AGP Executive Report

Queer Nightlife: Greenfield’s Last Ditch, a lesbian bar built as a gathering place for the region’s queer community, is struggling with debt and the departure of two co-founders. Its move to make some events mask-optional has also sparked backlash. Weekend Arts: Fort Point Open Studios and the Boston Book Festival are among this week’s local draws, with events running Oct. 15–23. Public Art: Illuminated arches are marking the start of a new cultural trail in East Boston. Film: Amherst Cinema is set to host a big-screen night for ephemeral films. Live Music: Massachusetts band State Radio is returning from hiatus with a 2027 tour.

Public Art: Illuminated arches are marking the start of a new cultural trail in East Boston, adding a fresh public-art destination to the neighborhood. Live Music: Phoebe Bridgers brought her phone-free “Lost Tour” to TD Garden, earning a rave review. Boston-founded progressive-metal band Dream Theater has also begun recording its 17th album. On the Calendar: Calvin Harris will open his first North American arena tour at TD Garden on April 1, 2027. Museum Scene: The Museum of Fine Arts celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day with a gallery event.

Celtics: Payton Pritchard agreed to a two-year, $44.2 million extension, keeping the career-best-scoring guard in Boston through at least 2029. Women’s Sports: The Sports Bra Boston has chosen a Broad Street location beside the Rose Kennedy Greenway. The bar plans to host watch parties and pop-ups before opening in the coming months. Live Music: Greek singer Konstantinos Argiros drew more than 7,000 fans to a sold-out Boston concert at Agganis Arena. Film: A free Boston festival is adding a “Widow’s Bay” screening and a film contest.

Live Music: Olivia Rodrigo plays TD Garden this weekend, with last-minute ticket deals drawing attention; Bring Me The Horizon has also announced a July 31, 2027, show at Fenway Park. Arts Around Boston: Boston Public Library branches in Lower Mills and Grove Hall are adding “smart piano” programs, while Amherst Cinema plans a big-screen night for ephemeral films. On Screen: Massachusetts native Elizabeth Banks will star in and produce a series about Karen Read. Student Art: A 15-year-old’s design celebrating afterschool programs will appear on digital billboards nationwide, with Boston’s South Station set to light up Oct. 22.

Massachusetts on Screen: Pittsfield native Elizabeth Banks will star in and produce Prime Video’s planned series inspired by the Karen Read case and the “Karen” podcast. Gillette and the Tour: Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s tour after Gillette Stadium objected to the rapper’s onstage advocacy for Palestinians, according to a report citing stadium owner Robert Kraft. Boston Tour Stop: Fontaines D.C.’s 2027 North American run is set to begin in Boston next April, with Westside Cowboy and Iceage joining the tour. Remembering Duncan Sheik: The singer-songwriter and Tony-winning composer of “Spring Awakening” has died at 56; his career spanned the hit “Barely Breathing” and acclaimed theater scores. Local Arts: Boston Public Library branches in Lower Mills and Grove Hall are welcoming smart-piano programs, while Amherst Cinema plans a big-screen night for ephemeral films.

Boston’s Event Scene: Cambridge restaurant Cloud & Spirits has swapped regular dinner service for private events, hosting music, comedy, art shows and weddings—a shift its owner says offers more predictable business. Salem Halloween: Local singing sisters are bringing the city’s dark history to life with a seasonal event. Arts Around Massachusetts: The Great Glass Pumpkin Patch returns for its 17th year, while Boston audiences can catch a silent film with live organ accompaniment by Peter Krasinski. On Screen: A suspense thriller made with a Lawrence cast and crew is headed to theaters, promising horror without gore.

Live Music: Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour after pro-Palestinian remarks; Patriots owner Robert Kraft also barred him from Gillette Stadium, putting the controversy close to home for Massachusetts concertgoers. Boston Design: A contemporary building at the North End’s entrance has sparked debate over how new development should fit the historic neighborhood. Salem Halloween: Local singing sisters are bringing the city’s dark history to life in a seasonal performance. Film: A free Boston festival will feature a Widow’s Bay screening and a film contest. Public Art: Wampanoag tribes have proposed a design for Boston’s first permanent Indigenous monument, planned for Franklin Park.

Boston on Screen: Netflix’s Love Is Blind heads to Boston for season 11, following 30 local singles as they date in the pods; the first episodes arrive Oct. 14. Live Music: Teddy Swims brought soul—and flying hotdogs—to TD Garden, while a new report spotlights Massachusetts native Meg Montagnino-Jarrett’s screen work. Local Film: A free Boston festival will feature a Widow’s Bay screening and a film contest. Arts & Culture: New England’s largest Latino arts center has opened in Boston, expanding the city’s cultural offerings.

Live Music: Teddy Swims brought soul—and flying hotdogs—to TD Garden, while The Chicks delivered a fiery stage show. On Screen: “Boston Blue” returned for Season 2, and a free Boston festival will screen “Widow’s Bay” alongside a film contest. Meg Montagnino-Jarrett’s work also puts Massachusetts in the spotlight. Arts Spaces: New England’s largest Latino arts center has opened in Boston, while Lawrence’s Potters’ Guild has found temporary space through a nonprofit pairing artists with landlords. Community Arts: Worcester celebrated immigrant culture with food and local characters, and Greenfield’s Artspace plans a free Teen Art Collective starting in November.

