It might not feel or look like it, but spring has officially sprung in Boston! While you might not be able to stretch out on a cozy blanket at the Common yet, why not celebrate the end of winter (hopefully) by exploring the abundance of musical artists throughout Boston and its surrounding neighborhoods? In this edition of Selected Sounds, the Sound of Boston team has picked out loads of local favorites the likes of Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band, Lady Bones, Lilith, Saccharine, Sleeping Lion, and many more!
And do not forget the next installment of our Listen Local show is coming up on Friday, March 31st, at Brighton Music Hall! Our Listen Local Showcase next week will feature local funk and soul-rock artists Juice, Kyle Thornton & the Company, and Los Elk. So come say hang out, say hi, and enjoy listening to some of Boston’s finest musicians! Tickets are $10 in advance and can be purchased here.
Thursday, March 23rd, 2017
Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band at Hard Rock Cafe -Selected by Matt M.
The last time we caught up with Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band, they crammed a whopping 17 members onstage donning elaborate steampunk costumes. From honking horns, and glow in the dark violins to swirling dance circles, ENSMB’s shows certainly aren’t your usual night at the club. Their blend of avant-garde jazz, funk, Vaudeville, and circus music makes for a wild night where you’ll likely be waltzing along with plenty of friendly, costumed strangers. Come out to Hard Rock and let Emperor Norton whisk you away into his twisted land of fantasy.
Sunday, March 26th, 2017
Dirty Dishes, Soft Fangs, Lady Bones, Lilith, Saccharine at Middle East Upstairs  -Selected by Kevin
In Dirty Dishes, lead guitarist and sonic architect, Jenny Tuite, uses walls of sound to construct monolithic soundscapes that she proceeds to tear down with waves of crushing fuzz and anxious atmospheric noise. The Brooklyn trio will be coming to The Middle East Upstairs at the end of a month long tour along with tour-mates, Soft Fangs, who bring a mastery of dynamic songwriting varying from whispered and sentimental to fully layered guitar driven alt rock, bordering on shoegaze. The rest of the bill is filled out with a jaw-droppingly strong lineup of local openers in Lady Bones, Lilith, and Saccharine. These three bands alone would be a standout show, making the whole lineup a showcase of Boston and Brooklyn’s finest.
The Japanese House at The Sinclair -Selected by Mikey
Do you like rainy days? Have you liked the 1975 on Facebook? Do you like to dance? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re going to want to check out British singer-songwriter Amber Bain, aka The Japanese House. Specializing in dark electro-pop, she builds complex, 80’s tinged electronic textures out of drum machines and spacey guitars, only  to cut through these layers with her deep, throbbing vocals and heartbroken lyrics. You can catch her at Sinclair on March 26th, and check out “Still”.
Tuesday, March 28th, 2017
The Grand Lady-Hang at Club Passim -Selected by Knar
What could be better than hearing some of Boston’s best female vocalists all in a venue the size of a large living room? On Tuesday night, fans of Club Passim’s Campfire Festival will have the chance to hear the round-style performance without having to wait until Labor Day. This is a loaded lineup: Katie Martucci of The Ladles, Isa Burke & Ellie Buckland of Lula Wiles, Aurora Birch, Rachel Sumner of Twisted Pine, Holly McGarry of Honeysuckle, Deni Hlavinka of The Western Den. Oh, and the concert is also a benefit for Planned Parenthood, so there’s that too.
Sleeping Lion at The Middle East Upstairs -Selected by Ariff
With over 500,000 plays and 13,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, Sleeping Lion has been roaring up a buzz around Boston and the US. Comprised of Nate Flaks and Noah McGuire from highly acclaimed Berklee College of Music, this indie-pop duo will bring great vibes with their harmonizing vocals paired with spacey ambient electronic sounds. Moving your body will be second nature once you feast your ears on their catchy tunes such as “Rug,” “You Made Me” and “By Now You Won’t.” They will also be sharing the stage with Sophia Gripari, Soul Candy and Jackson Lundy, you wouldn’t want to miss this show so prepare yourself for a night of feel good music.