Glory nights

By Christopher Muther, Globe Staff, 9/6/2003

SOUNDS
Whenever someone like Bruce Springsteen comes to town, people practically come out of the wainscoting, shamelessly grubbing around for tickets. Folks who last stepped foot in a nightclub when Greg Evigan was tooling around in a truck with a monkey suddenly want to get out of the house again. Dudes, there is amazing music in Boston clubs nearly every night. If you didn't score tickets for the historic Fenway concert, Go! is here to lend a supportive shoulder pad for you to cry on and a suggestion for tonight's entertainment. We highly recommend the swirling, ambient textures of Annette Farrington's Moroccan-influenced electronic music. Farrington is not Springsteen and doesn't sound a thing like him, but her live shows consistently leave us breathless. She's at the Paradise Lounge tonight at 8; $5. 969 Commonwealth Ave., 617-562-8800.

POP QUIZ Now who says Go! isn't a family-friendly column? Here's a handy plan tonight for the whole brood: Start by dropping the kids off in Lowell for the moody Dashboard Confessional show at the Tsongas Arena at 7; tickets are $24. Mom and Dad can then head to the House of Blues (yes, it's still open) for a show from former Squeeze singer Glenn Tilbrook at 8:30; tickets are $18.50. Don't forget to give the kids some scratch for cab fare home. Tsongas Arena, 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, 617-931-2000. House of Blues, 96 Winthrop St., Cambridge, 617-491-2583.

SIGHTS
PATRON OF THE ARTS We made the mistake of strolling into Urban Outfitters this week, and in the process we were practically mauled by college students rushing the registers with armloads of butterfly chairs, novelty shower curtains, and furry pillows. Oh yes, we remember the days of running out to furnish our dorm room with disposable objets d'art like it was just last semester -- and it practically was. However, we're now an adult, and our tastes in decor have matured past plastic milk crates and furniture that is either folded or inflated. The same goes for the art on our walls. While we certainly miss our "Beach Blanket Bingo" poster, we have acquired some pieces that better reflect our sparkling good taste. If you're ready to make a similar "Dawson's Creek"-esque move from posters to actual art, you'll be happy to know that the Cambridgeport Artists Open Studios takes place today from 1 to 6. For a full map of locations, head to www.artistsopenstudios.org, or call 617-354-4422.

BITES
A TWIST ON TRADITION Brunch never goes out of style, but sometimes the choices can seem confining. That's especially true when you want to impress a date, a rich uncle, or maybe that old college classmate who's bringing his offspring to a prestigious college. Luckily, the list of restaurants serving this most American of institutions is growing. New to the mix is Meritage, chef Daniel Bruce's wine-entwined restaurant in the Boston Harbor Hotel. Many hotels have buffet brunches, but Bruce, whose nightly menu features large and small plates to allow diners to try different wines, has jazzed up the concept. On Sundays, a buffet with omelets made to order, sausages, salads, cheeses, and other staples is laid out. But servers then offer guests tastes of such dishes as a gazpacho cup, buttermilk-fried sea scallops with fennel aioli, or a minted balsamic-glazed grilled lamb chop. Brunch is $45 for adults, $20 for children. Maybe you've set your sights on a more casual setting and slightly lower prices. Centro in Central Square, Cambridge, now serves brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Some of the dishes by chef Ben Nathan will be a Sicilian country ham and fontina torta for $11, French toast with peaches and sweet mascarpone for $9, and egg whites scrambled with braised tomatoes and provolone for $9. Either restaurant choice should get your weekend off to a relaxed start. Meritage, Boston Harbor Hotel, 70 Rowes Wharf, 617-439-3995. Centro, 720 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-868-2405.

ALISON ARNETT