Ah, September in New England. Warm days, cool nights, the first hints of fall color -- and the Ren Faire's back! Yes, nothing can stop King Richard's Faire and it's annual tent raising in the Carver cranberry bogs. Tacky? -- sure. Historically accurate? -- please. A compelling mash-up of theatre-meets-carnival-meets tattoo parlor-meets petting zoo-meets flea market? -- yeah, that's about right. Oh, and don't forget the giant turkey drum sticks! Hey, I like Anime Conventions and the spirit of camaraderie -- and cosplay -- seems to translate well. Anyway, King Richard's Faire opens this weekend and runs through October 21 -- throw on the old chain mail vest and give it a shot!

Here's a few other weekend nuggets:

Tickets are still available for the Jimmy Buffett concert at Gillette Stadium on Sunday. This is unusual because his shows are often early and complete sell outs (in the attendance sense not the musical!). Gillette is actually a pretty good place to see a show ... far better than the old Foxborough Stadium. Of course, for Buffett the best show is often in the parking lot! And believe me, give yourself a good hour and a half to clear Route 1 after the show.

Sam Adams Octoberfest is on the shelves now too. I think it's the best beer they produce. A little hint though, don't stick it in a chest of ice, this isn't freakin' Coor's Light! It's best right around 40 degrees -- that's when you can really appreciate the complexity. Yum.

Susan Tedeschi plays the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom tonight. She's a rock and blues powerhouse, and she shreds on guitar. Go!

Finally, I'm no giant fan of Guitar Center -- I hate all that corporate cool they try to impress you with -- but on Labor Day there's some really good deals to be had, especially on used and nicked-up stuff. It's worth checking out.

Have a safe and fun holiday weekend.

From Boston a six hour plane flight can either put you in London or Los Angeles -- I'm betting most locals would go for the trip across the pond. That doesn't mean everything from Blighty goes over big here -- take "Mr. Bean" as a prime example. "Mr. Bean's Holiday" opened with a resounding thud in these parts last Friday, and the rest of the country didn't seem too enchanted either. I can't speak for Peoria, but I think one of the reasons it flopped in the Hub is because we like our slapstick with a touch of grey matter. A guy in a tweed coat with a moronic expression on his face walking into lampposts may be the height of hilarity in other parts of the world, but not here. We may be snobby, we may be inflexible, but we're not stupid.

My personal gripe with "Mr Bean" is the fact that actor Rowan Atkinson is capable of so much more. He's slumming with "Bean." Sure, physical comedy is tough, but wit without words leaves an actor on a tightrope with no safety net. Words, in fact, happen to be one of Atkinson's strengths. If you've seen his work in the British TV series "Blackadder" you know what I'm talking about. He's brilliant as a scheming rogue who spouts the most creative of put downs. He's nasty, with morals as black as his name, and he's a character for the ages. Smart and funny -- what a concept.

The other amazing thing about "Blackadder" is how Atkinson can more than hold is own with some of Britain's best performers -- I mean we're talking about Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry and Miranda Richardson! Sure, Richard Curtis and Ben Elton provide sparking dialogue, but this is comedy that literally spans the centuries -- and it's Atkinson who holds it all together. Whether it's Elizabethan England or the reign of King George "Blackadder" is a scurvy nave without an ounce of sentiment. It's not until the World War I years that a slight, but poignant transformation takes place. It's so good -- and so not "Bean."

I know Atkinson likes to think of "Bean" as a Chaplinesque character, but that's a real reach. Chaplin's tramp managed to speak for his times without speaking a word, but it was no gimmick. Chaplin found a truly inspired way to create art in the era of silent movies. "Bean" has more in common with the crass buffoonery of Benny Hill than anything else. "Bean" may be Atkinson's retirement plan, but thanks to "Blackadder" it won't be his only legacy.

