Heavy Dates

by John O'Neill and Carly Carioli

WORCESTER: Well, the weekend's here again so grab your pencil and start fleshing out your itinerary. Pamela Means really blew the cork off the bottle the last time she was in town and now has the full you-won't-be-disappointed guarantee from the folks at the Space, which is where she can be seen this Friday. Along for the ride are Bret Hart, the Erin McKeown Band, and ol' pal Bob Jordan. It's more Dead for your dollar, or more heckle for your shekel, depending on where you stand on the subject, as Foxtrot Zulu and Juggling Suns do that jam thing at the Tammany Club. Peace, love, dope. On Saturday, January 24, Popgun Picnic return to town after a couple of false starts in the past few months. Bring a few extra bucks to purchase their CD 'cause it's really that good. Twist 160 also make the scene, along with Comic Book Superheroes and Tequila Dog, who -- while not being the greatest name in the world -- make for an interesting visual. Over at the Java Hut it's the return of the one, the only, Winterboy, who has a brandy new CD out called Volcano, from which he will play many selections, when not busy changing water into wine. Jim's Big Ego return to town at the Green Rooster Coffeehouse where they'll split the bill with Rob Adams & Mark Manual. Kid Bangham and Amyl Justin Band make a triumphant return to Gilrein's hot on the heels of their fab CD-release party, while over at Dinny's the Free Radicals let it rip. On Sunday, January 25, the James Montgomery Blues Band hold session at the Plantation Club Drafthouse from 7 till 11 p.m., while over at the Irish Times the Griffins do the honors from 4 to 8 p.m.

-- John O'Neill

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE: Just in time to soothe those bouts of mid-winter depression, the Beale Street Blues Boy himself, B.B. King, hits these icy shores. We're glad he's ensured himself a first-class seat on the plane to Heaven by donating his beloved Lucille to the Vatican, but even more priceless was the look on the pope's face, which seemed to say, "Why in God's name is this guy handing me a guitar?" Saint B.B. breaks in the new model this Friday, January 23, at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876), in Providence, with piano wizard Al Copley. On Saturday B.B. moves on to the Lowell Memorial Auditorium (978-454-2299) while Copley hits the House of Blues (617-491-2583). At the House of Blues tonight, January 22, is New Orleans roots legend Dr. John; for post-Super Bowl revelry, he's also at the Call (401-751-2255), in Providence, on Sunday.

Silent-film buffs and improvisational-music fans alike will want to catch the Alloy Orchestra, which will be accompanying Buster Keaton's Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) at the Somerville Theatre (617-876-4275) on January 25 under the auspices of World Music. On January 31 the Alloy will reprise one of its most popular accompaniments -- Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1926) -- at the Music Hall (603-436-2400), in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Following two nights with Van Morrison at the FleetCenter (617-931-2000) on January 23 and 24 (tickets are still available for the latter), Bob Dylan goes it alone with a last-minute gig at Symphony Hall (413-787-6600) in Springfield on January 26.

And Mary Lou Lord comes home to celebrate the release of her major-label debut, Got No Shadow (Work/Sony), on January 28 at the Middle East (617-864-3278).

-- Carly Carioli