Boston Compass #166

ZINES FOR PALESTINIAN LIBERATION MEET THE ARTIST: With social media’s shadow bans and SEE. LOVE the mainstream media’s pro-Israel bias,

It’s hard to express how bad things are in Gaza right now. I have an internet friend who lives there and it is heart-wrenching to hear him fear death, and recently, mourn the death of a close childhood friend.

In less than four months, Israel has killed 1 in 84 people in Gaza. For comparison, Covid has killed 1 in 280 people in the U.S. over the course of three years.

There’s a reason that people are using the word genocide to describe what’s going on.

As U.S. residents, it’s on us to push our government to stop funding this mass violence. But there are so many kind and caring people who 1. don’t grasp the gravity of what›s going on, or 2. don’t know what they can do to help.

Over the past few months, I’ve been making zines in an attempt to reach these people. Zines have a long history of being used in justice movements. This is because they’re inexpensive to make and they are completely uncensored.

DESIGNERS:

Phoebe Delmonte: p.1,4,5 Hannah Blauner: p.2,3,7 Adrian Alvarez: p.6,8

zines offer a valuable alternative. In my zines, I aim to humanize people in Gaza, and then invite the reader to take action.

I share the words of Palestinians who are experiencing the violence firsthand.

Conveniently, my Gazan friend is a writer. He’s been writing from a personal perspective about what it’s like to be in Gaza right now. I told him that I’ll publish anything that he writes, since he is facing censorship on social media and doesn’t have a way to get his words shared with a wide audience. In the words of a Gazan doctor, “No one hears us. The world is watching how we are slaughtered. “ This is what I am trying to combat with my zines.

I’ve made all my Palestine zines available to print for free at pleasurepie.org/ printables. I want them to be distributed as widely as possible. Give them to your friends, put them in little free libraries in your neighborhood, bring them anywhere that people gather and put them on a table with a sign that says “Free zines!“ Individually, we don’t have much power to stop the violence. But collectively, we have so much power. Israel would not be able to carry out this violence without the enormous amount of support that the U.S. gives them. If massive numbers of U.S. residents call our reps daily to push for a ceasefire, go to protests, blockade major roads with “Free Palestine“ banners and human chains, and participate in general strikes, our government will be increasingly unable to ignore us. We can do this. We have to.

See. Love is my artist name, but my close friends call me Charles. I have always been interested in art, but I only started investing in myself creatively over the past five years. Since then, I have been the Head of Arts at a summer camp, designed graphics for clothing brands, started an upcycled clothing business, and created cover art for artists such as A$AP Twelvyy, Camden Malik, and Mackbo. I have no formal training in art or design, but I make sure to learn as much as I can through the words and actions of creatives that came before me. Taking the long road has not been easy, but it has been rewarding now that I have plenty of support and resources from everyday people, not just professors and galleries. I am now curating my own music events with the next one happening February 10th (stay tuned...) and plan to release merch inspired by my love of fashion. I truly believe art saved my life at a point where I had no direction. Now, I›m grateful to share my gift with you!

IG: Seee.love Website: www.lovedesignsus.com

—Nicole Mazzeo You can find the author’s printable Palestine zines at pleasurepie.org/printables.

THIS PAPER IS AN ONGOING PROJECT OF BRAIN ARTS ORGANIZATION, INC., A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT. PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO, VOLUNTEERING OR OTHERWISE SUPPORTING US: BRAIN-ARTS.ORG

THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM THE BOSTON CULTURAL COUNCIL, A LOCAL AGENCY WHICH IS FUNDED

BY THE MASSACHUSETTS CULTURAL COUNCIL, AS ADMINSTRATED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ARTS + CULTURE

MASSACHUSETTS MINUTE 5 Artists to Watch in 2024

It’s difficult to encapsulate an entire music scene with one list. As a matter of fact, it’s impossible. That’s not the purpose of this list. Whether you’re new to the Boston area, a native New Englander, or someone who’s immersed in the local music scene, by now you’re sure to have come across an artist from Massachusetts that you support. With such a constantly developing roster of artists clashing together to create our area’s sonic identity, we wanted to highlight 5 artists from Massachusetts who should be on your radar as we enter the new year. These are the 5 artists.

FELIX! had quite the end to 2023. Following a feature on Brent Faiyaz’s Larger Than Life album, a pair of well-received singles, and an appearance on the widely-popular On The Radar Radio freestyle series alongside his Van Buren Records teammates, the Brockton native is ready to seize the moment. Since relocating from Massachusetts to Los Angeles a few years back, the enigmatic artist has endured ups and downs, but 2024 is shaping up to be the year where the genre-fusing sensation soars higher than ever before. If you like high fashion and eclectic music, then FELIX! is certainly the guy for you.

Nafisa is a name that some may not be familiar with, but is one that will soon be taking Massachusetts’ music scene by storm.

Based in Cambridge, the singer, songwriter, and model has quietly become one of the area’s most exceptional live performers— despite having a limited amount of music available to stream. She prefers to freestyle and flow without bounds, something which has helped the R&B and Neo-Soul talent impress everyone who’s had the privilege of hearing her perform live. There’s no telling when we’ll be receiving new sounds, but if you see her name on a performance bill this year, don’t let the show pass you by.

Nay $peaks had the biggest year of her artistic career in 2023, and 2024 aims to be even more notable. Her mid-Summer release of Nayborhood Healer put her on radars everywhere, and even landed her a feature on BCN #160’s edition of the Massachusetts Minute column. All of this success boiled over this past December, when Nay walked out of Big Night Live as the Best New Artist at the 2023 Boston Music Awards. As a vibrant wordsmith who specializes in Hip-Hop and R&B, Nay $peaks is well on her way towards stardom.

