Strange Young Things Fall Tour

Check out this awesome band on their fall tour:

Boston Comic Con: April 2010

Outbound, a new sci-fi comics anthology

BOSTON, MA (November 4, 2009) – The Boston Comics Roundtable, in partnership with River Bird Studios, is pleased to announce the release of the premiere issue of Outbound, a Science Fiction comics anthology.

Outbound is a spin-off of sister publication Inbound, the anthology of comics from Boston. Outbound contains comics and short stories from a mix of Boston-based creators and artists all over the world, from Australia to South America, including a cover from talented Uruguayan artist Marcelo Buchelli.

Outbound #1 retails for US$ 6.99 and is available in every comic book retail location in the greater Boston area and online H E R E. Outbound is also distributed nationally by Direct Comic Book Service and Heavy Ink.

The Boston Comics Roundtable was created in 2006, and has produced three issues of the Inbound comics anthology. Outbound is the Roundtable’s second ongoing series and its first foray into science fiction territory. The release of Outbound marks an exciting new chapter for the Boston Comics Roundtable and for the science fiction genre. Fans can expect new issues of Outbound every six months.

Outbound is the brainchild of Roundtable member and Inbound contributor, Roho, the principal of River Bird Studios.

Each of the comic stories in Outbound #1 will be serialized, with new ongoing stories premiering in each subsequent issue. Issue #1 contents include:

• “The Caerulean Dream” by Roho and Brett Barkley.
• “Space and Time” by Josh Mills, Michael Paoloni, and Alexandra Mills, with chapter cover by David Newbold.
• “The Null Device” by David Marshall.
• “Flek” by Erik Heumiller.
• “Scientists Gone Wild” by Eric Boeker.
• “Mark and the Aliens” by Aya Rothwell.
• “Black Fuska” by Roho, with chapter cover by Richard Jenkins.
• Special sneak preview of “The New Kid” by Dan Mazur (to premiere in Outbound #2).

Outbound #1 also includes two tales of short fiction:

• “Breezes of Heaven” by Joe Cannon, with art by Paul Marquis.
• “How I Learned to Tolerate Vegemite” by Aya Rothwell, with art by the author.

And rounding up the issue as extra bonus features:

• Marsnik 6 Paper Model by Marcel Sirer, with design by Roho.
• An interview with Sandy Collora, director of the independent science fiction movie Hunter/Prey.
• Endcap essay by Hugo-nominated author Michael A. Burstein.

The Boston Comics Roundtable is an independent organization of comics creators in the Greater Boston area. The group meets weekly to workshop, educate, and network. Meetings are open to the public. Information regarding publications, artist galleries, and meetings can be found at their website.

CAMBRIDGE MASS. SOUND STUDIOS

The Bridge Sound & Stage Studios, run by a good friend of mine, Lionel Semedo. Do it.

INBOUND #3 BOSTON COMICS ANTHOLOGY

Boston Comics are for Lovers

Inbound #3, a Boston Comics Anthology

BOSTON, MA (April 6, 2009) – Ah, spring is in the air. To celebrate the season of romance, the hard-working comics artists of the Boston Comics Roundtable have released Inbound #3, a Boston Comics Anthology. The theme of this tri-yearly publication... love and relationships.

Yes, nobody knows perfectly-requited love and totally un-awkward dating like an indie comics artist. Pick up a copy of Inbound #3 and you'll have more than just an evening's entertainment; the book practically doubles as a 72-page how-to guide for all you Mister and Misses Lonelyhearts out there. All for the low price of $7.95.

It's their biggest issue ever! Included in this volume:

* Franklin Einspruch

* "First Kiss" - Robert Sergel

* "Puppy Love Eternal" - Aya Rothwell

* "Fear" - Chris O'Neill

* "Just an Old Fashioned Zombie Love Song" - Eric Boeker

* "Wish Me Luck" - Donna Martinez and Joesph Peters

* "Colossa" - Braden Lamb

* "An Afternoon Session" - Hyun Supul

* "A Winter's Prelude" - Roho

* "The Prince" - Carl Tsui

* "From Afar" - Dan Mazur

* "A Gothic Romance" - James Mobius

Inbound #3 is on sale at your favorite stores. In the Boston area, check out Million Year Picnic, Hub Comics, New England Comics, Comicazi, Harvard Book Store, Comicopia, and more. You can also visit the BCR Online Store. They ship tenderly packaged comics anywhere in the world.

The Boston Comics Roundtable was created in 2006 to unite Boston-based comics creators in the spirit of camaraderie and professional development. It is an independent organization of comics creators in the Greater Boston area. The group meets weekly for workshopping, teaching, and social gathering. Meetings are open to the public.