A friend and colleague from work is battling cancer and we're all pulling for him with all our hearts. It's hard to know what to do or say sometimes, but you want him to know you care. Right now he's still undergoing chemo, and I know what that can do to your spirits. So I decided to make a mix CD -- some old, some new, and a flavor of Boston in just the right places.

I know firsthand how music can pull you through some of your darkest moments, and sometimes a song or artist suggested by a friend can really open your eyes. Pulling a dozen tracks or so from a library of thousands can be a little daunting, but I've learned to trust instinctual selections, and realize there's no perfect mix.

Here's what I went with,

1. "Three Easy Pieces" / Buffalo Tom -- it's the strongest track from their new CD, and proof that experience, and a few miles on the odometer aren't something to dread, but appreciate.
2. "Lost in the Supermarket" / The Clash -- classic Clash, but not overplayed. Also highlights the talent of Mick Jones who sometimes gets lost in Joe Strummer's considerable shadow.
3. "Sheena is a Punk Rocker" / The Ramones -- Pure pop/punk bliss.
4. "Silver Lining" / Rilo Kiley -- brand new, and a perfect indie rock/alt-country blend.
5. "Turn On Me" / The Shins -- some people think these guys are too smart for their own good. I'm not one of them.
6. "Finer Feelings" / Spoon -- another new song from a band that's finally getting the attention it deserves.
7. "Someday" / The Strokes -- rock pared down to its essential elements, and with a hook that won't let go.
8. "If I Can't Change Your Mind" / Sugar -- Bob Mould drops some of the Husker Du speed grunge and crafts a great pop rock song.
9. "Doctor Worm" / They Might Be Giants -- this song just makes me smile no matter how many times I hear it.
10. "The Long Cut" / Uncle Tupelo -- Jeff Tweedy takes the vocals on this one, and brings it home perfectly.
11. "Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner" / Warren Zevon -- weird and wonderful, just like Warren.
12. "Hello Operator" / The White Stripes -- blues with 'tude. Sweet.
13. "Dreamer In My Dreams" / Wilco -- yeah, I know I'm a Tweedy geek. This one proves he can rock out old school.
14. "Who Made Who" (Live) / AC/DC -- so awesome in concert.
15. "Let's Go" / The Cars / so detached, so cool, and after all these years no other band on the planet sounds like them.
16. "Colorblind" / Counting Crows -- beautiful and healing.

Get well soon Jeff.

It's the last weekend in August and it's going to be hot and steamy in Boston. So today I have a double-edged plea for coolness in the Hub. Drink lots of fluids, and if you see one of the stars' currently shooting a film in town don't act like some backwater dolt.

Cast and crew of "The Women" and "Bachelor Number 2" are at work right now -- soon Steve Martin's Pink Panther sequel will pay a visit. You may have seen pictures in the Globe and Herald of Kate Hudson and Jason Biggs. Meg Ryan is apparently running around somewhere. That's great for the city and the economy, and the Boston area offers so much character as a film setting. But let's leave it at that. Don't get in the way and stare like a simpleton just because some Hollywood-types are in the zip code. They're actors -- big deal.

I'm doing my best to smash the altar of celebrity worship (that means athletes too Tom Brady). I realize these people do colorful things for a living, but they're just folks. If we'd only respect our school teachers, nurses, and social workers as much. Everyone who does their job with excellence deserves recognition. It doesn't mean I have less respect for actors -- it means I consider them working stiffs just like you and me.

So if you see Kate and Dax Shepard pushing the old stroller around the Common, please smile and say hi -- but for god's sake don't ask for an autograph. And if you pass a landscape crew on the Common -- do the same thing.

It's like the punchline of some Red State vs Blue State joke -- Janeane Garofalo on "24." Except it's totally true. Yes, one of Hollywood's most outspoken liberals (wait a minute is that redundant?) will play a government agent investigating whatever torture-porn storyline the "24" writers can come up with next season. Perhaps her character is meant to offer some psychological balance to Kiefer Sutherland's Agent Jack Bauer. Maybe as Jack is biting the jugular vein out of a rival's neck, Janeane's character could point out a vegan alternative.

