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Flashback: Harry Belafonte in Boston
Yesterday, the world learned that music legend and civil rights leader Harry Belafonte died of congestive heart failure. He was 96.Flashback: Berklee College of Music hosted Belafonte on March 6, 2014, for a tribute concert that students and faculty put together in his honor. He donned a gray and black robe and accepted an honorary doctor of music degree seen in the picture on the right above.The intrigue: Belafonte broke barriers in music, spoke at the 1963 March on Washington, won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and amassed a pile of other accolades before his Berklee appearance. He was a big f—-ing deal, but he knew when to have a little fun, too.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Philadelphia.
Flashback: Harry Belafonte in Boston
Yesterday, the world learned that music legend and civil rights leader Harry Belafonte died of congestive heart failure. He was 96.Flashback: Berklee College of Music hosted Belafonte on March 6, 2014, for a tribute concert that students and faculty put together in his honor. He donned a gray and black robe and accepted an honorary doctor of music degree seen in the picture on the right above.The intrigue: Belafonte broke barriers in music, spoke at the 1963 March on Washington, won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and amassed a pile of other accolades before his Berklee appearance. He was a big f—-ing deal, but he knew when to have a little fun, too.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Boston.
Flashback: Harry Belafonte in Boston
Yesterday, the world learned that music legend and civil rights leader Harry Belafonte died of congestive heart failure. He was 96.Flashback: Berklee College of Music hosted Belafonte on March 6, 2014, for a tribute concert that students and faculty put together in his honor. He donned a gray and black robe and accepted an honorary doctor of music degree seen in the picture on the right above.The intrigue: Belafonte broke barriers in music, spoke at the 1963 March on Washington, won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and amassed a pile of other accolades before his Berklee appearance. He was a big f—-ing deal, but he knew when to have a little fun, too.
Where Massachusetts universities landed in annual grad school rankings
MIT landed near the top in most categories in the U.S. News’ Best Graduate Schools rankings out today.Harvard also ranked high, but its best categories — medical and law — were notably absent from today’s rankings.Why it matters: Many prospective students use the U.S. News rankings as a guide to determine where they should apply for college and graduate school.Yes, but: This batch doesn’t include the medical or law school rankings "due to an unprecedented number of inquiries from schools" about the data that goes into the results, the organization said in an email.Zoom in: Harvard was one of several...
Market Basket is Boston area's top grocer
Market Basket is the most popular grocery chain in the Greater Boston area, with over 20% of the market share as of last year.Stop & Shop and Walmart are the second- and third-most-popular grocers, with 14.8% and 12.3% of the local market share, respectively.That's according to new data from Chain Store Guide, which tracks the retail and food service industries.The big picture: While national grocery behemoths such as Walmart are typically among the most popular grocers — if not the most popular — in any given city, local and regional favorites can give the big box stores a run for...
Market Basket is Boston area's top grocer
Data: Chain Store Guide; Note: Stores under the same brand name have been combined, e.g. Walmart and Walmart Supercenter; Chart: Axios VisualsMarket Basket is the most popular grocery chain in the Greater Boston area, with over 20% of the market share as of last year.Stop & Shop and Walmart are the second- and third-most-popular grocers, with 14.8% and 12.3% of the local market share, respectively.That's according to new data from Chain Store Guide, which tracks the retail and food service industries.The big picture: While national grocery behemoths such as Walmart are typically among the most popular grocers — if not...
Your guide to Boston spring events
Pulling yourself out of hibernation mode is easier said than done, especially when the weather drops 30 degrees from one day to the next.Here are some of the best springtime happenings to get you out and about.🦢 Swan BoatsThe swan boats in the Public Garden launched for the year earlier this month. Tickets are available on the dock before boarding. There’s no advance reservation or purchase needed.When: 10am-4pm, April 15 through June 20; 10am-5pm June 21 through Sept. 4.Where: Public Garden dock.Price: $4.50 for adults, $4 for riders 65+ and $3 for children ages 2-15. Children under 2 ride for...
M83, Aly & AJ and other Boston-area concerts this weekend
There are plenty of musical acts coming through Boston, Cambridge and Somerville this weekend. Check out our curated list of concerts to hit up:TonightCalifornia pop rock duo Aly & AJ are at MGM Music Hall — 8pmChicago rapper CupcakKe plays the Paradise — 8pmCalifornia singer songwriter Brett Dennen comes to City Winery — 8pmFruit Bats play their folksy indie rock at Royale — 6pmBonginator, Mutilation Barbecue and Frog Mallet win the week's “best bill” award with a metal show at the Middle East - Upstairs — 6pmSaturdayNickel Creek comes with poppy bluegrass to MGM Music Hall — 8pmKiwi rockers Unknown...