Dude, I already bought mine, so what are you waiting for?

JON STEWART TELLS SARAH PALIN HOW IT IS

The audio is pretty crappy, but Jon Stewart, while not under the language contracts of his Comedy Central show, tells Sarah Palin how it really is in a stand-up show for college audiences in Boston on Friday, October 17, 2008. Thank Gosh for Jon Stewart:

Transcribed as best I can:

"He [McCain] made an interesting vice presidential choice.

I like "the woods"... [I like..uh...] I just don't know if I would pull my vice president out of the woods randomly.

She's [great]... she went out today again. She was talking to a small town, she said that [it's the] small towns she really likes going to because that's the pro-America part of the country.

You know, I just want to say to her, just very quickly..."Fuck you."

I've never seen someone with a greater disparity between how cute they sound when they're saying something and how terrible what they're saying is.

"Don't ya know, Obama, he just, by golly, he just is a terrorist? [...] What? Oh, you know, he just, gosh, kills babies, you know."

I'm so over the idea that only small-town America is the heart and soul. You know what small-town America is? It's the same as cities. Cities are just lots of towns piled on top of each other in one place.

They have this whole thing that somehow we can write off entire swaths of the country, that we somehow... You know, New York City was good enough for fucking Osama bin Laden, it better be good enough for you.

I can't take it anymore. [...] After eight years of this divisiveness, we're back to this idea that only small-town America is the real America. That the other parts of America...

You know, I get it. I'm from New York. [...] We have a lot of gay people. [...] But homosexuals don't have sodomy on top of Russian flags."

BOSTON COMICS ROUNDTABLE ANNOUNCES 2ND COMICS ANTHOLOGY

INBOUND #2
– BOSTON IS THE NEW COMICS HUB

Boston Comics Roundtable releases its second anthology

BOSTON, MA (OCTOBER 6, 2008) – The Boston Comics Roundtable has returned with their second anthology, featuring a wide variety of comics from Boston-based creators. From would-be supermen to foibles in space to real-life stories from the streets of Iraq, Inbound #2 is the best of Boston. This 64-page book retails for $7.95.

Contributors include:
"Might" – Matt Reidsma (High Maintenance Machine)
"Watcher Wanted" – Shelli Paroline (Harvest is When I Need You the Most)
"Bad Topology" – Charles Schneeflock Snow (Sordid City Blues) & Erik Haines
"The Walk" – Kevin Kilgore (Center for Cartoon Studies)
"Little Cody Visits the Underworld" – Rachel Maguire
"Too Many Robots!" – Ron LeBrasseur
"Endlessly She Said" – Jay Kennedy
"unWendy" – Cathy Leamy (Geraniums and Bacon)

Cover – Braden Lamb

The Boston Comics Roundtable was created in 2006 to unite Boston-based comics creators in the spirit of camaraderie and professional development. Their ever-growing membership roll - now over fifty people – and the publication of Inbound #2 reaffirms that Boston is the hot new town for comics!

The Boston Comics Roundtable is an independent organization of comics creators in the Greater Boston area. The group meets weekly for workshopping, teaching, and social gathering. Meetings are open to the public. Information regarding publications, artist galleries, and meetings can be found at their website.

For more information or to contact for interview, email Dave Kender.

POETRY AT JAMES'S GATE: OCTOBER 6, 2008

POETRY AT JAMES’S GATE

Featuring:
Elizabeth Quinlan: author of Promise Supermarket
Molly Lynn Watt: author of Shadow People
Doug Holder: author of The Man In The Booth in the Midtown Tunnel
Christy Page: Jamaica Plain Carpenter Poet, published in Break Time

WHERE: James's Gate Restaurant & Pub
5-11 McBride Street, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts
WHEN: Monday, October 6th, 2008, 6:30 p.m.
The pub will be open, people can order drinks or food.
Reading at 7:00 p.m. in the restaurant

NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL BY DAN NOLAN

Business Casual Stag Devil Death Boy, the graphic novel by Dan Nolan, is a dark surrealish satire set in an office. The characters see themselves in the reflection of Business Casual Stag Devil Death Boy's sunglasses and take his silence for understanding. Dulled by the banality of the office, and comforted by the reflection of familiarity, they find themselves at ease with his presence and ignore his outrageous appearance and any potential implications that it might have. It's a tale as old as time, taking place in an office near you. Business Casual Stag Devil Death Boy was written, illustrated, produced, and published by local comic creator Dan Nolan.

