Valentine's Day is almost upon us. So if you're looking for some last-minute ideas to keep you and your special someone busy, here are a few of our picks for things to do around Boston this Valentine's Day.

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The Boston Bruins will kick off their regular season at home Oct. 6 at 7 p.m., when they face off against the Flyers....and sports bars across the city will be going nuts and cheering for our beloved Black and Gold.

(98.5 Sports Hub hosts Toucher & Rich will be watching at the Cask 'n Flagon....where will you be?)

To get you in the mood, check out this nostalgic Bruins video that's set to the music of the Aerosmith song "Dream On." Play it with the sound on. It's really good.

GO BRUINS!!!!

- Emily Sweeney

If you missed the Bruins victory celebrations of the 1970s, you can witness history tomorrow.

The Bruins victory parade starts tomorrow at 11 a.m. from the Garden, and proceeds down Staniford Street, Cambridge Street, Tremont, and Boylston Street. (Here's a map of the parade route.) Don't forget to bring your camera, people... and if you get any good pics of the Cup, send 'em our way.

GO BRUINS!!!!

-- Emily Sweeney

Blondie rocked the House of Blues on Sunday night with this killer cover of "Heroes."

....and tonight (Tuesday, Sept. 14) the House of Blues will host another legendary rocker: Billy Idol. It's an all-ages show, and Billy's supposed to take the stage at 8 p.m. (there's no opening act). Tickets cost $37 - $49.50.

I love it when I get an email that makes my whole day. The Super Secret Project's Christian Wisecarver sent me this gem: a Boston remake of the "Perfect Strangers" opening credits.

Sadly, Balki Bartokomous doesn't make a cameo. However, the SSP gets major points for accuracy. Here's the Boston version side-by-side with the original:

The New England Electronic Music Festival is now underway! Check out the complete schedule of events at www.togetherboston.com.

Boston Ballet and Karmaloop threw a fab soiree Sunday night inside a cavernous dance studio on Clarendon Street. Everyone was decked out in black and white (a nod to Boston Ballet's upcoming performance) and DJ Beyonder and DJ Die Young were on the decks. Members of the ballet company mixed and mingled with Karmaloop staffers and got down on the dance floor with a lively crowd of DJs, artists, and musicians. Spotted @ the party: the Floorlords crew, DJ Red Foxx, DJ Volvox, DJ Mistaker, Graham Masser of Bad Rabbits, Giovannah Chiu, and Karmaloop founders Greg & Dina Selkoe.

FYI: If there were ever a CEO dance-off, I'd put my money on Karmaloop chief executive Greg Selkoe. Here he is, bustin' moves with the best of 'em:

As you know, the Celtics had their parade this week.....and it seems like just yesterday the Pats and the Red Sox had theirs.

So you know what I think? It's time for the Bruins to win a national championship. (Remember the Bruins? They're those guys who play that sport with skates, sticks and a puck?) Hard to believe it's been over 30 years since they've won the Stanley Cup.

I went on YouTube and found a few video clips of the last time the Bruins had a parade through the streets on Boston:

1970 Stanley Cup parade

1972 Bruins street celebration

the goal that started it all: Bobby Orr scores against St. Louis, 1970

- Emily Sweeney

The fourth Monday of every month is "Extreme Bingo" night at the Milky Way Lounge in JP.
DJs Kristen Snow & Elizabeth Grant spin indie, punk, dance, riotgrrl, new wave and other random goodness during the games. There's no cover, and you can win prizes.

I've never witnessed Extreme Bingo before, but it sounds pretty cool. I'd like to check it out.

-- Emily Sweeney

P.S. And in case you missed it the first time around, here's a video report I made about the wild world of Bingo:

DJ Mothra and DJ Machwave will be spinning at Ceremony tonight.

Later this month, on July 30, Ceremony is hosting Goths Gone Wild V -- an amazing event that features punk-rock-goth chicks wrestling in a pool of Jell-O. Check out video clips from previous matches here .

