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FEATURE

THE BARBARISM CHARTERISM OF

THE WAR OVER CORPORATE EDUCATION REFORM

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—KICK OFF 2016 AT LAUGH—

VOL 17 + ISSUE 52

DECEMBER 30, 2015 - JANUARY 7, 2016 EDITORIAL

DEAR READER

EDITOR + PUBLISHER Jeff lawrence

Can you feel it yet?!? It’s in the air and it’s unmistakable!! It’s a New Year!!! Anyway, we’ve got a great issue here as we straddle the 15 and 16. In addition to the final pontifications and salutations for offer, we’ve got hard news, hard facts, and hard cock… tails! Well, kind of, if you count beer.

One of the most iconic craft beer brands in the country, Harpoon Brewery, is celebrating 30 years of brewing in 2016, and with it, it’s transformed its flagship IPA branding into a modern day roar. I can’t remember the last time I ordered an “IPA” and someone either didn’t assume it was a Harpoon IPA or asked me which one because they didn’t carry Harpoon IPA. In Boston, asking for an IPA means asking for Harpoon! That’s something special— and completely changing the look and feel of that brand is either suicidal or very much in line with this forward-thinking company. Employee-owned company, I might add!

When you entrust the brand to the hands that make and sell the beer, the idea that the image needs a complete overhaul is not a surprise, but it’s a major responsibility. That incredible endeavor—running your fingers through dry hops and repurposing your spent wort between 9 and 5, creating home brews that ultimately result in a shelf product for the company, inviting ten thousand friends to do the chicken dance in the rain—is an undeniably driven passion. Which is why we spoke to them, drank with them, and paid our respect to the people and their stories that connect us all. Love beer. Life life. Love Boston.

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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ON THE COVER Our cover tiger comes courtesy the Harpoon Brewery’s IPA. Read all about Harpoon’s new look on page 12.

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OH, CRUEL WORLD Dear New Year’s Resolver, I know, I know, I know—I should just get off of social media for the next month.

That would be the easy way to avoid hearing squat about your new ridiculous diet, the gym membership that you must know will amount to an absurd waste of money, the donuts that you’re not going to funnel any longer, or the charity that you will volunteer for once or maybe twice before going back to your regular TV schedule. You’re a liar and a scumbag and a selfish scoundrel—face it! If you absolutely have to make a resolution though, please just do us all a favor, and make it to shut the fuck up on Facebook for a few weeks.

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NEWS US

SOCIAL HIGH TIMES TOKIN TRUTH

With Facebook still hostile to cannabis users, an alternative emerges

BY MIKE CRAWFORD @MIKECANNBOSTON We recently ran an installment of The Tokin’ Truth titled, “CANNA-BLOCK: Facebook rejects ads for weed coverage, but OKs hate speech.” The piece went bonkers, as people everywhere were seemingly amazed that the social media giant is OK with hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan advertising on their site, yet at the same time Facebook refuses to allow advertisements featuring a marijuana leaf or anything of that sort.

With a new year upon us, for the purpose of not only promoting this column but of getting the truth out about cannabis in Mass, we will be using New England’s very own homegrown social media platform, Social High. It’s more important now than ever, what with a governor who, just as this article is going to print, compared cannabis to heroin. All things considered, this week we passed the mic to Social High CEO Scott Bettano …

Have you ever encountered issues with advertising on Facebook?

When we were Weedshare, Facebook blocked all our ads, without exception, from the very beginning. Later after rebranding to Social High, some of our ads have been approved. But if the word “weed” shows up anywhere in the ad, it is rejected. Strangely, the word “cannabis” now seems to get approval.

Is part of your purpose with this app to allow cannabis brands to advertise more freely?

Ads are the whole basis of our revenue model, and we will support all cannabis ads.

What is the overall purpose of Social High?

Social High is a social media platform. We are similar to Facebook, only focused on the cannabis community.

Whereas Leafly, Weedmaps, and others connect patients 4

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and enthusiasts with retailers, our focus is helping people connect peer-to-peer. Powered by Leafly, we are providing strain data within the app which allows people to share and talk about their favorite strains, and people can also search for others in their area who may have that strain or [who can] provide a real world review.

What drew you to pursue this?

I came up with the idea in 2013, when medical cannabis got passed in Massachusetts, but I have been involved with the cannabis black market since I smoked my first joint at 15 years old. My friend and I immediately started selling pre-rolled joints at parties on the weekends just so we could smoke for free. When I went off to college, I continued selling dime bags out of my dorm room to scrape together book money. It was around this time I first started to get educated about the medical benefits.

From that point on, I never viewed cannabis as a crime, and continued to dabble in small sales well into my 30s. Even after landing a job in the professional engineering world, I always kept my love for cannabis close. Eventually, consumed by my professional life, I walked away from it altogether, but in 2010 the economy crashed, and I found myself out of work with a son on the way. Around that same time, an old college roommate who had relocated to California tracked me down on Facebook. We spent a few weeks catching up and then he hit me with the proposition of him sending me medical grade cannabis. Things went very well for a while, but in May of 2012 I was raided by the DEA and caught with 15 pounds of medical-grade marijuana.

In 2014 I reported to serve a mandatory 90-day sentence. After that, as a newly single dad on house arrest, I knew I had to find a way to provide for me and the children. With everyone giving me advice on how to

proceed, which mostly consisted of “stay as far away from weed as possible,” I decided to do the exact opposite. I embraced my past and my knowledge of the cannabis community and set out to build Social High. I contacted my partner, our COO Marsh Sutherland, who is a serial tech entrepreneur, and at first he wasn’t convinced there was a large enough audience. However, while I was dealing with my case, Marsh lost his ex-wife to cancer, and relocated back to his home town of Spokane, Washington as a single dad to be near family. There he saw first-hand the impact of legal cannabis, and he was sold.

So in January of 2015, as two single dads—one on house arrest—we began assembling the team to build Social High. In September we launched in IOS—getting Apple approval was a big hurdle in our minds—and we started using the Leafly API to provide strain data. The Android version is new as of December, and we launch the web version in early 2016.

For a long time, I used the pseudonym Mike Cann because I wanted to be in marijuana reform activism but couldn’t afford to risk my job at the time. How does your app help people who are involved with cannabis but who are concerned about employment or child custody?

The stigma you are talking about is the reason I got the idea for Social High. I was browsing Facebook and posting about legalization, but noticed my posts would go virtually untouched. I privately messaged close friends— who I know smoke—asking why they didn’t support what I was doing. The answer was simple—they did support me, but couldn’t publicly out of fear.

Read the whole interview at DigBoston.com.