This is so not cool a move by Garofalo. I don't care who's producing a show for Fox TV, if you're on the schedule you're working for Rupert Murdoch. How can Garofalo possibly justify the move after railing against Murdoch and Roger Ailes and the Fox News Channel for years? The struggling actor excuse just isn't going to cut it. Garofalo has the talent and name recognition to make a very decent living as a performer. She'll make a boatload of dough working on "24" but at what cost? She's now hit rock bottom on the integrity scale.

On the other hand Murdoch and Fox must be having themselves a giant laugh over all this. They could care less about the odd casting choice. Hell, they'd cast Michael Vick as a country vet in a series if they could. Money is the only consideration here. Fox will exploit anything and everything to make a buck -- including themselves. One of the reason the network is so successful is they'll throw just about anything on the screen -- highbrow ("House") lowbrow ("Cops") middlebrow ("American Idol"), if the ratings and demos are right then game on.

I'm sure Janeane will try to turn this all into some "behind enemy lines" adventure, but I'm not buying it. We all have to make our own choices about what's right and wrong in our personal and professional lives, and then live with the consequences. As the old knight in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" might have said, "Janeane, you have chosen poorly."

Who woulda thunk a Tuesday in late August would provide such a bounty of cool stuff? I'm not asking why, I'm just celebrating.

Let's start with video games. "Bioshock" for Xbox 360 and PC. It's a dark, dystopian adventure game for mature gamers that makes you think as much as shoot. The early reviews have been glowing (pun intended), some calling it the most important game of the year. It was also developed right here in the Boston area at Irrational Games/2K in Quincy.

On to Music. New CD from Rilo Kiley called "Under the Blacklight." The indie kids move up to a big label (Warner Brothers) but don't expect any corporate sell out. This group continually pushes their sound in new directions. I'll buy it without hearing a track. If you're into genre-busting music, then "Kala" the new CD from M.I.A. is a solid bet. Expect big beats, hip hop grooves, and a complex world view from an MC with roots in both Britain and Sri Lanka. Challenging, controversial, and totally now.

In concert. Rufus Wainwright holds court at Avalon tonight. Lots of lush, intelligent pop. He'll play forever too so you'll get your money's worth. He can be a bit of a challenge for straight guys, but fellas the gals love him! So put on your best metro-sexual game face and go. Over at T.T. the Bear's Place in Cambridge a classic rock trio from the Netherlands is headlining -- they're called Drive Like Mary.

And on the tube. HBO has Kenneth Branagh's latest dip into the Shakespearean canon. "As You Like It" stars Bryce Dallas Howard (Ron's daughter), Kevin Kline and Alfred Molina. It's also set in 19th-century Japan! Gotta see it.

Guess the summer doldrums are really over. Sweet.

It begins in about a week. Tens of thousands of college students return to the Boston area like the swallows to San Juan Capistrano. Traffic returns to its pre-Memorial Day levels of insanity, pizza joints quadruple their business, the MBTA becomes a dorm on rails, and the music scene shakes off its summer can't miss, crowd pleaser syndrome. Rilo Kiley's coming, They Might be Giants are returning, Spoon is due ... what a relief, not a Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo in sight!

My favorite chart to follow in music magazines is the College Radio album top ten. The current edition of Rolling Stone is a good example why. Spoon and TMBG are there. So are The White Stripes, Ryan Adams, and Wilco ... not a Nickelback or Maroon 5 in sight. Who says our higher education system isn't working.

There's a nice story to report down at Virginia Tech, as that school works to regroup from last spring's shooting tragedy. Dave Matthews, John Mayer, and Nas will all perform at a welcome back concert for students and faculty on September 6th. Music can heal and I hope the message carries over long into the school year.