Boston Film: Chinese drama Once Upon a Time in the Middle East has opened in North America, with Boston among the cities showing the subtitled film about a restaurant caught in wartime. Local Arts: The Lawrence Potters’ Guild has secured temporary space through a nonprofit that pairs artists with landlords, giving the group a home for its work. Free Festival: A screening of Widow’s Bay and a film contest are coming to a Boston festival. Halloween Scene: A local costume shop is finding ways to compete with Spirit Halloween and online retailers this spooky season. Greek American Arts: Alpha Omega marked its 50th anniversary with a Boston concert, gala and leadership luncheon.

Boston Film: A free festival at City Hall Plaza on Oct. 17 will screen the final two episodes of Massachusetts-made series “Widow’s Bay,” alongside industry panels, DJs and a cellphone-film contest for aspiring filmmakers. On Set: Eva Longoria was spotted filming “Marcelo in the Real World” in Dorchester. Arts & Culture: Boston’s first permanent Indigenous monument is planned for Franklin Park, while a new MFA exhibit puts the imagination of Boston youth on display. Nantucket Nightlife: The Gazebo sign is finding a new home as the island bar prepares to close.

Rock: Boston legends Aerosmith added Guns N’ Roses to two Hollywood Bowl concerts, expanding a star-packed celebration of the band’s five-decade career. Campus Arts: BU’s a cappella scene is welcoming new singers through demanding auditions and the promise of an instant community. Northeastern, meanwhile, has a 16-foot, drum-playing hare joining its Boston campus. Public Art: A Boston artist is inviting neighbors to speak for the trees, while Wampanoag tribes have proposed a design for the city’s first permanent Indigenous monument in Franklin Park. Dance: Boston Bhangra returns to the Strand, bringing the competition back to a local stage. Youth Arts: Greenfield’s Artspace plans to launch a free Teen Art Collective in November.

Local Rock: Hopedale-raised Joe Perry is reuniting with Aerosmith for two Los Angeles shows this month. Perry recently visited the Boston Globe for a podcast and to discuss a documentary that won two awards at the Boston Film Festival. Arts Funding: A federal appeals court in Boston heard arguments over whether the National Endowment for the Arts can enforce a funding restriction challenged by four theater groups, including Boston’s Theater Offensive. Jazz: Hyde Park Jazz Festival marks its 20th year, keeping live music at the center of the neighborhood’s cultural calendar. Film & Culture: UMass’s DEFA Film Library met with Germany’s new consul general in Boston to discuss upcoming programs, a symposium and next year’s Summer Film Institute. Dance: Boston Bhangra’s competition returns to the Strand.

Aerosmith Returns: Boston’s rock legends will reunite with an all-star lineup for two Hollywood Bowl shows on Oct. 29 and Nov. 1. Cape Radio Expansion: Brewster-based Salt Air Broadcasting plans to acquire Cape Cod Broadcasting Media on Nov. 30, adding three FM stations and widening its music reach across the Cape and South Shore. Boston Arts: A permanent Indigenous monument is planned for Franklin Park, while IFFBoston’s Fall Focus brings a slate of films to the Brattle. Live Music: Beabadoobee and Mt. Joy drew notice for recent TD Garden performances. Youth Arts: Greenfield’s Artspace will launch a free Teen Art Collective in November.

Arts & Hobbies: Mahjong’s comeback has reached Andover, where the Hidden Parlor opened as a social club; Boston-area Mahjong events more than quadrupled from 2024 to 2025. Comedy: Fred Armisen brings his music-minded comedy show to Boston’s Wilbur Theatre for two nights, Oct. 12–13. Local Arts: Wampanoag tribes have proposed a design for Boston’s first permanent Indigenous monument, planned for Franklin Park; Greenfield’s Artspace will also launch a free Teen Art Collective in November. Live Music: Watertown’s Mosesian Center for the Arts hosts a Barry Manilow tribute benefit on Oct. 27, raising money for lung cancer research. Phoebe Bridgers brought a phone-free, cosmic show to TD Garden, while Mt. Joy mixed music and memories at the arena. Boston Rock: Aerosmith’s original lineup is set to reunite for two all-star tribute concerts at the Hollywood Bowl on Oct. 29 and Nov. 1.

Music & Touring: Adrian Belew’s King Crimson offshoot Beat is on the road, spotlighting how the guitarist’s wide-ranging collaborations feed into the band’s shape-shifting legacy. Arts Education: Southbury Public Library is hosting a free Zoom program on Oct. 15 about New Deal-era WPA art and the artists who documented the Great Depression. Tech in Finance (Boston-area angle): Creatio announced the Bank.AI Summit agenda, with a keynote on building “agentic” banking and tracks on growth, service, and governance. Local Sports Spotlight (Mass.): Marblehead High School co-captain Owen Coyne is remembered after his death from a brain hemorrhage, described by family as a loss of a “quiet leader.” Entertainment & Culture: Atlanta’s NXT Awards return at the Coca-Cola Roxy with performances and a live-streamed ceremony. MLB Playoffs: Postseason coverage highlights wild swings and key series moments as the Division Series heats up. Public Life & Media: A Boston-area debate over filming terms resurfaces after Steven Crowder’s claims about Harvard professor Danielle Allen. Transportation & Daily Life: A Charles River electric ferry still hasn’t launched because DCR dock approvals are still pending.