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Boston concerts this week
There aren't many big name musicians in town this week, but plenty of veterans and newcomers are filling the clubs.Check out our weekly concerts rundown for shows from Grace Potter, Oliver Tree, the Elovators and more.ThursdayCountry dude Conner Smith comes to the Paradise Rock Club.FridayAvant-garde alt-everything star Oliver Tree comes to town supporting his "Alone In A Crowd" album at MGM Music Hall at Fenway.Indie-pop rockers Magic City Hippies are at House of Blues.Roomful Of Blues plays at City Winery.Wargraves, Marianne Toilet And The Runs play at The Middle East and definitely have the best-named bill of the week.SaturdaySinger, songwriter,...
Inside the mind behind Boston's clown heads with artist Max Streicher
To onlookers, the pair of clown heads hovering between two buildings is either a whimsical surprise or nightmare fuel.To Max Streicher, they’re two lost, helpless souls trapped in an alley after blowing off course.Why it matters: Streicher’s clowns, part of the upcoming “Winteractive” exhibit, got people talking about downtown Boston like it was 2019.Axios Boston spoke with Streicher about his art. The answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.Why inflatable art?It began right after I finished my master's at York University in Toronto in the late 1980s. There was a lot of expectation to do meaningful stuff. Coming out...
Things to do in Boston this week
Tuesday and Wednesday — 1/16-17🎥 See "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: Extended Edition" on the big screen at the Alamo Drafthouse in the Seaport.The extended middle chapter of the famous trilogy is so good it needs two colons. The 3 hour, 42 minute masterpiece is showing today (2:45pm) and tomorrow (2:50pm.)Thursday — 1/18🔬 NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce discusses her book "Transient and Strange: Notes on the Science of Life" at Harvard Book Store at 7pm."Past Lives", Celine Song's film about childhood friends reuniting in New York is one of the tensest modern romances you'll see this...
The clown heads are just the beginning
The massive inflatable clown heads hovering between two buildings in downtown Boston brought confusion, delight and, for some with an oddly common phobia, a twinge of fear.Yes, but: Max Streicher’s clown art is just one of 16 installations that will make you stop, take a breath and maybe dance a little.Why it matters: At a time when rent increases, heftier grocery bills and public transit mishaps have a chokehold on Bostonians, we could all use some joy in our lives.Catch up fast: The Downtown Boston Business Improvement District and three art curators from Québec are launching the Winteractive exhibit Wednesday...
Boston Weekender: Things to do for MLK Day
🎵 Catch the Boston Typewriter Orchestra 1-4pm Saturday at the next CCTV Live Wire Session in Cambridge.Here's what they played in their NPR Tiny Desk submission last February.🖼 Several Boston-area museums are free to the public for Massachusetts residents on MLK Day with programming reflecting on the civil rights icon's legacy.The MFA's open house runs 10am-5pm. Admission's first come, first served.The ICA is open 10am-5pm. Free advanced tickets become available at 10am Sunday.The Isabella Stewart Gardner museum is open 10am-4pm.🎶 The Boston Children's Chorus performs at the 21st annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. tribute concert at 4pm Monday at Symphony Hall.Tickets: $15+Sign up for Axios Boston for free.
Wind, flood water hit New England hard
The worst of the flooding in New England from Tuesday night's storm was in New Hampshire, where the high tide meant a declaration of emergency in the beach town of Hampton.Residents took to canoes and other small boats to navigate the flooded streets.What they're saying: "Ocean Boulevard is temporarily closed down. Please avoid the area. If you live in the area we recommend you temporarily leave the area for higher ground," Hampton police said.Why it matters: Conditions in Massachusetts weren't much better, with wind and rain forcing MBTA delays and nearly 50 flight delays at Logan.6,700 electrical customers were without...
Wind, flood water hit New England hard
The worst of the flooding in New England from Tuesday night's storm was in New Hampshire, where the high tide meant a declaration of emergency in the beach town of Hampton.Residents took to canoes and other small boats to navigate the flooded streets.What they're saying: "Ocean Boulevard is temporarily closed down. Please avoid the area. If you live in the area we recommend you temporarily leave the area for higher ground," Hampton police said.Why it matters: Conditions in Massachusetts weren't much better, with wind and rain forcing MBTA delays and nearly 50 flight delays at Logan.6,700 electrical customers were without...
