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NEWS TO US

2015

THE YEAR SURVEILLANCE in

FICTION

MERRY

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VOL 17 + ISSUE 51

DECEMBER 23, 2015 - DECEMBER 30, 2015 EDITORIAL

DEAR READER

EDITOR + PUBLISHER Jeff lawrence

“Some years ago—never mind how long precisely— having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world.”

As we wrap up another year, I find that sentiment to be particularly enticing. In just the last year, we’ve seen a political season heat up like a steaming pile of shit and a world unravel as fear and loathing becomes the next big thing in terrorism. We’ve encountered homegrown hate sweeping across this nation, dividing our towns, streets, and families, and a government hell-bent on watching our every move in a sleepy effort to protect us from ourselves and the dangers around the corner. The watery horizon seems so much more appealing when you add it all up.

Of course, it’s not all that bad. We’ve enjoyed yet another calendar of new music, arts, and film—proving yet again that we’re still capable of beauty—the collection and celebration of which we’ve gathered in these pages as a testament to our resilience. It’s a compendium of notes and reflections worthy of a sea level still cresting well above our expectations. But we can’t ignore what has become of the world around us beyond arts and entertainment that fill the void in between. It’s a place where we survey and are surveilled with every move, gathering data and never dust in an effort to better understand us and watch over us. The trust we once had for each other has eroded into binary code. It is and will be a Year of Surveillance, and we took note of that as well.

The Next Year, however, is just around the corner, and with it an opportunity to look back and learn, move beyond the din of failures and falsehoods, and make it once again about new ideas, new dreams, and new horizons. If only for the next 365 days, I’ll take it with oars in hand and row again as we’ve always done before. See you on the other side!

NEWS + FEATURES EDITOR Chris Faraone ASSOCIATE MUSIC EDITOR Nina Corcoran ASSOCIATE FILM EDITOR Jake Mulligan ASSOCIATE ARTS EDITOR Christopher Ehlers COPY EDITOR Mitchell Dewar CONTRIBUTORS Nate Boroyan, Renan Fontes, Bill Hayduke, Emily Hopkins, Micaela Kimball, Dave Wedge INTERN Oliver Bok, Mary Kate McGrath

DESIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tak Toyoshima COMICS Tim Chamberlain Brian Connolly Pat Falco Patt Kelley INTERN Chesley Chapman

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by Tak Toyoshima. ©2015 DIGBOSTON IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY DIG PUBLISHING LLC. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION CAN BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT. DIG PUBLISHING LLC CANNOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. ONE COPY OF DIGBOSTON IS AVAILABLE FREE TO MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS AND VISITORS EACH WEEK. ANYONE REMOVING PAPERS IN BULK WILL BE PROSECUTED ON THEFT CHARGES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW.

“Now small fowls flew screaming over the yet yawning gulf; a sullen white surf beat against its steep sides; then all collapsed, and the great shroud of the sea rolled on as it rolled five thousand years ago.” - H. Melville JEFF LAWRENCE - PUBLISHER + EDITOR, DigBoston

OH, CRUEL WORLD Dear Baby Jesus, Look at you sitting there all cozy in your nativity scene, not a care in the whole world. Well let me tell ya something buddy—here in the People’s Republic of Massachusetts, us liberals are supposed to be declaring war on your holiday, but I’ve decided to instead let you exist another year without sawing your head off along with those of everybody else up in the creche.

I may take you out for a spin, even though word is that extreme Christians have taken to affixing GPS devices to you, but I promise to bring you home in time for your birthday. Merry Christmas.

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NEWS US

THE YEAR IN MASS SURVEILLANCE NEWS TO US

From the street to the State House, hope along with setbacks

BY ALEX MARTHEWS @REBELCINDER I run a sturdy volunteer group of cypherpunks, Democrats, libertarians, Republicans, and anarchists that meets weekly in Cambridge to plot ways to undermine the surveillance state. You’d be better off using divination sticks than relying on TV to find out what’s going on regarding these matters, so we keep track of it all. Here’s a brief overview of this year’s surveillance-related news in the Commonwealth.

In Massachusetts, we now have no fewer than 65 agencies focusing on homeland security and terrorism.

Our local Boston surveillance center (BRIC) operates out of BPD headquarters, and keeps tabs on Black Lives Matter, peace activists, local Muslim groups, and journalists and activists who oppose their tactics. Along with the FBI, BRIC monitors social media, especially around public events, for inappropriate content. Generally, these technologies and practices are focused sharply on poor and highminority communities, leaving wealthier and whiter communities to enjoy a less intrusive style of surveillance.

One exception to that would be Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs), which DigBoston discovered are still being used by BPD despite the department claiming years ago that they stopped tracking drivers en masse.

Furthermore, until said Dig discovery, troves of the data collected via ALPR—more than a million license plate numbers tied to location and other information including home addresses in some cases—were left exposed online by the third-party company contracted to store plate information.

Knowing these facts, we advocated for bills this year on Beacon Hill to undermine police militarization (H. 2169) and mandate data collection on police stops and bodycams for all police statewide. We’re also pushing 4

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for strong privacy controls (H. 2170), and for Senate Majority Leader Harriette Chandler’s fusion center reform bill (S.734) which, among other things, would make it so “no state or local law enforcement agency, prosecutorial office, criminal intelligence system, police or peace officer, or agent thereof [could] track, collect or maintain information about the political, religious or social views, associations or activities of any individual, group, association, organization, corporation, business or partnership or other entity unless such information directly relates to an investigation of criminal activities.”

On the ground, Boston activists Segun Idowu, Shekia Scott, and Muska Nassery worked throughout the year to bring bodycams to the Boston PD, which Commissioner Evans greeted with all the enthusiasm of a vegetarian asked to model Lady Gaga’s meat dress.

This while activists pried loose proof that BPD lied about not having a “stingray,” a device that spoofs cellphone towers and sucks up call data, likely mostly used in drug investigations. BRIC tarred journalists from the Bay State Examiner as security threats, lied when asked whether they had files on those journalists, steadily refused to meet with civil liberties groups, and awarded themselves an A+ for “Privacy, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties” in their annual DHS report. Of course, we’d know none of this without the Commonwealth’s battered old public records law, which the legislature is currently trying to update so that agencies like BRIC have longer to respond to requests.

At year’s end, the Paris attacks, the San Bernardino mass shooting, and GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump’s call for unreasonable immigration restrictions have everyone on edge, but especially the Muslim community. There are swastikas on mosques and hit

pieces in the press on local Muslims and those who defend their rights. The pressure of surveillance makes everything worse, accentuating suspicion across classes, religions, and races—all without doing anything to actually thwart attacks.

In consequence of all this, black, Jewish, LGBT, anarchist, progressive, and Somali groups came together with the ACLU to hold a standing-room-only session in Roxbury on surveillance, race, and policing. Meanwhile, BPD officials, including a representative from BRIC, hold meetings with local Muslim leaders at their headquarters, and wonder why attendance is below expectations.

If you’d like to join our efforts in 2016, we recommend you use Tor, Signal, and Protonmail to protect your communications, and join our listserv at d4-discusssubscribe@lists.riseup.net.