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On Christmas, after my mom and I polished off our Buzzfeed-inspired bangers and mash wrapped in pastry dough with a bottle of wine, we sat down to consider what personal hurdles we would attempt to clear in 2016. It’s that time of year, after all, when we try and slow time down a little to decide what we want to be in the future. I can’t imagine what kind of comparable exercise, if any, is happening behind the gates of the State House on Beacon Hill, or inside City Hall, but I have some thoughts about how some politicians can do better in 2016 …

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It seems that Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has developed a strange habit of trying to push sporting events on the people of Boston. I mean, for a town that loves sports, he sure has made some people loathe sports. No one needs to be reminded of the whole Boston Olympics debacle. Walsh ultimately dropped the games, but to paint him as a hero in the story is like congratulating someone for kicking a dead horse. Unable to take hints, Walsh also caught flack for his move to bring an IndyCar race to the streets of South Boston. “We’re trying something different and new here, and I don’t understand the pushback,” the mayor told reporters. Next year, Walsh should quit trying to turn Boston into a literal playground.

BOLSTER HOUSING STOCK

Home improvement is an admirable resolution. On a municipal level, that should mean the addition of roofs over the heads of Bostonians who need them most. We all know that the Long Island Bridge, an artery for Boston’s homeless communities, closed around this time last year. What less people may know is that those beds and services have not been entirely replaced. With a new year upon us, as the Commonwealth remains mired in an opiate epidemic, Boston needs more than a bare minimum of replacement properties for vulnerable residents.

RESPECT STUDENTS

On a different note, the city still hasn’t figured out how to address the student housing situation that is forcing families out of neighborhoods and creating death traps. No one has been punished under the ‘no more than four’ ordinance—a misguided attempt to keep students safe and neighborhoods ruly—while there is an apparently endless boom in luxury housing development, and the burden of proof for no-fault evictions continues to fall on the tenant. All things considered, this coming year will be a crucial one for housing in Boston.

There are countless issues on which Walsh and his team at Boston City Hall should probably focus in 2016, plus hundreds if not more ways that politics on Beacon Hill could improve. Last year, I wrote more than two-dozen columns about areas that need help—from transgender rights, to police reform. On that note, here’s a goal that any pol can take on: Shut me up! Help me run out of things to complain about. I’d gladly put down my pen. Unfortunately, I probably won’t be so lucky.

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As the new year approaches, it’s the tradition for journalists who have the honor of writing a regular column for the general public to prognosticate about the year to come.

Well I am a journalist. I have a regular column. But I’m not going to make any predictions this year.

I’m just going to ask a single question: Do you want to live in a democracy?

I want you to take some time by yourself, then I want you to sit down and really think about my question. Do you want to live in a country where you have a say about what happens in your daily life? A say about what happens where you live, where you work, and where you hang out. Do you want to live in a country where everyone has that say? Regardless of their race, sex, or sexual identity.

Regardless of where they were born. Regardless of whether they are poor or rich.

Regardless of whether they believe in a god or gods or none at all.

Do you want to live in a country where everyone has freedom of speech?

Freedom of expression? Freedom to participate in politics? Freedom to hold and act on any of a broad spectrum of political views?

Really think about it. Because I’m concerned that too many people don’t think about democracy much lately.

And with a Presidential election looming in which most of the candidates are awful, and with some of the candidates clearly interested in moving away from even the modestly (and highly flawed) democratic form of government we have toward outright fascism—an authoritarian system specifically organized against democracy and equality—I think my question is worth some consideration.

Think about every institution in this society with the tradition of voting.

Government at all levels, sure, but also political parties, neighborhood associations, benefit societies, community service organizations, clubs, cooperatives, labor unions, and some significant religious groups. Democratic organization is built into the fibre of this nation. Yet the core democratic impulse to participate in collective decision-making is withering away in many ways— replaced by a sort of dispirited individualism. The internet, ostensibly built to enhance democracy, may actually be harming it by increasing the power of unelected technocrats to determine the direction of key institutions.

Important decisions increasingly get made over our heads by corporate leaders in tandem with government staffers and politicians that are absolutely convinced they know how to “fix” societal problems without meaningful public input. All while allowing a small number of people to make tremendous profits at the expense of the rest of populace. Without genuine discussion, debate, or voting. They are enabled by technology that allows them a degree of social control undreamed of by history’s worst dictators to date.

These developments point to the very real danger that this layer of new oligarchs will use their money, power, and connections to simply drop the pretense of democracy sometime in the near future and start ruling by fiat.

Unless Americans—and immigrants and refugees who wish to join us, and allied institutions and nations the world over—decide to revive our democratic traditions and stop the descent into an autocratic abyss. From which humanity may never emerge in this age of ecological crisis.

So after you’ve thought about my question, and talked it over with friends and family, if you decide that you do want to live in a democracy I’d like you to look for people and organizations that share that belief. And to start working to expand democracy in every part of your lives. In 2016, and in every New Year’s Day to come. My simple admonition to you all.

And don’t forget to party, too.

Apparent Horizon is syndicated by the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism.

Jason Pramas is BINJ’s network director.

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

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THE BARBARISM OF CHARTERISM FEATURE

New year, new theater in the war over corporate ed reform in Mass

BY CHRIS FARAONE @FARA1 Boston City Councilor Tito Jackson was smiling. Not the ordinary cheery ear-to-ear look his constituents have come to expect from the ebullient official, but rather a modest show of relief dashed with giddiness because the side of Boston’s education battle he has come to represent—namely, public school instructors, parents, and students—was getting an official forum to air grievances on-record at his “Hearing to Review the Number of Students Returning to BPS from Charter Schools.”

On this mid-December Wednesday at the height of the holiday season, the council chamber—not even close to packed with roughly 40 heads in attendance, many anxiously retracing notes waiting to testify—was much less hectic than the shopping thoroughfares on either side of Government Center. Fewer than half the councilors showed. Nonetheless, Jackson, there to oversee things as the sponsor of said hearing order, treated the proceeding as a watershed event come at long last.

“We need to hit the pause button and focus on the schools we have,” said Jackson, who has seen public academies in his Roxbury neighborhood neglected while the charter apparatus gains momentum. (In the prickly case of the Dearborn School, charter operators gained control of a new state-of-the-art $70+ million facility which families, faculty, and members of the local community had rallied to secure.) Reminding onlookers at City Hall and those watching from home that Massachusetts schools are among the best in the country, Jackson added, “Sometimes we forget what we have,” and so “it’s critical and timely that we have this conversation.”

CHARLIE PIERCE’S WAR

Rhetorical shots are fired daily in the war over schools in Mass—when business people without education 10

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backgrounds are given top administrative posts, upon longstanding traditional schools having their budgets axed as glistening new charters surface nearby. In 2015, for example, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh—an avid supporter of charters and a founding board member of the Neighborhood House Public Charter School in Dorchester—oversaw the hiring of Superintendent Tommy Chang, a veteran charter apostle who aims to run BPS like a startup business, over candidates who were vocally more interested in salvaging regular schools than in fertilizing more alternatives.

