Itβs Thursday, Boston.
π¦ Want to add βice cream tasterβ to your resume? RUN to Toscaniniβs. The iconic scoop shop known for its innovative flavors (think: goat cheese brownie, burnt caramel) is trying to pick between two bases for its new pistachio flavor, so theyβre giving out free samples of both starting tomorrow. Go, go go!
π You can be a B-Side Member for FREE: We're (still!) giving away two free B-Side Memberships (a $140 value). Enter here!
π Whatβs on tap today:
CELTICS TKTK
Hiring freeze, incoming!
Michelin star predictions
Up firstβ¦
CULTURE
Recession pop is SO back

Images: Tom Pennington/Getty Images, AP Photo/Louis Lanzano. Illustration: Gia Orsino.
Is the vibecession your DJ? Between Keshaβs comeback, Lady Gagaβs new album, and break outs from Chappell Roan and Charli XCX, our collective playlists sound a lot like it's 2009. And our vibecession might be to blame.Β
Hereβs what to know:
πΆ βRecession popβ has the internet buzzing. A.k.a. The era of chart-topping dance pop that followed the 2008 recession. Think: upbeat, escapist songs about forgetting your worries and getting down on the dance floor like βTiK ToKβ by Kesha or Lady Gagaβs βJust Dance.β As we face the possibility of another recession, both stars are returning to their 2010s form, with similar sounds from Charli and Chappell dominating the culture. With that, the internet has claimed the return of recession pop.
π Itβs true: Bad vibes often = happy music. βKeeping the beat going has a long track record of helping us get through [tough times],β said James Gutierrez, a Northeastern music professor. Just think about how folks turned to upbeat music in the Roaring Twenties, or disco in the 70s, even boybands in the early 2000s. βPop and escapism have always gone hand in hand,β said Maura Johnston, a music journalist and BC professor.Β
πΊ Local DJs are seeing it IRL. Back in 2015, High Street Placeβs music director DJ J-Wall could only sneak in 20 minutes of high-energy music in an otherwise low-tempo, hip-hop-focused set. βI'd always want to try to get up tempo, but the crowd wasn't really reacting well to it [back then].β Now βI feel like I could be up tempo the whole night,β he said.Β
πͺ© And thereβs research to back it up. Gutierrez pointed to his upcoming research paper (currently in preparation), looking at the relationship between music and resilience. He found that the folks who were most resilient were the ones who βmoved their body to the music.βΒ
π But donβt expect recession pop to stick around forever. The music experts pointed to the fact that the OG recession pop era is almost 20 years ago (omg), putting itΒ right on schedule for a nostalgia comeback β which tends to happen every 15 to 20 years. βThat music is throwback music again β¦ it feels fresh again,β DJ J-Wall said. But eventually, βweβll move on to something else that, as a group, we need to feel,β Gutierrez said.
π΅ Need to hear it for yourself? DJ J-Wall made us our very own recession pop playlist, which will take you RIGHT back to 2010.
QUICK QUESTION!
π€ Have you been adding recession pop to your playlist?
Let us know below!
TOGETHER WITH THE FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE JAZZ DE MONTREAL
200+ free concerts. One easy road trip.
π· πΉ Who needs a Euro summer when MontrΓ©al has cobblestones, chilled rosΓ©, and free outdoor jazz β all just five hours from Boston? From June 26 to July 5, the Festival International de Jazz de MontrΓ©al brings 10 days of music to the city streets with free sets from Ayra Starr, Allison Russell, Men I Trust, Mavis Staples, and more, plus ticketed shows from Nas, Thundercat, and other icons. Load up the car, map your poutine stops, and leave with a passport stamp and a playlist full of new favorites. Start planning your trip.
CITY
Quick & dirty headlines

