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Woof

I've generally steered clear of criticizing the local media. Too much potential for conflict. I signed some papers on my way out the door at the Herald that forbid me from disparaging my former place of work. And if I write anything nice about other local publications, it'll look like I'm sucking up to potential employers. Plus, this blog is called HubArts, not HubMedia.

But I've just gotta say it. Whatever the Globe intends to provide with its new Sidekick section, however much it hopes the tabloid insert will attract young readers, I have to believe that PICTURES OF DOGS WEARING SUNGLASSES ISN'T THE ANSWER!!!

Phew. That felt good.

The morning papers

OK, this was in yesterday's N.Y. Times, but you should read Daniel J. Wakin's long piece "Tanglewood Enters the Age of Levine." It really gives a feel for the place and for the conductor's impact there. Wakin apparently trailed Levine around for several days, and there's actual detail of his instructions to students and fellows, giving insight into what he does that makes everyone gush. ... The Globe's Names & Faces reports that Bronson Arroyo's "Covering the Bases" CD is a hit locally, and at least a chart entry elsewhere. Coincidentally, Bella English has a nice profile of Fenway Park organist Josh Kantor.

Theater: Hey NSMT kids put on benefits

The North Shore Music Theatre's Youth Performance Academy's Summer Stages program - phew, lotta words, pant-pant - will act to benefit the theatre in the wake of last week's devastating fire. The premieres of the kids' productions of  "Seussical" on Aug. 11 and "Disney's Aida: School Edition" on Aug. 12 have been turned into  fundraisers for the NSMT.  Tix for the benefits are $25 for adults (usually $15) and $10 for kids, and are available at the box office and at the door. Performances are held at the Mary Weld Pingree Center for the Performaing Arts, 537 Highland St. South Hamilton.

Music: She's the one that they want

I figured she'd be busy with whatever the Aussie version of QVC is, but no. Olivia Newton-John is coming to Lowell Memorial Auditorium Oct. 20. Tix, $35.50-$55.50, go on sale Aug. 1 at 10 a.m. at the box office, at 978-454-2299, and via the usual Ticketmaster channels.

Music: Kooper on a roll

Sign up for email updates from Al Kooper at his web site and you'll get some interesting stuff - the list of his June iTunes downloads makes fascinating reading by itself.

Better than Ezra?! Rock's Zelig - the man who played on "Like a Rolling Stone" AND "You Can't Always Get What You Want" AND started Blood, Sweat & Tears AND produced "Freebird" and did about a million other cool things - is spending his free time downloading Better Than freakin' Ezra???

But the missive Hub resident Kooper sent out this week was chock full of good news about his new album, "Black Coffee," and tour plans. Recent pieces in the Herald and the New York Times are just the beginning for this underappreciated artist. Mojo and Rolling Stone will feature the album. A short Japanese trip produced 25 interviews and plans for a short tour there in October, people like Little Steven and Jerry Ragovoy turned up when Kooper and his Berklee pals in the Funky Faculty played New York on July 13, and Kooper is going to be all over the upcoming Martin Scorsese documentary on Bob Dylan, coming on PBS in September.

So - if you're thinking clearly - you'll want to get out to Lowell on Sept. 3 to see Kooper and the Rekooperators play a Mike Bloomfield tribute show. Details here.

Gotta love his email kicker, too: "And remember, if everyone in Boston gave one dime, then one starving child could get one ticket to The Rolling Stones concert in Fenway Park."

The morning papers

The Globe's Scott Alarik profiles all-female string band Uncle Earl, a Rounder Records act that plays Johnny D's next Thursday. ... Ed Siegel is alas underwhelmed by the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's "Hamlet" on the Common, starring Amesbury native Jeffrey Donovan. But the Herald's Terry Byrne liked Donovan's "refreshingly contemporary" take on the role. ... The Globe's Sandy MacDonald says the 1925 musical "No, No Nanette" at the Cape Playhouse is a "fizzy" "perfect summer refreshment." Despite the presence of the delightfully insane Fred Willard in the cast, I find that hard to believe. Maybe that's why I keep getting "connection refused" when I try to link to www.capeplayhouse.com.