-- Emily Sweeney

If you loved today's Online Finds featuring the Mac or PC video above, the creators say there's more in store. Here's what they had to say on future collaborations:

BEAU LEWIS (PC): "We've got some still in idea phase, some in the song refining phase, and some in the video-storyboarding phase. Look forward to something different with the same creativity and ridiculousness of 'Mac or PC.' We're all involved in additional musical projects (Spaceship Excellent, Norwester, The Sky Beneath), so you may see some of those influences blending together."

PETER FURIA (MAC): "We had A LOT of fun making this video. You can bet we've already got more in the works."

DAVID FINE (Director): "As a team, we hope to make many more videos. What they are and how funny they will be we cannot yet say. All we can say is that they will be really really really really funny and that they will be. Also, it should be noted that we have day jobs and will not be quitting them to do this. Despite the booming response to 'Mac or PC,' we feel it is necessary to continue to press on in the workaday world and remain god-fearing, red-blooded, tax-paying Americans. RUDY '08!"

OK, I admit it -- I've become slightly obsessed with the game of Bingo. I haven't played it since 2nd grade; I just enjoy watching the game as a spectator. I'm simply a fan who cheers from the sidelines of the Bingo hall.

I'm amazed at how many different types of Bingo games exist out there, and I'm fascinated by the people who play them. I recently wrote a story about Bingo for the paper, and I while I was reporting, I made this video:

If you want to find a bingo game in your 'hood, check out the Massachusetts Lottery Commission webpage...they keep an updated list of every bingo hall in the state.

Here are some more random Bingo links, for your enjoyment:

Lottery Museum

Bingo! - The Documentary

Bingo! - The Stage Play

Roadkill Bingo

Official National Bingo Night Song (mp3)

-- Emily Sweeney

Darryl "DMC" McDaniels busted out a bunch of Run DMC songs last night at the new Equinox fitness center on Dartmouth Street:

His performance was part of the fitness center's grand opening celebration, and an online auction that will benefit the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation and the Felix Organization.

BTW, there’s still time to participate in the auction. Lots of interesting stuff up for grabs: An audition for a role on HBO's Entourage is going for $6,500....A day of golf with Marky Mark and Joe Pesci is going for $20,000 ....and right now the high bid for a batting lesson with David Ortiz has reached $10,000.

There are still plenty of bargains left, too...
The tango dancing lessons with Robert Duvall are supposed to be worth at least $7,000, but so far the highest bid is only $650.

Check out this old episode of Chronicle -- it’s kinda surreal.

You’ll witness Peter Mehegan giving the MTV Cribs treatment to the Cloud Club, a Boston artists’ collective located in the South End (a.k.a. home of the Dresden Dolls):

Once upon a time, I ventured over to Cloud Club-land (though at the time, I didn’t know the place had a special name) to check out a yard sale that Amanda Palmer & co. were having. I went over there with a friend, browsed through the stuff they were selling, but didn’t come across anything I wanted to purchase. The thing that impressed me the most was the backyard itself: a totally green, lush garden in the back of their South End brownstone.

Alas, the lovely yard was not for sale. (and alas, I was broke)

FYI....the Dresden Dolls are touring with Cyndi Lauper, Erasure and Debbie Harry, and they’re gonna perform at Harborlights the Bank of America Pavilion on Saturday, June 16th.

-- Emily Sweeney

Tags: Boston music, Boston, Massachusetts, Boston media , Dresden Dolls, video, Youtube

I interviewed one of the founding members of 123 Party on NECN yesterday.

After we finished the interview, Lazer (formerly known as Fury) attempted to start a dance party in the Globe newsroom(!)

GrrlRush returns to the Revolution Rock Bar tonight, with Punketta Doilie on the decks and performances by Becky Chace and Pauline Pisano.

Here’s a video clip from last week:

I hear that the New England Patriots Cheerleaders will be holding open auditions at Gillette Stadium.

My friend and fellow journalist Jeannie Greeley tried out for the Patriots pom-pom squad last year, and Julie Brown and Kelly Davidson caught the whole thing on film....

If you want a sneak preview of what the tryouts look like, check out their video – it’s hilarious.

(A Quicktime version of the clip can be found on Kelly’s website.)

