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Sun. Dec. 31 Yes, we were first. The city of Boston was the first "First Night" to exist across this wide land - the idea to provide a day and night of entertainment that didn't de pend on booze as a companion. Now, first doesn't necessarily make it - the 31st such event - the best, but it's always been darn good: eclectic, family-friendly and more. A first night badge of $15 gets you into everything. This year, it goes from 1 p.m. to midnight and will have art, music, dance, sculpture (temperature permitting), fireworks and more. The most alluring musical performer is John Doe (in photo) who sometimes plays with the band he cofounded, X, but is with his own outfit tonight playing rootsy, country rock with a punk foundation. (Personal note: I know pretty well, but even more astounding is his late mum and my mum became friends at a Florida pool side some years, ago, neither initially having any idea what the others' kids did. Kinda neat. Doe is joined by Mary Gauthier, a former Bostonian who moved to Louisiana, furthering her songs of gothic southern imgery. They're at the Orpheum with shows at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. At Berklee Performance Center, the Holmes Brothers bring a gospel/funk/roadhouse blues sound to the long hall with shows at 8:45 and 9:45 p.m. The Hynes Convention Center hosts a slew of stuff - Americana and electronica being the main genres.The latter, from 7:30 to 11 p.m.. is presented by Intrasensitive Recordings and features Brendan Murphy, Birchville Cat Motel, Frans de Waard (with Keith Fullerton Witman, Skeletons Out, Richard Francis and Murmur. The rootsy part of the night is called "The Roots Attached Revue" and has Thea Hopkins, Kerri Powers, Rebecca Hall 7 Ken Anderson, Jaded Mountain and Jay Mankita. Same time as the electronic section. More at the Hynes (same time): World music with Senegal's Mamadou Dip, Afro-Cape Verdean and Afro Brazilian First Night Drum Circle and Caribbean steel drum band Branches Steel Band.
Yes, we were first. The city of Boston was the first "First Night" to exist across this wide land - the idea to provide a day and night of entertainment that didn't depend on booze as a companion. Now, first doesn't necessarily make it - the 31st such event - the best, but it's always been darn good: eclectic, family-friendly and more. A first night badge of $15 gets you into everything. This year, it goes from 1 p.m. to midnight and will have art, music, dance, sculpture (temperature permitting), fireworks and more. The most alluring musical performer is John Doe, who sometimes plays with the band he cofounded, X, but is with his own outfit tonight playing rootsy, country rock with a punk foundation. He is joined by Mary Gauthier, a former Bostonian who moved to Louisiana, furthering her songs of gothic southern imgery. They're at the Orpheum with shows at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. At Berklee Performance Center, the Holmes Brothers bring a gospel/funk/roadhouse blues sound to the long hall with shows at 8:45 and 9:45 p.m. The Hynes Convention Center hosts a slew of stuff - Americana and electronica being the main genres.The latter, from 7:30 to 11 p.m.. is presented by Intrasensitive Recordings and features Brendan Murphy, Birchville Cat Motel, Frans de Waard (with Keith Fullerton Witman, Skeletons Out, Richard Francis and Murmur. The rootsy part of the night is called "The Roots Attached Revue" and has Thea Hopkins, Kerri Powers, Rebecca Hall 7 Ken Anderson, Jaded Mountain and Jay Mankita. Same time as the electronic section. More at the Hynes (same time): World music with Senegal's Mamadou Dip, Afro-Cape Verdean and Afro Brazilian First Night Drum Circle and Caribbean steel drum band Branches Steel Band.
More: Our pal Joyce Kulhawik hosts the Midnight Countdown at the Boston Common Parkman Bandstand, beginning at 7:30 with Lonely Gus and the One Night Stand, percussionist/sculptor/composer The Junkman (aka Donald Knaack) who performs on recycled materials along with theremin master Eric Ross. That starts at 10. CBS4's Jack Williams and Lisa Hughes will be at Copley Square, at the Boston Public Library, for the 11 o'clock news and countdown, too. The music there comes from U.V. Protection, an all-female group that plays operatic pop and uses much video and many costumes. Starts at 10. There's lots more like puppet shows, parades, comedy, classical guitar music, a theatrical experience called "Bounce" from Eva Dean, but frankly, we are so damn tired of typing we're going to refer you to the website firstnight.org, where they will have all the particulars. |