The latest theater in the Bay State ed scrum, however, erupted not in direct response to actions taken by Walsh or the city, but rather following attention springing from a November blog post by Esquire.com writer Charles Pierce titled “Boston’s Mayor Goes Full Scott Walker on Charter Schools.” Though only a few paragraphs long, due to exposure through the national magazine’s website (for which this reporter has covered the charter situation in Boston in the past), the mention brought a quiet backroom storm to a public head, as Pierce opined that “charterism is privatization on the public’s dime, the worst of all possible worlds,” and specifically condemned Walsh’s alleged plan “to close 36 public schools in order to make way for charters—and, it seems, for the city’s parochial schools.”

This news didn’t float out of thin air. Education blogger Diane Ravitch produced the same revelation earlier that day, while a parent with the anti-charter group Quality Education for Every Student (QUEST) reported, “Walsh revealed plans to shrink the number of [BPS] buildings to 90”—for a resulting total of three dozen closures—at a private meeting with QUEST in September. To further obfuscate matters, upcoming

building changes will be impacted by the Boston Compact, a 2011 agreement between then-Mayor Tom Menino, the BPS superintendent at the time, and more than 15 parochial and charter school leaders from around the city. Partially funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the compact initiative, which aims to “bring district, charter and Catholic school educators together,” was resuscitated and revamped in 2015.

With news of potential shutterings reaching national outlets, spokespeople at City Hall swiftly denied Pierce’s claims. With that, the issue of the reinvigorated compact, which even boggled some who were familiar with the 2011 version of the agreement, proved too confusing for reporters, many of whom ran City Hall’s rebuttal as fact. “The Mayor has never said, nor does he have a plan to close 36 schools,” a Walsh spokesperson wrote in a statement, addressing the alleged number rather than objectives of the Boston Compact. The press release continued: “Mayor Walsh has proven his dedication to Boston Public Schools by, in the past year alone, providing unprecedented budgetary support, extending learning time for students, adding 200 pre-kindergarten seats to the district, and hiring a first-class Superintendent.”

LOADED CHAMBER

Councilor Jackson wasn’t alone in questioning the charter system at his mid-December hearing. One BPS student testified about the sorry state of institutions she’s attended, specifically lamenting the inadequate library facilities at the McCormack Middle School in Dorchester.

“I feel like we lack the fundamental resources needed to push students forward,” she told councilors. “How are we preparing high school students for college?”

Then came a Boston Latin Academy senior, Savina

Tapia, who serves on the Boston School Committee as the sole student representative. Tapia testified that she formerly attended a charter, but left because “it was like a prison,” with young people having to be escorted to rest rooms by supervising adults and with students often being punished for uniform violations. In her case, Tapia said she once had a sweater confiscated for being the wrong color, despite the cold weather outside.

Tapia was backed up by another male student who says he was pushed out of Boston Green Academy in Brighton, where he reported seeing “students have mental breakdowns, social anxiety [and] depression.”

“If a student can’t keep up with the [Green Academy] curriculum,” he said, “then he must be shamed.” Piling on anecdotal damnation, a parent from a public school contracting with the UP Education Network said her 5-year-old son was suspended more than 10 times since September, while Carlos Rojas-Alvarez, who has organized campaigns with youth groups like the Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC), blasted “atrocious disciplinary policies that hurt young people.” More than anything else, said Rojas-Alvarez, the “poverty-isno-excuse mentality” that’s prevalent in charters helps “maintain the status quo.”

Outrageous as these individual reports from the bellies of charter schools sound, statewide statistics on school punishment are comparably appalling. As an attorney from the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice testified—echoing a report by his organization titled “Not Measuring Up: The State of School Discipline in Massachusetts”—while charters only enroll 3 percent of the students in Mass, they account for a disproportionate 6 percent of all disciplinary removals.

According to the committee’s study: Charter schools in the city of Boston had an average discipline rate of 17.3%, and rates well over 20% were not uncommon. Roxbury Preparatory Charter suspended 59.8% of its students out-of-school at least once, for example. By comparison, Boston Public Schools had an average discipline rate of only 6.6% and its non-charter middle and high schools, including disciplinary alternative schools, had a discipline rate of 11.1%. This indicates that for a similar student body, Boston-area charter schools were much more likely to use exclusionary discipline, particularly in response to minor student behavior violations.

NewSchools has a mission to “transform public education through powerful ideas and passionate entrepreneurs so that all children—especially those in underserved communities—have the opportunity to succeed.” In practice, they have angled for additional funds to transfer from public schools to charter ops they favor.

There should have been little concern among those rallying on Boston Common that their cries would be heard under the Golden Dome. In addition to support from the highest elected official in the state, as one of his first moves in office, Governor Baker appointed James Peyser, a former executive director with the conservative Pioneer Institute and managing partner at NewSchools, as the state’s secretary of education. A devout adversary of organized teachers, Peyser has opined at length about the need to upend the Commonwealth education bureaucracy, even as he acknowledges that “Massachusetts is seen, rightly so, as one of the highest, if not the highest performing state in terms of public education outcomes,” and claims, “If [Massachusetts] were a country, it would be one of the highest-performing countries in the world.”

If any of this seems odd, that’s because the education fight in Mass is hard to comprehend, if not impossible to understand for the casual observer—whether they have kids in public schools or not. Any festering confusion was compounded in September, when a lawsuit filed in Suffolk Superior Court—arguing that limiting the number of charter schools deprives children of a quality education—named as defendants Baker and Peyser, who strongly support lifting the state cap to allow more nontraditional schools. Attorney General Maura Healey vowed to fight the suit aggressively; still, the whole ordeal fueled further speculation about the pro-charter subterfuge afoot.

WHOSE SIDE ARE THEY ON?

Several months ago, activists and worker groups in Boston started inquiring about accountability for this mess. In

August, the research arm of Massachusetts Jobs With Justice, a labor federation, sent formal requests to 10 charter schools to see if they provided parent contact lists to lobbying groups—“potentially without the consent of the parents”—in order to deliver crowds like that which turned out for the Great Schools gathering on Boston Common. After three months of waiting, Jobs With Justice reported that only one charter “produced responsive records at no fee,” while two failed to respond at all, and the other seven, most of which use the same law firm, responded “with fee estimates averaging over $13,000 to produce the records.”

Meanwhile, on the City Hall front, the Boston Compact is a private organization, making it difficult for parents and attorneys with QUEST to obtain records related to what the mayor’s office concedes are “ongoing policy discussions.” All this as BPS sets to unveil a new school facilities master plan in 2016. These roadblocks considered, one can only wonder if the Hub’s clandestine calculations will account for the more than $120 million that charters drain from struggling public schools each year. At Jackson’s City Council hearing, BPS officials weren’t even able to produce migration totals—of the number of underperforming students pushed from charters back into public schools—from after the 20112012 school year.