Alex Marthews is the president of Digital Fourth #BINJbrother BONUS: For months, the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism, along with many of their followers on social media, have been documenting surveillance around Greater Boston to make up for the fact that there is no master list of all camera locations. We need your help! All you have to do is snap a picture of a camera on your cell phone and post it on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #BINJbrother. If you’re a surveillance skeptic (and you probably are if you’ve read this far) and don’t want to use your GPS for location data, please just tag the city (e.g., #Boston) and building (e.g., #MGH) or intersection (e.g., #MassAve and #Boylston). Try not to mess up, you’re being watched. -Chris Faraone

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If 2014 was the year that outgoing Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick screwed cannabis patients, then 2015 was the year when his replacement, Republican Governor Charlie Baker, recognized that the state’s bungled medical marijuana program was hurting vulnerable people. Baker offered more than lip service, and took action by cutting red tape that kept dispensaries in limbo. Facilities have since opened in the cities of Salem, Northampton, and Brockton, with several others expected to follow in the first half of 2016.

To some, Baker’s actions were a big surprise coming from a governor who still opposes legalization. But maybe not all that surprising considering the sizable protests against the state, and the Department of Public Health in particular, that took place at the end of last year, as well as the continued lobbying that came from individuals, families, and organizations like the Mass Patient Advocacy Alliance. As a kicker, Baker even told the Boston Herald that he is aware of how marijuana helps some people avoid opiate prescriptions and addictions.

Then there’s Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, who also showed some promise albeit very reluctantly. During a zoning battle in June over a special permit for Patriot Care to open a dispensary on Milk Street downtown, Walsh helped broker a deal between a repugnant neighborhood opposition group and the caregivers.

Despite his reputation as the leader of the drug-free world (around here, at least), the mayor set his prejudice against pot aside as many of his constituents—the majority of whom voted for medical marijuana—called his office in support of Patriot Care. No doubt some local media coverage helped move Walsh as well, presumably including columns such as mine in which we listed his insane and inaccurate quotations on cannabis.

2015 also delivered NECANN, the first major industry convention held in the city of Boston. At the February event, legendary sportscaster Bob Lobel made an unexpected appearance and emerged from the medical marijuana closet.

That was just the beginning, as Lobel, who suffers from chronic pain, soon after appeared for an in-studio interview about his use of medical marijuana on my WEMF Radio show, “The Young Jurks,” and then posed for the cover of DigBoston and spoke with Dan McCarthy about his condition. Six months later, major media outlets including the Herald, the Boston Globe, “Chronicle,” and others “broke” the Lobel story for a second time. We’re used to being ripped off though, and in this case we are happy to shoulder the insult since Lobel has such an important message to disseminate.

As for the dueling medical marijuana initiatives … As recently as August, MassCann/NORML’s endorsement of the grassroots group Bay State Repeal (BSR) was newsworthy, along with the Globe’s surprising endorsement of that lessrestrictive course of action. In the end though, despite being the preference of much of the local marijuana reform community, BSR fell short on signatures, while the well-funded Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (CRMLA) initiative advanced to the upcoming 2016 ballot.

While 2015 wasn’t entirely bad on all fronts, far too many elected officials still continued to say truly stupid things about cannabis. My pick for the most ridiculous offense comes from Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe, who claimed that activated gummy bears are “littering the streets” in Colorado. His cautionary tale is complete nonsense, of course; nevertheless, we can expect a lot more ignorance next year, as the fight for marijuana access heats up once again, and as the pathetic few remaining prohibitionists get one last chance to mount their soapboxes before legalization reaches Mass.

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Popular culture always tells us a lot about the spirit of the time in which it was created. So when three movies get released featuring the same little-known supernatural character in the same year, it’s safe to say that something new is running through America’s collective unconsciousness.

And this holiday season, that something is stern. It’s righteous. It’s Krampus.

Yes, St. Nick’s goatlike pal himself. For the uninitiated, in parts of Europe— especially in alpine villages in Austria—Santa Claus is the jolly guy Americans are already familiar with. He gives toys and treats to all the good little girls and boys.

But when it comes to naughty kids, it’s all about Santa’s demonic companion Krampus—who hunts them down, whips them with a bundle of sticks, chains up the really bad apples, and drags them off to hell.

Unless you’re from Austria, the first time that you might have heard of Krampus was probably by watching a December 2013 “American Dad!” episode.

Still, shortly after the show aired, US awareness of the pugnacious personality seemingly returned to its usual level of zero.

This year, out of nowhere, Krampus is suddenly on America’s radar in a big way (see: “Krampus,” “KRAMPUS: The Reckoning,” and “A Christmas Horror Story”).

So I’m thinking all the sudden exposure for an archaic European folk monster could have something to do with the fact that Americans are feeling like there are a bunch of naughty people and institutions in serious need of some festive correction hereabouts.

And why not? Nationally, making a 2015 naughty list is no challenge at all.

Just look at most of the Presidential candidates.

From open fascists like Trump 2.0 to neoliberals like Clinton—all backed

by Wall Street and a bunch of supremely naughty billionaires—it’s like: naughty, naughtier, naughtiest. So Krampus should pretty much drag off the whole lot—and maybe let Sanders off with a light switching for his militarist foreign policy, and keep him here on Earth to do a better job of running the country than anyone else who conceivably has a shot at the Oval Office next year.

Here in Massachusetts, deciding who to turn in actually takes thought. So I checked with friends on social media and quickly drew up a short list of our baddest local apples. And I’m happy to pass it on to the K man right now. In hopes that he’ll appear and apply cloven hooves to backsides later this week.

For starters, anyone who had anything to do with pushing a Boston 2024 Olympics—from John Fish to Shirley Leung—is naughty. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, already naughty for his role in the Summer Games debacle, is also naughty for not acting faster to fully replace the Long Island homeless shelter and affiliated treatment centers that his administration shuttered last year in the midst of a growing homelessness crisis. And for a number of other infractions.

The Boston Police Department is naughty for engaging in racially discriminatory stop-and-frisk practices that have disproportionately targeted Black and Latino communities for years. Then trying to brush off a damning ACLU report on the matter this summer. And basically succeeding with the help of a very naughty Boston mainstream press. Who just can’t write enough glowing fluff about the BPD to satisfy their naughty (and largely white suburban) audiences.

The Democrat-dominated Mass legislature is naughty for joining Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and paving the way for privatizing the MBTA. McDonald’s, Burger King and other fast food giants are naughty for paying their Bay State workers sweatshop wages—and fighting tooth-and-nail to stop them from unionizing.

Retail outlets like Primark and Walmart are naughty on the same grounds.

Hardly an exhaustive list. Plus right-wingers won’t find much to agree with.

Because there’s good reason to think that the horned one leans left. Both the fascists who ruled Austria between 1934 and 1938, and the Nazis who followed them until 1945, banned Krampus. And they wouldn’t have done that if they thought witches and socialists and free-thinkers were first in line for some magical non-consensual bondage every winter solstice.

But hey, this is fun for the whole family! Make your own naughty list. Have a Krampus party and read it out loud. Then wait for all the sweet holiday retribution to start. And look forward to a much more compassionate (and chastened) Commonwealth in the new year.

COPYRIGHT 2015 JASON PRAMAS. LICENSED FOR USE BY THE BOSTON INSTITUTE FOR NONPROFIT JOURNALISM AND MEDIA OUTLETS IN ITS NETWORK.

BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS

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MERRY GENTLEMEN FICTION

BY JACQUELINE DOYLE

THEY RAN INTO LINDSAY and Adam at the mall, all of them laden with bags of Christmas gifts. Johanna was the first to see them—Lindsay tall and angular, elegant in an offwhite cashmere jacket, Adam in a dark Italian turtleneck and sport coat. She was tired, and felt underdressed in her jeans and parka. She tried to pull John into the nearest store, but Adam and Lindsay had spotted them.

