• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • NEWS+OPINIONS
    • NEWS TO US
    • COLUMNS
      • APPARENT HORIZON
      • DEAR READER
      • Close
    • LONGFORM FEATURES
    • OPINIONS
    • EDITORIAL
    • Close
  • ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
    • FILM
    • MUSIC
    • COMEDY
    • PERFORMING ARTS
    • VISUAL ARTS
    • Close
  • DINING+DRINKING
    • EATS
    • SIPS
    • Close
  • LIFESTYLE
    • CANNABIS
      • TALKING JOINTS MEMO
      • Close
    • WELLNESS
    • GTFO
    • Close
  • STUFF TO DO
  • TICKETS
  • ABOUT US
    • ABOUT
    • MASTHEAD
    • ADVERTISE
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • Close
  • BECOME A MEMBER

Dig Bos

The Dig - Boston's Only Newspaper

CURRENT STREET EDITION

DIG 23.05 – 4/8/21

Reviews

BOOK REVIEW: REAGANLAND

Written by PETER BERARD Posted September 24, 2020 Filed Under: A+E, Books, Reviews

Rick Perlstein, author, Reaganland: America’s Right Turn 1976-1980. Photo by Meg Handler.

A seemingly endless recitation of events

Filed Under: A+E, Books, Reviews Tagged With: Book, criticism, Reaganland, review, Rick Perlstein, Simon and Schuster

AGE OF ILLUSIONS: BACEVICH LOOKS AT AMERICA’S LOST TIME

Written by PETER BERARD Posted August 28, 2020 Filed Under: A+E, Books, Reviews

Andrew Bacevich. Photo courtesy of Metropolitan Books.

In general, though, the noted historian's depiction of the '90s and '00s as an age of fraudulent promises and wasted opportunities rings true.

Filed Under: A+E, Books, Reviews Tagged With: Andrew Bacevich, Book, history, Politics, review, The Age of Illusions

FOTOBOM: BAT FOR LASHES @ THE SINCLAIR

Written by TIM BUGBEE Posted February 21, 2020 Filed Under: Fotobom, MUSIC, Reviews

 

Flipping the calendar two and half decades back, Ray Davies of The Kinks launched a tour that would become the template for the VH1 Storytellers series, when performers would play stripped down versions of some of their songs while adding in details about how or why they wrote that particular song. The concept still has legs, and Natasha Khan (aka Bat For Lashes) has embarked on a short tour with just a keyboard/vocalist and her robust songbook, her first visit to Boston since a 2013 Boston Calling appearance.

 

 

She also has a new entry to her discography in the form of last year’s Lost Girls, a title she said was inspired by the Jason Patric/Keifer Sutherland (and the two Coreys) teen classic The Lost Boys after a visit to Santa Cruz but inverted to suit her particular vision.  The songs were supported by just simple keyboard melody lines and textural fills, dominated by Khan’s beautiful vocals. Other inspirations included “Desert Man,” where colors instead of notes were coming directly from her time at Death Valley, and “Close Encounters” dealt directly with her alien abduction thoughts. Chaka Khan was not surprisingly instrumental in “Feel For You,” memories as a teen of dancing and singing in her mother’s kitchen. Khan’s really talented at merging disparate pop elements into well-constructed songs that resonate deeply. It wasn’t surprising to see her take what is probably Don Henley’s best song and reinvent from a completely different, female perspective. Not quite as startling effective as Cat Power’s inversion of “Satisfaction” but it comes close.

 

 

Khan’s got more than a touch of sounding like a teenaged Kate Bush who listened to The Cure in her bedroom for hours on end (I know the timeline doesn’t support my theory but let’s stick with it),  and was no surprise that the encore would have a Bush song, the wonderful and on-target “This Woman’s Work” in the middle. The closer of Roy Orbison via Cindy Lauper’s “I Drove All Night” scrubbed the 80’s sheen off Lauper’s version and instead directly connected to the quiet desperation of the original, underscoring it by slowing the tempo in a very effective way.  At just about 75 minutes, the set was shorter than expected but no one left the venue disappointed.

 

Filed Under: Fotobom, MUSIC, Reviews Tagged With: Bat For Lashes, Cambridge, Fotobom, live music, Lost Girls, Natasha Khan, The Sinclair

FOTOBOM: MODERN NATURE, OLDEN YOLK, CARINAE @ THE LILYPAD

Written by TIM BUGBEE Posted February 2, 2020 Filed Under: Fotobom, MUSIC, Reviews

As half of the creative duo Ultimate Painting, Jack Cooper was responsible for some tightly-crafted songs that were equally at home as comparisons to late-60s Kinks or at times the thuggish savagery of prime Spacemen 3. The band abruptly imploded just as their fourth and still-unreleased record Up was to be released, and he's got new endeavor alive in its place. Modern Nature came to town on a very stacked pop/psych bill, with Cooper bringing along  co-founder Will Young from Beak> on keyboards, Woods' drummer Aaron Neveu, and saxophone player Jeff Tobias adding some very interesting texture to the mix.