Whatever the case, BPS teachers and parents aren’t likely to surrender soon. On Jan 14, the laborbacked Boston Education Justice Alliance will host an “emergency town hall” to address topics including the Boston Compact, school closures, the charter school ballot initiative, and transparency. They’re meeting in Roxbury at Madison Park High School, which was recently declared “underperforming” by state officials. As per the precedent set with the Dearborn and other neglected institutions, it won’t be long before the struggling vocational high school is deemed a failure and placed under the control of charter sector operators without any public input whatsoever.

COMMON GROUND

It was a bright November Massachusetts morning, scattered beams of sunshine poking through the foliage on Boston Common. The scene wasn’t typical for a political lobbying day, but instead resembled the setup for a major concert or charity event with a large portable stage, booming sound, camera crews with heavy equipment, and a wall of movie lights illuminating the already-sunny backdrop. From Beacon Street above, passersby could see massive printed placards screaming, “GREAT SCHOOLS NOW.” Next to the stage, the production crew tapped by the event’s lead sponsor, a group called Great Schools Massachusetts, manufactured outrage for a dramatic rally recap video. Parroting a woman standing with two cameramen who was giving directions, a female high school student said the company line—“37,00 kids are waiting to get into public charter schools”—repeatedly until the sales pitch sounded unrehearsed. On stage, Great Schools operatives and parents worked the crowd, with Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker showing up on a giant screen at one point to advocate for additional charters and Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito appearing in person.

Other than the tens of thousands of dollars spent on sound, film, optics, transportation, signs, and T-shirts, the spectacle almost looked like a grassroots effort. Except that it wasn’t. In reality, the Great Schools coalition is tied to a group called Families for Excellent Schools, which is an investment property of the Bay Area-based NewSchools Venture Fund. Supported by the likes of Exxon Mobil and the Walton Family Foundation—and boasting a board populated by venture capitalists— NEWS TO US

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2016

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EYE OF THE TIGER

Harpoon Brewery Rebrands IPA, Kicks Ass in 2016

BY JEFF LAWRENCE @29THOUSAND It’s been almost 30 years since three friends, Rich Doyle, Dan Kenary and George Ligeti, launched the locally iconic and nationally recognized Harpoon Brewery, and a lot has changed since then, but one thing that has remained almost untouched since it launched in 1993 has been their flagship IPA. Until now. I spoke with Greg “Mooner” Moon, assistant vice president (AVP) at Harpoon Brewery (Full disclosure: Greg has been one of my best friends and craft beer confidant for over 30 years) and got the skinny on what’s behind this huge branding change and what’s next in 2016 for the Atlantic Avenue brewery.

Changing the look and branding of a flagship beer like Harpoon IPA is not an insignificant move. How and why did this happen?

This is the first major change since 1993, so it’s big. When Rich Doyle, one of our founders, decided to step down as CEO and put Harpoon Brewery on a course to become an employee-owned company, Dan Kenary, also a founder, moved into a more sales and marketing driven role, and one of the first things he did was hire Catapult Thinking, a local brand strategy and design firm. They’re pretty savvy brand guys so this put everything into motion. They sat us all down and asked us what we thought the brand stood for. Once they had a buy-in from the entire company, they helped us create a better way to talk to our customers, tell the story, and that starts with our IPA. What we ended up with was a package that is cleaner and more confident. That was a nice outcome because we’re not like Arrogant Bastard… we know we make great beer and it’s confident without being pretentious. A very Yankee mentality, I guess. We tested every little bit of what we had for imagery; the Harpoon man, “Henry” (people hated it or misunderstood it, so we dropped him), the harlequin pattern (it tested positive so we made it bigger), and the tiger lily flowers (again people hated it, so we removed them). From that, we made additional changes; we added the ABV, IBU, and the flavor descriptors: Floral, Hoppy, Crisp, to our packaging. Finally, we added an icon, the tiger. It’s a nod to the lily obviously but it’s stronger now, it draws the eye in. Now the consumer has a key image and all of the information they’re looking for in a craft beer, and that adds up to a better understanding of what the brand really stands for.

It’s definitely a new look! So what does all of this mean for the rest of your brands? Will you be introducing any new products and/or other redesigned packaging in 2016? >> HARPOONBREWERY.COM

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The brand initiative will expand to all other packaging next year. In addition, there will be at least one new full-year product launched and a few changes to our seasonal line up; we’re introducing Arctic Ale, a 14% barleywine, as part of the imperial series. It’s a deadly, pretty dark, mahogany-colored, chewy, malty, boozy offering... but it’s quite delicious and very drinkable. We also have the Kettle Cup winner, Thunder Foam. The crew at HDC [Harpoon Distribution Company] won the competition in 2015.

It’s a coco/poblano porter and will be part of our 100 Barrel series.

It’s a spicy, chocolate-flavored beer with more flavor than heat. We also just released our Hoppy Adventure, the 7.8% ABV Double IPA (draught only for now,) a big, juicy hop-bomb, and that will now be available in 16 oz. four-packs in 2016. There’s a lot more too, but I can’t tell you... I’d have to kill you… but hold onto your hats…

Harpoon is going to blow consumers away in 2016.

I can’t wait! I’m assuming I’m still on the early-release list for product testing, but you should double check. It all sounds great… but I have one more question: Now that you’re an owner and have been with the company going on 21 years, what, if anything, has changed now that you’re an employee-owned company?

It’s awesome. It hasn’t really changed much for me because I’ve always acted like an owner [laughs], but I’ve also been here for over two decades. For the young guys though, this is huge; they’re all now owners and every single employee has a stake because they work here. That’s a major cultural and positive mindset shift, and with all of the acquisitions in the craft beer industry recently, everyone’s head is spinning as to what that could mean despite the fact that we’re all in this for life. We could make a lot of money if we eventually sold, but why would anyone want to sell? Everyone seems very happy with what we have and once you sell, you don’t have that anymore. We actually did have a few investor groups approach us recently, and I believe we did receive two offers … and we turned them down. We got to see what they valued us at though… it was very nice! The multiples were impressive but working for Harpoon has never been about the money, it’s been about the culture, the lifestyle… and now the principled belief that the people who make this beer should own the company and chart its future.

So, what did they offer you? Come on, I’m your bro! Tell me.

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Ask about early- and late-season specials, and Kids-Eat-Free rates.

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ARTS ENTERTAINMENT

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WED 12.30

THU 12.31

FRI 1.1

SAT 1.2

SAT 1.2

TUE 1.5

MIT Social Swing Dance and Lesson

2016 Prohibition Ball at Lucky’s Lounge

The Oregon Fail: You Have Died of Comedy

Holiday Music - 14 Foot 1 The Owens Saccharine

The 5th Annual Boston OneMinute Play Festival

Burro Karaoke

What happens when you combine MIT and swing dancing? The opportunity of a lifetime. If you’ve ever had any interest in dancing whatsoever or just enjoyed the occasional awkward shuffle at concerts, you owe it to yourself to swing the night away. You’ll learn the basics from 7:30 to 9, and then you’ll get the chance to show your moves on the dance floor for two and a half hours. Bring a date, or maybe find someone there.