V V N is an artist and producer attending Berklee College of Music, and is making some of the most exciting music in Massachusetts right now.

The multi-instrumentalist soundscapes are unparalleled, as she routinely experiments with different sonic textures to create earworms that lock onto the listener’s brain. Her October release of Tooth Dreams was her most impressive collection of songs yet, and made waves as one of 2023’s most exciting drops. She’s definitely someone to keep an eye on if you’re into planetary music.

Clark D has been a staple in Massachusetts music over the years, but he’s really nestling into his own as an artist as of late. Last year’s release of CLARKDPROPAGANDA was living proof of this. The project was the culmination of a better part of a decade’s worth of work, and showed listeners that he’s stepping into his own. The Boston native’s year ultimately ended with the Album of the Year award at the Boston Music Awards, cementing his position as one of Boston’s foremost talents.

He’s entering 2024 ready for more wins, and is certainly someone that everyone should have an eye on.

------------------------------------------------ SHAMUS HILL

YOU GET THE PICTURE Boston native Chavo is back with You Get The Picture, a very rich album full of 24 gems executively produced by Chasey Peralta— another distinguished figure in Boston’s allstar music scene—along with the help of Come On P, DDot, and Zach Drvke.

Throughout the sequencing of the tracklist, most of the songs begin or end with infamous movie quotes that we all know and live by. For this rapper he lives the starstudded Hollywood lifestyle on a personal basis telling the tales of luxury sports cars, expensive jewelry, and label deals just not making the cut. In his track “Interviews,” he rhymes about how Massachusetts has his heart while carrying Boston on his back like Jason Tatum’s jersey.

Chavo began his musical career at just the age of seven from always being around his father—who also lived the same intriguing rap star lifestyle. His father put him in a position to excel and let his niche shine when he thrived off of the alias of Ray Ray but for this star he really stepped into his full artistry as Chavo within the last six years. For Chavo he believes the key to rising above defeat that artists typically face is by dropping and being consistent because no matter what the more music you drop the more people will listen—“if you feel like your back is against the wall—in the long term you’ll see the fruits of your labor.”

When it came down to conceptualizing this album versus his other album series, Chavo handpicked everything down to the beats as opposed to letting the producer have creative control like in Chavo’s World. This project has a lot of his personal input on it and displays a reflection of him whereas Chavo World 3 was all Pierre Bourne. Chavo also doesn’t shy away from showing his fans love either, the star has come across a lot of amazing producers in his comment that he’s willing to work with if it makes sense.

He thoroughly believes that creatives should be open to collaborations because it can motivate you to go harder or even learn something new. Already we’ve seen Chavo working exclusively with the likes of Pierre Bourne, Asap Ant, Cousin Stizz, and Veeze.

This year we can expect to see a lot of tapes coming from the artist—who’s already on a head start with the release of Hood Luva 3.

With the hopes of landing a partnership deal with a major label Chavo wants his fans to know there’s a lot of new music coming. As a collective Chavo wants the scene to continue putting out more dope shit and keep being innovative because,“just like these other cities, we can do it too.”

-------------------------------------------- POETIC PATTIE

THE 4TH WALL A DIY VENUE IN A MOVIE THEATRE

The 4th Wall is a DIY venue in a movie theater. Located in the Capitol Theatre in Arlington, this venue has been hosting shows almost every Saturday since November 11th, each one with live visuals projected behind the performers done by the group Digital Awareness. They have also hosted a couple of night markets along with the shows. Over the last few months, they’ve already hosted a couple of heavy hitters in the local scene, including JVK, Paper Lady (both in this year’s Boston Calling lineup), Tiberius, Christian Pace, and Bare Cove.

I’ve been to four 4th Wall shows over the last few months. Rock and Indie music is the main genre of the venue so far, which fits well into the Boston scene. Seeing live music and live projected visuals together is an incredible experience, especially in a movie theater that comes with all the perks—seats, a big screen, popcorn, and concessions including ice cream!

The people behind the 4th Wall are cofounders David Jubinksy (who goes by Dave), the several members of Digital Awareness, and Ethan Gerber, who hopped on shortly after its founding. At the show on January 13th hosted by Dud’s Dungeon, I interviewed Dave, Ethan, Josh Artman, and Nate Scaringi (two of several members of Digital Awareness) about 4th’s Wall’s origins, its operations, and their visions about the venue’s future.

booking. When he heard that Dave needed help running the 4th Wall, he jumped at the chance. Ethan is now the Events Manager for the venue. He books shows, contacts the bands, runs the Instagram page, stage manages, troubleshoots, takes photos, and also sells concessions. When I asked what the biggest obstacles running the 4th Wall were, he mentioned the location and promotion.

Yet he’s incredibly passionate and has a lot of ideas for the space.

“I love it because it’s whatever we want it to be,” he said. Ethan listed off dozens of ideas for 4th Wall in the space of five minutes, including a music and film festival, residencies for larger bands, battle of bands, drag shows, and many others.

When interviewing Josh and Nate, the members of Digital awareness who were operating the visuals that night, they told me that the 4th Wall came into existence at exactly the right time. All the house venues have been shutting down because of increased attention from the infamous Boston Globe article about underground venues.

The frequency of the shows allows the duo to try out new techniques on the big screen, especially as they have the freedom to experiment at the venue.

