Boston Compass Blog:
By Various Storytellers for Unbound Visual Arts
August 12, 2020
This is the first in a two part storyteller series as part of the New Narratives: Reclaiming Asian Identity Through Story through Unbound Visual Arts. The series was curated by Leslie Anne Condon in partnership with the Asian American Resource Workshop. New Narratives and can be viewed in its entirety at unboundvisualarts.org. Enjoy!
[Amy Pollard](https://www.instagram.com/a...
By Naomi Westwater for Boston Compass (#126)
August 11, 2020
The Tarot Forecast is a look at the month ahead in a tarot spread. For the month of August, I pulled the III of Swords reversed. Swords represent air and the mind. This card comes to us asking that August be a time for rest and forgiveness. The III of Swords indicates there has been some suffering and turmoil in our collective lives. We have met heartbreak and survived; we have felt deep betrayal and survived. But when the III of Swords shows up in reverse, it is time to recover from our pain. T...
By CEEK for Boston Compass (#126)
August 9, 2020
While theaters are still closed and summers are generally the off-season, a few local companies are taking to the internet with readings, important community discussions and female fronted shows galore.
For decades the white male narrative has been dominating the stage with the rest of humanity serving as one-dimensional support. Well, the times they are a changin’. Women and POC aren’t holding their breaths for others to write interesting and complex roles for them, but are taking the ...
By Tahisha Charles for Boston Compass (#126)
August 9, 2020
In the local music scene, there aren’t too many record labels with a plan.
However, when you look at the mainstream landscape, labels like Quality Control, OVO Sound, and the legendary Roc-A-Fella have always stressed the importance of being bound by loyalty.
But, NNCHVLNT is different. Not only are they bound by loyalty, but they are bound by blood. With Sylus Gambino and Trippy at the helm, the two wousins (yes, wousins) recruited their own w...
By Nisaa Jackson for Boston Compass (#126)
August 6, 2020
Public outcry for the protection of Black lives from the hands of White Supremacy and police continues to sweep the nation following an incident with Minnesota police that left 46-year-old George Floyd dead. Black Lives Matter activists and allies are considering what they can do to put an end to centuries-old cycles contributing to Black death and struggle.
As protests and initiatives erupt all over the globe, Boston artist, Lance Jackson, has taken an introspective approach on how he can su...
By Offerings for Boston Compass Blog
August 5, 2020
As a younger person, I often considered science hovering around the fringes of sci-fi to be "white." The portal opening, star gate unlocking, laser pistol wielding heroes were mostly nerdy white guys. Moor Mother and Rasheedah Philips decided to turn that image on its head as Black Quantum Futurism through "living and experiencing reality by way of the manipulation of space-time in order to see into possible futures, and/or collapse space-time into a desired future in order to bring about that f...
By Jose Varon for Boston Compass (#126)
August 5, 2020
The hardest part about the Black Lives Matter protests starting during quarantine was figuring out how to contribute the best, so I was overjoyed when I got a call from Sam Potrykus, director of Brain Arts Organization (BAO), to help make signs during a rally. I have been volunteering with BAO since February and as a culinary/visual artist, I'm always looking to help others explore their creativity. We stocked up on art supplies and PPE, went down to the Fields Corner park, set up a table,...
By Dupes for Boston Compass Blog
August 4, 2020
Lush, is the first word that comes to mind when I listen to Voodoo Doll. I'm taken back to the nineties and I feel like I'm somewhere in south philly at ROOTS concert. That's how ALIVE this record feels to me.
Latrell floats over the rhodes laden synth bass production and then in a subtle but effective way, the beat starts to stutter and trip over itself and I am whisked away into some kinda 70s funky psychedelic space. Time Travel Much?
I...
By Heart Soaked for Boston Compass (#125)
July 30, 2020
Q: How to deal with a break up while still in love! Passion is there but logic tells me it’s not sustainable.
A: I think in the case of there not being an event to cause a stir leading to a break-up it is best to have the whole “I’m not sure this is going to turn into anything” talk. This conversation is so very necessary and might just be a vehicle for addressing each other’s wants and needs and possibly remedying the situation. Communicating intentions and reevaluating your plans together...
By Gilmore Tamny for Boston Compass Blog
July 30, 2020
if you can Feel it, you can Speak it' Open Mic Movement is Boston’s only open mic dedicated to LGBTQI communities of color. Founded by Jha D Williams, and now co-hosted by Phree and D. Ruff, the series has been making space for expression, art, and community for nigh on eleven years. As it says on the FiSi page at the (R.I.P...
By Carlene McNair for Boston Compass (#125)
July 29, 2020
We’re in This Together
Motherhood is an amazing journey; it is filled with many beautiful events and moments. It is worth more than just a date on a calendar, it merits a lifetime of celebration. It is filled with lessons books alone cannot teach, a love for our child(ren) which cannot be explained, and many picture albums filled with dear memories. Although this journey is one to cherish, it can be difficult when we are faced with situations we are not equipped for. These circumstanc...
By Saritha Ramakrishna for Brain Arts Organization
July 28, 2020
“I used to drive by Exit 18, Expressway 93. I used to see some people, who were homeless standing there asking for change. I questioned that. Why are they here? What happened to them? Did they make a mistake?” Ronel Remy describes what was once a familiar scene to him. He came to conclude, “This is what society told me to ask about their situation in regard to mine. But then you ask, why am I not there? When I think about it, I am a few paychecks away from being there.”
Remy is an organizer ...
By Mike Achille for Brain Arts Organization
July 27, 2020
For today’s BAO Fam Share we’re showcasing a new podcast series by Glen Maganzini and Chris DeCarlo of Kids Like You and Me. Documenting our present before it becomes our past is so important, especially when it comes to things so often as fleeting as music scenes. KLYAM began their documentation over 10 years ago by booking local shows and kicked off their label with the release of the s/t Fat Creeps EP. The duo has helped release a wide rang...
By Dana Ferrante for Boston Compass (#125)
July 26, 2020
“Black Farmers and Black Land Matter” —Monica White in Freedom Farmers
“Hunger is a form of violence.” —Michael Twitty, author of The Cooking Gene, in Huff Post 6/15/20
Given this column’s word count, I cannot fully discuss how modern industrial food systems (and capitalism) are directly linked with slavery and systemic oppression. Similarly, I could not, in this small space, do justice to the myriad ways BIPOC, for centuries, have challenged white supremacy through food produ...
By Karine Vann for Boston Compass (#125)
July 26, 2020
I started this column based on the belief that the unfettered growth of massive, profit-seeking, industrial corporations is one of the most damning phenomena taking place in the world today. I am an anti-corporatist, and I want to dig into that because it means a lot of things.
I believe corporatism is not just a way of doing business; it is a manner of structuring society that is manipulative and exploitative at its core. It is a phenomenon out of which I’d argue nearly all subsequent societ...
By James Staub for Boston Compass (#125)
July 25, 2020
Social media companies have commodified you. They got rich by selling your behavioral data which can be used to predict and influence you, while addicting you to the stimulation and necessity of their platforms. There’s a lot of momentum to further centralize the internet in service of this business mod...
By Liz Smith for Boston Compass Blog
July 24, 2020
_I am so grateful to be living in Boston during this time of revolution. The city is home to many empowering activists and community leaders who I have the privilege of learning from and I am able to attend weekly protests and demonstrations. Many organizations with clear mission statements, demands, and plans of action exist in Boston. It is often said that the best thing to do, especially for white activists such as myself, is follow the lead of organizers who have been fighting this fight for...