After joyful exclamations—”Hey, what a surprise!” “Long time no see!” “’Tis the season, right?”—they decided to go somewhere for a drink. Johanna was uncomfortable (“Now? In the mall?”), but swept along by the high spirits of the others. Overhead, giant snowflakes and red and green Christmas balls glittered in the stark fluorescent lights. A muzak version of “God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay” blared over the loudspeakers.

“We are just done in,” Lindsay told them. They’d agreed. The holiday sales, the damn Christmas carols, the long lines at the registers. “Can you believe Macy’s this year?” They were all just done in. A quick drink would be just the thing.

Applebee’s was crowded and noisy, but then all the restaurants were crowded and noisy. It seemed to Johanna to be filled with twenty-somethings. They were 10

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out of place, she and John in their late thirties, Adam and Lindsay in their late forties. But the other three didn’t appear to notice. They slid into a booth, arranging piles of bags, with many jokes about who was not to look into what bag. They talked about the thefts in the mall parking lots they’d been reading about in the local newspaper. There were jokes about the time Johanna lost her car, and the time Lindsay thought she was going to get mugged but wasn’t. “I think it was just some suburban dad, but he was wearing a black hoodie with the hood up, for God’s sake.”

They ordered four dirty martinis and toasted their friendship. They weren’t really friends, Johanna thought.

They just went to the same parties a few times a year, knew some of the same people. Adam and Lindsay had moved out of their comfortable neighborhood into a wealthier one some five years ago. It was the kind of gated community that she and John might move into after their next promotions, or maybe not, since they’d be saving for the kids’ colleges. Adam and Lindsay didn’t have kids. He traveled abroad frequently as a consultant.

Lindsay had a high-powered job in publishing in the city.

Both had been married before. Sometimes Johanna felt

worn out by her kids and her job at the bank, but the au pair did a lot of the work. Drove them to soccer and dance lessons and sleepovers and cooked for them. “We should get home soon,” she said to John. “The kids will want us to tuck them in at least.”

But when they finished their first drinks, Adam ordered another round. It had been so long since they’d been together like this, just the four of them. Was it John who said that? Or Lindsay? It was hard to hear over the hubbub in the restaurant, and Johanna was beginning to relax into the warmth and pleasant blur of the gin. They were on their third drinks when Lindsay leaned forward and said, “It’s just like the Carver story ‘What We Talk About When We Talk About Love.’” She gave Johanna a conspiratorial sideways glance that said, you know what I mean, you were an English major too, then added for Adam and John’s benefit. “You know, the Carver story in that movie ‘Birdman.’”

But they weren’t talking about love, Johanna thought.

They were talking about everything but that. She’d been trying not to make eye contact with Adam but the booth was uncomfortably intimate. She felt a tingle when her knee brushed his and pulled it away.

No, Johanna thought, it was more like Fitzgerald than Carver. The long afternoon of drinking in Gatsby, the scene at the hotel on the very hot day when Tom and Gatsby and Daisy and Jordan and Nick drank gin, and Tom confronted Gatsby about the affair, and Daisy couldn’t say she’d never loved Tom, and Daisy ended up in a drunken hit and run. Nobody knew about Johanna’s affair with

Adam. It was over now, had been over for a while. Still, it felt like they were headed for a hit and run, only she didn’t know when it would happen, or who the driver would be, or the victim.

She felt Adam’s knee against hers again. He gave her an amused look when she shifted away and crossed her legs.

Johanna had engaged in several infidelities, and John had suspected at least one of them, with a branch manager at her bank who’d been transferred somewhere else. She didn’t think John had ever cheated on her. Really, he was a good husband and father. Just sort of dull.

He’d graduated near the top of his MBA class, worked hard. He talked a lot about investments and the stock market. Not the kind of guy she’d dated in college, when she’d been drawn to more dangerous types. Frat boys dealing cocaine, party ‘til you drop guys, once in a while a leather-jacketed townie with a stash of drugs. After college, when she was ready to settle down and have kids, John had seemed perfect. He was. And so good looking.

She squeezed John’s arm. Lindsay turned to Adam with a smile, like, aren’t they the cutest couple? Adam didn’t smile back.

Johanna figured that Adam was still having affairs.

He was the type. That had been part of his allure. He was experienced, he’d made it easy—hotel reservations in advance, room service champagne, no emotional demands. He made her feel attractive and special while hinting that he’d had a lot of women. She kept her eyes on her drink, afraid Lindsay would notice something.

She didn’t know, did she? Lindsay was so fashionable, so

together. A bit cold. Once Johanna might have enjoyed the hidden sexual tension. She’d slept with her roommate’s fiancé a few times. She’d slept with a lot of guys. But she was a wife, a mother now. She didn’t feel bad about her infidelities, exactly. They weren’t love affairs, just pleasurable distractions. A habit. But she didn’t feel good about them either.

“Bottoms up. Johanna’s wanting to get back to the kiddies,” Adam said, raising his martini glass to her.

Johanna blanched. “Bottoms up” had been part of Adam’s private sex talk. Along with stupid nicknames like “little pussy,” an aspect of his lovemaking that she hadn’t particularly enjoyed. Adam was a competitive asshole.

He hadn’t wanted to hear about John when she tried to explain that she loved her husband—dismissed John, and her marriage, as insignificant.

Johanna swayed and braced herself on the edge of the table as she stood up. Three martinis after all that Christmas shopping had been a bad idea. They should have gone home instead. She pictured the children in their pajamas, rosy and damp from their baths. They’d be in bed now. She turned away from Adam’s lazy stare, struggling into her jacket as she and John sorted through the Christmas bags, separating theirs from Lindsay and Adam’s. “Looks like we shop at the same places,” Lindsay said brightly, and Johanna wondered again what she knew, and whether it mattered to her. Johanna had a lot more to lose. She’d always had a lot more to lose than Adam did. But when he called tomorrow, she’d probably say yes.

NEWS TO US

As they exited Applebee’s into the brightly lit mall entryway, John said, “We’ll have to hide the bags in the trunk so the kids don’t see them.” An instrumental version of “Jingle Bells” played over the loudspeakers. The stores were still crowded.

“We need wrapping paper and bows,” she said.

“Maybe I’ll get out tomorrow to pick some up.”

He held the glass doors open for her.

It had gotten dark outside while they were drinking in the dim artificial light of Applebee’s, and the cold air and sudden silence hit Johanna with a shock. The brief glow from the drinks had passed anyway. Once she’d believed she was adventurous, living life to the hilt, but now it all seemed sad and pointless. The party was over. She kept her eyes focused on John’s dark shape ahead of her. She couldn’t remember where the car was, but he knew. The bags of Christmas presents were heavy, and she hoped it wouldn’t be a long walk.

Jacqueline Doyle used to write scholarly articles about literature, until she started writing literature herself. Her short prose has appeared in PANK, The Rumpus, Tampa Review Online, Monkeybicycle, and other fine publications.

You can find more of her writing at www.facebook.com/ authorjacquelinedoyle.

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W/ KIELBASA OLDEMAGOUNSSALOON.COM 518 MEDFORD ST. SOMERVILLE 617-776-2600 12

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Overall, 2015 was a pretty good year for the Boston restaurant scene, as a lot more dining spots opened than closed even after dire predictions of calamity following the horrible winter that we had. There were, however, some huge closings that did take place, including a few high-end restaurants along with cozy neighborhood pubs and more (and the “more” includes an entire food court).

