5 Live Music Musts: Friday, November 1st, 2013
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Friday, November 01, 2013
Ken Abrams, GoLocalWorcester Music Critic
The incomparable Elvis Costello is touring solo and at the Calvin Theatre this weekend. Don't miss him.
Before the weather gets rough, we venture out beyond the city for some great shows this weekend…
India.Arie
We start tonight in Northampton at the Calvin Theatre where acoustic soul sensation India.Arie appears. The Grammy Award winning artist will be performing songs from her highly acclaimed new album “SongVersation.” Springfield native and Reggae singer Gramps Morgan opens the 8PM show – tickets are still available starting at $25.
Neko Case
Neko Case is a true original. Her music is bold and beautiful and her latest album is a contender for longest album title in history. “The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You,” debuted this Fall at #1 on the Indie Music charts. She’s in Boston tonight at the Orpheum Theatre. Lucy Wainwright Roche, opens at 7:30PM - Tickets are still available starting at $32.
Les Sampou
Tomorrow night, the Homegrown Coffeehouse in Needham gets the nod for the “Coffeehouse Show of the Week.” Les Sampou, a well known performer on the local scene will be playing; her music works equally well in crowded bars and quiet coffeehouses. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 at the door. Located at the Needham Unitarian Universalist Church, the venue has a great line up of upcoming shows. So get out and support some local music!
Elvis Costello
Tomorrow night,you can also head to the Calvin Theatre for the incomparable Elvis Costello. He recently received an honorary degree at the New England Conservatory of Music and is riding high on the release of his new album “Wise Up Ghost,” a collaboration with The Roots. He’s touring solo, but whatever way you get “Dr. Costello,” you win! A limited number of tickets will be available at the door starting at $55. Show starts at 8PM.
Bill Payne
Finally, a couple of great shows this weekend where the Narrows Center in Fall River has its 12th anniversary. Tonight, its Little Feat founder Bill Payne. The talented keyboardist is also an accomplished photographer and will be in town with his exhibition, "Tracing Footsteps: A Journal of Home and the Road.” Tomorrow night, head out for 90’s sensation Paula Cole. Cole, who won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1998, is touring on the heels of her latest album, Raven. Check the Narrows site for tickets prices.
Related Slideshow: 8 Great Beer Spots In Central Massachusetts
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The Dive Bar
34 Green Street, Worcester
Although it sounds like a nasty local establishment, The Dive Bar is one of the hippest bars with one of the most diverse beer selection in the city. The staff is great and they know their beer, so don’t worry if you’re not a beer snob, the great bartenders will give you the inside scoop on what’s on tap. You can even enjoy a beer outside on their patio while it's still warm!
By the way, don’t head to the Dive for a Bud or a Coors. This place serves ONLY craft beer, local and otherwise— and they are proud of it.
Sample of beers served: Dogfish Head, Stone, Brooklyn Brewery, Ommegang, Berkshire Brewing Co., Jolly Pumpkin, Founders, North Coast, Cisco, Bear Republic…the list goes on. New beers are being put on tap regularly so you will be sure to come across one you love.
Open daily 6pm-2am. (508) 752-5802.
http://thedivebarworcester.com/
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Armsby Abbey
144 North Main Street, Worcester
Much like the Dive, Armsby Abbey makes craft beer their specialty. Pair that with the upscale feeling of their North Main location and their gourmet food, and you have a winner. The bartenders and wait-staff are exceptionally good at what they do, and would be more than happy to suggest pairings. If you want a good beer but have work in the morning, be sure to check out brunch!
Sample of beers served: Kapuziner Weisse Bier, Urthel Samaranth, De la Senne Taras Boulba, De la Senne Stouterik, Port Wipeout IPA, Ommegang Take the Black Stout, Victory Red Thunder, Dark Horse Raspberry, and more. Check their website often for updates.