By Hassan Ghanny for Boston Compass Blog
July 24, 2020
Puerto Rican writer and poet Martín Espada once quipped: “Everybody takes his or her reality for granted… Sometimes we have to unlearn that truth, learn that there is a different or broader reality.” That broader reality — the one that people of color face in the United States — is one that local musician Genie Santiago is firmly taking to task in her new single, “Revelación”. In a social moment dominated by rallying cries for racial justice, “Revelación” is exactly what the stir-crazy masses ne...
By Rebecca Eunoia for Boston Compass (#125)
July 23, 2020
-- Rebecca Eunoia
Check out all the art and columns of July's Boston Compass at www.issuu.com/bostoncccompass
...
By Amelia Young for Boston Compass (#125)
July 22, 2020
Hey good people! My name’s Amelia. I’m guest-writing this month’s Trash is Tragic, with Mel’s blessing. It’s great to be here.
If you’re reading this, I’d bet my finest sidewalk chalk we have two things in common: concern for the environment and knee-jerk neck-crane for sidewalk freebies.
_As of this writing, I’m avoiding all indoor shopping except for groceries. However, I’ve been wearing the same 3 pairs of pants for 6 months, and a roommate and her furniture are moving soon....
By Vincent Xtaino for Boston Compass (#125)
July 22, 2020
When we are face to face
And there is no way around it
I am thinking they are thinking
How am I here and not
Why am I here
And they are thinking
About my body
And the past
And suffering
And pain
And they are thinking
Could history repeat itself
And they are thinking
Things are better now
And they are thinking
What is my last name
And they are thinking
How is a name
forgotten
And they are thinking
Has their name vanished
And they are ...
By Michael Mambrino for Boston Compass Blog
July 22, 2020
Hello all and welcome to the first edition of Experimental Excursion with your host: Michael Mambrino! This is a new segment of the Boston Compass blog where I go over 5 noise / free jazz / improv / weirdo releases every month for you to listen to and enjoy! Most of these projects are New England based and they all had to be released in the month in which I’m writing this. Without further ado the freak endeavor begins!
- SOUL IMPRESSION - Pain Chain
Remembe...
By Hannah Blauner for Boston Compass (#125)
July 20, 2020
An artist to be remembered.
Ailton Correia, known by his close friends as “Nito”, was a multi-talented Cape Verdean-American artist from Amherst, MA. As an accomplished industrial designer, sculptural artist, Capoeira performer, and martial artist, Nito’s positive energy, hard work, and bright personality shined through all his creative pursuits.
At MassArt, Nito’s passion and drive were contagious. He was always in his studio later than everyone else, putting in hours upon hours to re...
By e.b.b. for Boston Compass (#125)
July 18, 2020
In this hot, humid and chaotic world right now it’s important to remember to take care of yourself--and what better way to treat yourself during this time than to give in to your sweet tooth?! This month we strongly recommend that you visit Coco Leaf, a locally-owned business in Fields Corner, Dorchester that has been a staple in the neighborhood and a neighbor of DAP & BAO for the past few years. Coco Leaf, which bills itself as a Dessert Cafe, serves a wide v...
By Stephen Grigelevich for Brain Arts Org
July 18, 2020
*Cloud Cafe is an immersive virtual performance series and fundraiser for artists who have lost work during the pandemic. Each event is curated by a different artist, and uses Zoom in creative ways to replicate that feeling of watching a performance in a room full of people. Right now artists need people who care about their work to rally behind them and support them. If you want to see more Cloud Cafe performances please donate below! 100% of the proceeds will ...
By Various Artists for Dorchester Art Project
July 17, 2020
Hello Luvs!
I am SublimeLuv (@mssublimeluv), a Spoken Word Poet from Boston, Ma. I want to give a brief background of this project that came out so beautifully. The original purpose was for this project to be a substitute for the monthly DAP open mic due to the pandemic. We originally sought out to release the work of these amazing artists at the end of May.
_We were all dealing with the pandemic since March, but the world swiftly changed when...
By Neil Horsky for Boston Compass (#125)
July 16, 2020
TookyKavanagh.com
“I’m a stand-up comedian. I’m a Black woman but I grew up and was educated in predominantly white spaces so I never felt like I had a voice among my peers. Comedy was a way to finally be seen and heard, and humor is often an effective way to get people to listen.”
“I...find humor within the intersection of the questions, ‘what’s happening now?’ and...‘what has happened in my life to shape my opinion on current events?’”
“Pretty much every comic I know has a day job. Yo...
By Dupes for Boston Compass Blog
July 16, 2020
Whoever decided that I should check out and review this track Knows me very WELL my GOOD GOD. From the Visuals to the Overall Organic MOOD this song is a vibe. I was captivated about how this Song felt. The vinyl cracking the way the whole eased its way into my ears was SEDUCTIVE to say the least.
Lyrically the song reflects the times. It's a LOCKDOWN soul bop for real for real and what makes the feeling even more authentic is the fact that I can relate. Everyone has someone that they m...
By Joye Williams for Boston Compass (#125)
July 14, 2020
There has been a major shift as we move through 2020. The global pandemic of COVID-19 that has majorly affected our country and the continued injustice murders of many black people.
Systemic racism has become a norm. Weaved into our everyday systems, backed by ingrained mindsets that take hold of conversations in our personal and professional lives that have a dangerous effect on the decisions that build this country. “People should be judged upon the merit of what they know and how they c...
By Tahisha Charles for MiixtapeChiick
July 13, 2020
Today's Fam Share is another amazing compilation from brought to you by a long time blogger and champion of the arts, Tahisha Charles of MiixTapeChiick. In addition to regularly contributing to the Boston Compass, Tahisha has cultivated an impressive blog with over 3,000 posts covering everything hip hop. Check out her list of 12 powerhouse Boston artists to stream in honor of 617 Day:
Another year, another 617 lis...
By CEEK for Boston Compass (#125)
July 12, 2020
As America searches for rock bottom, some theatre companies are using this unexpected break to address larger issues plaguing both the theatre community and the world, specifically race and gender identity. Theatre has a long history of limited roles for women, people of color and the LBGTQ community and is finally starting to re-evaluate the stories they are telling onstage. In the past few years, there has been progress being made in representation onstage but not nearly enough, and it’s now o...
By Boston Compass (#125)
July 12, 2020
For this month's DAPpening's we took out an ad in our own newspaper!
Sick of broadcasting from your bedroom? Wanna stream like a pro without breaking the bank? Come to DAP! We can take up to 10 people at once and are happy to host your photo/video shoots and streaming sessions! Email us dorchesterartproject@gmail.com to book your spot!
By Stephen Grigelevich for Brain Arts Org
July 11, 2020
*Cloud Cafe is an immersive virtual performance series and fundraiser for artists who have lost work during the pandemic. Each event is curated by a different artist, and uses Zoom in creative ways to replicate that feeling of watching a performance in a room full of people. Right now artists need people who care about their work to rally behind them and support them. If you want to see more Cloud Cafe performances please donate below! 100% of the proceeds will go to Cloud Cafe performers and c...
By Farah Jeune for Farenheight TV
July 10, 2020
The following article was originally posted on FarenheightTV.com. Check out more amazing posts and videos from the creator, host, producer, AND editor Farah Jeune on her site:
Hi ºF-TV family,
How are you? I know that question may be hard to answer nowadays for some. Our world is facing two pandemics; one we're trying to find a cure to (COVID19) a...
