Heavy Dates

by John O'Neill and Matt Ashare

WORCESTER: Friday, June 19, begins the first of two CD release parties for local faves Seven Hill Psychos. They do an opening set at the Espresso Bar for Godsmack and follow up on Saturday with a coheadlining gig with Downchild at Sir Morgan's Cove. Also on Friday, Dedlift (kind of a loud and hard Super Group with former members of Thundercock, Forced Fed Shovel Head, Dr. Bewkenheimer, and Stoolface) make the scene at Sir Morgan's Cove. Old pal Eve Evol returns to town with her band Purrr on the same bill. Say what you will about those hula shirt wearin', tiki masked chuckleheads of Paco, just don't call them uninteresting. They play the Space with Special 79 and Choke Puppy. Please pass the poi. The buzz continues to follow Clinton's number-one favorite Little Big Wheel. Will they sign or won't they sign? That is the question inquiring minds want to know. They play the Tammany Club this Saturday along with Wormtown's oldest adolescents Thinner. One of the quickest ways onto this guy's shit list is to compare your band to an all-time great in a press kit and then produce a CD full of tepid crap to go along with it. That's exactly what Love Sauce did when they dared to blaspheme the good name of the Del Fuegos, which is pretty much unforgivable. They "rock" G. Willickers. Also on Saturday, it's a CD-release party for the kids of Sticker at the Espresso Bar. They're joined by Comunion, Flipside, and For Julia. A couple of free shows worth checking out go down Thursday, June 25, and both are in Fitchburg. Jason James and the Bay State Houserockers do the nasty at Partner's Pub while D.D. and the Road Kings let it rip at Slattery's Front Room.

-- John O'Neill

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE: Four promising young singer/songwriters join forces this week for a swing through New England on what's been dubbed the "On the Fringe Tour": David Poe, who's supporting a new Epic CD and who gets rhythmic support on the road from Rollins Band drummer Sim Cain; Kim Fox, who released a fine debut titled Moon Hut (DreamWorks) earlier this year; David Rice; and Atlantic recording artist Kacy Crowley. The tour hits the Iron Horse, (413) 584-0610, in Northampton, on June 18, Lansdowne Street Playhouse (617) 536-2100, in Boston, on June 19, the Elvis Room, (603) 436-9189, in Portsmouth, on June 20, and the Call, (401) 751-2255, in Providence, on June 21, where local singer/songwriter Chick Graning will join the bill. Poe sticks around to play his own show at the Green Street Grill, (617) 876-1655, in Cambridge, on the 22nd. The "Def Jam Survival of the Illest Tour" is making only one area stop -- on June 21 at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel, (401) 272-5876, in Providence -- but since it does feature the chart-topping new rapper DMX, as well as Onyx, it should be worth the trip.

Another singer/songwriter, rootsy dude Dave Alvin, goes it alone on a tour supporting his new CD, Blackjack David (Hightone), which brings him to the Iron Horse on June 24 and the House of Blues, (617) 491-2583, in Cambridge, on the 25th. The artist formerly known as Monster Mike -- local blues guitarist Mike Welch -- celebrates the release of his new CD with gigs on June 20 at the Call, where Vic Foley and His Southern Fried Swang Thang open, June 28 at the Grog, (978) 465-8008, in Newburyport, and July 3 at the Sea Note (781) 925-4300, in Nantasket Beach. And Great Woods (call 617-423-NEXT for tickets), in Mansfield, has a big week, with the Allman Brothers Band on the 19th, the B-52's and Pretenders on the 20th, Randy Travis headlining the WKLB Country Festival on the 21st, and Ani DiFranco on the 24th.

-- Matt Ashare