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 »

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 »

Sad you missed Girl Talk last night?  You probably should be.  It was probably great.  This blogger is a little disappointed himself for skipping it.

But don’t stay sad for long.  November is full of great music in the city.  Click on the date for ticket info, the band name for band website, and the venue name for venue website.

Beautiful Grace Potter will be rocking the House of Blues on 11/19.

11/3: Monsters of Folk, Orpheum Theatre:

This supergroup is made up of Conor Oberst (aka Bright Eyes), M. Ward, and My Morning Jacket’s Jim James.  Those three have been doing the occasional show or recording together for years, but finally have an album out and an official tour.

11/4: Ray LaMontagne, Citi Performing Arts Center:

This raspy singer-songwriter from Maine is probably best known for his single, “You Are the Best Thing.”

11/5 & 11/6: Lotus, Paradise Rock Club:

Lotus is a quntessential jamtronica band, meaning that they fuse live instrumental jam rock with the sounds of dance and electronica.  This show is sure to be a party.

11/7: Girls, Great Scott:

This Pitchfork darling will warm up this dark, intimate bar with its fresh sounds from San Francisco. Read the rest of this entry »

This place is legit. Granted, the bouncer is terrifying (at least when we’ve gone), and he makes sure you know that if you do anything the least bit suspicious you and every member of your family are in grave danger. It’s a great set-up though. First, you walk through the lounge if you want to chill out where it’s quieter before the band you’re really there to see starts their set. Then you go down some fluorescent hallways, buy a shirt (or maybe that’s just us), and then you enter the concert area itself. What we love about this place is that it’s general admission so if you bought tickets at a different time than your friends you’re not stuck sitting next to some random 40 year old trying to reclaim their youth and trying to dance with you. That is problematic. Also disturbing.

That marquee reads a bit like a slave auction.

So, you can basically push your way up and sit (We mean we were literally sitting) on the edge of the stage. The performances are really intimate, and the artists are aware of this–often cracking jokes that pertain to the occasional obnoxious concert-goer who yells the SAME THING EVERY 30 SECONDS. We’re looking at you annoying BU guy. We’re looking right at you. If you don’t want to stand for too long or want to take a break there are plenty of lounge corners and even an upstairs with couches and a view of the stage. Overall, it’s a great place, and they’re able to draw in a lot of really great acts. If you’re 21+ it looks like their bar is pretty well stocked. But, don’t try to pull anything under 21-ers. That bouncer…seriously, he’s scary.

4.5 ROCK STARZ out of 5 ROCK STARZ.

http://www.thedise.com/

A good hipster is easy to find

Overwhelmed by all the shows in Boston this month? Noice kindly narrows it down for you. Click on the date to buy tickets, and click on the artist to find its last.fm page.

10/8 – Grizzly Bear, Beach House – Orpheum
There’s no better way to chill after turning in your first Gov 20 paper than with the gorgeous, elaborately arranged pop of Grizzly Bear and Beach House.
WHAT TO EXPECT: A classy affair/hipsterfest.

10/10 – The Psychedelic Furs, Islands – House of Blues
Perennial post-punk favorites The Psychedelic Furs and melodic-pop genre-benders Islands make a strange, but potentially great combination.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Electric sitars?! And hipsters.

10/13 – Kelly Clarkson – Agganis Arena
Dear Kelly, Our Lives Would Suck Without You. Love, Noice.
WHAT TO EXPECT: A loooot of unclaimed $280 VIP packages. Ironic hipsters.

10/15 – MIKA – Orpheum
“The Boy Who Knew Too Much” brings his bright, playful pop to Boston as he tours for his freshly-released sophomore album.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Gaydar gone haywire!

10/16 – Art Brut – The Middle East
Punk-tinged indie rockers Art Brut tour behind their Pixies-produced third album, Art Brut vs. Satan.
WHAT TO EXPECT: The jury never coming back on Pretentious or Not?

10/22 – STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9) – House of Blues
Dump out all the records from WHRB, smash ‘em up, and stir to get STS9, the writhing electronica-dance-jazz-rock-hip-hop jam band.
WHAT TO EXPECT: The distinct odor of “rotting Bonnaroo wristband.” (No hipsters!)

10/27 - Metalocalypse: Dethklok and Mastodon – House of Blues
Need we say more?
WHAT TO EXPECT: …

(Picture courtesy of http://blackscientist.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/hipster.jpg)