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: Frank Black at House of Blues
It’s dubbed “the best album Pixies never made,” and now it’s getting its anniversary flowers. Frank Black is celebrating 30 years of Teenager of the Year with a special 4AD reissue and a series of shows to kick off 2025, and along the way to curing our “Headache” is an awaited homecoming romp tonight at Citizens House of Blues in Boston. It’s Black’s signature solo moment, and the May ’94 record will be performed in full by he and the band that created it. “Sometime in the early ’80s, I’d have to look up the date, I matriculated high school,” Black says in a lengthy statement read in full here. “This school held an awards banquet for some of the departing students at the school. I received an award called the Teenager of the Year award; my brother received the same award the following year. Our award was a $50 credit for textbooks, a Teenager of the Year medallion (my mother still has this), and also the banquet hall dinner, soup to nuts. My brother and I had no complaint about the award (it was given for being all-around-good-guy as best as we could determine). But for such a grand title to be given as Teenager of the Year, I felt the glory had not been amplified enough.”
FRANK BLACK :: Friday, January 31 at House of Blues, 15 Lansdowne St. in Boston, MA :: 7 p.m., all ages, $37.50 to $59.50 :: Event info :: Advance tickets
Comedy: Shhh…Secret Comedy at Laugh Boston
For the past dozen years, Vanyaland has taken pride in presenting details — telling readers the what, where, when, how, and — even sometimes — the why. But every now and then we relay word of something without really knowing what’s up, and that’s at play here as Laugh Boston tonight presents Shhh…Secret Comedy!. Here’s the word from the Seaport joint: “Shhh…Secret Comedy! is a unique live stand-up comedy experience that brings an element of surprise and exclusivity to Boston’s comedy scene. Hosted by Laugh Boston, this show combines top-notch comedic talent with a mystery twist, creating a night you won’t forget.” Laugh says the secret location will be revealed at some point today, and after attendees meet at Laugh, “public transit and parking information will be provided with your ticket.” So who knows where we’ll end up, and who we’ll be seeing perform live. Hey, why not?
SHHH…SECRET COMEDY :: Friday, January 31 at Laugh Boston, 425 Summer St. in Boston, MA :: Doors at 6:30, $15 :: Event info and advance tickets
Film/TV: ‘Groundhog Day’ at Alamo Drafthouse
With everything going on in the world, you’re forgiven if you forgot that Sunday is Groundhog Day. But Alamo Drafthouse never forgets, and lines up programming that’ll make Punxsutawney Phil forget all about his silly shadow. Groundhog Day, Harold Ramis’ 1993 classic starring Bill Murray, hits the Drafthouse screen on Sunday, and this “sweet fable about humanity” might be enough to ward off those Sunday Scaries. Here’s the word from the cinema: “Murray plays Phil Connors, an egotistical Pittsburgh weatherman who hates nothing more than Groundhog Day. He detests covering the annual festival in nearby Punxsutawney, PA, and he especially despises sharing his name with the town’s celebrated rodent. Phil hopes to get in and out of the small town as soon as possible, but a blizzard strands him overnight and Phil wakes up to find out there is no next day – it’s still February 2. Outside, the people of Punxsutawney are celebrating Groundhog Day as if the previous 24 hours never happened, and Phil is the only one caught in a feeling of deja vu gone wild!”
‘GROUNDHOG DAY’ :: Sunday, February 2 at Alamo Drafthouse, 60 Seaport Blvd. in Boston, MA :: 4 p.m., $10.99 :: Event info and advance tickets