Heavy Dates

by Joe Longone and Matt Ashare

WORCESTER: This Friday, May 2, roots rocker Dennis Brennan brings his band to Gilreins, Gas Food Lodging, Super Creb Star Dynomax, and Buddah turn up the volume at the Espresso Bar, Big Lick and Cream Team will get the 18+ crowd moving at Ralph's, Bret Hart entertains at Eleni's, and WPI Jazz Ensemble can be seen at O'Flaherty's. This Saturday, May 3, a few weeks after their swinging performance at Dinny's, the Lyres take their encore show to Ralph's, Sir Morgan's Cove proudly presents its annual May Day for MDA benefit featuring Chillum, East Coast Psychos, NE Hostility, Paco, GFY, Third Eye, Money Shot, and Machine Gun Kelly, Gilreins welcomes back blues great K.D. Bell, the band Linx celebrate their CD release at the Above Club, Slipknot jam at the Firehouse Cafe, Bob Jordan sings for those at the Java Hut, Chet Williamson's Indigo Trio stir up some blues at the Green Rooster Coffeehouse, and Split, Rut, 7 Dead, and Sleeping Giant play the Espresso Bar. This Sunday, May 4, the Espresso Bar holds a afternoon show (3 p.m.) featuring Bane, Fast Break, Floorpunch, In My Eyes, and Strong Intension. This Wednesday, May 7, Sir Morgan's Cove opens their New Band Nite with XIXXO, Tunnel Vision, and Shmoove Rufus. Next Thursday, May 8, Forced Fed Shovel Head, Rut, State of Corruption, and Infuse rock the Cove, Hospital, Dead White Male, and Classic American Hamburger are scheduled for Ralph's 18+ night, and local songwriter Mike Ladd performs at Shorty's. Next Friday, May 9, No Doubt, Toy Dolls, and the Vandalls are in concert at the Centrum, the Cove holds its Battle of the Bands' finals with Orion, Sauce, Cream Team, and Infuse, Wormtown's most overlooked wonders, the Time Beings, return to Ralph's and open for John Felice, the Deadites and Colorblind bring their electronic music to the Espresso Bar, Cactus saddle up at Captain Ron's, and singer Leslie Buck can be found at the Firehouse Cafe.

-- Joe Longone

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE: Gutsy guitarist/singer Chris Whitley and up-and-comer Kristen Barry team up at the Iron Horse (413-584-0610), in Northampton, on May 1 and the Paradise (617-562-8800), in Boston, on May 5, where Chalk Farm open. Epitaph punks the Humpers rock T.T. the Bear's Place (617-492-2327) in Cambridge with the Cretins, Buzzard, and the Chris Ware Band on May 1 and then hook up with LA's notorious Leaving Trains on May 4 at the Met Café (401-861-2142), in Providence. And Velvet Underground drummer Moe Tucker keeps the beat for Magnet on May 2 at T.T. the Bear's Place, where Trona, Sway, and the Pete Weiss Rock Band open, and at the Met Café on May 3, where Rebuilt Hangar Theory, Trona, and Bermuda open.

The great young jazz bassist Christian McBride leads his quartet at the Iron Horse on May 2 and at the Regattabar (617-876-7777), in Cambridge, on May 3 and 4. Singer/songwriter/all-around good guy Freedy Johnston headlines the Paradise on May 4 with openers the Shams, and the Iron Horse on May 5 with openers Willie Wisely and the Maggies. He goes on to open for Dada on May 7 at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876), in Providence. And Dada play Mama Kin (536-2100), in Boston, without Freedy on May 8.

If you missed the Verve Pipe at last weekend's Earth Day Hatch Shell concert in Boston, you can still catch them with Tonic at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel on May 4 and at Avalon, in Boston, (call 617-931-2000 for tickets) on May 9. Don't miss Fugazi with Branch Manager at St. John's Gym, in Clinton (call 617-931-2000 for tickets), on May 5 and at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel on May 6, because they're simply one of the best live bands ever. Mr. J. Mascis brings his Dinosaur Jr. to Pearl Street (413-584-7771), in Northampton, on May 7 and the Roxy in Boston (call 617-931-2000) on May 8, where word is that Krist Noveselic's new Sweet 75 and New Jersey's ditch croaker are opening. And the excellent indie-pop trio Varnaline hook up with Purple Ivy Shadows at the Met Café on May 7 and at the Middle East (617-864-3278), in Cambridge, on May 8.

-- Matt Ashare