pendentArtand Culture Guid e d n I e An
Boston Counte r Cultura l Wa l k i n g To u r
T’S E H C T LAS L CA L
The Boston punk scene is as encompassing as any, and no one in the city was as willing to give these bands a chance like venue owner Richard Rooney (otherwise known as “Chet” to anyone around in the early ‘80s scene). Named after the man himself, Chet’s Last Call was a 175-cap space located above the notorious pub The Penalty Box in the North End; once envisioned as a space for jazz and blues artists, it was eventually opened as a beacon for local punk acts. Eventually the Last Call became a pseudo sequel to The Rat, and hosted a wide variety of acts not limited to Bim Skala Bim, Throwing Muses, a pre-”Mighty Mighty” Bosstones, etc. Directed by Ted & Dan Vitale (the latter being the vocalist for Skala Bim), Chet’s Last Call is a look back at not just the life of the man who gave the punk heart a pulse, but into the importance of the venue and the WHEN: culture. Filled with interviews from July 5, 9:30PM local punk legends, family, and friends, Chet’s Last Call is no bullWHERE: shit; this is the definitive look into Somerville the Boston Punk Scene from the people who were actually there. Theatre — KYLE BRUNET
HOW MUCH: $11
HOW TO LEAD A ZERO WASTE LIFESTYLE W/ MELANIE BERNIER It's June 11, and I’m sitting outside the Westin Copley. My menses are... mensing, but I won’t move away from the door, so I slide a handkerchief into my jeans to manage overflow. Classy! A wall of cops are cowboying towards me and ten other seated accomplices. Soon I’m in the back of a wagon wearing zip-tie handcuffs, the rag, and a pair of sunglasses. No, this is not the plot of Coyote Ugly III: Felony Melanie and the Case of the Missing Jello Shots. This is my Tuesday, brought to you by a series of adult choices. So how did I end up getting hauled into a police wagon before a crowd of cheering activists? In period pants? I was peacefully protesting a gas conference. I was peacefully protesting the end of our world. Inside Westin, the Real Gas Execs of Climate-Denial County were talkin’ fossil fuel infrastructure - more pipelines in MA, anyone? Meanwhile, scientists continue to warn: if we don’t net zero our emissions by 2030, the runaway effects of climate change will be unmanageable. They predict ecosystem collapse, societal collapse, and human extinction. No, not in 100,000 years. In 100 years. This is not a normal day gasin’ it up at the gas conference. This is a fucking emergency. Real talk: zero waste is an important part of my life. It’s not just about eschewing pornographic amounts of senseless waste; it’s about looking at our world and saying, “We can’t treat this place like a giant fucking toilet. My personal gratification is not worth the cost of emissions.” Objectively, this choice matters - 2018’s IPCC report states that individual actions help combat climate change. But ZW alone can not “solve” it. And industry’s biggest polluters are thrilled at the idea of “individual responsibility,” because it places the blame elsewhere. Classic! Make no mistake: pollution is a structural problem. We must stop it at the source. We need industry to respond to the threat. We need our government to stop suppressing science that contradicts their “official position on climate change.” We need our media to report on the urgency of this crisis. We need to act like the house is on fire. Because it is. Local Climate Activist Groups - New Members Wanted! Extinction Rebellion Massachusetts 350 Mass Sunrise Movement Boston All you need to do is show up. Fucking do it!
In the early seventies, the Boston area was well known for its innovative, alternative organizations. Environmental groups were partnering with farms. Feminist groups were creating their own infrastructure. Mission-based companies were organizing themselves as cooperatives. The list is long. Unfortunately, a lot of this info is buried in hard-to-find books, so not many people really know about it. I know I didn’t—until I stumbled upon it a few years back. I was so amazed that I’ve been writing a series of zines about it all called “Mapping Out Utopia.” The ideas, the energy, and the focus that these organizations demonstrated are pretty inspiring, especially today in burn-it-all 2019. Inman Square was one of the WHEN: focal points back then, so I’ve also been leading a series of walking 7/13 (Rain date: 7/14) 1-2:30PM tours, sponsored by a super cool artist-run space, Practice Space. Each tour covers WHERE: a couple dozen countercultural Practice Space, 1307 orgs, from a different angle. One Cambridge St. tour, for example, looked at cooperatively-run businesses; another looked at how affordable HOW MUCH: space made these experimental $5 ventures possible. On Saturday, July 13, I’m going to be leading another tour. This one will look at the generosity of spirit that motivated a lot of these initiatives. In 2019, we’re dealing with the cruel face of contemporary politics and social media, so it’s important to bear witness to what generosity really can achieve. Hope you’ll join me. Together, we’ll win!