I have great respect for the guitar chops of Matthews and Mayer -- I wish their songs took a few more unexpected turns, but their musicianship cannot be questioned. I especially think Mayer gets a bad rap sometimes. I mean it's like the dude has to fight a battle between love-struck girls and guitar geeks every time out. Leave him alone and let him play, he's about the best axman there is right now. "Gravity" and "Waiting On The World To Change" are two very solid tunes.

Here's my challenge to all you post-college folks out there. Start listening to new music and hitting a few club-sized shows. You're not being disloyal to Bruce and and U2 if you suddenly discover something of more recent vintage. So many of the people I know just stop listening to music or buying music after leaving school. Our lives all have a soundtrack and we need to keep updating. Put the iPod on shuffle to pick up the old stuff -- but plug in some new tracks to keep it fresh.

That's all. I've got to rip up some old bed sheets for a toga party.

This Sunday at the Bank of America Pavilion a tribute concert for Brad Delp will honor the memory of the late singer from the rock group Boston. The gig is called "Come Together" -- but it's feeling more like "Falling Apart." Sammy Hagar pulled out this week citing some nebulous "personal business reasons" and former Jefferson Starship singer Mickey Thomas is also sending his apologies. Gates that were once scheduled to open at 5:00 pm will now open at 6:00 pm.

Okay, so who's still in? All the surviving members of the original Boston will be there, and ego-maniac founder Tom Scholz will bring along his new lineup of corporate rock suck-ups. Oops, I forgot this was a charity event, how about classic rock sycophants! Anyway, don't expect a love fest between the new Boston and the old Boston -- the lawyers are probably going over the set list right now. Everybody's doing the right thing showing up, but there's just too much bad blood between these guys to make it a true act of selflessness.

So who is showing up? The newly reformed Extreme will be there ... yeah, I'm underwhelmed with that one too. How about Godsmack, RTZ, Farrenheit, and Orion The Hunter? Still not impressed, huh? ... ditto. Hold on, hold on what about Michael Sweet from Stryper?! I guess Kip Winger was playing a wedding reception and couldn't make it.

I know I'm being a little nasty about all this, but maybe it's because I think Delp deserves a lot better. His vocals on Boston's mammoth debut are the stuff of rock and roll legend. How may octaves does he scale on "More Than A Feeling" ... twelve! That album is etched in stone as a cultural landmark of the 70's. Sure, Scholz provided the riffs, but without Delp the material never would have taken off the way it did. I think a tribute concert of this nature deserves much bigger acts.

Delp's suicide last March was so sad. My heart truly goes out to his family and friends and I know the money raised at Sunday's concert will go to worthy causes. I hope everyone on the stage and in the audience will bond over what we lost ... and what we once had. Brad, in the summer of '76 you were so much more than just another band out of Boston.

RIP

I have to say right out of the gate that I have no formal training in dance or choreography ... I do, however, know a thing or two about talent, passion, excellence, and creativity ... so I write this blog about The Gold School in Brockton from that perspective. I had the incredible pleasure of attending a benefit performance by members of the Gold School at Whitman-Hanson High School this past weekend. The sights, sounds, and energy from that night are still, literally dancing in my head. "Dance Art" is how the school describes its vocation, and that promise is delivered in stunning ways.

The show I saw was called "Moves/one peace...one world." It was produced by Gold School Director Rennie Gold, and directed and designed by Larry Sousa. Sousa is an award winning director, choreographer, set designer, performer, and teacher -- he's also a Gold School alum who connects with young performers in an amazing way. In this show he skillfully weaved young children just getting their first taste of stage performance with young adults in full command of their powerful and graceful bodies -- a true collaboration of athlete and artist.

Using a mostly bare stage, with projections of words and images in sync with the various pieces, the dancers captivated the audience in groups large and small. The music was classic and contemporary -- the costumes ranging from blazing orange to simple black and white -- the performers proudly representing their diverse ethnic backgrounds. Some had classic dancer's bodies, others did not, but it didn't matter -- in fact it made the company more real and affecting. For me the most magical piece of the night was two young brothers dancing together ... their joy and skill propelled by the music. Moments like that just don't happen ... it takes people with vision and commitment to plant the creative seeds. That's what's happening at The Gold School.