It’s the ’20s; live it up.

Prohibition: the darkest period in American history right next to the Great Depression and that time Saturday Night Live let Donald Trump host. Now’s your chance to go back in time to that anti-alcohol era and drink like getting caught will spell disaster for you and your kin. That’s right, Lucky’s Lounge is hosting a 1920s-themed costume party, rich with the music of the era and just enough Gatsby references that you won’t feel too bad if you’ve only seen the movie.

ImprovBoston is ready to take you back to your childhood as it guides you through its interpretation of the Oregon Trail, the deathly trail that lays waste to all those foolish enough to traverse it. Good ol’ Ma and Pa might get mauled by bears. Little Suzie might drown in a river just for laughs. And poor Grandma might just get dysentery. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll go home and buy a copy of Oregon Trail and play it for half an hour before getting frustrated. It’s the best way to start off 2016.

The holidays are over, but that doesn’t you can enjoy some Holiday Music. The Midway Cafe is starting the year right by giving their stage to local Massachusetts artists (and one Rhode Island artist.)

Featuring the punk rock sound of Holiday Music, 14 Foot 1’s Math Rock (it sounds just as cool as it sounds,) the experimental style of The Owens, and the folk talents of Saccharine, you’re in for one hell of an evening.

You’ve seen one-acts, you’ve seen musicals, and you’ve seen Shakespeare, but now it’s time to expand your theatrical mind even further with one-minute plays. “What are one-minute plays?” you ask yourself.

Well, that’s quite simple: They’re plays that last for only one minute. “Wow! That’s short!” It sure is, but that’s the appeal. How much can you be affected in one solid minute? Featuring plays by Hatem Addel, Mikey DiLoreto, David Marino, and a lot more directors, it’s bound to be a performance you’ll remember forever.

The Painted Burro is a great bar; it’s even greater when karaoke is involved.

Feel free to make an ass out of yourself as you put your vocal talents on display. Sing to your heart’s content after you get some margaritas in you with like-minded, equally intoxicated people. Have some nachos too (seriously though, have some nachos; they’re the only thing I eat there and they’re fantastic).

You can’t spell 2016 with “karaoke.”

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 77 Mass. Ave., Cambridge. 7:3011:30pm/18+/FREE. web.mit. edu/swing

Lucky’s Lounge.

355 Congress St., Boston.

9:30pm-2am/21+/$40. eventbrite.com/e/the2016-prohibition-balltickets-19821676167

ImprovBoston.

40 Prospect St., Cambridge.

11pm-Midnight/21+/$12. eventbrite.com/e/ the-oregon-fail-youhave-died-of-comedytickets-18230305334

The Midway Cafe.

3496 Washington St., Jamaica Plain. 9pmMidnight/21+/$6. midwaycafe.com

Boston Playwright’s Theatre. 949 Comm.

Ave., Boston. 8-10pm/all ages/$20. facebook.com/ events/1638423026424774

The Painted Burro.

219 Elm St., Somerville.

9pm-1am/21+/FREE. thebostoncalendar.com/ events/burro-karaoke--19

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Boston’s Best Irish Pub

512 Mass. Ave. Central Sq. Cambridge, MA 617-576-6260 phoenixlandingbar.com

STAR THU Dec.31 12AM

THU 12/31

JUSTIN VS. BRITNEY NYE DANCE PARTY

FRI 1/1 - SERAPHIM PRESENTS

LOVEWHIP CLYDE BROWN SAT 1/2

A FATHOM FAREWELL

FATES LAST FIGHT, BRAND NEW DAY SUN 1/3 - KEYNOTE PRESENTS

HOLIDAY JAM

JOSH LEKAS + RILEY LYNCH FRI 1/8

XMORTIS THU 12/31

A “HEROES” NYE WITH

DJ CHRIS EWEN

SAT 1/2 - LEEDZ PRESENTS

JUST JUICE

DELLA KINETIC SUN 1/3 - KEYNOTE PRESENTS

I SET MY FRIENDS ON FIRE WHETHER MON 1/4

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GRAVEL THU 1/7 - LEEDZ PRESENTS

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FRI 1/8 - WALRUS PRESENTS

STEREOWOLF

WARS: THE RAVE AWAKENS NYE 2016 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 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

CYCLE FRI Jan.8 9:30PM

Quadrant & Iris (Metalheadz), FDot, Basek, EHT & Joshua Carl DRUM N BASS, JUNGLE + HIP HOP & PARTY JAMS UPSTAIRS SAT Jan.9 9:30PM

SHAKE Dev/Null, Damian Silva + Brek.One upstairs HOUSE + HIP HOP, REGGAE & PARTY JAMS

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MONDAYS

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15+ Years of Resident Drum & Bass Bringing some of the worlds biggest DnB DJ’s to Cambridge 19+, 10PM - 2AM

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Saturdays & Sundays Every Game shown live in HD on 12 Massive TVs. We Show All European Soccer including Champions League, Europa League, German, French, Italian & Spanish Leagues.

CHECK OUT ALL PHOENIX LANDING NIGHTLY EVENTS AT:

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MUSIC

SO THIS IS THE NEW YEAR When and where to see live music on New Year’s Eve

BY NINA CORCORAN @NINA_CORCORAN If there’s one thing we know, it’s how to ring in the new year in style. Our city has a handful of live concerts set up to help you usher in 2016 in the best of moods. From punk rock to classical, the show options are endless— and so is that stream of bubbly. So get off the sofa and take your pick from the options below. The one thing they all have in common? You can snag that midnight kiss at every one.

MUSIC

FITTER, HAPPIER, MORE PRODUCTIVE Resolutions to help you rock 2016

BY NINA CORCORAN @NINA_CORCORAN Change is gradual, not immediate. For music, that’s not always the case. This year we saw closings, breakups, and failures galore, all of which broke our hearts until there were no more whole pieces to break. Now that a new year is around the corner, it’s time to prioritize our resolutions. Forget about intense workouts. Forget about dietary restrictions. Really, there’s no need to grab a pencil and take notes. Instead, cut this out, grab a piece of tape, and stick it on the back of your door so you keep these in mind each day in 2016. Resolutions benefit many if they’re actually carried out. So let’s stick with the ones we can actually pull off, okay?

1. COME AS YOU ARE

It’s up to us to keep record stores alive. When you frequent local shops, owners make enough to keep their doors open, even if it’s three bucks a week on a discounted motown record. If we’re lucky, the stores listen. Case in point: Deep Thoughts, Jamaica Plain’s bizarre record store, just opened a second location in Central Square. Keep coming back, no matter how much money you have in your pocket, what you’re looking to buy, or where you live. It’s always the right time to make the trip. This year, Weirdo Records said farewell after fueling Cambridge with stacks of bizarre, experimental, and influential albums. In 2016, it’s time we swing through our remaining record stores even more to keep them from locking up permanently.

