Heavy Dates

by Joe Longone and Matt Ashare

WORCESTER: This Friday, May 9, No Doubt, Toy Dolls, and Vandals are in concert at the Centrum, Sir Morgan's Cove holds its Battle of the Bands finals when Orion, Sauce, Cream Team, and Crype vie for all the marbles, the Time Beings, John Felice and the Devotions, and the Preston Wayne Four rock Ralph's, Lord Hill jam at the Tammany Club, the Deadites and Colorblind bring electronic rock to the Espresso Bar, the WPI Jazz Ensemble swing into O'Flaherty's, and Leslie Buck sings at the Firehouse Cafe. This Saturday, May 10, two of New England's finest folk artists Don White and Jon Svetkey celebrate White's latest release, Rascal, at the Green Rooster Coffeehouse, hear the best in British pub rock when Big Bad Bollocks belly up to Ralph's, Black Rose Garden, Canine, Lunar Plexis, and Heckling Nun pile into Sir Morgan's Cove, one of Worcester's fastest-rising bands Another Planet play the Plantation Club, things get noisy at the Espresso Bar when East Coast Psychos, Eastcide, 3 1/2 Girls, and NE Hostility plug in, and Cactus saddle up to the clam bar at Captain Ron's. This Sunday, May 11, the Espresso Bar hosts Mosher's Day II with Tree, 7th Rail Crew, Staind, Super Creb Star Dynomax, Shed, and Full Contact (starting at 2 p.m.). This Wednesday, May 14, folk strangeman Bob Jordan hosts the Above Club's open stage, and the Cove holds its New Band Nite featuring New Pond Fondle, Jessica Roy, and Hospital. Next Thursday, May 15, Veronica's Black Morpheus Nipple can be found at Sir Morgan's Cove. Next Friday, May 16, the Westies, Radiolaria, and Tizzy bring new sounds to Ralph's, the Shirley Lewis Experience happen at Gilrein's, the Sonic Explorers jazz up the Above Club, and Grimback, Drained, Rebound, and Sykofant get together at the Espresso Bar.

-- Joe Longone

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE: NYC's renegade country-blooze punks Railroad Jerk chug into the Met Café (401-861-2142), in Providence, with Medicine Ball and the Bill Keough Experience on May 8, and T.T. the Bear's Place (617-492-2327), in Cambridge, with Hank Crane, Lockgroove Lullaby, and Dust Up on May 9. And South Africa's mbube masters Ladysmith Black Mambazo do their a cappella thing on May 8 at the Strand (401-272-0444), in Providence, and on May 9 at Sanders Theatre (617-496-2222), in Cambridge.

Veteran British bluesman John Mayall takes his Bluesbreakers to Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876), in Providence, on May 10 and to the House of Blues (617-491-2583), in Cambridge, on May 12. Middle-of-the-road rockers Collective Soul are joined by Darlahood on May 10 at Avalon (call 617-931-2000) and May 11 at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel. And English garage-rock cult hero Billy Childish brings his latest incarnation of Thee Headcoats and Spokane's raucous Makers to the Middle East (617-864-3278), in Cambridge, where the Money Shakers open, on May 10, and to the Met Café, where the Itchies open, on May 12.

The great grrrl-rock group Sleater-Kinney hook up with Pirate Jenny on May 13 at the Iron Horse (413-584-0610), in Northampton, and with Cold Cold Hearts and Shiva Speedway on May 14 at the Middle East. And guitar wiz Eric Johnson hits the Strand on May 13 and the Berklee Performance Center (call 617-931-2000), in Boston, on May 14 with special guest Cravin' Melon.

-- Matt Ashare