Rodfest VII at Paradise Rock Club on Saturday, January 31st

Some years ago, a resourceful man named Greg “Rodney” Moynahan was so passionate about music, he decided he’d throw himself an awesome birthday bash and pepper it with with local musical talent. The party went over so well, it just had to happen again. Unfortunately, 23-year-old Moynahan was killed in a tragic car accident, but the remarkable celebration now known as “Rodfest” continues this year in his honor and memory.

This year’s Rodfest VII is once again at the Paradise Rock Club. The party happens on Saturday January 31st and features an abundance of local talent. The acts featured this year are Rodfest alums Three Day Threshold, Rogue Heroes, Girls, Guns And Glory, and Cassavettes. There are also acoustic sets from Shays’ Rebellion, Colin Toomey and Sixteen On Center. Plenty of these groups are capable headliners, so this will be a special night. You can even get your photo taken on the “Rod Carpet.”

As a rock and country band, Three Day Threshold sound like nothing else in the northeast. They’ve logged plenty of hours onstage, and like all good bands, they know how to bring the crowd into the show. Here’s the band’s cover of the Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women” from Exploit Boston! TV a few months ago.

As if that’s not inspiration enough, you’ll also have Allston’s Rogue Heroes bring their blend of updated punk and rockabilly, Girls Guns and Glory’s rocking country, and Cassavettes’ Texas folk.

You should hurry and buy tickets as the show is sure to sell out again this year. As in years past, proceeds go to the “Greg Moynahan Memorial Scholarship Fund” which benefits the students of Stonehill College, where Moynahan once attended. Rodfest is a great example of a local scene uniting for a special and thoughtful cause. And why not ride the January 2009 Obama swell into this year’s Americana tinged Rodfest? After all, the timing is right, and you’ve got seven groups serving up their take on music that this country had a great part in creating: country, bluegrass, rock ‘n roll, rockabilly, folk and punk. There’s something for everyone.

For a great taste of last year’s festivities, take a look at Exploit Boston!’s Rodfest VI Gallery:

Photo of Rogue Heroes at Rodfest 6, January 18, 2008, by Sooz for Exploit Boston!

Get Out With Exploit Boston! for The Blizzard of 78 CD Release Party on January 29th

The Blizzard of 78 is celebrating the release of their second album, Book of Lies, on Thursday, January 29th. I don’t like to throw around the word epic too much (though maybe I am a bit gratuitous with “awesome” lately); but … yes, this band’s latest album IS both epic and awesome. I’ll warn you, when you hear them live or listen to the new CD, you may be inspired to have a temper tantrum, annoyed you did not know about this band sooner.

In Their Words: About Book of Lies

Here’s how The Blizzard of 78 describes their latest album, Book of Lies:

From the triumphant charge of “The Song” to the breathtaking crescendo of “Well Enough Alone,” Book of Lies plays like a jukebox at your favorite dive bar. It sits comfortably next to the bands of today like My Morning Jacket, Wilco, and Nick Cave, or with the classics of yesterday like The Who, Stones, and CCR.

Win Concert Tickets

Exploit Boston! is giving away tickets for The Blizzard of 78’s CD release party on Thursday night at the Lizard Lounge on Mass Ave in Cambridge (between Porter Square and Harvard Square). If you’d like a chance to win a pair of tickets to the concert, send an email to blizzardtix (at) exploitboston.com. We’ll pick a winner Wednesday morning and alert you via email.

If you don’t want to wait to find out if you won (and I don’t blame you) — head over to Brown Paper Tickets website and buy an advance ticket for five bucks. This is not a typical ticketing website. Unlike some other online ticket websites, you will not be charged a fortune in fees. Their fee for The Blizzard of 78 show is just $1.12 — making your total purchase an affordable $6.12. That might leave you with some money to spare so you can buy Book of Lies from the band at the show on Thursday night.

A reunited (and working on new material) Scarce starts off the night at 9:45pm with an acoustic duo performance. Then it’s The Blizzard of 78 followed by Eddie Japan. You’ll want to stay for all of these bands!

Add It To Your Calendar and Join Us!

Who / What: The Blizzard of 78 CD Release Party for Book of Lies with Scarce (acoustic) and Eddie Japan.
When: Thursday, January 29th, 9:30pm.
Where: Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge. Take the MBTA Red Line to either Porter Square or Harvard Square and walk down Mass Ave ten minutes. There’s street parking and a small parking lot in the back of the restaurant.
Ages: 21+ with ID.
Tickets: $5 in advance online / $8 at the door.
RSVP on Facebook: If you want to join a group of us making plans to meet up at the show, add your RSVP to the Facebook page.

Photo of The Blizzard of 78 courtesy the band.

Mission of Burma at Somerville Theater on January 24th

Have you ever wondered why it’s so cool to be from Boston? Well, Mission of Burma is a huge contributing factor. In their first five years of existence, Mission of Burma’s Boston-based span of influence was far-reaching and powerful. Thirty years later, nothing has changed. On record, they are well thought out, graceful in their transitions and take seamlessly sharp turns. But live, they are unpredictable – changing drastically from night to night, song to song, minute to minute. It’s not unheard of to get an off night with them, but even at their worst, they are more entertaining than most bands at their best.

Mission of Burma Video: “This Is Not a Photograph”

Here’s a video from Mission of Burma’s early days at a performance at the Paradise Rock Club in 1980.

Going strong into their 7th year of a well-received reunion, Mission of Burma is kicking off the New Year after an eventful and rewarding 2008. Recently they worked closely with Moveon.org to help the Obama campaign and now they’re back home for another good cause, donating their time to help benefit the Center for Arts at the Armory in Somerville. This non-profit organization is working to transform the historic armory into a community art center featuring visual art, dance, theatre and after school and summer programs.

Get Out!

Mission of Burma is playing a benefit show for the Center for Arts at the Armory on January 24th at the Somerville Theater with The Neighborhood and Faces on Film.

The Somerville Theatre is located at 55 Davis Square in Somerville next to the Davis Square Red Line stop. The show starts at 8pm (7pm doors) and it’s an all ages show. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online through Ticketmaster.

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