Check out a free preview online at Wowio (no registration required) or directly download the PDF version for free. Look for the print version in a comic store near you (if you are local, you can find it at Pandemonium Books in Central Square or Million Year Picnic in Harvard Square, Boston/Cambridge, Massachusetts) or buy it online through the ComiXpress print-on-demand store.

Also check out the website, the artist, the blog, the merchandise store, and the Facebook group; or contact Dan directly.

POETS NEEDED FOR STORYTIME AT IMPROV-BOSTON

Jessica Sutich has been running a storytelling show at Improv Boston, full of true stories told without notes. Sutich is a comedian and improvisor, but she started the show with the hope of gathering people together from different artistic communities in Boston. The stories that people tell run between 5-10 minutes, and the style is similar to shows that are going on in New York and LA (The Moth, Sit 'n Spin, etc.)

Sutich is actively trying to get people from the writing community (both prose and poetry) and people from the slam poetry community in Boston/Cambridge area to get involved with this improv storytime, in hopes that they will not only bring great stories but also different styles and approaches to telling stories to audiences.

If you are interested, have any great stories, know anyone who might like this, or just plain want to know more, contact Jessica Sutich.

SOMERVILLE [MA] SMALL PRESS READING: SEPTEMBER 25, 2008

A Celebration of Somerville Small Literary Presses
Ibbetson Street Press and Cervena Barva Press Readings

Somerville Library/Central Branch
79 Highland Ave
Somerville MA 02139

Thursday, September 25, 2008
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Free


Ibbetson Street Press Authors:
Lisa Beatman will read from Manufacturing America: Poems from the Factory Floor
Gloria Mindock will read from Blood Soaked Dresses
Richard Wilhelm will read from Awakenings


Cervena Barva Press Authors:
Mary Bonina will read from Living Proof
Doug Holder will read from The Man in the Booth in the Midtown Tunnel
Catherine Sasanov will read from Tara

SIXPOINT CRAFT ALES BREWS THE "HOP OBAMA"

In tribute to an inspiring presidential campaign effort by Barack Obama, local Sixpoint Brewery crafts the one-time only creation "Hop Obama" for release in New York and Massachusetts to quench thirsty palates during the five-week primary break. Kudos for an awesome beer with an awesome name!

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UPDATE 4.1.08:
Sixpoint saw our blog and sent us an email that just said simply "Thanks :)" on 3.31.08. Thanks for checking us out and giving a shout!

BOSTON COMEDIAN GETS YOUTUBED: SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS

Local Boston comedian and friend of the co-op, Dana Jay Bein, has two new videos up on YouTube showcasing his stand-up talents. In the spirit of all things networkish, please check them out, hire him for your local occasion, and share the videos with others.

PUBLIC EVENTS CALENDAR AND ACTIVITIES LISTINGS

WE WANT YOUR EVENTS:

The idea behind the public events calendar [see it] is that it is a directory of events for you, of you, by you. We want your artistic events, so let us know what is happening in your area, no matter how big or small.

Each listing on the calendar starts off with the closest largest city, if the event is not nationwide, so you can see at a glance if the event is applicable to you. The arrow in the upper right of the calendar screen gives you a dropdown key of calendar subjects by color, so you can narrow the calendar down to show only events that are important to you.

This calendar is a free, great, public place to list your artistic, social, political, or scientific event. Here's how:

Email us with:

• Closest big city to the event, if it is not national or Internet-based
• The who
• The what
• The where, as exact as possible
• The when, including time and time zone, and if the event repeats, etc.
• The why
• The how
• A copy of a flier or photo, if you have one, and photo credit name/link
• Any links/contact info where people can go to find more info
• Other necessary info: cost, 21+, sponsors, parking, etc.

Your event will show up as soon as we can upload it! We do reserve the right to refuse to list someone's event if it doesn't comply with our standards, ethics, or general overall good-for-the-peeps gut feeling, but if you're being cool, then we probably won't refuse it. Send in as many as you want (but please check to see if they are already listed, first! No repeats!)

ZIPCAR DRIVE-IN: DONATE YOUR CAR FOR A CAUSE

It may be hard to think green with temps hovering around the freezing mark every night, but you can be green (and warm) by joining the cool folks of Zipcar at the Zipcar Drive-In, a free film screening event where Bostonians drive in, but don't drive out!

For the screening, Zipcar has partnered with the National Geographic Society to present Arctic Tale, Wednesday, March 26th, 2008, at 7:30 p.m. (doors at 7:00 p.m.) at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, MA.

