Heavy Dates

It's been a while since the long-running Boogaloo Swamis checked in for a show. Always a lot of fun, and well worth checking out, they play this Friday, October 2, at Brew City. Over at the Palladium, it's pop-punks newest sweetheart, Blink 182. A classic mix of smart, edgy, pop, sardonic wit, and a pretty good video, they've been able to ride MTV from their rehearsal space in San Diego all the way to national success. Also on the bill are Unwritten Law and Assorted Jellybeans. The Fathoms are perhaps the greatest traditional surf/instro band in the land and most certainly from these parts. A must-see for anyone even remotely interested in Grade A rock and roll, they make a live appearance at Killion's Pub, in Templeton. Everyone's favorite instrumental Polynesian polka band, Paco, lead the bill at the Space. Hansel, Psychotic Larry, and Dr. Frog are also slated to perform. On Saturday, Boston singer/songwriter Eliot Popkin makes his return to the Java Hut, while Vykki Vox hits town at the Tammany Club. Elsewhere, the Espresso Bar skanks out to the one-two punch of the Skoidats and Shoeless Joe; and Woodgrain Theory do a supporting set for People of the Sun. On Sunday, October 4, Dave "Snaker" Ray performs at the Center For the Arts in Natick. Back in town, it's all-punk, all-night as Aus Rotten, the Billy Yanks, and Bully Rag rock the Espresso Bar. Slattery's Front Room Monday Night Football post-work, pre-game tailgate party features Fitchburg's blues maven Charley Dee. Also on Monday, the groovy Loose Cannons (featuring members of Mocha Java) take up residency at the Plantation Club for a run of 18+ shows. All the way from Sweden, Refused play the Space. They split the bill on Thursday, October 8, with Frodus, and 10 Yard Fight.

-- John O'Neill

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE: Back before Elliott Smith was a DreamWorks project with an Academy Award nomination to his name, the then Portland-based indie-folk troubadour was supposed to hit the road with Portland's Quasi, an R&B-transmogrifying duo featuring Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss and her keyboardist/guitarist ex-husband, Sam Combs (who used to play in Heatmiser with Smith). That tour fell through, but Smith is finally making good on what had all the makings of a killer combo. Quasi play the opening set, then join Smith for his headlining set, at the Paradise, (617) 562-8804, in Boston, on October 5 and the following night at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel, (401) 272-5876, in Providence.

The West Coast indie-rock outfit Mumble and Peg come highly recommended, with a skewed take on the traditional acoustic guitar/bass/drums set-up that's had some folks comparing their version of Leadbelly's "Hangman" to the Velvets' "Black Angel's Death Song." They're touring behind a brand-new album, Wondering in Volume (Vaccination), with gigs October 2 at Jacque's (617) 426-8902, in Boston, and October 3 at Fire and Water, (413) 586-8336, in Northampton.

Also keep a lookout for the Man . . . or Astroman Clone Project Gamma. In what may be the first instance of franchise rock and roll, Astroman material will be performed by creatures appearing to be female humans, who are reported to have been hatched in a lab as a result of the band's ongoing human-genome research efforts. This is definitely not the actual Man . . . or Astroman?, and we're really not kidding, though we have reason to believe it'll be at least as much fun. The Gammas are at the Met Café, (401) 861-2142, in Providence, on October 6, and at the Middle East, (617) 864-3278, in Cambridge, on October 9.

Lots of all-ages ska and punk is in the offing, but none of it in Boston. The Bouncing Souls and teen sensations the Gadjits -- who have a cover of "(Don't You) Forget About Me" coming out on a Rhino compilation of '80s teen movie-song covers -- are at the Met Café on October 1.

And gee whiz, who woulda ever figured former Sepultura crooner Max Cavalera and Twisted Sister's Dee Snider would ever wind up in bed together? Snider has a movie -- and a soundtrack -- called Strangeland, which is the excuse behind a tour featuring Cavalera's Soulfly, Snot (whose singer got busted for nudity at Great Woods this summer), hed(pe), and dayinthelife (who do a cover of Twisted Sister's "Street Justice"). It's at Lupo's on October 3 and at Avalon, (617) 262-2424, in Boston, on the 5th.

-- Carly Carioli