Last night I went out with a large group of friends to Limelight Stage and Studios on Tremont Street for a little bit of karaoke madness. The great thing about Limelight is that its focus is solely on the karaoke. This isn't some bar that hosts a low-budget sing-along once a week. The stage and backing screen make you feel like you're actually performing for Simon, Paula, and Randy. Luckily the crowd is a little more forgiving -- backing you up if you forget the words and shaking their groove things in support.

Of course, we pulled out some fan favorites, like "Since U Been Gone," "Shoop," and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." When it comes to karaoke though, no one sounds good singing it, so your only bet is to really work the room. We shook and shimmied our way through Pat Benatar's "Love Is A Battlefield" and sauntered through the crowd for a sassy rendition of "Straight Up" by Paula Abdul.

However, the highlight of the evening came courtesy Globe Correspondents Mike Naughton and Glenn Yoder (who also fronts the local alt-country combo Cassavettes) with their sensual ballad "I'll Make Love to You." Check out the video above for a duet that proves journalism is still a sexy profession.

(I'm the one rocking out in front of the stage. The quality's not that great, but you can catch the glare on my glasses now and then.)

Video courtesy Fritz Ceriales.

-- Emily Sweeney

John H. Garabedian and Arnie “Woo Woo” Ginsburg at the V-66 studios in Framingham in 1985

V66 promo clip on YouTube:

- Emily Sweeney

tags: Framingham, Massachusetts , music, V66, Youtube

I live close to Fields Corner in Dorchester. Some interesting characters hang out in my neighborhood. Check out this lady singing a hyper-speed rendition of Alicia Keys’ hit If I Ain’t Got You, while mixing in some of her own creative lyrics about smokin' crack.

Speaking of crack....some random guy actually tried to sell me some in this exact spot a few months ago. (FYI, it was not anyone in this YouTube video)

It was a Monday night, just before 11pm...I had just walked out of this Store 24, and I was starting to cross the street, when I hear:

"Hey!....hey, guy! Yeah you"

I turn around and see this big dude trying to get my attention, and apparently he thinks I'm a boy. (that mistake happens quite often, especially when I'm wearing a hat). He walks up to me, and asks for a cigarette (again, that's nothing out of the ordinary, especially when you're standing right outside a convenience store). I give him a cig, and then he asks me if I want to buy a joint.

"Nope - no thanks, man," I said, and started to walk away.

he immediately replies:
"Oh, oh, you smoke the white stuff,” he said, almost apologetically. "You want some of that?"

Needless to say, I declined his offer. And he finally started walking away. And that was that.

And hey, this little anecdote isn’t meant to scare anyone away from this Store 24 on Dot Ave. I’ve been a loyal customer to this particular store since the 1980s, and I’ve never, ever, had any problems at all. But that little incident was memorable, because it was the first time I’ve been approached by someone who tried to sell me drugs, literally, right in the middle of the Dot Ave.

And I thought it was funny how he seemed so confident that I was a potential buyer. (when I got home, I even spent a moment looking at my reflection in my bathroom mirror, thinking to myself, "Do I look like a crackhead?")

I love my neighborhood...never a dull moment.

-- Emily Sweeney

Check out this scoop from the Weekly Dig -- ace reporter Paul McMorrow reports that Boston's renegade dance troupe was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct on Friday!

He even posted excerpts from the police report on the Dig's blog. (alas, no mug shots)

I've been meaning to catch up with 123 Party again, so I can take video of them in action, dancin' in the streets...now I can totally picture it turning out to be like a wicked funny episode of COPS. Stay tuned...

"Bad boys, Bad boys, Whatcha Gonna Do..."

-- Emily Sweeney

Many years before the Bluestone Bistro opened at 1799 Commonwealth Avenue, that Brighton address was home to a neighborhood diner called the Fantastic Food Factory.

This video shows what life was like at F.F.F. back in 1979. You'll meet the owner -- a guy with an amazing handlebar mustache – who goes on to explain, while holding up a copy of Penthouse magazine, that "this the only ice cream store in town where you can get Hustler, Playboy and Gallery and good food at the same time."

Scope out the fabulous 1970s fashions being worn in Brighton back in the day. Check out the red-headed kid chomping on a doughnut. Look at the size of his afro. Nice.