“Boston hates musicians because we don’t generate money,” said Josh, “[opening the Dave manages the Capitol Theatre and 4th Wall] allowed us to cut our teeth a lot.” represents the 4th Wall. He makes sure the shows don’t interfere with the Capitol In the past few years, venues have been Theatre schedule, and ensures the venue popping up outside of the city, like the has everything it needs, from equipment Crystal Ballroom, Faces, and Deep Cuts, to staffing. While we were talking, he told likely due to the cheaper rent and fewer me that the idea for the 4th Wall started required permits. Nate, who has been in the developing in the summer of ’23, when Josh scene for about eight years, called the scene asked to test his new projector in the Capitol “as dire as ever.” Josh, who has been in the Theatre. Later that summer they went on scene half that time affirms he has seen a lot tour with Dave’s band Battlemode and the of venues shut down in Boston.

Digital Awareness crew. They played in a lot of DIY venues, like a rock climbing gym Places like the 4th Wall are more important and a factory. Dave told me it was at that than ever in the face of economic anxiety and point when he realized, “if I can play at these the disappearance of third spaces. You get places, why not at the theater?” to see cool local artists, hang out with your friends, and grab a beer for the low price of Ethan told me he has always wanted to do ten dollars. I’m excited for the future of the booking for a DIY venue, and started working 4th Wall as a potential pillar of the Boston at the Crystal Ballroom, (owned by the same music scene. company as the theater) in order to break into ----------------------------- GANNOPY URENA

AFFECTED ACCENT Todd Sickafoose—Bear Proof (Jazz)

Bear Proof by bass player Todd Sickafoose is that wonderful mixture of loose improvisation that brings a natural, organic, and conversational feel with beautiful composition that ensures a rewarding journey. The album is meant to be heard in its entirely, front to back, as one composition.

In fact, it was recorded live in the studio in one take. Jazz may be the closest genre, but this album is not easily categorized, so don’t come looking for towering individuals trading solos.

The songs are contemplative moods that ease you into a state of mind and occasionally drop you off the edge. Todd Sickafoose describes the album as “a surreal meditation on Boom and Bust,” and this plays out in the wide range of styles and sudden shifts in mood throughout the album. For instance, the song “Flush” has a funk/klezmer/Mr. Bungle vibe, and the next song “Magnetic North” has the feel of the group Tin Hat Trio. Todd describes his approach to the album as “taking little kernels of melody and

seeing what I could do with them. Many are extrapolated from the simple melody in ‘The Gold Gate,’ the four phrases of three notes that you hear in the opening piece.”

My favorite aspect of the album is the use of melodic rhythms. The drums are not just keeping time, they provide a memorable and approachable beat that can sometimes be the most recognizable part of the song and often mask unusual time signatures. Also great is the use throughout the album of the steady beat suddenly dropping out and giving the feeling of the remaining instruments floating around each other looking for a home (Boom then Bust). Todd says of the album: “Is music perhaps better than words for talking about high times and utter ruin?”

This album takes you on a journey that rewards repeat listens. It is highly original and subtly intermixes everything everywhere all at once.

-------------------------------------------------------------------- STEVE B.

more at bostoncompassnewspaper.com

music & audio Wally's Jazz Club Every Night!

At Wally’s, they have live music 365 days a year! They feature three different bands a night, one at 5pm, one at 7pm, and one at 9pm. The first set is typically a jam session and the second and third sets have different music themes depending on the day of the week: Monday: Blues, Tuesday: Funk, Wednesday: Funk, Thursday: Latin Jazz Salsa, Friday: Jazz, Saturday: Jazz, Sunday: Funk.

Come vibe at one of the oldest family owned and operated jazz clubs in existence!

2/4 We Black Folk Fest: A Celebration of Black Folk on Feb 4 and Feb 11 ft. Cliff Notez, Anjimile, Kemp Harris, Aisha Burns, Pink Navel, Grace Givertz, Hassan Barclay, Naomi Westwater, Stephanie McKay, Chris Walton, Melo Green, Elmira Are, Gabriella Simpkins. @ Club Passim @cliffnotezz @thehipstory 2/9 Eleanor Elektra Band Live Recording Session and Public Performance Eleanor Elektra and her band are back in the studio to record Eleanor's 3rd full length album; you are invited to be a part of a small audience that will be with them in the room, listening via headphones that connect directly to the studio mix as we play through the entire record.

You will be able to attend one of two sets! @ The Record Co. 5-6:30pm All Ages $20-$30 @eleanorelektramusic 2/11 FRKSE, Cryptwarblr, NXOR, Threshold @ Midway Cafe 3pm $10 2/19 ONCE Somerville Presents: Frank Hurricane, Battlemode, & Double Star @ The Rockwell 6pm8:30pm All Ages $15-$20 @frankhurricane @oncesomerville 2/19 BOOGARINS with Zip-Tie Handcuffs @ Crystal Ballroom 7pm All Ages $18 adv/ $20 doors 2/22 New England Synth Fest Experience some of New England's best synth musicians and visualizers like never before in the immersive full dome environment of the Planetarium, featuring a brand-new lineup of performers and synth vendors! @ Museum of Science 7pm $15 @nesynthfest

visual art Industry Lab Open Call for Art Submit to Industry Lab's first (at least, in quite some time) member-curated show "In Pursuit of Well-Being.” Please email industrylabartshow@gmail.com with the subject line: “Well-Being Show Submission” and your name to submit.

