While we were in the first floor reading room finishing an Expos paper due at midnight, we witnessed some shocking, random, and hilarious displays of intense exhibitionism.  Perhaps our Gmail outbox best represents the events in the hour leading up to Primal Scream:

10:52 PM:

There currently is a girl across from me in Lamont who has been taking off article of clothing by article of clothing while studying.  This has taken place over more than a half hour.  She is now down to literally just her underwear.

Nobody has reacted.  I actually don’t think many people have noticed.

Oh, wait…there are multiple girls doing it.

I think, at least five.  This girl across from me is the least afraid and got down to bra and panties first.  But another one just took her shirt off and three more are definitely on their way.

Anybody know what is happening?

Shit, paper due in an hour.  Focus, focus, focus…

Reply:

I think what’s happening is that you’re getting mentally tired and hallucinating what you want to see.

Read the rest of this entry »

Today, Nels Cline and John Stirratt, two members of Wilco, came to the Advocate for some open discussion and free Boloco burritos.  The two were very honest in answering students’ questions about songwriting, tour life, favorite venues, recording, and their own personal lives.  Cline spoke of the difficulty of playing music as your field of work, citing the challenges of having a personal life with time for experience, romance, and introspection.   Stirratt, the only remaining original member of the band apart from Jeff Tweedy, echoed Cline’s thoughts, saying there is a point where you realize “a hobby has taken over your life.”

They also talked about music in a broad sense, from songwriting to recording.  On the issue of recorded music and the fall of the record in today’s age of digital music and single song downloads, Cline remarked that “recording is a blip on the time line of centuries and centuries of music.”  Live music has been around far longer than the first recording devices and the importance of music lies in the spontaneity of live music.  As a tip to songwriters yearning to create something new and original, he advised students not to worry too much.  He said that you will give music its own unique twist, even if it shares a chord progression with hundreds of other songs.  The two were happy to answer all questions thrown their way.  Wilco plays tomorrow night at the Orpheum in Boston.

What a beautiful day for a pillow fight!  Today, in cities across the world, people met to indulge in the great childhood tradition of the pillow fight.    Boston’s pillow fight, organized by Banditos Misteriosos, took place right across Mass Ave in the Cambridge Commons.  Last year’s fight was estimated at 1200 participants.  No word yet on numbers for this year, but we think it was quite the success:

Yep.

Today, at Boloco, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., they’re giving away Mini and Small Burritos, Bowls, Wraps and Salads.  The large burritos are only a dollar.  Take advantage of the deals.  We college students love our free food, as evidenced by the lines yesterday at Ben and Jerry’s and Chipotle (oh, but you know it was worth the wait).

Harvard Square Homeless Center will be at Boloco asking for donations.  Contribute whatever you can.  It is a great organization and you are getting free food for the second day in a row after all.

You’re welcome for all the updates on free food.  We wouldn’t want you to miss out.

The famed author of Freakonomics and SuperFreakonomics, Steven Levitt, visits Harvard today from the University of Chicago.  His visit is a part of the Dean’s Lecture Series at the Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Study.  His lecture, entitled “Freakonomics and Beyond,”  will discuss his most recent research.  Levitt is best known for presenting intriguing and controversial evidence-based microeconomic ideas such as his study that connected the legalization of abortion with decreases in crime.

The lecture is free and open to all.  It will be held at 4 p.m. in the Radcliffe Gymnasium in Radcliffe Yard located at 10 Garden St.

Jay-Z plays TD Garden on March 11 and Alicia Keys plays Agganis Arena on March 22

Another great month for one of the country’s best music scenes.  This month offers concert occasions for every music fans.  Lots of fun indie pop is coming through the city.  Let them warm you up as winter slowly withdraws into spring.  Two of New York’s biggest stars, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, come up to Boston this month, playing two of the city’s largest venues, the TD Garden and the Agganis Arena.  Escape midterms for at least one concert this month.  Hop on those tickets soon.  Many of these shows will sell out.  Some of them are already sold out, leaving you to beg for your friend’s extra ticket, take your chances with scalpers, or buy the higher priced tickets from a secondary seller.

3/2: Surfer Blood, Great Scott:

Get ready for this fun, indie rock band from Florida to rock a bar sure to be filled this night with Pabst and Pitchfork lovers.

3/3: Tally Hall, Great Scott:

Light and poppy, Tally Hall come across as one of the sillier bands in indie rock.

3/4: Joe Pug, Great Scott:

The Allston bar brings in a great artist for the third night in a row in row in singer-songwriter Joe Pug.  Joe Pug has garnered a following for himself by mailing free sampler CD’s to anyone who asks and making his EP available for download free on his website.  He now tours in support of his first full-length, Messenger.

3/5: Cage the Elephant, Paradise Rock Club:

There ain’t gonna be no rest for the wicked at this show.  Cage the Elephant will keep your bodies moving for the whole show. Read the rest of this entry »

Summer music in the midst of a New England winter

Best get ready for a whole month of good music.  Don’t miss out on the shows within walking distance at Club Passim, Sanders Theatre, The Middle East, and T.T. the Bear’s.  If you’re a festival fan, you’re going to enjoy this month with lots of summer fesitval jam band regulars making stops in Boston.  Whatever you listen to, check out some music this month to warm yourself up.

