I didn’t check out the display in person myself since the Longfellow Bridge, my favorite perch, was closed to observers. That didn’t stop me from watching on television along with the rest of the nation, though, and I could actually hear the pyrotechnics booming right in my living room.

One thing I didn’t miss was being exhausted by the time the show started after waiting around outside all day with over half a million other people. Trust me — it’s nowhere near as fun as it sounds, especially after the first time and especially when it rains like it did yesterday.

If you didn’t get the chance to see the gorgeous presentation of multicolored lights in the sky, here’s another opportunity to catch about ten minutes of the twenty-three-minute extravaganza from the comfort of your computer, courtesy of kind kimster1232. Enjoy!

Post from: The Boston Traveler

Say you’re not a Boston Pops/outdoor concert/hordes of people kind of guy or gal. Many aren’t, so there’s no need to feel bad. Fortunately, Boston has a lot of other events scheduled for tomorrow’s Fourth of July holiday, and the ones listed below have two essential things in common: they’re all free and family friendly.

Friends of Fort Point Channel Summer Concert Series

Ice cream maker Hood will provide free frozen treats to attendees who show up for the weekly music concert. At noon on July 4th, tunes will come courtesy of Moussa Traore during the Music of Mali presentation. [Fort Point Channel, Boston Children's Museum, 300 Congress Street, Boston, 617-451-9239]

Boston Harborfest 2008

A Flag Raising Ceremony and Parade will last from 9am–10am, followed by a Reading of the Declaration of Independence at the Old State House from 10am–10:30am. See the event website for various other possibilities, a number of which have an admission fee.

Pillsbury will also offer free desserts at Harborfest from 9am–5pm and everyday through Sunday as part of its nationwide Campaign for a Sweeter America. Pictures with the world-famous Doughboy are complimentary, as well. [City Hall Plaza, Boston, 617-635-3911]

Movies by Moonlight

At dusk, which translates to roughly 8pm–10pm, the luxury waterfront Boston Harbor Hotel will screen the classic 1939 film Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, directed by legendary Frank Capra and starring legendary James Stewart. [Boston Harbor Hotel, Intrigue Café, 70 Rowes Wharf, Boston, 617-439-7000]

Have a safe and wonderful Fourth of July!

Post from: The Boston Traveler

As most residents know, the annual Independence Day festivities featuring the Boston Pops occurs over two days in the city, the actual holiday and the day before it. As a result, the Boston Pops will perform an 8:30pm concert on both Thursday, July 3, and Friday, July 4.

There is a difference between the shows, however. The first concert will end a half-hour earlier, at 10pm, and will not include the eye-popping 30-minute fireworks display set to Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, special country music guests Rascal Flatts, host Craig Ferguson of the CBS program The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, or the 8:36pm flyover by the Air National Guard’s 104th Fighter Wing and the Air Force’s 131st Fighter Squadron.

Those who can’t make it to the Esplanade and surrounding areas on July 4th have a couple of alternative options to still reap the benefits of the production. Television station WBZ will broadcast it locally starting at 8pm, while the network CBS will do the same nationwide at 10pm.

Visit the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular website for more information.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

EdgeFest, now in its fourth year, is a Boston Pops concert series that pairs the orchestra with contemporary bands and artists. Not surprisingly, the different musical focus attracts a significant number of 30-something attendees, in contrast to the customary Boston Pops audience, which has an average age of over 50.

Merchant’s last studio release was 2003’s The House Carpenter’s Daughter. According to a recent Boston Globe interview, she’s been focusing much of her time since on her daughter Lucia, who was born the same year.

The music artist is not only looking forward to her upcoming appearances, her first ever with an orchestra, but she actually approached the Boston Pops about the possibility of participating in EdgeFest after hearing about the series from the alternative country group Cowboy Junkies, who took part in the third annual concert last June, and an editor at Paste Magazine. Wisely, the Pops were more than interested in working with Merchant, leading to next week’s dates.

Fans can anticipate significant input from Merchant, too. She wrote two of the arrangements, for new songs “Autumn Lullaby” and “The Man in the Wilderness,” included in the EdgeFest concert and will perform a number of additional old, new, and unreleased songs, as well. Also on the schedule are Boston’s own indie-rock band The Everyday Visuals.

Natalie Merchant performs with the Boston Pops for EdgeFest 2008 on Tuesday, May 27, and Wednesday, May 28. Both 8pm dates take place at Boston Symphony Hall (301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, 617-266-1492), with tickets ranging in price from $25 to $100. [More Information]

Learning about Merchant’s visit made me remember how much I love her hit single “Carnival” from the 1995 album Tigerlily. Take a look at the original video and a smokin’ live performance of the tune after the jump. I’ve been playing the concert version on a continuous loop while composing this post — there’s nothing better than rediscovering forgotten favorite songs.

Post from: The Boston Traveler