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Somerville Live Music: The Return of The New England Pop Music Festival

Sep 12 9:54 am

By Sam Coren

Catch A Pony For My Birthday at The New England Pop Music Festival

Summer’s unofficial close came last week after the grills went out on Labor Day BBQs and Davis Square started booming once again with the college crowd. But if you dread making the trek to Allston for your live tunes because of a now unusable Green Line and 66 bus, don’t fret. There’s plenty of good shows to check out right here in the ‘ville. Here’s what’s shaking:

September 15-17 th:  New England Pop Music festival (Rosebud)

After the Abbey Lounge shut its doors in 2008, the New England Pop Music Festival went on a break. This 3-night festival showcasing a variety of local music from folksy singer-songwriters to head-shaking power pop rockers will have its much anticipated return at Rosebud in Davis Square. The action is happening this week from September 15-17th. So what should you expect from this new edition of the fest? 18 bands (many right from the neighborhood!) for $10 a night. Bands start playing at 7 PM, so come out early! Here are some notable acts playing this year:

Somerville’s Butterknife will be bringing their unique brand of alternative power pop to the ‘bud. According to local music blog Boston Band Crush, “We’d wager that there aren’t many bands that have as much fun playing live as these gentlemen and that joy is infectious. If you ska kiddies couldn’t get enough silly dancing in with The English Beat last week at Johnny D’s then don’t miss Allston’s The Pomps. Even those of you who say ska is “so over” can’t resist this Allston band’s fierce energy. If you’ve got a soft spot for cutesy boy/girl vocal harmonies and Wurlitzers you should make it a point to see A Pony For My Birthday. With a name like that who can stop themselves from feeling all warm and fuzzy.


September 15th:  Rajko Orchestra (Johnny D’s)

Raise your hand if you’ve heard world-class  Hungarian Gypsy music performed live? Bueller…..Buelller…..? Alright, well there’s a first time for everything. For those of you who need to fill that void, go see Rajko, an eight member orchestra with traditional instruments producing the “Authentic Gypsy music” sound of the 19th and 20th Centuries.

 

September 17: A Bit Much with TonyBear (PA’s Lounge)

Broken hearted? Good thing A Bit Much and TonyBear are playing PA’s lounge together. Their catchy brand of feel good powerpop will pick you right up as they duke out a battle between old vs. young.

September 20th: Electric Heaters, The Big Wipeout, Tsunami of Sound (Surf Rock) (Johnny D’s)

Fun fact:  Dick Dale, the prolific surf guitarist of the 1960′s was actually from Quincy, Mass. and never learned how to surf. Keep the Massachusetts surf rock pride going and boogie down to Johnny D’s for a weeknight of surf rock fun from 3 Mass-based acts.

September 20th: Something Sneaky with War Presidents (Precinct)

Newcomers Something Sneaky will be bringing Pixies-influenced riffs up from the South Shore. War Presidents will remind you of the time Ben Folds was playing in The Ben Folds Five. If the afterglow of New England Powerpop Fest wears off, head on over to Precinct and catch these local alt-rockers smooth out that chip on your shoulder.

 

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Somerville Live Music: The English Beat, Dub Apocalypse, & Sea Monsters

Aug 30 10:56 am

Reports Photo: Hank Hauptmann

Can you hear the sound of a hundred U-Hauls putting around the neighborhood? It’s back to school time in the ‘ville and prime moving time for the immediate Boston-metro area. But once you’re done lugging all your personal belongings up many flights of stairs, why not take a well deserved music break?

Here are a few fantastic live music acts you can catch around town in the next couple of weeks:

September 3rd: Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys [7pm] (Johnny D’s)

Sorry Weird Al fans, but only the funky, soulful bayou sounds of tried and true Creole Zydeco can make the accordion a “cool” instrument. Give your earbuds the treat of authentic Louisiana Zydeco with one of the best, Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys.

September 3rd: Fat History Month / Reports (PA’s Lounge)

Nothing says back to school like a good old fashioned sweaty, fuzzed out garage rock show. The solution? Checking out local rockers Fat History Month. They’ll be headlining PA’s with support from Cambridge up and comers Reports.

September 4th: Sea Monsters (Precinct)

Long time local favorite rock and soul music collective Sea Monsters (you may remember them from last year’s SLF Harvest Fest) were long staples of Precinct last year until they got busy with other music projects. They’ll return this Sunday night for what’s sure to be an epic homecoming performance.