So, to all the folks behind this wonderful evening, congratulations and Bravo! If you live in the Brockton area or have a child interested in dance at the highest level, look up the people at The Gold School, and give them your support.

http://www.thegoldschool.com/

One of the things I love about music, especially in regards to emerging artists, is it really doesn't matter at what point you get on the fan bus -- as long as you get on. I've climbed aboard with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals and I have no intention of getting off. This past weekend I picked up the group's new CD, "This Is Somewhere" and I am smitten. This is smart, contemporary, roots rock that both soothes and challenges.

Potter and company are Vermont-based and formed back in 2004. Their sound has a distinct country feel, but they clearly know how to rock. At 24, Potter is a confident songwriter and a crack musician. She plays guitar, piano and the Hammond B-3. Her, cohorts include lead guitarist Scott Tournet (who can also play a sweet lap steel), drummer Matt Burr and bassist Bryan Dondero -- these guys are tight and unafraid to add clever fills and accents to the songs. They support Potter, well, with uncanny grace.

The opening track, "Ah Mary" is about the bravest, and most honest take on American life under George W. since Green Day's "American Idiot." The song starts out sounding like a barroom rocker about a hellcat of a woman -- she'll bake you cookies/then she'll burn your town, -- it's not until then end of the song that Ah Mary is stretched into Ah Mary-ca. It's a brilliant scorcher played with edge and passion. Best new song I've heard this year.

The rest of the CD is equally solid if less ground breaking. Potter can play the romantic and the cynic with equal conviction. Other standouts include "Stop the Bus," "Mr. Columbus," and "Lose Some Time." There isn't a clunker in the bunch. I pick up everything from shades of Drive By Truckers, Gin Blossoms, and Kathleen Edwards in the songs. Pretty solid company.

This is a word of mouth band despite recent appearances on Good Morning America, and the Late, Late Show. Sure, Hollywood Records can provide some major label push, but it's people who love and appreciate music that have to spread the word.

Come on, get on the bus with me!

"Stardust" is magic, and I urge you not to believe the naysayers. If you are a fan of Neil Gaiman, a fan of Claire Danes, especially a fan of Robert De Niro, or a fan of love, life, and wit then a trip to the box office this weekend will reward you greatly. I have seen some ghastly reviews from critics that I actually respect -- Wesley Morris in the Boston Globe to name one -- and I am here to emphatically state that they've missed the whole point of this film, and missed it badly.

"Stardust" is a fantasy that isn't afraid to take just about everyone along for the ride. Gaiman has been knocking down the walls between mainstream fiction readers, graphic novel stalwarts and science fiction buffs for decades now. Here, he actually begins his story in a town called Wall, and then takes us through a breach to the world of Stormhold. Director Matthew Vaughn proves an able successor to Terry Gilliam, and this film owes a sly nod to Gilliam's masterwork "Brazil." Curiously, in the same places where Gilliam recently fell flat on his face with "The Brothers Grimm," Vaughn soars with his use of humor and flamboyance.

The film is absolutely gorgeous to look at. Costumes with nods to just about any century you want. Art direction that creates a sense of time and place equally rooted in fantasy and reality. As the hero, Tristan, Charlie Cox brings just the right amount of boyish goofiness crossed with pure-hearted romantic. He first must find a fallen star -- and I mean a literal fallen star -- Yvaine, played luminously (forgive me it's the only way to describe her performance) by Claire Danes. She is just brimming with intelligence, whip smart but not cynical. Together this quirky couple begin a quest that both celebrates and tweaks the common themes of fantasy literature.

The supporting cast is phenomenal. De Niro steals the movie as a swashbuckling sky pirate with a secret. It's a performance of pure joy and style. Like he did in Gilliam's "Brazil" as a guerrilla janitor, De Niro creates a character that radiates panache on everyone around him. Michelle Pfeiffer also has the time of her life as an evil witch bent on eternal youth and eternal life. She's terrific, even better than her other Cruella De Ville take this summer in "Hairspray."