2. HEAR IT THROUGH THE PROMOTER’S GRAPEVINE

Say goodbye to those nights with nothing to do. With promoters like Bowery Boston, Illegally Blind, Boston Hassle, Crossroads Presents, and more, our city’s thriving with stacked live bills each night. If you’re on the fence about evening plans, feed back into the community so our venues (and the phenomenal acts stopping through) stick around. Saying goodbye to T.T. the Bear’s Place, Church, and (in a matter of weeks) Johnny D’s was painful enough. Don’t let us wave goodbye to another iconic concert hall in 2016 with even more tears in our eyes.

3. HAIL TO THE THIEF

It’s time to honor the thief by one-upping him. Share the music of rising bands and underrated acts on Facebook.

Tweet a song link. Burn a band’s lead single on a mix.

By spreading the word, you’re raising awareness about bands you want to hear more of in the future. The key?

Including a purchasable link like Bandcamp or the label’s website. Don’t undermine the power of social media.

Local trio Krill got a shout-out from Tenacious D at Boston Calling after tweeting at them endlessly. If only they were still around.

4. GO TO THE MIRROR, BOY

Stop wishing you played music and start playing music.

Try playing a drumset in Guitar Center, pick up a banjo at Mike’s Monster Guitar, or play around with a Jazzmaster in the back of Mr. Music. As long as you try, you’re doing it right. Really, let’s be honest: The only thing stopping you from playing is your own fear of error. It’s time to recognize that the face staring back at you in the mirror each morning is the face of a musician. All you need to do is decide what instrument you want to play first.

5. A MOVIE SCRIPT ENDING

There’s something about seeing music on a movie screen that brings it to life with new emotion. This year blessed us with too many impactful documentaries to count, from the emotional Amy Winehouse flick Amy to the animated depth of Kurt Cobain in Montage of Heck to the stacked interviews about Elliott Smith in Heaven Adores You. Boston’s lucky enough to have spots like Coolidge Corner Theatre and Brattle Theatre to see the films before they hit Netflix nearly a full year later. Next year, there’s no excuse to miss the upcoming batch and all their sonic glory.

WHO: Hallelujah the Hills at Great Scott EXPECT: Hearty sing-a-longs. The brainchild band of Ryan Walsh ropes together the best of folk punk, altrock, and political-style punches somewhere between Titus Andronicus and the Hold Steady. They’re a Boston staple. So hold on to this old-school rock and pull it close to your heart as we pass into the new year.

WHAT TO PLAY ON THE WAY THERE: “In the New Year” by the Walkmen WHO: Andrew WK at the Paradise EXPECT: Nonstop grinning. There ain’t no party like an Andrew WK party. The king of hardcore partying will kick off 2016 with nonstop energy, pure positivity, and amps turned way too loud. Promise us you won’t break anyone’s nose.

WHAT TO PLAY ON THE WAY THERE: “Auld Lang Syne” by Die Toten Hosen WHO: The Timberfakes and Britney Bitch at Middle East Downstairs EXPECT: Sweaty dancing. It’s Justin vs Britney all over again. Britney Spears cover act Britney Bitch brings hits old (“...Baby One More Time,” “Toxic”) and new (“Gimme More,” “Criminal”) against Justin Timberlake cover act the Timberfakes, who play from The 20/20 Experience, FutureSex/LoveSounds, and beyond. In other words, it’s the insane club banger without the ridiculous price tag.

WHAT TO PLAY ON THE WAY THERE: “New Year’s Eve” by Snoop Dogg WHO: The Boston Pops at Symphony Hall EXPECT: Fancy fun. Slip into the fancy garb you got on Christmas, grab your significant other, and scurry over to the golden walls of Symphony Hall for an evening of utter charm, swelling strings, and the chance to pretend you’re rich for one night.

WHAT TO PLAY ON THE WAY THERE: “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve” by Ella Fitzgerald WHO: Ruby Rose Fox at ONCE Somerville EXPECT: Empowerment and soul. Practice your singing with punchy powerhouse Ruby Rose Fox. The local singer turns up the soul at her live shows, guaranteeing a night of sultry notes, heartfelt croons, and dancing to match. Consider it the motivation needed to finally write your own straight-from-the-heart tunes.

WHAT TO PLAY ON THE WAY THERE: “Our New Year” by Tori Amos

MUSIC EVENTS THU 12.31

SAY FAREWELL WITH PUNK HALLELUJAH THE HILLS + THE BARBAZONS + MILK [Great Scott, 1222 Comm. Ave., Allston. 9pm/21+/$15. greatscottboston.com]

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FRI 1.1

NEW YEAR, NEW ROCK LADY BONES + LIFE IN VACUUM + RYE PINES + COURAGE CLOAK [The Middle East Upstairs, 472 Mass. Ave., Cambridge. 8pm/18+/$10. mideastoffers.com]

DIGBOSTON.COM

SAT 1.2

THE ROOT OF DANCE DJ QUESTLOVE

[The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Cambridge. 9pm/21+/$20. sinclaircambridge.com]

SAT 1.2

SUN 1.3

[Great Scott, 1222 Comm. Ave., Allston. 9pm/21+/$10. greatscottboston.com]

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

2pm/all ages/$13. mideastoffers.com]

MARKED WOMEN EP RELEASE PETTY MORALS + THE ORGAN BEATS + WATTS + STARS LIKE OURS

HIP-HOP MINIS JOSH LEKAS + RILEY LYNCH + MORE

MON 1.4

WEIRD SHOEGAZE ETC. DU VIDE + HORSE JUMPER OF LOVE + STUMPF + NEW MOM

[Out of the Blue Too Art Gallery, 541 Mass. Ave., Cambridge. 8:30pm/all ages/ $10. mideastoffers.com]

Use our self-serve listings page to get your event online TODAY!

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results of the virus splattered against the sides of each wall. Ruth is sure there’s a “double agent” inside Minnie’s, scheming to spring Domergue from his handcuffs. The narrative rhythm of most individual scenes sees one character interrogate another in order to ascertain whether or not there’s any truth to the identity their enemy has claimed. And with the interrogation comes the violence: Punches are thrown. Teeth are displaced. Poisons are forcibly ingested. Limbs are violently detached.

Slurs are hurled—“bee-itch,” “n--ger,” “Muss’ican”— with the vilest of dictions. Tarantino’s vision of the nation, as outlined in this and Django Unchained, is an unambiguous one: We watch as bodies are degraded and manipulated in exchange for capital. To borrow one of his phrases, he’s positioning the American character as one that grew from “flesh for cash” businesses. To claim otherwise would be just another lie. ***

FILM

BROKEN PROMISES

On the deceitful surfaces of Quentin Tarantino’s latest western

BY JAKE MULLIGAN @_JAKEMULLIGAN The lies arrive before the characters do. The title of the latest Quentin Tarantino film is The Hateful Eight, but by our count there are 10 significant characters. And if we’re going to talk semantics, we should mention that at least nine of them are 100 percent hateful. But then, this is Tarantino’s chosen subject—not hate, that is, but lies. His second according-to-Hoyle western, set in the mountains of Somewhere a few years after the Civil War, is a pulpy whodunit paperback stashed under a cowboy hat. Tarantino’s asking you to sift through his latest collection of layered compositions and characters-whoplay-characters in search of mistruths, misnomers, and bullshit. The Hateful Eight forces audiences into doing something that they should be doing anyway. When you watch it, you investigate.

