night! Rally!” etc.) but owing a lot more to Fugazi and their ilk, Night Rally compromises three dudes from New Mexico going silly with the pedals and the tense musicianship. Fronted by the charismatic Devin King, a man who is bringing back the handlebar mustache and is kind of mesmerizing to watch onstage, Night Rally put on a damm good live show. Bostonist has seen plenty of bands who can play their instruments really well but what does that matter without stage presence. It’s disheartening to see rockers staring at their shoes (memo to Kevin Shields: not you, baby). So hurray to Night Rally and the fact that they are downright committed to entertaining you. Note: despite the indie competition, this show will probably sell out and it’s in your best effort to go early or to buy your ticket now.