Filed Under: Fotobom, MUSIC, Reviews Tagged With: Cambridge, Fotobom, Jack Cooper, Lilypad, live music, Modern Nature, Olden Yolk, Quilt, Ultimate Painting

MUSIC NOTES: BONG PARTIES + HOME VIDEOS

Written by DIG STAFF Posted January 15, 2020 Filed Under: MUSIC, Notes from the Scene, Reviews

“Our overall vision for the ‘Morning Coffee’ video was to combine spheres of creativity and good fun. Nothing real dramatic; we were shooting to make something humorous and light as well as visually stimulating."

Filed Under: MUSIC, Notes from the Scene, Reviews Tagged With: Boston music, cannabis, cannabis music, DJ Slim, Lowell, Sprezzatura, Wax On

MUSIC NOTES: W.O.K.E. + GRANTS + TUFF GONG BOSTON

Written by DIG STAFF Posted January 1, 2020 Filed Under: Interviews, MUSIC, Notes from the Scene, Reviews

“Grants are allocated in the areas of recording or manufacturing assistance, publicity and marketing support, equipment and instruments, songwriting retreats, tour support, special projects and other specific activities that promote artists work and/or professional growth.” 

Filed Under: Interviews, MUSIC, Notes from the Scene, Reviews Tagged With: Allison de Groot, Greg Roy, Iguana Music Fund, Jon Glass, Lateb, Oblivious, Passim, Prateek, Reggae, Tuff Gong, Volkan Efe, W.O.K.E.

FOTOBOM: WEEN @ HOUSE OF BLUES

Written by TIM BUGBEE Posted December 21, 2019 Filed Under: Fotobom, MUSIC, Reviews

 

Boston turned brown on Friday, as hordes of Ween fans descended onto House of Blues, filling the room’s every square inch in a manner that might make a fire marshall’s head spin. On the front rail were people who journeyed in from North Dakota and Chicago, and as Ween only played a handful of shows this year, I’m sure others were making pilgrimages that entailed crossing multiple state borders. It’s kinda hard to pin down Ween’s audience, but not nearly as hard to pin the band down.

 

 

This is a band that’s more flexible than most Olympic gymnasts, one who can realistically ape the style of bands ranging from Motörhead, Thin Lizzy, Jimmy Buffet, Pink Floyd, Prince, and so on. After a brief hiatus that ended a few years ago, Gene and Dean Ween (brothers in the same sense as the Ramones) have been tapping back into the absurd, not really sure if they are serious or not songbook that has been meticulously crafted over the last several decades. Though they are often lumped into the jam band scene, the only thing remotely cogent about that label is the fact that they mix up the set lists considerably; of the scant seven shows they’ve played this year, a whopping 113 different songs have been played, out of a total of 205. No wonder die hard fans aren’t worried about booking flights and hotel rooms and being subjected to the same songs night after night.

 

 

Whatever potential acrimony might have lingered after the abrupt stoppage a few years ago seems to be far in the past, as there was plenty of laughs and smiles shared among the band. Ranging from epic, stiff upper-lipped prog (“Buckingham Green”), the unvarnished crassness of “The Blarney Stone” fashioned as an old Irish sea shanty, the cross-eyed silliness of “Touch My Tooter,” and the breezy C&W workout of “I Don’t Want To Leave You On The Farm” – the paces, they were put through. How many bands can boast a thoroughly brawny riff monster like “The Final Alarm,” a song that’s at least a dozen years old but has never seen an official release and lives as a fleeting live experience. And that’s really the best reason to go see a a band; anyone can play or stream a song but there’s something entirely different about seeing the glow of well-oiled band playing their songs as you’re shoulder to shoulder with a room full of strangers all there for the same reason.

 

 

Click for more photos of the show:

Filed Under: Fotobom, MUSIC, Reviews Tagged With: Boognish, Boston, Dean Ween, Fotobom, Gene Ween, house of blues, live music, Ween

DAUGHTERS: GUITARIST NICK SADLER ON TOURING, MATURING, AND LINKING WITH MIKE PATTON

Written by ROB DUGUAY Posted December 19, 2019 Filed Under: Interviews, MUSIC, Reviews

"There are many moments on the record that are inspired by people who either play in the city or have come through on tour that I discovered. It comes from a lot of local stuff, believe it or not."

Filed Under: Interviews, MUSIC, Reviews Tagged With: Alexis S. F. Marshall, Daughters, Jon Syverson, Mike Patton, providence, Samuel Walker

FOLLOWING FOOD NETWORK FAME, OAK LONETREE DROPS BEST EFFORT YET WITH ASSIST FROM INSIGHT

Written by CHRIS FARAONE Posted December 15, 2019 Filed Under: Interviews, MUSIC, Notes from the Scene, Reviews

"I know this is really random, but you’re like a Boston Greek dad rapper and construction worker and I can totally get you on a show."

Filed Under: Interviews, MUSIC, Notes from the Scene, Reviews Tagged With: America's Worst Cooks, Bobby Flay, Boston Hip Hop, Edan, Food Network, Insight, Music, Oak Lonetree, Waltham

MUSIC NOTES: ONE NIGHT BAND, SHE IS BOSTON, BRUNCH WITH BIG SHUG

Written by DIG STAFF Posted December 4, 2019 Filed Under: Interviews, MUSIC, Notes from the Scene, Reviews

Both directed by Jay Hunt of Smoke House Media, they’re back-to-back proud Boston bangers with enough fuel to power the region through the winter and spring until we get the next crop of summer anthems.