Wu touts wins, public housing plan
Mayor Michelle Wu's second State of the City address was heavy on mentions of accomplishments from the previous year, with the mid-term mayor reminding Bostonians what her administration's been up to since taking office in late 2021.Filling potholes, a perennial issue for mayors looking to get reelected, was brought up early on, along with mentions of approved housing developments, pre-k enrollment and aid for the homelessness and opioid crisis.Between the lines: Wu hasn't announced if she's running again, but election day is in 663 days.As for 2024, Wu said the city will identify locations for 3,000 new public housing units to be built over the next ten years.Wu also looked ahead at her program to ban fossil fuels in city-owned buildings.The city failed to join a state program last year that would have limited fossil fuels in all new construction.Wu also announced free admission to Boston's top museums for all Boston Public School students twice a month.But the mayor stopped short of rolling out an ambitious plan to give tax incentives to real estate developers to build more housing in a tight financing market.Sign up for Axios Boston for free.
Massachusetts students go pun crazy in "name a snowplow" contest
While most of us were holed up inside our homes last weekend during the snowstorm, Sleetwood Mac, Snow B Wan Kenobi and Snow-hemian Rhapsody were out clearing roads.ICYMI: The state transportation department's annual "name a snowplow" contest for elementary and middle schoolers resulted in several puntastic names for new snow removal gear.Students from schools in Malden, Brockton, Boston, Needham and Lexington won the right to name 12 new plows.Flower Plower, Edward Blizzardhands, Glacier Gobbler, Polar Pathmaker, The Snolar Express, Fast and Flurryous, Snow Place Like Home, The Mayplower and Snow Monstah are also new this year.Sign up for Axios Boston for free.
Q&A: Yvonne Hao on using AI to make work fun again
The next six months will be crucial for Massachusetts' quest to become the nation's premiere AI hub as private sector leaders consider the state's strategy.Catch up fast: The state is convening public and private sector leaders to map out the state's AI game plan, including how to support AI adoption in biotech, government contracting and other areas.Yvonne Hao, the state's economic development secretary, spoke with Axios Boston about how to approach the technology.Hao is a former executive for investment firm Cove Hill Partners and at PillPack, an online pharmacy acquired by Amazon in 2018.The questions and answers have been lightly...
UMass basketball coach Frank Martin tops state payroll in 2023
A men's basketball coach is the top earner on the state's 2023 payroll, out-earning dozens of UMass leaders.Driving the news: Frank Martin, the UMass Amherst head basketball coach, made $1.66 million in 2023, his first full year in the role, the Globe reported.Why it matters: Taxpayers are footing the bill for Martin's salary, as well as the six- and seven-figure salaries that UMass leaders and other state officials take home.Here's who else stood out on the list:No. 2: Michael Collins, UMass chancellor and senior vice president of health sciences, $1.4 millionNo. 6: Donald Brown, UMass Amherst head football coach, $831,064No. 7: Martin Meehan, UMass president, $802,447No. 14: Gregory Carvel, UMass Amherst ice hockey coach, $562,774No. 23: Anand Shah, chief medical examiner, $504,784No. 24: Thomas McCarthy, Massachusetts State Police detectives captain, $501,764No. 31: Normand Bazin, UMass Lowell head ice hockey coach, $447,500No. 34: William Cederquist, Massachusetts State Police detective lieutenant, $439,059No. 65: Joseph Sacco, MBTA sergeant, $387,816 (by comparison, GM Phillip Eng makes $312,730)The Globe has the full list.Sign up for Axios Boston for free.
Ed Sheeran, the Killers headline Boston Calling 2024
Ed Sheeran, Leon Bridges and the Killers are headlining Boston Calling 2024.The intrigue: This year's lineup has something for the hot girls, hopeless romantics and Millennials who want to relive their hipster days.Driving the news: The festival runs three nights on four stages from May 24-26 (Memorial Day weekend).Sheeran and Bridges headline Friday, followed by Tyler Childers and Trey Anastasio on Saturday and the Killers and Hozier on Sunday.Other performances include Megan Thee Stallion, Reneé Rapp and Young the Giant.Details: Presale begins at 10am tomorrow.Tickets range from $175 for one-day general admission to $2,799 for three-day platinum passes.Steph's thought bubble: If Bridges, Hozier and Megan performed on the same day, I'd get my money's worth.
Boston antisemitic hate crimes hit record high
Data: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program; Boston Police Department, compiled by California State University, San Bernardino; Chart: Axios VisualsHate crimes are on the rise in Boston, with reports of antisemitic offenses reaching a record high in federal data, new preliminary research shows.Why it matters: Hate crimes destroy communities, causing people to live in fear over aspects of their identity they can't control, experts say.Driving the news: Boston reported 23 antisemitic crimes through Dec. 22, 2023 — the highest number since the FBI started collecting hate crime statistics in 1991, per an Axios review of a preliminary report by the Center...
