Editor’s Note: Welcome to V3 Weekend, Vanyaland‘s guide to help you sort out your weekend entertainment with curated selections and recommendations across our three pillars of Music, Comedy, and Film/TV. It’s what you should know about, where you need to be, and where you’ll be going, with us riding shotgun along the way.
Music: The Sheila Divine at The Sinclair
The Sheila Divine have a bit of a holiday swing going on. This past Halloween, the enduring Boston indie band released new album I Am The Darkness. We Are The Light., their first recorded by solely guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Aaron Perrino, and then celebrated with a New Year’s Eve show in Perrino’s native Buffalo. Now they post up here at home for the first Saturday night of ’25 (January 4), taking on The Sinclair in Cambridge for the record’s official release party. “I wrote this album when my life was at a crossroads,” Perrino writes. “I was completely lost and looking to the universe for an answer. The songs and recordings came together in just two weeks, but I’ve been sitting on them. Not sure how I wanted to present them because this record means a lot to me. I hope you give it a listen… I’m a lifer and will always be a songwriter. Thanks for following my journey all these years!” Take I Am The Darkness. We Are The Light. out for a spin below.
THE SHEILA DIVINE + BAABES + TEARDROPS :: Saturday, January 4 at The Sinclair, 52 Church St. in Cambridge, MA :: 7 p.m., all ages, $20 :: Event info :: Advance tickets
Comedy: Dan Crohn at Nick’s Comedy Stop
In our rock clubs, as noted above, a celebrated homegrown act is highlighting the first weekend of the year. And in the comedy clubs, the same can be said, as Boston stand-up mainstay Dan Crohn takes over Nick’s Comedy Stop in the Theatre District. Crohn, who released his second comedy album You’re Better Than This in 2023, has assembled a crew for his two-night headlining stand: Appearing tonight (January 3) are James Dorsey, Andrew Haskell, and Joseph Katz; while Saturday (January 4) features John Tyler, Anthony Eugeno, and Justin George. “When I was a kid, I never thought about doing a headlining set, or really knew what being a headliner meant. I just knew I wanted to do comedy,” Crohn told us in a 2019 feature. “You learn a lot when you do a longer set, like the ability to pace yourself, and you deal with the lulls, and bringing the crowd back, and what affects your rhythm and timing. It’s just a whole new challenge, and I’m still just learning. I always feel like I’m still getting started.”
DAN CROHN :: Friday, January 3 and Saturday, January 4 at Nick’s Comedy Stop, 100 Warrenton St. in Boston, MA :: 7:30 p.m., $25 :: Event info and tickets
Film/TV: Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi at The Coolidge
The holidays are over, and we’re all back at it for the short week; might as well post up at Coolidge Corner Theatre this weekend and catch a classic. The Brookline indie cinema is screening Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi on Saturday afternoon (January 4) as part of its Projections series. And since we all pretty much know the plot to Jedi, here is word on the series itself: “Projections is our signature series exploring seminal classics and cult favorites from the world of science fiction. In a galaxy where power is absolute and oppression reigns, a diverse group of rebels rises to challenge the status quo. From the deserts of Arrakis to the forest moon of Endor, Projections 2025 will explore the unyielding fight for freedom against tyrannical forces. Whether it’s defying corrupt empires, confronting alien invaders, or unmasking societal control, each film will showcase the courage, sacrifice, and unity of those who refuse to accept a world shaped by fear and domination. Let’s watch together and hope for a better tomorrow!” Yub-nub, motherfuckers.
‘STAR WARS EPISODE VI: RETURN OF THE JEDI’ :: Saturday, January 4 at Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St. in Brookline, MA :: 1 p.m., $17 :: Event info and tickets