Some of the biggest names are included below:

at

May The Four Courses Be With You Seating begins at 5pm $50 per person Reservations available at:

www.MilkyWayJP.com 284 Amory Street Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 617-524-6060 X12 www.MilkyWayJP.com

SANDRINE’S BISTRO, Cambridge

This beloved French restaurant in Harvard Square shut down in March after declaring bankruptcy a few months earlier; the Holyoke Street space will not remain empty much longer, however, as Classic Restaurant Concepts (which operates the Asgard and the Kinsale) plans to open a new restaurant tentatively called En Boca there early next year.

VIA MATTA, Boston A favorite among such celebrities as Jimmy Fallon, Billy Joel, and Mick Jagger for more than a decade, this upscale Italian restaurant at Park Plaza closed in late May, with owner Michael Schlow subsequently opening a new Greek dining spot called Doretta Taverna and Raw Bar within the space.

in September to make way for development, making this the second time that this has happened (the bar was also forced out of its original home on Province Street in 2006). It is not known if the Littlest Bar—which has been around since 1946—will seek to reopen again in a new spot this time around.

THE BEACHCOMBER, Quincy

This has been a tough stretch for music clubs, with T.T. the Bear’s, Church, and Copperfield’s all closing this year and Johnny D’s soon joining them, and the closing of this popular club by Wollaston Beach in September particularly stung, as it had been in business since the 1950s and may be torn down so a high-end restaurant can take its place.

While not technically “a” restaurant, this sprawling area within the Pru was a frequent stop for those who wanted quick, cheap food, and the food court did see its share of above-average over the years, including a location of the wonderful Chacarero. The entire food court closed in June to make way for Eataly, a massive Italian emporium from Mario Batali.

A4, Somerville Considered by some to be the best pizzeria in the Boston area, this sister spot to Area Four in Cambridge permanently shut down in November, three months after it had to vacate its Somerville Avenue space because of an electrical issue in the building.

All is not lost, however, as there is talk that A4 could open elsewhere in the area, and another location at the Troy Boston apartment building in Boston’s South End is in the works.

HUNGRY MOTHER, Cambridge

CLIO, Quincy

JAMES’S GATE, Jamaica Plain

MEDIEVAL MANOR, Boston

PRUDENTIAL CENTER FOOD COURT, Boston

Easily one of the most stunning closings of 2015, owner Barry Maiden sent shock waves through the region when he announced that this awardwinning Kendall Square restaurant would be closing in July. Maiden has since departed both the now-closed Hungry Mother and the nearby bar State Park, but his team hopes to open a new concept in the Hungry Mother space this spring.

A much-loved Irish pub with a crackling fireplace and one of the best pours of Guinness in the city, James’s Gate abruptly closed in early September with no reason given, and while rumors have been floating around about a possible reopening of the McBride Street watering hole, it remains dark and locked up to this day.

THE LITTLEST BAR, Boston

A particularly sad closing for many, this old-school drinking spot had to leave its Broad Street space

One of Boston’s best-known restaurants is getting ready to close at the end of the year, with owner Ken Oringer deciding to expand Uni (which also resides in the Eliot Hotel in the Back Bay) into the space early next year. Clio has been known as a destination spot since opening in the late 1990s, featuring a mix of French and New American dishes in an elegant environment..

Part Middle Ages-themed musical comedy club and part eating/drinking spot, this combination theater/ restaurant in the South End has been entertaining guests for more than 40 years, and now it is getting ready to close forever with a big farewell event on New Year’s Eve. There is talk that a similar type of theater place could be moving into the E Berkeley Street space, though nothing has been confirmed as of yet.

PARKWAY CYCLE 865 Revere Beach Pkwy, Everett, MA 02149 www.parkwaycycle.com

Stop waiting in line for brunch Brunch served Saturday and Sunday 11 : 0 0 AM - 3 : 0 0 PM 9 2 H A MP S HIR E S T, CA MB R ID G E, M A | 6 1 7-2 5 0 - 8 4 5 4 | L O R D H O B O.C O M

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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

13

ARTS ENTERTAINMENT

14

WED 12.23

THU 12.24

SAT 12.26

SUN 12.27

MON 12.28

TUE 12.29

Public Open Night @ the BU Astronomical Observatory

Glow Yoga at Pop Allston

City Wine Tours

Surrealist Dinner Party

Trading Places at Brass Union

NRBQ!

The night sky is a truly wondrous beast. It’s home to countless stars, asteroids, and alien life forms waiting patiently to wage war on mankind. Tonight, you’ve been given the opportunity to observe the neverending abyss at the BU Astronomical Observatory.

The naked eye can only see so far, so you’ll be equipped with telescopes and binoculars to aid you on your ocular journey through the heavens. The sky’s the limit when you’ve got visual aids.

Yoga: the ancient Indian practice of discipline where mind, body, and soul become one. And neon body paint, according to Pop Allston. This Thursday, the black light gets turned on for some groovy yoga fun. It doesn’t matter if you’re an experienced yogi or someone who’s currently looking up the word yogi on Google; the black light shall bring serenity and pleasure to all those who choose to yoga among it. Also, there will be glow sticks.

There are few better ways to come down from the Christmas high than with a two-hour wine tour.

Each tour limits itself to 12 people to create a more personal and lax environment to drink your worries away in. The tour consists of three restaurant visits in which you’ll get the chance to sample six different kinds of wines, eat to your heart’s content, and get a little cardio done.

The price is a bit on the higher end, but can you really put a price on wine?

The 1970s called, and they want you at Out of the Blue gallery this Sunday.

At an event described as Daliesque, you can definitely expect a dreamlike atmosphere throughout the evening. Local artist Jenny French will be there displaying her fine art prints in the gallery, along with some secret guests of honor. Make sure you bring some holiday leftovers as well, if you’re willing to part with any of them. When you feed the masses, the masses will feed you.

Coit Observatory at Boston University. 725 Comm. Ave., Boston. 8:309:30pm/all ages/FREE. thebostoncalendar.com/ events/public-open-nightthe-bu-astronomicalobservatory--110

Pop Allston. 89 Brighton Ave., Allston. 8-10pm/ all ages/$5 Donation. yogahubboston.com

Aragosta at the Fairmont Battery Wharf Hotel. 3 Battery Wharf, Boston. 3-5pm/21+/$70. citywinetours.com/start.php

Out of the Blue Too Art Gallery & More. 541 Mass. Ave., Cambridge.

8-Midnight/18+/$5 Donation. facebook.com/ events/485099861669929

Starring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy in a decade when they were still relevant, Trading Places looks to examine the issue of nature vs nurture. Eddie Murphy is a homeless man elevated to business man, and Aykroyd is a managing director who gets his life slowly ruined to the point where he has to live with a prostitute. It’s a fun, slapstick adventure for the first half and a surprisingly well-thought-out and engaging revenge story for the second half. If anything, it’s worth watching for the reminder that insider trading was once a not super-illegal thing.

With the year coming to an end, there’s really only one thing you can do to make sure it ends on a high note: see NRBQ live.

With a sound that can really only be described as a hodgepodge of pop, jazz, rock, and blues, NRBQ is always an experience to listen to. Dance to your heart’s content or clap along to that one song that you initially thought you recognized but halfway through you realized you didn’t, so you stopped clapping and awkwardly crossed your arms instead.

It’s the end of the year, baby, live it up.

