Boston, MA
Boston’s Extreme on ‘Rise’ again with new album, tour
“Rise” thumps along nicely for two minutes. The lead track from “Six,” Extreme’s first album in 15 years, “Rise” makes use of a tough riff, big chorus, and furious stomp. But the first half of the song is purely prologue to Nuno Bettencourt’s guitar solo.
Bettencourt’s guitar breakdown is a Frankenstein’s monster built out of blues-on-speed, neo-classical metal, triple time prog rock, and thrashy and trashy grunge (and a ton of indescribable-and-infinitely -complex flourishes).
“There are two ways to solo, one is that you are thinking, ‘How can I show off here, how can I impress people,’ and I think that’s the bad way to go,” Bettencourt told the Herald. “The other is that it doesn’t have to impress anybody else. But it has to excite you… There’s a feeling that you get and it’s the same feeling you got when you first started to play.”
Bettencourt knows he’s on to something good when he gets that teenage jolt. He got it when he came up with the solo on “Rise.” So did a million other listeners.
The song has been streamed millions of times – and heralded the return of the dearly missed Boston band (Extreme comes home Aug. 5 with a gig at Roadrunner). Youtube clips analyzing the solo have been streamed in equal numbers. Many have declared it “the solo of the century,” which seems both ridiculous and (if you’re into Eddie Van Halen style guitar) perfectly credible. It wasn’t until a few friends and heroes chimed in that he realized “Rise” was connecting on a massive level.
“I was getting texts from peers, people like Steve Lukather and Brian May, and they’re telling me, ‘Hey, this is really cool,” Bettencourt said. “I thought, ‘What the hell is going on? Something is different here.’ I know they were raving about the solo, but it’s not just the solo.”
The thing is, the “Rise” lead is one of half a dozen jaw droppers on “Six” – try the awkward, awesome mess of notes on “Thicker Than Blood” next. But “Rise” was paired with a video that saw Extreme back in action, thrilled, locked in and blasting off. It wasn’t an iPhone-shot video of someone at home covering “Eruption” note for note. It was a rock band flouting their chemistry and charisma.
“We follow this new generation of guitar players on Instagram or Facebook and they’re in their studio or their bedroom blowing your mind playing guitar,” Bettencourt said. “You like it or throw a comment down and move on with your day. All the sudden you get a rock band in a video who is all in emotionally.”
“I think what people saw in the ‘Rise’ video was the mythology of rock ‘n’ roll that’s been missing,” he added.
Extreme has never been able to replicate the majesty of Queen or bombast of Van Halen. But they’ve done a hell of a job trying. And trying – what Bettencourt called “a band being all in” – matters a lot.
“Rise” might not be the solo of the century. It might not even be the best solo on the new album. But it’s great that it’s inspired people to passionately debate rock mythology five decades after “We Will Rock You.”
For tickets and details, visit extreme-band.com
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Boston, MA
Ted Williams’s MVP award sells for record-breaking $500K
BOSTON – Ted Williams’s 1946 MVP award was auctioned for a record-breaking $528,750, the highest price ever received for a Major League Baseball MVP award.
Williams’s personal collection auctioned
The MVP Award, which Williams received in 1946, the year he had a .342 batting average and 38 home runs, was part of Williams’s personal collection, which had been retained by his daughter Claudia Williams, who died in July at 52.
The Award, along with other items, was offered by Hunt Auctions at the 21st Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory live auction on Saturday. Its estimated price was $150,000-$300,000.
Williams’s personal collection included items such as limited-edition autograph items and awards. Other items in the sale included his 1958 American League Batting Title silver bat, which he won with a .328 batting average. The award sold for $270,250. Williams Presidential Medal of Freedom, which was presented by George H.W. Bush, sold for $141,000, and a series of limited edition Ted Williams autographs sold for $105,750.
Part of Boston sports history
Williams played 19 seasons for the Red Sox, hitting .344 with 521 home runs. He won six American League batting crowns and was the last Major Leaguer to bat over .400 for the season when he hit .406 in 1941. Williams also served during World War II and the Korean War.
