The Boston Traveler

Back at the end of January, a revamped band website with suggestive video footage set tongues a-wagging about a possible reunion of Boston’s own 1980s–1990s boy-band sensation New Kids on the Block. There’s been little noise on the stone-cold-facts front since, until today when People magazine reported that all five members of NKOTB — brothers Jonathan Knight and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood — will appear on the April 4 edition of the NBC morning show Today.
That’s this Friday, fans, just in time for the weekend. The Boston Traveler will have footage of that …read more

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Yeah, I know — it’s not exactly cool in most circles to dig Michael Jackson these days. But, there was a time back during the height of the Michael versus Prince Wars (remember those? I do!) when M.J. was badder than bad. It’s great some people still haven’t forgotten that despite all of his highly publicized troubles, Jackson remains one of the greatest music artists of all time, and he always will be.
If you’ve got a thing for Jackson and aren’t afraid to show it, you might want to check out the Coolidge Corner Theatre (290 Harvard …read more

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Whoever said the best things in life aren’t free (or something like that) never heard of the people responsible for OurStage.com and its upcoming OurStage College Clash competition. Heck, until recently, neither had I. But, now that I am aware of the ambitious venture and its creators, I won’t forget them anytime soon — their website is already bookmarked in my browser of choice, and I’m a full-fledged, registered, and active member as of today.
So, what is OurStage? To put it simply, a venue for artists to have their work judged by the people who matter most, …read more

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Did you really, really, really want to see The Mighty Mighty Bosstones during their year-ending, historic 10th Hometown Throwdown at the Middle East Downstairs in Cambridge or Lupo’s in Rhode Island but couldn’t score tickets or make it to Boston in time? If you live on the West Coast or plan to be in the area on Saturday, March 1, around 8pm, you just might get a chance to see Dicky and the boys live after all when they play Avalon in Hollywood, California, at that time.
Select presale tickets through Ducat King are all snatched up (sincerest apologies for …read more

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And how much longer will it take before New Edition and Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch follow?
Just kidding about the preceding sentence, although the title is a legitimate question.
On Saturday, celebrity rag People magazine reported that the five members of the 1980s–1990s, Boston-based boy band that disbanded in 1994 are planning to reunite. The verification comes in the form of an alleged proverbial “well-placed source,” who the magazine claims confirmed that an official announcement “will be made in the next few weeks.” In other words, surviving NKOTB fans have a lot to look forward to in February …read more

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A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that local band Dropkick Murphys would be appearing on the January 11th episode of David Letterman’s CBS late-night talk show.
Well, that appearance has come and gone, but thanks to the kindness and video skills of some YouTube-using fans, people can still enjoy their performance.
Band members actually played two tunes: the expected “State of Massachusetts,” the hit first single from their latest album The Meanest of Times, as well as a show-ending version of “I’m Shipping Up to Boston.”
For the unaware, the second song appeared on the Murphys’ 2005 album The Warrior’s Code, as …read more

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Non-Bostonians and Bostonians alike will get a chance to sample yet another local band in action this week when Quincy’s Dropkick Murphys pay late-night host David Letterman a visit on Friday in support of their latest full-length album The Meanest of Times.
If you’re not familiar with the group’s hardcore celtic-punk sound and background, there are three websites that can help rectify that: the Dropkick Murphys’ official home on the Web, the corresponding MySpace site, and the band biography on the website of the group’s former independent label Hellcat Records. All feature high-quality audio files and/or videos of the type …read more

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Missed the Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ historic 10th Throwdown at Cambridge’s Middle East Downstairs from December 26–30 or perhaps even the New Year’s show at Lupo’s in Rhode Island? Well, you’re not alone.
Lucky for everyone, then, that a handful of avid fans not only managed to snag some precious if occasionally jumpy and/or unfocused video footage (word has it that security didn’t even check for camera phones and camcorders), but were also kind enough to upload said snippets to YouTube.
Continue onward for a look at what I found during a recent search. It seems like more is being added …read more

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I bet I can guess the first thing you thought upon reading the title of this post: “Huh?” Let me explain because it’s really quite simple. Hot Stove, Cool Music is the official name of a Boston event that celebrates local sports and music while simultaneously contributing funds to worthy charitable causes.
Co-founder and renowned sportswriter Peter Gammons says in his own words, “Most guys I know host charity golf tournaments … well, I don’t golf, so this is my version of that. It’s the best way I know to bring together my two greatest passions, baseball and rock …read more

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This post is brought to you courtesy of the many fine ska/punk tunes streaming online at various bands’ websites. I got all caught up in the music for hours (it’s been a while since I’ve listened to either genre), which is why I’m posting early Thursday morning instead of Wednesday night, when I intended to.
The last week of 2007 is proving pretty special for Boston music lovers because for the first time in almost five long years, hometown ska-core creators The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are playing live gigs at the Middle East, their old haunt in Cambridge. …read more

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