Springtime Sounds

If you have no outdoor barbecue plans, and are looking to be out & about on Saturday (April 30th), why not check out one of two amazing local musicians?

If you enjoy the drive down to Rhode Island, why not check out the full bill at Firehouse No. 13, featuring Abbie Barrett? For ten dollars you get to hear her and another half-dozen quality New England musicians (from across a broad spectrum) all in one place. Located at 41 Central Street in Providence, this venue is going to be abuzz all night, and packed with musical talent.

Or head up to The Press Room in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and check out Almanac Mountain. He will be performing at this Seacoast institution on a split bill with Winterstar for the price of one good pint ($5 at 9 pm), and along with old favorites, you will get to hear some of his new songs for the first time anywhere.

So if you can't wait until July 30th the hear both of these fine folks, hop in your car tomorrow night, and road trip in support of local music at a pair of New England's finest venues. You'll get to hear bands you already love, and with the packed bills, perhaps even discover a few new ones! Either way, you won't regret it.

Moby - Free EP

Who doesn't love Moby? He's had a huge impact on music for well over a decade now, with his song crafting skills and sampling acumen, and has released many great songs (especially from the iconic album "Play") such as "Bodyrock", "Porcelain", and his memorable duet with Gwen Stefani on "South Side". Now he has teamed up with National Geographic to give away a 3-song EP for free. Grab it here, add it to your MP3 player, and enjoy an international superstar's new music for the low low price of taking in a deep breath. Tell us how you like it, and let us know what cool music you've recently discovered, whether it's local, free or both!

Wachusett Brewery - New IPA

Being an IPA lover, I was thrilled to hear today that my hometown microbrewery, Wachusett Brewery, will be introducing a new IPA in April called Green Monsta IPA. It will replace the popular Green Monsta Ale, but to my (and I am sure many future beer lovers') delight it will be nice and hoppy.

Behind the Brew: Green Monsta IPA from Wachusett Brewing on Vimeo.

Read the full article here, and stay tuned for a review soon...

Minor Tweak

We here at Not Lame Minus love music, that should be as plain as the day is long. We also love good beer. If you look back to the early days of this blog, it was about music, beer, travel, and the events that we five (Brian, Gavin, Jay, Rob & me) all shared, revolving around these things. So in the spirit of having more frequent excuses to write here, beer will go back into the rotation.

Look for the usual posts about good local music, free songs, and concerts that we attend together. Scattered throughout will be the occasional news and/or reviews of beers we encounter that we enjoy. And of course, we will continue to update the "Local Musician Dates" section at the top of the page for your live music event convenience! See you at the shows, or at a bar enjoying some great beers.

photo taken 05-17-10 by Ken

Almanac Mountain - Free Live EP

In case you missed your chance to hear Almanac Mountain perform live on Portsmouth, NH's community radio station WSCA 106.1 on Saturday March 5th, you now have a chance to download it free for your listening convenience and enjoyment. Why not grab theses five songs in their raw 'in-the-moment' glory, ready to be loaded onto your mp3 player of choice in several formats, and spruce up your springtime playlist with some quality local music. You won't regret it! And if you get a chance, stop back again and let us know which versions of the songs you prefer (and why): the live takes, or the studio cuts from the marvelous "So Many Seas" album and the "When in Nature" EP.