Image: Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe
π The Celtics have lived to hoop another day. Despite being down star player JT (whose IG is currently making us emo) and just one L away from ending their season, the Celtics rallied HARD for a massive 127-102 win in Game 5 against the Knicks, bringing the series to 2-3. After a close first half, the Cβs shifted into high gear in the third quarter and didnβt look back. But before you celebrate too hard, remember: To stay alive, theyβll have to rinse and repeat twice β¦ in a row. Game 6 is on Friday in NYC. LETβS GO!!!
πΈ Gov. Maura Healey is in financial belt-tightening mode. Step one: Pause hiring across many of the 1,000+ open state government positions. Officials said itβs a βproactive stepβ in responding to our national economic *situation*. The freeze, which starts May 27, comes as Mass. lawmakers are gearing up for a new fiscal year with a budget thatβs currently in flux β further complicated by massive cuts to federal funding. The good news: Healey isnβt planning any more cuts (for now), and certain other positions, like internships and co-ops, will remain open.Β
πͺ» Step aside, cherry blossoms: Itβs hydrangea season. And per the Globe, we are in for a TREAT. Last year was a banner year for the blooms, and this year promises to be almost just as good. The βalmostβ is thanks to the one-two-punch of our drought last fall, which continued well into this year, and our slightly colder, snowier winter, both of which are known to limit blooms. But despite that, we can expect a solid showing when they begin to blossom toward the end of May. Hereβs where to see them in Boston and beyond.
πΊ Crafting your summer bucket list starts NOW. And we have three items for you to add: 1. Night Shiftβs three beer gardens along the Charles and on the Greenway open for the season today. 2. The BPLβs Map Room Lounge is getting a Tandoori takeover from Indian spot Meal Mantra from May 16 to 24, serving delicious Indian bites (grab a table ASAP). 3. Clear your cal for June 7 because SOMEDAY FEST, a one-day festival of Somerville artists and musicians, is coming to Union Square. Grab tickets here!
MEDIA SPONSORSHIP
Ride to Fuel Alzheimerβs Research
B-Side is a proud partner of Ride to End ALZ New England, a fully-supported cycling event to accelerate progress in the fight to end Alzheimerβs and all other dementias.Β
Join the Ride on June 14 at Hampton Beach State Park and cycle 100, 62, or 30 miles along the coast of New Hampshire and through picturesque Massachusetts towns and woodlands. Celebrate at the finish line with live music, barbecue, cold beer, and more!Β
Get ready for a day of cycling, camaraderie and the celebration of hope! 90% of funds raised go to Alzheimer's and dementia research.
Register here today!
ONE LAST THING
Michelin star bingo

Image: Gentl & Hyers. Illustration: Gia Orsino.
We wonβt know which local spots get a Michelin nod until later this year β¦ but thatβs not stopping locals from taking some wild guesses. And now, that includes Globe food critic Devra First.
According to First, itβs unlikely weβll see any 2- or 3-star distinctions in year one (recent debut guides for Atlanta and Colorado capped the honors to five 1-star spots each). But when it comes to potential 1-star venues, thereβs room to play.
Firstβs top contenders: Ostra, the extremely swanky Back Bay seafood spot; and O Ya, a slightly more βrock nβ rollβ (her words) restaurant with 20-course omakase menus. And with stunning bites like these, who could blame her?
Beyond that, things get a little fuzzy, but she also threw out Deuxave, Nightshade Noodle Bar, and Wa Shin as 1-star-worthy.Β
β Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario
β Thanks for reading! No Sarma mention? The B-Siders are going to be MAD.
π Special shoutout to todayβs sponsor, the Festival International de Jazz de MontrΓ©al, for supporting local journalism and giving Bostonians a chance to experience live jazz, the MontrΓ©al way.Β Β
π€ The results are in: 47% of readers think robotaxis are a BAD idea. Though FWIW, several readers wrote in to share their positive Waymo experiences. But not this one: βNo algorithm can truly understand the Masshole.β
π Members: Hereβs the link to your May perks!
π Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] or [email protected].