If a certain mid-February holiday has you oscillating between crying in the shower or maybe falling in love or whatever, it’s time to channel that energy into your true loves: your pals! By our very scientific calculations, the 14th is for the vals, the 13th is for the gals, and this entire week is for your pals across the gender spectrum. We got a whole lotta gigs to bring your buds to! From concerts to movies to poetry to dancing, you’ll forget all about who you want to be smoochin’. Or maybe you can bring your secret crush to the gig…and tentatively brush hands… and lock eyes intensely…ahaha jk….Unless??
Monday February 10th
I Wish I Could Skateboard, Tunnel Songs, thank you, im sorry, Something//Something at Charlie’s Kitchen: IWICS’s October release of The Way Things Turn Out is the perfect emo musings of why life is unfair. While they learn to skateboard and Tunnel Songs learns how to play pingpong, maybe we could all learn something new.
Doors at 8pm, music at 9pm (details here)
Queer Tango at Arts at the Armory: It takes two to tango, so bring a friend or make new ones while you learn a new dance!
Advanced class 6:30-7:30, All-level class 7:30-8:30 (details here)
Tuesday February 11th
Daughter of Swords at Great Scott: Hopefully you caught our interview with Daughter of Swords last week and you’re already on board to see an artist at the intersection of soft as folk and tough as nails…I mean swords. Support from The Dead Tongues.
Doors at 8:30pm (details here)
Ezra Furman’s Intimacy Residency at ONCE: If you haven’t been to one of Ezra Furman’s intimate shows at the ONCE Lounge, where did your life go wrong? This is the second extra show tacked onto her initial month-long residency, so don’t miss this last chance (for real) to see him in a small homegrown venue before she heads to the west coast!
Doors at 7pm (details here)
#HELLABLACK vol. 3 at Boston Center for the Arts: Dutch ReBelle, Brandie Blaze, Red Shaydez, Cakeswagg, Oompa, and Malia the Model come together in an explosive night of hip hop, curated by Candice McDuffie and hosted by Regie Gibson. Hope you already snagged your tickets for this one because it’s already sold out!
Doors at 7pm, performances at 7:30pm (details here)
MassMouth Story Slam at Trident Booksellers & Cafe: MassMouth invites stories about labors of love this February at their story slam. Enter the raffle with your own true 5-minute story and you might be a performer instead of an observer!
Doors at 6pm, show at 7pm (details here)
Thursday February 13th
Galentine’s Day at ONCE: Galentine’s Day is so much more than ladies celebrating ladies. Anyone who appreciates jewelry, clothing, candles, sexy things, self-care goodies, food, dancing, tarot readers, photobooths, and local craft brew is welcome.
Starts at 7pm (details here)
GHOST GRL EP release at Lilypad: Resident ambient sad girl GHOST GRL celebrates the release of her EP Rewired with 5 Feet Small.
Doors at 7pm, show at 7:30pm (details here)
“When Harry Met Sally” & “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” at the Coolidge Corner Theater: Okay, we are weak for a friends-to-lovers trope. Or an enemies-to-lovers and intimate-portraiture-turned-romance, as the cases are here. Director Céline Sciamma will have a Q&A in between the screenings of PoaLoF.
WHMS at 7:30pm is sold out (details here). PoaLoF at 7:15pm/9:45 are sold out (details here)
Friday February 14th
Alexander Record Release at O’Brien’s: Alexander will play from their brand-spankin’-new full-length album Wonderland, joined by Bad History Month, Squitch, and NOVA ONE. From dreamy bedroom pop to hardcore punk, this evening has it all.
Doors at 8pm (details here)
Hideout Comedy Presents Jamie Loftus! at White Bull Tavern: Brockton-born and LA-based comedian Jamie Loftus is back for some hometown(-ish) standup. You may know her from The Bechdel Cast, the podcast she co-hosts, or for her one-woman show Boss, Whom is Girl…or maybe even her humble beginnings as a Pudding writer (:O).
Door at 7:30pm, show at 8pm (details here)
Jill McCracken‘s Sweet and Salty Valentine’s Day Solo Soiree at The Porch Southern Fare & Juke Joint: Indie soul singer songwriter is ready to cover classic love songs and heartbreak songs alike. Appreciate dinner and a show, or just the show!
Starts at 8:30pm (details here)
Mystery Girl // Crimps // Loretta at Trixie’s Palace: Your punkest Valentine’s Day yet. As Loretta says, “Going out tonight, jeans too tight/hair up high/bad teeth & dirty boots.”
Doors at 7pm (details here)
The Ultimate Date Night at Craft Food Hall Project: Have you always wanted Oompa to be your Valentine? Did you miss out on #HellaBlack tickets? Then prepare to party with dinner, dessert fountains, and the raps you love from Quing Oompa.
Dinner at 6pm, show at 9pm (details here)
Valentines Gay Tour at [REDACTED]: Marylouser (side project of Catherine Conley, of Little Musket and Allston Pudding staff fame), Brian Huntress, and Grace Givertz together for a house show in Quincy. (We still have indie folk artist Grace’s Year of the Horse on repeat.) Wherever it is, it’s gonna be gay.
Doors at 6pm (details here)
Saturday February 15th
Mystery Gems, Blueberry Syrup, Love Strangers at Lilypad: New tunes from the LSD duo that’s indie country, if there is such a thing.
Doors at 9pm, music shortly thereafter (details here)
Valentine’s Gay at the Democracy Center: Cover show with Dyke 169 as Blink 182, Drooly as Bratney Spears, Kilo Riley as Rilo Kiley, Johnny No Graves and the Cash Cowboys as Johnny Cash, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Hits. Proceeds to benefit Deeper Than Water.
Doors at 7pm (details here)
ZUMIX presents Big Worlds: Experimental Jazz Night: The Big Worlds concert series continues with performances by Jaw Gems, Pangea & Jazz All-Stars to benefit ZUMIX, a non-profit serving Boston’s youth with free and subsidized music lessons and other creative opportunities.
Doors at 7pm (details here)