(VIEWING TIP: Press play, then hit pause and wait a minute while the video loads...the little red bar at the bottom of the video screen shows the progress. After the red bar gets to the 25 % mark, press play again. Now you’ll be able to watch the clip play smoothly. Yay)

FYI, according to the info. on Youtube, this documentary was produced and directed by Jon Ezrine, Michael Rice and Bob Sarles back in 1979. What started out as their film production project at Boston University turned out to be a nifty little film - a real slice o’ Bostonian life – that was shown at film festivals and even aired on Showtime in 1980...go Fantastic Food Factory.

Did you ever eat there? Let us know...I'd love to hear your stories about the place. You can post them right here on the message board.

-- Emily Sweeney

tags: Brighton , Massachusetts , Boston restaurants, history, Youtube, Boston, restaurants

In case you’re just joining us, the members of 123 Party want expand their renegade dance troupe, so they can take over Boston and the world beyond. They held auditions on Lansdowne Street earlier this month, and I was there, with camcorder in hand.

I watched as three brave contestants danced, shimmied, sashayed and did backspins on the dancefloor....and witnessed them face off against a "Dance Doubter."

Eventually Blaze, Dice and Fury had to make a decision, and pick a new member of their dance squad. Look who made the team....

-- Emily Sweeney

Tags: Boston nightclubs
Boston,Boston nightlife,lansdowne ,123 Party ,dance ,tube socks , music

This has to be the most insane hockey fight ever: Terry O'Reilly, Mike Milbury, and the rest of the Big Bad Bruins actually climbing over the boards and into the stands to fight with fans at the Madison Square Garden....if that's not crazy enough, one of our own starts beating a New Yorker with the guy's own shoe...

Man! I still can't believe that actually happened....on Dec. 23, 1979. Crazy.

Now let's flash forward to the Bruins of 2006. If you're a hockey fan like myself, then you might be interested in seeing the B's skate sometime this season. On Thursday the Bruins will play the Vancouver Canucks at home – you know, the TD Banknorth Garden.

(For some reason, I have difficulty saying that the Bruins will be playing at "The Gahden." Sure, it's the TD Banknorth Garden...but, as all Bostonians know, The Garden was torn down years ago to make way for the FleetCenter. You know what I'm sayin'.)

If you can't catch this week's game, there are plenty of other home games coming up -- you can scope out the rest of the B's season schedule here.

-- Emily Sweeney

tags: Boston , Bruins hockey , Massachusetts ,
1979, NHL , hockey fights

I've lived in Dorchester forever, and up until recently, I had no idea there was a shooting range in Fields Corner. Yes, that’s right -- there's an honest-to-God, completely legal gun range off of Dot Ave., right next to T station.

...it's called the Boston Gun and Rifle Association. Behind the BGRA’s non-descript door there's a 50-foot indoor shooting range, a lounge and in-house shop where you can buy ammunition, cleaning supplies and other gun-related necessities. The decor is quite retro, with walls covered in wood-paneling that’s gotta date back to the 1970s. You feel like you're in a hunting lodge in the woods – it's easy to forget that Red Line trains are rumbling by right next door.

I found out about the place when I wrote a story about the Second Amendment Sisters. Earlier this year, I joined them for one of their "ladies night" shoots at the BGRA:

FYI, the Boston Gun and Rifle Association isn't totally open to the public – you can't just stroll in and shoot a weapon you found in the street. The facilities can only be used by BRGA members and their guests. To join the BGRA, you're required to take a firearms certification course, pass a safety test, and pay membership fees. It's a great place to check out if you're a licensed gun owner and live in the city...if you’re interested, applications are available on the BGRA website.

-- Emily Sweeney

tags: Boston , Dorchester, shooting, Massachusetts,
firearms

Once upon a time, Massachusetts had its very own music video channel. It was called V-66...and it was broadcasted live from Framingham. The V-66 studios were based inside a huge office building close to Route 9 -– apparently the same building where our Globe West bureau is located now...(check out the fab photo on ThisIsFramingham.com)

"Night Time" by Down Avenue

I found some message boards where fans have written about their fondness for da V. On this site, Ian O’Malley reminisces about working at V-66 and the memorable interviews they did with Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue, Cheech and Chong, and Howard Jones...