September 4th: Dub Apocalypse (Bull McCabe’s)

Just when you couldn’t think of the last time you went to see a reggae super group Dub Apocalypse drops down on the ‘ville for a Sunday residency at Bull McCabe’s. Don’t miss killer live dub reggae featuring member’s of Nate Wilson Group, Morphine, Dopapod, G-Love & Special Sauce, John Brown’s Body, & The B3 Kings.

September 7th: The English Beat (Johnny D’s)

Dust off your favorite checkered clothing because one of the best ska bands that ever existed is coming to the neighborhood! You’ll no doubt be skanking those arms at perfect 90 degree angles when The English Beat play their classic jams such as “Mirror in the Bathroom”, “Can’t Get Used to Losing You”, and (fingers crossed) my personal favorite, “Save it for Later.”

September 10th: Nate Rogers & Boston Band Crush Present: Mixtape 1978 with The Blizzard of 78 and Thick as Thieves (Rosebud)

Following their tributes to 1993, 1967, 1984, and 1997, Boston Band Crush invites The Blizzard of 78 and Thick as Thieves to pay homage to the music of 1978. Featuring tunes from The Rolling Stones, Foreigner, Toto, Buzzcocks, Blondie, Talking Heads, The Clash, Van Halen, Cheap Trick, Billy Joel, The Cars, The Police, Styx, Elvis Costello, Journey, The Bee Gees, and many many more. Check out the Facebook event for more details.

 

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Somerville Live Music: One Man Bluegrass Band, Original Reggae & Live Synthpop

Aug 15 4:20 pm

By Sam Coren

DangerSounds' Sam and Dave

Union Square is getting transformed into music nerd heaven soon with the annual Somerville Rock and Roll Yard Sale happening August 21st and the opening of a new record store. Stay tuned for more Somerville Local First coverage on the much anticipated official opening of Somerville Grooves from Danielle Kennedy. Until then be sure to get out of the house and enjoy some of these great upcoming live shows during the next couple weeks at your trusty neighborhood independent music venues!

August 17th: Albino Mbie Project  (Johnny D’s)

Looking for a night of brilliant samba guitar work? Don’t miss NYC’s Albino Mbie Project throwing down soulful, latin-infused licks at Johnny D’s this Wednesday. Receita de Damba, a local Boston duo will be warming up the crowd.

August 19th: Pressure Cooker (Johnny D’s)

For over 14 Years Boston’s Pressure Cooker has been cranking out stellar reggae and rock steady originals. Their top notch musicianship and tight live sound are no doubt going to bring good times for those of you who want to start the weekend on the right foot.

August 20th: DangerSounds (Precinct)

I’m Burnin’ Up by DangerSounds
Need an excuse to just dance yourself into exhaustion on a Saturday night? Hop on down to Precinct Saturday for one of Boston’s most promising electronic duos, DangerSounds.  DangerSound’s Sam and Dave pump out funky electro jams for fans of Anoraak and Chromeo.

August 23rd:  Eric Royer (Johnny D’s)

Eric Royer’s claim to fame as a one man bluegrass band has served him well. In 2003 his interview on NPR’s All Things Considered brought his ingenuity and talent into the national spotlight. His crazy guitar/banjo/puppet contraption that he so masterfully plays is sure to bring the Johnny D’s crowd a big bluegrass bowlful of delight.

August 24th: Deli Magazines Summer Concert Series presents  The New Highway Hymnal (PA’s Lounge)

Indie music mag The Deli is sponsoring a night of New England rock at PA’s. Headlining will be the very trippy sound of Haverill surf rockers The New Highway Hymnal. Also on the bill and worth catching are,  Satellites Fall, an alternative power pop fans of The Smiths and Arcade Fire.

August 27th: Dirt Mall (Rosebud)

Rosebud is one of Davis Square’s best kept secrets for spotting early local talent. Dying for a dose of no-nonsense rock and roll in the same vein as The Hellacopters and The Cult? Check out Waltham’s Dirt Mall for pure unadulterated fun.

Know the inside scoop on good shows happening in the ‘ville? Tweet me at @samcoren for consideration in the next SLF Live Music post!

