Allston’s actually not so bad once most of the students are gone

4th of July on the Esplanade is rill gud Like regular comic books’ weird little brother, alternative and art comics have been mak- CLAMBAKES ing a niche for themselves, mostly among the sort of peo- It’s not Boston in the winter ple who listen to underground shoegaze and make internet poetry. If you stay in your apartment then you won’t have to sublet to a But fear not! As the genre expands, alt com- Craigslister who will subsequently sub- ics hold something for everyone. Below we’d sublet your room to some punks who will throw out all of your like to outline a clothes few soon-to-be-published works well worth a gander. (I gotta recommend looking up Retrofit Comics and Fantagraphics for other really rad publica- tions, most for real low cheap!)

Toronto artist and Dane Martin’s is the latest hotdog retailer Salt Mines title from graphic artist Keith Jones’ Stupid features ducks and author John Martz. It Stories #1 features having obfus- follows Sam, - Block Party (Every Thurs- “Donut cated, perhaps a young man so enrap- day at Downtown Cross- Daze,” a existential tured by his grandfather’s ing) post-apocalyptic conversations. fantastic cosmic stories - Arnold Arboretum (Jamai- drag race in a that he abandons ca Plain) donut den. his own reality in order - Free Movie Outdoors to pursue the imagined (Hatch Shell near the world of the family tales. Charles: check for dates) - Swan Boat rides at the Beautifully illustrated and Public Garden sublimely told, Julia Gfror- - Chinatown August Moon er’s Black is the Color tells Festival (August 12th) the - Shakespeare in the com- story of a sailor abandoned mons (July 25th - August at sea in the 1600s, and explores his life, relation- 12th) What is Spectacle Island? Well I am construction project. And now? It is a ships, and - Boston's GreenFest experience of impending (Aug. 16-18 at City Hall glad you asked. Believe it or not, this lovely 105 acre chunk of land we all death. Plaza) eye glass shaped know and love as - Catch a game at Fenway island in Boston Harbor is full of weird Spectacle Island. An easy ferry ride Park and wonderful history. It once was from Boston and you are there. Enjoy - North End Italian and home to a glue the beach or perhaps Religious Festivals (Check factory (thanks to the many dead hors- take a stroll on the five miles of walking for dates) es of Boston's yesteryear) and eventu- trails. Whatever the occasion you are - Community Boating ally was turned into guaranteed to lose - Boston ChowderFest (July 7th at City Hall Plaza) a city dump. But not long ago the land yourself in the Island breeze leaving all was cleaned up and covered by the dirt of the city stress behind. from the Big Dig Pretty & Nice - GOLDEN RULES FOR DREAMIN THE LIFE - Fortress Social Club GOLDEN PEOPLE Fortress Social Club meets after-hours to record Local indie rockers have hit the nail on the on vintage equipment at The head with their third full-length release. Fortress recording studio in LA, and I can’t imagine Full of shimmery tones and warbly a better arrangement. Their 60s-rock feel, this album has everything music bleeds analog. But not in that corny yeah- it takes we-all-wish-we-were-alive-in-the- to be an ideal summer soundtrack. Try to sixties way. Sure, there are a lot of references to grab a copy if you can (it’s available online musical stylings of generations past, at the band’s MerchNOW page). Support yer local scene! but what these guys have really done is taken old tools and shaped something new. Bambino - NOMAD Warm sounds, spunky sound, and contemporary underground indie There’s a lot of cool stuff going on here. sensibilities make Guitarist Omar “Bombino” Moctor is a this album worth a listen or twelve. native North African member of the tradi- tionally nomadic Tuareg people. He grew THR!!!ER - !!! up amidst the Tuareg struggle for inde- After getting over the fact that !!! (pronounced “chk pendence, and he brought up his music chk chk” apparently, though in in that my head it’s just “AAHHHH”) is in no way a band same spirit. Produced by the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, the name, I found myself enjoying album sustains a certain this slew of electro-funky jams a whole lot. Sure, Having a good relationship with your your permission to enter your home. Legally, your landlord level of bluesy feel probably to insure western interest. But this dude’s voice sounds pretty landlord can keep your housing situa- can only enter beyond that are a dumb sometimes, but it’s sort of fun and at any rate, collection of songs roiling