Monday-Thursday 11:30am-midnight, Friday 11:30am-2am, Saturday 10am-midnight, Sunday 10am-midnight. (508) 795-1012.
http://armsbyabbey.com/
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Jose Murphy’s
97 Water Street, Worcester
Jose Murphy’s is not known as much for their beer selection as for their great atmosphere and prices. This has earned them the seal of approval from the college crowd. Head down on Sunday or Monday night and grab tacos for only a dime! Ten cents! Pair it with a pitcher of beer for only 8 bucks and you’ve got a sweet deal. Sports are always playing on the big screens, so never worry about missing a game.
Sample of beers served: all the classics (Budweiser, Coors, etc.)
Open daily 11am-2am. (508) 792-0900. Click here for more.
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Boynton
Boynton Restaurant & Spirits
117 Highland Street, Worcester
Boynton Restaurant and Spirits has one of the best reputations in the city. Whether you head over for appetizers or their famous pizza, do not forget to grab a beer! They've got 51 beers on tap, including 3 Cask Ales. This place will satisfy even your “I don’t like beer” friends (we all have them).
Sample of beers served: Dogfish Head, Magic Hat, Stone, Wormtown, Long Trail, and more.
Open daily 11am-midnight. (508)756-5432.
http://www.boyntonrestaurant.com/ordereze/default.aspx
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Wormtown Brewery
Peppercorn’s Bar and Grille
455 Park Avenue, Worcester
Worcester locals, college students, and visitors alike revere Peppercorn’s as one of the best Italian spots in the city. They’ve got all the Italian classics plus fresh, delicious seafood. However, not everyone knows that Peppercorn’s has a brewery attached to it. That’s right, Wormtown beer is brewed right on site at the brewery. Grab an Eggplant Rollotini and your favorite Wormtown brew this weekend!
Sample of beers served: Turtle Boy Blueberry Ale, Seven Hills Pale Ale, Wormtown Pumpkin Ale and more. Be on the lookout for “Wintah” Ale, an American Brown seasonal coming soon!
Open Monday-Friday 11:30am-10pm, Saturday noon-10pm, Sunday noon-9pm. (508) 752-7711.
http://epeppercorns.com/
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JJ’s Sports Bar and Grill
380 Southwest Cutoff, Northborough
JJ’s is the ultimate sports bar, located in Northborough. It’s only a short drive from Worcester, and you will be happy you checked it out. They have awesome specials for the month of October. All varieties of Sam Adams and Angry Orchard Cider are only three bucks for a pint! Grab one and get a front row seat to watch all the sports action...what could be better? And once football season is over, you will keep coming back for their great live entertainment.
Sample of beers served: Dogfish Head Pumpkin, Curious Traveler Pumpkin Shandy, Sierra Nevada Tumbler Brown Ale, Green Head IPA and more!
Open Sunday noon-1am, Monday-Friday 11:30am-1 am. (508) 842-8420.
http://www.jbag.biz/
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Brew City
Brew City Grill & Brew House
104 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester
If you want a beer but you're not sure what kind you’re looking for, look no further than Brew City Grill & Brew House. They have a whopping 155 different beers, 40 of which are on tap. That is second to none in the city. The most unique twist? They have three beer engines pouring limited edition cask beers. Oh, and if you’re date isn’t a beer drinker, not to worry. Their wine selection is top notch and their food is to die for.
Sample of beers served: Anchor Liberty Ale, Mojo IPA, Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale, White Birch Tavern Ale and more.
Open Sunday noon-11pm, Monday-Thursday 11:30am-11pm, Friday-Saturday 11:30am-midnight. (508)752-3862.
http://www.brew-city.com/
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The Blacksheep Tavern
261 Leominster Road, Sterling
The Blacksheep Tavern in Sterling is your classic, out of the way, everybody-knows-your-name bar. They’re known for their cold beer, good eats, live music, and sports. They’ve even got karaoke with a twist—karaoke singers have their own live band to sing to! Head down to Blacksheep soon to grab some pizza (it’s top notch), and a cold one! During football season, they’ve got you covered. Weekly specials include a pitcher and pizza Combo for only $14.50 and wings for a quarter!
Sample of beers served: the classics (Budweiser, Coors, etc.)
Open Tuesday-Sunday 11am-12:30 am. (978) 422-0255.
https://www.facebook.com/BlacksheepTavern
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