Blogs

One more busy August weekend on tap, starting with Gregg Gillis doing his mash-up dance party as Girl Talk at Bank of America Pavilion Friday and Northampton’s Calvin Theatre Saturday. Not for the faint of heart, especially those afraid of flying toilet-paper streams. Here’s a taste of Girl Talk’s live mania (sorry the audio isn’t perfect): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAclWU7rqWQ.

Saturday also sees Bruce Springsteen and his expanded E Street Band tackle Gillette Stadium to complete his Boston trifecta. Here’s a prime cut from one of his big shows at Fenway Park this week: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7RSTUuFr8A. There’s also Def Leppard at the Comcast Center, basking in the afterglow of the movie “Rock of Ages.” Just “Foolin’” –- Def Lep still cuts it live for real: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz8UYM9MFpg. But here are a couple Saturday picks off the beaten path. Vocal charmer k.d. lang leads her Siss Boom Bang band at Lowell’s beautiful Boarding House Park: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwOWg-L5oZk. And Berklee-bred vocalist and looping whiz Julia Easterlin plays a free 2 p.m. concert on Georges Island: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0al04dPAEw. Also during the day, if Jamaica Plain’s experimental Whitehaus Family Record doesn’t mess up on permits, expect hundreds of bands to invade Boston Common for short sets Saturday as part of what’s being billed as Woodstock 4. How’s that for chutzpah?

The free Salem Jazz and Soul Festival also takes over waterside Salem Willows this weekend, from 11:15 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days. Saturday highlights include Allman Brothers drummer Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band and Dub Apocalypse, while New Orleans’ Dirty Dozen Brass Band headlines Sunday. Here’s a recent shot of the Dirty Dozen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je__wINoC1M. And my pick for the weekend is Sunday night’s return of the interesting (if an acquired taste) New York indie-rockers the Dirty Projectors at the Paradise. The group's breakthrough Bitte Orca was one of 2009's finest albums, showcasing surreal vocal harmonies, and on the new Swing Lo Magellan, mastermind Dave Longstreth tries a more beat-centric, accessible outing, if still with the usual Projectors' quirks. Here's a recent live sample from NYC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0AColw8XVE&feature=relmfu.