Things to Do in Boston Metro: May 1-8 Events

Below is a list of some of the coolest events in the Boston Metro Area for the first week of the May Calendar Month. If you are interested in reading about additional events in Boston or you'd like to hear about updates to this list as new events are added, you may want to read the blog I have recently started. Remarkable Boston Events is still in the maintenance process, but dozens of new events are being added everyday, so I encourage you to subscribe to the blog or save the link and check back frequently.

You may also benefit from reading the other articles in the May Events in Boston, MA Series which are titled:

*Things to Do in Boston Metro: May 9-15 Events
*Things to Do in Boston Metro: May 16-22 Events
*Things to Do in Boston Metro: May 23-31 Events
*Things to Do in Boston With Kids: May Calendar Month

And now for the list of cool Boston events for the first week in May.

India Jazz Suites: Pandit Chitresh Das and Jason Samuels Smith
Friday, April 30 @ 7:30pm
Saturday, May 1 @ 8:00pm
Sunday, May 2 @ 3pm
Institute of Contemporary Art, 100 Northern Ave. Boston, 02110
617-478-3100
$40

Indian Kathak Master, Pandit Chitresh Das and Emmy-Award Winning Tap Dancer, Jason Samuels Smith will collaborate for the Boston Premiere of "India Jazz Suites:Kathak Meets Tap". Put a little classical Indian Music and Jazz to accompany them to make for a musical and dance performance like you've never seen before. Get Tickets

Sommore, "Queen of Comedy" at The Wilbur
Saturday, May 1, 2010
9:45pm
Wilbur Theatre, 246 Tremont St. Boston 02116
$22-$29

The "Queen of Comedy" and Actress Sommore will perform at the Wilbur Theatre on May 1st. Get tickets from Ticketmaster, 1-800-745-3000

New England Steampunk Festival
Saturday, May 1, 2010
10:00am to 4pm
Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation, 154 Moody Street, Waltham, 02453
781-893-5410
All Ages
$6/Adults, $4/Kids

Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation will host the New England Steampunk Festival, a day filled with art vendors, authors, live music, dance performances, fashion shows, tea and scones and just about anything and everything related to the Steampunk sub-culture. "Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction and speculative fiction, frequently featuring elements of fantasy, that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era where steam power is still widely used." (Wikipedia).

Somerville Open Studios
Saturday, May 1 & Sunday May 2, 2010
12pm to 6pm
Located at various locations in Somerville
617.398.0346
sos@somervilleopenstudios.org
FREE

Over 300 artists living and working in Somerville will welcome the public into their homes, work studios and galleries where their artwork will be available to view and purchase. This 2 day event will make the annual Somerville Open Studios event 12 years old. Types of artwork on display will include photography, painting, printmaking, sculpture, jewelry and more. For a map of all sites open to visitors, check here. For more information on Somerville Open Studios click here. Note that art site hopping by foot or bike is strongly encouraged but for a list of parking lot locations, view this link.

Harvard Square Mayfair
Sunday, May 2, 2010
12pm to 6pm
Harvard Square, Cambridge
(617) 491-3434
All Ages
FREE

6 streets. 200 merchants. 40 food tents. 5 stages of music and dance. The annual Mayfair Festival will bring art, entertainment and food to six streets in Harvard Square: JFK Street, Brattle Street, Mass. Ave, Church St. and Eliot Street Triangle. New events this year include a grilling competition with Linebacker Adalius Thomas and a hair-cut-a-thon with area salons. For more information on the Mayfair, click here.

Daniel Clowes Discusses new Graphic Novel
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
6:00pm
Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge
617.661.1515
$5

Daniel Clowes, award winning author and comic will discuss his latest graphic novel, "Wilson" at the Brattle Theatre on Tuesday, May 4. This author event is presented by Harvard Book Store and tickets cost $5. Get them here

22nd Annual Return of Swans to Pubic Garden
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
11am
Public Garden, Beacon St. & Charles St., Boston 02116
All Ages
FREE

Every Spring the Return of Boston's famous and beloved swans (Romeo and Juliet) makes for quite an occasion. This year is no exception. On May 4, Mayor Thomas M. Menino, Boston Parks Commissioner Antonia Pollak, and Four Seasons Hotel Boston General Manager Bill Taylor will lead a celebration in the Public Garden to welcome the swans back to their "lagoon". Festivities will be offered in the form of a brass band, face painting and food vendors offering refreshments and free samples. There will also be a parade beginning at 11:30am at the conrer of Beacon St. and Charles St. by the Make Way For Ducklings statue.

Chuck Palahniuk Discusses New Novel
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
7pm
First Parish Church Meetinghouse, Mass Ave & Church St., Harvard Square, Cambridge
617.661.1515

Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club, Choke and Snuff, just to name a few, will appear at the First Parish Church in Harvard Square to promote his new book "Tell All". Tickets for this event are $27 and can be redeemed for a copy of the book at Harvard Book Store after the author discussion. A limited number of pre-signed copies will be available but the author will not be personalizing any books. More details and Tickets

Comedian Bill Burr at The Wilbur
Thursday, May 6 @ 7:30pm
Friday, May 7 @ 7:30pm and 10pm
The Wilbur Theatre, 246 Tremont St., Boston, 02116
(617) 248-9700
$24-$32

Comedian and Actor Bill Burr has made regular appearances in "Chappelle's Show", "Late Show with David Letterman", and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien". He also played a role in the recently released flick "Date Night" with Steve Carell and Tina Fey. Get tickets to see him perform here or call 1-800-745-3000

Billy Connolly Live
Thursday, May 6 & Friday, May 7, 2010
8:00pm
Citi Performing Arts Center Shubert Theatre,270 Tremont St. Boston, 02116
(617) 482-9393
$53-$63

After four weeks of sold out shows in London, British Comedian Billy Connolly will bring his latest, BILLY CONNOLLY LIVE! to Boston. Connolly, who you might recognize from the hit 80s sitcom "Head of the Class", has been called Britains greatest living comedian by critics. Both comic performances will take place at the Shubert Theatre in Downtown Boston. Tickets start at $53 and are for sale at Citicenter.org or by phone at 866-348-9738.

Boston Premiere of Human Centipede Horror Flick
Friday May 7 & Saturday, May 8, 2010
@ Midnight
Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard Street, Brookline 02446
617.734.2500

Come to the Coolidge Corner Theatre After Midnite Event to see this biological (and some say medically accurate) horror film about a crazy scientist's mission to connect two innocent girls' bodies by their respective gastric systems in hopes of creating the first human centipede. Rumor has it this movie is not for the squeamish.

Comedian Lisa Lampanelli at The Wilbur
Saturday, May 8, 2010
7pm and 9:45pm
The Wilbur Theatre, 246 Tremont St. Boston, 02116
617-248-9700
$42 -$62

Comedian Lisa Lampanelli, described by Jim Carrey as "More than a standup--a standout," can regularly be seen on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno", Howard Stern's Sirius Satellite Radio shows and Comedy Central. She also has been one of the few white comedian's to perform on BET's "Comic View". You might have also seen her one hour comedy special "Long Live the Queen" recently on HBO. Get tickets from Ticketmaster, 1-800-745-3000.

This is only a handful of the many events taking place in Boston during the May Calendar Month. Check out my blog, Remarkable Boston Events, where I will regularly post additional events as they come to my attention.