Cheap Thrills: ICA, Pats Place and SomerMovie

From today's newspaper, my weekly Cheap Thrills column for the weekend, hyping free shows, more free shows and free movies. Valhalla.

SOUND AND SEA
HarborWalk Sounds launch at the Institute of Contemporary Art
Putnam Investments Plaza, 100 Northern Ave. Thursday from 6 to 8:30 p.m., all-ages. FREE
The ICA’s HarborWalk Sounds’ free Thursday evening music series kicks off tonight with a heartfelt pound of the piano, as singer/songwriter Neara Russell and her band take to the waterfront. The series is a collaborative effort with Berklee College of Music, offering up some of the school’s brightest to provide the soundtrack for a top-notch cheap-date option. The Wisconsin-born Russell adroitly combines the calculated angst of Amanda Palmer with the whip-smart piano-based songwriting of Sara Bareilles, augmented with modern electronic-tinged atmosphere. Reggae group Tubby Love (July 16), Latin Jazz ensemble La Timbistica (July 23) and jazz guitarist Alex Wintz (July 30) round out the four-week HarborWalk Sounds schedule, but tonight is the show to check out. It could be Russell’s last free show for a while.
Info: 617-438-3100, icaboston.org

MUSICAL SCORE
Rock the Plaza concerts at Patriot Place
One Patriot Place at Gillette Stadium, Foxboro. Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m., all-ages. FREE
Ever see those awesome radio station bumper stickers with the Patriots logo rocking out wearing sunglasses and a pair of headphones? Well, it’s a little known secret that our chisel-jawed football mascot is actually rocking out to local music. This weekend he packs his iPod with the best of Patriot Place’s Rock the Plaza free concert series: Lynn-born neo-soul r & b crooner Adam Payne and his crew 2Adam12 hit the stage on Saturday, then recent ’BCN Rock N’ Roll Rumblers the Motion Sick and Sarah RabDAU & the Self-Employed Assassins rock hard in the shadow of the Big Razor.
Info: patriot-place.com

BIG SCREEN FEST
Somerville’s SomerMovie Fest kickoff with ‘Bee Movie’
Seven Hills Park, off Holland Street in Davis Square, Somerville. Tonight at approximately 8 p.m., all-ages. FREE.
Ambitious bumblebees voiced by Jerry Seinfeld, teenage vampires with perfect skin and people who really, really like ABBA are all coming to Somerville this summer. No, it’s not another traveling circus - it’s the SomerMovie Fest, a nine-week Thursday night family flick series that spreads its wings tonight at Seven Hills Park with the 2007 CGI-animated film “Bee Movie.” The series runs weekly until Sept. 3, and includes “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” (July 23, Seven Hills Park), “Twilight” (July 30, Seven Hills Park) and “Mamma Mia!” (Aug. 13, Lincoln Park). There are five different screening locations, so check the listings on the city’s Web site and get your buzz on tonight.
Info: somervillema.gov, Somerville City Cable Ch. 13/16