1/20 Lani Asunción: Duty-Free Paradise Curated by J.R.Uretsky This show explores the colonial history between Boston and Hawai’i through Asunción’s queer, multiracial, Filipinx identity and lived experience. On view at the Mills Gallery 1-6pm, Wed - Sat. @ Boston

Center for the Arts All Ages @lani. asuncion 2/1 Ritual and Devotion ft. Sneha Shrestha Enjoy the work of Sneha aka @imagine876 who is known for her bold, calligraphic, and colorful presentation of the Nepali alphabet in Devanagari script @ Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery 2/10 Opening Reception: Dreams I Imagined Elevated Thought kicks off Black History Month with a group exhibition featuring the works of some amazing artists @ Elevated Thought 6pm-9pm 3/1 Opening Reception: See and Be Seen II An intergenerational group of artists from Boston, Los Angeles, New York, and Vermont have been selected for the 2024 iteration about portraiture under a new lens. Show runs from March 1 - April 7 @ Praise Shadows Gallery 6pm-8pm

performance art Stand Up Comedy Series ft. Mark Gregory, Jonathon Gates and Dead Air Dennis Every fourth Tuesday of the month. Hosted

by Comedian/Superhero Corey Manning 2/3 Social Justice Poetry Institute: Healing Through our Native Tongue with Lyrical Faith. This workshop will be a space of decolonizing the constructs of language as we know it to celebrate our cultural backgrounds. In this session, we will present, analyze and discuss various representations of BIPOC identity through spoken word poetry. On Zoom, BIPOC Only! To register email martharogersmusic@gmail.com @ 9am-11:30am FREE 2/9 Sticky Sweet A night of drag and burlesque performances inspired by love and anti-love, presented by Kitty Levesque and Hazel Hellcat @ Midway Cafe 9:30pm 21+ $15 2/16 HOLE SHOW is a weird as hell, and wild as f*ck dance/drag/ art party, every other month @ Crystal Ballroom 8pm 21+ $25 2/17 + 2/18 The Oscar Micheaux Family Theater Program Company Presents "The Miss Marian Anderson and Friends Project" Come to be entertained and educated about Marian Anderson and her challenge to segregation (at that time the law of the land).

To further highlight the struggle will be the character of Rube Foster, an iconic leader during the same time period @ Regent Theater 4pm All Ages $30-$50

community Take-A-Zine, Leave-A-Zine has a new location! Check out this incredible community resource where you can trade your coolest zines for even cooler ones! They just set up a new street box at Gallery 263 in Cambridge that you can access 24/7. They even have a discord if you wanna get involved or learn more! More info on their IG @takeazine

Sol.Inspired Open Mic Open mic & safe space where one may come to Be &/or express, unapologetically. Find @solinspiring for more details

Gallery 263 staff to organize and present polished, self-curated exhibitions in our 700 sq/ft storefront gallery. Deadline to apply is 2/11

2/10 Hearts and Crafts Fair at CityLab This craft fair will be Valentine's Day themed. The vendor fees will go to CityLab Innovation High School's Parent Group to support programs that benefit students. Please email jceurbin@gmail.com to apply to be a vendor. @ CityLab Innovation High School 11am-2pm

I Like Your Work Podcast presents: Spring Exhibition Open Call Emerging and mid-career artists are invited to submit their work for consideration to I Like Your Work's 2024 Spring Catalog. Artists selected will have their work appear in our full color printed catalog and featured on our social media. All mediums are accepted.

Curated by Sally Morgan Lehman of Morgan Lehman Gallery Deadline to apply is 2/15

2/14 Cyberpunk Sweetheart’s Ball Opening Night of the Boston SciFi Film Festival aka Valentine’s Day event—a Cyberpunk Ball with DJ Sir Richard Wentworth. Music, fun, prizes and more. @ 6:30pm All Ages $20-$25 2/18 The Theater Offensive Presents: Queer Prom A joyful celebration of queer belonging!

Inspired by all queer youth and adults who may not have had the opportunity to be their true self at their own high school proms, Queer Prom will be a night filled with entertainment, dancing and intergenerational community to celebrate queer youth in our True Colors: Out Youth Theater programming and across Boston. @ Tenderoni's Fenway 6pm-11pm All Ages $15 (FREE for youth under 21) 2/23 Fridays at Frugal ft.

Skin&Bone Every 4th Friday of the month, they will be hosting Author Talks, Album Listening Sessions, Panels, Meet & Greets, Networking events & more! @ Frugal Bookstore 5pm-7pm All Ages @arturo__shabazz

advocacy Labor on the Line is a new podcast rooted in the need to build a fighting labor movement, hosted by Boston Liberation Center’s Rachel Domond and Husayn Karimi. Many of us, young people included, don’t view ourselves as part of the “labor movement.” But the reality is we are all working class people working to pay our bills and survive. Our labor holds immense power in society. No more can we allow the labor movement to be characterized as anything other than bright, YOUNG and dynamic, rooted in class-struggle politics.

Listen at laborontheline.org.

National "Rent for Moms" Campaign An effort poised to raise $100,000 to support single Black mothers across the United States in maintaining stable housing during the holiday season. The campaign's focus goes beyond traditional holiday giving, aiming to provide more than just temporary relief. By directly putting funds into the hands of those who need them most, Rent for Moms is changing the narrative around holiday giving and tackling systemic issues head-on. Visit www.rentformoms. org to donate Sign the Letter: Artists Against Apartheid All artists and cultural workers are welcomed to sign this letter to stand in solidarity with those resisting occupation and fighting for their right to selfdetermination.

opportunity Submit to the Exhibition Proposal Series Artists and curators of all experience levels have the opportunity to collaborate with

MacDowell Residency MacDowell provides time, space, and an inspiring residential environment to artists of exceptional talent.