The Boston Globe published a few articles about V-66 during its heyday. On February 21, 1986, this story appeared in our paper:

==============================================

MUSICIANS, FANS CELEBRATE V-66 BIRTHDAY
By Jim Sullivan

"Are we supposed to all be doing this?" asked one woman, flashing a tentative V-sign as she leaned against a wall at the Metro. Well, yes, if she wanted to feel a part of the throng. During other eras, of course, the two- fingered V meant victory or peace. Here and now, WJVJ-TV, or rock video station V-66, has co-opted it as a sort of corporate logo.

There was a lot of V-flashing Wednesday night, the occasion being V-66's first anniversary party. Limousines, cabs and double-parked cars cluttered Lansdowne Street. The Metro was similarly packed, stuffed with celebrators and celebrities, rock fans and rock bands, local scenesters and national music- industry executives who had shuttled in from New York. The Jon Butcher Axis, the Del Fuegos and Down Avenue entertained; Peter Frampton and Fiona made appearances; and everyone looked quite happy, toasting the success of V- 66, the country's only 24-hour-a-day local rock video station.

Video has been very good to the Del Fuegos, noted guitarist Warren Zanes. "Since it's a fact," he said, "that the Del Fuegos are the world's ugliest band, you'd think that video is not for us. But you can shoot in 8 mm, so you can't see skin problems and road wrinkles. If you got a band as raw- looking as us and can make them look semisleek and caring, then you have a happening medium. We think video's the medium for Everyman!"

...Down Avenue's Don Foote explained that a major benefit for Boston bands is that suburban fans -- people who are, perhaps, less attuned to the Boston rock club scene or Boston radio -- have started to pick up on groups seen on V-66. ''It will give you real credibility," he said. "V-66 is a pretty major force."

V-66 does not consider itself simply a scaled-down version of MTV. "Apples and oranges," said music director Roxy Myzal, who considers V-66 more like a radio station with pictures, able to offer weather, traffic and concert reports.

From a programming perspective, Myzal noted that Boston's taste tends to be more sophisticated than the rest of the country's. This allows for less of a mass-appeal format, more black videos and many local videos. Myzal said V-66 airs 90 percent of the local videos it receives...

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Alas, V-66 did not stick around much longer after that party. Six months later – in August 1986 – the station was sold to the Home Shopping Network. No more music videos :(

I’m going to dig through the Globe’s library archives and see if I can find any photos of V-66 – if I find anything good, I'll post it here.

Did you watch V-66? Feel free to share your thoughts with FlipSide (and the rest of the world) on our message board.

-- Emily Sweeney

123 Party has been thrown out of places, and threatened. They’ve been chased, and they've narrowly escaped getting beat down by onlookers who don’t particularly dig their fierce dance moves. Blaze, Dice and Fury call these people "Dance Doubters."

During the auditions last week, 123 Party watched to see how the contestants would deal with a Dance Doubter:

I'll be posting the third and final clip from the 123 Party auditions soon...and you'll see who made the cut.

-- Emily Sweeney

Tags: Boston nightclubs, Boston,Boston nightlife,lansdowne ,123 Party ,dance ,tube socks , music

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Anngelle Wood (former FNX-er now rockin’ the airwaves at 100.7 WZLX) gave me the heads up on a cool networking event for anyone interested in Boston’s music scene:

...the Rock~N~Roll Social happens on the 2nd Tuesday of every month (yup, that means tonight) @ at the Model Café in Allston, from 7-10pm.

I checked out the RNRS Myspace page, and the event sounds pretty dope. Artists of all stripes – spoken word, punk, blues, whatever – are encouraged to bring CDs, flyers, business cards, postcards, press kits, tickets, and any other promotional materials they can think of (just keep it safe + legal, people)

...and Anngelle says...
"...it's not about dating (as some have confused it with a separate event too closely named) but simply a meeting place for people in the Boston music community - or trying to get established - to meet, get to know one another, build camaraderie and pass out music, flyers, find band members. It's also attended by writers, bookers, musicians looking for bands, DJs, web designers, photographers, etc."

