Heavy Dates

WORCESTER: The band whose name we just love to say, Feces Pieces (go ahead, say it 10 times fast, you'll see what we mean) return to the Worm city with a self-titled CD on Boston's fine Curve of the Earth imprint. They're sharing the bill with faves Chillum, Every Second, and headliners NE Hostility, who've a relatively new CD themselves called Wormtown Grooveworks. It all happens at the Espresso Bar, this Friday, August 14. Also on Friday those rockin' and reelin' cats from Clutch Grabwell (who have their second CD almost-ready for public consumption) return to the Plantation Club Drafthouse, and Junk Sculpture do their thing at Sir Morgan's Cove along with Within, Likewise, and People of the Sun. If SK8:98 is any indication, hardcore is here to stay in a Big way. And there's no better example of what a great hardcore band is than Snapcase, who'll shake the crap out of the Palladium crowd this Saturday night. Good Riddance, A.F.I., Reach the Sky, and Piecemeal also play. Doors open at 8 p.m. sharp. Elsewhere around town, Hope Fest 98 kicks off at East Park with loads of swell attractions -- including fireworks -- and the family-friendly stylings of Blood, Sweat and Tears. All Else Fails have kept a low profile lately, but return to the Cove along with the Pathetics, Dirty Larry, Harmaline, and Strawhorse. (Make sure to pick up a Pathetics T-shirt, they're a wardrobe must-have and are better looking then the band themselves). On Sunday, Hope Fest 98 hits day number two with Surf's Up, Beach Boy songs minus the tortured soul of Brian Wilson and the rampant asshole-ism of the rest of the band, and outdoor festival/block-party/chowderfest king pins, John Caffery and the Beaver Brown Band. Proceeds from both days benefit Why Me? and Friendly House. Finally, on Wednesday, August 19, it's the Wormtown debut of Jason James and the Bay State Houserockers, who hit the Espresso Bar with the Hissyfits, Headrush, and Dingbat.

-- John O'Neill

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE: So yeah, yeah, somebody's putting on a show on Max Yasgur's farm, but everyone knows that the biggest hippie-klatsch of the year goes down up in Limestone, Maine, where wank-jam kings Phish blow a load once a year to build a big temporary commune and throw down all weekend. Like last year's Great Went, this year's Lemonwheel extravaganza lies on the runways of the decommissioned Loring Air Force Base, (800) 832-4242, and includes three sets of Phish a day on Saturday and Sunday, plus camping, surprise performances, interactive art projects (hemp bracelets, anyone?), and lots of trimmings. And as always, the festival has its own radio station, fire department, hospital, commissaries, and power generators. Like Gwar always say, if you wanna hide your cash, just stick it under the soap.

The occasion of Death Day, the anniversary of Elvis Presley's shuffling off this mortal coil, always brings the trash ghouls out of the dumpster. Boston's own 8-Ball Shifter -- who have a new disc coming out on Halloween of this year -- play the Living Room, (401) 521-5200, in Providence, on Friday with Pig Moder, Inflatable Super Heroes, and Room with a View. Then they're back to the Middle East, (617) 864-3278, in Cambridge, on Saturday playing a benefit for a new lowbrow lit-comix magazine being put together by 8-Ball frontman/poster artist Ian Adams and Roadsaw honcho/trailer-trash author Tim Catz entitled -- appropriately, and we mean that as a compliment -- Krap. Half-Cocked, the Falsies, and, yes, Roadsaw round out the bill. And how psyched are West-Coast Munster-punks the Groovie Ghoulies? On Death Day proper they're literally playing at the Heartbreak Hotel (Lupo's that is; 401-272-5876), in Providence, while the following night they're at the World Famous Elvis Room, (603) 436-9189, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire! Somebody give their booking agent a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich.

-- Carly Carioli