By Danielle Lauretano for Boston Compass (#125)
July 9, 2020
In early May, me and other tenants realized that our artist studio building, Joy St. Studios, was being sold without notifying any of the artists. We were disturbed by this lack of transparency, and the past couple of months we have been organizing and advocating for our right to exist here in Somerville. At this point, the fate of the building is up in the air, and we fear that we may lose our spaces like so many others have in the city. Obviously much bigger issues are happening alongside my o...
By Naomi Westwater for Boston Compass (#125)
July 8, 2020
The Tarot Forecast is a look at the month ahead in a tarot spread. For July, I pulled the II of Swords reversed. The II of Swords is here to tell us that we may need to make some difficult decisions in July, and we will feel like there is no right answer, or no best choice for us. If you’re feeling stuck this July, ask yourself: What would it look like if I took a break from making decisions right now? We might not have all the information we need to make the best choices for ourselves...
By Liz Smith for Boston Compass (#125)
July 7, 2020
What a time for independent journalism! Things are changing and I’m extremely grateful to be serving as the Web Editor for the newly-dubbed Boston Compass Blog during this time. The recent global revolution and momentum is reflected in the microcosm that is the Boston Compass. As COVID-19 shut down all events and gatherings, the blog quickly became a vital resource for community and sharing art. It has always been a part of Brain Arts’ mission to provide a platform...
By Cory for Boston Compass (#125)
July 6, 2020
Hi all,
Cory here. How are you doing?
This is a regular Compass column about protest art from Extinction Rebellion ("XR") Boston. XR is an international, decentralized protest movement demanding:
Truthtelling from corporations, governments, and the media about the climate crisis and ecological collapse
Immediate action to reduce global carbon emissions and halt biodiversity loss
The creation of official Citizens Assemblies to lead decisions on climate and ecological j...
By Cassie Capewell for Boston Compass (#125)
July 6, 2020
Feel Red Shaydez’s Aura
Get ready for the shayde—and the aura—this summer. Boston-based rapper Red Shaydez is releasing Feel the Aura, a followup album to her 2016 debut Magnetic Aura.
The new project features “They Call Me Shaydez,” an unreserved self-introduction of sorts. Red’s confidence is on full display as she paints an authentic picture of her dynamic artistry.
Story...
By Jason Pramas for Dig Boston
July 3, 2020
Originally posted on June 25th in Dig Boston.
Wearing a mask sucks.
On that I think we can all agree. But we’re still in what is probably the early stages of a global pandemic that has already claimed more than 400,000 lives worldwide, according to NPR—and probably many more unofficially. And scientists stil...
By Stephen Grigelevich for Boston Compass (#125)
July 2, 2020
The symbolism almost escaped me. “On July 4th, join Black Lives Matter Boston to lament, honor, and celebrate the lives of Black womxn.” 3pm, Nubian Square. March to the Boston Commons. Only later did I remember that July 4th was Independence Day. But my realization was a hollow one (see Frederick Douglass’ “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”). When Christopher Columbus was beheaded in the North End on June 10th, the message was clear. Our leaders have been our enemies all along. BIPOC ...
By Heart Soaked for Boston Compass (#124)
July 1, 2020
Q: I have a friend. We both admitted to having feelings for the other, yet he doesn’t want anything serious. I suggested friends with benefits, but he told me he can’t do it anymore because he’d rather stay friends, and now we aren’t easily friends. What to do?
A: The declaration that he'd “rather stay friends'' is irrelevant - both parties have shared feelings of more. I think that is a way of avoiding what is inevitably going to happen for two people who feel deeply for each other, especi...
By Dana Ferrante for Boston Compass (#124)
June 30, 2020
As Mass. eateries begin to re-open, it’s more important than ever to mindfully support local biz and treat service industry folx with respect. (Note: you don’t need the excuse of a global pandemic to start treating others like human beings). Here’s some tips on how to (safeishly) procure to-go food:
- Call ahead or do some quick research on social media. Each business will tackle the so-called ‘new normal’ differently. Avoid feeling guilty, and of course, endangering others by fami...
By Karine Vann for Boston Compass (#124)
June 30, 2020
I live in one of the Boston area’s most iconic styles of housing: the multi-family, triple-decker home. Our house was built in 1910, and much about the original floor plan has remained intact. Modern real estate developers salivate over the bones of homes like ours, which architectural historian and native Bostonian Arthur Krim described in 1977 as “neither tenement nor mansion, but rather good solid housing.” Back then, these homes were affordable housing, designed for Boston’s emerging middle ...
By Matthew McGovern for Boston Compass (#124)
June 29, 2020
The match was slated to start in ten minutes and we were huddled in a side room that Johnson had strong-armed from the librarian. Inside this room there was a circular table that almost touched the four walls, over which four players and one ‘coach’ huddled.
We convened in the side room because we feared losing, and Johnson had noticed. Our opponents’ reputations preceded them to the public library.
Firstly, they were known to have two brutal players at the 1 and 2 positions, l...
By Daniel Lloyd-Miller for Boston Compass (#124)
June 29, 2020
Contact tracing will be a digital privacy nightmare, and should absolutely not be implemented. Contact tracing is a proposed system by which people are informed if they’ve walked near someone who tests positive for novel coronavirus. In theory, this system works by utilizing the near field technology of bluetooth, keeping logs of every bluetooth device in 100-200ft range, and “anonymously” warning you if someone you’ve recently been near contracts COVID-19. In practice, this system primarily fun...
By Craig Hard for Boston Compass (#124)
June 28, 2020
my heart hasn’t ironed out the details
the ducks are playing
enough cliches
enough games, flukes and hooded wolves
I’m slowly filling the chip on my shoulder with whatever sticks;
gum, dirt, refuse and wood glue
One day I’ll smooth over my edges
I don’t punch mirrors anymore
my eyes drool without care
It’s fun to let the wind lead the dance
my feet just go, one after another
I try not to question their eagerness
*Craig Hard is a filmmaker and multi-media...
By Melanie Bernier for Boston Compass (#124)
June 28, 2020
Hello, my trashy babies! Since the dawn of COVID-19, my “going out look” has featured a Budweiser bandana, draped elegantly across my mug in a makeshift face mask. That ends now. I’m clearing my busy schedule - which mainly involves blasting Candle in the Wind and weeping - and making a proper face mask.
Why the sudden change of heart, you ask? While “King of Beers” is a strong fashion statement, it’s prolly not the identity I wish to project during a pandemic. No one likes a braggart i...
By Zach Fairbrother for Boston Compass (#124)
June 27, 2020
American propaganda film, Top Gun starring Tom Cruise, is like a high gloss 80’s fashion mag at 30fps. Besides the aviators, cool bomber jackets and clean haircuts, one of the defining aspects of the film is the soundtrack, and in particular the title song, “Danger Zone”, written by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock, and sung by Kenny Loggins. Despite Loggins iconic performance, he was the 5th choice to perform the track. While having over 300 songs to choose from for the title scene, the produce...
By Neil Horsky for Boston Compass (#124)
June 26, 2020
Stating the State of the State of The Art Arts:
“I’m a classical musician (singer - countertenor)... I do it to pay rent and for scotch, but I really do it because it’s what I am: a human....Bach, Handel, and Schutz...understood that music... relates us to each other regardless of time period, and the human experience is one that transcends time, race, sex, and social class. I do it because it’s an inoculation against social rot.”
“100% of my money comes from performing and di...
By Cory for Boston Compass (#124)
June 26, 2020
Hey everyone,
Cory here. How are you doing?
