E-Mail This Article to a Friend

THURSDAY, AUGUST 19

BENEFITS

"SUMMER NIGHTS, CITY LIGHTS" TO BENEFIT BOSTON CARES with food, drink, music, an auction, and more is at 6 p.m. at the Boston Marriott Hotel, Long Wharf, Boston. Tickets $55; (617) 563-4441.

AT THE CLUBS

Shiny, happy people, unite. Dallas-based orchestral-pop phenoms the Polyphonic Spree wrap up a two-day residency tonight at the Paradise Rock Club (967 Comm Ave, Boston). They’re touring in support of their sophomore album, Together We’re Heavy (obviously). We don’t quite get it, and to be frank, we are kind of scared of it. But the 25-member band’s cult-like following and one-of-a-kind choral performance have to be experienced at least once. The show starts at 9; tickets are $15 in advance and $17 the day of the performance. For tickets, visit www.thedise.com; for more information on the clan, try www.thepolyphonicspree.com

Cheer is sadly underrated in these cynical times. But the high-quality melodies and outrageous lyrics of BJ Snowden’s tunes incite uproarious laughter with every listen. She’ll be bringing her good-time nectar to the Kirkland Café (425 Washington Street, Somerville) tonight at 11. This Casio-keyboard-wielding entertainer belts out blues, croons like Burt Bacharach, and touches on themes as diverse as her passion for Canada, the quirks of love, and teaching elementary school. After graduating from Berklee, Snowden caught the fancy of the B-52s' Fred Schneider, and even appeared on MTV’s Oddville and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show. She also reportedly prefaces each show with a round of hugs for everyone in attendance. Swivel, Once Over, and Rebecca Loebe open. Music starts at 8, and tickets cost $5; call (617) 482-4920.

ROCK. Just off a tour opening for Jet, and no relation to the Vines, the Everyones are the latest Australian rock-and-roll import — their homonymous debut has just been picked up for distribution by Tee Pee. Tonight they hit T.T. the Bear’s Place, 10 Brookline Street in Central Square; call (617) 492-BEAR. Next door, Q and Not U uphold the Dischord canon of quirky indie rock with tunes from their new Power, which finds the trio experimenting with dance-friendly electronic arrangements. They’re at the Middle East, 472 Massachusetts Avenue in Central Square; call (617) 864-EAST.

JAZZ. One of the inventors of modern jazz guitar, Pat Martino, returns to the Regattabar for shows tonight and tomorrow at 7:30 and 10 p.m. That’s in the Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett Street in Harvard Square, and tickets are $22.50; call (617) 395-7757.

OTHER SHOWS:

For the following shows, see the Club Directory for phone numbers and addresses.

ABBEY LOUNGE, Somerville. Lesley Costa & the Usual Suspects.

AN TAIN, Boston. At 5 p.m., DJ Keith.

AN TUA NUA, Boston. Top 40 with DJ Ren Justice.

ARIA, Boston. NYC hip-hop with guest DJs.

AVALON, Boston. At 10 p.m., "Hot & Heavy Thursday" with DJ Caprice.

THE AVENUE, Allston. At 7 p.m., "Acoustic Pop" with Will Daly. At 9 p.m., "Dance Your Ass Off" with DJ Hoff.

AXIS, Boston. At 10 p.m., DJ Nailz, Tasty & Taner K spinning vocal and progressive house.

BLARNEY STONE PUB, Dorchester. ’80s and today with DJ Scorch.

BLUE CAT CAFE, Boston. DJ Casey.

BLUESTONE BISTRO, Brighton. "Open Mic."

BOSTON ROCKS, Boston. At 5 p.m., "After Work Thursday."

BRAVO@THE MFA, Boston. Ron Poster.

BUCK MULLIGAN’S, West Roxbury. R&B and commercial dance with DJ George.

THE BURREN, Somerville. Front Room: At 10 p.m., "Traditional Irish Music." Back Room: At 10 p.m., Swinging Johnsons.

BUZZ BOSTON/EUROPA, Boston. "Absolute," house & trance with DJ Stezo.

CANTAB LOUNGE/THIRD RAIL, Cambridge. At 9 p.m., Reaganomics.

CENTER FOR THE ARTS IN NATICK, Natick. Gregory Douglass.

CLUB CAFE, Boston. "Non Stop Video Show" with VJ Tom Yazbek.

CLUB 58, Quincy. DJ Snoyl.

CLUB PASSIM, Cambridge. At 7 and 10 p.m., "Pulling Off the Covers: A Summer Night of Songs" with Lori McKenna, Jake Armerding, Mark Erelli.