Brass Union. 70 Union Sq., Somerville. 8-10:30pm/21+/ FREE. brassunion.com

Johnny D’s. 17 Holland St., Somerville. 10pm1am/21+/$20. johnnyds. tunestub.com/event. cfm?id=224353&cart

12.23.15 - 12.30.15

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PARAMOUNT PICTURES

WE PROMISE THE FOOD AT BRASS UNION IS MUCH BETTER THAN BEARD SALMON ON THE BUS.

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15

MUSIC

BEST LOCAL ALBUMS OF 2015 Say hello to the musical magic and madness in our own backyard

BY NINA CORCORAN @NINA_CORCORAN

It’s been a hell of a year for music. While the big names came out swinging hard (Sleater-Kinney, Sufjan Stevens, and Joanna Newsom all in one year?

Crazy.), it’s the underdogs that have stolen our hearts. Specifically, Massachusetts has us swooning hard. From Speedy Ortiz to Cousin Stizz, our city has churned out some of the best albums of the year, so many that picking the standouts saw us biting our nails from nerves. Below, we select some highlights from a truly impressive turnout.

ANJIMILE HUMAN NATURE

On her debut studio album, Anjimile ventures into a colorful world of subdued indie pop and jaunty rock songs that feed the mind and the soul. Put simply, it’s the only collection of songs about the afterlife that gives you life.

COUSIN STIZZ SUFFOLK COUNTY

GRACIE GRACIE

In the wake of Fat Creeps, Gracie Jackson began working on her solo debut. The self-titled work boasts brooding, lethargic, smoky alt-rock somewhere between the hopeful sighs of Karen O and the troubled thoughts of Elliott Smith, most recognizable through her off-kilter guitar.

Forget about filler. Rapper Cousin Stizz stuffs his free 13-track mixtape full of wordy rhymes and catchy hooks. He’s seen his fame rise steadily off the heat of “Shoutout” and “No Bells,” but Suffolk County stays high with hits like “No Explanation” and “Talk” where minimalist melodies linger.

GUERILLA TOSS FLOOD DOSED

DEFEATER ABANDONED

HAYLEY THOMPSON-KING ALL THE BOYS LOVE YOU

The hardcore giants in Defeater never slow their roll, even when going through their own messy lives. Give “Spared In Hell” or “Penance” a spin.

Recorded over the course of five months, Abandoned sees Defeater tread through some of its murkiest, harshest, and most angled material yet without getting lost in the process.

ELDER LORE

Elder is just shy of celebrating its 10th year as a band. The psychedelic stoner-doom trio releases albums somewhat sparingly, so it’s with great joy that this year saw a full-length hit the web—and its melodies truly ache at their core.

Dance-punk act Guerilla Toss once again ups the ante on this year’s Flood Dosed. The funk groove in “Polly’s Crystal” sounds joyful compared to the vicious stabs of “Realistic Rabbit,” proving “Do they even know how to play their instruments?” haters wrong.

MICHAEL CHRISTMAS WHAT A WEIRD DAY

POTTY MOUTH POTTY MOUTH EP

Michael Christmas isn’t messing around. The local rapper (who just turned 21) dropped out of high school to focus on his lines, but it paid off in gigs opening up for the likes of Chance the Rapper and Mac Miller. Here, over the course of 18 tracks, Christmas solidifies his place in our ever-growing rap scene.

MINI DRESSES FOUR

With a few chords and lackadaisical basslines, the duo crafts songs like “Bracelets” and “Are You Real” where unassuming harmonies sound like they could have come from forgotten Warpaint demos. It’s bedroom pop for those trying to explore the world outside their bedroom.

PALEHOUND DRY FOOD

With a new producer and line-up change, Potty Mouth is back with its best work yet. Say hello to a new dose of ’90s altrock in the vein of Veruca Salt, the Breeders, and That Dog. Don’t be surprised if you start singing “Cherry Picking” immediately after you finish listening.

SPOOK THE HERD SPOOK THE HERD / HELLRAZOR SPLIT

Spook the Herd churns out songs so well produced it’s hard to imagine the members aren’t machines. Even on its split with Connecticut punk trio Hellrazor, the alt-rock quartet keeps individual notes tidy while still building a thick, fat tone that gives the music its grunge similarities.

ST. NOTHING CHERRY TREE EP

Here, local singersongwriter Hayley Thompson-King takes a step away from her work in psych rock act Major Stars and garage trio Banditas to slow dance through six Americana tracks. Her best comes out when she delves into the blues, drawing similarities to early Angel Olsen on “Drink Her Away” and “Dopesick.”

Right from opener “Molly,” Dry Food proves it’s stuffed with talent.

The song provokes St. Vincent and the Breeders comparisons, but later numbers like “Cinnamon” recall Pavement, and “Dixie” waves to Elliott Smith. This is the best debut full-length of the year, hands down.

By now, St. Nothing has begun to gain a devoted following in Boston. The electro-pop trio sounds remarkably more poised on this year’s Cherry Tree EP, diverting away from M83 similarities by bringing violin to the forefront instead of overlapped synth melodies.

HORSE JUMPER OF LOVE MAKE-OUT VERSION

PILE YOU’RE BETTER THAN THIS

The members of Pile are too modest to admit their own skills at rock crescendos and gutbusting energy, but the considerably large group of locals who holds them up as the definitive band of our city will. From the intricate folk fingerpicking on “Fuck the Police” to the tempo change mid-song on “Touched By Comfort,” You’re Better Than This will bring out your inner air guitarist.

TIGERMAN WOAH! UP SOUTH VOL. III

This year’s Make-Out Version sees Horse Jumper of Love take a break from shoegaze—and that’s what makes it such a treat.

Songs like “Bagel Breath” and “Recoveries” give the same emotional hug the band’s live sets do without all the amps, letting the lyrics stand, shaking ever so nervously, in the spotlight.

There’s Southern charm deep within Tigerman WOAH!, and it’s not just because the member’s beards collect tumbleweeds and biscuit crumbs. The folk-stomp rumble of the four-piece’s music comes even closer to capturing its live energy on Up South Vol. III. Here, the upright bass plunges to new depths to keep us dancing even in the coldest of nor’easters.

A previous selection of local albums was included in an earlier December issue. Head to digboston.com to see the full list of Top Local Albums of 2015.

MUSIC EVENTS WED 12.23

I’LL BE EMOTIONAL FOR THE HOLIDAYS STEEP LEANS + HORSE JUMPER OF LOVE + SOMETHING SNEAKY + EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE [The Middle East Upstairs, 472 Mass. Ave., Cambridge. 8pm/18+/$10. mideastoffers.com] 16

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SAT 12.26

SAT 12.26

SUN 12.27

[Paradise Rock Club, 967 Comm. Ave., Boston. 8pm/18+/$15. crossroadspresents.com]

[The Middle East Upstairs, 472 Mass. Ave., Cambridge.

6pm/all ages/$10. mideastoffers.com]

[Great Scott, 1222 Comm. Ave., Allston. 9pm/18+/$10. greatscottboston.com]

TALKING HEADS TRIBUTE START MAKING SENSE + HMFO

DIGBOSTON.COM

HO HO HIP-HOP TJ HICKEY + JACK FISKIO + THE DROPOUTS

METAL MADNESS ACARO + CARNIVORA + PATHOGENIC

SUN 12.27

TRIBUTE TO SUBLIME BADFISH + THE FRANKLIN UNDERGROUND

[Paradise Rock Club, 967 Comm. Ave., Boston. 7pm/18+/$20. crossroadspresents.com]

MON 12.28

REVENGE OF THE SKA KIDS THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES + THE OUTLETS + STRANGLEHOLD

[House of Blues, 15 Lansdowne St., Boston.

