The record
Three decades,
five bands
Paul Wisner has played guitar in Boston-area original-music rock bands for over three decades, and synthesizer in two of them. He has played on published albums in every era. Songwriting came late: he did almost no writing until Miskatonic and Ghosts and Shadows—before that, the only song he wrote was “Mary” in Ultrabreakfast.
This history gathers every gig date, venue, recording project and album publication that could be verified from his email, Facebook posts, press, label and streaming listings, and band pages.
The through-line
The same Boston club circuit recurs for thirty years: Green Street Grill, T.T. the Bear’s Place, the Middle East, the Paradise, Avalon, Harper’s Ferry, Lizard Lounge, Midway Cafe, O’Brien’s Pub and, later, Deep Cuts, Square Root and the Jungle.
Bandmates recur too: Johnny and Nicole Anguish link Calendar Girl to Stever; Liz Firger, Steve Kelly and Tim Farrell link Miskatonic back to Calendar Girl and Ultrabreakfast; Gabriella Lawrence, Steve Reynolds and Dean Fisher carry the story into Ghosts and Shadows.
| Band | Paul’s role | Active years documented | Key releases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultrabreakfast | Guitar | 1994–1999 | Ice Cream Tricycle (1997) |
| Calendar Girl | Guitar, vocals | 1998–2002; archival release 2025 | Cool Rocketships in Space (1999), Everyone But You (2001), Where We Need To Be (2025) |
| Stever Must Lead the Rebellion | Synthesizer | 2011–2012 documented | …Must Lead The Rebellion EP (2012) |
| Miskatonic | Guitar, synthesizer, vocals; songwriting | Releases 2007–2011; reunion 2026 | Let Us Entertain Us (2007), Favorite Records EP (2011), Life of the Party (2011) |
| Ghosts and Shadows | Guitar; songwriting | 2013–present | Early Demos 2013–2016, The Things That Scare Us Most, Full of Stars, Disconnected |
Labels and PR. Catapult Records released Ultrabreakfast’s Ice Cream Tricycle (1997). Intelligent Records released Calendar Girl’s Cool Rocketships in Space (1999) and Everyone But You (2001). Planetary handled PR for Ultrabreakfast and Calendar Girl.
01Ultrabreakfast1994–1999
01
Ultrabreakfast
1994–1999
Paul’s earliest documented band. On Ice Cream Tricycle, “Mary” is the one song Paul wrote in this era—his only songwriting before Miskatonic.
Johnny Anguish’s 2011 Daykamp Music review names vocalist Josh Boughey, drummer Kristen Day and Tim Farrell on slide guitar, and calls the record “a showcase for Paul Wisner’s creative guitar effects.”
Recording
| Date | Title | Label / format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Ice Cream Tricycle | Catapult Records CAT 012, CD album, US | 13 tracks: Cacophone; Window Made Of Glass; Trilogy: Cooler Than California; Trilogy: Window Made Of Glass; Trilogy: Silver Surfer; Mary; Antebellum; Dragon; On The Floor; Orange Car; Unabomber; Hairdryer; Ocean. “Cacophone” on Spotify. |
In June 2026 Chuck Bartlett wrote that Adam Lewis of Planetary Group had found Ultrabreakfast masters and artwork in storage and sent them on.
Gigs
Every surviving date in one list, in date order — 33 gigs, 1996–2014. Sources merge the Billy Ruane videotape archive, Boston Phoenix “Cellars” previews, and Phoenix club ads and listings recovered by OCR. Confirmed means a record shows the show happened; Announced means a listing ran ahead of the show. “Week of” indicates that the exact day is undetermined.
| Date | Venue | Bill / notes | Status & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri May 3, 1996 | T.T. the Bear’s Place, Cambridge | Eric’s Trip, Number One Cup, Shelf Life, Ultra Breakfast | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 5/3/1996 |
| Wed May 8, 1996 | T.T. the Bear’s Place, Cambridge | Ultra Breakfast (+ Bloodloss?) — bill garbled, unconfirmed | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 4/26/1996 |
| Fri May 24, 1996 | Green Street Grill, Cambridge | Ultra-Breakfast (“tonight”) | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 5/24/1996 |
| Fri Aug 30, 1996 | Middle East, Cambridge | Single-release party: Ultra Breakfast + Mary Timony + Syrup USA + Trona | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 8/30/1996 |
| Week of Oct 11–17, 1996 (day undetermined) | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge | Miracle Legion, Swizzle, Ultra Breakfast, Star Ghost Dog | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 10/11/1996 |
| Wed Nov 20, 1996 | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge | Ultra Breakfast + Boy Wonder + Weenie + Pez Farm | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 11/15/1996 |
| Week of Dec 6–12, 1996 (day undetermined) | Green Street Grill, Cambridge | Ultra Breakfast | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 12/6/1996 |
| Week of Dec 27, 1996–Jan 2, 1997 (day undetermined) | Club Bohemia at the Kirkland, Somerville | “Mikey Dee Show”: Plank, Verago-go, Ultra Breakfast, Fur, Mickey Bliss | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 12/27/1996 |
| Week of Feb 21–27, 1997 (day undetermined) | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge | Trona, Victory at Sea, Ultra-Breakfast, Star Ghost Dog. The videotaped Sat Feb 22 show below falls in this week—possibly the same show. | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 2/21/1997 |