Throw in a Greek chorus of murderous princes, that actually has shades of "Harry Potter," a goat turned innkeeper -- named Billy of course --, a quirky old gate keeper with hidden ninja skills ... People, trust me this movie is fearless force of nature.

"Stardust" is one of those films that will spawn plenty of debate, but I wanted to stake my turf early and unequivocally -- it's the true gem of the summer movie season.

August is like March in reverse. It comes in all mellow and quiet, and by the end it's a tsunami. In fact in my town the kids head back to school before the calendar turns to September. But let's not get ahead of ourselves -- it's still early August and I have one more taste of vacation next week. The Mike Stand remains open, and I'll try to drop in a few nuggets while I'm chilling out.

Here's a few suggestions for this weekend.

Colin Quinn at the Comedy Connection in Boston Saturday night. Bare knuckle, but smart stuff.

Springsteen may be spending the summer in the studio, but Jersey bothers in arms Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes pull into town tomorrow night. Harpers Ferry in Allston is the place.

Still tickets available for Crowded House at the Bank of America Pavilion on Sunday. Bittersweet power pop under the stars.

Stay cool.

Just wanted to give a quick shout out to Matt Damon, our home grown movie star. "The Bourne Ultimatum" opens tonight at midnight, and the buzz is more like a sonic boom. The kid from Cambridge is having a great summer that began with a wonderful, self effacing performance in "Ocean's 13." Damon hasn't let Hollywood get under his skin, instead he wears stardom like a pair of broken-in jeans.

Now, I have to admit I still laugh when I think about the Matt Damon marionette in "Team America" -- but the "South Park" boys aren't right about everything. Damon manages to morph into his characters so completely that his acting seems effortless. That only happens when an actor has complete confidence in his craft.

It's impossible not to compare and contrast Damon with his pal Ben Affleck, but to be fair you really have to take the two actors separately. Ben just isn't the natural that Matt is -- you can almost see the gears turning in his head he's working so hard. I think that's the most endearing thing about Affleck, but it also gets him into big trouble sometimes. He was just so damn bad in "Armageddon," "Pearl Harbor," and "Gigli." In fact, in my book, his two best performances are in "Good Will Hunting" and "Dogma." I don't have to tell you who his co-star was.

Damon is that rare breed of leading man who's also a crack character actor. His Linus in the "Ocean" series being the best example. He isn't afraid to be a dork, in fact he revels in it. He's also not afraid to be the bad guy as he proved in "The Talented Mr. Ripley." Face it, the dude was born with talent, and unlike the Lindsay Lohan's of the world, he isn't blowing it.

So, it's official Whoppi Goldberg is the new moderator of the ABC coffee clatch "The View." Now that the worst kept secret in broadcasting has been revealed, what can we make of Barbara Walter's executive decision? Inspired? -- no. Controversial? -- no. A post-Rosie stroke of genius -- no. A Band-aid solution to a severed limb? -- bingo.

Rosie O'Donnell, for all her bluster and self-promotion, brought an energy and edge to "The View" that it never had before. It morphed from a politically correct suburban tea room into an independent java joint. Right or wrong, Rosie set a challenging agenda, and the rest of the gals went along for the ride. Only Joy Behar proved up to the test. Barbara remains an insufferable bore with her passive-aggressive thing. Then there's Elisabeth -- dear Elisabeth Hasselbeck. So shrill, so self-important, so predictable. Of course she and Rosie hated each other -- it was also the only reason to watch.

Now Whoppi gets her shot in the moderator's chair, and I feel kind of bad for her. She's a talented lady but in a world weary, sadder but wiser way. You can't get much more layed back than Whoppi, and if you're a social moderate you're going to pretty much agree with everything she says. That might make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, but it's not going to make for great television.

So, nice going Barabra -- but I think your going to need a bigger band-aid.