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Somerville Live Music: Deep Heaven Now 4 Psych Rock Festival in Union Square

Aug 01 11:16 am

By Sam Coren

One of the best parts about living in Somerville is being in close proximity to some of the Boston area’s best live independent music venues. Who doesn’t love seeing up and coming talent for reasonably priced tickets in your own neighborhood? To give you a taste of what Somerville’s music scene has to offer I’ll be running a biweekly update with some of the most interesting music events playing in town:

August 3rd: Tribute to Blues Greats Robert Johnson & Mississippi John Hurt (Bloc 11 Cafe)
Aside making a well made cup of coffee, Bloc 11 in Union Square also serves as a good spot for blues, jazz, and singer-songwriter acts. Most of these music events are free, but you should definitely give the tip jar some love if you hear something you like. This Wednesday you can get over your hump day blues with musicians Craig Robertson and Zack Niman as they pay homage to Delta Blues legends Robert Johnson & Mississippi John Hurt. Show starts at 7pm.

August 4th: Mikael Mutti with Percussivo Mundo Novo  (Johnny D’s Uptown)

A world-class music prodigy makes a tour stop at our own Johnny D’s. Mikael Mutti’s fuses traditional Brazillian afrobeat rhythms with a dash of latin jazz and swirling synthesizers. Even cooler? Mutti’s featured all over the soundtrack for the 3D animated film Rio (2011) and he’s been known to make his own instruments out of various video game controllers.

 

August 5th & 6th:  Deep Heaven Now 4 - Union Square (PA’s Lounge and Precinct)

Dig trippy guitar solos and crazy video light shows? Hop down to Union Square for the Deep Heaven Now 4 Psych Rock fest on Friday August 5th and Saturday August 6th. 26 bands will be playing Precinct and PA’s Lounge. For the low price of $10 a day you get access to both venues and the set times are staggered between the two so you don’t have to miss a band. Some notable acts that are not to be missed include local shoegazers Endless Wave and the far out experimental folk of Portland’s Herbcraft. For more info visit the Deep Heaven Now 4 Facebook event page and don’t forget to check out the compilation featuring all the bands playing in the streaming player below:

 

August 11th: Kobie (Johnny D’s Uptown)

It takes a lot of chutzpah to be a singer in a Prince cover band. However, if there’s anyone who could pull that role off gracefully it would be the Boston by-way-of DC singer-songwriter Kobie. When he’s not performing in Lovesexy, a tribute to The Artist, he’s bringing his original brand of sweet, funky soul to venues all over New England.

August 12th: Dave Sammarco Band (Sally O’Brien’s)

Got a hankering for some country fried rock? For those of you who doubt Somerville’s ability to deliver the sounds of the south, pay Sally O’Brien’s a Friday visit and catch Arlington’s Dave Sammarco Band in action. Nothing gets the weekend going like a nice glass of whiskey and shuffling your feet to some twang.

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biz.buzz: Strengthening the Communities Within Our Community

Jul 21 12:00 am

RSVP to biz.buzz at Precinct - July 28!

RSVP to biz.buzz at Precinct - July 28!

Calling all Somerville creative enterprises, both established and burgeoning, for a swap meet of all things network-y at biz.buzz! This event run by the gang over at Union Square Main Streets through the Design Annex, their collaborative facility for design businesses, promises to be an evening of sharing with new friends, whether it be an exchange of industry information or a mutual sampling of the fare at fabulous host venue Precinct. Read below for more info (and how to RSVP!) or see the original post here, and keep an eye out for other awesome USMS events!

Design Annex launches biz.buzz, a new kind of networking event for design professionals in Somerville on July 28. At biz.buzz, we’re building a shop local movement for Somerville’s creative enterprises. Participants won’t just exchange their contact information; they’ll trade advice, referrals, and services to make each other’s businesses stronger. This event is the first of a quarterly series to bring together the city’s vibrant design community to grow this dynamic industry.

  • Join us for biz.buzz: Thursday, July 28, 6-9 pm at Precinct. Free.
  • RSVP and don’t forget to bring your business cards!
Work Space at the Design Annex

While you likely know the big design players in Somerville such as Arrowstreet, Moshe Safdie and Altitude, you may not know the literally hundreds of smaller scale creative businesses bustling here in Somerville and making their own bold mark. The Design Annex’s goal is to interconnect this community of people working at the intersection of commercial and creative and through the shared connections to thrive together. Somerville has been a quiet hub design and creative businesses and it’s time we made some noise, locally and nationally.

