THE WAY THEY WERE: Dipper’s Bill Goffrier, Jeff Oliphant, Gary Waleik, and Steve Michener.

Sometimes listening to a record is more than just listening to a record. That’s an inelegant way of saying that a record holds more than just what’s in its “grooves.” Favorite discs bring along a bunch of random associations — some musical, some social, and some personal — that jar powerful memories when activated. This is what listening to Supercluster: The Big Dipper Anthology did for me recently.
 
For a few years in and around Boston in the late ’80s, Big Dipper was it. Amid a mighty Beantown scene that included heavyweights Buffalo Tom, the Pixies, the Lemonheads and Dinosaur Jr., Big Dipper more than held its own, with a regular guy angle and transcendent indie pop. The band arose out of the Mission of Burma/Volcano Suns/the Embarrassment gang that a few years prior saturated the city with itchy, angular riffs and explosive gigs. At its best, Big Dipper fused Burma’s punky fire with Dumptruck’s brainiac approach and added a sublime sense of melody, plus a really quirky but legit lyrical side. On songs such as “She’s Fetching” and “All Going Out Together,” Big Dipper sure had it rolling.
 
The emergence of Supercluster is awesome for a few reasons, beyond the simple beauty of the listening experience. First, the band is emblematic of an era in indie rock that was in danger of disappearing entirely, as if it never existed. Like the work of hundreds of bands in the same era, Big Dipper’s music deserves to live on ad infinitum. But because of circumstances and a bad short-term memory, it’s currently on the endangered species list, surviving only in the vinyl collections of aging hipsters. Like Geos and Pacers, whose existence is now primarily proven only in pictures, the indie rock of the ’80s, before CDs truly took root, is nearly gone. How could one of the best bands in Boston at such a heady time in the city’s musical history have no artifact out to prove it existed?
 
Also, Big Dipper and their Boston kin — the Bags, the Lyres, Moving Targets, Cave Dogs — represented, in retrospect, the last hurrah of non-commercial indie rock. From that point forward, corporations obliterated the alternative music industry; BD and the Cave Dogs signed to the majors and imploded. It took two decades and the Internet boom for it to regain its footing.
  
Yeah, I was in that Boston scene with my whole heart and soul before moving to Providence in the early ’90s, and I recall clearly the power and glory of shows by Big Dipper and the aforementioned bands. Listening once again to these songs — and hearing in my head the band’s covers of “Jet” and Husker Du’s “The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill” — makes Big Dipper alive once more.

Talent show
The Tazza Caffe kicks off an original music competition on Sunday, March 2, from 4 to 10 pm, with an open call for the first three weeks. The contest will run for 11 Sundays; the winner will receive $2000 and have their song featured in a new film by Michael Corrente.
 
Any style or genre of music is permitted, but you can’t use effects or amplification (drums will be introduced in Round 5). What they’re really looking for are songs, so bring your best tunes. There is a $5 fee each night of the competition and the winner will be announced on May 17. There are a bunch of other rules you should know if you plan to compete, all of which are listed at myspace.com/tazzacaffe.

Rip, Big Jay swift
The local pop culture fraternity took a huge hit a few weeks back when Jason “Big Jay” Swift was shot and killed by Pawtucket police. The details remain sketchy, but Jason, who was only 30, leaves behind a one-year-old son. Says friend Rob Cinami, “He was a good father and great friend who could light up a room with his charm while busting your balls at the same time.” Swift was one of the minds behind the local Scumbags comedy troupe, whose work you can see at myspace.com/scumbagskits. A benefit show is in the works, slated for mid-April. You’ll get the info when I do.

Wandering eye
On Thursday, February 28, at Firehouse 13 it’s SPANISH DANCER (dance-psyche), NICK BISHOP (hip hop), and MAKE YOUR OWN MAPS, a band from San Antonio. The show starts at 9 pm and costs $5. Call 401.270.1801. At Cats on Friday, February 29, it’s 3 ROUND BURST, HARA KIRI, CAPTAIN CUTTHROAT, and RIFF CANNON, and the very busy HAWKINS RISE on Saturday. Call 401.722.0150. At Chan’s on Saturday, two of our favorite sons join hands. PAUL GEREMIA and THOM ENRIGHT will team up, flanked by Mark Taber on piano and Rory MacLeod on bass. Count on some sparkling blues. Admission is $12; call 401.765.1900.
 
Shoutouts to ROUTE .44, who made it to the regional finals of the Bodog Battle of the Bands. More than 4500 bands competed, and Route .44 is now in the final 50 and one of a dozen from the Northeast region. The show is on March 5 at the Fillmore at Irving Plaza in New York City. The band is selling tickets for the big gig on their website. You can wish them luck this Friday at Jerky’s, where they’ll share the bill with THE UPLIFTERS. Call 401.621.2244. On Saturday at Jake’s, it’s SHARKS COME CRUISIN’, RUM ROW, and BEN PILGRIM. Call 401.453.5253. And at AS220 the same night it’s THE WRONG REASONS, SAMUEL JAMES, and Appalachian period balladeer ELIZABETH BUTTERS. Call 401.831.9327.