Heavy Dates

Over at Ralph's on Friday, November 6, it's the return of pop-punk faves Thinner, a band who've been lying low while tightening up their impending sophomore release with Dave Minehan. Also on the bill are San Diego's number one rockabilly swingers Hot Rod Lincoln. Brian Setzer likes them so much he wrote the title track of their new CD, Blue Cafe. Boston knuckleheads Random Road Mother, the ugliest band since the Ramones, and Magic Light Meter help out. Sir Morgan's Cove welcomes back Enemy Squad, who absolutely blew the roof of the joint last time out. Special 79 and Junk Sculpture open. And come Saturday, rock-and-roll music is at ground zero as garage rock rears its ugly teenage head once again. Jeff Connolly's Lyres have just had their entire Ace of Hearts back catalogue reissued on the prestigious indie Matador, which means, someone, somewhere, has great taste. With the reissue, the band get another crack at turning a new generation on to some of the purest, finest, music ever to be recorded, period. They appear this Saturday, November 7, at the Above Club in what has developed into a legends night. The Kenne Highland Clan lay down their DMZ-inspired sludge, and the very brave are encouraged to come early to witness Captain PJ lead the Majestic Gizmos. Also on Saturday, it's a CD-release party at the Cove for the super-underrated Puddle. Jujitsu headline the deal and pop greats Huck also lend a hand. The Phoenix Fall Music Concert Series at Jillian's heads into week number two with the stylings of High Water Moon. Come on down and win a T-shirt. Meanwhile, Jason James and the Bay State Houserockers continue their assault on Worcester clubs, this time with a gig at Gilrein's, and the Espresso Bar hosts a cornucopia of sound with Hansel, Paco, Communion, Phenol, and Octave 9. On Monday, November 9, Samiam, Ruth Ruth, and Blink hit Grind Central at Clark University. If you wanna get in on it, call 795-6416 for details.

-- John O'Neill

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE: The Donnas -- no longer teenagers but still chock full of teen spirit -- make their big-screen debut as the prom band in the upcoming flick Jawbreaker (starring Marilyn Manson gal pal Rose McGowan). They've got a cover of Alice Cooper's "School's Out" on Rhino's In Their Eyes comp; a tribute to Nashville Pussy bassist Corey Parks entitled "Danger Zone" on an upcoming single; and an album by their metal alter ego the Electrocutes in the works. The gals headline Lookout's CMJ showcase -- also featuring the Smugglers, the Hi-Fives, and the Crumbs -- when it pops north to T.T. the Bear's Place, (617) 492-2327, in Cambridge, on November 6. The Donnas and Hi-Fives continue on to the Elvis Room, (603) 436-9189, in Portsmouth, on the 11th, as well as the Met Café, (401) 861-2142, in Providence, on the 12th. Get Up Kids, whose recordings for the Doghouse label reveal them to be amiable Weezer-loving pop romantics, headline a superb bill on November 8 with Gameface, the Shyness Clinic, Sarge, and Garrison at the Middle East, (617) 864-3278, in Cambridge.

In a weird pairing, down-to-earth pop-punkers Samiam open for out-of-this-world space-pop dreamers Swervedriver at the Middle East on November 7; Swervedriver move on to the Met Café the following night.

It's also a big week for punk rock from the Great Northwest. Kill Rock Stars publicist Maggie Vail brings her band the Bangs -- think of a cross between the aforementioned Donnas and Sleater-Kinney -- to the Lizard Lounge, (617) 547-0759, in Cambridge, on November 7 along with Sub Pop's high-octane garage punks the Murder City Devils. The Bangs are also playing a sorority house on the Wellesley College campus, (781) 283-4851, on November 9. You'll have to go to Northampton, though, to catch Calvin Johnson's Dub Narcotic Sound System, who are at Smith College's Davis Ballroom, (413) 585-4977, on November 8 with D+ and ICU; same goes for dyke-punk rowdies Tribe 8, who are at Pearl Street, (413) 584-0610, on November 12.

She's not a teenager, though early this year she released an EP of classic '60s girl-group covers from the Phil Spector teen-symphony repertoire. She's not from the Northwest, though we suspect she occupies a ton of record-shelf space up there. But former Velvet Underground drummer Moe Tucker, who's recently covered the Velvets on a self-released EP, pops up at the Iron Horse, (413) 584-0610, in Northampton, on November 9, as well as at T.T.'s on the 10th.

-- Carly Carioli