COMMON GROUND, Allston. "Love Night," ’80s, all vinyl with DJ Brian.

DEVLIN’S LOUNGE AND BAR, Brighton. DJ Tom.

DICK’S LAST RESORT, Boston. At 7:20 p.m., Big Time.

EMBASSY, Boston. At 10 p.m., "Latin Lounge," with DJ JC.

ENCORE, Boston. Michelle Currie.

THE ENORMOUS ROOM, Cambridge. Hip-hop with DJs Hua Hsu and Chhay.

THE E ROOM AT THE GOLDEN TEMPLE, Brookline. House and acid jazz with DJ Johan Van Cauwenberghe.

EVOS ARTS, Lowell. "Lyrical’s Lounge."

THE EXCHANGE, Boston. "Heaven & Hell," house and hip-hop with DJs Chaos, Mr. Aru.

FELT, Boston. "Liquid" with DJs Chris DeSimone and Jynx.

GREAT SCOTT, Brighton. Adam & Kinnar.

GREEN BRIAR, Brighton. DJ FK.

GREEN DRAGON, Boston. Spitting Vinnies.

GREEN STREET GRILL, Cambridge. "Throwdown Thursday" Hip-hop, reggae, R&B with DJ Dubz and 40D.

HANNAH’S, Somerville. Reggae and house with guest DJs.

HARPERS FERRY, Allston. Antler.

HENNESSY’S, Boston. Death by Marriage.

HIGH STREET GRILLE, Boston. Little Joe Cook.

HONG KONG, Cambridge. Mainstream, house & Reggae with DJ Bob.

THE INDEPENDENT, Somerville. Toussaint.

IRISH VILLAGE, Brighton. DJ Cherry.

JACOB WIRTH RESTAURANT, Boston. At 6 p.m., Clay Brown Trio.

JOHNNY D’S, Somerville. Ryan Montbleau, Jesse Ciarmataro.

JOSE McINTYRE’S, Boston. Upstairs: DJ John Tringall. Downstairs: Me & Julio.

THE KELLS, Allston. "Fun House" with DJs Edgar and Kieran James.

KENNEDY’S, Boston. John Mansfield.

THE KINSALE, Boston. Stretch.

KIRKLAND CAFE, Somerville. BJ Snowden, Swivel, Once Over, Rebecca Loebe.

LA BOOM, Boston. At 10:30 p.m., "Privilege," international house with DJ Franklin.

LIZARD LOUNGE, Cambridge. At 7:30 p.m., Monique Ortiz. At 9:30 p.m., Paper Thin Stages, Appomatux.

MACHINE, Boston. "Human Thursday" with DJs Sean Caron and Angles.

MADFISH GRILLE, Gloucester. Planet Groove.

MAN RAY, Cambridge. "Campus," alternative boypop with DJ Chris Ewen and high energy house with DJ Brad Gwynn.

MANTRA Boston. At 10:30 p.m., "Mantra Thursday" DJs spin eclectic international, vocal house, & hip-hop.

MATT MURPHY’S, Brookline. "Round Midnight Jazz Session."

MIDDLE EAST, Cambridge. Upstairs: Q and Not U, Apes, Food for Animals. Downstairs: the Ruins, Big Top Vertigo, Mike Previti Band, Common Thrill.

MIDWAY CAFE, Jamaica Plain. Stray Bullets, Glow, These Lies.

MILKY WAY, Jamaica Plain. Primary Others, Porn Theater Ushers, Higgenz, DJ Frank White.

THE MODERN, Boston. At 10 p.m., "Soma," with DJ Omar.

O’BRIEN’S, Allston. Kevorkian’s Angels, Iron Bitchface, Laceration, It Will End in Pure Horror, Nightmare Continues.

ORLEANS, Somerville. DJ Ren Justice.

PARADISE LOUNGE, Boston. "The Bubble Up: Rub a Dubwise Reggae Night."

PARADISE ROCK CLUB, Boston. At 8 p.m., Polyphonic Spree.

PERKS COFFEEHOUSE, Norwood. Tom Driscoll.

PHOENIX LANDING, Cambridge. "Elements," drum ‘n bass with DJs Crook, Lenore, and Static.

THE PLACE, Boston. Greg Lutrell.

PLOUGH & STARS, Cambridge. At 9:30 p.m., Stan Martin.

PRAVDA 116, Boston. DJ David Mee.

PURPLE SHAMROCK, Boston. DJ Flanagan with musical guest Jim Plunkett.

Q, Boston. "Hip-Hop Thursday."