We invite you (and your best friend who's still driving that rusty orange Pinto) to finally get rid of your old clunker, donate it, and live car-free with proceeds benefiting Habitat for Humanity Cars for Homes.

You don't need to donate a car to attend, but those Zipcar members and friends who register to do so will receive a free one-year Zipcar membership, $250 in driving credit, eligibility for a tax write-off, and much more. The first 20 to donate their cars will receive an additional $250 in driving credit, making it a total of $500!

So whether you just haven't caught the movie yet, you want to learn more about keeping Boston a less congested place to live, or you just want to thank your neighbor for going car-free and opening up a parking space in your neighborhood - it is going to be a fun night!

If you would like to attend or free yourself from car ownership, RSVP to rsvpBOS@zipcar.com with your name, number of attendees, and whether you would like to register to donate a vehicle.

Add this event to your Google or Outlook calendar
[Thanks Zipcar]

D2E: DOWN:2:EARTH GREEN LIVING EXPO IN BOSTON

D2E, the Down:2:Earth sustainable living expo, March 28-30, 2008, at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, MA. Everything from locally grown foods, learning how to compost at home, eco-wedding ideas, and even green home renovations can be found at the D2E. Panel discussions, food demonstrations by local chefs, and presentations by keynote speakers Bill McKibben and Frances Moore Lappe will educate and inspire attendees on going green.

Added bonus:
If you are a Zipcar member [and you should be!], you can take advantage of a discounted ticket price of $8, whether you buy your tickets at the door or pay in advance. Even bigger bonus for members, if you bring a friend, and s/he signs up for Zipcar at the expo, you'll get a $50 driving credit!




Add this event to your Google or Outlook calendar
[Thanks Zipcar for the heads up!]

CHUCK BERRY IN BOSTON: SUPPORT A GOOD CAUSE

Three of my good friends are playing in the horn section for Chuck Berry's benefit show for Right Turn. Check it out; support a good cause.


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[Flier from press release email]

SEE CHUCK BERRY AND SUPERGROUP IN BOSTON: SUPPORT A GOOD CAUSE

My friends, brothers John and Scott Aruda, are going to be playing in the horn section for this huge event, so please go out and support them! The tickets go to a good cause, and you will see rock and roll history!

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[from the press release]

"FATHER OF ROCK & ROLL" CHUCK BERRY
TO HEADLINE FIRST ANNUAL ROCK & ROLL
SUPERGROUP BENEFIT CONCERT FOR RIGHT TURN
SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008, AT 7:00 P.M. EST
BERKLEE PERFORMANCE CENTER, BOSTON

Boston, MA – Right Turn, a non-profit organization providing support for artists and entertainers recovering from addiction and mental health issues, will present their first annual Rock & Roll SUPERGROUP Benefit Concert starring the legendary CHUCK BERRY on Sunday, April 13th, 2008, at 7:00 p.m. EST at Berklee Performance Center, 136 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets at $250 [Gold Circle Sponsor Seating, limited quantity available], $150, $75, $50, and $35 are on sale now at: www.ticketmaster.com, www.berkleebpc.com, the Berklee Performance Center box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, or by calling: 617/508-931-2000. For more information, call: 617-747-2261.

Chuck Berry, the 81-year-old Father of Rock & Roll, famous for hits such as "Johnny B. Goode," "Maybellene," "Roll Over, Beethoven," and "Memphis," will come to Boston to headline the show. He will perform with members of the SUPERGROUP, a group of rockers together on stage for the first time just for this special concert event. The SUPERGROUP includes keyboardist Chuck Leavell and saxophonist Tim Ries of The Rolling Stones; drummer Simon Kirke of Bad Company; drummer Chad Smith of The Red Hot Chili Peppers; bassist John Conte of Crown Jewels; guitarist Ricky Byrd, formerly of Joan Jett and The Blackhearts; guitarist Barry Goudreau, formerly of Boston; guitarist Marc Orrell, formerly of The Dropkick Murphys; guitarist and vocalist Kate Taylor; guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter of Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers; drummer Woody Giessmann of the Del Fuegos; hot young vocalist Tim Pike; tenor saxophonist David Arteaga; and local Boston-area legends: tenor saxophonist John Aruda, trombonist Jeff Galindo, and trumpeter Scott Aruda, along with a rocked-out vocal section featuring Rosemary St. George, Dana Shellmire, and Erin Vulgamore. Ernie and The Automatics and singer/songwriter Bryan McPherson who is known for his passion and raw emotional performances will open the show and a surprise "Special Guest Comedian" will host the evening [we can't say who it is due to contractual agreements]; there will be surprise guests making an appearance to show their support for Right Turn.