7pm/all ages/$25. houseofblues.com]

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© 2016 Goose Island Beer Co., Goose IPA®, India Pale Ale, Chicago, IL, Baldwinsville, NY, & Fort Collins, CO | Enjoy responsibly.

T:9.5 in

17

FILM

THE 2015 TOP TEN AMERICAN FILMS These are the movies I’m living with in case you stop by

BY JAKE MULLIGAN @_JAKEMULLIGAN

As we explained in our “Honorable Mentions” column last week, the only thing we’re capable of ranking is the amount of time we spent thinking about specific movies. So in lieu of searching for the “best” and the “most,” here are the 10 American movies from this year that we’d be most likely to show you if you happened to end up in our apartment with nothing else to do. These are the movies that we’re living with. We hope you’d like to meet them.

10. MAGIC MIKE XXL directed by Gregory Jacobs

The set-up is straight outta Spice World: Five of the first Magic Mike’s dancers are rounded up for a cross-country road trip, with the big climax being nothing more than a performance. There’s a male stripper convention in Myrtle Beach, and clothes-shedding stops to make along the way (a drag club, a members-only establishment catering to AfricanAmerican patrons, a Southern mansion lined with belles). Each of them allows for a show of its own, with the appropriate lights and moves. Maybe it’s not Spice World so much as it’s an MGM musical— as far as frivolity goes, this is top hat.

9. RICKI AND THE FLASH directed by Jonathan Demme

Meryl Streep’s eponymous would-be arena rocker—she covers Tom Petty for regulars at a San Fernando dive—gets called home to provide emotional support for the millennial daughter she left behind. So the script is mining laughs from the faux pas traded between 20-somethings who care about going green and a child of the ’60s who’d rather be smoking it. It’s director Jonathan Demme, so adept with building character, who makes this into more than Freaky Friday: He hangs on to each scene for moments longer than necessary, and finds explanations for even the most unreasonable plot machinations. He cares, and it plays.

8. RESULTS directed by Andrew Bujalski

An Austin gym serves as the setting for an anxiety-laden love triangle among a slob (Kevin Corrigan, as a newly wealthy divorcee), an idiot (Guy Pearce, as the gym’s puppyish owner), and an asshole 18

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(Cobie Smulders, as Pearce’s leastmanageable employee). Bujalski’s camera keeps its distance from the trio, acting as needlessly guarded as they all do. As they get comfortable with each other, it gets comfortable with them. By the time it arrives at its destination, the proximity is the pathos: Results is the sole movie from 2015 that reminds us that a close-up can be like falling in love.

7. STRAY DOG directed by Debra Granik

Ron Hall is a Vietnam veteran, a dedicated biker, and a self-described “warrior”—and if you need proof, he’s got receipts for five figures’ worth of assault charges that he can show you. That looks like a narrative setup. It’s actually just a deceptive surface.

Granik’s nonfiction profile of Mr. Hall chases him down each of life’s rabbit holes, eventually branching out to profile his immigrant wife and her two sons in comparable depth. What starts as a oneman show takes on the shape of an epic novel. By the time you reach the bottom, the surface is long forgotten.

6. THE MEND directed by John Magary

Every moment of this family-first melodrama—two newly single brothers find themselves stuck in the same beerstained apartment—suggests the sure hand of director John Magary. It’s only more impressive, then, that this is his debut movie. He wrestles the perspective away from his over-passionate cast (no easy task) and thus forces us to process each moment as an increasingly concerned observer.

He’s taken us to the zoo, and masculinity has escaped from its cage. And wherever Magary goes next, we’ll be following.

5. CHI-RAQ directed by Spike Lee

Anyone who’s seen an Air Jordan ad knows that Spike Lee wears many hats. In Chi-raq, he’s got his carnival-barker cap back on.

Lee stages this modern-day adaptation of Lysistrata as a three-ring affair: song-and-

obscured by uncaring commuters or by ads for Dunkin’ Donuts and Duane Reed.

Corporations mark the territory, the poor scurry through gathering scraps—and the working class walks by, or watches along with us, counting themselves lucky. dance sequences to the left (Nick Cannon stars as a quick-to-shoot rapper who leads a Chicago gang), bad-taste satire to the right (the source text considers women attempting to curb statewide violence with a sex strike), and Samuel L Jackson as a one-man Greek chorus in the center. The tone is urgent, often earnest, and always focused. And yet the stage never stops expanding.

4. IN JACKSON HEIGHTS directed by Frederick Wiseman

It’s a common misconception that the films of Frederick Wiseman—who embeds himself into locations and organizations, then makes anthropologically minded nonfiction films out of the resulting footage—all share the same structure or framework. In truth, he finds a specific shape to suit each shoot. And for this document of the nation’s most diverse neighborhood, he organizes footage in a way that suggests a weekend pilgrimage: There’s day (community organizers meeting with business owners), then night (football matches to watch and clubs to dance at), then day again (kids on the playground, adults back at work).

Wiseman turns a three-hour movie into three days of experience, and it leaves you with something you’ll think about for weeks, or months, or years.

3. HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT directed by Ben and Josh Safdie

Harley, a New Yorker, is an addict.

The two directors Safdie observe her whole routine—reselling stolen goods, negotiating for couch space, begging for a fronted bag—and they do so from the outside looking in. Shots are composed from across the street or from outside glass windows. And the views are

2. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD directed by George Miller

Max is almost mute. Car chases fill the entire running time. Backstories are illustrated using only the scars and wounds on character’s bodies. Fury Road speaks to us visually—it’d work entirely without sound. There’s only one verbal motif: “Who killed the world?” shouted by the film’s six heroines toward the patriarchal figures who scorched their planet. Scoff at the inclusion of progressive politics in a film this unashamedly violent, but everything eventually clicks together. We see a world in need of tearing down. Fury Road finds great cinematic beauty doing exactly that.

This is a monsterpiece.

1. BRIDGE OF SPIES directed by Steven Spielberg

After a relatively quiet release in October, Bridge of Spies has hung in the background of both our multiplexes and our collective consciousness, refusing any attempts at digestion. This latest Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks collaboration— the actor plays a historical figure who brokered prisoner exchange negotiations between the US and the USSR during the depths of the Cold War—is another tale about one of our nation’s better angels.

But the effect isn’t aspiration so much as interrogation. Using a narrative defined by contradictions and a palette defined by shadows, Spielberg wonders what the American character owes to both its subscribers and its enemies. Unless someone finds an answer for that anytime soon, we’ll be thinking about Bridge of Spies long past 2015.

“VERY

VERY FUNNY. With a wicked rat-a-tat energy.”

THE BEST FILM OF THE YEAR IS NOW

THE MOST NOMINATED FILM OF THE YEAR! GOLDEN

G L O B E® A W A R D

NOM I NATIONS

BEST PICTURE BEST DIRECTOR TODD HAYNES

BEST ACTRESS

BEST ACTRESS

CATE BLANCHETT

ROONEY MARA

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE CARTER BURWELL

CR IT ICS’ CHOICE W INNER AWARD NOMINATIONS BEST PICTURE BEST PICTURE NEW YORK FILM CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS

SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARD NOMINATIONS

®

BEST BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS ACTRESS

INCLUDING

INCLUDING

ROONEY MARA

CATE BLANCHETT

, STEPHEN HOLDEN

THE BEST FILM OF THE YEAR!