This is a monthly column about local protest art, coming to you from the Boston chapter of Extinction Rebellion ("XR"). XR is a worldwide, decentralized resistance movement fighting human extinction and ecological collapse. We demand truthtelling, immediate government response, and the creation of citizens assemblies to combat these threats. In the US, we also specifically demand a just transition that centers the most-impacted, including i...
By Michael Eisan for Boston Compass (#124)
June 25, 2020
Visitors
I started work as an aide at a nursing facility. After school I would drive down the long industrial park, and the lonely driveway that led to the halfhearted facade that greeted its “visitors”. We rarely got visitors, outside of the health inspectors that remembered the building’s old nickname, “murderplex,” all too well. I would park out back and submit to the time clock that had the same cracked screen the whole six years I worked there, a memento from one of the countless...
By Offerings for Brain Arts Organization
June 24, 2020
BAO is dedicated to uplifting and supporting the voices of Black content creators and we recognize the discussions of white supremacy and police brutality are essential and ongoing. Click here to check out our recent blog post, a toolkit of resources for supporting BIPOC creatives.
**We believe art is essential to revolution, and are also dedicated to covering experimental music. We asked...
By Boston Compass (#124)
June 23, 2020
Physical theaters may still be down for the count, but some local theatre companies are finding new ways to share new work. Fresh off some big wins at the 2020 Elliot Norton Awards, Needham’s Arlekin Players Theatre is leading the way with an innovative new form for their next production State vs. Natasha Banina, blending live theatre with video, performing live via Zoom. Their secret weapon is dazzling director Igor Golyak, who was the visionary behind Arlekin...
By Jelani Haynes for Brain Arts Organization
June 22, 2020
BAO is dedicated to uplifting and supporting the voices of Black content creators and we recognize the discussions of white supremacy and police brutality are essential and ongoing. Click here to check out our recent blog post, a toolkit of resources for supporting BIPOC creatives.
*We believe art is essential to revolution, and are also dedicated to covering experimental music. Rah Zen has...
By Sam Potrykus for Boston Compass (#124)
June 21, 2020
Hey Folks! We are closely following the shitstorm of reopening plans our silly governor is rolling out, but we are also consulting with peers to decide what makes the most sense for our community and commitment to cultivating a safe space. Follow us on IG for the latest reopening plans. We may partially open by the end of June and this baby will already be sittin on the newsrack. Until then check out the latest virtual programming from DAP:
[...
By Stephen Grigelevich for Brain Arts Org
June 20, 2020
“It looks like a suburb”
-Alexanda Ocasio-Cortez, on what an America with defunded police looks like.
“Brookline was one of those places I was told that if you visited, you better be prepared to be stopped by police.”
-Chiuba Obele, Brookline Resident
By Naomi Westwater for Boston Compass (#124)
June 18, 2020
The Tarot Forecast is a look at the month ahead in a tarot spread.
For the month of June, I pulled the VIII of Pentacles. This is a card that I pulled for you all in April as well, but in April the energy of this card was revered, now it is right side up, and brings a new meaning to it. The VIII of Pentacles is here to talk to us about work. It reminds us to reflect on what the last few months have been like for us and our relationship to work. This card reminds us that work is not ab...
By Sam Gruca for Brain Arts Organization
June 17, 2020
BAO is dedicated to uplifting and supporting the voices of Black content creators and we recognize the discussions of white supremacy and police brutality are essential and ongoing. Click here to check out our recent blog post, a toolkit of resources for supporting BIPOC creatives.
*We believe art is essential to revolution, and are also dedicated to covering experimental music. Evicshen (a...
By Tahisha Charles (@MiixtapeChiick) for Boston Compass #124
June 16, 2020
When the quarantine pandemic began back in March, it left artists unprepared and in a frenzy. Venues were being shut down with no reopening date, performances scheduled throughout the summer were being rescheduled to the next calendar year, curfews were being put in place statewide and buildings that served as a safe haven for those to create, were no longer.
Artists have since had to come up with a new game plan for visual treatments and project rollouts in efforts to keep their audience ent...
By BAO Staff for Brain Arts Organization
June 15, 2020
Last updated: 8/3 at 11:15am
Hi all! The following is a compilation of resources for political activism and education as well as black and brown creatives to support.
BAO stands in solidarity and support of the Black Lives Matter movement to defund the police, end police brutality and dismantle white supremacy.
Free ways to be politically active from home:
- BirthdayForBreonna: This site provides 10 action items for honoring ...
By Stephen Grigelevich for Brain Arts Org
June 13, 2020
*I first saw standwithmashpee on facebook in late March. The hashtag was spreading due to Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt's recent executive action. On March 27, Bernhardt disestablished the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and took their land out of federal trust status; this was done during the beginning of the COVID-19 state of emergency and while litigation regarding the tribe's land status was pending. For the last couple of months, I have been following the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's case...
By Jaypix Belmer for Brain Arts Organization
June 12, 2020
*My name is Jaypix Belmer, and I am a Black, Queer photographer who understands that being Black and LGBTQ has a power and a fate of its own. Sonny Oram, Qwear’s Founding Editor, and Rupi, Qwear’s Fashion Director have enlisted hundreds of artists and activists, sharing a platform where all LGBTQIA+ people are free to express themselves without fear of violence. Qwear, the fashion platform, has found a way of creating events and meaningful content online that mak...
By Travis Benson for Boston Compass #124
June 11, 2020
We’ve come a long way with humor that makes my aunt uncomfortable at Thanksgiving dinners. After a certain duo brought a certain funniness to the masses a little over a decade ago, there’s been a steady growth in both derivatives and successors in what might be called “anti-humor,” a genre name about as accurately descriptive as “intelligent dance music.”
My poor music taste aside, Advanced Education for Average Adults is here to help teach us what else comedy has to offer, and to “breakdown...
By Olivia Deng for Boston Compass (#124)
June 9, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has derailed any possibility of in-person events, but people have found ways to adapt to these strange and uncertain times, connecting with their communities through virtual events. In the past two months, Zoom hangs and Instagram Live shows have become the norm. Qwear Pride 2020 joins the fray of online events with an all-day virtual Pride festival on June 13, hosted on Facebook Live. Qwear Pride 2020 states on their site that the event is “An all-day virtual Pride festiva...
By Paloma Valenzula for La Gringa Loca Productions
June 8, 2020
Today's Fam Share is Paloma Valenzula's coverage of the Black Lives Matter Protest on May 31st. Valenzula is Boston native and an accomplished Dominican-American writer, director and actress. As of late, mainstream media coverage has been disheartening and frustrating to say the least, so Brain Arts is happy to share this powerful video from an independent voice.
Filmed and edited by Valenzula herself, the video documents protesters marching from Nubi...
By Stephen Grigelevich for Brain Arts Org
June 6, 2020
Feburary 5th would have been Trayvon Martin’s 25th birthday. As someone who began my young adult life in education programs with Black and Brown youth, it makes me shutter to think about those elementary school aged kids, who are now adults, and what world they have been given. How do they reconcile the education that told them that scholarship, ingenuity, and initiative are significant factors in leading a fulfilling life, with the countless number of videos that show that it doesn’t matter wha...
By Kevin Dacey, Editor-In-Chief for Boston Compass (#124)
June 4, 2020
*As a foreword to this month's note from the crew, Boston Compass and Brain Arts Org would like you to know that we stand with the oppressed black people and POC in America and worldwide. No group of people should have to live in fear everyday of their lives and feel silenced because of the color of their skin. We believe one way to uplift oppressed and marginalized people is to give them a voice, a stage, a space, a column in a newspaper! We will continue to publish our newspaper during these d...
