A sonic paleontologist studying the career and habits of the Valley’s own Dinosaur Jr. should find this week a fascinating case study.
This Wednesday, Nov. 28, the Amherst-spawned alt-rock icons return to their old stomping grounds—Pearl Street in Northampton (iheg.com)—to celebrate the release of I Bet On Sky, their third full length since reuniting in 2005.
Three days later, they’ll be at New York’s Terminal 5 paying homage to You’re Living All Over Me, a pivotal CD from that band’s catalog that turns 25 years young that very day.
“We’re excited to announce that Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth will join the band for a song or two, [as will] Johnny Marr [of The Smiths] with more special guests to come,” the band revealed of the latter event in a joint statement.
Proceeds from the Nov. 28 local show will go to the Common School, a local progressive institution that fosters academic, emotional and social growth for youngsters three through 12.
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A couple of other Noho notables, since we’re up that way, will appear at the historic Calvin Theater (also iheg.com) and feature a couple of the more diminutive members of the fretboard family.
In fact, the first may be music to the ears of fans of a certain beloved Red Sox player who was recently traded. Just thinke_SEmDa whole throng of Bay State fans yelling “uke” again.
Of course, this time it will be Jake Shimabukuro, the man many refer to as “the Hendrix of the ukulele.” Fresh off the release of Grand Ukulele, the ambitious follow up to 2011’s Peace, Love, Ukulele (which debuted at number one on the Billboard World Charts), the Hawaiian musician returns to the Calvin Dec. 1.
“He attended a couple of my shows near where he lives in Santa Barbara, and the concert promoter put us in touch,” the young prodigy says of Alan Parsons’ (best known for his work on Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and The Beatles’ Abbey Road, in addition to his solo career) decision to produce the Grand affair. “I was stunned. I mean, the Alan Parsons? We ended up having dinner before the show and he casually mentioned the idea of possibly working together. It was a priceless opportunity I didn’t want to pass up—he’s a genius.”
Tix are $25 and $35 for this 8 p.m. show.
A few weeks later, several of the world’s preeminent players will be strummin’ on their ol’ banjos at the Calvin for the Banjo Summit, taking place on January 18. The Noho venue was one of a select few tapped to host the star-studded mini-tour featuring Bela Fleck, Tony Trischka, Bill Keith, Richie Stearns and more.
Tickets for this show are available now and range from $25 to $45, depending on your proximity to the hootenanny.
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In other national news, country-boy/Valley homeboy Aaron Lewis has inked a Jan. 26 performance engagement at the Mohegan Sun (mohegansun.com). The singer—who rose to prominence fronting Springfield’s Staind—will be celebrating the release of his first full-length solo album, The Road, at the casino play.
In 2011, rocker Lewis formally arrived in the country world with the release of the EP Town Line. That effort yielded a gold single in the track “Country Boy” and a number one Country Album Chart and number seven Top 200 positions on the Billboard charts.
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Sonic Stocking Stuffers: Last up, a unique gift idea for that merry music man—or woman—in your life.
Perusing the online marketplace of the lone surviving member of the seminal punk rock band The Ramones—specifically, the enigmatic Marky Ramone (markyramone.com)—we find everything from autographed drumsticks and signature pasta sauce and cookies to drum heads the legendary percussionist has doodled on and signed.
“I love eating,” he says of his Brooklyn’s Own pasta sauce concoction. “I watch people on TV cook, I watch my friends and relatives cook, and I decided to put something together.”
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 394-4262 or email garycarra@aol.com.