in pure North African sound. Bombino the beats, back-ups, guitar licks, tion as pleasant as your apartment to make repairs, to show an inspector into mixes African, and sweet saxes are what make the album. I mean, “electro-funk”; possible, but here are a few tips that the apartment, or to show it to prospective Arabic, and straight rock influence for one hell of a musical ride. what’s not to like? are good to know if you’re renting a buyers or tenants, after he or she gives you plenty of no- Definitely check out “One Girl/One Boy” for the album’s highlight, but place this summer (or ever, tice. don’t forget to give the whole thing a spin. really): ISSUE #7 If there is an emergency in your apartment (ex: your heater Sweet rock n roll for shorts weather @RADIO 8:30pm LEVELS MAY 3 $5 Get yer early-90s on. @RADIO 9pm $10 21+ If you’re worried about health, fire, or stops working in the middle of the winter) 5/4 MAY 10 other general safety violations, you can and you’re unable to contact your landlord, call the Mayor’s WAKE UP THE EARTH FESTIVAL 5/9 5/13 JP’s awesome community fest is rife with good food, have your apartment Hotline at (617) 635-4500. They can help SCREAMING FEMALES, SHELLSHAG, HEADBAND HARD SHRUGS, FAKE BASTARD, ORCA ORCA, cool crafts, rad tunes, and inspected at any time. You don’t need you in a bunch of ways, including lighting the pilot under bummed out/pumped up punk-esque jams @MID- BIG GIRL hippies. @STONYBROOK T STOP 12pm EAST UP 8pm $10adv/$12 door 18+ real life indie jams and all that good stuff @OBRIENS your landlord’s permission. To request your landlord’s ass to get repairs done asap. 9pm $5 21+ an inspection, call the 5/7 MOONRISES, HERBCRAFT FOXYGEN w/ CRUMBS Inspectional Services Department (ISD) You can find tons more information at www.bostontenant. get psyched out, explore your mindspace @DEEP 5/14 60s emulated in indierock and it’s nice @BRIGHTON at (617) 635-5300. org or in the City of Boston Good Neighbors THOUGHTS JP 8pm $5 donation THE SYMPTOMS (ep release), THE SHONES, SUM- MUSIC HALL 9pm $12 18+ MER OF ADEN, FINS Handbook. The latter utilizes amazing fonts and clipart, so 5/11 your friendly neighborhood (indie)rock n rollers @ Your landlord must have it’s gotta be good. 5/8 BLANC GALLERY PRESENTS “INFINITE SCROLL” GREAT SCOTT 9pm $8 18+ OSAKA STREET CUTTER, WE AVALANCHE, JASON art from locals Brian Butler and Cody DeFranco, visu- ZAVALA, MIKE SIMONELLI als by DJ Ghostdad, music by BANANA SEAT 5/16 I dated that kid once he’s pretty good at music @BLANC GALLERY 6pm-11pm (afterparty starts at 8) BROOKLYN EXCHANGE PROGRAM KICK-OFF @O’BRIEN’S 8pm 21+ two houses unite for awesomeness ft. SPEEDY OR- MIXTAPE: 1991 ft. THE FIELD EFFECT, THE FATAL TIZ, ISLAND TWINS and ADVAETA (bk), IDIOT JESUS VIO, RONNIE NORDAC, DYLAN EWEN, FLAW, JOE TURNER & THE SEVEN GENES @GREAT SCOTT 9pm $10 18+ PERSONAL FINANCE Do you like your evenings with a side Bluesy, folky, all-around- CRAZY WEIRD?! rocky local boys Do you like CANADA TALLAHASSEE are REFERENCES?? poised to release Then their new album, you probably want to Old Ways, on May see OF MONTREAL 7th. It’s a dang good perform with WILD listen, and you can MOCASSINS at the sneak a peak on the PARADISE on 5/ band’s soundcloud 21 for CHEAP AS (soundcloud.com/ FREE (means free). Tallahassee) or pre-order Just send a picture Photo by Gretchen Gavett the album at Tallahassee- of you doing something crazy weird or maybe Band.com. Canadian I dunno just send us a picture of something to thebeat@wtbura- dio.org and we’ll hook you up. THE BEAT Brought to you by WTBU Want to advertise with The Beat or WTBU? The Beat will be going on hiatus this summer. This publication was started by a col- Contact our lege radio station GENERAL MANAGER UNDERWRITING DIRECTOR Natalie and in true alt tradition, we don’t constrain ourselves to the 24/7, 9-5 work schedule so... we’re taking Deanna Archetto [email protected] Landau [email protected] a break. It’s the summer, guys! Thank you so much for picking up a copy, downloading the PDF each MUSIC DIRECTORS Laura Jane Brubaker & Nate Fairchild FOLLOW US ON week, or contributing in any way. We’re really grateful for the support we’ve seen so far and hope [email protected] Twitter: @WTBU to keep this going in the fall. So stay tuned for more from us and keep an eye out for WTBU’s fall NEWS DIRECTOR Facebook: www.facebook.com/wtburadio programming schedule at wtburadio.org. Taylor Walker [email protected] Instagram: @wtbu GRAPHIC DESIGN TEAM - Deanna Archetto, WTBU General Manager Jane Fitzsimmons & Devin Shepherd For submissions please email: [email protected] [email protected]