Heavy Dates

Though he's spent the better part of the past decade playing blues and R&B, Rick Derringer is probably considered by many as a one-hit wonder with the power-rock anthem "Rock and Roll Hootchie Koo." However, let the record reflect that he's indeed a two hit wonder, grabbing the number-one slot nationwide as a member of the McCoys with "Hang On Sloopy." He'll undoubtedly sing both at least once this Friday when he appears at the Palladium. Opening are Wormtown alt-roots heroes Little Big Wheel and Code Blue. Also on Friday, roots rocker Dennis Brennan returns to Gilrein's along with the Boston Blackouts, and singer/songwriter Leonardo has driven his Ford Fairmont all the way from Chicago to play the Java Hut. There's been a fair amount of lamenting the Grateful Dead since Ol' Fat-Ass seized-up for keeps a few years back, but take heart gang! Grosvenor Square will be dusting off all your favorites in a tribute to Jerry, and those other guys, at Polly Esta's. On a more original note, masters of self-promotion Woodgrain Theory headline at Ralph's along with the Pathetics, masters of drinking beer. On Saturday, it's the "contemporary" (read: less-redundant sounding) bluegrass of Northern Lights, who inject a fair dose of jazz and swing into the fiddle mix. They play Cafe Fantastique. It's your last chance to catch one of hip-hop's greatest acts when A Tribe Called Quest roll into the Palladium. Considered one of the most important and innovative bands to ever toss out a rhyme, they make their final tour in support of their swan song, The Love Moment (Jive). The Espresso Bar hosts the return of Memphis metalheads Another Society. Nothingface, Progression, and Evil People also split the bill. Current groove hot-shots Jiggle the Handle let it all hang out at the Tammany Club, and New Pond Fondle celebrate the release of their CD at Slattery's. On Wednesday, newcomers the Jazz Problem, who are receiving a big thumbs-up from those "in the know," return to play the Above Club with Loose Cannons. And Thursday, October 15, is a big night of Rock Action in the city, as Boston's current faves and next-big-thing candidates the Push Stars appear at the Plantation Club with Little Big Wheel. Elsewhere, Worcester's Prince of Pop, Scott Ricciuti, and Huck play the Espresso Bar, and Providence's Andah make a rare appearance at Sir Morgan's Cove with Moloko Plus, Kelp, and Lackadaisic.

-- John O'Neill

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE: For more than a year now, the irrepressible Mike Watt has been touring so incessantly to promote his rock opera Contemplating the Engine Room (Columbia) that he's burned through two guitar players and has guaranteed that anybody who cared to see it performed (as well as plenty of people who probably didn't care much one way or the other) did. So now Watt's "puttin' the opera to bed" with a final tour that has the bonus of featuring the return of guitarist Nils Cline, the avant-virtuoso who actually played on the album, as well as drummer Bob Lee. Catch it for the last times ever in New England at the Iron Horse, (413) 584-0610, in Northampton, on October 12, T.T. the Bear's Place, (617) 492-2327, in Cambridge, on the 14th, and the Met Café, (401) 861-2142, in Providence, on the 15th.

DJ Spooky tones down his PhD-level ambient atmospherics and picks up the mantle of hip-hop -- his latest disc gets the highbrow/lowbrow award for guest spots by Thurston Moore and Killah Priest -- October 8 at the Middle East, (617) 864-3278, in Cambridge, and October 10 at the Met Café. Support for both gigs is provided by MTV-International staples Plastilina Mosh and MTV Video Music Awards visual scramblers Emergency Broadcast Network. Combustible Edison tune in to the tomorrow sounds of yesterday with record-release parties for their new, DJ Scanner-produced album The Impossible World (Sub Pop) at the Century Lounge, (401) 751-2255, in Providence, on October 9 and at the Chau Chow City Ballroom, (617) 338-8158, in Boston's Chinatown on October 16.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen: the "Popular" guys, Nada Surf, hit Pearl Street, (413) 584-0610, in Northampton, on October 14 and T.T. the Bear's Place on the 17th, both with Boston garage-pop heavies the Gravel Pit. Oh, how mighty are the mediocre: Better Than Ezra are an American bland at Avalon, (617) 262-2424, in Boston, on October 8 and at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel, (401) 272-5876, in Providence, the following night.

You can see legendary Television guy Tom Verlaine stretching out on an extra-long couch in one of Michael Stipe's photos at Boston's Photographic Resource Center, (617) 353-0700. Or you can see Verlaine and musical foil Jimmy Ripp stretch out improvisationally at the Middle East on October 14 and at the Iron Horse on the 15th.

Even though we've never been completely blown away by the Amazing Crowns (formerly "Royal"), we've gotta give 'em big-ups for their exquisite taste in source material. They do a suitably raucous version of the classic Screamin' Jay Hawkins shout-'em-up "Little Demon" on Halloween Hootenanny, the monsterific comp on Rob Zombie's Zombie-a-Go-Go label. Perhaps they'll drag it out October 9 at Karma Club, (617) 421-9595, in Boston, or at Lupo's the following night.

-- Carly Carioli