Healey calls on Biden to "step up" on Cape bridges
President Biden "needs to step up and do much more" to replace the aging bridges that connect Cape Cod to mainland Massachusetts, according to Gov. Maura Healey.Amid unprecedented national spending on infrastructure, the state has struggled to get federal funds to replace the 88-year-old bridges.State of play: The Bourne Bridge is structurally deficient and the Sagamore is only in fair condition heading into the tourist season.Why it matters: The bridges carry over 135,000 vehicles each day during the peak summer season and fuel the peninsula's tourist economy, according to MassDOT.Around 230,000 year-round Cape Codders also rely on the bridges. Half...
The Bedford native behind Snoop’s cannabis firm
When Karan Wadhera first told people in 2016 he was investing in cannabis-focused startups, he got chuckles, skeptical stares and a lot of no’s from investors.Why it matters: Wadhera got the last laugh. The Bedford native turned a budding venture capital firm backed by Snoop Dogg into a leader in the multi-billion-dollar cannabis industry.The intrigue: Wadhera wasn't a VC insider when he joined Snoop's firm Casa Verde. A Babson College graduate, he met the rap artist while running his first company, Elevator Holdings, from his dorm room. He helped record labels promote John Legend, Snoop and other musicians.After graduation, he...
Blue Line weighs shutdowns to speed up service
The MBTA is considering shutting down the Blue Line every evening at 7pm for a month to fix the "slow zone" safety problems plaguing the subway system.At his first MBTA board meeting as general manager, Phillip Eng said the T's goal is to fix nearly 3,000 feet of track between Bowdoin and Aquarium stations to reduce slow zones on the downtown portion of the line.After that, Eng said he'd set a November deadline to lift all Blue Line speed restrictions. Nightly shutdowns would let crews work for seven hours instead of the typical two-hour window.What's next: Eng plans to produce similar plans to fix the Red and Orange lines soon.
SimpliSafe's Boston digs get an upgrade
While some companies are retreating from office rentals, home security company SimpliSafe has moved into a larger, upgraded headquarters in the Financial District.Why it matters: The COVID-19 pandemic started a remote work revolution, driving commercial real estate vacancies. But some tech companies rely on in-person meetings and lab space to test new products.SimpliSafe is doubling down with its expanded space to meet the needs of some 500 employees, especially its engineers. The new digs come as the company plans to hire another 100 people this year.What’s happening: The new HQ opened at 100 Summer St. earlier this year, but SimpliSafe...
Boston club celebrating 4/20 with some laughs
Lighting up on Boston Common can get you a fine, even on 4/20. But one private club is offering a legal way to celebrate the holiday.What’s happening: Diaspora, a private club founded by Yamba Market co-owner Sean Hope, and Dinner at Mary’s are hosting a private comedy show and a Reggae band at the old John Harvard Brewery in Harvard Square.Hope, a real estate lawyer, leased the closed brewery space to make way for cannabis-friendly events like yoga classes.The big picture: People in Massachusetts have few options for consuming cannabis socially in large part because regulators haven’t updated the rules surrounding cannabis lounges and other social consumption businesses. Overall, the social consumption regulations remain murky.The organizers behind tomorrow’s event say they can legally host the gathering because it’s in a private club and because no cannabis is being sold.Details: Diaspora is working with Dinner at Mary’s, which offers cannabis-friendly meal kits, events and private catering, to organize the 4/20 event. Paper Crane Cannabis farm, one of the sponsors, will offer “cannabis gifts” on site.What they’re saying: “I just think that Diaspora is really trying to fill up a void for cannabis experiences,” Hope tells Axios.Pro tip: Have dinner beforehand.
Accused Pentagon leaker back in court Wednesday
The Air National Guardsman accused of leaking highly classified Pentagon documents is due in Boston federal court Wednesday.Why it matters: Jack Teixeira, a 21-year-old from North Dighton, is allegedly at the center of a leak that revealed U.S. efforts to spy on Ukraine’s government, Russia and allies Israel and South Korea.Catch up fast: Authorities believe Teixeira leaked documents to a Discord server that focused on war, guns and racist memes, per the Washington Post.Members of the server told the New York Times that Teixeira saw himself as an unofficial leader of the group and wanted to teach members "about actual...