A MacDowell Fellowship, or residency, consists of exclusive use of a studio in New Hampshire, accommodations, and three prepared meals a day for up to six weeks. There are no residency fees, and MacDowell offers financial assistance to cover the costs of traveling to and from the residency, as well as expenses that artists expect to incur while in residence, including rent, lost income, and childcare.

Visit MacDowell.org for more information. Deadline to apply is 2/10 National Endowment for the Arts— Grants for Arts Projects provides expansive funding opportunities to strengthen the nation’s arts and culture ecosystem. Through project-based funding from $10K to $100K, the program supports opportunities for public engagement with the arts and arts education, for the integration of the arts with strategies promoting the health and well-being of people and communities, and for the improvement of overall capacity and capabilities within the arts sector. Visit arts.gov/ grants for details and deadlines.

Harvard FSC-LEF Fellowship Boston-area directors who are not affiliated with Harvard are also encouraged to apply to the Harvard FSC-LEF Fellowship with a short or long-form nonfiction project that will be in production or post-production for the 2024–25 academic year. This opportunity, which is separate from the Moving Image Fund, includes a $10,000 grant, access to a pool of production and postproduction equipment, and the ability to participate in the Harvard FSC community through work-inprogress screenings, workshops, and other activities. Deadline to apply is 2/8 Dunamis Boston Resource Roundup a thorough list of grants, jobs, events, opportunities and workshops for artists and creatives in the Boston area. Check it out at dunamisboston.org/resourceroundup Writing Group Do you always intend to write that novel (or your thesis, etc.) but never get to it? Sit with others in a sunlit room and quietly work at the gallery. It’s so much easier. Hot coffee and desks are available every Friday from 8 11am @ Gallery 263 2/8 Mizuhiki Awaji Earrings Making Workshop Learn how to make the Awaji knot, which is easy enough for beginners. Whether you have a passion for handcrafts or are looking to explore something new, this is a perfect opportunity to dive in! @ Ko-Kyoto 6pm-7pm $30

2/21 Cultural Organizing for Artists Join Assets 4 Artists for this FREE virtual workshop hosted by Shey Rivera Rios. This workshop will present participants with various ways in which artists collaborate with city government and policy-making, what it means to have a civic role in our community and how to build more robust cultural ecosystems together @ 6pm-8pm

film 2/8 Catch the blaxploitation classic Coffey with Pam Grier seeking revenge @ Coolidge 7:15pm $15.50/$12.50 students 2/11 Experience love’s evolution from magic to realism in Richard Linklater’s iconic The Before Trilogy of movies @ Coolidge $15.50/$12.50 students 2/11 David Lynch’s cool prequel to the beloved TV series, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me @ Brattle 8pm $14.50/$12.50 students 2/16 Grab your plastic spoons and footballs for the greatest unintentional comedy of all time— The Room returns to @ Coolidge After Midnite $15.50/$12.50 students 2/14 - 2/19 Buckle up for 24 hours of otherworldly cinematic frights and delights at the 49th annual Sci Fi Marathon @ Somerville Theatre $100 2/24 Pam Greer’s defining role as the no-shit-taking, ass-kicking Foxy Brown @ Coolidge After Midnite $15.50/$12.50 students 2/26 Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami’s masterpiece Close-Up is a complicated blend of fiction and documentary that questions identity and artistic creation @ Coolidge 7pm $15.50/$12.50 students 2/28 Celebrate local and international women, trans + non-binary filmmakers at the cool, curated series: Grlhaus cinema @ Brattle 7pm $14.50/$12.50 students

theatre Thru 2/17 Two men from seemingly different worlds unexpectedly open up to each other, exposing their humanity and maybe something more profound in A Case For the Existence of God by Speakeasy Stage Company @ Boston Center for the Arts. Tix at Speakeasystage. com Thru 2/24 Company One joins forces with Boston Public Library and The Theater Offensive for the premiere of The Interrobangers, both a classic whodunit and queer coming of age story by M Sloth Levine @ BPL Copley, Rabb Hall FREE/Pay-what-you-want Thru 2/25 Francisco Mendoza’s play Machine Learning is as much about family as it is about potential consequences of artificial intelligence @ Central Square Theater $90/student $26 2/16- 3/10 A 50-year-old lesbian risks everything to transition into their true gender in P. Carl’s autobiographical Becoming A Man @ Loeb Drama Center Tix at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org $35+

Tell a friend to tell a friend and let's celebrate the stars amongst us! This one is for the culture. @ 7pm 21+

What’s Happening Boston is a black owned cultural marketing group that uplifts the local minority business owners, community organizations, creatives, and inventors by driving tourism to urban communities and curating unique experiences and excursions that enhance the cultural education of residents, tourists, and transplants as they explore our city.

2/1 Boston Redline 86—Black History Month Event Series Starting 2/1, join Afrimerican Academy in honoring the past and inspiring an #InclusiveFuture. Be part of the change, be part of #OneBoston.

