Heavy Dates

by Joe Longone and Carly Carioli

WORCESTER: This Friday, August 15, '70s schlock rockers Three Dog Night invade the Palladium, the future of hardcore is on display when N.E. Hostility, Hate Machine, Shadows Fall, and Commonwealth pile into the Espresso Bar, the uplifting melody maker Ken Baxter is at Chuck's, Clutch Grabwell have a ball at the Firehouse Café, Rye Coalition, Iris, and Stricken for Catherine appear at the Space, Marley's hosts another kicking show when Split, Shagstown Shysters, and the Mad Funkateers come a calling, and the New England Science Center ends its Jazz at Sunset Series with Ed Saindon and Swing. This Saturday, August 16, Tree, Rawhead Rex, and Staind bring an explosion of sound to Sir Morgan's Cove, the Space welcomes back the fabulous Curtain Society to Worcester, international blues master U.P. Wilson plugs in at Gilrein's, Another Planet jam at the Firehouse Café, and the Espresso Bar brings on some of the hardest rocking bands on the East Coast when Fury of V, Holdstrong, Times Expired, All You're Lost, and Die My Will appear. This Wednesday, August 20, Chuck and Mud's Eight Annual Family Concert takes place at Institute Park, and two of Worcester's better guitarists, Julian Russell and Marc Barnicle, are featured at the Plantation Club's open mic. Next Thursday, August 21, Fishbowl, Arthur Dent Foundation, and Dave Valliere play the Cove. Next Friday, August 22, Black Rose Garden, Huck, Crazy Alice, Lunar Plexus, and Gas Food Lodging offer a bonanza of sounds at the Cove, Twist 160, the Detriments, Oxford Snow Kings, and Murry Lane get together at the Espresso Bar, Chuba Kabra, Milltown, and Guerrero perform at the Space, Hubris and Revolving Radio Userr headline Marley's, and check out Lee Totten at Chuck's.

-- Joe Longone

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE: It's another strange week at Great Woods (339-2333), beginning Friday with speed-metal titans Megadeth still managing to do the arena thing, and bringing along one of the world's most unlikely punk-rock comeback acts, the Misfits. The next night Bob Dylan's in town -- on Elvis Death Day, it wouldn't be a bad time to break out "Tomorrow Is a Long Time" -- with Ani Difranco and BR5-49. Then there's a couple of days of hip-hop/rock crossover, with 311 and De La Soul on the 20th, and the Wu-Tang Clan and the Public Enemy/Slayer-obsessed Atari Teenage Riot tagging along with Rage Against the Machine on the 21st.

Blues mama Koko Taylor does the indoor thing with her Blues Machine at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876), in Providence, on August 15 with Geri Verdi and the Villains opening, then moves to the DeCordova Museum (617-876-4275), in Lincoln, on August 17 as part of the World Music series. Buckwheat Zydeco are next on the DeCordova's dance card, on August 24, but you can also catch 'em at the Iron Horse Music Hall (413-584-0610), in Northampton, on August 17.

-- Carly Carioli