Boston metro outdoing national average on jobs
Data: BLS; Note: Rate is seasonally-adjusted; Chart: Axios VisualsThe unemployment rate in the Boston metropolitan area was 3.1% in February — a 0.1 percentage point increase from the previous month. It remains lower than the national average, per a new analysis of Labor Department data.Why it matters: Looking at only the national unemployment rate can hide significant disparities between cities that are thriving and those that are struggling.By the numbers: Nationally, the unemployment rate was 3.5% as of March — down 0.1 percentage point from the previous month, and down 0.1 percentage point year over year.As of February — the latest month for which city-level data is available — Boston’s unemployment rate edged past a handful of major U.S. metro areas, including Miami (2.2%), Minneapolis (2.4%) and Tampa (2.5%).But unemployment rose above 4% in other cities, including in Las Vegas (5.7%), Chicago (4.4%), Los Angeles (4.3%) and Houston (4.3%).The bottom line: While unemployment is down nationally, some cities are struggling with it more than others.The Fed, meanwhile, is keeping a close eye on employment levels as a measure of the economy's overall temperature.
Bruins head to playoffs after making history
The Boston Bruins start a potentially historic playoff run tonight. The Stanley Cup is in sight and if Boston hasn't caught Bruins fever just yet, it's probably about to.Here's what to know about the best team in hockey:This year’s Bruins are the winningest team in NHL history.They set the all-time record for wins in a regular season with 65.To top it off, the team also beat a nearly 50-year-old record for most points scored in a season.It didn't always look like it was going to be such a strong season.The Bruins were eliminated in the first round of last year's...
Your guide to Marathon Monday in Boston
Some 30,000 runners, including hundreds of locals, are bracing for the 127th Boston Marathon.Why it matters: Ten years after the bombings that killed three and shook the city, Marathon Monday still brings out the best in Boston.The runners are tenacious, the volunteers and spectators are hyped and the day-drinking college students are usually doing their own thing.What to know: The race officially kicks off at 9:02am in Hopkinton with the wheelchair men's division, followed by the wheelchair women’s division, hand cycles, duos and the runners. The last wave of runners starts at 11:15am.Meet some of the Boston runners.👟 Katy Augustyn,...
How to avoid marathon crowds in Boston
If you're like me, every Patriot's Day you get the hell out of town to avoid the crowds, congestion and sheer jockery on display Marathon Monday.Here are some alternative things to do Monday if you don't feel like cheering for people in much better shape than you.Celebrate what the holiday is really about in Lexington and Concord.Monday is Patriots' Day, the commemoration of the Battles of Lexington and Concord and the start of the Revolutionary War.The main event is always the 5:30am reenactment of the battle on Lexington Green, but there's a slew of related events and activities Monday, including...
Navigating the MBTA on Marathon Monday
So you want to take the T to the Boston Marathon route.Driving the news: Copley Station will be closed all day. South Street, Kent Street and Saint Mary's Street stations will be closed 10am-6pm.The MBTA hasn't announced any other closures, but the agency could change service or temporarily close other stations near the finish line, per the MBTA website. Bicycles won’t be allowed anywhere on the T on Monday.Meanwhile, the Green, Red, Orange, Blue and Silver lines will operate on a regular weekday schedule. So will the Commuter Rail.Plus: The MBTA is offering a $15 Commuter Rail pass so riders can travel along the marathon route.Yes, but: These days, the MBTA’s regular weekday service is rife with slow zones and delays. Don’t be surprised if it looks worse on Marathon Monday.What they’re saying: "The MBTA is in a good position to handle these large volume of people," MBTA Transit Police Chief Kenneth Green told reporters yesterday in Copley Square."There may be some slow zones, but the T is working feverishly to rectify that problem," he added. "It's not going to stop us from getting people from point A to B."
Zac Brown Band and other Boston-area concerts this weekend
This weekend is jam-packed with rock, hip-hop, blues, country and pop acts all playing Boston's concert venues.Take a look at our curated list of shows to get you into a crowd:TonightMarielle Kraft / Ava Panza plays her Rhode Island-via-Nashville indie pop at the Red Room at Cafe 939 — 7pmChase Rice takes his modern country to the House of Blues — 8pmIndie slowcore from Duster is at Paradise — 8pmLos Amigos Invisibles shows off their funky disco acid jazz at Brighton Music Hall — 8pmBritish prog rock group Church of the Cosmic Skull is poppier than you expect at...
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