— TIM DEVIN
P L A C E S Outdoor places you’ve missed neglected — Y O U C A N or and how to find H A N G : them! ACCORDING TO PJ CARMICHAEL @MASSLOVEDISTRO Oakdale Park/Middlesex Fells Reser vation Take the Orange Line to Oak Grove, exit the Washington Street side of the station, walk about a half mile to Oakdale Park in Melrose, and you enter a beautiful patch of forestry which connects to the larger Middlesex Fells Reservation. If you’re into hiking and experiencing some truly beautiful views, you can explore the entirety of the Fells, which extends over 2600 acres and contains 100+ miles of mixed-use trails. Nashua Street Park aka EGGS I used to skate the iconic EGGS (Nashua Street Park) a bunch when I was younger, but now I tend to find myself simply sitting and enjoying this park in the West End of Boston, located off the Green Line Science Park stop. Gaze over the Charles River, watch some kids bust out a few tricks, and enjoy the experience of simply being alive at this nice little park by the water. Revere Beach With the summer in full swing, there’s no better time to hit the beach than right now. Take the Blue Line to Revere Beach and enjoy some ocean air. Get a slice of Bianchi’s pizza, a Revere Beach staple, now served at Renzo Pizzeria on the boulevard, and enjoy a delicious ice cream sundae at Kell’s Kreme as well. There’s also a ton of hardcore shows that happen at Sammy’s Patio, too, so there’s often the opportunity to catch some intense live music while you’re in the area.
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PEAR S QUA R E A R T FA I R
Join us for our second annual Pear Square Art Fair! This all day celebration of art and community is the brainchild of us here at Dorchester Art Project along with our friends at the Dorchester North Neighborhood Association, The Oleana Foundation and the Dorchester Historical Society. Aimed at showcasing the talent of Dorchester artists and craftspeople the PSAF will have dozens of local art vendors and supporting organizations tabling for their arts and causes all day. From 12 to 5 p.m., there will be light musical entertainment of the folk, pop, poetry and DJ variety on the lawn of the James Blake House (the oldest house in Boston!) and there will be free tours of the historic landmark all afternoon. Plus drinks and food will be served from local vendors along with amusements like face painting and a bouncy house for da kids. As the sun starts to set our featured bands will take to the bigger stage from 5 to 7 p.m., Honey and the Bees’ neo-soul and Hip Hop explora- WHEN: tion and MyCompiledThoughts’7/20(Rain date:7/27) Rnb/Hip Hop explosion. And closing out the night will WHERE: be a youth theatre review! Richardson Park in Come on down to that little slice Dorchester (Mass of heaven (green space) next to the KFC and giant pear statue in Ave & Columbia Rd) Dorchester for a day of family fun and community expression! HOW MUCH: Free! — SAM POTRYKUS
NOTES FROM THE CREW:
with RYAN CONNELLY
Hassle Crew! This is your cohort Ryan Connelly, a.k.a. “Rycon.” You may have seen me playing drums with Hallelujah the Hills, Boston Cream, or Bong Wish, but you may not have known that I’ve been distributing this trusty Compass in E. Cambridge/Kendall for 6+ years. I started shortly after befriending Sam and Dan, most likely at a Whitehaus show, and haven’t really looked back until now. In the decade I’ve lived here I’ve done my best to immerse myself in the music and arts scene, and through the Boston Hassle I’ve discovered so many incredible humans with endless talent, drive and vision. What started as a small group of artists, writers and promoters has blossomed into a full 501(c)(3) with its own offices, event space and arsenal of contributors. It’s impressive, and something you should all be proud of. I’m writing you now to let you know I’m passing the torch to the next wave, but my dedication to the mission is still present. To the veteran Hasslers out there and the potential ones grasping this paper for the first time: what you hold in your hand is sacred. It’s the culmination of countless hours of thought, expression, hard work and sacrifice that is the lifeblood of our scene. In times where it feels like all the development is happening above ground, we need to prove it’s the underground that makes this city truly great. Stay organized, stay positive, and stay in touch! e: rycontheicon@gmail.com IG: rycontheicon
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