By LFOD Radio- Ep. 175 (Season VI Finale)
June 1, 2020
This Monday's Fam Share is LFOD (that's Live Free or Die) Radio. In last week's episode, Sam and A-Ball wrapped up the 6th season of their show and reflected on all 25 episodes.
Their discussion includes some musings on a post-COVID world and reflections on the development of LFOD radio. They also take a look back at their many interviews with musicians, producers, and other industry professionals and creators. This year had them on the road, featuring independents artists from all around Ne...
By Jannie Chang
May 30, 2020
Disclaimer: I fully recognize the privilege I hold right now being able to stay at home and remain relatively stress-free. I realize that this is not the case for many right now. In no way do I mean to speak for those who are in a different situation than I am right now.
Music is cool but have you heard about making stickers?
Little doodles and renditions of my favorite snacks are turned into stickers, thanks to a newfound passion for Adobe Illustrator and Redbubble. Although I do ...
By Stephen Grigelevich for Brain Arts Org
May 29, 2020
Did you know that 67% of Bostonians haven’t changed their socks since the State of Emergency was delcared? It’s a fact. You are living passively in a sad epoch known (by me) as “pandemic-induced post fashion.” Still, many of us, eyes bleary, spend our nights, days, day-nights, whatever time it is, binge watching shows on Netflix and thinking “I could rock those pants. I could make those shoes…werk?” Apathy towards public presentation, driven in part by the idea that world will end soon so nothin...
By Karine Vann for Boston Compass #123
May 28, 2020
Sometimes, I write letters to corporations. In fact, that was the initial inspiration for this column! In general, I’d like to use this precious real estate talking about more than the fact that everything we buy is garbage, and also focus current issues that matter—much more on Covid-19 next month! But I’m still happy to sprinkle in some of these “love letters” to consumerism. For now, enjoy one angry letter I wrote a long time ago to a company, complaining that their product (which used to be ...
By Lexx Saint Leonard for Brain Arts Org
May 27, 2020
There was once a precocious teenage prince who strayed off of the trodden path. He chased a beautiful pheasant with his hunting hound, but to no avail. In the heat of the chase, he lost track of his surroundings and found himself completely lost. He followed his hound for a few hours, but never recovered the path. You see, it was still a very young hound who hadn’t yet grown out of his puppy fur. Underneath a towering pine tree, young Prince Simon wept. His hound looked puzzled into his eyes and...
By Zachary Fairbrother for Boston Compass (#123)
May 26, 2020
Anton Karas’ iconic zither music to the movie “The Third Man” happened by a twist of fate. While director Carol Reed and actor Orson Wells were drinking at a café in Vienna after a long day of shooting the film, they overheard Anton in the background playing for tips. Instantly, Reed knew that was the music he wanted in his film. Carol approached Anton after the show but he spoke no English and none of Reed’s party spoke German, so staff and patrons helped translate Reed’s offer. At first, Anton...
By Liz Smith for Brain Arts Org
May 25, 2020
This week's Fam Share is the ItsLitBoston podcast, winner of "Best Music Podcast" at the 2019 Boston Music Awards. Every Wednesday, Sam, Sho, and Mikey of ItsLitBoston are joined by up and coming Boston-based musicians to discuss all things hip-hop and beyond. This episode is a throwback to the start of 2020, which can feel like another lifetime these days. Sam, Sho, and Mikey were joined by Red Shaydez to discuss her s...
By Tory Quinn for Brain Arts Org
May 25, 2020
Update 6/26:
After Tony's fundraiser was successful, Indiegogo suspended his campaign and refunded all of the donations without any explanation.
This is such an upsetting turn of events but alas, Tony is still trying to re-fundraise the same amount so he can stay true to the promise he had made to his students. You can donate to and share his fundraiser on Facebook here.
*This week I caught up with T...
By Dig Staff for DigBoston
May 24, 2020
The following article was originally posted on DigBoston. Check out their amazing work covering the resiliency of the Boston community in the face of the coronavirus crisis below and on their site:
Chris Faraone and Jason Pramas host weekly streaming program
On Friday, DigBoston’s top editors Chris Faraone and Jason Pramas launched the pilot episode of a new weekly streaming public affairs show: InDIGnation. The program will fea...
By Liz Smith for Brain Arts Org
May 23, 2020
Earlier this week I connected with Stephanie Lee and Ellen Shakespear, co-founders of Space Us. Space Us invites the Boston community to "imagine your idea here". Where exactly? Anywhere!
Anyone with an idea- such as an art project, event, or digital collaboration- is welcome to connect with Space Us. They aim to find the perfect location for any idea, utilizing vacant and underutilized spaces in the process. Keep reading to hear about how Stephanie and Ellen are adva...
By Stephen Grigelevich for Brain Arts Org
May 22, 2020
“A lot of us were running on adrenaline, wanting to do something to support the community now.” This is how music producer and Union Sound founder Erik “Loman” Sarno describes the experience of collaborating on a new local arts initiative, titled Mission:Music. Loman founded the venture along with Flagg Street Studio and Bret Silverman of record label Dust Collectors. Their goal: connect local ...
By Dani Thomas for Boston Compass (#123)
May 21, 2020
Q: I’ve been talking to someone online that I’m really into from OkC. I haven’t had such a connection with someone before. Next step would normally be to meet, but that’s not possible during quarantine. I don’t want this to fizzle out but I can only text so much till I wanna meet to see if we have the same chemistry in person. What can I do?
A: This quarantine is definitely going to set the dating situation back, but there are ways to get creative. I do think with online dating we tend to sa...
By Amelia Hall for Brain Arts Org
May 20, 2020
As we all avoid one another, report from home, and muffle our mouths in makeshift coverings, things have hushed into a quiet. Yes, there are the newfound sounds in songs from separate windows showcasing neighbors coming together and scheduled bursts of noise to thank our healthcare workers. There are still the voices of roommates and dogs barking with increased satisfaction as their human pals are home for even more hours of the day. There are still the birds that whistle early, now more often g...
By Neil Horsky for Boston Compass (#123)
May 19, 2020
Neil Horsky is a community artist, educator, musician and writer based in Boston. Learn more about his amazing work at horskyprojects.com
Check out all the art and columns of May's Boston Compass at www.issuu.com/bostoncccompass
...
By Liz Smith for Brain Arts Org
May 18, 2020
Today’s Fam Share features a goliath in Boston hip hop scene,eXposedTV. As a media platform showcasing local musicians, eXpozedtv has a variety of projects including their magazine, podcast, and eXpozedtv TV show series. Creator and host Katiria Colón creates masterfully composed interviews/documentaries featuring local artist...
By Adam Tuttle for Brain Arts Organization
May 17, 2020
The past few months have been a scary and stressful time for everyone in so many different ways. Whether you are working on the front lines, remotely from home, lost your job, or were struggling to find employment in the first place we are all being met with new and challenging situations. I often explore our relationship to the unknown with my clients in therapy and how we are able to manage our ability to navigate the stress of leaving our comfort zone. This is not to say that our comfort zone...
