Frenetic in concert in Cambridge, MA

January 21, 2008 5:00 AM

Greater Boston Mefites: Brad Sucks, aka MetaFilter's own frenetic will be performing (his MuFi posts) in Cambridge, MA on Feb 12. How about dinner and drinks beforehand?

A few ideas: Eat at Middle East and grab some good seats, or Miracle of Science just down the road, or Cambridge Brewing Company in Kendall Square.

posted by Plutor to MetaFilter Gatherings at 5:00 AM (65 comments total)

Barring unforeseen suckiness, I'll be there.

I vote for just eating at the Middle East to keep things easy.
posted by danb at 7:27 AM on January 21, 2008

so. jealous.
posted by Phire at 7:31 AM on January 21, 2008

Yay! A Boston area meetup that I'll be around for. Count me in. My vote is for keeping it simple for dinner and eating at the Middle East.
posted by sequential at 8:57 AM on January 21, 2008

Holy crap. Brad Sucks is a MeFite? I *LOVE* Brad Sucks. I've been making everybody I know listen to "Bad Attraction" for eons. Or, you know, a year.
posted by katillathehun at 10:08 AM on January 21, 2008

I plan on being there.
posted by Ryvar at 10:13 AM on January 21, 2008

Sweet. I'm in.
posted by sotalia at 10:22 AM on January 21, 2008

Brad Sucks + Mefites + Food = we're so there [yes royal we, i.e. just i]
posted by Firas at 10:53 AM on January 21, 2008

Is there an age minimum for the show? If I can get in, I'll be there.
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 12:38 PM on January 21, 2008

What time?
posted by nonane at 12:43 PM on January 21, 2008

Yes.
posted by enfa at 1:14 PM on January 21, 2008

Cool. Is he playing upstairs or downstairs? I also vote for meeting at the Middle East...Miracle of Science can get crowded.
posted by emd3737 at 2:56 PM on January 21, 2008

Yeah, what time?
Perhaps.
posted by cocoagirl at 4:59 PM on January 21, 2008

These are all fantastic questions. For some reason, I was thinking he was playing Corner, but I have no idea why I was thinking that. I don't know if there's a minimum age or a cover or what time. Mayhaps someone should call them and find out.

Mayhaps that someone should be me.
posted by Plutor at 5:33 PM on January 21, 2008

I'm in, but never been to a meetup before. Can somebody point out how these things go?
posted by There's No I In Meme at 5:39 PM on January 21, 2008

I would definitely be there if I didn't have rehearsal. Maybe I'll get lucky and it'll get canceled.

What time is the show at? Maybe I could make it to that.
posted by backseatpilot at 7:14 PM on January 21, 2008

I may go, even if my band does have a reherasal. (We play in Salem on 2/15.)

TNIiM: ^^ I think there's some sort of branding ritual, where you get burned with something like a table candle or a crack pipe, then someone takes a picture of the wound and puts it on Flickr. Other than that, they look like fun. I've never been, either.
posted by not_on_display at 8:34 PM on January 21, 2008

Can somebody point out how these things go?

I think it's usually Shock, Dinner, Denial, Delicious Beverages, Anger, Bargaining, Shoutouts, Depression, Testing, DaShiv, Acceptance, (Deep Fried Snacks if jonmc is in attendance), and Flickr.

But I don't know, 'cause as far as I know, the only one that was planned here in Korea was the one I suggested last year at the last minute, then bailed out of because I am made of pure suck.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:43 PM on January 21, 2008

Stav if it makes you feel better, out of like 10 times I've said "I'll be there" I've actually shown up 5 times.
posted by Ryvar at 1:10 AM on January 22, 2008

Hey awesome, it'll be sweet to meet some MeFites.

As far as I know the opening band goes on at 10:30 and I'm up 45 minutes-ish later. No cover and I'm told it's only 18+ for the bar but you may want to double check that. I'll probably be there early sound-checking and using my complimentary drink tickets if you want to hang and swap Matt Haughey gossip.

I'll also be at Harvard doing a Q&A and a few songs on the 11th which you're all welcome to attend. I plan to realize my long-held dream of saying the F word in front of a bunch of Ivy League professors.

Also: I've got some time on the 13th before I ship out around 4pm -- anything I should be checking out in Cambridge or Boston? Feel free to email me with suggestions.
posted by frenetic at 5:33 AM on January 22, 2008

Ahh, the sweet smell of a Meetup that doesn't overlap with a trip or committment (that I'm aware of) - I'm almost certain I'll be there.
posted by jalexei at 8:08 PM on January 24, 2008

I work right across the street, so unless a business trip crops up, I'll come for the 'dinner and drinks beforehand' part. I'd suggest 7PM, but is that too early for the folks who want to stay for the bands?
posted by daisyace at 10:39 AM on January 26, 2008

I should be there.
posted by brett at 5:46 PM on January 26, 2008

FYI: If you want to come to the Harvard interview thing on the 11th you need to RSVP. Info is here.

