Monday — @the Met, Atlas Genius, Pacific Air, Haerts

Tuesday — @Fête ballroom, the Psychedelic Furs, Hope Anchor @the Met, WHY?, Sarah Jaffe @AS220, Limp Wrist, Fucking Invincible, Idiot Vehicle, Dust Cloud

Wednesday — @Lupo’s, the Airborne Toxic Event, the Joy Formidable @the Met, Heather Rose, Emma Joy Glavin, Becky Chace, Tracie Potochnik and Yolanda Bluegrass

Thursday — @the Roots, Nymphidels, Zigtebra, Able Thought @Nick-A-Nee’s, Dennis McCarthy Band @the Met, A Silent Film, the Unlikely Candidates @the Spot, the New Orleans Suspects, Mark Cutler and Men of Great Courage @the Parlour, Psycads

(Photo of the Psychedelic Furs)

Providence’s youngest award-winning professional theater company, The Wilbury Theatre Group, announces it’s New Works Development program’s inaugural production, Stuart Wilson’s “It’s A Spaceship Now.”

Meet Stu, a man with the heart of a child, pursuing a dream after a lifetime of slacker survival. Join him as he uses his fondness for lists, free food and Star Trek to create the part he was born to play.

The Wilbury Group developed the New Works Development program to provide artists and playwrights from across the country the opportunity to develop new plays with the support of a professional theater company.

$15, 7:30pm, Thursdays — Saturdays, June 20 — 29, Wilbury Group Theatre,  Southside Cultural Center, 393 Broad Street, tickets here

The annual Blackstone Boulevard summer concert series — “In Concert With Nature” — held at the trolley hut kicks off today, Wednesday, June 19, with performances by the Classical High School Jazz Band and the Classical String Ensemble.

More information about upcoming concerts at the Blackstone Park Conservancy. Rain dates are the following Wednesday; today looks fine.

Free, 6pm to 7:30pm, Wednesday, June 19, Blackstone Boulevard (at north end of Elmgrove Avenue, opposite Swan Point entrance)

(6.19) Head over to the Brown Bookstore to hear mystery writer Archer Mayor, author of the highly acclaimed Detective Joe Gunther series, discuss the latest installment — number twenty-three in the series — Paradise City. Archer Mayor . . .

. . . was variously employed as a scholarly editor, a researcher for TIME-LIFE Books, a political advance-man, a theater photographer, a newspaper writer/editor, a lab technician for Paris-Match Magazine in Paris, France, and a medical illustrator. In addition, Archer is a death investigator for Vermont’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, a detective for the Windham County Sheriff’s Office, the publisher of his own backlist, a travel writer for AAA, and he travels the Northeast giving speeches and conducting workshops. He also has 25 years experience as a volunteer firefighter/EMT.

5:30pm, Wednesday, June 19, Brown Bookstore, 244 Thayer Street

Opening last month, Figidini Wood Fire Eatery joins Ellie’s Bakery in the foodie streetscape developing below the Biltmore garage on Washington Street. (A gelato place is coming up.) In nice weather the restaurant front opens onto the sidewalk where patio seating will soon appear. It’s a fairly wide sidewalk and Ellie’s already has tables out.

Figidini will soon have the coveted VPN certification a ” special designation to pizzerias who meet strict requirements that respect the tradition of the art of Neapolitan pizza making.”  The oven is so hot a pizza comes out in 90 seconds. The menu also includes a grilled fig starter, calamari, skirt steak, chicken, sausage, rabe, and every day a dessert — all from the grill. (Seen here is Colin busy prepping for that night’s PrideFest Parade.)

Open till 10pm, closed Sundays and Mondays for now (the schedule might change). Check out their Facebook page — the guys from The National stopped in before playing at Lupo’s.

The Arkham Film Society presents a free screening of Katabasis, a music and video collage.

Brooklyn-based artist Cooper Holoweski’s video work has been praised by Art in America as “infinitely watchable.” Katabasis is a 40-minute video landscape with live sound accompaniment that moves the viewer though an elaborately constructed virtual junkyard to explore the themes of death, limbo, and rebirth. Together with the live performance of an evolving musical score, it creates multi-sensory experiences that exemplify the tense liminal space of ‘Katabasis.’ The score is a collage of improvised instrumentation, field recordings, and audio loops that form a densely layered soundscape for each movement. Q&A to follow.

Musical accompaniment by Doc Holoweski.

Free, 9:30pm, Wednesday, June 19, AS220, 115 Empire Street

(6.15) Rhode Island Pride Weekend is already under weigh. The outdoor festival part with food, music, and people under tents selling you things, runs to 8:30pm on South Water Street which is closed to traffic.

