While there is a kind of soundtrack to every season, summer seems to be the one that we make the most time to experience live music. Whether it be a festival in the desert, a rock show on a rooftop, or passing a guitar around a campfire, summer brings a cohesive soundtrack with more memories and possibilities than any other time throughout the year. Here are a few select highlights for upcoming music shows and films at SPACE.
The Modern Lovers founder Jonathan Richman returns to SPACE on June 12th. The video above (Jonathan performing I Was Dancing In The Lesbian Bar on Conan O’Brien in 1993) is two minutes well spent, watch it for the dance moves alone.
June 18th brings the most chill show of the summer with Baltimore based Peals (members of Future Islands and Double Dagger) and Small Sur. Peals slowly layers atmospheric loops, building music that would sound great riding in the bed of a pick up truck under the stars, or watching the sun set while building a fire. Small Sur makes patient music with hopeful vocals accompanied by a bare spaciousness. Providence’s Vio/Mire open the night.
Brazilian psychedelic legends Os Mutantes make their Maine debut on June 22nd. Buy tickets early for this one, it will probably sell out.
Critics, detractors and admirers of Woods all tend to resort to the word “sun” when describing the Brooklyn band (sun soaked, sun drenched, sunshine pop…) . And while the band’s sound certainly does give off a kind of 1960’s California glow there is also some krautrock/psychedelic darkness that sneaks in through James Earl Woods lyrics and the subtle hiss of tape. The sun and the darkness fit together and expand wonderfully in their live show. Along with Woods is Parquet Courts who’s debut record Light Up Gold has been almost universally hailed as one of this years best records. Plus SPACE friends and psychedelic wonderkinds Herbcraft open the night July 14th.
Take it outside on June 19th for a free screening of This Is Spinal Tap on the patio at Bayside Bowl. On July 25 we will be screening Nothing Can Hurt Me, a documentary about the super underrated/crazy good 1970’s band Big Star.