Heavy Dates

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE

The producer known as Mudrock left his fingerprints on countless demos and CDs from Allston to the Fenway before moving to LA a couple years back after he'd hit the big time -- a result of his knob twiddling on Godsmack's (now multi-platinum) debut in the Fens basement known as New Alliance studios. Mudrock has just completed work on Godsmack's follow-up at an undisclosed suburban Mass location, but between 'smacks he teamed up with former Sex Pistol Steve Jones to produce the debut by a Hollywood hard-rock band called American Pearl, who've got lotsa tattoos, lotsa leather, and the opening slot on the tour of labelmates Creed, which stops at the Tweeter Center, (617) 931-2000, in Mansfield, on August 22.

Outstanding Boston mod-punks the Damn Personals are just now returning from the road, but news of their exploits precedes them. An Internet item -- confirmed by their label friends over at Big Wheel Recreation -- had the physically slight Personals in the middle of a Warped Tour melee involving overzealous bouncers that ended in a small-scale riot, an airborne drum kit, and life-saving reinforcements in the form of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. Ask the Damn Personals all about it tonight (August 17) when they play a homecoming at the Middle East, (617) 864-3278, in Cambridge.

An attack of the faceless pop-punk/modern-rock one-hit wonders materializes this week. "What's the Dillio" creators Mest are young enough to claim Green Day and Goldfinger as influences, which means they'll be in good company when they open for MxPx at a free Boston Phoenix/FNX New Music gig at the Hatch Shell, (781) 595-6200, in Boston, August 17. Also tonight, So Cal's Lefty, who write songs about "Girls," are at Bill's Bar, (617) 421-9678, in Boston. Tonic -- we honestly can't remember which ones they were, but the name rings a bell, right? -- are at Axis, (617) 262-2437, on August 22. And Eve 6 are at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel, (401) 272-5876, in Providence, on August 25.

It's not just a digital-file format or a Web site -- it's a tour. Yep, August 18 brings the "Women of Mp3.com Tour" to the Met Café, (401) 861-2142, in Providence, with the Becky Chace Band, Erin McKeown, Meghan Toohey, Shoshana, and Jennifer Minuto. You know where to find the song samples.

-- Carly Carioli