Heavy Dates

by John O'Neill and Carly Carioli

WORCESTER: With song titles like "Your Mother," "Banger In da Box," "Marathon Man," and "Super Fly Guy", it ain't too hard to figure out where the lads from Free Ballin' are coming from. Their preoccupation with humping may be crude, stupid, and infantile, but darn it, they're good! Check 'em out this Friday, February 13, at Sir Morgan's Cove. Over at the Space, the kids from the Westies headline a fab evening of music, while the Espresso Bar offers up more-punk-for-your-peso fun with Gas Food Lodging, Sloppy Joe, Phenol, and Hansel. Someday Patrick Murphy is going to leave town, relocate somewhere far away, and be immediately hailed as a rural-blues savior. Sometimes you just don't know a good thing when it's under your nose, never mind that it's for free. Murphy continues to hold down early Saturday night at Gilrein's where he plays from 8 to 10 p.m. Then Tomo Fujita and Blue Funk do their thing. Also on Saturday San Diego's Jejune return to town when they appear at the Space. Hard and soft, dense and sparse, heavy and light, they're well-worth checking out. Also on the bill are Piebald, Atom and his Package, Drew Barrymore's Hangover (a band featuring former Cast Iron Hike singer Jacob Brennan and Miltown guitarist Matt Squire), and Franklin, from Philadelphia. Pamela Means plays a free set over at the Java Hut as does Finton Stanley at the Irish Club. Mistle Thrush have put out a couple of decent CDs over the past few years that seem to have fallen on indifferent ears. That's why they're buried pretty deep down on the bill at Sir Morgan's Cove. Also playing are the Pathetics, Junk Sculpture, 7th Direction, and Bouvoung. Celt-out with the Bards this Sunday, February 15, at the Irish Times beginning at 4 p.m. Go ahead, don't cost nuthin'. Finally, the Troy Gonyea Trio continue their Thursday-night run at Gilrein's. It's mearly two clams to get in, and the kid's gonna be going places soon. Show up so you can brag about seeing him, "Years back, when I was one of the first fans . . ."

-- John O'Neill

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE: Word has it that no club in Boston would book Swedish death-metal-turned-maximum-rock-and-roll dudes Entombed, so if you wanna see the band who put out the best metal album of '97, you're gonna have to go out to Pearl Street (413-584-7771), in Northampton. Welding pummeling grind to charging, chunky rhythms and polemic lyrical dilemmas, their To Ride, Shoot Straight, and Tell the Truth (Music for Nations) oughta be loud rock's calling card for the next century. Also on the February 15 Pearl Street bill are Bloodlet, Converge, and Hatebreed.

Likewise not coming to town: turntablist revivalists the X-ecutioners, who are part of the "Elements of Hip-Hop" tour with Common and Rahzel that waltzes into Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876), in Providence, on February 18.

Friday the 13th might seem an unlucky gig night, but Irish eyes will be smiling on Altan when they play Pearl Street. They're also at the Somerville Theatre (617-931-2000), in Davis Square, the following night.

-- Carly Carioli