Are you ready to Rumble?
Too bad – because the annual Rock N Roll Rumble announced back in February that it was on hiatus until 2026.
This is the time of year that I’d normally be stealing over to Central Square to watch the action unfold as bands battled for weeks to determine rock ’n’ roll supremacy. Though nobody is quite clear on what “rock ’n’ roll supremacy” might look or sound like. The judging criteria is a bit vague. So what?
That’s the beautiful thing about the Rumble, at least the Boston Emissions-sponsored version of the long-running competition I’ve become familiar with. A well-organized affair that provides an aboveboard opportunity for local bands to spotlight their creativity in front of new audiences. Musicians enjoying themselves, putting the best foot forward, without overworrying judging rubrics. Good vibes, good crowds, good bands.
That warm and fuzzy feeling will have to be enough to tide you over until next year. In the meantime, what else to do with myself on this April-to-May swing? I could pick some daisies, churn some butter or, what the heck, join a massive May Day rally on Boston Common. Throwing up the devil’s horns for labor rights, baybeee!
Hit this
Friday: Gían Pérez (NYC) + Tomatillo Psychedelic Cumbia Especial (Lilypad, Cambridge)
RIP This Music Presents? The experimental jazz showcase series, which I’ve shouted out in these pages before, is coming to an end. The series brought a unique sensibility to booking gigs, spotlighting new names and popping up in surprising places where you might not expect to hear jazz. Friday’s show presents the avant-garde guitar of Gían Pérez complemented by a band that features a few musicians, including pianist Martin Gohary, who’ve served as the de facto house band for This Music Presents throughout its run. What happens next? Apropos of the Easter narrative, the series is scheduled to rise again in a new form. But resurrection can be tricky business, so catch the series before it croaks.
Saturday: Townies, Subpunch, Louzy, Motel Art (Middle East, Cambridge)
A local punk four-stack at the jewel of Central Square. A homecoming gig for the Townies after a minitour along the Eastern seaboard. The over/under on functioning toilets in the Middle East Upstairs is set at 1.5 shitters, so the odds are in your favor if you eat a big meal beforehand.
Wednesday: Baker Thomas Band (Toad, Cambridge)
Live music is back at Toad. Feels strange to say it, strange to write it. After such a long layoff, it was easy to imagine that the doors of the cozy neighborhood spot in Porter Square would never reopen. But the doors have reopened – and it couldn’t come at a better time, as one or more live music spots in nearby Davis Square hang in the breeze while a potentially disruptive plan for development gets hammered out. Old-timers will remember the easy-rocking sounds of Toad regulars Baker Thomas Band, who have been holding down a Wednesday night residency of late. Don’t be fooled by the “sad goodbye” landing page at the still-active old website. Check out the music calendar at the new URL instead: mccarthystoad.com.
Live: A hip-hop showcase at The Jungle
Hip-hop arrived at The Jungle, delivered on the wings of a showcase co-presented by Heartbreak Records and Webookthings. Except for the solo rhymes of closer Paul Karsen, a bastion of bombast and braggadocio, it was a Sunday night for collectives and extended-friends networks on stage.
Zazu Noir’s star shined bright. The rapper (aka Malik Noir) opened with minimalist a cappella rhymes. A kind of throat-clearing, sound-checking gesture to establish the solid fundamentals of the rapper’s art before the beats and backing tracks kicked in. He was joined by fellow artists CASiMiRx, Voltaire II and J. Anthony, who edged the evening into various shades of trap and neo R&B.
The Jungle is a welcoming venue for all types of artists. But it can be particularly well-suited to host these types of amorphous ensemble performances. A low stage, intimate room, blurred boundaries between artists and audience. You’re never quite sure if the person standing next to you is just there for the tater tots or about to grab the mic.
Openers Led the Collective rolled in five deep and flexed a diverse sound, ranging from classic hip-hop to something on the outskirts of emo pop. There were more than a few tracks from their forthcoming release, “LED vs the Wrld Vol. 2,” which features an eye-stabbingly gaudy AI-assisted tableau of skeletons floating in space, waging an intergalactic war as they get sucked into a fiery black hole. Available on all your favorite streaming platforms Friday.
Michael Gutierrez is an author, educator, activist and editor-in-chief at Hump Day News.
A stronger
Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day.
We are now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible.
Please consider a recurring contribution.