This event series marks 86 years since the issuance of the Boston redline map; you are invited to trace the history over a series of 10 transformative events across 4 historic neighborhoods. Visit linktr. ee/afrimericanone to register All Ages FREE @afrimericanone 2/1 WNDR Boston Museum Opening Check out the WNDR Boston Museum, experience Yayoi Kusama’s masterpiece “Let’s Survive Forever” and explore 20+ interactive exhibits. An ever-evolving immersive art & technology experience. WNDR is a collective of thinkers, artists, poets, and designers working at the intersection of art and technology.​@ 500 Washington St, Boston @ 11am All Ages $32 adult / $22 kids 2/2 Tender Love & Care—Creating Loving Communities of Support & Accountability for Educators of Color Join The Teacher's Lounge for an evening of dialogue, community, arts, and celebration as TTL hosts First Friday at the MFA Boston. Participate in a fireside chat with Black educators and teacher leaders to talk about how to address the elephant in the room of how educators working within school systems can lift each other up, hold each other accountable, while dismantling all systems of oppression for the sake of the future of our babies. @ MFA Boston 5pm-9pm 18+ FREE 2/2 Shrek RAVE a Shrek-themed dance party @ Big Night Live 9pm 18+ $35 2/3 Lifted Smoking Goods presents Slap House House, Disco, Funk, Groove dance party, come out for some fun, raffles and chill vibes! @ Rockwell Theatre 9pm 21+ FREE 2/3 Stars Amongst Us: Boston Music and Art Showcase Hosted in a beautiful 8500 sq. foot private members lounge at 33 Dunster Street in Cambridge, this event is 100% smoke-friendly. BYOC. We bring to you a local music and art show for the ages. Combining some of the artists that set the foundation for our vibrant scene in this beautiful city, with the new wave carrying the torch forward, we hope to bring our community together for a night to remember.

2/3 THE FEMMES SPECTACULAR LIVE The Femmes are an all women and non-binary band in the Boston area that performs songs by women and non-binary artists.

We’re thrilled to be returning to @crystalballroomsomerville for the first time since our Pride Party in June! This one will be bigger than ever—new music, four lead singers, and the FULL band performing together @ Crystal Ballroom Somerville 7pm-11pm 18+ $25 2/4 MuseumTV x SoundLab presents 2nd All Stars Show Come celebrate TheMuseumTV’s 10 Year Anniversary! 10 Years of Exhibiting our Culture’s Stories in various ways! @ Bills Bar Fenway 7pm11pm 21+ @themuseumtv 2/4 Tết In Boston Get ready for an unforgettable celebration!

Join the Vietnamese American Community of Massachusetts at the Vietnamese Lunar New Year Celebration. Enjoy arts and crafts, delicious food, and much more! @ Flynn Cruiseport 10:30am-5pm All Ages $5 2/4 Jelly Jaw Comedy Night Bringing you some of Boston's best rising comedians. Laugh with us until your jaw turns to jelly! @ Tavern In The Square 7pm-9pm 21+ FREE 2/6 PhoneBoy—Moving Out Tour Indie band in an intimate music venue in Lowell @ Taffeta 7pm-10pm 18+ $20 2/7 SubSpace: Adult Experiences Art, science, and technology collide, creating a new wave of nightlife that’s intelligent, provocative, and one-of-a-kind. From musical tributes in the Planetarium to performance art installations, SubSpace is an ever-evolving lab for Boston’s most intriguing and immersive experiences. @ Museum Of Science 9am 21+ 2/8 Meet & Greet powered by ExpozedTV eXpand + Collaborate + Network with other dope individuals @ ExpozedTV 7pm All Ages FREE 2/10 Streets + Avenues Celebrate Black History Month this year with some talented folk who will be part of this beautiful night from @amandasheaallday, to @sirclarkd and @djtroyfrost and our stylist @styleherlady. MIT's Music & Theater Arts presents a nice evening to celebrate the intersection of pillars that make up hip hop.

Showcasing street art and fashion, dancers, emcees, djs, PULL UP @ 345 Vassar St. in Cambridge @ 6pm-10pm All Ages @amandasheaallday 2/14 Feathers & Frills A Risquè—Valentine's Night Romance Hosted by The Boss of Burlesque— Foxy Tann. With performances by... Lady Luck Burlesque, Mistress Manifest, The Fuck Smarts, Pepper Grinds, and Josh & Ben @ House Of Blues 7pm-10pm 18+ $45-80 2/17 FOUND’s 1 Year Anniversary Vintage Clothing Market To celebrate, FOUND is curating the best

vintage + upcycled clothing collection in the area with over 100 small business vendors. The marketplace will be set up with three distinct shopping slots of 2 hours each. DJ sets by: Bobby Bangers, Snax, Where’s Nasty. @ Artists For Humanity Epicenter 11am-5pm All Ages $5-20 @bobbybangers 2/17 GoodVibez Valentines Day Sip & Paint Art supplies provided, 420 friendly, food and drinks available @ Hustle Killer HQ7pm10pm 21+ $30 @hustle_killer_hq, @hustle_killer 2/18 Amapiano Invasion by Skyla Tylaa @skylatylaa invades BOSTON!!! AMAPIANO x AFROBEATS vibes @ The Grand Boston 9pm 21+ 50 2/22 F*ck Cancer Party Fuck Cancer is nonprofit dedicated to advancing health equity through early detection and prevention programs, and by providing resources to navigate, manage, and cope with cancer. We throw F*ck Cancer parties all over the world that give our community a unique bonding experience. By attending, you're not just making a statement, you're helping us make a real impact in the cancer space. @ Big Night Live 9pm 21+ $50 2/23 Concert Crave presents "41 WORLD TOUR" @realkylerichh comes to Worcester with @therealjenncarter & @iamlilta! @ The Palladium Upstairs 7pm11pm All Ages $40 2/23 Gimme Gimme Disco Salisbury Dancing Queens & Kings, are you ready to have the time of your LIFE singing and dancing along to all your favorite ABBA + disco hits? Your grooviest getup is encouraged, but leave your worries behind! @ Blue Ocean Music Hall 8pm 18+ $15 2/23 Black to the Future: An Afrofuturist Soiree Castle of our Skins is a #Black arts institution dedicated to fostering cultural curiosity & celebrating Black artistry through music. Channel your inner cosmic explorer and don your most avant-garde Afrofuturist attire.