“

”

, REX REED

★★★★

“

A TRIUMPH! FLAWLESSLY ACTED, SENSITIVELY WRITTEN AND

DIRECTED, AND DEEPLY, INTENSELY IMPORTANT.” , PETER TR AVERS

★★★★

“

ONE OF THE YEAR’S VERY BEST FILMS . ” I WANTED TO CHEER!

STARTS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23 IN THEATRES EVERYWHERE CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATRES AND SHOWTIMES / NO PASSES ACCEPTED

ATTENTION AMPAS AND GUILD MEMBERS: Your card and picture ID will admit you to any performance as follows (subject to seating availability): NATIONAL AMUSEMENTS will admit guild member only: AMPAS, DGA and WGA (Valid 7 days a week). Please check newspaper for theatre locations & showtimes. Theatre list subject to change.

SELECT ENGAGEMENTS START CHRISTMAS DAY CHECK DIRECTORIES FOR SHOWTIMES • NO PASSES ACCEPTED

GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD NOMINATIONS BEST SCREENPLAY BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS BEST ORIGINAL SCORE QUENTIN TARANTINO

DIGBOSTON

ALL.BGS.1223.BWD

SUPERHONEY (REUNION) BARRY CRIMMINS NRBQ

ENNIO MORRICONE

WED 12/23

ONE OF THE BEST FILMS OF THE YEAR!”

“

WED 12/23 2 COL. (4.62") X 6" Sat 12/26 7PM - (Funk)

JENNIFER JASON LEIGH

DIGBOSTON - 4-COLOR

2 COL. (4.62") X 6"

MR

ALL.CRL.1223.BWD #5 NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW

MR

ONE OF THE BEST FILMS OF THE YEAR

#3

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY QUENTIN TARANTINO

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS JENNIFER JASON LEIGH

Tues 12/29 8PM - (Political Satirist)

Tues 12/29 10PM - (Rock)

Wed 12/30 8PM - (Rock)

Pre New Year’s Eve Bash TONI LYNN WASHINGTON Thur 12/31 10PM

BOOTY VORTEX NEW YEAR’S BASH

THE 8TH FILM BY

Sat 12/26 7PM

SUPERHONEY

QUENTIN TARANTINO

(REUNION) (Funk)

Tues 12/29 8PM

BARRY CRIMMINS Wed 1/20 8PM

GLEN DAVID ANDREWS + NEW ORLEANS SUSPECTS + BEN KNIGHT

SAMUEL L.

KURT

JENNIFER

WALTON

DEMIAN

TIM

MICHAEL

JACKSON RUSSELL JASON LEIGH GOGGINS BICHIR ROTH MADSEN

BRUCE

AND

DERN

(Funk/New Orleans)

17 Holland St., Davis Sq. Somerville (617) 776-2004 Directly on T Red Line at Davis

17 Holland St., Davis Sq. Somerville (617) 776-2004 Directly on T Red Line at Davis

BOSTON AMC Loews BROOKLINE SOMERVILLE IN SELECT THEATERS Boston Common 19 Coolidge Corner FEI Somerville Theatre CHRISTMAS DAY. (617) 734-2500 (617) 625-5700 EVERYWHERE DECEMBER 31. amctheatres.com

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ARTS

TOP TEN ARTS The 10 Best Performances of 2015

BY CHRISTOPHER EHLERS @_CHRISEHLERS

There was a lot of remarkable theater this year in Boston, and with it a slew of performances that challenged me, haunted me, and charmed me. Here is my list of the 10 best performances in Boston this year. Bravo!

SAT 12/26

GRIMIS & HELLO ECHO 8TH ANNUAL POST XMAS PARTY

SUN 12/27 - SOUND SHUTTLE PRES.

NICK CINCOTTA + BEN MADER

TUES 12/29 - KEYNOTE & JZAC PRES.

JZAC

THU 12/31

JUSTIN VS. BRITNEY NYE DANCE PARTY

FRI 12/1 - SERAPHIM PRESENTS

LOVEWHIP SAT 1/2

A FATHOM FAREWELL

FATES LAST FIGHT, BRAND NEW DAY SAT 12/26 - LEEDZ PRESENTS

TJ HICKEY JACK FISKIO SAT 12/29

SOULELUJAH! THU 12/31

A “HEROES” NYE WITH

DJ CHRIS EWEN

SAT 1/2 - LEEDZ PRESENTS

JUST JUICE

SUN 1/3 - KEYNOTE PRESENTS

I SET MY FRIENDS ON FIRE WHETHER MON 1/4

SPORTS BENT SHAPES

20

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When I closed my eyes, I swore I was listening to Judy Garland. In a performance of bewitching finesse and contagious passion, Mac is a sensation. With an oft-changing show that performs nearly every Saturday, it’s time to make Judy Garland part of your New Year’s resolution.

9. NAEL NACER, A NUMBER AT THE NEW REPERTORY THEATRE

In a performance of startling precision, Nacer played three different roles, all the victims of a cloning experiment gone wrong. His physical, verbal, and emotional transformation between the three roles was awe-inspiring.

8. GIDEON BAUTISTA, EDITH CAN SHOOT THINGS AND HIT THEM AT COMPANY ONE

There’s something about seeing a young actor give a performance of unfathomable depth that sticks with you. Bautista played Kenny, 16 going on 30, who had to man up before his time in order to take care of himself and his younger sister, Edith. I can’t wait to see what he does next.

7. STEPHANIE RECIO, DRY LAND AT COMPANY ONE

Her performance as Amy, a troubled, pregnant high schooler who takes her “problem” into her own hands, was as riveting as it was hard to watch.

She dug deep for moments of suffocating despair and then had you laughing seconds later. This was what you call a tour de force.

6. CLOTEAL L. HORNE, SATURDAY NIGHT/SUNDAY MORNING AT THE LYRIC STAGE

As the promiscuous firecracker Mabel, Horne’s performance was a revelation. To witness Horne’s transition from a thick-skinned, hilarious pain in the ass to a devastated, unexpected widow was a profound gift.

5. MARCIA DEBONIS, VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE AT THE HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY

One of the best comedic performances I’ve ever seen onstage, anywhere. She infused irresistible wit and affection into Sonia, an unpredictably depressed woman-child living with her brother in her parents’ house in Bucks County, PA. Her scene as the Evil Queen from Snow White as played

by Maggie Smith on the way to the Oscars had me laughing until I cried.

2. THE CAST OF A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC AT THE HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY

How rare it is that an entire company should be so perfect. Haydn Gwynne’s Send in the Clowns was heart-stopping; Lauren Molina nearly stole the show as Charlotte; Bobbie Steinbach’s Madame Armfeldt trumped that of even Angela Lansbury.

Space prevents me from gushing about the whole cast, but all were impeccable.

1. ADRIANNE KRSTANSKY, COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA AT THE HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY

4. ALEX MOLINA, COLOSSAL AT COMPANY ONE

As a gay college football player whose in-game attempt to protect the teammate that he loved resulted in him being paralyzed for life, Molina gave a performance that was raw and devastating and perfect. Someone please revive A Streetcar Named Desire for him.

3. THE CAST OF NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 AT THE AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER

This committed group of miracle makers is as good as it gets: intoxicating, sexy, and tireless.

To borrow from Cabaret, even the orchestra is beautiful. The show will open on Broadway next fall, and the whole cast deserves to transfer. (Unfortunately for the stellar Scott Stangland, he’s already been replaced by Josh Groban.)

