ITP Cheaps: Yard Sales, 'Died Young' & BMP

From the wet depths of my weekly Cheap Thrills column in the Herald comes Best Music Poll 2k9, Somerville RnR Yard Sale and rock poster documentaries -- as well as the headline of the year in the first graph. Hope 2/3 don't get rained out...

SOLD OUR SHAWL TO ROCK N ROLL
Somerville Rock ’n’ Roll Yard Sale in Union Square
Saturday, from 3 to 7 p.m., all ages. FREE
There’s a scene in the 2001 film “Ghost World” in which Thora Birch’s character follows home a meek vintage record collector played by Steve Buscemi, shops at his yard sale and ends up falling in love with Skip James’ 1931 blues record “Devil Got My Woman.” Cheap Thrills holds out hope that things like that still happen - without the stalking, of course - and if anyone is going to unknowingly stumble across some old lost musical treasure, chances are it’ll happen at this weekend’s Rock ’n’ Roll Yard Sale in Somerville. The latest event in the ArtsUnion lineup, the Somerville Arts Council teams up with Chris and Jennifer Daltry of What Cheer Records in Providence to offer up multiple vendors selling and trading everything from T-shirts to records to silk-screen posters. Cotton Candy, the Mericans, the Blind King and Chrisy Gavin perform live, while WMBR-FM music director Patrick Bryant plays DJ between sets. Punk may be the new blues these days, but the potential thrill of discovery remains.
Info: 617-775-3345, myspace.com/providencerocknrollyardsale

GOOD LOOKING CORPSES
“Died Young, Stayed Pretty” screening at the Museum of Fine Arts
465 Huntington Ave.; Friday at 8:10 p.m., Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and Sunday at 10:30 a.m.; all ages, $7-$10
Those who truly believe that youth is wasted on the young, might have a hard time understanding the vibrant underground culture of rock show poster art. Eileen Yaghoobian’s 95-minute 2008 documentary “Died Young, Stayed Pretty” makes its Boston debut this weekend at the MFA, and brings with it plenty of eye candy for graphic design nerds and enough band references and nods for music fetishists. Colorful and attention-grabbing show posters have always been the best way to promote a gig, and each poster tells a story, linking the band or event it’s hyping with the inspiration of its creator. When one person in the film claims rock posters are the purest form of art our culture has, you know it’s time to look behind the music.
Info: 617-267-9300, mfa.org, diedyoungstayedpretty.com

POLL POSITIONED
’FNX Radio’s Best Music Poll Concert at City Hall Plaza
Saturday, 4 p.m., all ages, FREE
City Hall Plaza got a live music test drive last weekend when Taking Back Sunday performed, but now the summer outdoor festival theme gets revved up a few notches as WFNX-FM’s annual Best Music Poll concert returns with a hearty indie rock buffet. Featuring performances by the Bravery, Metric, Airborne Toxic Event, Gaslight Anthem and Ra Ra Riot, the best part of the event should be the spirited performance by local synth-pop rocket Passion Pit, which is putting our local scene on the national map. Imagine that, one of our own spearheading perhaps the biggest event of the summer? The rest of the up-and-comer lineup is a clear reflection of ’FNX’s always cutting-edge play list, and the station isn’t even charging us to attend this bash. Good times.
Info: fnxradio.com