Tami Fest 4 is what it’s all about at Lizard Lounge on Tuesday, 21 January 2025.

Dub Apocalypse, Danielle Maraglia and The Glory Junkies, and Jesse Dee open the medical benefit for Tami Lee.

Abbie Barrett, The Truevines, and Lyle Brewer close out the night.

Ace the Quiz, Win the Tix

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Hump Nights

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Ace the Quiz, Win the Tix 〰️ Hump Nights 〰️

Hump Nights

Jan 29

Born Innocent makes the case for Redd Kross as the seminal West Coast band of the last half century.

Jan 30

Ani DiFranco on a wild road trip from her punk-folk past to her life today.

Feb 1

ONCE plants its flag at The 4th Wall in the Capitol Theater.

Feb 3

A triplestack of rock in Rat City, USA.

Feb 6

A tale of sex, LSD, and rock n roll with psych punk pioneers.

Rickshaw Billie's Burger Patrol / Lip Critic

Feb 7

The Austin, Texas band lays down the big dumb heavy riffs for all the party people.

Feb 8

A four-stack of indie rock served the right way at Midway Cafe.

Feb 14

Music, drag artists, probably not that much sex.

Feb 15

More music, drag artists, and probably not that much sex.

Feb 21

Sensory overload at the Capitol! Bands, arcade, 360 degree visual projection & screening of Scott Pilgrim vs the World.

Feb 23

Matinees are punk rock. Doors at 3PM.

Hump Nights

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Ace the Quiz, Win the Tix

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Hump Nights 〰️ Ace the Quiz, Win the Tix 〰️

The latest edition of the medical benefit Tami-Fest – Tami-Fest 4 – took place at Lizard Lounge on Tuesday. Did you miss the show but still want a way to contribute to the cause? Hit up the Gofundme.

Pulled from forthcoming column at my Cambridge Day gig:

All our present joys feel bittersweet as a fascist goon and his quack administration install themselves into the White House. Or is joy, even the bittersweet kind, asking too much? Some would have us hang our heads in mourning for the next four years.
If there’s a path out of our state of perpetual sadness, I think I might have witnessed its faint outline last Tuesday night at Tami Fest 4, a medical benefit for Tami Lee, a Camberville-area bartender and beloved member of the music community. The fourth iteration of the benefit was held in the comfy subterranean confines of Lizard Lounge. All proceeds – tickets, food, drinks, tips, raffle proceeds – were donated to the cause.

Danielle Maraglia

and The Glory Junkies

What moves people to help others in need, rather than stomp on them in their weakest moment? Is it a sense of community?
There certainly were a lot of familiar faces in attendance. Musicians and music lovers, who’ve traded between different local stages in search of sweet sounds. And behind the bar, more often than not, was the warm and welcoming smile of Tami Lee, at Lizard Lounge, Cambridge Common, TOAD, Christopher’s or West Side Lounge.
There were also faces in attendance that I did not recognize, and faces that did not recognize me. Suddenly the inside and outside of “community” didn’t seem so clear to me. Maybe we all just stopped in to enjoy the neo soul of Jesse Dee, the bluesy strut of Danielle Maraglia and the Glory Junkies, the brassy abandon of Dub Apocalypse, and more, without giving the purpose of the benefit much thought.

I’m much more impressed, though, by the idea that a chunk of attendees didn’t know Tami at all. Whether or not she ever served them a drink matters less than the spirit of goodwill that compels them to join in community with someone who may never have the chance to return the favor.
What a beautiful idea that is. I’m going to end my period of mourning. What good is Sad Mike? Better to take a page from the Tami Fest playbook, show a little backbone in trying times, do some good, grow and nurture connections with people who care about people both inside and outside their community.
If you missed the show, and still want to contribute, you can donate at the Gofundme. Not online right now? No worries, just Google “Tami Fest” and “Gofundme” when you get a chance.