thePULSE
December 2005 –
Irish Times is in the midst of selecting its Sunday Nite House Band for 2006. The three storied hotspot at 244 Main Street is teaming up with WhizSpark to host a competition and encourage bands to use their mailing lists and myspace.com accounts to get fans’ votes on the Irish Times’ website (www.irishtimespub.com). Ten bands will be performing on Sunday nights throughout the end of the year and into early 2006 and will be judged by club management on their talent and ability to attract a crowd.
Creegan’s Pub has followed the ghost of Rosie O’Grady’s at 65 Green Street on what’s fast becoming the city’s second nightspot row. “The cleanest place in the area – even the Virgin Mary could use the bathrooms here” has two 42-inch plasma TVs for Bruins, Celtics and Patriots action, 10 different draft beers on tap along with 45 bottled flavors, DJ Matt Hurley spinning the dance tunes on Thursday and Friday nights, and live entertainment on Saturday nights.
Bill McCarthy’s Open Mic Nights, already holding down the Wednesday night slot at the Lazy Dog in Marlborough, has returned to Worcester. Sunday nights, it’s at the Foo Bar, 433 Park Avenue, which offers $2.25 drafts during the event and sporadic free pizza and wings. On Tuesday nights, McCarthy and friends are at Greendale’s Pub, 404 West Boylston Street. If a particular act doesn’t do it for you, both venues have large screen TVs, pool tables, and KENO to fill your time. From singer/songwriters to “alternoes” and classic rockers, performers get up to 30 minutes each ~ and if you just want to play a song or two, that’s OK too. Sign up with McCarthy at openmcc@verizon.net.
Tom Beaudreau hosts an acoustic open mic on the second and fourth Monday of the month at Borders on Route 9 in Shrewsbury. The event starts at 7 p.m. with sign-up at 6:45. The music continues through 9 p.m. Performers are allowed from two to five songs each. Beaudreau also hosts the monthly open mic held on the second Saturday of each month from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Moonstruck Cafe on Route 20 in Charlton.
With construction in the Webster Square area finally coming to a close, Jay Tyer’s weekly Sunday afternoon jazz jam has returned to the Java Hut at 1073A Main Street. The event features from 5 to 25 performers and runs from noon to 3 p.m. Bring your instrument and participate in an event that’s existed in one form or another in the city for over 16 years.
Dante’s at Firefly’s on Route 20 in Marlborough has cancelled its weekly Thursday night open jam session that had been hosted by the Barry Fitzpatrick Band. It’s expected to be restarted on a different day of the week at a yet to be determined date.
