What I think about Market

My friends and I hit up two financial district nightspots tonight after work, and here is what was happening on the rooftop of Market

Memorable Moment: Wilco in Providence 4/3/2010

The roots-rock band Wilco stopped in Providence, RI as part of a sold-out tour in the US.  My friend REL, a drummer who I have been playing awesome music with over the last year, hooked me up with a ticket and I said “yeah! I’ll go!” REL had an eclectic iPod so I was able to learn about bands such as Estradasphere. I’m a fan. Hear the sounds of our car ride in the short vid below.

We arrived in Downtown Providence with pub grub on our mind, but we wanted to get to the theater in time for the first chord. There was a group of people outside a bar and I asked “Are you from around here? Where is there some fast chinese food?” They weren’t sure if it’s open, but there was a sketchy chinese place down the street. We weren’t sold on it, and all of the sudden a panhandler came out and said “They were laughing back there because you were about to go into this restaurant. You want pizza? There’s a pizza place right at that corner over there, and it’s okay. But two doors down on the left is Saki’s, you gotta go to Saki’s. Great friggin’ pizza. Now I get the last laugh, haha!” I took a second to process the situation, and I figured he knows the area and I’ll take his advice, so I gave him a dollar.

The pizza was tasty! The bottom crust was oily and crunchy, but the middle was doughy, and the light amounts of sauce and cheese were just right. We headed down Washington St to the theater, now called Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel. The short vid below gives you a feel for the line going into the place and what downtown Providence looks like at night. Nice cityscape.

There was a nice cozy set with U-shaped nooks of electronic equipment for the two keyboard players, with the drummer in between. In front and below were guitarist Nels Cline, Guitarist/Vocalist Jeff Tweedy, and Bassist/Backup Vocalist John Stirratt. The set and lighting looked sweet with an “electronic age” theme like it was a 60′s living room. The drumming was tight, the riffs from Cline were awe-inspiring. Then, all of the sudden, the crew built a second stage. Cline and Tweedy picked up beautiful acoustic guitars and had a seat in a circle of what looked like a small, intimate den. There was also a mini drum kit and a no-frills digital piano. Here’s a recording of “Heavy Metal Drummer” from that part, where they take a song that a fan requests before the show, a policy they follow in every performance. They said it would be a challenge because they usually play this with a lot of effects.

I hope you get to see Wilco live. There is a great vibe. Their music is simple but compelling, and interesting from the twangy guitar solos, sometimes taken up a notch with the lap steel guitar.

Returning

Hey, I’m back from my startup vacation, and getting into the swing of things. Sorry I’ve been gone for so long! Tonight was another Bob Marley tribute at Johnny D’s. There were a few different singers and one really good backup band.

Vacation

Hey all, I’m on a startup vacation so that I can develop Pique.TV. It will be the easiest way to sublet your apartment, with 30 second MTV cribs-style videos.

Ideas of things to do this week… 10/27-11/02

If it’s green, I’m actually going — see you there!

Tuesday see some of the brightest people in the world talk at the MIT 100k Elevator Pitch Contest. Entrepreneurs are given 60 seconds to explain their idea and who they are, and 30 seconds to answer questions from the judges.

Wednesday – Oystahs! Slurp ya free oysters at the Channel Cafe in the Fort Point area from 5-6pm. Wash down those bivalves with interesting local beers as they reveal their new fall menu.

Thursday the day has come: I am on the panel for Pokin’ Holes, part of dartboston. It’s a live web cast where 30-40 people come to the venue and 30-40 people watch online and can submit questions and comments.

Friday come see my band, The Heartsleeves, perform at East Meets West bookstore in Cambridge in a charity concert for Leaders of Tomorrow. It also features belly dancers, acoustic guitar singer/songwriter, and Afro DZ Ak, a funk and hip hop group.

Saturday party hop in Beacon Hill and come to my party that I’m throwing: dress like your favorite Jailed (and Rehabbed) Celebrity. Facebook friend me for the invite! I got dibbs on Vince Offer — The Sham Wow Guy — The Slap Chop Guy. I need to buy a headset!

Sunday hear Snoop Dogg, Method Man and Redman at the House of Blues. Snoop is my favorite rapper of all time. Also, La Verdad has the best carne asada tacos of all time, so you might see me there too.

Monday go up and listen to jazz in the clouds on the top floor of the prudential center — Top of the Hub Lounge. The Marshall Wood Trio starts at 8pm. Get there earlier, around 5pm, to see the awesome foliage and sunset. Great food, wine and cocktails await, with no cover and for a lot less coin than eating at the actual restaurant with all those couples getting engaged!