"These are world class musicians coming together to raise money for addiction treatment – it is going to be a fantastic show," said Woody Giessmann, addiction specialist and founder and CEO of the Arlington-based Right Turn. "Right Turn fills a need in our community for recovery programs that target artists and entertainers. Our program is unique because we can reach out to creative people and give them individual support."

Members of the SUPERGROUP will perform together at this concert to support a cause close to their hearts. Drummer Simon Kirke lost friend and Free bandmate Paul Kossoff to drug-induced heart failure in 1976. Drummer Chad Smith joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers in the wake of former member Hillel Slovak's drug overdose in 1988, and observed band mate Anthony Kiedis' battle with addiction throughout their careers together.

About Right Turn
Based in Arlington, MA, Right Turn was founded in 2003 by Woody Giessmann, the drummer for the rock band The Del Fuegos, after he lost several friends to drug and alcohol use. Right Turn's mission is to provide substance abuse and mental health treatment to artists, entertainers, their families, and anyone who would benefit from hope, health, and creativity on the road to recovery. For more information, call 781-646-3800 or visit www.right-turn.org.

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[Photo from press release email]

NEW EVENTS CALENDAR

We have incorporated a new events calendar into our sidebar. It will feature all kinds of events, color-coded by subject [click on arrow in top right of calendar to see a dropdown list of all subjects]. You can subscribe to the calendar or individual subjects within the calendar, and it will be updated constantly. The calendar is accessible by clicking on the calendar in the sidebar, or by following the link below.

VIEW THE CALENDAR.

CLUB D'ELF CELEBRATES TEN YEARS: LIZARD LOUNGE, BOSTON

Come see my friends, brothers John and Scott Aruda, kick some ass on sax and trumpet, tomorrow night, to celebrate 10 years of Club d'Elf! ***

Thursday, March 13, 2008
CLUB D'ELF celebrates 10 years at The Lizard Lounge
1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138.
617-547-0759/1228.
2 shows: 8:30 p.m. & 11:30 p.m.
First show - doors at 7:30 p.m. / show at 8:30 p.m.
Second show - doors 11:00 p.m. / show at 11:30 p.m.
21+
$20 each.

with John Medeski (keyboards), Duke Levine (guitar), Mister Rourke (turntables), Vicente Lebron (congas & percussion), Mike Rivard (bass & sintir), Dean Johnston and Erik Kerr (drums... alternating), with many special guests including: John Aruda (sax), Scott Aruda (trumpet), Jerry Leake (gun gon), Tom Hall (tenor sax), David Johnston (guitar & vocal), Kevin Barry (lap steel), Randy Roos (guitar), and more! Phew...

Artist Alicia LaVigne has created a special poster to commemorate the event, which will be available for purchase at the show, and will probably wind up on the merch page at clubdelf.com eventually, as well.


MORE INFORMATION RELEASED from MICRO of CLUB D'ELF:

It was in February of 1998, when a rag-tag band of face-wearing aliens masquerading as homosapien funk-trance musicians congregated for the first time at the suitably reptilian environs of the Lizard Lounge for a night of ceremonial brew haha. Hahaha, indeed! Fast forward 10 years later, and here we are, still at it. Proving the sayers of nay wrong, and confounding and delighting multitudes along the way, Club d'Elf prepares to celebrate a decade of queasy listening with a show to end all shows. Seriously, this one is going to be one to travel back in time and tell your ancestors about over a frothy cup of some foul-tasting beverage w/ a taint of the eternal.

The advance tickets are all sold out, but don't say we didn't warn you! There will be, however, about 35 or so tickets available first come/first served at the door for each show. We wish we could accommodate everyone, but the place only holds 110. We will be multi-track recording the show, so if you can't get in or live too far away, you'll be able to enjoy the festivities - at least the music - at a later date.

I wish that I had time to write a more fitting essay about what the past 10 years have been like, but I don't, and you have better things to do anyway. However, I would like to offer some well-deserved thank you's: first of all, to all of the incredible musicians with whom I have had the great privilege & honor to share the stage these past 10 years; to Billy Beard for offering us a gig and providing a forum for our semi-regular, non-denominational revival meetings; to the Lizard staff, past and present and imaginary, who have made us feel so at home and forgiven us for the times when we felt TOO at home; and to all of the people including YOU who have supported us and come out to the shows, and maybe even bought a CD or two. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. From the bottom of my black little heart, I am truly & deeply humbled. All right, brushing tears aside, onward.
---

Also see Club d'Elf, Scott Aruda, and John Aruda on Myspace.


[Photo credit link]