It's
not supposed to go below 80 degrees Fahrenheit for the foreseeable
future, so the events for this Week in Geek will not be physically
taxing. We are not sadists. Even the Renaissance Fair in Gloucester is
indoors.
However,
that does not mean that our picks will not be mentally taxing! Oh, no
-- we will not let that grey matter dissolve in the swelter. There is a
conference on Cognitive Sciences, an observatory event, a skillsharing
DIY festival, and a couple of cerebral satires. But if even mental
acrobatics seems too much for you during this mercilessly hot week,
there's also a movie about a zombie-fighting mama's boy.
MONDAY 7.18
[drama on ice on stage] Tonya and Nancy Rock Opera @ Club Oberon 8pm
Before
Alien vs Predator or Freddy vs Jason, there was the equally brutal,
epic clash of Harding vs Kerrigan -- a story of two rivals and one
baseball bat, made hilarious by the fact that it involved two dainty,
graceful figure skaters at the 1994 Winter Olypmics. The now-classic
headline is brought to life on stage at the Oberon for a three-night
engagement.
TUESDAY 7.19
[pizza] Get Naked with Naked Pizza 5:30 to 7:30
Is
this event necessarily nerdy? I answer this hypothetical question with
another: do the words "free pizza" mean anything to you? Okay, not free,
exactly. There is a suggested donation of $10 (that goes to the new
Brookline Teen Center) for this epic pairing of Naked Pizza + Urban
Grape Wine. But that's totally worth it, and so is the food.
WEDNESDAY 7.20
[bibliophilia] Nina Sankovitch of Read All Day @ Harvard Book Store
It
would be impossibly difficult to find a bigger book nerd than Nina
Sankovitch. From October 2008 to October 2009, she read a book every
single day., then wrote a book review on each for her blog. (For the morbidly curious, a full list of the books she read can be found here.) She comes to Harvard Bookstore this week to read from a title of her own, Tolstoy and the Purple Chair, which chronicles her literary adventure.
[thinking about thinking] CogSci2011 Meetup @ Boston Park Plaza Hotel till Sat July 23
This
week, the Cognitive Science Society will host its annual meetup right
here in Boston. It will unite those who of study artificial
intelligence, education, anthropology, neuroscience, philosophy,
linguistics and psychology for one massive conversation on thought and
the human mind.
[singing stars] "Music of the Spheres" - a Harvard-Smithsonian Observatory Summer Special 7:15pm
Within
the past several decades, scientists have used the sounds that stars
give off to study their composition. This multimedia lecture will allow
viewers (and listeners!) to hear the "music" of the stars, adjusted to
frequencies observable by the human ear.
THURSDAY 7.21
[writercon] Northeastern Writers' Conference @ Bristol, RI till July 24
When the words "camp" and "horror" are uttered in the same sentence, they usually evoke the memory of the ‘80s slasher franchise.
But Camp Necon is something friendlier- an annual "camp" or New England
writers of the horror genre. This small mystery/horror writers'
conference in Rhode Island is a bit of a hike, but a must-attend for any
local writer looking for camaraderie, talent competitions, team sports
and discussion of the literary craft.
[holmes!] The Hound of Baskervilles @ Central Square Theater 7:30pm
Sherlock
Holmes is the nerdiest badass/badassest nerd in literature, and the
Central Square Theatre's adaptation--which will feature exactly three
actors playing dozens of roles--is a farcicle nod to his greatness. It
runs from this week until the end of August.
FRIDAY 7.22
[comedy.0] Tosh.0 @ the Wang Theatre 7pm
Daniel
Tosh has made a living bringing videos from the internet, making jokes
about them, and putting them on the TV screen (like RWJ
for people without the internet access? Or something?) and now, with
his ToshTour On Ice, he's on stage doing comedy from his TV show which
in turn draws inspiration from the internet. It's not actually On Ice,
because that would involve too many degrees of separation.
[film/brains] Dead Alive (Braindead) @ Coolidge Corner Theatre 11:59pm
This
Peter Jackson-directed film tells the story of the love between a boy
and his mother, which transcends the fact that she has become a
ravenous, destructive, murdering zombie. He tried to conceal her nature
from the nosy neighbors. Hilarity and infinite gore ensue.
[film/brainwashinig] A Clockwork Orange @ Somerville Theatre 11:59pm
Alex
is a typical teenage boy, except that he loves perpetrating extreme
acts of violence upon those around them. This acclaimed adaptation of
Anthony Burgess's acclaimed novel explores the power of punishment and
manipulation in harsh critique.
SATURDAY 7.23
[diy] Allston DIY Fest @ Ringer Park 10am
Allston's
Ringer Park is about to get indie-fied (moreso than usual.) The DIY
Fest incorporates all the best things in life: music, art, bikes, DIY
culture and free fun. Described as "a really, REALLY free market!" The
event will feature skillsharing, zines, records, over 20 local acts, and
even free opportunities to jam for a crowd of over 1,000.
[yon faire] Abbadia Mare Festival 11am Sat + Sun
What
better place to have a Renaissance Faire than an old castle? This
weekend, the Abbadia Mare Festival goes down at the Hammond Castle (also
called Abbadia Mare, or "the abbey by the sea") in Gloucester, MA.
There will be music, magic, vendors, and food, plus tours of the castle.
SUNDAY 7.24
[steampunk'd] Dr. Grymm Book Signing / Steampunk Meetup @ Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation 3pm
Writer and Steampunk City 2011 Mayor Dr. Grymm presents his new book, 1,000 Steampunk Creations: Neo-Victorian Fashion, Gear and Art. There
will also be a Steampunk Gear swap, so bring along the lacy corset you
never wear and trade it for something golden and clockwork.
[how I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb] Dr. Strangelove @ Somerville Theatre 11am
The
Somerville Theatre presents this subversive classic comedy about the
ins and outs of nuclear apocalypse. From the fiendishly genius minds of
Terry Southern and Stanley Kubrick, it stars Peter Sellers in three main
roles (and Sterling Hayden and George C Scott in one role apeice).
For more events, check out our geekified listings portal. If you've got any geek-related events you'd like us to post, contact us! Follow us on Twitter @LaserOrgy! Follow our RSS feed! Tell your friends!
Latest Slideshows