The Illuminated Nighttime Parade kicks off at 8:30pm, Saturday, at Fountain and Dorrance Streets.

New England’s only night pride parade is one of the highlights the RI PrideFest. The RI Pride Night Parade is a dazzling display of floats, performing artists, marching groups and spectators

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that wind through downtown Providence and culminate at the RI Pride Reviewing Stand under the historic marquee of the Providence Performing Arts Center.

Just position yourself anywhere along the route and take it all in.  Everyone welcome to dance along. Hangover Drag Brunch on Sunday. Go here for parade route and schedule.

(6.15) Interesting event at What Cheer Antiques and Vintage:  Trav S. D., author of “Chain of Fools,” will screen two silent films — Harold Lloyd’s 1919 “Don’t Shove” and Buster Keaton’s 1923 “The Baloonatic” — leading a discussion and providing insights and context.

I confess I’m not the hugest fan of the silent movies, but Lloyd and Keaton are exactly the two I do like.  They are just in a separate league.

Ice-cold ‘Gansett tallboys for those who can prove they are old enough.

Free, 3pm, Saturday, June 15, What Cheer Antiques & Vintage, 180 Angell Street,

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Friday — @Fête Lounge, Jonathan Richman with Tommy Larkins @AS220, Milkbread, Zumo Kollie @the Met, Kool G Rap @Nick-A-Nee’s, Paul Geremia @Machines With Magnets, AvoxBlue, At Bay, Landing, Ars Phoenix

Saturday — @the Parlour, Sasquatch and the Sick-a-Billys, Sharks Come Cruisin’, the Pourmen @Fête Lounge, the Technicolors, the Clox @AS220, Vudu Sister, Pixels, Divey, Haunt the House @the Met, Turf War, Atlantic Thrills, T. HardyMorris, Ask the Dead @Machines With Magnets, Tinsel Teeth, Opportunist, Party Pigs

Sunday — @AS220, Dust Witch, Pleasure Portals, Alec K. Redfearn @Machines With Magnets, Barkley’s Barnyard Critters, Buck Gooter, Hurricanes of Love, Baby Aspirin DVD, Amil is Personal

(Photo of Dust Witch)

Currently on the walls at Julian’s is a new exhibit of small paintings — Toy Portraits by Providence artist Sandy MacDonald. A request from her husband to paint a spark plug inspired MacDonald to start focusing on small objects.

I decided to work small scale and paint the items around me. My collection of toys proved to be great models, they sat still and worked for free. More importantly, they had personality that could be easily overlooked. I wanted to capture this presence in the style of an informal portrait instead of traditional still life.

Both inanimate objects and humans make impacts on us everyday. It’s whether these impressions stay with us that makes them significant. You, as a viewer, can decide to discard them as inconsequential or observe something that you may have overlooked at first glance.

Seen here is “Sticker Shock.” Other subjects include Pez dispensers, robots, and Olive Oyl and Popeye. Sadly “Fez Monkey” has been sold.

Up through June 28th, Julian’s, 318 Broadway

Then please send us the pictures. Since September local skaters have been heading down to Westminster Street for all their skateboard needs.  Civil (across from Queen of Hearts) has decks and wheels and other things we don’t know anything about.

But the footwear here is awesome (picture after the jump) and it’s not so obviously skater wear that you would come off like some poser jagoff.

Seriously though, get Dad a skateboard.

Spring/Summer hours: Monday thru Saturday, 11am to 7pm/Sunday, noon to 6pm.

Civil, 231 Westminster Street, 401.383.1622

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(6.13) You can thank me later. This is a special post for a special band. If you missed the Boom Said Thunder show last month at AS220 you are to be pitied. This fuzz rock trio out of Boston filled the room with waves of sound and energy that had the crowd going more than a little bit nuts. Songs start slow and build to a staggering crescendo with drummer Will Thomas providing the percussive jet fuel. His pummeling does occasionally launch him right out of his seat. (Those poor drums.)

We know a little about DnB here in Providence but John Magnifico’s bass creates fully fleshed-out melodies while still making your chest rattle. Nothing feels missing — these are songs. And somehow singer Abby Bickel makes herself heard over the joyous din without ever going screechy. The gal has an amazing voice — bold and lush — as well as a captivating stage presence with a sinuous, gamine charm. Music like this does not always come across in a recording but their debut album “Exist” does not disappoint. (Check out Gold Rush and The Friend.)

Magnifico and Thomas have answered a few questions for The Dose via email (after the jump).