| Sat Feb 22, 1997 | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge, MA | Live video from a show with Star Ghost Dog on the bill, from the Billy Ruane live archive, videotaped by Jody Urbati-Moore. Watch on YouTube. | Confirmed — Billy Ruane live-archive video |
| Fri Mar 7, 1997 | Mama Kin, Boston (Front Room) | Tugboat Annie + Ultra-Breakfast (WBCN presents) | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 2/28/1997 and 3/7/1997 |
| Week of May 23–29, 1997 (day undetermined) | Club Bohemia at the Kirkland, Somerville | Ultra Breakfast, Vic Firecracker, Starlight Conspiracy, Mickey Bliss Organ Combo | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 5/23/1997 |
| Week of Jun 20–26, 1997 (day undetermined) | Wellfleet Beachcomber, Wellfleet | “Dune Tunes” 3pm: Steve Wynn, Ray Corvair Trio, Amazing Royal Crowns, Come, Fuzzy, Ultra-Breakfast, Dagobah, Seks Bomba | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 6/20/1997 |
| Fri Jul 25, 1997 | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge | With Hamell on Trial and Manbreak | Announced — Boston Phoenix Cellars; corroborated by Phoenix OCR listing, 7/25/1997 |
| Fri Aug 15, 1997 | Middle East, Cambridge | Swizzle single-release party with Magnetic Fields, Methadone Actors | Announced — Boston Phoenix Cellars |
| Fri Oct 10, 1997 | Middle East, Cambridge | “CD release party tonight, featuring Ultra-Breakfast,” 8pm (whose CD release unclear) | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 10/10/1997 |
| Sat Oct 25, 1997 | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge, MA | Videotaped show, Billy Ruane archive | Confirmed — videotaped show, Billy Ruane archive |
| Mon Oct 27, 1997 | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge | Crazy Alice, Vic Firecracker, Ultra-Breakfast, Sixto Lezcano (“Showcase Monday”) | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 10/24/1997 |
| Sat Nov 22, 1997 | Bill’s Bar, Boston | Ultra Breakfast Ice Cream Tricycle CD-release party + PermaFrost | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 11/21/1997 |
| Sat Dec 13, 1997 | T.T. the Bear’s Place, Cambridge | Noise party with Cherry 2000, Tugboat Annie, Scatterfield, Boy Wonder | Announced — Boston Phoenix Cellars |
| Fri Feb 27, 1998 | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge | Boy Wonder, Pistola (record release), Ultra-Breakfast, Senor Happy | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 2/20/1998 and 2/27/1998 |
| Sat Mar 28, 1998 | Bill’s Bar, Boston | Ultra Breakfast | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 3/27/1998 |
| Fri Apr 24, 1998 | Venue unconfirmed (“Cheap Booze” ad—OCR-garbled) | Slide + Ultra Breakfast, Buckners + Aviso Hara | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 4/17/1998 and 4/24/1998 |
| Mon May 4, 1998 | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge | WBCN Rumble preliminaries: Big D & the Kids Table, January, Sameasyou, Ultra-Breakfast | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 5/1/1998 |
| Week of May 8–14, 1998 (day undetermined) | Linwood Grille, Boston | Brothers Fizz; Ever Since Day One (CD release party), Ultra Breakfast, El Camino | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 5/8/1998 |
| Sat Jun 13, 1998 | The RPM’s, 912 Mass Ave, Cambridge | Ultra Breakfast | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 6/12/1998 |
| Sat Jul 11, 1998 | The RPM’s, 912 Mass Ave, Cambridge | Ultra Breakfast | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 7/10/1998 |
| Sat Sep 26, 1998 | The Attic | Trona, Hybrasil, Ultra Breakfast | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 9/25/1998 |
| Fri Dec 4, 1998 | T.T. the Bear’s Place, Cambridge | Orbit, The Sheila Divine, Helicopter Helicopter, Ultrabreakfast & Rockets to Mars; corroborated by the WMBR concert report | Announced — Boston Phoenix Cellars |
| Sat Jan 16, 1999 | Bill’s Bar, Boston | Ultra Breakfast with Ray Corvair Trio | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 1/1/1999 and 1/8/1999 |
| Sat Jan 30, 1999 | 112 Broad St, Boston | Wisner Productions presents: The Pills, Ultra Breakfast, Boy Joys, Calendar Girl | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 1/22/1999 and 1/29/1999 |
| Thu Mar 18, 1999 | The Linwood, Boston | With Curtain Society | Announced — Boston Phoenix Cellars |
| Fri Sep 19, 2014, 6:30–7:10pm | Cuisine en Locale, 156 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA | Reunion set, WMBR Pipeline! 25th anniversary festival; bill with Curious Ritual, Mistle Thrush, Purple Ivy Shadows, pods, Someone & The Somebodies, Nisi Period. | Confirmed — WMBR Pipeline! 25th anniversary festival |
Radio & scene memory
WMBR logged nine Ultrabreakfast plays, August 1996–July 2003, on Breakfast of Champions, Aural Fixation and The James Dean Death Car Experience. Johnny Anguish called the 2014 reunion “their first show in 15 years” and wrote that Ultrabreakfast’s indie-rock, janglefuzz songs brought him out to clubs and taught him who Billy Ruane was.