2/3: Galactic, Paradise Rock Club

Galactic embodies the melting pot culture of their hometown New Orleans.  The band can’t easily be categorized as funk, jazz, jam rock, or hip hop.  Rather, the band incorporates influences from those genres and others and creates a musical style so full of energy, you won’t be able to stop dancing.

2/5: AA Bondy, T.T. the Bear’s Place

One of this blogger’s very favorites, Bondy was formerly the frontman of grunge band, Verbena.  Since their breakup, Bondy has shown his remarkable skill as an incredible folk singer-songwriter.  If you’re into dark, beautiful folk, look no further. Read the rest of this entry »

Hello Kitty + oil + curlers + snowballs = HUPD's January

Just because you go home, that doesn’t mean that HUPD stops working.  That said, the number of police reports did dramatically diminish over the past few weeks.  The decrease in the student body means fewer parties to shut down and fewer laptop thefts.  Even so, the Harvard Police Logs do not fall short when it comes to stories sure to make you laugh, tremble, or simply wonder.

This report from Christmas Eve is actually quite sad.  Don’t laugh.  That was somebody’s Christmas package.  Just picture somebody using all four of these gifts at once.  How happy would she have been then?

12/24/09 6:12 PM – 95 Prescott St. – Theft Report

Officer dispatched to take a report of items stolen from a package.  The package contained a Hello Kitty pajama set valued at $40.00, olive oil valued at $10.00, hair curlers valued at $35.00, and a snowball maker valued at $15.00. Read the rest of this entry »

Wright goes up over two Big Green Defenders for the score

While you were at home catching up on sleep and watching TV, the basketball team was back at school, kicking off Ivy League basketball by defeating Dartmouth in a blowout, 76-47. The team’s star, Jeremy Lin, finished the game with 11 points and six steals, one of which resulted in a highlight-worthy breakaway dunk.  The true star of this game, however, was Keith Wright, who finished with 22 points, three blocks, and six rebounds.  Freshman Kyle Casey was impressive, off the bench, with four blocks and an alley-oop on a pass from guard Oliver McNally. Read the rest of this entry »

Photo Credit: The Harvard Gazette

It’s been a while, but here we are, hitting you with another HUPD Hustlin’.  HUPD has been continuing to serve the University, protecting all of Harvard’s students.  Of course, they continue to find humorous situations along the way: helping drunk doorbell ringers, showing up to deal with an “unwanted guest” in lecture who turned out to be the professor, stopping salad theft, and checking in on some strange activities in CGIS.

Ding Dong.  “Hello, sorry to bother you at 4:00 a.m.  Did I leave my clothes in your apartment?  No?  Wrong door I guess.  Thanks anyway.”

11/6/09 4:19 AM – Peabody Terrace 10, 900 Memorial Drive – Suspicious Activity

Officers dispatched to a report of an individual ringing doorbells in the area.  Officers arrived and located the individual who stated they left their belongings in their friend’s residence and could not remember which apartment their friend resided in.  Officers located the individual’s friend and report the individual was now in possession of their belongings.

This must have been a pretty controversial debate at the Kennedy School if somebody called the police on the professor.

11/12/09 11:25 AM – Littauer KSG, 79 JFK St – Unwanted Guest

Officers dispatched to a report of a individual who started to address a class.  Officers report the individual was a professor and the class was participating in a debate. Read the rest of this entry »

Club Passim is located underground at 47 Palmer St.

If you’re taking “Sound, Noise, and Music” as your Expos class you have learned a little bit about Club Passim and the important role it has played in the history of American music.  If not, you may not be aware that one of folk’s most legendary venues is less than 200 yards from the Yard.  The club, opened in 1958, was first known as Club 47 and was located at 47 Mt. Auburn St. (currently Daedalus Restaurant).  It moved to its current location at 47 Palmer St. in 1963 and eventually changed its name to Club Passim.

In the 1960s, the venue was a starting point for many folk stars including Joan Baez who began playing the club as an unknown seventeen year-old singer.  She also convinced relatively unknown Bob Dylan to play shows at the club.  Dylan played songs between others’ sets, but never had his own headlining show.  Others who played at Club Passim, many of whom had their starts at club, include Muddy Waters, Tom Rush, Jackie Washington, Peter Wolf, Taj Mahal, Patty Larkin, Geoff & Maria Muldaur, Shawn Colvin, Suzanne Vega, Nanci Griffith, and Judy Collins (though not Bruce Springsteen who was refused the opportunity to play at Club Passim).

Though the club rarely attracts artists of that level today, it still offers an opportunity to see some of folk’s greatest acts in an intimate environment.  When we say intimate, we mean intimate.  The club is a mere 30 feet by 40 feet and seats only 125 concertgoers.  Good luck finagling yourself into your chair.  You’ll be getting to know your neighbors very well, especially if you choose dining seating. Read the rest of this entry »