Boston, MA
A tale of two Keanu Reeves concerts, 28 years apart – The Boston Globe
In July of 1995, I was in the parking lot of Bohager’s, a Baltimore music venue, watching my friend Stacie drink Keanu Reeves’s backwash.
We were both 18 and had bought tickets to see Reeves’s rock band, Dogstar – whose music we’d never even heard because radio stations weren’t playing it, and there was basically no internet.
Stacie was in love with Reeves and had spent years rewatching “Point Break,” “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure,” and “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.” She imagined a world in which she could meet Reeves, convince him to fall in love with her, and share a happy life with him.
I did not judge her for that fantasy. I had the same plan for myself and actor Christian Slater.
When Stacie and I heard Reeves had formed a band that would be touring, we went to Ticketmaster (which, I believe, was inside Hecht’s department store in the mall), and secured passes for the two shows closest to our Maryland homes—Bohager’s in Baltimore and the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.
We planned for the first show, Bohager’s, like it was the Oscars, choosing the most flattering outfits, Stacie’s being the priority because this was her man. That night, we wiggled our way through the packed house to get as close to the stage as possible. She wanted eye contact. She brushed her hair many times.
At stage left was Reeves, in the flesh!, who happily played bass, performing original songs, focusing on his bandmates, even though the audience was overwhelmingly full of women who screamed so loud I couldn’t hear the lead singer at all.
I felt guilty then, because Reeves wanted to make music, even if it was a side project, and here we were, not quite listening. When he swayed, we swayed. When he smiled, so did we. But mostly, we screamed.
The main event came after the show, when people grabbed physical mementos — we had no cellphones then to take photos with.
A few ambitious fans stole detritus left onstage. Stacie snagged one of Reeves’s guitar picks and his Heineken bottle, which she put to her mouth in the parking lot in front of envious women. She was covered in sweat, beer, and club filth. She sparkled.
The 9:30 Club concert we went to next was covered in The Washington Post, and we were both quoted, and Stacie made her love of Reeves public record.
Stacie and I were smarter at 18 than we let on. We knew, on some level, that these nights with Dogstar were not about music or Reeves, but about fandom, friendship, and enjoying the last moments of our teen years together. I was about to go to college, and things would be different. They were.
During 28 years of friendship, Stacie and I experienced a lot of adult moments you can probably guess. Between the two of us, we have stories of marriage, divorce, remarriage, cool jobs, terrible jobs, no jobs, the death of a parent, questionable decisions made near beaches, a few big parties, and, somehow, a grandchild. We’ve been busy.
So has Keanu Reeves.
But so many years later, maybe in part because of a Screen Actors Guild strike that gave famous people downtime, Reeves and two of his original bandmates from Dogstar released a new album in October and decided to tour. I began following the group on Instagram, and this time around I could hear their music—some of which I think is pretty good!
I texted Stacie to let her know about the local tour date. Pretty quickly, she said she’d meet me in Boston.
The show was Tuesday night at the Paradise Rock Club, where on most nights, if you ignore the cell phones, it could easily be 1995. Stacie and I did some touristy things in Boston before the event, but mostly we focused on one thing, waiting to see a man we have never met but have appreciated for a very long time.
Hours before the event Stacie told me that her husband reminded her that Reeves was her one “hall pass” – meaning, they’d agreed if Stacie ever had the opportunity, she could sleep with him and it wouldn’t count as cheating. It’s weird, she said, because at 47, she hadn’t thought about Reeves that way. She was just excited to be in the same room with him.
Her teen crush had evolved into gratitude for 30 years good vibes. So many of our former heroes went on to do, say, or post awful things.
Reeves has kept to himself, supported less famous friends, made wonderfully fun movies, and has even said super deep things on late-night talkshows. There are a bunch of memes about how he poses for photos with fans with great respect for boundaries, never touching anyone in a way that might make them (or himself, I would imagine) uncomfortable.
We wanted to return the respect and focus on the music. We tried.
Tuesday’s gig was sold-out. There were many more men in the audience this time around (thanks, “John Wick,”) and the crowd was all pretty middle-aged. But everyone still screamed. Reeves had no microphone in front of him, sending the message that he was there to play his instrument, nothing more.
Robert Mailhouse, also an actor, was solid on drums, and singer-guitarist Bret Domrose deftly managed to keep the crowd engaged with vocals, despite so many audience members filming Reeves, trying to get footage of his face, which was mostly covered by the curtain of his hair.
Reeves was bashful when catcalled. One person yelled, “Who’s on bass?” during a more silent moment. Another yelled, “You’re beautiful!”
Maybe that was frustrating for him, but he did seem to be having fun. I liked some of the songs, even the new ones reminded me of the ‘90s. On “Breach,” Reeves had some very nice bass flourishes. My favorite was “Sleep.” I looked up the lyrics that stuck with me. “We mix tears with happiness, need some sweet with this bitterness, I guess that’s where you come in, I guess that’s where we begin.”
