Heavy Dates

by Joe Longone and Matt Ashare

WORCESTER

This Fourth of July, Overcast, Dissolve, and Godflaw are at the Espresso Bar, Roadside Attraction, Twist 160, and Jack's Box are at Marley's, the Space features Vorheese, Drop Dead, and Pain Driver, and the jazz ensemble Made In the Shade appear at the New England Science Center. This Saturday, July 5, witness myriad rockin' styles when Big Lick, Jiker, and Broke play the Espresso Bar, and for those looking for a head-crushing musical experience catch N.E. Hostility, Gillyus Thunderhead, Ripple, and Tank 26 at the Cove. This Sunday, July 6, the Plantation Club continues its reggae series with Loose Caboose, the Espresso Bar features Entropy, Fragment, Fallen, Times Expired, Level, and Then There Were None, and the Space plays host to June of `44, Dianogah, the Sorts, and Stricken for Catherine. Tuesday, July 8, check out Metro Schifter, Bound, and Tension at the Space. Next Thursday, July 10, if the heat is making you loopy you'll be in perfect shape to catch Jaws of Glee, the Deadites, and Banana Forrest at Ralph's, or check out Epileptic Disco, Bell Button Skeletons, and Groove Hounds at the Cove. Next Friday, July 11, Clutch Grabwell party at the Plantation, Iris and Stricken for Catherine provide plenty of cool attitude at Ralph's, Excessive Force, Blood for Blood, Fragment and Ambrus get together at the Espresso Bar, and Ely's Gin, Chafe, and Sour Puss are this week's headliners at Marley's.

-- Joe Longone

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE

Keanu Reeves has learned a valuable lesson from the legions of film-stars-turned-pop-artists who've come before him: if you don't actually sing, chances are you'll be spared the indignity of turning up on some future Golden Throats compilation. While Speed 2 cruises onto movie screens without him (and without much critical acclaim, either), Reeves picks up his bass and hits the road with his band Dogstar -- and probably milks a little advance publicity for his next flick, Devil's Advocate, along the way. They're headlining a bill with Ruby Horse and Silverjet at Avalon (617-262-2424), in Boston, on July 8 and the Strand (401-272-0444), in Providence, on July 9.

Elsewhere, indie icons June of `44 navigate a course between tempestuous discord and eerie calm, bringing along Chicago's like-minded Dinogah when they sail into the Middle East (617-864-3278), in Boston, on July 5 and the Met Café (401-861-2142) on July 7.

At Great Woods (617-423-6398 for tix), in Mansfield, this week's shows run the gamut from Bush and Jesus Lizard on July 6 to a "70s Music Explosion" with the Village People, KC & the Sunshine Band, and Kool & the Gang on July 10. In between, Lollapalooza rolls on in with a line-up including Korn, Tool, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Tricky, Orbital, James, and Julian and Damian Marley & the Uprising Band.

But if Korn strike you as, well, just a bit too nice, we recommend making a trip out to Providence for the three-day Faithless Festival at the Met Café. Billed unflinchingly as "3 Days of Noise," it's the death/grind/scumrock response to the psychedelic-cum-space-rock Terrastock festival this past May (though Lhasa Cement Plant could have gone toe-to-toe with the most extreme bands here). Friday's show starts at 6 and the Saturday and Sunday shows begin at 2, with bands from eight states and three countries including A.C., Japanese Torture Comedy Hour, Ojordo, Bongzilla, Dissucks, Lockweld, Charles Bronson, Dropdead, and many more.

-- Matt Ashare