By Sam Potrykus for Brain Arts Org
May 16, 2020
*Last Week local musicians Olivia W-B (RONG, Hairbrush, P.V.H.P., Other Joliah) and Raef (of Birthday Ass, JJ JHNSN, Tropos Ensemble) released a massive 3 vol. benefit compilation with 100% of the proceeds going to various Coronavirus relief mutual aid networks across Boston. Inspired by similar efforts in the music community THE BIG FLATTENING is a collection of work by current and former NEC students although it is not an NEC project - it is an entirel...
By Amanda Shea for Brain Arts Organization
May 15, 2020
In uncertain times, artists are finding new ways of releasing their content. Never short of innovation, Dutch Rebelle dropped a new track titled, “Stony” produced by Intl Show.
It’s no surprise with a career spanning over 10 years: Rebelle knows how to keep her audience engaged. Last week, Dutch commenced a call to action utilizing her social media platforms on Instagram and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Dutc...
By Melanie Bernier for Boston Compass (#123)
May 14, 2020
Hello my trashy babies! Inspired by the Bureau of Linguistical Reality, I’ve penned three new words to describe pandemic realness:
emergatory, noun. Origin: “emergency” and “purgatory.” In crisis, but all forward action is suspended in a purgatory-like state. “Seeing fossil fuels sicken my community, yet having no political recourse to fight it, I can only watch as the problem worsens. I feel stuck in a state of emergatory.”
raw jaw, verb. Origin: “raw dog.” The act of venturing into ...
By Stephen Lafume for Brain Arts Org
May 14, 2020
Brockton! artist Seefour dropped his latest music video "On God" last week. The video just starts on 100 with some great black & white BTS footage of the crowd going crazy at his Big Nite Live performance. Watching it definitely is going to make you wish you were there so maybe you should uhh, go to a seefour show, who knows ¯_(ツ)_/¯. And okay I wasn't there either TT-TT but then the video transitions to Seefour in his hometown of Brockton! (You gotta emphasize Brockton! they lit) in a nice a**...
By Gail Miglorie for Brain Arts Org
May 13, 2020
Distilled Disorder
We filed for unemployment under a vortex wind that isn’t controlled: disorganizing contained disorder. Now only the Six Red candles I bought online since our shop closed light my walls and I'm waiting for the power to go out and turn the wind cold forcing us into the 'safety' of our sterilized homes where we hibernate, but nothing about this is safe here. I've probably killed a handful of ants and centipedes by now, they're taking over the kitchen and the bathroom spider...
By Adrian Alvarez for Boston Compass (#123)
May 12, 2020
“Out of limitations, new forms emerge,” said Fauvist Georges Braques. Emerging from our current spate of limitations, the Shelter in Place Gallery from Eben Haines allows the isolated artists of Boston to exhibit large-scale at time when studio space is at a minimum. Originally conceived in 2019 as a personal project to work through the crummy weather that left his studio inaccessible, Eben revisited his 1:12 scale model of a loft studio space as COVID cl...
By Tahisha Charles for MiixtapeChiick
May 11, 2020
*Today's Fam Share is brought to you by a long time blogger and champion of the arts, Tahisha Charles of MiixTapeChiick. In addition to regularly contributing to the Boston Compass, Tahisha has cultivated an impressive blog with over 3,000 posts covering everything hip hop. Check out one of her MASS. Mondays. posts below where she highlights the best new releases from Mass...
By Seraah For Brain Arts Org
May 10, 2020
ONO has risen yet again! Their new body of art is called “Red Summer”, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. These creative juggernauts have been serving the people since the 1980s—decades later they still have the perspective and creative means to push the thresholds of thought through discordant soundscapes, evocative lyrics, and grooves that have the gift and persistence of inertia. In an interview with [Impose Ma...
By Chris Strunk For Brain Arts Org
May 9, 2020
id m theft able, also known as Scott Spear, is one of the most unique players in the current noise/experimental music scene. Hailing from rural Maine, his live sets are a mixture of sound poetry, harsh noise, manipulated household objects, cassette abuse, and performance art. What always fascinated me about id m theft able is his ability to coax interesting sounds out of the most unlikely of objects. I once saw id m play a set with nothing but two coffee mug...
By Liz Smith for Brain Arts Org
May 8, 2020
This week I checked in with Adam Tuttle, Bostonian, musician, and licensed mental health therapist. Back in January, Adam hosted a Heavy Mediation event at Dorchester Art Project and I was curious to learn more about this unique form of music therapy. During these tumultuous times, we could all benefit from new methods of de-stressing and I am so glad I got to hear from Adam and learn more about how he sharing his therapeutic work with the world .
First off, hi! How are you doing?
...
By Audrey Sutter for Boston Compass (#123)
May 7, 2020
Hello Compass readership! My name is Audrey Sutter, and last month I was a junior studying journalism at Boston University; now I’m writing this and all my assignments from my home in Austin, Texas. I’m the EIC of a magazine called The Beat and the host of two radio shows on WTBU. I’ve also been the Compass’ design intern since the beginning of December 2019.
I’ve gotten the unique opportunity to be a part of a massive period of growth for the Compass....
By Pauline Kaba for Brain Arts Org
May 6, 2020
Remaining optimistic and faithful during these times of high uncertainty and social unrest, can be extremely challenging and can sometimes feel foolish, and even unreasonable.
How does one remain hopeful, when everything around them screams devastation and major confusion?
I looked down at my body, my thighs we’re getting thicker and my stomach fatter, the isolation was getting to me, heavily. I hadn’t washed my hair or practiced effective, good self-care in what felt like a decade an...
By Dana Ferrante for Boston Compass (#123)
May 5, 2020
What’s in your pandemic pantry? In recent weeks, spin-offs of this question and cascades of answers have flooded social feeds and spurred many an ‘uplifting’ article in national news outlets. I don’t give a damn what’s in your pantry. I want to know, what’s in your community’s pantry? What are we doing to help one another stay safe and nourished in this crisis? We may be holed up in our own caves, but now is especially not the time to succumb to the egotistic eco-terrorism of a single-serving si...
By Liz Smith for Brain Arts Org
May 4, 2020
"We're Exhibiting The Culture's Stories."
This is TheMuseum TV's promise since 2014.
They fulfill this promise on their website and YouTube channel where they post performances and interviews from Boston based creatives, and keep you up to date with the latest news on music videos and events.
On TheMuseum TV’s website and [YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC...
By INAKI ESTIVALIZ for DigBoston
May 2, 2020
The following article was originally posted on DigBoston. Check out their amazing work covering the resiliency of the Boston community in the face of the coronavirus crisis below and on their site:
TRANSLATION BY ADRIENNE EVANS
With her first 100 days in office coinciding with the COVID-19 crisis, Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia perseveres in the interest of most vulnerable, disconnected populations
Boston City Councilor-at-Large Jul...
By Emma Leavitt for Brain Arts Org
May 1, 2020
*In the growing category of “Things I Was Excited for That Got Cancelled by Corona”, the Dorchester Art Project Gallery programs are top tier. As Gallery Director, I curate with community and the Brain Arts Org mission first in mind. We had an awesome suite of shows lined up, and the thing I was looking forward to most was collaborating with some amazing curators, and seeing their vision come to life. In a non-Rona parallel universe, we would be opening the gallery this weekend for Bundok | Moun...
By Ben Mazer for Boston Compass (#122)
April 30, 2020
This piece originally appeared in Viscous Verses, a monthly poetry column in the Boston Compass Newspaper edited by Art & Letters Magazine
It rains. One steps up through the haze
of tan and violet to the maze
of memory--misty where one stands,
twisting, separating strands.
The hour's dim, and no one calls;
obligation mutely falls
through floors of mountains, origin:
anonymously you begin.