Anyway if you're there be sure to say hi.
posted by frenetic at 2:29 PM on February 3, 2008

Cool, frenetic, I RSVPed.

Looks like the Middle East show is, in fact, at Corner. Plutor, et al.: any final decision on time? 7:00 sounds reasonable enough to me, but I've never been to either the Middle East or a meetup...are we going to hover around the bar and try to figure out who the snarky ones are, or what?
posted by danb at 5:21 PM on February 3, 2008

^...are we going to hover around the bar and try to figure out who the snarky ones are, or what?

What, at the Middle East? Eeeezh, that's not gonna be easy.
posted by not_on_display at 7:58 PM on February 4, 2008

I've been to both Middle East and a few meetups. I'll post a reminder thread later this week (maybe Thur or Fri), try to get a rough count, and we'll see if we can't get a table. I'm pretty sure they don't take reservations, so we'll just have to cross our fingers. It works about the same as going out to dinner/drinks/music with your friends, except these are electronic friends from the Internet.

7ish sounds fine with me.
posted by Plutor at 6:32 AM on February 5, 2008

Minus 1. I'd said yes above, but now it's looking like I probably won't make it. If I do, it will just be for a quick hello some time after 8.
posted by daisyace at 5:26 PM on February 5, 2008

If this is on the Red Line, I should be able to make it. Might only be able to stay for dinner, as that's a school night.
posted by Eideteker at 10:36 AM on February 6, 2008

You're in luck. Middle East is at Central, just a block or two south from the T stop.
posted by Plutor at 11:52 AM on February 6, 2008

I'll go, I'll go. It's been 20 years since I've been to an online meetup type thing. But I'll go.
posted by not_on_display at 4:42 PM on February 8, 2008

7ish sounds good. School night for me, too, so I'll have to bow out before the show.
posted by cocoagirl at 5:13 PM on February 8, 2008

I can't go; I'm being observed (teaching) the following day, but I am buying the album RIGHT NOW. Awesome music dude.
posted by exlotuseater at 10:56 PM on February 8, 2008

School night for me too. I'll be there when I finish my homework.
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 8:21 AM on February 9, 2008

Hah! I have no classes on Wednesdays. Being a college senior is awesome.
posted by danb at 9:00 AM on February 9, 2008

I have class until 930... still worth coming?
posted by pwally at 4:42 PM on February 9, 2008

pwally, the opening act doesn't even go on until 10:30, so you should be fine.
posted by danb at 8:41 AM on February 10, 2008

I'll certainly swing by for a beer around 7:30, probably won't last until the show, but who knows. I'm assuming that we're meeting at the Middle East ground level (the one above the downstairs) and not Zuzu? There are a few different rooms in the complex, so we should probably clarify a spot to spare ourselves from: "Um, I'm meeting some friends here, but I don't know what they look like."

Scratch that; I'll just search for the table full of good-looking and witty folks. See you Tuesday!
posted by emd3737 at 11:40 AM on February 10, 2008

From what I understand, yes, the show is in the corner restauranty area.
If you get bored with the good-looking people, feel free to come looking for us, too.
posted by Plutor at 12:25 PM on February 10, 2008

I should mention this will only be my second solo show with this whole laptoppy contraption so I hope you like disasters!

I should be there earlyish. I'll be the guy lugging around a bunch of bags and a guitar and looking Canadian and/or bewildered.

I'm looking forward to meeting y'all.
posted by frenetic at 6:40 PM on February 10, 2008

Wait, Canadian?

/me gets his shots

I kid because I love.
posted by Plutor at 9:41 AM on February 11, 2008

Hey y'all, I think I'm going to make it, but I might not be able to. At any rate, thanks for setting it up.
posted by zachxman at 8:06 PM on February 11, 2008

I'll be there! But I probably will avoid the mefi crowd because mefi is a website therefore you are a bunch of smelly nerds.
posted by damehex at 9:59 AM on February 12, 2008

I count 16 people, give or take (not counting frenetic). If we're lucky, that'll translate to about 10 people actually showing. We should probably aim to get one of the tables in front near the stage, but I don't really know how busy the place will be when we show up.
posted by Plutor at 10:07 AM on February 12, 2008

7 or 7:30? At the Middle East? PLEASE CONFIRM.