Your presence at the soiree supports a brilliant future for Castle of our Skins. Help us raise funds to continue promoting Black artistry, history, and culture through innovative programs and initiatives. @ Black Market Nubian 7pm10pm All Ages @blackmarketnubian 2/24 HeartBreak Records presents HeartBeats: a networking event for Boston hip hop—the largest Boston hiphop networking event ever done. 25 exclusive invitations, 25 tickets for general sale.

Featuring performances by Will Abad, Exoshakeem, and Abstract Minor @ Hustle Killer HQ, Malden 7pm-11pm 18+ @exoshakeem 2/24 ALL THE FEELS Festival Boston's biggest R&B Party is back!

Playing some of your favorite R&B songs from the 80’s/90’s to today and featuring some of the best DJ talent in the country; we hope your singing voices are ready! @ House Of Blues 9pm 21+ $20-45

2/25 2024 Monster Energy Outbreak Presents Lil Tecca: HVN ON EARTH TOUR TEC THE ALBUM. Get you some @ MGM Music Hall 8pm 18+ 2/29 KPop Club Night North America's premier #KpopParty since 2012 @ Big Night Live 9pm 18+ $31

~ Highlighting the Black Diaspora within Massachusetts, while promoting brotherhood and sisterhood. ~ Follow at @diasporama on Instagram 2/3 Franklin Park Coalition presents: Winter Festival 2024 Indoor and outdoor activities with music, hot chocolate, board games, arts & crafts, and so much more! Come dressed to play, just in case there may be snow @ Franklin Park Clubhouse 1pm4pm All Ages FREE 2/3 The Aspiring Scholars & Hustlers Foundation's Scholarship Fundraising Dinner Join the A.S.H. Foundation for their introductory dinner in support of the Ashley Andrade Cardoso Memorial Scholarship @ Knights of Columbus Easton 7pm-11pm $30-$40

2/4 The Boston Food Forest Coalition presents Maple + Walnut Sugaring Workshop Learn from the basics of the sugaring process, from identifying suitable trees to tap, tapping and storage collection techniques, as well as tips on boiling down dilute sap into sweet syrup and other sugar products! @ Edgewater Food Forest 1pm-3pm $5-35 2/7 Company One's Better Future Series presents Threads of Migration A community sip n' stitch supporting Boston refugees. All are welcome, and no knitting or crafting experience is required! Refreshments, instructions and supplies will be provided, but participants are welcome to bring their own supplies @ Boston City Hall 6pm-8pm All Ages FREE @companyoneboston 2/19 February Break! by Chez Vouz Come enjoy February break at Chez Vouz! Fresh food, fun skating, games and more! @ Chez Vous Skating Rink 2pm All Ages $10 @chezvousskating 2/24 Mayor's Youth Summit Join the City of Boston at the Mayor's Youth Summit! Included will be, free food, entertainment, giveaways, awards, and more! @ Artists For Humanity Epicenter 1pm-6pm FREE

SEASON 6

Daydreaming by Roden Ovak

@rodenovak

Little Crumb & The Homecoming by Hunter Savage

@hntrsvg

Thoughts of A Bi Demigirl by Angela Krieg

@akriegstudio

Kenny Combs by LJ-Baptise

@xscapistlj

JIMMY FLYNN

BOSTON HARDCORE'S SILLIEST GOOSE

POLITICS un-USUAL

Joe Fergus Introduces the Muses to Dorchester Joe Fergus is the Art Department; and in a sense, we all are.

An unassuming brother with both the stories and the body of work to show for his many years of dedication to Boston’s creative communities, Fergus (known around the way, and around the world, as Joe Politics) took his first steps into the arts as a child. It’s these steps, through the halls of the MFA to take classes scheduled by his mother, that led him to careers in videography, music production, and artist management. Fergus’ latest undertaking is ownership and curatorship of The Muse, a gallery space in Dorchester; as Fergus approaches the fifty-year mark this coming March, he seeks to open Muse 2, an artists’ studio spanning music and visual production. Stacking responsibilities and working across disciplines is not unfamiliar to Joe Politics—as an adolescent, he cut heads as a barber while fulfilling regular coursework in school and dipping his toe into “this thing we call Hip-Hop.” Mattapan-born and bred, Fergus is serious about historicizing and publicizing Boston’s centrality to hip-hop—his own personal narrative is deeply woven into this city’s contributions to the genre and way of life. From dancing with the Almighty RSO, to learning technical production skills from DJ Clark Kent, and making his name known as a graffiti writer, Fergus’ understanding of the arts builds from the community spaces and DIY-culture that typify hip-hop’s early days. In the meantime, his work as a fine artist led him back to the MFA to pursue a Bachelor’s at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, where an encounter with a cinematography professor set him up to eventually film music videos of his own. Listening to Joe speak on his deep involvement in culture-making throughout his life calls to mind a quip from local luminary and story-teller Dart Adams: “Hip-Hop wasn’t something you just listened to, it was something you did.”

This impetus to do is what animates Joe’s constant passion for creation—he recently released his own album, entitled RENISSANCE [sic] ME.

Yet we must progress past just the doing and producing, to hear Joe tell it; when asked what the “Art Department” connotes, he replied that “it means we are the culture. It’s us that exude the level of cool you see in this world. So if we are the culture, why are we not controlling the culture? Why are we not navigating the culture, why are we not taking care of the culture? There's a certain level of curation that you have to do as somebody who is protecting the arts.”