THE RACK, Boston. At 10 p.m., DJ Littles.

REDLINE, Cambridge. At 10 p.m., "All Star Thursday."

REGATTABAR, Cambridge. At 7:30 and 10 p.m., Pat Martino.

RIVER GODS, Cambridge. "Beats & Treats: Beat, Breaks and Gear with Puma."

ROGGIE’S, Brighton. Lounge: Tribal House and Break beat funk with DJ Jonathan Theory.

THE ROXY, Boston. At 10:30 p.m., "The Latin Quarter" with special guest DJs.

RYLES, Cambridge. Carmen Marsico & the Bjorn Wennas Quintet.

SCULLERS, Boston. Los Hombres Calientes.

SEA NOTE, Nantasket Beach. Level Ride.

SISSY K’S, Boston. Justin Beech. Upstairs: popular dance, with DJ Deja.

SIT ‘N BULL PUB, Maynard. Michael Pickett.

SOPHIA’S, Boston. "Latin Night" with DJ JR Vega.

SUGAR SHACK, Boston. "College Night" with DJ B-Spin.

SW1, Boston. Hip-hop, R&B, and Reggae with and DJ Renell.

TAZZA, Providence, RI. Minimalist Orchestra.

TERRACE BAR AT THE COPLEY MARRIOTT HOTEL, Boston. Brian Walkley Band.

TIR NA NOG, Somerville. Ronan "Fluffy" Quinn.

TOAD, Cambridge. At 7 p.m., Curtis Eller. At 10 p.m., Mayone Band.

TOAST, Somerville. "Premier Night for Women."

TRATTORIA IL PANINO, Boston. "Young Professionals Club."

T.T. THE BEAR’S PLACE, Cambridge. Everyones, Douglas Fir, Arrangement.

21st AMENDMENT, Boston. DJ Sean Daly.

VAPOR, Boston. "MOCCA," hip hop and R&B with DJs KC and Ron Steel.

VENU, Boston. NYC house with DJ Nailz and "ISE-O spa" with DJ Tasty.

VERTIGO, Boston. "Diversify Thursdays," deep soulful house with DJ Fran and UK hard house and progressive trance with DJs JLong, Tek, and Catatonic and guest DJs.

WALLY’S CAFE, Boston. Francisco Mela Quintet.

WELLFLEET BEACHCOMBER, Wellfleet. Tjovi Ginen.

WESTERN FRONT, Cambridge. Whistle Jacket.

WEST STREET GRILLE, Boston. Top 40 funk and dance with DJs Gabe and Lazee Boy.

WONDER BAR, Allston. Grant Langford Review.

ZEITGEIST GALLERY, Cambridge. At 7 p.m., Croixband. At 9:30 p.m., David Thorne Scott.

ZUZU, Cambridge. Eilen Jewell Band.

AT THE COMEDY CLUBS

BEANTOWN COMEDY VAULT, Boston. "Comedy Showcase" with Greg Howell.

CANTAB LOUNGE/THIRD RAIL, Cambridge. At 8 p.m., "Tribe Improv."

COMEDY CONNECTION, Boston. At 8:30 p.m., "The R-Rated Hypnotist" with Frank Santos.

COMEDY STUDIO AT HONG KONG, Cambridge. Derek Gerry, Mike Morrell, EJ Murphy, Arielle Goldman, Matt Wininger, Baratunde, Amy Tee, Margie Apfelbaum.

IMPROV ASYLUM, Boston. At 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., "Big Dig, The End of an Error."

IMPROVBOSTON THEATRE, Cambridge. At 8 p.m., "UnNatural Selection." At 10 p.m., "The Great and Secret Comedy Show."

NICK’S COMEDY STOP, Boston. At 8:30 p.m., Robbie Printz, Todd Parker.

POPULAR MUSIC CONCERTS

In an earlier life, Prince was a musical genius, combining R&B, hard rock, pop, and funk in ways that are almost impossible these days unless your name happens to be Andre 3000. And though he’s no longer writing music for the mainstream — his progressive jazz-funk polemics prize eccentricity above almost all else — he’s proved a genius in business as well. After signing with Columbia last year, he burned up the Billboard charts by including a copy of his new album in the ticket price for his current tour. When he announced that this would be his final greatest-hits set, ticket sales — and thus album sales — soared. (Bitch is even making us reviewers buy our own seats.) Tickets supposedly remain for tonight's final show at the FleetCenter, and go for $49.50 and $75; call (617) 931-2000.