Sources: Hi-Fi Hits; Boston Phoenix; Tufts Daily, April 2001; Gmail, June 2026; WMBR playlist archive; YouTube Billy Ruane archive; Daykamp Music.
02Calendar Girl1998–2002 · archival release 2025
02
Calendar Girl
1998–2002 · archival release 2025
Formed in late 1997 when Wisner and Anguish—co-workers with the same CDs on their desks—decided to play together. The band began playing live in January 1998.
By their third show, “King of Bad Luck” was getting college and local-music-show airplay; at the end of 1998 it was in WZBC’s Top 90.3 of 1998.
Recordings
| Date | Title | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Demo | Won local critical acclaim and radio airplay before the EP. |
| May 1999 / Mar 2000 | Cool Rocketships in Space | Seven songs; self-released May 1999, picked up by Intelligent Records March 2000. Engineered by Darron Burke. Tracks: Two Piece, King of Bad Luck, Nub & Tug, Lead Away, Not Again, Cadaver, Sasquatch. “Two Piece” on Spotify. |
| 2000 | Compilation appearances | “King of Bad Luck” on Twisted Rico 2000; “O Christmas Tree” on Spotify and on Tremont Ale Essential Holiday Mix. |
| Apr 7, 2001 | Everyone But You | 13 songs, 43:34, Intelligent Records. Recorded March–December 2000 at Makeshift Studio, Jamaica Plain. Darron Burke, recording and mix; Dana White, mastering; Nicole Johnson, design. AllMusic album entry. The band’s 2001 date is kept over AllMusic’s conflicting 2000 date. “Where Have All The Heroes Gone?” on Spotify. |
| 2002 | American Legends Volume II | Split single with AM Stereo, sold only at shows. “Huck Finn” on Spotify, recorded by Jon Lupfer at Q Division; “Want Brains (Must Eat Brains)” on Spotify, written by Paul. |
| Jan 2002 / Aug 1, 2025 | Where We Need To Be | Lost Q Division sessions: “Dust” and “Motion Detector” tracked and mixed; “Winter Stars” begun. Released in 2025. “Stage Fright” on Spotify. |
Film placement. “King of Bad Luck” was used in Troma’s Terror Firmer, which debuted at Cannes and played the Coolidge Corner Theatre.
What the press said
“Sugary-sweet, fuzzy guitar rock that’s catchier than a case of mononucleosis in a game of spin the bottle.” — CMJ Music Marathon ’99 Festival Guide
Steve Morse, The Boston Globe: “Many punk-influenced power-pop bands dot the landscape, but Calendar Girl is definitely in the top tier… celebrated a fine new CD, Everyone But You.”
Matt Ashare, The Boston Phoenix: “The disc delivers a playful yet driving mix of art-damaged indie guitar pop and punkier riff rock…”
The Big Takeover: “A CD that’s fast and fuzzy, polished and chaotic and busy. This is ultraPop, and it’s catchy, like a sonic infection.”
Gigs
Every surviving date in one list, in date order — 49 gigs, 1998–2002. Sources merge the band’s own archived gig log and Boston Phoenix club ads and listings. Phoenix rows are Announced, not confirmed played, unless the band log confirms the date. “Week of” indicates that the exact day is undetermined.
| Date | Venue | Bill / notes | Status & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Jan 25, 1998 | Green Street Grill, Cambridge | First show | Confirmed — band gig log (archived Calendar Girl site); contemporary Tufts Daily profile |
| Sun Sep 6, 1998 | T.T. the Bear’s Place, Cambridge | Sift, Calendar Girl, Kung Fu Grip (Fat Buddah also listed) | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 8/28/1998 and 9/4/1998 |
| Sun Nov 8, 1998 | Green Street Grill, Cambridge | The Prime Numbers, Calendar Girl, Pageboy | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 11/6/1998 |
| Week of Nov 13–19, 1998 (day undetermined) | T.T. the Bear’s Place, Cambridge | Made to Fade, Calendar Girl, AM Stereo, Humbert | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 11/13/1998 |
| Tue Dec 29, 1998 | Venue unconfirmed (OCR-garbled) | Star Ghost Dog, Another Planet, Calendar Girl, Uncool Niece & Friends | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 12/25/1998 |
| Thu Jan 7, 1999 | Linwood Grille, Boston | Boy Wonder, Star Ghost Dog, Calendar Girl, Uncool Niece | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 1/1/1999 |
| Sat Jan 30, 1999 | 112 Broad St, Boston | Wisner Productions presents: The Pills, Ultra Breakfast, Boy Joys, Calendar Girl | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 1/22/1999 and 1/29/1999 |
| Sat Feb 20, 1999 | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge | Ray Corvair Trio, Senor Happy, Calendar Girl (+ Count Zero, The World Is My Fuse, Slower Than Seasons) | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 2/19/1999 |
| Week of Mar 19–25, 1999 (day undetermined) | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge | Banjo Spiders, Sterlings, Heavy Stud, Nana, Calendar Girl | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 3/19/1999 |
