CONCERT LISTINGS The Best Shows of November 2007
NSFW, OiNK and Bttls: OMG!
Well, surely you’re all quaking in your Keds now that music file-sharing site OiNK is shut down, and maybe you’re wondering how you’ll possibly acquire and share albums with the same level of ease. Stream from MySpace? Perish the thought! Post on your public? Time-costly! Newbury comics? A fun voyage, for sure, but you might as well blow a kiss goodbye to any petty cash in your wallet as soon as you step in the door. Next best solution? Cheap concerts coming to you in the Boston area this November. They may not be as permanent as, say, torrent-quality mp3s, but at least you can always take flash photos of you and your friends in front of the stage to put on Facebook.
Special interest shows are noted with stars. Send listing suggestions for this month and the future to arts@tech.mit.edu.
Thursday, Nov. 1
Manchester Orchestra (with Annuals, The Never)
Great Scott, 18+, $7
Manchester Orchestra confused thousands when they played Bonnaroo this summer; despite their moniker, they’re from Atlanta, and not even remotely local to Tennessee. After supporting the likes of Piebald and Kings of Leon, they’re headlining their own show, supported by two other fun indie outfits.
Monday, Nov. 5
Blues Traveler (with Lisa Bouchelle)
Paradise Rock Club, 18+, $25
Maybe you haven’t followed them since the mid ’90s, but I assure you, they’re up to good things. I saw them a couple years ago at a secret post-Jammys show; John Popper’s unbelievable vocals and virtuosic scatting had to be one of the most impressive performances I’ve ever seen.
Friday, Nov. 9
Menomena (with Illinois) *
Paradise Rock Club, 18+, $13
Three’s a charm, and this dynamic trio hardly suffers from extraneous wheel syndrome. Watch six hands juggle basses, keys, guitars, drums, saxophones, and bass pedals. You can bet your bottom dollar that I’ll be at this show, and the one on Saturday night in New York City, too. Also, check out magnificently fun pop rock group Illinois (reviewed in this issue of The Tech) opening up the night.
Saturday, Nov. 10
Kevin Devine
T.T. the Bear’s Place, 18+, $12
At some point in time, all of my friends started going to see every Kevin Devine show ever. They swear by his acoustic guitar skills — check him out for yourself and let me know if you agree.
Monday, Nov. 12
Final Fantasy (with Cadence Weapon)
The Middle East (Upstairs), 18+, $9adv/$10dos
Toronto native Owen Pallett, well known for his work with Arcade Fire, Grizzly Bear, Stars, and Beirut, fronts this group on violin and vocals, which he loops indefinitely to create live songs.
Battles
Paradise Rock Club, 18+, $15
This experimental math rock band strangely gains a following and goes on to play all over the world, much to this reviewer’s chagrin.
Monday, Nov. 13
Broken Social Scene
Paradise Rock Club, 18+, $25
Everyone’s favorite Canadian 19-piece supergroup plays Kevin Drew’s new solo album Spirit If … in full.
Thursday, Nov. 15
Dax Riggs (with Beaten Awake)
The Middle East (Upstairs), 18+, $9
The former Acid Bath frontman has broken it off creatively with former swamp rockin’ bandmate Tessie Brunet and is currently touring solo to support his latest release, We Sing of Only Blood or Love.
Wednesday, Nov. 21
Malajube *
The Middle East (Upstairs), 18+, $9
Quebecois and francophone pop rockers infectiously play out in support of their catchy 2006 album Trompe-l’oeil. Those sticking around for Thanksgiving break should make it out to this show for a night of guaranteed fun.
Saturday, Nov. 24
Dinosaur Jr. *
Paradise Rock Club, 18+, $20
Though they now ally more with the first half of their name than the last, who can resist the unbeatable combo of J Mascis and Lou Barlow together again, playing as though they can stand one another?
Sunday, Nov. 25
Sondre Lerche (with Dan Wilson)
Paradise Rock Club, 18+, $16.50
I prefer this Norwegian musician’s rock numbers to his acoustic tunes, but, like it or not, Lerche’s playing unplugged. And either way, I like it; I really like it.
Thursday, Nov. 29
Dragons of Zynth (with Holy Fuck) *
The Middle East (Upstairs), 18+, $9adv/$10dos
Check out my (glowing) review of DOZ at http://www-tech.mit.edu/V127/N33/cdreviews.html. Electro-pop openers Holy Fuck may have a NSFW title, but their dark disco tracks are delectable. Make sure to get their album on OiNK — oh, wait.