Heavy Dates

by Joe Longone and Carly Carioli

WORCESTER: This Friday, August 1, Nothingface, who have just been signed to Atlantic Records, will be performing along with East Coast Psychos, 5 Seconds, Expired, and Warhouse at Sir Morgan's Cove, rising stars Drop Kick Murphys will be playing with the Westies, Working Stiffs, and Randoms at the Espresso Bar, blues favorite K.D. Bell will be bringing his band to Gilrein's, local legends Emil Haddad and Dick Odgren jazz up the New England Science Center's Jazz at Sunset series, and the Space continues to bring in the latest rages when Herculoids, Sorry Excuse, Gringo, and Putrefaction appear. This Saturday, August 2, starts off with the Latin sounds of Carilan Jazz when they perform a free concert at University Park, El Dopa, State of Corruption, Container, Contortion, and Kill the Dancing Bear can all be seen at the Espresso Bar, Godsmack, Super Zero, Spray Mate, and Psycho Serious take over the Cove, and Prohibition, Rose of Sharon, Industrial Sonic Echo, Neptune, and Jason vs. Jason are at the Space. This Sunday, August 3, the Espresso Bar features Days Gone, Indecision, Silent Majority, and Cold Shoulder. This Tuesday, August 5, Bob Jordan, Cowboy Billy, and Noodles the Clown entertain at Green Hill Park. This Wednesday, August 6, the fun continues at Green Hill Park with the Chandler Travis Philharmonic and singer/songwriter Bret Hart. Next Thursday, August 7, country's Prudence and the Plowboys perform a free show at Elm Park, and Extended Version, Gel, Ken Stringer, and Rye rock the Cove. Next Friday, August 8, Shed, Nothingface, 7th Rail Crew, and Staind bring on the noise at the Espresso Bar, the Black Rebels, Duke Man Tea, and Tri-Sik-El appear at the Cove, and Mango Blues bring their Afro-Latin sounds to the New England Science Center's Jazz at Sunset series.

-- Joe Longone

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE: After signing to the über-major Dreamworks label and playing a stint on the Ozzfest, prodigal kids Powerman 5000 are back in New England as headliners. They'll be at the Living Room (401-521-5200), in Providence, on August 4. Then in Boston they're playing Avalon (617-262-2424) with Coal Chamber and Sevendust on August 6. More of the heavy-metal funk is on the way via Sugar Ray, who'll have DJ in tow when they bring the West Coast punk-lite of Smashmouth and a brilliant space-goth band, Plexi, to Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876), in Providence, on August 1. They'll also be at the Middle East (617-864-3278), in Cambridge, the following night.

Jam freaks will no doubt wanna flock to see the Charlie Hunter Quartet on August 1 at the Middle East, with the Slip and Moon Boot Lover's Peter Prince opening up. If you just need to follow Charlie around, he'll also be at the Met Café (401-861-2142), in Providence, the following night with Vic Foley's Southern Fried Swang Thang. For a different kind of jam, we recommend checking out the fat-assed '70s boogie metal of Gov't Mule, who'll be at Mama Kin (617-536-2100), in Boston, on August 2 and the Iron Horse (413-584-0610), in Northampton, on August 4.

Meanwhile, former Mule singer/guitarist turned roots troubadour P.W. Long brings his guitar and a band including former Jesus Lizard drummer Mac McNeilly to the Met Café on a bill with T-Shirt and Fly Seville on August 6, then travels to the Middle East for a gig with Noisy LeGrande and the Banjo Spiders on August 7. And another top-notch indie singer/songwriter, Elliott Smith, goes electric for a couple of gigs backed by Quasi, the duo featuring one of Smith's partners in Heatmiser, Sam Coomes, plus Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss. Quasi also play the opening set when the tour hits the Met Café on August 1 and the Middle East on August 3.

And if you can get there from here, an unlikely comeback tour is underway by thrash-era delinquents S.O.D., the stormtroopers of death themselves, who will be speaking English and headlining an all-day hardcore extravaganza at Lupo's on August 2.

-- Carly Carioli