Heavy Dates

WORCESTER: Yes, the Wormtown 20th is upon us. Friday, September 18, finds the Time Beings, Crybabies, and Aggressions (featuring Ralph's own Foghorn) letting it rip for punk's sake. Saturday the salute continues with re-formations of the Blue Moon Band, Prefab Messiahs (who release their posthumous debut CD as well), Performers, and the Odds. Don't forget your ointments and salves, potential dancers! Friday at the Espresso Bar brings Seven Hill Psychos and State of Corruption, while Ken Baxter makes a rare appearance at Greendales. Saturday-night highlights include Showcase Showdown and Tedio Boys at the Space, and the Trot Gonyea Trio swinging Gilrein's. Come Sunday, Locobazooka invades Greenhill Park with 25 national and local acts, including heavy-hitters Candlebox, Powerman 5000, Gloritone, and Godsmack and homeboys Downchild, Forced Fed Shovelhead, Shortfuse, and Boys Attic.

-- John O'Neill

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE: Ever since Hüsker Dü broke up, Bob Mould has been threatening to give up on the big-loud-rock setting altogether. Usually he'll do the solo-acoustic singer-songwriterly thing for a while, then come snarling back, then get sick of it and swear off bands again. This time, though, Mould insists it's your final opportunity to see him do the seminal punk-pop thing. His latest, The Last Dog and Pony Show (Ryko), ain't a bad swan song: a howling, revved-up guitar-pop disc with his best hooks since Sugar called it quits. The last rock tour stops September 23 at Pearl Street, (413) 584-0610, in Northampton, and the 24th at Avalon, (617) 262-2424, in Boston. Varnaline open both shows.

And while Mould signs off, the future of indie rock is at hand. Since Sunny Day Real Estate broke up a few years back, there's been a solo orchestral-pop album by born-again singer Jeremy Enigk, the rhythm section's session work for the Foo Fighters, and most recently a reunion album that got pretty good reviews but struck these ears as a little light on the hooks. The Sunny Day tour gets within driving distance on the 25th at the Call, (401) 751-2255, in Providence; Boston isn't on the itinerary. Recently signed to Southern Records, Sweep the Leg Johnny are one of those Chicago post-rock things. A few things distinguish 'em, though -- they're not so fond of arithmetic that they won't hold a chord for half a minute when they have to, there's some pretty nasty distortion, and they've got some New York ways of playing saxophone. They're at the Call on the 21st, and at the Middle East, (617) 864-3278, in Cambridge, on the 23rd.

-- Carly Carioli