“Come and sit with me and talk awhile,” Jack White croons over an early sequence of snow-swept landscapes.

So we do. The first three chapters of Tarantino’s latest are dedicated to table setting, with his characters kicking their way around each other’s turns-of-phrase. Bounty hunter John “the Hangman” Ruth (Kurt Russell, invoking John Wayne) is accompanying captured bounty Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to the hanging rope, waiting in the small town of Red Rock. But there’s a blizzard behind their stagecoach, and a man in front of it: Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson, invoking Lee Van Cleef), formerly of the United States cavalry, now another bounty-hunting flesh-trader. As Warren tells it, though, his own arrival is just a case of bad luck. Next up on the trail is supposed sheriff Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), former Confederate soldier and avowed white supremacist, also searching for shelter. Ruth recognizes them both from Civil War times. That’s something nobody’s forgotten in this movie. The conceptual joke of this whole setup is that everybody recognizes each other—just enough for all these mutual reappearances to be suspicious.

What’s being negotiated in that stagecoach, rather unsuccessfully, is mutual trust. Boundaries are broached, of profession (Ruth worrying that the two aim to tackle his captured bounty), race (Mannix’s misdeeds having been done in the name of “the cause”), and gender

(more on that in a minute). And when the stagecoach, driven by O.B. (James Parks), reaches its destination— Minnie’s Haberdashery, in chapter three—there’re more symbolically loaded bodies to deal with: a British import (Oswaldo Mobray, the literal hangman of Red Rock, played by Tim Roth), a cowboy (Joe Gage, a self-described cow-puncher, played by Michael Madsen), a Confederate general (Sanford Smithers, “Georgia boy,” played by Bruce Dern), and a Mexican shopkeeper (Bob, filling in for the conspicuously absent Minnie, played by Demian Bichir). Somewhat true to the ugly side of Tarantino’s reputation, the movie is set up a bit like a racist’s joke: Nine immigrants get snowed in at a bar…

There’s no punchline. Because that’s the original sin that Tarantino is doling out punishments for—it’s no coincidence that there’s no Native American among this allegorical cast of capitalistic colonizers. Nor is it an accident that Warren, the film’s sole black character, eventually finds himself being forcibly transported to a new location while trapped in chains. Once the whole gang gets caught inside Minnie’s, Tarantino lets the guilt of those national misdeeds fester, until you can see the

Quentin Tarantino’s authorial voice has grown so distinctive that even the work of his collaborators— like the panoramic, light-stained frames lensed by cinematographer Robert Richardson—seem inseparable from his own artistry. And what you make of Tarantino’s artistry, in one sense or another, is impacted by your opinion on the artistry of genre cinema. Tarantino takes the iconography of the western very seriously; he respects the standards enough to deconstruct them. As the audience searches through the background of his multilayered frames, looking for clues to the narrative’s mystery, the director parses through the fortunes of the western in search of its lies. So his John Wayne takes great pleasure in beating women. His yellow-ribboned hero of the cavalry made his name killing “redskins.” His frontier woman is a gang member as unscrupulous as any CEO. Even his wide-eyed Sergio Leone-esque close-ups appear as though they crawled out from under the shadowy side of their more awestruck cousins. (One, during an instantly infamous Samuel Jackson monologue, qualifies as downright sinister.) Django maintained the myth of the western hero, so that it could be reappropriated in the name of an oppressed race. So take Eight as a significant reversal: Now those myths have been made evil.

The movie makes that point as bluntly as a pistol butt sent upside someone’s head. Once the hidden allegiances have been spoiled and the bloodshed has begun (in the second half of the film’s six-chapter structure), The Hateful Eight takes a turn towards the horrific. Guided by a threatening score by the legendary Ennio Morricone (it creeps up on each scene like an assassin’s footsteps), Tarantino guides the film toward a tone he hasn’t previously explored: despair. One chapter forces us through a massacre of innocents—most of whom belong to marginalized social groups—that’s characterized by an almost nihilist inevitability. That this segment ends with an extended homage to The Last House on the Left only confirms the implicit connection. The western and the horror film have conjoined, because the unending effects of our foundational lies—“exceptionalism” and “equality”—are something to be scared of.

So now that we’re back on the subject of lies: Warren carries around a letter written to him by Abraham Lincoln, an object met with great reverence by each of the white people trapped in the blizzard’s “white hell.”

The veracity of that letter is questioned throughout the movie’s three-hour running time. And it’s the very qualities that the 16th president’s image has come to stand for—the presentation of America as a haven for bravery, fairness, and opportunity—that The Hateful Eight casts an aspersion towards. When we wrote about Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies recently, we linked it to the director’s own Lincoln, noting that both were movies that pondered how much it is that we, the people, owe to the legacies and laws that forged this nation in the first place.

We can leave those better angels to Spielberg. Tarantino’s cinema is chasing the demons.

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FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

19

ARTS

TOP TEN THEATRE The 10 Best Productions of 2015

BY CHRISTOPHER EHLERS @_CHRISEHLERS The productions to play Boston this past year have been intriguingly varied. Despite a slew of talked-about world premieres, though, it was the revivals and regional premieres that were the most affecting.

Here’s my list of the 10 best:

4. MY FAIR LADY, THE LYRIC STAGE COMPANY OF BOSTON

Scott Edmiston’s scaled down reimagining of Lerner and Loewe’s golden-age chestnut was stunning, heavensent proof that less can be way, way more. Playing like an airtight chamber musical, the streamlining allowed for a beautiful character study and for the uproarious, nimble book to glisten. As Eliza Doolittle, Jennifer Ellis was incandescent.

Katori Hall’s play is not perfect, but Dawn M. Simmons’ lively and affecting production (with a tremendous cast) rendered most of the flaws forgivable. Hall’s play sticks to your ribs, with an ensemble cast that had me on my feet.

7. VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE, THE HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY

Christopher Durang’s Tony-winning comedy served as not only a beacon of light and hope during the heinous and oppressive winter, but also as a lovely tribute to the late Nicholas Martin, the former Huntington artistic director who also earned a Tony nomination for directing Vanya on Broadway. The cast was delightful, and it’s the only show in Boston that I saw more than once.

3. FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS (PARTS 1, 2 & 3), THE AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER

This Civil War drama by Pulitzer Prize-winner Suzan-Lori Parks was a distinguished, unmissable masterpiece. A gripping, epic consideration of identity and freedom, director Jo Bonney’s production boasted a towering performance from Benton Greene and a sublime ensemble cast.

