Mardi Gras Parties, Ping Pong Tourneys, and More Boston Events This Week

If you’re the guy who always yells “Give the drummer some!” at every rock show, you’re going to love the Boston Percussion Group. One part contemporary music ensemble and one part rock band, BPeG’s Ragas, Reich + Radiohead concert puts their unique spin on some familiar repertoire from the contemporary, classical, and pop genres. And yeah, pop genre will be represented by Radiohead’s “Kid A,” just in case you were expecting “Call Me Maybe” or something. (8 p.m., $10-15, all ages)

South Street Diner puts the “fat” in “Fat Tuesday” with its Mardi Gras Celebration, featuring $5 all-you-can-eat jambalaya plus a full New Orleans-style Mardi Gras menu including beignets, shrimp gumbo, po’boys, alligator sausage and “Lucky Dogs.” So you can stuff yourself with all of that and then give it up for Lent, as if you knew how to cook any of it for yourself anyways. (11 a.m., prices vary, all ages)

But Mardi Gras isn’t just about food. It’s also about public nudity wait I mean music yeah it’s about music. Did you know Dr. John originally played guitar until one of his bandmates was getting pistol-whipped after a gig, the gun went off and shot him in the finger, and he switched to piano. Dr. John and all New Orleans musicians are cooler than you. Wonder Bar’s fourth annual Mardi Gras Rage presents a night of feasting, drinking, and debauchery. Funky organ trio Otis Grove kicks off the night with a set featuring the music of NOLA legends The Meters, with help from several special guest vocalists. Headlining with be Florida rock/jam powerhouse The Heavy Pets. (8 p.m., $10, 21+)

If you’re looking for a more traditional New Orleans second-line style Mardi Gras, the Beehive in the South End celebrates with Brian Thomas’s BT New Orleans 2nd Line Brass Band. Thomas is an in-demand trombonist who’s been playing since the age of 10, which would make him a late bloomer in New Orleans, but everywhere else that’s usually the first year in school that they let you play something besides the recorder or violin. They’ll also have special Cajun menu items and celebratory cocktails. (7:30 p.m., FREE, all ages)

New Orleans legend Buckwheat Zydeco brings his signature sound to the Regattabar, featuring an accordion and that metal washboard percussion thing that I wouldn’t need because I’d just play my abs. I have washboard abs. Buckwheat Zydeco obviously pre-dates the Internet but its still fun to pretend he found his moniker on an online band name generator that matches whole grains with musical genres: Oatmeal Dixieland. Couscous Electropop. Quinoa Deathmetal. (8 p.m., $25, all ages)

You probably heard the news about beginning the process of normalizing U.S. relations with Cuba and thought you could finally score some Cuban cigars. But unlike cigars, which always seem like a good idea until five minutes in when you’ve barely made a dent and you realize this is a much more serious commitment than smoking a cigarette, Cuban food is something we can all enjoy to the last bite. A Taste of Cuba on Newbury Street welcomes author and chef John Verlinden to Trident Books to share some delicious samples and talk about his new cookbook To Cook is to Love: Nuevo Cuban: Lighter, Healthier Latin Recipes. The title of this book includes two colons, but you’ll only need one to digest these light and delicious meals. (7 p.m., FREE, all ages)

Nothing says romance like ping pong, unless you associate it with playing in your friend’s basement every Friday night throughout high school because talking to girls was terrifying. Brooklyn Boulders Somerville celebrates Valentine’s Day a little late with an epic Singles Ping Pong Tournament with Magic Hat brews, pizza, and prizes for the top three competitors. Probably a good way to stay single is to enter the tournament and keep insisting that everyone call it table tennis and RESPECT THE GAME PLEASE. (7 p.m., $10, 21+)

Photo credit: Andy Castro/Creative Commons

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This article was provided by our content partner, The Boston Calendar.