The blasted lantern of t...
By Liz Smith for Brain Arts Org
April 29, 2020
“Do you need content that inspires you? Stories you can relate to? Or talent that is simply too dope to describe? Welcome to Farenheight TV”
These opening lines perfectly capture the work of Farenheight TV, today’s BAO Fam Share.
Creator, host, producer, AND editor Farah Jeune creates live monthly episodes on the Boston Neighborhood Network (BNN) and describes the show as, “a community television variety show that celebrates people's greatness through narratives and artist...
By Matthew McGovern for Boston Compass (#122)
April 28, 2020
Runaway
I woke with the first light in an open field of rough and dead grass. This was late in the fall. I could feel in my legs and in the back of my mind that I had been running, at least that I was being searched for. There’s a predictable pattern when you are being chased. You gather your money, and buy a ticket headed far away. You would high tail it to Canada. You would go back home, where breakfast used to be served, when you weren't on the run. Or you would go to your s...
By Stephen Grigelevich for Brain Arts Org
April 27, 2020
On Sunday, I was bird watching on Great Blue Hill, reminiscing on my days as a Boy Scout, and on my return to Nature. I was also reflecting on my unborn twins lying in my love Rebecca’s belly. They were due in early summer. But they came the next night, suddenly, on April 20th. 8:45pm: “I feel water running down my leg.” 9:00pm: “If you can walk, we can bring you to our ambulance outside.” 9:45pm: “In order to keep the babies safe, we are going to do an emergency c-section, and we ...
By Sam Potrykus for Brain Arts Org
April 26, 2020
Genres do little to capture the importance of our favorite musics. Obsessive music fans among us know this. However for the purposes of sharing the wealth we do well to cover the experimental noise, punk and rock on which this organization was founded in addition to the incredible spoken word and hip hop that protects and furthers our mission of highlighting undervalued artists. It's all DIY to me. Enter Shawnie Brando AKA Little Priest. Lifer.
Based on ...
By DLM for Boston Compass (#122)
April 25, 2020
This is my first official return to any Rad Apps articles. I’ve been keeping it fresh for sixteen 250-word mini-articles but given that my word limit, like tech, has changed, I’d like to take an opportunity to once again invite you to use the chat app: ‘Signal’ for all of your chat needs.
Last time, I was excited to tell you about Signal because it’s one of the very few end-to-end encrypted and open-source chat apps out there. As I’ve mentioned before, open-source means...
By Shira Laucharoen for DigBoston
April 24, 2020
The following article was originally posted on DigBoston. Check out their amazing work covering the resiliency of the Boston community in the face of the coronavirus crisis below and on their site:
“I’m concerned for the economic welfare and health of our artists, but I’m not afraid and not nervous about what creativity is actually taking place right now.”
Maiden Voyage was slated to take its first journey in May. The production, a play about an all-female ...
By Cassie Capewell for Boston Compass (#122)
April 23, 2020
Saint Lyor lets his dark side speak on his debut EP, If My Sins Could Talk. Lyor came on the scene to a strong reception thanks to early breakout track “Gossip” and the fraternity of his Brockton-based collective Van Buren Records. In this eleven-track debut, Lyor offers his confessions with big flex confidence.
“I wanted to embrace my vices in a celebratory way,” says...
By Grace Ward for Input/Output Magazine
April 22, 2020
In honor of the season finale of their podcast, In Conversation, today’s BAO Fam Share spotlights INPUT/OUTPUT Magazine. I/O aims to provide a platform for women and non-binary musicians, especially those whose music defies the label of a specific genre. As Founder and Editor in Chief Magdalena Abrego explains, ““Input” refers to the gender discrimination that women and non-binary artists exper...
By Sam Correa for Boston Compass (#122)
April 21, 2020
COLLAGE as a Visual Identity
Hi everyone! My name is Sam Correa. I'm a design coordinator at Brain-Arts.Org. I've been volunteering for BAO for over a year now and have helped Emma Leavitt, the creative director of the organization, develop the visual identity of Brain Arts. I'm no expert in design. In fact, the reason I decided to get involved was to hone my skills as a visual artist. Developing the brand of Brain Arts has been a great lesson in how simple design can be. Brain Arts as a who...
By Stephen Grigelevich for Brain Arts Org
April 21, 2020
Brain Arts’ own Stephen Grigelevich reached out to Jonathan Nankof of ERASED! Tapes, a Boston-based record label, to chat about their COVID-19 benefit compilation album. Titled “Outline the Sun,” this 69-song (yes, 69 songs) compilation was released on Monday. Here’s what Jonathan had to say about the compilation, the wonderful organizations they are helping, and coping with the COVID-19 crisis:
The music is awesome, and often entrancing. And 69 son...
By Live Free Or Die Radio (Ep. 167)
April 20, 2020
Today's BAO FAM SHARE comes from Live Free or Die Radio- we are so excited to share their content with you! Check out their interview and mix with DJ Troy Frost below and more interviews with local creatives on their website.
DJ, educator, afrofuturist, and overall hip-hop head TROY Frost is our guest this week. There’s no way you could ever predict the direction this convo went. We were certainly caught off g...
By Cory for Boston Compass (#122)
April 19, 2020
Hi, It’s 9:13pm on 3/17/20. This week's been a tornado of anxiety, canned goods, safety texts, and antiseptic due to corona virus lock downs. I really hope you, reading this, are ok.
This is a monthly column about Boston-area protest art, the climate crisis, and the urgent need for systemic change. Many problems underlying our current emergency - underdeveloped social programs, wealth inequality, xenophobia, extreme capitalist greed - are also fueling worldwide ecological collapse. The skil...
By Stephen Grigelevich for Brain Arts Org
April 18, 2020
My dad was a landscaper. I remember sitting on his lap as he operated the backhoe, and we'd shake as the yellow metal dinosaur did its thing. Even after we lost touch, memories of being a young kid in my sweatpants-with-holes-in-the-knees, shoveling fresh mulch into the faded company truck on the nursery lot still stick with me. With its ripe, earthy stench, and its moist, chewy feeling, these red clumps of wood sinew in my hands gave life. Later on as a Boy Scout, I spent a lot of time in the...
By Stephen Lafume for Brain Arts Org
April 18, 2020
AYOOOO! Boston based rap collective Most High Kingdom just dropped another banger, titled "The Virus''. The track, a breath of fresh air amongst the seemingly endless days of social distancing, attacks the root of the problem that is coronavirus. Us. Or more specifically our lack of awareness. The group's Instagram caption reads as follows: "S...
By Micaela Kimball for DigBoston
April 17, 2020
The following article was originally posted on DigBoston. Check out their amazing work covering the resiliency of the Boston community in the face of the coronavirus crisis below and on their site:
“Just having something outside of news, some connection—we’ve found people are really thirsty for it.”
It’s 1:30 pm on Sunday afternoon and Leslie Salmon Jones is setting up to teach her Afro Flow Yoga cla...
By Emma Leavitt for Brain Arts Org
April 15, 2020
"What does art look like if we cannot touch, be in physical space, or collaborate in person anymore? How can we be a mirror for the world and ourselves as artists?"
*I was scrolling through Facebook the other day when I caught a glimpse of local noise and performance artist Lani Asuncion picking up a megaphone, hoisting herself up a rock wall to stand upon a bridge in Franklin Park, and singing “Imagine” by John Lennon into the abyss. A couple folks walk by the screen with their...
