
A graphic memoir, a summer solstice celebration, and more.
THU 6.17
sixoneseven
WERS 617 Day
“88.9 WERS, New England’s first and oldest non-commercial radio station is throwing their third annual 617 Day celebration. Morning Show host, George Knight, and Afternoon Show host, Phil Jones, will be joined by more than a dozen local artists sitting in as guest DJs throughout the day to highlight their favorite songs by fellow local artists. Guest DJs include local mainstays Buffalo Tom, Will Dailey, and Dispatch; recent breakouts Air Traffic Controller, Anjimile, and Pronoun; and rising stars Kaiti Jones, Slothrust, and Future Teens. We will also be proud to feature the musical choices of Emerson College Alum, Eric Hutchinson. Same as they have for more than 70 years, WERS is proud to continue supporting local artists who are the heart and soul of our community.
[For a full line-up of guest DJs as well as additional information about 617 Day, visit wers.org and facebook.com/wers889fm]
THU 6.17
graphic memoir
Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts
“Wake tells the story of Dr. Rebecca Hall, a historian, granddaughter of slaves, and a woman haunted by the legacy of slavery. The accepted history of slave revolts has always told her that enslaved women took a back seat. But Rebecca decides to look deeper, and her journey takes her through old court records, slave ship captain’s logs, crumbling correspondence, and even the forensic evidence from the bones of enslaved women from the “negro burying ground” uncovered in Manhattan. She finds women warriors everywhere. Part graphic novel, part memoir, Wake is an imaginative tour-de-force that tells the story of women-led slave revolts and chronicles scholar Rebecca Hall’s efforts to uncover the truth about these women warriors who, until now, have been left out of the historical record.”
[Online via Brookline Booksmith. 7pm/$0-$38. hall-brookline-2021.eventbrite.com]
SAT 6.19
write the future
MFA Juneteenth
“Join us on site at the MFA for a day of activities and programs to celebrate Juneteenth and honor the contributions of Black artists, scholars, and creative voices to the City of Boston. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally observed commemoration of the ending of slavery in the US.
Throughout the day, make art inspired by “Writing the Future: Basquiat and the Hip-Hop Generation,” see a concert curated by BAMs Fest, and catch a screening of Summer of Soul, a documentary from legendary musician Questlove featuring unearthed footage from the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival.”
[MFA Boston. 10am-10pm/free. mfa.org/event/community-celebrations/juneteenth]
SAT 6.19
free paint
Juneteenth Art Making Event
“In honor of Juneteenth, New Art Center will be holding a free public event led by artist and educator Annette McCarty. Join us in a celebration of freedom, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. Community art making activities will take place in the courtyard of our TRIO Newton space. Choice McCarty will begin the event with a performance starting promptly at noon.”
[New Art Center @ 61 Washington Pk, Newton. 12pm/free. newartcenter.org/class/juneteenth-art-making-event]
SUN 6.20
steel away
Summer Solstice Celebration: A Cruise to Boston Light
“Celebrate the Summer Solstice with a Music-Filled Revels Cruise to Boston Light with David Coffin, Ron Reid and the SunSteel Quartet, and Special Guests. We are thrilled to be offering one of the first private cruises since 2019, complete with a steel drum band, harbor narration, and lots of reveling! Joining us will be: David Coffin, Revels Artist-in-Residence & Harbor Narrator; Ron Reid and the SunSteel Quartet; Sally Snowman, Boston Light Lightkeeper; Save the Harbor/Save the Bay. Meet the Crustaceans activities for kids.
[Aboard the Bay State Cruise Company’s Provincetown II. 4:30 – 7:00 pm (boarding from the Seaport at 4pm). $64 adults, kids 18 and under free. revels.org]
SAT 6.26
mystic fever
West Medford Open Studios
“We invite you to a celebration of the arts in our neighborhood. West Medford Open Studios (WMOS) is a free arts event that lets you see the artists in our midst, celebrating the creativity and skill that many of us take for granted in our city. After the disappointment of canceling a live open studios event in 2020, this year’s event will return in a slightly different presentation than any other year. WMOS will be a one-day festival. Taking into account precautions due to covid, artists will be located under individual canopies with plenty of distance between them for visitors to walk around and enjoy the event.
Now celebrating our 21st year, WMOS showcases the talents of over 50 visual artists from Medford and surrounding communities. Come see paintings, sculpture, pottery, photographs, woodwork, drawings, fabric arts, blown glass, and jewelry— and meet the artists who create them. This year WMOS will feature a lively lineup of music performances that will play throughout the day in the outdoor space located behind the West Medford Community Center. There will also be a performance area for participating writers who will be doing live readings of original work.
[Dugger Park on Mystic River Road, West Medford. 11am-6pm/free/all ages. wmos.org]
MON 6.28
lights, camera …
Scriptwriting, Storyboard Sketching, Improvisation and Camera Skills
“In this class, students will bring creativity to life in a fun, collaborative and exciting environment. They will learn skills in scriptwriting, storyboard sketching, improvisation and camera skills. Students who have previously participated in our program will be able to expand on their filmmaking skills. Together they will write, shoot and edit a film in a genre of their choosing and edit their project together using the professional editing software Adobe Premiere.”
[The Cabot, 286 Cabot St., Beverly. filmmakerscollab.org]
FRI 7.3
jazzed
Mimi Rabson and Triarky Live Outdoor Concert
“Triarky is the new ensemble created by Boston’s wonderful violinist Mimi Rabson and tubist David Harris, joined by groove-meister drummer Phil Neighbors. Rabson and Harris have merged decades of performance and composition credits to form a power trio as no one else could conceive. Influences for their original compositions include the likes of Hendrix, James Brown, John Lee Hooker, the Skatalites, Fela Kuti, and Nirvana. Equally at home on the stage or in a club, Triarky defies definition and labels. The trio’s massive music vocabulary is garnered from the members’ extensive experiences in world music, funk, rock and jazz.”
[Watertown Square Veterans Memorial, Watertown. 2pm/free/all ages. creativemusicseries.com]
Dig Staff means this article was a collaborative effort. Teamwork, as we like to call it.