OTHER CONCERTS:

LARRY BAIONE AND TIM MILLER perform at 7 p.m. at Berklee Performance Center, 136 Mass. Ave., Boston. Tickets $5, $2 for seniors; (617) 747-2261.

JAZZ HIP-HOP ORCHESTRA performs from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont St., Boston. Free; (617) 426-5000.

SAW DOCTORS perform at 8 p.m. at Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, 169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, NH. Tickets $21; (603) 929-4022.

VANS WARPED TOUR features performances by New Found Glory, Coheed and Cambria, Taking Back Sunday, Flogging Molly, Anti Flag, Bouncing Souls, Bad Religion, Yellowcard, Story of the Year, Atmosphere, Sugarcult, International Noise Conspiracy, Tiger Army, Rise Against, the Casualties, Rufio, Allister, Avenged Sevenfold, Matchbook Romance, Billy Talent, Guttermouth, the Briggs, Washington Social Club, Fallout Boy, Alexis on Fire, Letter Kills, the Kinison, Rose Hill Drive, Planetsmashers, ZOX, Oreon, Jersey, Eden Row, Audio Karate, Amber Pacific, Breaking the Silence, Melee, Rolling Blackouts, Early Man, Number One Fan, Silverstein, From First to Last, Tokyo Rose, Hidden in Plain View, Brazil, Dynamite Boy, Underoath, Bayside, Underminded, Holiday, Ambry, Plan B, the Skeptics, Fire When Ready, Break the Silence, Amity, A Wilhelm Scream, Matches, Boys Night Out, Days like These, Lightweight Holiday, Staring Back, and Nor Am I beginning at noon at the Gillette Stadium parking lot, Foxborough. Tickets $30.50; call (617) 931-2000.

CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERTS

CHRISTIAN TETZLAFF performs Brahms’s Violin Sonatas Nos. 1, 2, and 3 with pianist Lars Vogt at 8:30 p.m. at Tanglewood, Seiji Ozawa Hall, Lenox. Tickets $15-$45; (617) 266-1200.

DANCE/PERFORMANCE

"An action painting come to life"? That how the New York Times’ Anna Kisselgoff described Chinese choreographer Shen Wei’s The Rite of Spring, which is performed to a two-piano version of Stravinsky’s Le sacre du printemps. Shen’s company will be bringing that and the 2001 work Behind Resonance to Jacob’s Pillow this weekend. Performances are tonight and tomorrow at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8, and Sunday at 2 in the Ted Shawn Theatre, 358 George Carter Road in Becket. Tickets are $45, $40.50 for children, students, and seniors; call (413) 243-0745.

33 FAINTING SPELLS performs Our Little Sunbeam tonight and tomorrow at 8:15 p.m., Sat. at 2:15 and 8:15 p.m., and Sun. at 5 p.m. at Jacob’s Pillow, Doris Duke Studio Theatre, 358 George Carter Rd., Becket. Tickets $18-$20; (413) 243-0745.

DANCE/PARTICIPATORY

GREEK FOLK DANCE is at 7 p.m. at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary, 29 Central St., Somerville. Free; (617) 625-2222.

MILONGA LA PORTENA is at 8:30 p.m. at the Brookline Community Center for the Arts, 14 Green St., Brookline. Tickets $10; (617) 738-2800.

NEW ENGLAND CONTRAS AND SQUARES is at 8 p.m. at the VFW Mount Auburn Post, 688 Huron Ave., Cambridge. Tickets $6; (781) 662-6710.

SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCE is at 8 p.m. with a beginners’ dance at 7:30 p.m. at the Universalist Church, 211 Bridge St., Salem. Tickets $3; (978) 745-2229.

TEMPORADA LATINA SALSA AND MERENGUE DANCE is at 8 p.m. at Ryles Jazz Club (second floor), 212 Hampshire St., Cambridge. Tickets $12 before 9 p.m.; $8 after 9 p.m.; (617) 876-9330.

EVENTS

CARNIVAL 2004 with parties, parades, music, and more continues today throughout Provincetown. Free; (800) 637-8696.

CHALK ONE UP FOR THE ARTS is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at City Hall Plaza, Boston. Free; (617) 244-3171.

AT THE MOVIES

Cameron Crowe took a standard John Hughes formula — popular slacker falls for rich and beautiful scholarship winner — and added John Cusack, Ione Skye, a terrific soundtrack, and killer dialogue to come up with Say Anything (1989), one of the hippest and most authentic films about young love ever made. It screens at 11 a.m. as part of the Coolidge Corner Theatre’s "Teens on Screen" series. The Coolidge is at 290 Harvard Street in Brookline; call (617) 734-2501.