| Sat May 15, 1999 | The Attic (band site says The Linwood—venue unconfirmed) | Cool Rocketships in Space release with Boy Wonder, Star Ghost Dog, AM Stereo, Meaghan McLaughlin | Confirmed — band gig log + Boston Phoenix, 5/7/1999 and 5/14/1999 |
| Week of Jun 4–10, 1999 (day undetermined) | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge | Fuzzy, Buttercup, Calendar Girl, Mayflies U.S.A. | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 6/4/1999 |
| Thu Jul 15, 1999 | T.T. the Bear’s Place, Cambridge | Mark Curry, Rocket Science, Calendar Girl | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 7/9/1999 and 7/16/1999 |
| Fri Jul 23, 1999 | The Western Front, 343 Western Ave, Cambridge | Calendar Girl + The Decals + Girl on Top | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 7/23/1999 |
| Thu Sep 16, 1999 | Acme Underground, New York, NY | CMJ Musicfest ’99 | Confirmed — band gig log (archived Calendar Girl site); contemporary Tufts Daily profile |
| Week of Jan 7–13, 2000 (day undetermined) | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge | Seventeen, Cheerleadr, Calendar Girl | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 1/7/2000 |
| Sat Jan 15, 2000 | Venue unconfirmed (likely Middle East) | Boy Wonder Final Show: The Gravy, Den Mothers, Calendar Girl, Corin & Dave of The Pills | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 12/17/1999, 12/24/1999 and 12/31/1999 |
| Week of Apr 21–27, 2000 (day undetermined) | Sky Bar, Somerville | Calendar Girl, Kreb Star, Decals, Kung Fu Grip (+ Three Day Threshold, Blue Valentine) | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 4/21/2000 |
| Weeks of May 26–Jun 8, 2000 (day undetermined) | T.T. the Bear’s Place, Cambridge | Calendar Girl, Prime Rib, Major Major, High Ceilings (listed two weeks running) | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 5/26/2000 and 6/2/2000 |
| Week of Jun 23–29, 2000 (day undetermined) | Kendall Cafe, Cambridge | Control Group, Calendar Girl, Nate Borofsky | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 6/23/2000 |
| Weeks of Jul 21–Aug 3, 2000 (day undetermined) | O’Brien’s, Allston | Kung Fu Grip, Kodachrome, Calendar Girl, Giants Workshop | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 7/21/2000 and 7/28/2000 |
| Sat Aug 12, 2000 | Venue unconfirmed (likely Middle East) | Intelligent Records showcase: Brilliantine, Say Hi to Lisa, AM Stereo, Pop Gun, Calendar Girl, Josh Metcalf & Delwin G | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 8/11/2000 |
| Week of Sep 22–28, 2000 (day undetermined) | Sky Bar, Somerville | Calendar Girl, Boy Joys, Mishima, Jupiter Project | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 9/22/2000 |
| Sat Nov 18, 2000 | T.T. the Bear’s Place, Cambridge | Helicopter Helicopter, Dragstrip Courage, The Decals (record release), Calendar Girl, Popgun Seven | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 10/20/2000, 11/10/2000 and 11/17/2000 |
| Fri Dec 29, 2000 | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge | Intelligent Records presents: Calendar Girl, Say Hi to Lisa, AM Stereo, The Modifiers, Cold Coffee | Confirmed — band gig log + Boston Phoenix, 12/22/2000 and 12/29/2000 |
| Sat Mar 10, 2001 | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge | Tugboat Annie, AM Stereo, Calendar Girl, Decals | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 3/2/2001 and 3/9/2001 |
| Sat Apr 7, 2001 | T.T. the Bear’s Place, Cambridge | Tremont Ale presents: Seventeen, Calendar Girl Everyone But You release, The Decals, Frigate | Confirmed — band gig log + Boston Phoenix, 4/6/2001 |
| Sat Apr 14, 2001 | Lizard Lounge, Cambridge | Paula Kelly, Calendar Girl, Delicious; reviewed by Steve Morse in The Boston Globe | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 4/13/2001 |
| Fri Apr 20, 2001 | O’Brien’s, Allston | Dubnicks, Turning Blue, Grannies, Calendar Girl | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 4/20/2001 |
| Thu Apr 26, 2001 | Acme Underground, New York, NY | 2001 tour | Confirmed — band gig log (archived Calendar Girl site); contemporary Tufts Daily profile |
| Thu May 3, 2001 | Mohawk Place, Buffalo, NY | 2001 tour | Confirmed — band gig log (archived Calendar Girl site); contemporary Tufts Daily profile |
| Fri May 11, 2001 | Keon’s, Haverhill, MA | 2001 tour | Confirmed — band gig log (archived Calendar Girl site); contemporary Tufts Daily profile |
| Sat May 19, 2001 (band log); Sun May 20 (Phoenix) | Bill’s Bar, Boston | 2001 tour date in the band log; Phoenix lists the show a day later with Toy Boat—likely the same show | Listed in both — band gig log; Boston Phoenix, 5/11/2001 and 5/18/2001 |