9. DRY LAND, COMPANY ONE

The stakes were extra high this October when Ruby Rae Spiegel’s heartbreaking play about a pregnant teen out of options opened amidst the Planned Parenthood hearings, and the results were hair-raising. The small cast of young actors led by Stephanie Recio and Eva Hughes gave profoundly natural, unapologetic performances.

6. COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA, THE HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY

David Cromer blew the dust off of this neglected William Inge classic as only he can, and the results were devastating. In a painstakingly realistic production, the aching sorrow of a married couple hanging on by a thread was gruesomely realized, and the results were visceral and unforgettable.

2. A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, THE HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY

With Huntington artistic director Peter DuBois at the helm, this revival of Sondheim’s 1973 masterwork got everything right. DuBois managed to find the perfect balance between the show’s aching nostalgia and the blissful hilarity of Sondheim’s lyrics and Hugh Wheeler’s book. Fortunately, more Sondheim is on the horizon at the Huntington.

8. APPROPRIATE, THE SPEAKEASY STAGE COMPANY

This hearty family drama by red-hot playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins was a nearly perfect evening of theater.

Under the masterful direction of M. Bevin O’Gara, appropriate was as chilling and provocative as it was witty and hysterical. A top-shelf cast headed by Melinda Lopez helped make this one to remember.

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5. EDITH CAN SHOOT THINGS AND HIT THEM, COMPANY ONE

An irresistibly charming play by A. Rey Pamatmat about those awkward years between childhood and adulthood that boasted a trio of knockout performances by Maria Jan Carreon, Gideon Bautista, and Eddie Shields. Director Shawn LaCount’s production was simple but hopelessly absorbing, particularly in its manifestations of the loneliness, isolation, and confusion in three young kids doing the best they can.

1. NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, THE AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER

A divine experience that left me completely intoxicated.

Dave Malloy’s score is easily one of the best written for the stage in at least a decade, and Rachel Chavkin’s stunning, immersive staging is one for the books.

Opening on Broadway next fall, Comet is proof that style and substance can cohabit beautifully.

PHOTOS FROM 10 THROUGH 1: GLENN PERRY | PAUL FOX | NILE HAWVER | JIM COX | T CHARLES ERICKSON | PAUL FOX | MARK S HOWARD | EVGENIA ELISVEEVA | T CHARLES ERICKSON | EVGENIA ELISEEVA

10. SATURDAY NIGHT/SUNDAY MORNING, THE LYRIC STAGE COMPANY OF BOSTON

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FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

21

SAVAGE LOVE

DADT FOR LIFE

WHAT'S FOR BREAKFAST

BY PATT KELLEY WHATS4BREAKFAST.COM

BY DAN SAVAGE @FAKEDANSAVAGE | MAIL@SAVAGELOVE.NET Longtime reader and listener (magnum podcast subscriber!) here, and I have a conundrum. My partner and I have a DADT agreement in regards to extramarital relations. I’m a fortysomething woman who travels a lot on business, and I find those trips a great opportunity to have NSA flings with younger men, all in good fun. So far, Tinder seems to be a good way to meet people, and I try to take precautions to ensure they are who they say they are by checking them out on social media and meeting them first in a public place. But a girl can’t be too careful.

Sometimes I wish I had someone I could call and just say, “Hey, I’m hosting a stranger tonight at my hotel. Could you call me at a specific time to check he hasn’t chopped me up into little pieces?” My partner can’t be that person because of the whole DADT thing. My friends don’t know about my flings. And the front desk seems inappropriate. Is there an app out there providing this kind of service?

Or does someone need to create one?

Seeks Discreet Call Service A Tinder-like app to hook up random people who are about to hook up with other random people so the randos who met via the Tinderlike app can verify neither was murdered by the randos they met via Tinder itself? Sounds a little complicated, SDCS, and I’m not sure the market for your proposed app is big enough to attract investors. I also don’t think introducing a second potentially unreliable and/or sinister stranger into the mix is going to make your hotel hookups appreciably safer.

Here’s a better idea/simpler life hack: Schedule a wake-up call for an hour or two after your Tinder rando is due to arrive. You can schedule wake-up calls for any time of day, SDCS, and in nicer hotels you can even ask the front desk to ring you personally instead of scheduling a robocall. Just tell the receptionist you’re a heavy sleeper and you need them to verify that you’re awake/alive in time for your big meeting.

Or you could take a risk and confide in a friend about your open marriage, your flings, and your need for a safety buddy.

Start the New Year right and subscribe to the Savage Lovecast: savagelovecast.com.

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NEWS TO US

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DEPT. OF COMMERCE

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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

ON SALE NOW!

PRESENTS

A TRIBUTE TO HANK WILLIAMS - LIVE

52 Church St. Cambridge, MA

W/ THE SWINGING STEAKS, DANIELLE MIRAGLIA

sinclaircambridge.com

METZ W/ FREEZEPOP, LET’S WAIT

W/ CLOAKROOM, WILDHONEY

THIS SATURDAY, JANUARY 2

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7

THIS FRIDAY, JANUARY 1

WITH BULLY, SO PITTED

A FAMILY FRIENDLY ROCK SHOW!

DJ SET

W/ CRYWOLF

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12

SATURDAY, JANUARY 9

ROCK-N-ROMP

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 14

SATURDAY, JANUARY 16

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19

W/ THE RECORD COMPANY

SATURDAY, JANUARY 16 (EARLY)

W/ CARDIKNOX, SOFI TUKKER

SATURDAY, JANUARY 16

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23

W/ GLOCKABELLE

della mae THURSDAY, JANUARY 21

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

FRIDAY, JANUARY 22

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27

THU - SAT JANUARY 28, 29 & 30

Lee Fields

W/ BAD BAD HATS

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6 NEW YEARS EVE!

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

1222 Comm. Ave. Allston, MA greatscottboston.com

FRIDAYS AT 7PM!

‘s S GA E TH

& The Expressions

W/ GOLDEN FEATURES

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11

SCREAM

W/ TROPHY LUNGS, SILVER SCREAMS, NOMAD STONES

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3

JERMAINE FOWLER WITH NATASHA KMETO

W/ MAX FROST TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9

FAMILY AND FRIENDS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21

MONDAY, JANUARY 11

FRIDAY, JANUARY 8

ON SALE NOW!

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12

THE GAS PRESENTS

THIS SUNDAY, JANUARY 3

EMILY WELLS

w/ The Macrotones

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14

M ASS G O T H I C

RADIATION CITY

ON SALE NOW!

W/ MAZED

W/ DEEP SEA DIVER, ABADABAD

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25

FRIDAY, MARCH 4

≠ 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 ≠ 1/16 THE SHILLS ≠ 1/19 MIDRIFFS

OTHER SHOWS AROUND TOWN:

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