By Naomi Westwater for Boston Compass (#122)
April 14, 2020
The Tarot Forecast is a look at the month ahead in a tarot spread. For April, I pulled The IV of Cups. Cups represent water and our emotions. The IV of Cups is a card of apathy and greed. You may be feeling very disconnected and discontent with your life right now. While that’s understandable, if your focus is on what you don’t have, you will always feel like you never have enough. Are you taking for granted the goodness in your life? Stop that. Check in with yourself. Greed is an emotion that i...
By Taylor Lena McTootle for Brain Arts Org
April 13, 2020
As the creator of the Black Cotton Club, a slam poet, and an educator, performance artist Dzidzor Azaglo is a pillar of the Boston art community. Brain Arts Organization was extremely excited to be asked to experience the exclusive debut of her EP entitled “Bush Woman,” quoted as "potently medicinal and textured project." The following is Taylor Lena McTootle’s review of the EP from the interactive virtual listening party held via Zoom on April 3rd.
Radical a...
By Lex Weaver for Boston Compass (#122)
April 12, 2020
While you may be cooped up in the crib for a bit, it doesn’t mean you can’t keep learning how to build your powerhouse—and the Arts Equity Summit has your back! This year’s summit will run for three days—virtually—from April 24-26th. Remaining true to its values, the summit gives emerging artists and cultural leaders of color the foundations and connections needed in order to achieve equitable means… while staying safe and healthy! In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this new web-based form...
By Stephen Grigelevich for Brain Arts Org
April 11, 2020
Lately, I've been watching birds in the sky again. I’m not alone, I think, in appreciating the innocence I assume when gazing upward. From down here, the sky is a vast, exquisite realm of reality, and the birds are the most vivid pulses of the universe…
So, admittedly, I was already soaking in this sweet poetry of birdsong, and feeling particularly deferential to Mother Nature's wise ways, when I received an invitation from a dear environmentalist friend of mine to attend the online seminar *...
By Karine Vann for Boston Compass (#122)
April 10, 2020
If your email inbox looks anything like mine these last few days, you’re swimming in a whirlpool of corporate copy; eloquent, empty words letting me know about the precautions GEICO is taking to protect me from the coronavirus. But when Delta Airlines writes to say its CEO takes my safety very seriously, it’s hard to give a single F. How can you say you care about my safety when your industry both accelerates and profits from climate change, a longer term threat that will eradicate any semblance...
By Rob Duguay for DigBoston
April 9, 2020
Welcome to a new blog post series spotlighting content we love from other creators. First up Rob Duguay's article, "WHEN WILL THE SHOW GO ON? UNCERTAINTY FOR MUSIC VENUES AND EMPLOYEES" originally posted on DigBoston's site. Check it out:
“It’s a wild freeze frame when your job and your passion both stop dead in their tracks." On March 12, culture as we knew it basically stopped due to the coronavirus crisis.
Sports across the board got either cancelled or postponed, while theaters and...
By Tahisha Charles @miixtapechiick for Boston Compass
April 5, 2020
There aren’t too many R&B acts in Boston that can give you a nostalgic 90s feel.
However, 20-year-old KAE is here to restore the feeling. Inspired by acts like Brandy, Jasmine Sullivan, Babyface, Janet Jackson and more, it’s a no-brainer that the Somerville native’s influences helped shape the sound and theme of vulnerability on her debut EP, KAE Alayah.
Discovering her singing voice at the age of four, KAE recalls writing her first couple of songs in 6th grade. “I had a yellow, big noteb...
By Rent Strike MA for Brain Arts Org
April 2, 2020
Rent Strike MA and Allston Brighton Mutual Aid have put together this amazing resource list in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Check it out for info about keeping your rent, organizing resources for renters, housing resources, Mutual Aid groups & more.
You can follow Rent Strike MA on insta and twitter @rentstrikema. ...
By Angela Sawyer for Brain Arts Org
March 31, 2020
Tired of your upstairs neighbor practicing acoustic guitar? Watched everything on Netflix and it's only Wednesday? Even though you can't leave your house, you can attend a comedy show. Comedians across the country are stuck at home too, and they've started virtual versions of their local shows and workout sessions. Join their zoom meeting and you're at a show supporting local artists, and also likely seeing a few folks from far away! You're not required to talk at these if you don't want to, but...
By Saritha Ramakrishna for Brain Arts Org
March 30, 2020
Legislation you can Support
As of 4/9/20, here are pieces of state legislation you can call your representatives to support, and organize around. You can find your representatives here. Note that the list below does not cover Federal legislation or municipal law or orders. While the Federal government recently passed a stimulus bill, its provisions are inadequate to cover the financial burdens, health risks and housing insecurity that the...
By Liz Smith for Brain Arts Org
March 29, 2020
Last Updated: June 30th at 12:45pm First Things First
Official updates about Covid 19 and the city of Boston can be found here including multilingual content. Details about Massachusetts' Reopening Plan can be found here.
We also recommend Dig Boston for ongoing coronavirus coverage as well as other [BINJ](https://binjonline...
By Steve Grigelevich for Brain Arts Org
March 26, 2020
PART 1
2020 is not a throw away year, folx! If you are worth your weight in human reflection, in fact, 2020 is, and will continue to be, a time to suffer, heal, rage, come together, and celebrate…oh yes, and ORGANIZE. Many citizens are confused, and not just by the evolving science of COVID-19 infection control theory. We’re confused existentially and relationally; we don’t know where our fellow human beings, and for some of us, where we, ourselves, stand on the ethical principle of interde...
By Steve Grigelevich for Brain Arts Org
March 26, 2020
PART II
As I wrote in Part I of this series…basically, shit’s weird for everyone, including for the arts. Right now, many of us artists and creative types are going back to the drawing board, reorganizing ourselves, contemplating, grieving, experimenting, possibly scheming? Some have a hashed out plan for creating art, delivering it to their audiences, and getting funds. Some don’t. Many don’t. Most don’t. That’s because COVID-19 ripped the carpet from under our feet, leaving many artists...
By Nick Blauner for Boston Compass (#122)
March 25, 2020
On March 20, the city of Wuhan had forty-eight consecutive hours without a newly infected patient. The first case of corona virus in the city was documented in late December 2019. America’s preliminary patient was not documented until January 20, almost a full month after the cluster of outbreaks in Wuhan. It would be unwise to use Wuhan’s timeline as a way to chart where America stands in the current epidemic. By doing that, you would also be assuming the situation in Wuhan is over. In any ca...
By Ghost
December 18, 2019
Nevermind the 250 word limit, Here's PURE IMPACT! Recently, I had the chance to chat about band history, heroin addiction, recovery, and what is yet to come from Upstate NY D-beat Master, No Fucker. To start off, could you give us a brief history for those who may be unfamiliar? And what is the current No Fucker line-up?Johnny and I started the band in the fall of 2002. We were in a bland generic crust band that wasn’t meeting our expectations. We needed something more. We had a vision of an American noise dbeat band, something that other people told us was impossible...
By Claire Foley
December 1, 2019
On Thursday, the 17th of October, the local Dorchester organization DOT Not For Sale (DN4S) met in the cafeteria of the Vietnamese American Community Center for their monthly community dinner. At the beginning of the gathering, folks were asked to raise their hands in response to a series of questions. “How many people here are renters? Homeowners? How many are landlords?” Most people attending were renters, but there were several homeowners, and a lone landlord. “Who spends more than 30% of their monthly income on rent? More than 50%? Who is fighting for their home?” Hands were in the air for all three questions...