Heavy Dates

WORCESTER: A band who have somehow slipped through the cracks since winning the 'BCN Rumble, Doc Hopper, return to the only place that recognizes their punk genius, namely the Space, this Friday, August 7. They play in an absolute killer, five-star line-up alongside San Diego big shots No Knife, Wormtown's own Garrison, Boston faves 6 Going on 7, and Lord Sterling. What's even more amazing (or sad, depending on your perspective) is you can catch the future of pop music for a measly five bucks. Also on Friday, Soulfly, the new outfit for Sepultura's Max Cavalera, hit the Palladium along with Incubus and Snot, and Sir Morgan's Cove hosts the "Big '80s" sounds of the truly grating Orange Crush, who play cover tunes from the generally insufferable R.E.M. not to mention other lousy '80s artists. Apparently it pays relatively well. On an up-note, Woodgrain Theory open, though they may be as embarrassed as we are to report this. On Saturday, it's the mother of all local jams, SK8:98, a very large deal indeed. Vision of Disorder and Earth Crisis are the Big Names here, but we say watch for ex-Living Colour frontman Corey Glover, and local rapcore heroes 7 Hill Psychos as dark-horse favorites to rule the day. Also on board for potential mayhem are Scissorfight, Shootyz Groove, Eastcide and the always-goofy Murphy's Law. We've said it before and we'll say it again, Barrence Whitfield may be the greatest voice of true-blue rock and roll of the past 20 years. Swing, soul, blues -- Barrence has been laying it down longer and better than pretty much everybody. You can check out the Real Deal at the Sit 'N Bull when ol' B.W. leads the Movers through their paces. Also on Saturday, Fitchburg bluesman Charley Dee makes his annual swing through town with a show at Gilrein's. On Sunday, San Diego once again is represented at the Space, this time with former-Boston transplants Jejune -- another great example of good pop music. Piebald and World Is My Fuse also play. Wednesday, August 12, heavy-hitters Crowbar and Eye Hate God roll through the Espresso Bar. Soilent Green and Deadbolt round the evening out.

-- John O'Neill

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE: On Saturday and Sunday the first annual Cape Cod Summer Music Festival at the Barnstable County Fairgrounds, (617) 931-2000, on Route 151 in Falmouth hosts funk legend Maceo Parker, reggae great Burning Spear, N'awlins swamp-boogie fiends the Radiators, bluesman John Mooney, and zydeco star Boozoo Chavis, plus local surf, ska, and mambo from the Ray Corvair Trio, Bim Skala Bim, and Babaloo, respectively. Weird electro-recombinant rock science project Operation Re-Information are at the Beachcomber, (508) 349-6055, in Wellfleet, on Saturday. And if you want to see the new-and-improved line-up of pubcore faves the Dropkick Murphys, the closest they'll get to Boston this summer will be on Saturday at the Juice Bar, (508) 255-9467, in Orleans, on a 5 p.m., all-ages bill with San Francisco's Workin' Stiffs, New York's Truants, Florida's Belltones, and Nobody's Heroes. On a completely unrelated note, Joan Baez is at the Cape Cod Melody Tent, (617) 931-2000, in Hyannis, on Tuesday.

-- Carly Carioli