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Arts at the Armory events: March and April

Print | Comments () Posted by Susannah Blair March 8, 2012 10:00 AM

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The following was submitted by Arts at the Armory:

Somerville's Center for Arts at the Armory presents its upcoming schedule of diverse programming that includes live music, film, poetry, talks, and more in its Café and Performance Hall. Events include Hope Roth Third Monday Residency (March 19); Rock Therapy with Brendan Boogie, a new music interview series (March 21); A Swell Evening with author Corwin Ericson and Dana Colley of Morphine (March 27); Not So Silent Cinema Presents: Buster Keaton (March 30), a silent film with live score event;Teen Open Mic Night hosted in collaboration with Books of Hope,Teen Empowerment and GroundWork Somerville (April 3); and WAAF’s Bay State Rock Bistro Busk, with Boston Music Award-winner Shea Rose (April 5). Event details, times, and prices noted below. All events are open to all ages.

Beer, wine and delicious food is now available at all Arts at the Armory Cafe and Performance Hall events. In addition to the event times detailed below, the Arts at the Armory Cafe is open Monday through Wednesday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm; Thursday through Saturday 9:00 am - 10:00 pm; and Sunday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm serving a menu that includes flatbread pizzas, sandwiches on artisan breads, soups, quiche, fresh baked desserts, craft beers and delicious wines. Arts at the Armory is located at 191 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA. Free parking is located in the rear of the building. For more information, contact 617-718-2191, info@artsatthearmory.org, or visit ArtsattheArmory.org.

Arts at the Armory Upcoming Events:

Friday, March 16

Richard Cambridge’s Poetry Theater Presents a Fundraiser for Books of Hope

7:30 pm - 10:00 pm (Cafe), admission: $5 (18 and under); $10 (over 18)

Reservations: griothouse@aol.com

Books of Hope (BOH) is a Somerville-based, literacy empowerment program that has trained hundreds of urban and immigrant youth in creative writing, spoken word, publishing, and entrepreneurship. Members have written over 140 books of poetry, fiction, memoirs, and plays that are distributed at performances, festivals, libraries, and bookstores. Funds will support publishing this year’s books, set for release in May. BOH serves ages 13-25 from low-income neighborhoods, providing them with a community to share stories, empower their voices, and develop their reading and writing abilities. BOH is a collaboration of the Mystic Learning Center and Somerville Arts Council.

Saturday, March 17

Somerville Winter Farmer's Market – Shamrock Saturday!

9:30 am - 2:30 pm (Performance Hall), free admission

Don’t miss one of the best winter farmer’s markets around! Over 20 vendors each week sell fresh produce, fruits, meats, fish, baked goods, cheese, dairy, beverages and more. Elizabeth Stone will be on hand to paint faces, and a guest musician will perform. Gaining Ground is the guest non-profit this week. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at the market with “Shamrock Saturday.”

For the Sake of the Song Presents: Irish Session in the Round

7:30 pm – 10:30 pm (Cafe), $5 suggested donation

This month, For the Sake of the Song celebrates St. Patrick's Day with a traditional sessions night featuring round table performances of traditional Irish, folk, blues, and Americana tunes by special guests from throughout the Boston music scene. Former For the Sake of the Song-ers like John Colvert, Noel Coakley, Brian Carroll, and Chris Hutchison-Jones will perform traditional Celtic, folk, and bluegrass tunes. For more info, check out www.forthesakeofthesong.com.

Sunday, March 18

Gordon Michaels Presents "Listen to My Heart"

5:00 pm - 7:30 pm (Cafe), $20 admission [rescheduled from February 29]

Advance tix available at Brown Paper Tickets.com

In this monthly series through April, Gordon Michaels pours out his heart and soul in an evening of songs that range from spirituals, gospel, and R&B oldies to pop tunes with Broadway and jazz sprinkled in, as only his powerful baritone can deliver. This show will lift your spirits and pull on your heartstrings. With special guest, Boston’s own powerhouse vocalist Athene Wilson. Michael Larson accompanies on keyboard. For more on Gordon Michaels, visit gordonmichaelsproductions.com.

Monday, March 19

Hope Roth Third Monday Residency

7:30 pm - 9:30 pm (Cafe), $5 admission

Hope Roth is a local singer-songwriter who writes personal but quirky songs with catchy melodies. Her songs aim to capture a moment or a mood, to take something difficult or painful and turn it into something beautiful. You may find yourself humming her melodies long after you have turned your stereo off. Her songs might get stuck in your head, but you will be glad to have them there.

Monday Mini Cinema Presents: If I Should Fall From Grace: The Shane MacGowan Story

[rescheduled from March 12]

7:00 pm - 10:00 pm (Mezzanine), $3 suggested donation

Arts at the Armory's bi-monthly cinema series, hosted by Todd Sargent, presents “If I Should Fall From Grace: The Shane MacGowan Story.” Music videos and archived footage supplement recent interviews in this documentary of Pogues singer Shane MacGowan.

