Tuesday, November 16, 2010

11/17: Billy Ruane Memorial Birthday Bash


7pm
Billy Ruane Memorial Birthday Bash
at Middle East - Downstairs, 480 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
at TT the Bear's Place, 10 Brookline St, Cambridge (Central Sq)
$10 / 18+

Wow. I don't know how to neatly summarize the overwhelming amount of music that's happening in celebration of Billy Ruane's birthday after his untimely death about 3 weeks ago. Even if he can't be there in the flesh, Billy's friends and other music-lovers can celebrate his Birthday.

There's so much that has been said in praise of the man who has meant so much to the Boston rock scene. The Phoenix has quite a bit centralized.

As far as Wednesday night, the last time that TT's and the Middle East held a joint event was probably 23 years ago for Billy's 30th birthday party. Billy Ruane brought live music to the Middle East -- just think about that.

There's plenty of background info about the party is in a Facebook note from one of the organizers, Mary Lou Lord.

Some of the bare basics:
-- It is one admission for both clubs, so theoretically you can move between the two venues. If a room is at capacity, either wait or listen to the other stage.
-- The Middle East will host mainly seasoned acts, while TT's will lean towards Billy's more recent favorites while also sandwiching in the originally scheduled acts: Jon Langford (ex-Mekons) and Chris Mills.
-- The cover charge is going to a fund that will fund various charities, maybe including the Mark Sandman Music Project.

I have a difficult time believing it will stay on schedule, but this may be a good guideline:

Middle East

Opening Song: Lilia Halpern-Smith
7pm -- Drew O'Doherty
7:15pm -- Eric Martin
7:30pm -- Rockin' Bob Cenci
7:45pm -- Randy Black
8pm -- Linda Viens & Catherine Coleman
8:15pm -- Jimmy Ryan & Sean Staples
8:30pm -- Joe Harvard
8:45pm -- Willie Alexander
9pm -- Chris Brokaw
9:15pm -- Hilken Mancini & Thalia Zedek
9:30pm -- Reid Paley
9:45pm -- Pat McGrath, Stephen Fredette, Peter Wolf
10:15pm -- Michael Patrick Macdonald (speaking) & other Billy stories
10:45pm -- Slideshow
11pm -- Tanya Donnelly & Skeggy Kendall
11:20pm -- Jenny Dee & the Deelinquents
11:35pm -- Buffalo Tom
Midnight -- Lady Lamb the Beekeeper
12:20am -- Closing Song
TT The Bear's
7pm -- Emily Forsythe
7:15pm -- Nina Violet
7:30pm -- Fred the Donkey
7:45pm -- Bell & the Bees
8pm -- The Raging Teens
8:25pm -- Slideshow/Speaking
9:15pm -- The Neighborhoods
9:50pm -- Chris Mills
10:30pm -- John Langford
11:40pm -- Drug Rug
12:05am -- Banditas
12:30am -- Frank Morey
I strongly encourage you to get advance tickets. Both clubs seemed to still have online tickets, although TT's version seemed to have less fees than the Middle East.

If you wanted to go in person today, the Middle East box office (up the stairs 472 Mass Ave) is open from 1pm to 7pm. You can buy tickets at TT the Bears after 6pm.

Update: As of 7pm last night, there were about 160 tickets left.

If you wanted to see/contribute to the memorial murals at Fourth Wall Project, your last chances are Wednesday 11/17 and Thursday 11/18, from Noon to 6pm.

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