9pm to 1am, Thursday, June 13, AS220, 115 Empire Street, BST with Ex Reverie and Pointe Blank

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Insiders are confirming that the New England Patriots will sign former Broncos QB Tim Tebow (seen here conferring with the Patriots offensive coordinator who also worked with Tebow in Denver). Tebow’s subsequent team, the Jets, couldn’t quite figure out what to do with him and let him go in April. (The Patriots will play the Jets on Thursday, September 12, at Gillette; then we head down there on October 20th.) Of course we got ourselves a pretty decent quarterback already, but perhaps coach Bill Belichick has something else up his sleeve (if he had sleeves).  Today’s Providence Journal reports,

The obvious expectation is that New England will try Tebow in other spots. The Jets did that, to the point where Tebow carried the ball 32 times last season. His size and strength make him an excellent running back. He also has been viewed by some as a potentially effective tight end.

Plus, he probably didn’t cost much. The team has not officially announced the signing but Tebow is apparently reporting to minicamp in Foxboro today.

Tuesday — @AS220, Hollow Turtle, Highway’s End, the Dead Language

Wednesday — @the Parlour, Black Oil Incinerator, Broadcaster @the Met, Royal Teeth, American Authors @Fête Lounge, Hot 8 Brass Band, the Funky Autocrats @the Roots, Gypsophilia @AS220, Torche, K.E.N. Mode, Lo-Pan, Lady Osiris @Dusk, Chasse-Galerie, Nachzehrer, Bog of the Infidel

Thursday — @the Met, Terrapin Flyer feat. Melvin Seals and Mark Karan, Shakedown @Nick-A-Nee’s, Chris Monti Band @AS220, Boom Said Thunder, Ex Reverie, Pointe Blank

(Photo of Ex Reverie by Jayna Aronovitch)

[Update: Both the House and Senate committees voted to back the matching bills sending them on to a full vote scheduled for Thursday. ProJo 6.12.13]

(6.11) Rhode Island House and Senate committees are scheduled to vote on the ‘National Popular Vote’ bill tomorrow, Tuesday, June 11.

We just finished a presidential election in which President Obama made campaign visits to just eight states after being nominated, and Governor Romney to only ten. The bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all fifty states and the District of Columbia. This would make every vote equal throughout the United States. That, in turn, would ensure that every Rhode Island voter would matter in every presidential election.

The National Popular Vote bill has already been enacted into law by Vermont, Washington state, Illinois, New Jersey, Maryland, California, Massachusetts, the District of Columbia, and Hawaii. In addition, the bill has passed at least one legislative house in an additional 12 states. The Rhode Island Senate passed the bill by a 30-4 margin in 2011, but it did not pass the House.

The National Popular Vote bill is endorsed by the League of Women Voters, Common Cause, FairVote, the NAACP, Sierra Club, Brennan Center for Justice, the ACLU, Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, and more.

The bill is also supported by newspapers such as the Oregonian, Hartford Courant, New York Times, Chicago Sun-Times, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Boston Globe, Sacramento Bee, and more.

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How about this for a Father’s Day gift — enrollment in an ‘Individual’ or ‘Household’ membership at the Providence Athenaeum. Benefits include borrowing privileges at RISD’s Fleet Library named by Travel + Leisure magazine as one of “America’s Most Beautiful College Libraries.” Plus there’s those Friday Salons fall through spring.

Members can take a tour of the RISD Library Tuesday.

Join us for a tour of the Fleet with RISD librarians Claudia Covert and Mark Pompelia, including a viewing of the exhibit The Crafted Appearance: 18th & 19th Century Men’s Fashion, in conjunction with Artist/Rebel/Dandy: Men of Fashion at the RISD Museum.

(6.11) Head down to 95 Empire Black Box on Tuesday for a presentation and screening of the 2010 documentary The Visual Language of Herbert Matter.

Herbert Matter was a man who seemingly fit many lives into one by excelling in the creative disciplines of design, photography and film. The documentary The Visual Language of Herbert Matter profiles his extraordinary life and seminal work. With the help of historical footage, vintage photographs, never-before-seen film excerpts (some shot by Matter himself) and a broad overview of his extensive body of work, this documentary helps in bringing the picture of an almost forgotten creative genius back into focus. Interwoven with interviews from a who’s who of artists, designers, and photographers, the film sheds light on a remarkable career and its impact on the evolving language of design in the USA and Europe in the 20th century.

Presenter Alyn Carson is an art director, graphic designer, painter, paper hoarder, actor and part time chicken rancher who believes in setting the table for the muse. Always in search of the line, font, pattern, seed, flavor, musical note to be placed at the right time in the right place.

Doors 6pm, presentation 6:30pm, $3 AIGA and AIA members/$5 non-members, Tuesday, June 11, 95 Empire Black Box, 95 Empire Street, facebook, movie runs 78 minutes