Tuesday, March 20

The First and Last Word Poetry Series

6:00 pm - 9:30 pm (Cafe), $4 admission

Hosted by Harris Gardner and Gloria Mindock, this well-respected and long running poetry series will feature local poets sharing their poems. The event also features live music during the open mic portion of the program.

Wednesday, March 2

Rock Therapy with Brendan Boogie

8:00 pm - 10:00 pm (Cafe), free admission

Rock Therapy is a new music interview show series in which local musician Brendan Boogie climbs into the heads of some of your favorite artists to see what makes them tick. The inaugural episode features guests Ad Frank and Tad and Kate from Sidewalk Driver. The show will take place on the third Wednesday of every month and will be podcast live on brendanboogie.com.

Thursday, March 22

Gordon Michaels Presents "You Better Think About the Boys" – A Tribute to Aretha Franklin

7:00 pm - 9:00 pm (Cafe), $20 admission

Advance tix available at Brown Paper Tickets.com

Gordon Michaels and friends pay tribute to Aretha Franklin. Most people are used to hearing her music performed by women. In this concert, three men will be singing, putting a new spin on the Queen of Soul’s music. The program will feature some well-known songs and a few you may not have known she actually recorded. Special guests Jeff Workman from Ohio and local artist Jason Prokowiew will be joining Michaels. The talented Michael Larson accompanies on keyboards. For more information on Gordon Michaels visitgordonmichaelsproductions.com.

Saturday, March 24

Somerville Winter Farmer's Market

9:30 am - 2:30 pm (Performance Hall), free admission

Don’t miss one of the best winter farmer’s markets around! Over 20 vendors each week sell fresh produce, fruits, meats, fish, baked goods, cheese, dairy, beverages and more. A guest musician will perform and the guest non-profit this week is Next Step Living.

Introduction to Digital Photography

11:00 am – 3:30 pm (Conference Room), register at ClickWorkshops.com

This digital photography workshop hosted by Monica Day Photography includes the basics of your camera and achieving proper exposure through–ISO, aperture, shutter speed; Metering – simple tips to make it easy; White Balance; Lighting – natural light, flash, catchlights; Composition; Posing tips and ideas to get natural expressions from children; Camera equipment recommendations; A hands on shoot with guided instruction and real models; and take-home materials for future reference.

Sunday, March 25

Drill Hall Flea Market

10:00 am - 4:00 pm (Performance Hall), free admission

Join us for our bi-monthly flea market packed to the brim with collectibles, antiques and the like.

Tuesday, March 27

A Swell Evening with Corwin Ericson and Dana Colley

7:00 pm – 10:00 pm (Café), $5 suggested donation

Local raconteur Corwin Ericson reads from his rollicking novel, Swell, accompanied by Dana Colley from Morphine. Swell, reminiscent of Christopher Moore’s ‘Fluke’ and Neil Gaiman’s ‘American Gods,’ is a fantastical tale told from the perspective of ever reluctant Orange Whippey. His involvement in the comically unnecessary Whale Network unfolds as rival whaling factions, Korean smugglers/ultra tourists/storytellers, and a privacy advocating talking head all prevent him from doing what he would ultimately prefer to do: nothing. Set on the tiny, fictional island of Bismuth, it moves at a languid pace as Orange is dragged to writhing lagoons, rusted ship hulks, hellish saunas, and private islands, creating a subtly farcical, always absurd setting for numerous misadventures.

Friday, March 30

Not So Silent Cinema Presents: Buster Keaton

7:00 pm - 10:30 pm (Performance Hall), $10 admission

Advance tix available at BrownPaperTickets.com

Brendan Cooney and friends present their second silent film with a live score event. This project features a unique mash-up of musical personalities from different corners of the Boston music scene, including progressive bluegrass and jazz banjo virtuoso Kyle Tuttle, Andy Bergman on clarinet, and Brendan Cooney on piano. “The Goat” is a rambling tale of pranks and chases as Buster Keaton is mistaken for an escaped felon. In “The High Sign,” Keaton is recruited by a secret society to assassinate a local millionaire who has just hired him as a bodyguard. And in “One Week,” Keaton and his new wife discover the house they just built is a bit “off.”

Saturday, March 31

Somerville Winter Farmer's Market

9:30 am - 2:30 pm (Performance Hall), free admission

Don’t miss one of the best winter farmer’s markets around! Over 20 vendors each week sell fresh produce, fruits, meats, fish, baked goods, cheese, dairy, beverages and more. A guest musician will perform. The guest non-profit this week is The Welcome Project/YUM. Jenny Hughes will also be on hand to do a book-binding demo.

Michael Murray and Neil Lawrence

7:00 pm – 10:30 pm (Café), free admission

Michael Murray has been singing since at least his first birthday. While he was not a singing prodigy, he continued to sing, and eventually write terrible songs. Later, he wrote better songs. The turning point came at 23, which is the same age he figures he became an adult. Michael met Neil Lawrence years ago on a snowy winter's night at PJ Ryan's in Somerville. Neil was recruited to play bass in Mike's then imaginary band, even though Neil didn't play the bass. Later, Mike joined Neil's musical brainchild, Nowhere Lights.