| Tue May 29, 2001 | The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ | 2001 tour | Confirmed — band gig log (archived Calendar Girl site); contemporary Tufts Daily profile |
| Wed May 30, 2001 | Pontiac Grill, Philadelphia, PA | 2001 tour | Confirmed — band gig log (archived Calendar Girl site); contemporary Tufts Daily profile |
| Thu May 31, 2001 | Velvet Lounge, Washington, DC | 2001 tour | Confirmed — band gig log (archived Calendar Girl site); contemporary Tufts Daily profile |
| Sat Jun 2, 2001 | Local 506, Chapel Hill, NC | 2001 tour | Confirmed — band gig log (archived Calendar Girl site); contemporary Tufts Daily profile |
| Mon Jun 4, 2001 | Sudsy Malone’s, Cincinnati, OH | 2001 tour | Confirmed — band gig log (archived Calendar Girl site); contemporary Tufts Daily profile |
| Tue Jun 5, 2001 | Bernie’s Distillery, Columbus, OH | 2001 tour | Confirmed — band gig log (archived Calendar Girl site); contemporary Tufts Daily profile |
| Sat Jun 9, 2001 | Baystate Hotel, Northampton, MA | 2001 tour | Confirmed — band gig log (archived Calendar Girl site); contemporary Tufts Daily profile |
| Tue Jun 26, 2001 | Kendall Cafe, Cambridge | Calendar Girl, Willem Hartong | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 6/22/2001 |
| Sat Jul 21, 2001 | The Linwood | Little A, Calendar Girl, Butterfield 8 | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 7/20/2001 |
| Thu Aug 23, 2001 | Balaton | Ad Frank, Blow, Calendar Girl | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 8/17/2001 |
| Sat Sep 29, 2001 | Likely T.T. the Bear’s Place, Cambridge (venue unconfirmed) | The Douglas Fir, Calendar Girl | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 9/28/2001 |
| Residency ad, dates unclear | Venue unconfirmed | “The Residency featuring Star Ghost Dog, Calendar Girl” | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 10/19/2001 |
| Fri Jan 4, 2002 | Sky Bar, Somerville | Calendar Girl, Midget Jesus, Cheaterpint, Tricycle | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 12/28/2001 and 1/4/2002 |
| Sat Mar 2, 2002 | T.T. the Bear’s Place, Cambridge | Loveless, Godboxer, Calendar Girl, Creme Brulee | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 2/22/2002 and 3/1/2002 |
| Sat May 11, 2002 | Middle East, Cambridge (472 Mass Ave) | WBCN Rumble preliminaries: Quitter, Loveless, Calendar Girl, Munk. The band did not advance. | Confirmed — band gig log + Boston Phoenix, 4/26/2002, 5/3/2002 and 5/10/2002 |
| Wed Aug 28, 2002 | Venue unconfirmed (OCR-garbled) | Calendar Girl, The Losing Kind, Two Sun System, Non-Phixion, Anti Earth, South Soho, Reklus | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 8/23/2002 |
| Fri Oct 25, 2002 | The Linwood, Boston | Last listed show | Confirmed — band gig log (archived Calendar Girl site); contemporary Tufts Daily profile |
Radio
WMBR aired live Pipeline! sessions on October 19, 1999 and July 10, 2001. The band appeared on WMFO’s On The Town on June 27, 2001 and gave WMWM interviews in March 2000. Everyone But You placed No. 100 on WMBR’s Top 100 of 2001; “Huck Finn” reached No. 1 on WMBR’s weekly Top 35 on May 21, 2002. WMBR’s archive logs 31 plays from 1999 to 2026.
Sources: archived Calendar Girl website via Wayback Machine; Tufts Daily, April 2001; Boston Phoenix; WMBR playlist archive.
03Stever Must Lead the Rebellion2011–2012 documented
03
Stever Must Lead the Rebellion
2011–2012 documented
A short-lived side project where Paul played synthesizer, focused on interesting sounds rather than piano playing.
Paul recalls writing and recording after 2003, possibly before the band had a name. That earlier period cannot be verified from his mailbox, which starts in 2010. Documented activity is 2011–2012.
Recording & activity
| Date | Event | Source / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2011–Jan 2013 | Shared practice-space threads | With Johnny Anguish; Gmail. |
| Apr 23, 2012 | Practice thread | Johnny: “we’re recording in the basement.” |
| May 2012 | Weekly Tuesday rehearsals | Gmail scheduling. |
| May 31, 2012 | Recording and artwork complete | Johnny planned to put the material on Bandcamp for free; Nicole’s artwork was finished. |
| Dec 11, 2012 | …Must Lead The Rebellion EP release | Bandcamp. |
Sources: Gmail 2011–2013; Bandcamp; Daykamp Creative.
04Miskatonic2007–2011 · reunion 2026
04
Miskatonic
2007–2011 · reunion 2026
A potent mixture of new wave and rock and roll: ’80s synth and bass, punky guitar textures and Liz Firger’s melodic vocals.
The band’s bio credits melodies to Tim Farrell and Paul Wisner, describing “two years of song writing” informed by the Cars and the Pixies. This is where Paul’s songwriting began in earnest.
