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FRIDAY | 11.24.06
Concert. 
The Hold Steady's lastest album, Boys and Girls in America, extends many of the band's trademark lyrical themes, like drugs, girls, parties, the Mississippi River, Minneapolis, and, of course, Charlemagne. The buzz that has steadily built around this band since 2004's Almost Killed Me is not misplaced -- these guys are a Rock band with a capital "R," and despite the backlash that is starting to unfold, and the just-a-tad-too-slick production of the new album, the Hold Steady are one of the best Big Rock bands around today. If you've got tickets to see them tonight at Maxwell's (a smaller venue than they've been playing recently), consider yourself lucky. If not, you might want to check the Craig, because it's sure to be a killer party ... er, show.
The Hold Steady's lastest album, Boys and Girls in America, extends many of the band's trademark lyrical themes, like drugs, girls, parties, the Mississippi River, Minneapolis, and, of course, Charlemagne. The buzz that has steadily built around this band since 2004's Almost Killed Me is not misplaced -- these guys are a Rock band with a capital "R," and despite the backlash that is starting to unfold, and the just-a-tad-too-slick production of the new album, the Hold Steady are one of the best Big Rock bands around today. If you've got tickets to see them tonight at Maxwell's (a smaller venue than they've been playing recently), consider yourself lucky. If not, you might want to check the Craig, because it's sure to be a killer party ... er, show.Concert. 
In 1997, I was freshly arrived in Boston and going to shows nearly every night at the Middle East and other venues, soaking in the East Coast scene that was so different from what I was used to in Chicago. One of my most lucid memories of that fall was a Piebald show with the late Wicked Farleys. Someone had told me Piebald was straightedge, and to me they just looked young, but they did put on a great, intensity-filled show. The highlight came when one of the singers took the cigarette that had been behind his ear out, muttered something about not smoking, and crushed it in his hand. Before the kids had time to shout "Fuck yeah!" or some such thing, the band launched into one of it's crushing jams. Whether the straightedge sentiment was sincere or mockery, I've never been sure. But since then, I've seen Piebald transform from some geeky Mass. hardcore kids living in Lower Allston to emo faves. And I mean "the new emo" or whatever you want to call it. It's weird that the band, which has been around so long, and, in my eyes, had already established their thing, is now opening for such legends as Say Anything, mewithoutyou, and Forgive Durden. But, alas, that's what's happening tonight at the Starland Ballroom. It's an All Ages Show, natch.
In 1997, I was freshly arrived in Boston and going to shows nearly every night at the Middle East and other venues, soaking in the East Coast scene that was so different from what I was used to in Chicago. One of my most lucid memories of that fall was a Piebald show with the late Wicked Farleys. Someone had told me Piebald was straightedge, and to me they just looked young, but they did put on a great, intensity-filled show. The highlight came when one of the singers took the cigarette that had been behind his ear out, muttered something about not smoking, and crushed it in his hand. Before the kids had time to shout "Fuck yeah!" or some such thing, the band launched into one of it's crushing jams. Whether the straightedge sentiment was sincere or mockery, I've never been sure. But since then, I've seen Piebald transform from some geeky Mass. hardcore kids living in Lower Allston to emo faves. And I mean "the new emo" or whatever you want to call it. It's weird that the band, which has been around so long, and, in my eyes, had already established their thing, is now opening for such legends as Say Anything, mewithoutyou, and Forgive Durden. But, alas, that's what's happening tonight at the Starland Ballroom. It's an All Ages Show, natch.SATURDAY | 11.25.06
Comedy. One of the strangest media synergies that has become prominent over the past couple of years is when there is a live, touring performance of a television show. As in, reality show losers (and some winners, I guess) criss-crossing the country together again, branded with the show's name. Can they really expect that this will continue the elevation of their nascent career? Does anyone actually go to these events? I guess you could find out tonight, if you wanted to go check out Comic Idols, featuring the winners from TV's Last Comic Standing, tonight at Bergen PAC.
Concert. 
A weird array of Central Jersey bands is at the Court Tavern tonight, and there should pretty much be something for everyone. Fun Machine sounds like they're stuck in some weird, shadowy corner of Syd Barrett's brain, a corner where he dreams about King Crimson and synthesizers. Calamity Menagerie's got a sort of bizarre, circusy post-punk thing going on, Grover Kent sounds like the Ramones, especially on their song "Running Out of Ramones," and The Choices have a low-fi, scuzzed-out punk sound.
A weird array of Central Jersey bands is at the Court Tavern tonight, and there should pretty much be something for everyone. Fun Machine sounds like they're stuck in some weird, shadowy corner of Syd Barrett's brain, a corner where he dreams about King Crimson and synthesizers. Calamity Menagerie's got a sort of bizarre, circusy post-punk thing going on, Grover Kent sounds like the Ramones, especially on their song "Running Out of Ramones," and The Choices have a low-fi, scuzzed-out punk sound. SUNDAY | 11.26.06
Circus. 
You know it's the holiday season when your mind randomly turns to circuses, as mine did the other day. What exactly circuses have to do with holidays, I'm not really sure. But if you want to see a bunch of kids between 6-18 run around and do circusy-type things, you're in luck. Today, the Russian Kid's Circus stops in at Bergen PAC for two shows, at 2 and 5 pm.
You know it's the holiday season when your mind randomly turns to circuses, as mine did the other day. What exactly circuses have to do with holidays, I'm not really sure. But if you want to see a bunch of kids between 6-18 run around and do circusy-type things, you're in luck. Today, the Russian Kid's Circus stops in at Bergen PAC for two shows, at 2 and 5 pm.WEDNESDAY | 11.29.06
Discussion. 
Albert Maysles is a documentarian best-known for the film about the Rolling Stones' infamous Altamont concert, Gimme Shelter, but he's also made tons of other great films, including Salesman and Grey Gardens. Most recently, he made a film about The Gates, Cristo's Central Park work. Tonight, he'll be at the Montclair Art Museum to discuss "50 Years of Filmmaking," in other words, his life and career.
Albert Maysles is a documentarian best-known for the film about the Rolling Stones' infamous Altamont concert, Gimme Shelter, but he's also made tons of other great films, including Salesman and Grey Gardens. Most recently, he made a film about The Gates, Cristo's Central Park work. Tonight, he'll be at the Montclair Art Museum to discuss "50 Years of Filmmaking," in other words, his life and career. THURSDAY | 11.30.06
Discussion. Jersey City and Newark have long been art meccas for people being priced out of Manhattan and Brooklyn, but, as in many other areas, it has always seemed that the NYC cultural elite would look across the Hudson at us in a patronizing manner, if they talked about us at all. That's why tonight's discussion at the Jersey City Museum is pretty exciting -- it brings together Newark, Jersey City and NYC for a look at the state of the art world. The director of Newark's excellent City Without Walls gallery, Ben Goldman, will sit down with Carlo McCormick, senior editor at the uber-hip Paper magazine, for a free chat at 6 pm.
Concert. 
I sat down to write up a preview of singer-songwriter Milton's upcoming show at Maxwell's, but then I realized, Tris McCall recently wrote more elegantly about Milton's music than I ever could. So read his City Belt review, and then be sure to check him out tonight in Hoboken.
I sat down to write up a preview of singer-songwriter Milton's upcoming show at Maxwell's, but then I realized, Tris McCall recently wrote more elegantly about Milton's music than I ever could. So read his City Belt review, and then be sure to check him out tonight in Hoboken. 
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