He also was part of WBZ-TV’s famous interview, in which Bob Lobel interviewed Williams, Bobby Orr and Larry Bird in 1992.
Previous items from Ted Williams’s collection were auctioned at Fenway Park in 2012.
Boston, MA
Celtics vs. Raptors preview: Boston readies for NBA’s worst – The Boston Globe
Only three teams have gotten in the Celtics’ way so far, and there aren’t many challenges on the horizon. Saturday night will likely be no exception.
Boston, ranked second in the Eastern Conference standings, will host the Toronto Raptors. The Celtics hope to revive a win streak that hasn’t exceeded two games since early November.
At 2-11, the Raptors have the worst record in the NBA. Center Jakob Poeltl ranks seventh in the league with a team-leading 11.1 rebounds per game. Shooting guard RJ Barrett has the ninth-most turnovers in the league (3.6).
With small forward Jayson Tatum at the helm, the reigning champions have thrived this season. Tatum averages 30.2 points and 4.2 3-pointers, ranking third and fourth in the league, respectively.
But, his career performance against Toronto is significantly lower. In 23 games, he’s averaged 18.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists.
Let’s get into it.
When: Saturday, 8 p.m.
Where: TD Garden, Boston
TV, radio: NBCSB, WBZ-FM 98.5
Line: Boston -16.5. O/U: 228.5.
RAPTORS
Season record: 2-10. vs. spread: 8-4. Over/under: 7-5
Last 10 games: 1-9. vs. spread: 7-3. Over/under: 5-5
CELTICS
Season record: 10-3. vs. spread: 7-6. Over/under: 6-6, 1 push
Last 10 games: 7-3. vs. spread: 5-5. Over/under: 4-5, 1 push
TEAM STATISTICS
Points per game: Toronto 112.8, Boston 121.3
Points allowed per game: Toronto 120.8, Boston 110.5
Field goal percentage: Toronto .458, Boston .461
Opponent field goal percentage: Toronto .478, Boston .466
3-point percentage: Toronto .332, Boston .373
Opponent 3-point percentage: Toronto .346, Boston .344
Stat of the day: The Celtics averaged 109 points across 15 wins and five losses since Sept. 2020 against the Raptors.
Notes: The Raptors will attempt to collect their first road victory Saturday night when they visit the Celtics for the first of four meetings between the teams this season. … The Raptors are 0-7 in road games. The Celtics are only 3-2 at home but 10-3 overall. … It will be the second game in as many nights for Toronto, which is coming off Friday night’s 99-95 loss against Detroit in the second NBA Cup game for each team. The loss extended Toronto’s overall losing streak to six games. … Boston hasn’t played since it beat Brooklyn 139-114 Wednesday night. … The 139 points were the most the Celtics have scored in a game this season. Boston scored 74 points in the second half. … Tatum, at an average of 30.2 points a game, and Brown (25.4) are Boston’s leading scorers this season. Tatum also leads the team in rebounds (7.6) and steals (1.5). Brown is second on the team in rebounds (7.2) and is tied with Pritchard for second in steals (1.2).
Alexa Podalsky can be reached at alexa.podalsky@globe.com.
Boston, MA
Boston officials propose vacancy fee to address empty storefronts, boost economy
Boston officials are considering whether a fee on vacant storefronts in the city’s neighborhoods could boost the local economy by pushing commercial landlords to bring in tenants.
According to Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Segun Idowu, long-term vacant storefronts can lead to decreased property values, crime and disinvestment in the area, as well as a “negative vibe” of blight. These issues particularly affect communities of color in neighborhoods such as Roxbury and Mattapan, he said.
“The hustle and bustle of our main streets is important not just for supporting small businesses, but attracting others to the neighborhood, making folks want to live in that area because of what’s right down the street from them,” Idowu said during a Friday morning hearing of the Committee on Small Business and Professional Licensure. “When there are too many vacancies in our main streets, other businesses are negatively impacted.”
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