Recordings
| Date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Let Us Entertain Us | First release; commercial and college airplay. Northeast Performer called it bombastically catchy. “Everyone Wants You” on Spotify. |
| Jan 2011 announced | Favorite Records EP | “Favorite Records” on Spotify; Sudden Silence; Taunt. Date unresolved: January 2011 in the band announcement, 2009 in The Noise, 2008 on Daykamp Music. |
| Nov 5, 2011 | Life of the Party | Released at the final show, VFW Davis Square. |
Honours: Emergenza Edition 2007 Boston finalist—3rd in the first step with 29 votes, 1st in the second step with 79, 3rd in the semifinal with 71, and 6th in the final with 59; 2008 winner of 92.5 The River Rising Star contest.
What Daykamp Music said
“Toss The Cars and the B-52s in a blender. Add a dash of Fountains of Wayne and a smidge of The Rentals. Voila! Miskatonic.”
The July 2011 review of Let Us Entertain Us highlights Paul’s synth melodies on “Sno-Cone Girl” and “Extra Terrestrial Girl,” Elizabeth Firger’s vocal on “The Fall,” Steve Kelly’s melodic bass on “The Extra Mile,” and Tim Farrell’s delivery on “Dregs Of The World.” The October review calls “Favorite Records” infectious, “Sudden Silence” a song with “a cool ending,” and notes Firger’s increased confidence across the EP.
Gigs
Every surviving date in one list, in date order — 30 gigs, 2006–2026. Sources merge Boston Phoenix club ads and listings, a 2006 MySpace snapshot, the official Emergenza Edition 2007 record, The Noise Boston calendar, Paul’s Gmail booking mail and Daykamp Music. Phoenix rows are Announced, not confirmed played, unless another source confirms the date. The official Emergenza record supersedes the advance Phoenix ad dates.
| Date | Venue | Singer | Bill / notes | Status & source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat Mar 25, 2006 | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge | Gabriella Lawrence | First Miskatonic gig, with Gabriella Lawrence on vocals; Silent Service + Miskatonic + Morning Theft + Dylan in the Movies | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 3/24/2006 |
| Fri Apr 21, 2006 | T.T. the Bear’s Place, Cambridge | Lauran O’Neil* | Eunuch + December Sound + Miskatonic + Attorneys | Confirmed — MySpace gig list; Boston Phoenix, 4/21/2006 |
| Fri Jun 23, 2006 | Abbey Lounge, Somerville | Lauran O’Neil* | Acro-brats + Miskatonic + Mark Bates + Piston Paris | Confirmed — MySpace gig list; Boston Phoenix, 6/23/2006 |
| Thu Aug 3, 2006 | Bulfinch Yacht Club, Boston | Lauran O’Neil* | Miskatonic + Cheater Pint + Watts (also listed: Lee Fish) | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 7/28/2006 |
| Thu Aug 10, 2006 | Bulfinch Yacht Club, Boston | Lauran O’Neil* | Miskatonic + Cheater Pint + Watts | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 8/4/2006 |
| Fri Sep 8, 2006 | Bill’s Bar, Boston | Lauran O’Neil* | Francine + Hector on Stilts + Miskatonic (WFNX New England Product Night) | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 9/8/2006 |
| Week of Oct 13–19, 2006 (day undetermined) | T.T. the Bear’s Place, Cambridge | Elizabeth Firger | Anthems for Odyssey + Crash Moderns + Miskatonic + Thousand Days | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 10/13/2006 |
| Thu Dec 14, 2006 | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge | Elizabeth Firger | Emergenza Edition 2007, first step: placed 3rd with 29 votes | Confirmed — official Emergenza record; supersedes the Phoenix advance-ad date |
| Week of Jan 5–11, 2007 (day undetermined) | Bulfinch Yacht Club, Boston | Elizabeth Firger | Silent Service + Miskatonic + OK Thursday + Hyphens | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 1/5/2007 |
| Sat Apr 7, 2007 | Middle East Downstairs, Cambridge | Elizabeth Firger | Emergenza Edition 2007, second step: placed 1st with 79 votes | Confirmed — official Emergenza record; supersedes the Phoenix advance-ad date |
| Fri May 25, 2007 | Paradise Rock Club, Boston | Elizabeth Firger | Emergenza Edition 2007 semifinal: placed 3rd with 71 votes | Confirmed — official Emergenza record |
| Thu Jun 28, 2007 | House of Blues, Boston | Elizabeth Firger | Emergenza Edition 2007 final: placed 6th with 59 votes | Confirmed — official Emergenza record |
| Thu Sep 27, 2007 | Hennessy’s Upstairs, Boston | Elizabeth Firger | Hiss & Chambers + Miskatonic + Common Thrill | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 9/21/2007 |
| Thu Oct 4, 2007 | Hennessy’s Upstairs, Boston | Elizabeth Firger | Hiss & Chambers + Miskatonic + Common Thrill (same bill listed two weeks running—possibly two shows or a repeated ad) | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 9/28/2007 |
| Tue Oct 23, 2007 | T.T. the Bear’s Place, Cambridge | Elizabeth Firger | Imperial Teen + SnowLeopards + Okay Thursday + Miskatonic (WMBR’s Phoning It In presents) | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 10/19/2007 |