Boston concerts this week: Travis Scott, Motion City Soundtrack
Rapper Travis Scott is this week's big show at TD Garden.If hip hop or arenas aren't your thing, indie rockers Motion City Soundtrack, California country singer Nate Smith and DJ duo Armnhmr are also in town this week.WednesdayDead Wait and Lovelace bring some local dreamy emo to O'Brien's Pub.ThursdayNate Smith's song "Wildfire" was an early TikTok hit. He'll be at The Sinclair.FridayTravis Scott, the man behind "Water," "I Know," and "FE!N" will be at the TD Garden.Story Of The Year celebrates 20 years of their album Page Avenue at House of Blues.Depressors, Doug Wartman and Sailor Down are on the bill at Faces.SaturdayIndie veterans Motion City Soundtrack are at Paradise Rock Club.Indie-pop duo Mickey Darling come to The Sinclair.Joseph Chung and Joseph Abella — collectively know as Armnhmr — play at Big Night Live.SundayLupo Citta and Pledge Pins are at O'Brien's Pub.MondayIdiot Flesh and Supplication bring along Comically Large Cranial Welt to O'Brien's Pub.Sign up for Axios Boston for free.
Who's the best athlete in Boston sports history? Axios readers say it's Bobby Orr
Bracket: Axios VisualsIn the final round of voting in our bracket tournament to find Boston's favorite professional athlete, Bruins legend Bobby Orr defeated Patriots GOAT Tom Brady.Voting had to be extended over the weekend to determine a final winner. It was a 50/50 split since polls opened.In the end, after over 1,000 votes, Orr received 11 more votes than Brady.Sign up for Axios Boston for free.
Why Barbara Lynch's restaurant empire is shrinking
Even famed chef Barbara Lynch can't keep her restaurants open in Boston.Catch up fast: The Barbara Lynch Collective announced on Friday it will close three of its Fort Points restaurants — Menton, Sportello and Drink — because of an "uncooperative landlord," WBUR reported.The company also plans to sell The Butcher Shop and Stir in the South End to former proteges of Lynch.Just three of Lynch's restaurants remain in operation: No. 9 Park on Beacon Hill, B&G Oysters in the South End or The Rudder in Gloucester.Why it matters: The closures affect some 100 workers, and they deal a blow to...
Most food waste in Massachusetts comes from homes
Credit: Data: ReFED; Note: Manufacturing and food service surplus estimated at the state level from national data; Chart: Simran Parwani/AxiosMassachusetts let 1.6 million tons of food go to waste in 2022 — most of it from residential households, per data from the nonprofit ReFED.Why it matters: Food waste makes up 24% of municipal landfill input and contributes to 6.1% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, writes Axios' Simran Parwani.It also burns holes in our wallets. On average, a person wastes $759 on uneaten food each year.Driving the news: Massachusetts saw a nearly 5% increase in food uneaten or unsold between...
Things to do in Boston this week: 'Mean Girls' dinner, Celtic Music Festival and more
🍸 Publico Street Bistro & Garden is hosting a "Mean Girls"-themed dinner starting at 4pm Monday, as part of its Girl Dinner Monday series.The restaurant made themed vodka drinks, like "Is Butter a Carb" with limoncello and "She Doesn't Even Go Here" with blackberry, pineapple and lime.Be smart: Reservations are encouraged.🎞 If girl dinner isn't your thing, the Alamo Drafthouse is hosting a "Mean Girls" movie party and sing-along Thursday and Friday at 7:15pm.Cost: $19.81 for the movie party and sing-along each.🌱 Dorchester Brewing Co. is hosting a terrarium workshop Tuesday 7-9pm.Attendees will make one terrarium to take home with...
Things to do in Boston this week: 'Mean Girls' dinner, Celtic Music Festival and more
🍸 Publico Street Bistro & Garden is hosting a "Mean Girls"-themed dinner starting at 4pm Monday, as part of its Girl Dinner Monday series.The restaurant made themed vodka drinks, like "Is Butter a Carb" with limoncello and "She Doesn't Even Go Here" with blackberry, pineapple and lime.Be smart: Reservations are encouraged.🎞 If girl dinner isn't your thing, the Alamo Drafthouse is hosting a "Mean Girls" movie party and sing-along Thursday and Friday at 7:15pm.Cost: $19.81 for the movie party and sing-along each.🌱 Dorchester Brewing Co. is hosting a terrarium workshop Tuesday 7-9pm.Attendees will make one terrarium to take home with...
Boston-area's first e-scooter shop caters to new mobility trend
Look around Boston's roads and bike lanes and you'll see as many electric scooters as pedal-powered bicycles.But as the popularity of electric scooters takes off, batteries wear down, tires go flat and brakes get squeaky. Riders aren't always welcome at traditional bike shops and home repair can be frustrating or impossible.Why it matters: There was a hole in the market for a brick-and-mortar e-scooter repair and retail business, and BostonProScooter filled it as the Boston area's first and only shop dedicated to e-scooters.The Central Square shop's staff have become experts on the most popular scooter brands sold online and offer...
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