Sat. Dec. 26 – Mon. Dec. 28 

 If you’re unsure as to whether the Mighty Mighty Bosstones still exist, don't feel out too of the loop. They do exist. They’re just not that visible. They sprang back to life this during the summer, playing a WBRU-sponsored show in Providence and a Hampton Beach Casino in New Hampshire. And, now, to the surprise of no one, they have announced their annual Hometown Throwdown. It’s been at the Middle East Downstairs of late, but this year, for the first time, it’s at the House of Blues. Bigger house; fewer nights. The skein is three nights, Dec. 26-28. Doors are at 7 and, if it’s like previous years, the Bosstones will have different, like-minded bands as support each night.
     But the band is not a full-time pursuit for any of the eight members.
   “That’s what makes the Bosstones thing still amazing,” says bassist Joe Gittleman. “That it still can be there. We’re treating it like it deserves to be treated. This isn’t weekend bowling night.  We’re putting a lot of energy and effort into it and we work hard rehearsing before our shows.”

ongoing

We ran into Scullers Jazz Club Entertainment Director Fred Taylor a while back at the Keith Jarrett concert at Symphony Hall. There was some nostalgia. We talked of his old clubs, Paul's Mall and the Jazz Workshop - and how Jarrett used to helm the house band way back in the day when he was at Berklee. And Freddie said it was almost startling, the realization that his Scullers Jazz Club was approaching two decades in business. Seemed less than half of that, we both agreed. Time sure passes fast. We didn't have time to talk about the recession or the effect it was taking in the arts world - hey Jarrett was about to play and grunt and he does like it when people pay attention - but then we just got this from Scullers General Manaager Dayla Arabella Santurri. There's some discouraging news up front, but stay with it, there's some good news for you in there, too. Do the words "free tickets" mean anything to you? Read on ... 

Fri. Dec. 18 - Sun. Dec. 20

 Rock opera had its big run in the '70s. Is there a market today? Yes, there is, states Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra. which plays songs from rock operas and, perhaps we should say, theatrically inclined rock songs - songs of drama, trauma and meaning. Songs of content. Songs unafraid of bombast.  Boston Rock Opera kicked up the idea back in the ‘80s with “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and ran a string of successful shows, climaxing with the Kinks’ “Preservation,” blessed by the creator himself, Ray Davies. But BRO folded – they’d run out of productions and gas, but they’d put rock opera in Boston back on the map. With BRO down for the count, Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra has taken over the slot.

Thurs. Dec. 17 

Christmas approaches and so does Chandler Travis' annual holiday benefit at Johnny D's. It's Thursday Dec. 17, starting around 9. (Details below.)

The hardest working musician on Cape Cod, Travis, putting himself and his various musical incarnations out there again: solo, with the Chandler Travis Philharmonic, the Incredible Casuals. He's also celebrating his latest solo CD, "After She Left." Says Travis: "We cunningly waited for a time when no one was releasing, selling, listening, or even smelling new albums to release my new solo album, which is a rather dramatic change of pace from my recent output with the Chandler Travis Philharmonic and the Incredible Casuals, in that it is quiet and sparse instead of sprawling and wild. Kind of thoughtful, really. Romantic, even. Dead dull, some might even venture, although hopefully not in print. The CTP, by the way, will have a new CD out this winter that will be much noisier. Actually, I'm rather proud of the fact that 'After She Left' maintains a single sort of moody, late-night vibe for its entire forty or so minutes (pretty much a record for me, coherence-wise).