Ideas of things to do this week… 10/20-10/26

By popular demand, I’m highlighting the things I’m going to in green.

- Tuesday feel cultured and hip at the same time at the String Quartet Showdown, with no cover, which takes place at 10pm this and every Tuesday in October in Jamaica Plain. Drink Alchemist’s delicious beers, making sure you get your pumpkin/oktoberfest seasonals.

- Wednesday I’m leading a taco expedition with my co-workers to Green Street which offers a scrumptious taco menu every Wednesday night. Four dollars each is the damage for selections such as braised duck, carnitas, and spicy chicken.

- Thursday I look forward to seeing STS9 w/ ESKMO at the House of Blues. The headlining band played my favorite show that I’ve seen yet, when they were called Sound Tribe Sector 9 in 2004 at Berkfest during sundown. Both bands have organic, live electro music based on groove and heavy sampling. $26, doors 7:30pm, show 8:30pm.

- Friday evening features Bill Maher doing stand-up at the Wilbur Theater. $49, 10pm.

- Saturday I’m heading to my friends The Doctors Fox’s album release party. The other band descriptions sound enticing: The Shills, “boulders and butterflies,” Ellis Ashbrook, “fiery eclecticism rooted in solid foundations of funk, soul and blues,” (sounds like my band, actually) and Walri, “genre chameleons, jumping from late ’60′s inspired love-rock to roots country bluegrass to funky dunky to Brazilian Bossa Nova to shoegaze cowpunk to electronic rock candy. They call the result ‘love-rock.’”

- Sunday realize that cooking is an important skill, and classes are a good way to learn it. Take one of them with the talented chef JJ Gonson 11am-2pm at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education, put on by thingstodoboston.com.

- Monday celebrate the peak of fall foliage with a walk around Back Bay. For a Victorian Back Bay Tour, meet your guide from Boston By Foot at Trinity Church facing Copley Square at 5:30pm. The tour is an hour and a half long, and you can buy tickets right there from the tour guide for $12.

Ideas of things to do this week… 10/13-10/19

- Tuesday enjoy the foods of Germany and the beers that make them even better. Jacob Wirth’s new tasting menu begins. This menu is starting out with Potato Pancake, Cinnamon Sour Cream, Sour Roasted Apples, paired with Spaten Lager… mmm. PROST. (cheers).

- Wednesday I’m headed to Social Boston Sports Oktoberfest sponsored by Wachusett Brewing Company at Landsdowne. Hear the Thomas Park Band and watch or participate in the sausage eating contests. If you opt for the VIP “beer tent” then you get a complimentary Wachusett Oktoberfest paired with food between 7pm and 9pm.

- Thursday Soul singer and legend Al Green is at the House of Blues. I really want to see this as he is a big influence on The Heartsleeves and my music. Jesse Dee opens up for him.

- Friday I hope to see you 6pm on Boylston at the very special NomX3 with Gary Vaynerchuk. Yeah, it costs $25, but you get his brand new book Crush It — signed — for free and a glass of wine (plus noms). NomX3 stands for “Nom Nom Nom” — the sound you make when eating delicious food — and they webcast social media talk at a different lunch hotspot in the Boston area each week. Warming up the crowd is  the live taping of Wingman TV, a lifestyle show about people, dating, and drinks.

- Saturday check out Great Scott at 8pm ($18 in advance, $22 at doors). This is a great time because you’ll hear two artists from the original early 90′s trio Digable Planets: Butterfly and Doodlebug perform hip hop along with songs from each of their current solo careers, with a three-piece band and a deejay.

- Sunday from 3pm to 6pm is the BSO Chamber Players. Hear some of the world’s top players play music by Schulhoff, Carter, and Brahms featuring Marc-André Hamelin on piano. If you’re under 40, the tickets are $20 for this and any other Boston Symphony Orchestra show.

- Monday will be majorly interesting for some as it features The Second Glass Crash Course: Sake-Beyond the Bomb at The Wine Gallery in Brookline 7pm. Hear about the history of the Rice Wine and start thinking about how to pair it with many other things than just sushi. I’m not a big Sake fan, but I might go in order to expand my mind.

Bonus! In honor of NomX3 on Friday, feed your mind with the funniest site on the Internet: Om Nom Nom Nom, featuring crude drawings on photos making various objects appear as monsters about to eat someone or something.