Heavy Dates

by John O'Neill and Carly Carioli

WORCESTER: It seems that live entertainment runs in cycles; after a dormant period, Wormtown may well be on the upswing. Erick Godin, Eric Spencer, and Ed McNamara have worked their asses off to bring strong local/national/international acts to town, and people are finally paying attention. Is this our big rebirth? Stay tuned.

Maybe we aren't big enough to get Howard Himself, but his number-one foot soldier Stuttering John will make the sc-sc-scene this Friday at Sir Morgan's Cove. Seven Hill Psychos, Code Blue, and Downchild are also slated to appear. Meanwhile, the Chad LeMarsh Band continue the run of non-traditional (that being Irish) music at the Irish Times. They play the "Tabloid Club," formerly known as "upstairs on the third floor."

Saturday brings those venerable grandpappy's of Oi!, the Business, to the Espresso Bar. Get there early 'cause, not only is this a sure sellout, the line-up is awesome. The Dropkick Murphys, well on their way to national big-dom, 30 Seconds Over Tokyo, and the fabulously underrated Unseen round out the bill. And it don't stop there! Over at Sir Morgan's Cove, it's the return of New York City's number-one, beer-swilling, panty-raiding band of punk knuckleheads Murphy's Law. All Else Fails, Special 79, and Choke Puppy do the opening honors. Dr. Chris Van Kleek ain't no Bill Morrissey, and that's not such a bad thing. Singing his brand of "comedyfolk" with a slant that only a psychologist could pull off, he'll amuse and bemuse at the Bean Counter. Bill Morrissey, probably grateful that he's not Dr. Chris Van Kleek, plays a, as we say, more "traditional" set of folk numbers, which, after the above named action, has all the appeal of a visit to the proctologist. Unless of course you can get Van Kleek to write you out a scrip for Lorazepam first. Morrissey appears at the Bull Run (in Shirley) with Bob Martin.

It used to be that Clark University shows were entirely for consortium members only, but this may be changing and none too soon as the legendary Ventures roll into the Higgins University Center this Tuesday, March 3, at Grind Central. Along with the Surfaris these cats were the most popular of the surf-instro bands and they put out a trillion albums, including the immortal Play Bass with the Ventures and Play Guitar with the Ventures. (Both containing the respective fingering charts). And they wrote this tune called "Walk -- Don't Run," which is kinda like the "Stairway to Heaven" of surf. Cowabunga!

-- John O'Neill

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE: With all the local pop hitting the sticks this week, you'd think there wouldn't be a homegrown melody left. The Push Stars are out at the Iron Horse (413-584-0610), in Northampton, on the 26th; Letters to Cleo are at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876), in Providence, on the 27th with the Devlins; Cherry 2000 (who finally inked with the local indie Catapult recently, so you can expect an album from 'em, uh, eventually) are at the Call (401-751-2255), in Providence, on the 28th with Purple Ivy Shadows and Fly Seville. On March 1 Pete Weiss and the Rock Band are at the Call; the Figgs and the Gravel Pit are at the Iron Horse; and just off a gonzo national tour, Six Going on Seven play a semi-homecoming gig with Sweet Diesel at Pearl Street (413-584-7771), in Northampton.

And the weird-gig-of-the-week award goes to Spyro Gyra, who play to the penguins at the opening of the New England Aquarium's (617-973-5200) new "Coastal Rhythms: Creatures on the Edge" exhibit on February 27, before stopping by the Iron Horse -- sorry, no penguins -- in Northampton on February 28.

-- Carly Carioli