That urge to curate and cultivate the culture is what motivates the Muses. The first Muse, at 336 Blue Hill Avenue in Grove Hall, serves as a full gallery for the visual arts; events and activations illuminate the space, on the corner of a lively block that draws pedestrian and car traffic alike.

Muse 2, scheduled to open early this year, hosts the back-end of the culture about a half-mile down the road: the property is intended to be a production forum, with space for audio and visual artist studios.

It’s a blank slate at the time of writing, but legendary mural artist and graf writer Rob ‘ProBlak’ Gibbs is moving into the basement studio at the end of January, while a corner recording studio on the first floor is already filling up with equipment.

Legacy and service are the intentions and principles of the Muses, and indeed of Politics’ work across scales. Forward and backward-looking, the Muses seek to draw from rich local history to support the next generation. Project 2043, a youth visioning and mentoring program hosted at the Muse, is but one of many coming initiatives—Joe Politics sees a future for Black and Brown folks in the City of Boston that comprises gaining power, and building ownership within our neighborhoods to steer the steed of culture.

Muse 2 sits in what was once a church: perhaps it, too, will become a community-building institution once its doors open, a staple of local arts with programming that opens doors for our future Politickers.

ALULA HUNSEN

There's a thoroughness that exists in HardCore, especially Boston HardCore, an intense scene of violent austerity if there ever was one, that doesn't exist within other musical spheres. A thoroughness of mind, a thoroughness of spirit, a thoroughness of physicality and most importantly... a thoroughness of action. You need… to get… involved. It's not a scene for spectators. Bands need to be formed, shows need to be booked, zines need to be written, venues need to be hunted down with extreme perseverance and after all that's done...the dancers need to bleed. If you don't take on the responsibility...who will? It's all on you. Getting involved isn't difficult but you have to want it. There's no wall that separates us from each other. In our eyes, that little kid out on the dance floor for the first time is as important as the veteran onstage just for the simple fact that he's here and participating in this thing. The only wall we have is the one that separates us from the rest of the world out there and personally, I've never given a fuck about what they're doing out there and more importantly, neither did Jimmy Flynn.

Jimmy was nothing else in this life if not a thorough Boston Hardcore kid of the highest order. He did everything through a HardCore lens for HardCore kids for HardCores's sake. From booking absolutely LEGENDARY gigs over the past 20+ years under the brilliant and hilarious Hardcore Stadium banner to playing in bands like Shot Dead, Mind Eraser, New Lows and Downhill Fast which are, in this writer's opinion, some of the most criminally slept on bands of his era. He did everything a real deal HardCore kid accepts as sacrament. He made zines, he made fliers, he danced and stagedove with the best of us...and he even has a couple of mosh pit fist fights under his belt (that's important).

If you witnessed a Boston HardCore gig in the past 20 years, there's probably an 85% chance that he had something to do with it. In the annals of Boston HardCore history, from now on you're gonna have to mention his name in the same breath that you mention Al Barile, violent punch/kick slam dancing, militant straight edge, FSU, Suburban Voice and This Is Boston Not LA as far as people or things that have had a profound impact on our scene and defined us through the decades. And yes… he's that important and I'll fight anyone who disagrees.

He couldn't have been older than 16 when I met him. A very sweet, funny and sincere kid with a baby face that endeared me to him immediately. He and his friends would come into the record store I worked at in Quincy and peruse the Punk/Hardcore section for bands they were hungry to learn about but had yet to hear as they were still very young and not regular show goers at this point. Me

being the elder punk, I'm four years his senior and had been steadily attending shows since ‘94, he would endlessly pick my brain for scraps of information about shows I'd seen or bands I was playing in.

It really impressed me when I told him my band's name, a band no one cared about then or now, and he knew that we had recently played a show on Calumet St in Mission Hill with Proclamation and Close Call in some basement attended by no more than 20 people. It was the type of minutiae that riddled his brain at all times and would come to define his character over the years. Not just facts about Punk and Hardcore but odd facts that had to do with anything Boston related. I've never met a person who was more proud to be a Bostonian than Jimmy and I've never met another person who put on for this city like he did. I'm sure he not only saw it as a calling but as a duty to make Boston Hardcore a thing to be respected across the globe. As a lifelong Bostonian myself, I can't properly explain how insulting it is to see kids come here year after year and use the city for their own purposes, get what they want out of it and then move to New York and spend the rest of their lives talking about how awful it is here.

It's a cross you have to bear as a native and that's why Jimmy's love and effort to make this a better place for all of us was so endearing and special. It's a constant uphill battle but I doubt he ever thought about moving to New York. Fuck New York! Now and forever.

There's a million things I want to say about Jimmy right now that I tragically don't have the space for. He was my friend. He was the little brother that earned every bit of my respect and far surpassed me in almost every regard in the 25 years I've known him. I can't stop thinking about his baby face… a face that has sadly disappeared in recent years due to whatever condition he was in. A Quincy kid to his core. The silliest of geese. An incredibly intelligent and sweet human being with one of the most delirious and insane senses of humor I've ever come across (he once sent a Xmas card to The Model that read "Dear Model Cafe, you suck! Merry Xmas. The Sillouette.”) In another time he would have been a Dadaist… I'm sure of it. But lucky for us..he was a Boston Hardcore kid. To his very bones. A legend in the field really. And I firmly believe that's how he'd want to be remembered more than anything. So congratulations Jimmy... you did it. You're a legend...and Quincy will still murder your fucking city.

The proceeds of this article have been donated to the "Memorial Fund for Jimmy Flynn, Hardcore Stadium," which will go directly to his family to cover funeral costs.

SHAWNIE BRANDO

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