| Fri May 2, 2008 | Abbey Lounge, Somerville (Main Stage) | Elizabeth Firger | Great Bandini + Cyanide Valentine + Miskatonic + Hammond Croup | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 5/2/2008 |
| Team Shred showcase, date/venue unclear | Venue unconfirmed | Elizabeth Firger | Bill includes Miskatonic among about 15 bands, including Lymbyc System, Constants, Blood on the Wall, Viva Viva and Minipop | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 5/2/2008 |
| Mon May 19, 2008 | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge | Elizabeth Firger | Minipop + Atomictom + Miskatonic | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 5/16/2008 |
| Week of Aug 28–Sep 3, 2009 (day undetermined) | O’Brien’s, Allston | Elizabeth Firger | Pistol + Battleships + Miskatonic + Green Street Station | Announced — Boston Phoenix, 8/28/2009 |
| Fri Jun 4, 2010 | Precinct, Union Square, Somerville | Elizabeth Firger | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail | |
| Fri Jul 9, 2010 | The Rosebud, Davis Square | Elizabeth Firger | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail | |
| Fri Sep 17, 2010, 11:15pm | Precinct, Union Square, Somerville | Elizabeth Firger | Pray for Polanski, Mascara, Miskatonic, John Powhida International Airport; $5, 21+ | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail |
| Wed Oct 6, 2010 | Middle East Downstairs, Cambridge | Elizabeth Firger | Rock Shop #8 | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail |
| Thu Oct 14, 2010, 10pm | Venue not stated in source | Elizabeth Firger | 92.5 The River Homegrown Showcase | Confirmed — Gmail |
| Fri Oct 15, 2010, 9:30pm | Tommy Doyle’s, Harvard Square | Elizabeth Firger | With The Highway; DJ Special K | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail |
| Sat Dec 11, 2010 | Precinct, Union Square, Somerville | Elizabeth Firger | Brown Boot + Top Heavy + Miskatonic + Airport | Confirmed — The Noise Boston calendar; Boston Phoenix, 12/10/2010 |
| Wed Jul 27, 2011 | The Rosebud, Davis Square | Elizabeth Firger | 8:45 Miskatonic, 9:45 The Invisible Rays, 10:45 Uranium Daughters; new songs debuted for an enthusiastic crowd | Confirmed — Gmail; Daykamp Music photo post |
| Sat Sep 17, 2011, 7pm | NE Popfest, The Rosebud, Davis Square | Elizabeth Firger | Benefit for Doctors Without Borders, Community Music Center of Boston and Animal Rescue League | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail |
| Sat Nov 5, 2011 | VFW, 371 Summer St, Davis Square, Somerville | Elizabeth Firger | Final show and Life of the Party CD release; free; three 30-minute sets from 8:30pm | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail |
| Sat Jun 20, 2026, 8pm | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge, MA | Elizabeth Firger | Miskatonic 15-year reunion show | Confirmed — Facebook post, Jun 18, 2026; Gmail announcement, Jun 13, 2026; Amy’s Shows List |
* Lauran O’Neil’s 2006 dates are based on Paul’s recollection; no independent source dates her individual gigs. The April 23 MySpace snapshot still lists Gabriella, but Paul recalls that Gabriella sang only the first show and Lauran sang the April 21 T.T.’s show. The Emergenza page lists Elizabeth by September 15, 2006.
“The Fall” at the Middle East, Emergenza Battle of the Bands, May 2007: watch on YouTube. Gmail in September 2025 documents the reunion booking with Tim Farrell, Steve Kelly, Elizabeth Firger Smith and TinyOak Booking.
Sources: Bandmine; band bio; Gmail 2010–2011 and 2025–2026; The Noise Boston calendar; archived MySpace; Daykamp Music; Boston Phoenix; official Emergenza band history.
05Ghosts and Shadows2013–present · also billed as Ghosts
05
Ghosts and Shadows
2013–present · also billed as Ghosts
Early Cure records Faith and Seventeen Seconds, reimagined with female vocals, surrealist themes, sparse orchestration and moderate tempos.
Recordings
| Date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 31, 2013 | Early Demos 2013–2016 | Early demos including “Sea of Calm” on Spotify; newer versions appear on later albums. |
| Nov 28, 2018 | The Things That Scare Us Most | CD; AllMusic cat. 5639486056. “The Sky’s Not Falling Down” on Spotify. |
| Oct 28, 2019 | Full of Stars | CD, Independent 5639807943; recorded with David Minehan at Woolly Mammoth Sound. “Full of Stars” on Spotify. |
| Nov 10 / 23, 2025 | Disconnected | Streaming November 10; Bandcamp November 23. “Never Run Away” on Spotify. |
Gigs
Every surviving date in one list, in date order — 31 gigs, 2013–2026. All are Boston-area unless noted. Sources are Paul’s Gmail booking emails, Facebook announcements and gig listings. There are no Boston Phoenix listings: the paper folded in March 2013, before the band’s first show.