Sounds cool to me.

There's no cover, and even better -- everyone who shows up tonight (Dec. 12) gets a free raffle ticket...so you could win a copy of Guitar Hero II from the folks at Harmonix or an autographed copy of Stephen Lee Beeber's punk rawk book, "The Heebie Jeebies at CBGB's - A Secret History of Jewish Punk".

-- Emily Sweeney

tags: Boston , Allston , Massachusetts , music

Not many people can say they’ve strutted down the runway with Victoria Secret models. But my good friend (and fellow writer) Jeannie Greeley can –- she earned those bragging rights last week.

It all started in the South End.... Jeannie and I went out to a party at Masa. That's where we ran into our pal Elle...

Me + Jeannie + Elle = Trouble

As we knocked back fruity house cocktails (a.k.a. Masaritas), Elle told us that a Victoria’s Secret fashion show was happening soon at Suite, a nightclub in the Boylston alley, near Boston Common.

So later that evening, Jeannie and I ventured into Suite. The place was packed. When the models in lingerie started strutting down the runway, the crowd cheered, and whipped out their camera phones to snap pictures. A guy standing next to us offered to pay Jeannie $100 if she went up onstage. Needless to say, Jeannie jumped at the opportunity (quite literally) and hopped up on the runway. And luckily, I had my camcorder with me:

The good news: as you see in the video, Jeannie's impromptu runway dance was well-received by the crowd.

The bad news: The guy who dared Jeannie to get up onstage didn't really have any money.

-- Emily Sweeney

tags: Youtube , Boston , Boston nightclubs , fashion, Boston bars, Victoria’s Secret

Check out this old skool 1985 video....it shows Randolph High students singing "Do They Know It's Christmas" at the school talent show:

If that clip gets you amped, and you're diggin' music on the Breakfast Club tip, then I suggest you swing by Milky Lounge & Lanes on Thursday night for the Aquanet 80s dance party. This week (Dec. 14) Warm Bodies will be performing...should be a good show. And there's no cover, so you can save your hard-earned $$ for Christmas shopping.

And if you need fashion inspiration, watch this...it's another classic video that was filmed at Randolph High back in '85. Lots of feathered hair, popped collars, and even a few dopeslaps:

-- Emily Sweeney

tags: Youtube ,Randolph ,Massachusetts , retro, 1985, Randolph High School , Christmas, music

Ya know how I said that 123 Party was looking for new dancers with fresh moves? Well, the guys held auditions at Embassy nightclub on Lansdowne Street, and I was there, with camcorder in hand. The competition was fierce. I shot this video so you could witness it for yourselves...take a look:

Who will become the next member of Boston’s #1 renegade dance troupe? Stay tuned to find out....

-- Emily Sweeney

Tags: Boston nightclubs, Boston,Boston nightlife,lansdowne ,123 Party ,dance ,tube socks

I miss The Rat.

For newcomers who don't know anything about the old Kenmore Square, let me explain: The Rathskeller (a.k.a. The Rat) was a legendary dive bar that hosted some of the best bands in their early years. We're talking The Police, The Cars, Talking Heads, Black Flag, Metallica, Joan Jett, R.E.M, Mighty Mighty Bosstones....and the list goes on.

The Rat has been gone for almost 10 years now. But its memory lives on in cyberspace...

Check out this gem I found on YouTube. It’s an old episode of a TV-38 show from the 1980s. The host Dana Hersey invades the Rat and then waltzes over to the old Pizza Pad. It’s priceless:

I was lucky enough to attend a few all-ages shows at the Rat before it closed in ’97. I went to mostly ska shows. You could usually find me wearing a black-n'-white checkered skirt with a matching headband and a navy blue jacket with patches sewn on it (and I still wear that jacket once in a while.) Here’s a flyer from one of the shows:

....and speaking of ska....
If you’re into ska and rocksteady and punk music, you should check out this show tonight:

The Aggrolites with Tommy & the Terrors plus DJ Ford E. Buxworth at Great Scott in Allston...
$10 18+ doors open at 9pm.