Sunday, April 1

Roots Attached Revue featuring Thea Hopkins and more

3:00 pm – 6:00 pm, (Café) free admission

Hosted by performing songwriter Thea Hopkins, the Roots Attached Revue will feature local and regional roots musicians including Eric McDonald and Katie McNally, Kerri Powers, and T Max. More info: www.theahopkins.com , www.Katie&ericmusic.com, www.kerripowers.com, www.thenoise-boston.com.

Monday, April 2

Monday Mini Cinema Presents: This Is Spinal Tap, The Rutles double bill

7:00 pm - 10:00 pm (Cafe), $3 suggested donation

Arts at the Armory's bi-monthly cinema series, hosted by Todd Sargent, presents a double bill featuring two pioneering favorites of the music mockumentary genre: This Is Spinal Tap and The Rutles.

Tuesday, April 3

Youth Open Mic Night

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm (Cafe), free admission

Arts at the Armory hosts a monthly open mic series for teens in partnership with Groundwork Somerville, Teen Empowerment and Books of Hope. Help us support our youth as they express themselves through song, poetry, and spoken word performances!

Wednesday, April 4

Wiretap Wednesday Open Stage

7:00 pm - 10:00 pm (Cafe), free admission

The first Wednesday of the month, Sophia Cacciola and Michael J. Epstein host an open mic night that is streamed live and archived online at http://blog.michaeljepstein.com. Performers are invited to sign up and share their best short work (5 minutes including setup). Contact sophia@donotforsake.com for more information about signing up. Each month also included a featured artist playing a 25-minute set. This month's guest is Nick Zaino.

Thursday, April 5

WAAF’s Bay State Rock Bistro Busk featuring Shea Rose

7:00 pm – 9:30 pm (Café), free admission, open contribution

This month, Carmelita proudly presents Shea Rose. In addition to winning a Boston Music Award for Best R&B/Soul/Urban Contemporary Artist of the Year in 2011, Shea was hand-picked by Queen Latifah as one of the winners of CoverGirl's Ignite Your Persona talent search. With the Boston Globe calling Shea, "the Boston artist most likely to make an impact on the national stage this year,” and the Boston Herald describing her unique sound as a "blend of hip-hop, r&b, jazz, funk and rock that leaves her virtually peerless in the urban-music world,” you don’t want to miss this intimate, acoustic performance.

Friday, April 6

The Spring Ramble featuring Patrick Coman and the Lo-fi Angels

7:30 pm – 11:00 pm (Performance Hall), $10 admission

Dance the night away and listen to great local music at Arts at the Armory’s seasonal dance party. This season the Armory hosts Patrick Coman and the Lo-fi Angels' record release party, with friends The Autumn Hollow Band, Meg Smallidge and the Wednesdays, and The Pennies. In addition to music there will be ladder ball, cornhole, and a "We Fly Lo-Fi" airplane toss.

Somerville Singer Songwriter Sessions

7:30 pm - 11:00 pm (Cafe), $10 admission

Enjoy an evening with four singer/songwriters from Rhode Island showcasing their original music. Artists include Rick Drost and Jon McAuliffe. For more information, please visit http://www.hearinrhodeisland.com.

Saturday, April 7

Somerville Winter Farmer's Market

9:30 am - 2:30 pm (Performance Hall), free admission

Don’t miss one of the best winter farmer’s markets around! Over 20 vendors each week sell fresh produce, fruits, meats, fish, baked goods, cheese, dairy, beverages and more. Elizabeth Stone will be on hand to paint faces, and a guest musician will perform. The guest non-profit this week is the Boston Food Swap.

Exploding Plastic Incredible

7:00 pm – 10:30 (Performance Hall), Tickets: $10 in advance or cash at the door

Advance tix available at Brown Paper Tickets.com

Welcome to the shagadelic '60s! Dig crazy music and vibes by Astro Al, Tim Mungenast & His Preexisting Conditions, and Joe Turner and the 7 Levels. Get hip to the shimmy and shake of belly dancer Samarra and her groovetastic moves. See astounding weird and wild improv projections by Dr. T! Freak out!

Tuesday, April 10

Somerville Chamber of Commerce Education Series

4:30 pm – 5:30 pm (Café), free admission

The Somerville Chamber of Commerce Education Series is open and free for the public! Grab a snack from the Cafe, sit down, and LEARN! This month’s session, Business Killers: Avoid the Six Mistakes that Can Kill Your Business and Your Future, is with Rebecca Schrumm and Matthew Clayson of Commonwealth Financial Group. Conversations/refreshments 30 minutes before and after the session, organized by Schrumm, also a member of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. RSVP for “Business Edge” with name(s) and affiliation(s) to smackey@somervillechamber.org