One of the great things about Boston is that we have a pretty friendly Arts underground. Besides the good work done here at Boston Hassle, there are many kind souls with houses and galleries who offer to host travelling experimental musicians and artists of all stripes. Tonight, for example, The Washington Street Art Center in Somerville has arranged an early set of regional music acts with a focus on hypnotically beautiful songcraft in their Gallery room. Fading in, tape hiss leading, will be local duo TOOMS whose minimal drone masks complexity behind midfrequency tones and tapeloops of static machine sound. Rhode Island quartet VIO/MIRE employs an unusual mix of folk and chamber music instruments to generate an haunting mostly-acoustic foundation for Brendan Glasson’s delicate poetry. Venus in Maine steps ashore tonight as EMILY DIX THOMAS, wielding cello and the keys to your innermost feelings. The complex peace engendered by singing and Celtic Harp as played by SOPHIE DICKINSON, is accentuated by it’s juxtaposition to eclectic background noise channeled through a somewhat interfered-with tape recorder. Why not take advantage of the amazing place you live and drink deep from some of the creative streams that wend to our muddy Charles.

7-10pm (close) // All Ages // $5 suggested donation