The Herald's Bob Young offers a far more convincing idea of a "Carribbean perfect summer's evening," namely listening to Eguie Castrillo and his Latin Jazz Ensemble outdoors in the South End last night. ... Sean McCarthy talks to Jimmy Tingle about "American Dreams," his current one-man show.

In the Berkshire Eagle, Allison Tracy likes Garth Fagan Dance at Jacob's Pillow. But surprisingly there's no review of "Tops Girls," which opened Thursday night at Williamstown. The Globe's Maureen Dezell does have an interview with the director. ... The Lowell Sun posts rather late in the day, so I've just now noticed Andrew Ravens' eye-opener about film shoots in Lowell, i.e. there have actually been some.

The Patriot Ledger has a whole package on the First Annual Plymouth Independent Film Festival.

Music: Celebrating the Charles

Not since the Standells and "Dirty Water" has the Charles River really gotten its due in song, so far as I know, and it's due a lot more these days, being cleaner and all. For the second year in a row, the Revels and the Charles River Conservancy will serenade the river and its surrounding parklands with the "River Sing 2005: Bridging the Charles with Voice and Light." The fun begins on Sept. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the Weeks Footbridge, as singers, musicians, chroal groups and the Revels' big River Goddess puppet (left) will salute the sunset, the change of seasons and the river itself. There's also something in the release about Swiss alp horns, but I'm going to try and forget that. The whole shindig is free. The Revels folks advise: 1) Bring a flashlight. 2) Get a copy of RiverSing music in advance! Just email crc@thecharles.org or info@revels.org.

Comedy: Women of Color at JTOB

OK, they need a cooler acronym, like the Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling. But even if WOC isn't getting the job done, the Women of Color are! They're bringing their sixth annual comedy showcase back to Jimmy Tingle's Off Broadway in Davis Square Aug. 5 (7:30) and 6 (7:30 and 10:30). The comics include Sandy Asai (Boston), Janet Cormier (Arlington), Deb Farrar-Parkman (Dorchester), Karith Foster (New York), Coleen Galvin (Providence, Rhode Island), Tissa Hami (North End), Sheila Jackson (Portland, Maine) Esther Ku (Somerville), Malissa Hunt (Watertown), Bethany Van Delft (South End), Malene Welch (Jamaica Plain), and Wanda Wong (Quincy), though it's not clear who shows up at which show. Tix, $15, are available at the web site or at 1-866-811-4111. And in previous years, they've sold out fast.

The morning papers

Aside from the "Spamalot" news (below), there are some good stories in the papers this morning. The Herald's Chris Blagg takes us to "the reggaeton zone" in Jamaica Plain to explore the burgeoning popularity of that hip-hop-flavored Latin musical blend. ... In Globe North, Wendy Killen follows up on the North Shore Music Theatre's reponse to last week's devastating fire. Artistic Director Jon Kimbell says he expects the theater will be back in its own venue by the Oct. 25 opening of "The Full Monty" - write your own joke - but that the show will go on in a temporary location in the meantime.

Also in the Globe, Bella English talks to South Shore novelist Claire Cook about the forthcoming movie of her "Must Love Dogs." ... Richard Dyer comments on this week's flap at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, noting that conductor Marin Alsop was the first woman to conduct the Boston Pops.

Theater: Spam, Spam, Spam

Busy morning, but I had to post the exciting if predictable news that "Spamalot" is coming to town. The Globe and Herald both report that the Monty Python musical, the 2005 Tony Award winner based on the "Holy Grail" film (left) is coming to town for a March 7-April 15 run at the Colonial. Mike Nichols directed the Broadway version, which starred Hank Azaria, David Hyde Pierce and Tim Curry. Don't hold your breath for the original cast here, but we'll see. No tix info yet. As of  8:30 a.m., the Herald's item doesn't seem to be posted online - too bad, because it notes that the local production was won by Clear Channel, even though the Wang Center was an investor in the show. Ouch.