Filed Under: Interviews, MUSIC, Notes from the Scene, Reviews Tagged With: Big Shug, Brandie Blaze, Gang Starr, HighKey Random, Jay Hunt, Lord Ju, Nancia, One Night Band, Red Shaydez, Rhythm 'n Wraps, Smoke House, Zumix

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 25
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

HEMPIRE FREEDOM PACK 25% OFF

FEATURED EVENT

Most Popular

  • VACCINE EQUITY NOW! COALITION ASKS BAKER TO ALLOCATE 20% OF NEW DOSES TO HARD HIT COMMUNITIES by SHIRA LAUCHAROEN
  • IF YOU’RE SURPRISED THE BPD CODDLED AN ACCUSED MOLESTER COP, YOU’RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION by CHRIS FARAONE
  • PICS & RECAP: “STOP ASIAN HATE BOSTON” RALLY ON THE COMMON by KEIKO HIROMI
  • A FAREWELL TRIBUTE (OF SORTS) TO MARTY WALSH by DIG STAFF
  • THE MYSTERY OF CHEZ TORTONI by CHRISTOPHER EHLERS

READ CURRENT MEMBER EDITION

DIG Member 2.1 – March 2021

READ CURRENT STREET ISSUE

DIG 23.05 – 4/8/21

Footer

digbos

digbos
“My administration is doubling down on our work “My administration is doubling down on our work to stand up the #Boston Office of #Police Accountability and Transparency.” https://digboston.com/politicians-get-in-line-to-call-for-boston-police-accountability/ #politics #Massachusetts
This week is your last chance to hit up Mooby’s This week is your last chance to hit up Mooby’s in #Boston … https://digboston.com/moobys-boston-how-kevin-smith-has-brought-his-pick-up-experience-to-10-cities-during-the-pandemic/ #fan #popup #fun #restaurant #movie #Massachusetts #snoochieboochies
The group is asking that polices address the dispa The group is asking that polices address the disparities the #data has revealed. https://digboston.com/parents-release-an-analysis-of-boston-public-school-fundraising-inequities/ #education #school #public #study #fundraising #racism #Boston #Massachusetts
“We’re not going to survive for 20 more years “We’re not going to survive for 20 more years if we don’t do this [move to a bigger space].” https://digboston.com/how-juliet-hit-a-100k-kickstarter-goal-in-4-days/ #restaurant #business #food #crowdfund #SomervilleMA #coronavirus #COVID19
EDITORIAL: DIGBOSTON SEEKS CLIMATE IDEAS FOR MAYOR EDITORIAL: DIGBOSTON SEEKS CLIMATE IDEAS FOR MAYOR KIM JANEY. Environmental organizations and individual activists invited to submit opinion articles for publication. https://digboston.com/editorial-digboston-seeks-climate-ideas-for-mayor-kim-janey/ #politics @boston_mayor #environment #globalwarming #climate #activist #callforsubmissions #policy #Boston #Massachusetts
“Most are some of my favorite bars or local clas “Most are some of my favorite bars or local classics that I’ve learned to love in my time living in the city. Others just have a great facade that I know would make a great drawing.” https://digboston.com/drawn-but-not-forgotten-local-artist-sketches-beloved-boston-restaurants/ #art #artist #sketch #drawing #Boston #Massachusetts #bar #restaurant
Despite #pandemic hurdles, Mass #music instructors Despite #pandemic hurdles, Mass #music instructors hit new high notes. “My #teaching has gone to another level.” https://digboston.com/the-medium-is-the-maestro/ #education #Massachusetts #coronavirus #COVID19
From the podcast to the book, Wayne Federman chron From the podcast to the book, Wayne Federman chronicles the business of joke-telling. https://digboston.com/the-history-of-stand-up-from-mark-twain-to-dave-chappelle/ #comedy #history #book #interview #Boston #Massachusetts
“I’m calling on some of you to drop by a local “I’m calling on some of you to drop by a local field office and hear what people have to say.” https://digboston.com/dear-reader-the-political-season-is-upon-us-embrace-it/ #politics #commentary #election #Massachusetts
“I think most people agree that we want our publ “I think most people agree that we want our public dollars to go to those companies that are not cutting corners.” https://digboston.com/bill-seeks-to-penalize-contractors-for-unsafe-conditions/ #politics #legislation #construction #safety #labor #Massachusetts
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Social Buttons

DigBoston facebook DigBoston Twitter DigBoston Instagram

Masthead

About

Submissions

Advertise

Privacy Policy

Customer Service

Distribution

About Us

DigBoston is a one-stop nexus for everything worth doing or knowing in the Boston area. It's an alt-weekly, it's a website, it's an e-mail blast, it's a twitter account, it's that cool party that you were at last night ... hey, you're reading it, so it's gotta be good. For advertising inquiries: [email protected] To reach Editorial: [email protected] For internship opportunities: [email protected]