Behind the Beat: A Dream in Sound

Behind the Beat: A Dream in Sound

by | Apr 29, 2010 | Music

On stage, Amherst-based experimental musician Jack Callahan transforms into what he refers to as a “sound organizer.” “When I play live, I am improvising,” he explains. “Just from practice, I have a general idea of the sort of extended...
Punks Not Dead

Punks Not Dead

by | Apr 29, 2010 | Music

In 1997 I was visiting with some new friends on Williams Street in Northampton when one of them mentioned she had recently starred in a music video for a local band. A screening immediately commenced. The video itself was cool: quick cuts of grainy footage depicting...
Nightcrawler: (Nitro) Nine Lives

Nightcrawler: (Nitro) Nine Lives

by | Apr 29, 2010 | Music

Against Apocalypse’s drummer Matt “9” Raymond will be the first to admit, not even he’s sure what the apocalypse in his band’s moniker specifically is—let alone why they’re against it. But it just didn’t seem right to...
No-Frills Rock and Roll

No-Frills Rock and Roll

by | Apr 29, 2010 | Music

Local rock band Gimlet Slip has a bit of advice for anyone with the temerity to front. “Don’t do us wrong or you’ll end up in our next song.” The first-name-only trio—Christina on guitar, Diane on bass and vocals, and Rene on drums and...
CinemaDope: Greener Pastures

CinemaDope: Greener Pastures

by | Apr 29, 2010 | Film

Once every 10 or 12 days, I find myself hauling a couple of bags of household trash down to the dumpster behind our building. It’s a longish walk, and by the time it ends those bags can start to feel awfully heavy; when I finally reach my destination, I often...