The crowd got particularly lively when the band played The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” during the encore. Domrose joked that Dogstar probably could have gotten away with playing covers all night.
I spoke to a few other concertgoers about what brought them there. Sharon Hutchinson held up a sign to explain. It said, “My late husband had wanted to see your band – I’m here to check another item off his list so thank you!” She hoped Reeves would spot her in the crowd.
It reminded me, however bleak the thought, that this was enough to celebrate. That we were still here. That I could still see my friend and get excited about something we love.
Meredith Goldstein can be reached at Meredith.Goldstein@Globe.com.
There is NBA action on Sunday, Jan. 12 that sees the Boston Celtics welcoming the New Orleans Pelicans to TD Garden in Boston.
The game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on NBC Sports Boston. Fans looking to watch this NBA game can do so for free by using DirecTV Stream, which offers a free trial. You can also watch on FuboTV, which also offers a free trial and $30 off your first month, or SlingTV, which doesn’t offer a free trial but has promotional offers available.
The Celtics have lost two of their last three and are 11-8 since the start of December, and now sit at 27-11, still the second-best mark in the East. The Pelicans are 8-31, but have won three of their last five.
- WATCH THE GAME FOR FREE HERE
Who: New Orleans Pelicans vs. Boston Celtics
When: Sunday, Jan. 12 at 6 p.m. EST
Where: TD Garden in Boston
Stream: FuboTV; Sling; DirecTV Stream (free trial)
Betting: Check out our MA sports betting guide, where you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts.
What is FuboTV?
FuboTV is an internet television service that offers more than 200 channels across sports and entertainment including Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. From the UEFA Champions League to the WNBA to international tournaments ranging across sports, there’s plenty of options available on FuboTV, which offers a free trial and $30 off the first month for new customers.
What is DirecTV Stream?
DirecTV Stream offers practically everything DirecTV provides, except for a remote and a streaming device to connect to your television. Sign up now and get three free months of premium channels including MAX, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and Starz.
What is SlingTV?
SlingTV offers a variety of live programing ranging from news and sports and starting as low as $20 a month for your first month. Subscribers also get a month of DVR Plus free if they sign up now. Choose from a variety of sports packages without long-term contracts and with easy cancelation.
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An NBA 1st: Jokic, Westbrook record triple-doubles in same game for 2nd time this season
By MICHAEL KELLY Associated Press
DENVER (AP) — Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Russell Westbrook made NBA history on Friday night, becoming the first pair of teammates to record a triple-double in the same game multiple times in a single season.
Jokic finished with 35 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds for his NBA-leading 15th triple-double of the season in the Nuggets’ 124-105 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Westbrook had 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
“I think it’s that’s the style both of us play,” Jokic said. “I’m just glad we’re winning the games because that’s more important than the stats. It’s special, the relationship, how the guys are willing to run the lanes and get to the corner. They know the ball’s going to find them.”
They’re also the first to record a 25-point triple-double in the same regular-season game.
“Wow. That’s pretty crazy. We’re watching history, folks,” Denver coach Michael Malone said.
The pair also accomplished the feat at Utah on Dec. 30. Jokic had 36 points, 22 rebounds and 11 assists that night while Westbrook had 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Westbrook made all seven of his shot attempts, both free throw attempts and didn’t have a turnover in that game.
Westbrook credited Malone with giving him the freedom to play his game.
“Being able to do that allows me to be able to make guys around me better,” Westbrook said Friday. “Try to bring this team some leadership, some energy, some toughness. We’re just getting started on figuring it out.”
Jokic had missed the previous two games with an illness before returning against the Nets. He went to the bench late in the third quarter one rebound shy of his 145th career triple-double and the Nuggets leading by 18.
Brooklyn rallied to get within five and Jokic returned and had nine points, four assists and three rebounds in the fourth.
Jokic got his 10th rebound after Westbrook blocked Keon Johnson’s shot with 6:51 left.
Westbrook had four assists in the fourth to record his 202nd career triple-double, which is the most in an NBA career. It was his third triple-double this season, his first in Denver.
Westbrook signed with the Nuggets last summer after spending the last three seasons in Los Angeles with both the Lakers and the Clippers.
The Associated Press contributed to this article
The Boston Public Schools (BPS) enroll students from 139 different countries who speak 66 different languages at home. Roughly one-third of BPS students are classified as Multilingual Learners or English Language Learners (ELs), which means they are not fluent in English and need their instruction augmented in some way.
It’s the “in some way” which is the topic of intense debate both locally and nationally. The Boston Teachers Union (BTU) wants to change the way the BPS teaches EL students. The BTU wants the BPS to end its current practice of having a general education teacher also deliver English language instruction. President-elect Donald Trump recently told Time magazine that he wants to keep only some of the Department of Education operational “just to make sure they’re teaching English in the schools.”