- Emily Sweeney

tags: YouTube , Boston , retro , Rathskeller , ska, punk, Boston bars

"No one’s harda than a New England gangsta..."
- Prep Unit

Das right! But instead of sippin' Smirnoff tea like these guys, I suggest keepin' it real by going back to the old skool....I mean really old skool.

On Sunday, Dec. 10th, there’s gonna be a real Tea Par-tay in downtown Boston, colonial-style.

At 5:30 p.m. the Old South Meeting House is hosting what they call a "spirited re-enactment of the Boston Tea Party." The public is invited to participate as protesters rally against the tea tax, just like they did (in that same spot) back in December 1773.

Bust out your best breeches, dust off your tri-cornered hat and get ready to throw down on Sunday...(just leave the muskets and bayonets at home)
Admission is $5... but if you're rockin' the colonial attire, you'll get in free.

- Emily Sweeney

tags: youtube , boston , retro , tea party , Technorati

Mark your calendar for
Dec. 9th…

…because that evening you'll have a chance to see a horde of fearless girls in short-shorts and mini-skirts duke it out on rollerskates.

The Boston Derby Dames are bringing live roller derby action to Shriners Auditorium on Saturday, Dec. 9th. Doors open at 5 p.m., the bout starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $14 in advance, and group discounts are available (hey, you could plan a crazy holiday night out with your co-workers).

And if you’re totally clueless as to what the sport is about, watch this TV segment I did for New England Cable News last year. (FYI, fellow Firefox fans - the video will only play in Internet Explorer browsers.)


-- Emily Sweeney
tags: roller derby, boston derby dames, Boston

I *LOVE* THESE GUYS!

They are, hands down, the best party crashers. EVER. The three guys in 123 PARTY – Dice, Blaze and Fury – became notorious for prancing around Boston in tight fluorescent neon outfits and tube socks, with a boom box in tow. They've busted out their fierce dance moves in countless bars, clubs, and shopping centers all over the city (they've been kicked out of the Prudential Mall four times.)

I asked 123 Party to perform at our Bloodfeast Halloween bash in October -- that's when Fury told me that Dice and Blaze had dropped out of the group :(
But I recently learned some good news: auditions are being held to find two more dancers, because 123 Party plans to make a comeback! (I hear there's a movie in the works, too....)

If you’ve never seen 123 Party in action, you gotta watch this video. Be patient while it loads; it may take a minute.... and turn up the volume on your computer. Trust me, it’s worth it:

Think you got what it takes to join "Boston's #1 renegade dance troupe?" Then here's the deal: 123 Party is looking for “two fearless guys between the ages of 20 and 25” to fill the shoes of Dice and Blaze.

Auditions will be held at Avalon on Dec. 8th at 8 p.m.

I don't fit their description exactly, but I'm very tempted to go try out myself.

For more details on the tryouts, and to see more of 123 Party's breathtaking dance moves, go to their Myspace page.

- Emily Sweeney

Tags: Boston nightclubs,Boston,Boston nightlife,Boston media ,123 party ,dance,tube socks

Here's a little video clip from Bloodfeast -- it's a Halloween party I help organize every year. (sounds gory, but it's for a good cause....the party promotes upcoming Red Cross blood drives and raises $$ for a journalism scholarship.)



This year's bash took place at Machine (1254 Boylston St.) on Saturday, Oct. 28th. The dancefloor was packed, and in between DJ sets there were some crazy live performances by Spoiled, Sarula, burlesque by Lena Michaels, rapping zombies known as Z.W.A. (Zombies With Attitudes), and dancing zombies from [:a:]ngeldustrial.

I spotted so many good Halloween costumes -- there was a guy walking around (and dancing) on stilts...people came dressed like Darth Vader, Boy George, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz...I was very impressed.

(I kept my Halloween costume pretty simple: green shirt + camo hat = look everyone, I'm an Army soldier.)

At the end of the night we held the Halloween costume contest. My friend Lombardo and I emceed, and our fab judges had a tough time picking the winners...there so many great outfits. In the end, a giant flip-flop won the grand prize. Watch the video and you'll see.

FULL ENTRY