This event supports Union Square Main Streets’ efforts, through the Design Annex, to grow the creative economy in Somerville. The Design Annex provides the resources to grow creative businesses including shared office space and equipment, networking, and advocacy for industry needs. Since its founding just 18 months ago, 25 small creative businesses have used the Annex’s resources and community to help grow their enterprises.

The networking series biz.buzz is our first big step towards accomplishing our goal of a tightly networked, strong design community in Somerville. Please join us and other creative business professionals to relax, share ideas, and share some drinks on Thursday, July 28, 6-9 pm at Precinct. RSVP to [email protected], and don’t forget to bring your business cards!

Share the flyer for the event.

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How to Throw a Wedding Somerville Style

Apr 05 12:40 pm

By Megan Amundson

Reception at Precinct

When you think about your special day, you may imagine a wedding ceremony on the beach. Or in the mountains. Or maybe at a country club. Have you thought about a local wedding? There are plenty of businesses in Somerville more than happy to make your wedding day special, and they shouldn’t be overlooked.

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name.

Your life isn’t an 80s sitcom, but sharing your special day with businesses you already know provides security. You know they’re good and they know you’re a repeat customer. They want to make you happy! When my husband and I got married in Somerville at the end of February, we worked with a number of local businesses. And in return, those Somerville businesses did everything they could to make our day special.

 

Getting Married in Somerville

Our goal was an intimate, low key wedding with a larger reception to celebrate. For the day to be meaningful to us, we hosted our wedding in the ‘Ville with local businesses we like so our family and friends too could experience our Somerville community and all it has to offer.

The Night Before

The festivities began Friday night with a dinner at the Foundry on Elm for 16 of our guests traveling from out of town and our families. We had made a last minute change to the Foundry after frustrating dealings with a restaurant  in Cambridge that caused us to cut our losses and relocate back to Somerville. We couldn’t have made a better decision.

Dinner at Bergamot

The Foundry squeezed 16 of us in with only three days. As great as the food was, given the circumstances of how we ended up at there, what I remember most was the attentive service. They dedicated at least three wait staff to our table, including the manager, were exceptionally responsive considering we were there at the busiest time of the week, and we never felt rushed. The staff made helpful recommendations for wine and starters that made everyone happy and ordering for 16 stress free. In the end, they made it possible for us to focus our attention on our families meeting for the first time.

Our Wedding Day

We started our wedding day by getting our home ready for the ceremony in our living room. Bow Street Flowers on Beacon Street outdid themselves with three large bouquets that we used to frame the ceremony and the formal pictures in our bow window. In my conversations with Shelley at Bow Street, I provided her with an idea of what I was looking for with the hopes they she could translate it into something beautiful, and we weren’t disappointed. She even provided a bouquet, which I hadn’t ordered, as a personal touch. For our toasts after the ceremony, we drank champagne from the Wine and Cheese Cask, which is always a favorite in our household.

From the ceremony, the wedding party walked to Bergamot for a wonderful meal. The staff went out of their way to make the meal special, including a customized print menu and multiple servers working the table. The owner and the head chef had sat down with us in advance to accommodate food allergies and plan a three course meal that had all of our guests raving. The duck in particular was talked about for the rest of the evening.

Bow Street Flowers

From our dinner we moved on to Precinct in Union Square for a larger reception in the back room. A new chef had just been hired a month before our reception, and under his guidance our appetizer order became much more interesting and tasty. In addition, the walls had been recently painted and new furniture had just been ordered. Ronan, the general manager, had worked with us for weeks to make sure the room looked just how we wanted, with candles and flower petals on tables and a special place for the cake and DJ on stage. The staff did an excellent job navigating the very full room with wine, champagne, appetizers, and cake. They went so far as to provide a basket for cards, which we had forgotten to set up, along with a staff person to watch the entrance. Ronan did a fantastic job thinking of all the things we hadn’t.

 

Looking Back

Our wedding day lasted only one magical day, but the relationships we developed with local Somerville business owners will last much longer. I appreciate the hard work they put into making our wedding day special, and they can count on my business in the future.

Photos: Leise Jones Photography

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