Boston Spring Concert Preview
Looking for something to melt that icy chill? How about shaking off them winter blues by attending a hot concert this spring? From classic rock to classic indie, progressive rock to punk rock and heavy metal, Boston's got it going on long after the Spring sun goes down.
Worcester Palladium
261 Main St
Worcester, MA 01608-1201
(508) 797-9696
www.thepalladium.net
Paganfest III
Price: $25 -$28
Date: March 30th, 2012
Time: 7 p.m.
Looking for something a little exotic to satiate your live music jones this spring? Well, how about the third installment of the Paganfest America tour, featuring a bevy of melodic metal acts whose sole purpose is to rock your face off with the most epic of sword 'n sorcery inspired tunes. Featuring a diverse lineup of Arkona (Russia), Alestorm (Scotland) Turisas (Finland) and more, Paganfest isn't just for the Dungeons and Dragons set, but for anyone who enjoys a fantastic, feel-good time.
Behemoth/Watain/The Devil's Blood/In Solitude
Price: $20 - $25
Date: May 11th, 2012
Time: 7:30 p.m.
For those with the constitution to handle only the heartiest and most extreme of musical onslaughts, the inaugural Decibel Magazine Tour is a no-brainer. Bringing together some of the most intense musicians amidst extreme metal's ever-expanding underground is no mean feat, but the Decibel Magazine Tour seeks to shake walls and reap souls with the diabolic combination of Poland's Behemoth, Sweden's Watain and In Solitude, together with The Netherlands' own 'horror soul' exorcists, The Devil's Blood. Wary and faint of heart beware: this show plays for keeps.
Orpheum Theater
1 Hamilton Place
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 482-0106
www.orpheumtheatreboston.com
Opeth/Mastodon/Ghost
Price: $28-$38
Date: April 5th, 2012
Time: 7:30
Two of prog-metal's most respected acts hitting the road together, and bringing along Sweden's hip theatrical phenom along for the ride? This Opeth, Mastodon and Ghost tour should certainly prove exciting for the legions of fans who prostrate upon the altar of Mastodon's mind-melting channeling of King Crimson complexity, Ghost's Mercyful Fate-worshiping macabre theater or Opeth's masterful balance of delicate acoustic beauty and fearsome death metal aggression. This one is surely a 'you wanted the best, you got the best' scenario.
Related: Best Metal Bars & Eats In Boston.
Paradise Rock Club
967 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA.
(617) 562 8800
www.thedise.com
Bad Brains & H20
Price: $25
Date: April 16th, 2012
Time: 7 p.m.
Imagine, if you will, a dirty 1980s dive bar floor, packed to bursting with sweaty, electrified punk rockers, all dancing to the one-of-a-kind reggae/punk beat of the Bad Brains. Fronted by the ever-unpredictable H.R., Washington D.C.'s Bad Brains combined The Filth and The Fury in a way which remains unmatched to this day. Equal parts snarling, breakneck punk aggression and mellow, melodic reggae melody, the Bad Brains were, and continue to be, a complete original. Watch as The Paradise in Boston shakes to its very foundation.
Related: Four More Hot Spring Concerts
House of Blues Boston
15 Landsdowne St.
Boston, MA. 02215
(888) 693 2583
www.houseofblues.com
The Cranberries
Price: $36-$50
Date: May 11th, 2012
Time: 8 p.m.
Looking to revisit the 90s? How about spending an evening with one of the decade's most iconic Irish acts, The Cranberries? Featuring the unique, evocative voice of front-woman Dolores O'Riordan, The Cranberries are returning for a show at the House of Blues on Landsdowne, playing such smash selections as "Dreams," "Linger," and "Zombie," all culled from their classic collection of melodic, moving 90s rock albums. So, whether you were there the first time, or are simply too sad you missed out on the original spirit of 90s alt-rock, May 11th will bring it all back to the Buzz Bin.
Related: Music Lessons in Boston, A Guide.
George Pacheco has been writing professionally about arts and entertainment for over a decade. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, George currently resides in a humble New England home with his wife, cat and massive music and film collection. His work can be found at Examiner.com.