In an effort to help ELs, the BPS recently announced the creation of new dual language programming for the ‘25-’26 school year. At first only 200 students will be served but expansions are planned. These programs range from “newcomers” who do not speak any or only very limited English, to advanced programs in high school where students are eligible to receive the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy upon graduation.
All of these approaches only nibble around the edge of the issue, and even if these programs are faithfully implemented the core issue remains unchanged: American students are at a disadvantage globally if they remain monolingual.
Finland, often hailed as the world exemplar of public education, requires its students to learn four languages by the time they graduate secondary school. Finland has two official languages, Finnish and Swedish. Whatever language a student speaks at home, that student learns the other official language in school. The goal is to have all Finns able to speak to one another in order both to build a national community and to make commerce easier. Then Finns learn two more languages (one of which is usually English).
Over 43 million people in the United States speak Spanish at home (13% of the population). In Boston,16% of the population speaks Spanish. So let’s follow the Finnish model and have all our students – and citizens – understand one another.
Boston already has a few dual-language programs in not only Spanish but also in Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, and American Sign Language. What if Boston simply expanded these programs so that all students in the BPS became proficient in at least two languages?
If this were to happen, then Boston graduates would be in high demand. A 2023 report by The Century Foundation states that bilingual students have better problem-solving skills and improved working memory due to their more active neural networks as a result of their learning two (or more) languages.
There are other benefits of bilingualism such as better social-emotional development and even a potential delay in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease (again due to expanded neural pathways).
Practically speaking, bilingual employees can earn up to 20% more than their monolingual counterparts. Workforce Essentials reported in 2023 that US businesses lose roughly $2 billion annually due to language barriers and cultural misunderstandings. Undeniably our world is becoming more interconnected. BPS graduates who are multilingual would have a great advantage in both college and career.
Boston is already moving in the direction of increased multilingual instruction. In the Dec. 18, 2024 School Committee meeting, BPS interim CFO David Bloom gave a report which stated that over the past year the general education population in the BPS decreased by 22% whereas the number of ELs increased by 11%. Simply put, Boston has to increase its multilingual instruction anyway. Why not go all in?
There are two frequent arguments against bilingual education. One is xenophobia and the other is parsimony. For a “nation of immigrants” it is illogical for us to fear our neighbors’ words and cultures. As for the cost, let us beware of the “bait and switch” of vouchers or school choice.
It is also important to also note that many private/independent schools offer language instruction from Grade 1 through Grade 12. They know that doing so will make their graduates more competitive in college and beyond.
There is no denying that Boston needs to do better by its students. If we continue the current model we will likely continue with the current results. An expansive bilingual program would both improve our students’ lives and attract more families to the district.
Finally we could also help our students and families by having our teachers learn Spanish and/or other languages in their professional development sessions. We can all learn from each other.
Para los estudiantes de hoy, la educación bilingüe es esencial para la universidad, la carrera y nuestra sociedad global. Creemos que todos los estudiantes deberían tener la misma oportunidad de aprender otros idiomas.
(Michael Maguire teaches Latin and Ancient Greek at Boston Latin Academy and serves on the Executive Board of the Boston Teachers Union. Julie Caldarone is the retired Director of World Languages for Boston Public Schools. She currently co-teaches a course entitled, “Spanish for BPS Educators.” The ideas expressed here are their own.)
The Boston Red Sox hive mind doesn’t always come to a perfect agreement on what they want the team to do. That is, of course, unless David Ortiz is asking for it.
A three-time World Series champion, Hall of Famer, and one of the most clutch players of all time, Ortiz is unquestionably on the Red Sox’s all-time Mount Rushmore. Even though he retired in 2016, he’s still closely woven into the fabric of the organization.
Ortiz sees what we all do: this Red Sox team is close to being ready to contend for the playoffs, but there’s one key ingredient missing. He made his feelings known about what he hopes the front office does between now and Opening Day to address that issue.
On Saturday, Ortiz relayed a simple message to the Red Sox: spend whatever it takes to get one more big bat.
“There’s still some guys out there that we can still go for, and I think we have a really good front office,” Ortiz said in an appearance on NESN. “To put a good lineup together nowadays is not that difficult. What you got to do is just make it rain, and you can go pick a few guys. Now pitching, on the other hand, is the toughest thing to put together.
“We got pitching. Pitching can always stop good offenses. The playoff is a playoff pitching (staff) we got right now. We line up a couple of thunders in the lineup to help (Rafael Devers) and the rest of them boys — one good bat would do.”
Ortiz and NESN host Tom Caron both strongly hinted at the end of the interview who that big bat could be: former Houston Astros All-Star Alex Bregman. Manager Alex Cora also signaled earlier in the day that Bregman would be a great fit in Boston.
Bregman isn’t quite Ortiz, but he does have one thing on him: the career record for OPS at Fenway Park. He has a wild 1.245 mark in 98 plate appearances in Boston throughout his career.
When David Ortiz asks for something, the Red Sox would usually be wise to follow through. And it seems he wants Bregman. Will that move the needle in the suites at Fenway?
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