| Date | Venue | Bill / notes | Status & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri Oct 18, 2013 | RADIO, 381 Somerville Ave, Somerville | First-ever show; 9pm Ghosts and Shadows, 10pm Peter Buzzelle, about $5. Lineup: Paul Wisner, Gabriella Lawrence, KSushi and Steve Reynolds. | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Sat Mar 22, 2014 | The Rock Shop, Brooklyn, NY | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements | |
| Sat Apr 26, 2014 | Roggie’s, Brighton | Ghosts and Shadows 9:50pm; Six Times Seven, Violet Machine; $8 | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Wed Aug 13, 2014 | T.T. the Bear’s, Cambridge | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements | |
| Sat Oct 18, 2014 | P.A.’s Lounge, Somerville | Ghosts and Shadows 9–9:45pm | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Wed Dec 17, 2014 | Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge | WEMF-presented; Ghosts and Shadows 8:45–9:30pm; Satellite Sound, The Robot Knights, Minus World | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Sat Feb 20, 2016 | P.A.’s Lounge, Somerville | “The return of Ghosts and Shadows”—the current lineup: Paul Wisner, Gabriella Lawrence, Steve Reynolds, Dean Fisher | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Sat May 7, 2016 | Sally O’Brien’s, Somerville | Ghosts and Shadows 10:30pm | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Fri Jun 24, 2016 | Middle East Downstairs, Cambridge | WEMF event; Ghosts and Shadows 8pm, second of nine bands | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Sun Sep 25, 2016 | ONCE Ballroom, Somerville | Concert Across America to End Gun Violence; Ghosts and Shadows 5:10–5:35pm, all ages | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Date unknown, before Nov 2017 | Hard Rock Cafe, Boston | Cell-phone video shared November 29, 2017 | Reported — Facebook post, Nov 29, 2017 |
| Sat Dec 2, 2017 | Sally O’Brien’s, Somerville | Ghosts and Shadows 10pm; Uranium Daughters, Gull Boy | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Sat Apr 28, 2018 | Sally O’Brien’s, Somerville | Ghosts and Shadows 11pm; Hillbilly Holiday, Daniel Reinstein, Pareidolia | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Thu Jul 19, 2018 | Common Ground, Arlington | 9–11pm | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Sat Dec 1, 2018 | Sally O’Brien’s, Somerville | The Things That Scare Us Most CD release; bill includes Liberte | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Thu Mar 28, 2019 | Common Ground, Arlington | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements | |
| Sat May 11, 2019 | Club Bohemia at the Cantab Lounge, Cambridge | Headlined with The All Mighty Cowboys, Shady Lady and Gull Boy | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Sat Aug 24, 2019 | McGann’s Irish Pub, Boston | TinyOak-booked; Ghosts and Shadows 10pm; Sam Pic 9pm, Dr. Martino 11pm | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Thu Sep 19, 2019 | Plough and Stars, Cambridge | Free; 10pm Gull Boy, then Ghosts and Shadows | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Thu Oct 31, 2019 | Common Ground, Arlington | Full of Stars CD release, 9–11pm | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Fri Nov 4, 2022 | The Jungle, Somerville | The Big Nest, Backpedal, Ghosts and Shadows, The Ruckus | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Wed Nov 8, 2023 | Lizard Lounge, Cambridge | Gig listing | Listed — gig listing |
| Sat Dec 28, 2024 | The Jungle, Somerville | TinyOak-booked; 8pm Ghosts and Shadows, 9pm Melt, 10pm Violent Brides. An earlier edition listed Midway Cafe; the booking email says The Jungle. | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Sat Jun 14, 2025 | The Jungle, Somerville | Closed a 4–7pm matinee bill with Past Life Crisis and Spirit Hotel; covered in Hump Day News | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Fri Jul 25, 2025 | The Burren backroom, Somerville | 6pm doors, 7pm Ghosts and Shadows, 8pm Tinkertown (Paul’s birthday show) | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Sat Aug 2, 2025 | Rage Against the Regime festival, Cambridge Common | Free ice cream | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Fri Mar 20, 2026 | Mill Cafe After Hours | Planned at the time of a December 2025 band thread; no post-show confirmation | Planned — Dec 2025 band thread; no post-show confirmation |
| Sun Apr 19, 2026 | Square Root, Roslindale | Gig listing | Listed — gig listing |
| Sun May 31, 2026 | O’Brien’s Pub, Allston | ACLU of MA benefit | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Sat Aug 1, 2026, 2:30–4pm | Jason Russell House beer garden, Arlington | Gmail booking thread, July 2026 | Confirmed — Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements |
| Sep 12, 2026 (offer) | The Jungle (proposed) | Gmail Sep 1, 2026 invitation, not confirmed as played | Offer — Gmail invitation Sep 1, 2026; not confirmed as played |
College radio. WMBR logged five Ghosts and Shadows plays between December 2013 and December 2018: “In the Dark,” “Crash Into The Sand” and “I’ll Find You.”
History
The band was founded by Gabriella Lawrence, Paul Wisner, KSushi and Steve Reynolds at a Halloween party. Paul had been in Miskatonic; Gabriella had briefly been a member too. KSushi and Steve Reynolds had played in Cheater Pint. KSushi left in 2016; Dean Fisher joined and reincarnated the band, settling the current lineup. The first show, October 18, 2013 at RADIO in Somerville, featured the founding four-piece.
Associated projects include Juliana Hatfield Three, Dylan in the Movies, Cheater Pint and Tinkertown, plus links to Miskatonic, Calendar Girl, Ultrabreakfast and Stever Must Lead the Rebellion.
Sources: Bandcamp; AllMusic; Gmail booking mail; Facebook announcements; Hump Day News; WMBR playlist archive.