Her performance of Lola was ruthlessly heartbreaking and completely unforgettable. As a tired but devoted housewife married to a recovering alcoholic, Krstansky was a chilling and sorrowful wonder to behold as she tried to reconcile the hopeful young thing she once was with the shell of a woman she’s become.

PHOTOS: 10. COURTESY PETER MAC, 9. ANDREW BRILLIANT, 8. PAUL FOX, 7. PAUL FOX, 6. COURTESY THE LYRIC STAGE, 5. JIM COX, 4. LIZA VOLL, 3. GRETJEN HELENE PHOTOGRAPHY, 2. T. CHARLES ERICKSON, 1. T. CHARLES ERICKSON

10. PETER MAC AS JUDY GARLAND AT CLUB CAFÉ

SAT Dec.26 9:30PM

LOUD MINDS

PARTY Host: Michael Christmas, Lil Reef & J The DJ HIP HOP, TRAP, & PARTY JAMS

STAR THU Dec.31 12AM

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Knife, Reel Drama, Texas Mike and Jay Medina and pre-sales at goodlifebar.com HIP HOP, TOP 40, TRAP, EDM, STAR WARS ORIGINALS AND REMIXES

deals

SAT Jan.2 9:30PM

FLIGHT 617 Frank White, Evaredy, MFD, Cyb3punk, Flavor Profile HIP HOP, REGGAE, PARTY JAMS, UK BASS, GARAGE, HOUSE, DEEP ELECTRO

GIVE YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY GIFT CARDS TO THE BEST RESTAURANTS, BARS, SHOPS, & SERVICES IN TOWN

CYCLE FRI Jan.8 9:30PM

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GO TO DIGBOSTON.COM/DEALS TO SEE OUR COMPLETE INVENTORY! NEWS TO US

FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

21

SAVAGE LOVE

LONG DISTANCE RUNAROUND

WHAT'S FOR BREAKFAST

BY PATT KELLEY WHATS4BREAKFAST.COM

BY DAN SAVAGE @FAKEDANSAVAGE | MAIL@SAVAGELOVE.NET I’m a 29-year-old bi female living on the East Coast, and I’ve been in a relationship for three months. It’s been a few years since I’ve dated anyone seriously, and I’m really enjoying it.

We have a good relationship so far, and he’s great in a lot of ways, but that’s part of the problem. Next summer, he will be moving back to his hometown in the Midwest. I just started my dream job, so there’s no way I would follow him. I’m uncertain about doing the longdistance thing. Since we’re only three months into this, should I cut my losses and call it quits and move on? Or should I enjoy these next six months and let the chips fall where they may, whether it’s the end of the relationship or the transition to long-distance?

Impending Expiration Date Anything could happen in the next six months. You could lose your dream job, this guy could decide not to return to his Midwestern hometown after all, or you could turn on the news and learn a mega-tsunami 300 feet high is racing toward the East Coast and you have eight hours to get the fuck out before your city is washed off the map—and at that point, your boyfriend’s hometown in the Midwest might not look so bad. (Really!

It could happen: youtu.be/Fzm49fUSCPk.) So keep dating this guy because, hey, you never know. What you want and where you want to be can change radically in six months’ time.

Since you had the ability to make Santorum what he is today (a substance, not a senator), would you promote the new meme that Trump = dump? As in “I have to take a trump” or “I just took a major trump—like a transatlantic-cable trump.”

Gross Old Politicians I’m Dan Savage and I approve this meme.

On the Lovecast, Dan chats with Roberta Kaplan, the attorney who slew DOMA: savagelovecast.com.

THE STRANGERER

BY PAT FALCO ILLFALCO.COM

22

12.23.15 - 12.30.15

|

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NEWS TO US

FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

23

BOWERY BOSTON

For show announcements, giveaways, contests, and more, follow us on:

WWW.BOWERYBOSTON.COM • • • • LIVE MUSIC IN AND AROUND BOSTON • • • •

ROYALE 279 Tremont St. Boston, MA • royaleboston.com/concerts RON POPE + THE NIGHTHAWKS

PRESENTS

W/ TRUETT, JONATHAN TYLER WED. JANUARY 20

FRI. JANUARY 22

TUES. FEBRUARY 2

WED. FEBRUARY 3

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19

SUN. FEBRUARY 21

THURS. FEBRUARY 25

TUESDAY, MARCH 1

FRIDAY, MARCH 11

THURSDAY, APRIL 14

SUNDAY, MAY 1

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4

PRESENTS

A TRIBUTE TO HANK WILLIAMS - LIVE

52 Church St. Cambridge, MA

W/ THE SWINGING STEAKS, DANIELLE MIRAGLIA

sinclaircambridge.com

W/ CLOAKROOM, WILDHONEY

FRIDAY, JANUARY 1

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19 W/ CARDIKNOX, SOFI TUKKER

SATURDAY, JANUARY 16

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23

SATURDAY, JANUARY 9

DJ SET

W/ CRYWOLF

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12

METZ ROCK-N-ROMP W/ FREEZEPOP, LET’S WAIT

SATURDAY, JANUARY 16 (EARLY)

della mae THURSDAY, JANUARY 21

FRIDAY, JANUARY 22

THU - SAT JANUARY 28, 29 & 30

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5

ON SALE NOW!

ON SALE NOW!

THURSDAY APRIL 14

W/ GOLDEN FEATURES

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11

HALLELUJAH THE HILLS W/ THE BARBAZONS, MILK THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31

1222 Comm. Ave. Allston, MA greatscottboston.com

FRIDAYS AT 7PM!

‘s S GA E TH

SCREAM

TUESDAY, MARCH 8

W/ TROPHY LUNGS, SILVER SCREAMS, NOMAD STONES

M AS S G OT H I C

THE GAS PRESENTS

JERMAINE FOWLER

SUNDAY, JANUARY 3

MONDAY, JANUARY 11

FRIDAY, JANUARY 8

ON SALE NOW!

WITH NATASHA KMETO

EMILY WELLS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3

W/ GLOCKABELLE

W/ BAD BAD HATS

W / T U C K E R B E AT H A R D

NEW YEARS EVE!

A FAMILY FRIENDLY ROCK SHOW!

SATURDAY, JANUARY 16

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6

WITH BULLY, SO PITTED

FAMILY AND FRIENDS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14

RADIATION CITY

ON SALE NOW!

W/ MAZED

W/ DEEP SEA DIVER, ABADABAD

LUKE RATHBORNE / ALEX CALDER

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25

FRIDAY, MARCH 4

TUESDAY, MARCH 8

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19

ON SALE NOW! SATURDAY, APRIL 9

≠ 12/26 COMPETITIVE EROTIC FAN FICTION ≠ 12/27 ACARO ≠ 1/2 PETTY MORALS EP RELEASE ≠ 1/5 GRETCHEN & THE PICKPOCKETS ≠ 1/8 STEREO ≠ 1/9 LONG TIME ≠ 1/12 SALTY GREYHOUND ≠ 1/13 ZIP TIE HANDCUFFS

OTHER SHOWS AROUND TOWN:

ON SALE NOW!

GREG HOLDEN SAT. JANUARY 16 RED ROOM @ CAFE 939

FRI. JANUARY 22 RED ROOM @ CAFE 939

SAT. JANUARY 23 MIDDLE EAST UP

Tickets for Royale, The Sinclair, and Great Scott can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000.

No fee tickets available at The Sinclair box office Wednesdays - Saturdays 12:00 - 7:00PM

SUN. MARCH 6 MIDDLE EAST DOWN

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND A COMPLETE LIST OF SHOWS, VISIT BOWERYBOSTON.COM