New England First Night Options
Ever since 2009 when Mission of Burma and Buffalo Tom played the Orpheum, Boston's First Night has had a layer of cool to it. Since then, First Night celebrations have included blog favorites like Mavis Staples, Yo La Tengo, The Magnetic Fields, Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys, and more. This year... not so much. I know their budget is drastically lower this year, but when every single Boston area blog I read has no idea who any of these bands, and most seem to be provided by Berklee, it's not really enough to get us to head into town. Luckily, there are still some If It's Too Loud... approved options in and around Boston to make getting a sitter and staying up far too late worth it. Hallelujah the Hills, Great Scott, Allston, MA Hallelujah the Hills were fantastic when I saw them at this year's Harvard Square Mayfair , and that was playing mid-afternoon on a makeshift stage in front of a beer tent that seemed to be more interested in listening to the in...