I was just thinking about how I need to be more social.
posted by Eideteker at 11:29 AM on February 12, 2008

It's we, Eideteker, that need to be more anti-social. I probably won't show up until 8-ish. At the corner-section. Of the Middle East.
posted by not_on_display at 1:47 PM on February 12, 2008

It looks like I'm not going to be able to make it after all. I'm on the Cape, and the weather forecast is calling for 4-6 in of snow between now and midnight, so I don't want to risk driving in the middle of a storm. I hope I get another chance to meet all you Boston MeFites soon.
posted by sotalia at 2:24 PM on February 12, 2008

Leaving now, should be there around quarter after 7.
posted by Ryvar at 3:35 PM on February 12, 2008

I have the flu. Alas!
posted by enfa at 5:26 PM on February 12, 2008

"I'll just search for the table full of good-looking and witty folks."

Hey, you found us anyway.

That was great fun. Sorry I talked too much; I think I was just happy to not be either at work or moving boxes. Real human interaction! How does that go again?

It was a pleasure to meet you all. Let's not wait too long to do the next one!
posted by Eideteker at 7:10 PM on February 12, 2008

I would have like to talked to each and every one of you for more time than was alloted. Also had too many Stella's after a while to do anything but listen to Brad's fun music and babble.

Next Boston-based meet-up, let's have it on a weekend.
posted by not_on_display at 9:29 PM on February 12, 2008

That was fun!

Honestly, I thought it would be really awkward meeting a bunch of strangers from the internet, but as it turned out I was awkward and everyone else was pretty normal. :) I'm jealous of your social interaction skills. (And jobs -- Ryvar and brett, I'm looking at you two.)

We'll have to do it again soon.
posted by danb at 10:10 PM on February 12, 2008

That was awesome!

Brad played a great set - and meeting everyone was awesome. And holy shit! Plutor and I apparently have met before when we were comp sci. students at the same college a decade ago.

As you guys said - let's do this again soon.
posted by Ryvar at 10:30 PM on February 12, 2008

I wish I had gotten a chance to talk to the folks at the other end of the table a bit, but all you guys were super nice, interesting and fun. It was kind of a drag playing the show as I'm sure I'd have had more fun talking to y'all. Boston/Cambridge MeFites get a solid thumbs up!
posted by frenetic at 10:42 PM on February 12, 2008

That was a good time. I agree with all of the above comments: We need to do this more often. I thought I had met all of the cool Boston-area Mefites, but boy was I wrong.

While we're waiting for cocoagirl's photos of the meetup portion of the evening, here's one photo of the man on the stage and a video of Look And Feel Years Younger. (The graininess is because I zoomed in. I should have used foot zoom.)
posted by Plutor at 5:11 AM on February 13, 2008

I had fun, too! Sorry I had to cut out early and miss the show. Looking forward to future meet-ups....
posted by emd3737 at 5:57 AM on February 13, 2008

BTW, did you guys make it to the T in time? I was kind of worried about leaving you all out there with nobody who could drive.
posted by Ryvar at 8:34 AM on February 13, 2008

And here are photos, as promised. Sorry I missed the show, but it was nice to meet a few (among thousands of) mefites.
posted by cocoagirl at 8:40 AM on February 13, 2008

Ryvar: brett and I caught what might have been the last outbound train. Plutor, how'd you do?

Thanks for the photos, cocoagirl. I guess I should shave next time, eh?
posted by danb at 8:54 AM on February 13, 2008

Yeah, what was probably the last inbound train showed up just as I got to the platform. I feel bad we had to ditch Brad so quickly after he finished his set.
posted by Plutor at 9:40 AM on February 13, 2008

I think that was the first time I've ever witnessed the total collected cash at a table full of drinks being larger than the bill + tip.

Maybe we ain't such smarties after all! But at least we ain't cheap.
posted by not_on_display at 1:28 PM on February 13, 2008

(Not only that, but if I'm not mistaken, martinX's bellbottoms made a profit on the night. Next meetup is on her!)
posted by Plutor at 5:05 PM on February 13, 2008

Welcome to Metafilter, here's a dollar!
posted by Ryvar at 5:46 PM on February 13, 2008

Ha! I wonder if I can get in on the 20% discount if I bring a flyer.
posted by danb at 6:44 PM on February 13, 2008

Thanks for the time (and the dollar) everyone!
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 9:46 PM on February 14, 2008

I meant thanks for the good time. Engineering school makes me illiterate.
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 6:24 AM on February 15, 2008