Heavy Dates

It's 1999, and ska appears to be one fad that's still going strong here in the Worm City. The Espresso Bar hosts a five-star skank-fest this Friday, featuring Boston's number one practitioners Skavoovie and the Epitones. The Skalars, Green Island, and Longshot are also slated to let it rip. We've made it a point never to get involved with child-genius guitarists because, based on past experience, they usually turn out to sound like either a) an Eric Clapton record or b) a Stevie Ray Vaughn record. So it was with an equal sense of duty and pride that we've ignored Mike Welch. Until this past weekend. Maybe it was him dropping the "Monster" from his stage name and growing facial hair that made it seem okay to give his newest CD, Catch Me (Tone-Cool) a listen. Guess what? Stevie Ray all the way! Which isn't a terrible thing, just kinda disappointing. There are a few flashes of originality, and the guy does sling a mean ax. We're just more interested in the day he's less worried about guitar jack-offs and more into finding his own voice. You can check him out at the Sit 'N Bull Pub. The high-flying Commercial Street Cafe continues its eclectic booking policy with Boston's alt-country bigshots the Darlings. Elsewhere on Friday, the Racky Thomas Band celebrates the release of their fine sophomore effort, Last of the Big Spenders at Gilrein's (see above), and Gruvis Malt jam at the Tammany Club. Saturday, the Regency Suites hosts Providence rockabilly hepcats the Gamma Rays and the Rivals. Old pal Jim Porcella brings his warm and sophisticated vocal stylings to the Green Rooster Coffeehouse, Boy's Attic play Grafton Crossing, and Durand Wilkerson and the Soul Drivers return to Gilrein's.

-- John O'Neill

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE

World-class genius-level eccentricity reigns at the majestic Calvin Theatre, (413) 586-8686, in Northampton, this week, beginning Wednesday, January 13, with the Kronos Quartet, the dudes who did that album with Elvis Costello before he went all misty-eyed and Bacharach on us, and who've played everything from Zorn to Hendrix (as documented on a career-spanning 10-disc retrospective last year). The following night in the same joint, that ol' minimalist Philip Glass will perform his moving holiday piece from the Mr. Hankey South Park episode. Well, no, actually he -- along with his inventively named Philip Glass Ensemble -- will be offering live accompaniment and reprising his soundtrack to Godfrey Reggio's 1983 film Koyaanisqatsi. On the 15th, Glass and company will repeat the performance at the Wang Center, (800) 447-7400, in Boston.

Even without a Lemonheads gig in sight, it's not a bad week to be a Ray band. We were touting Baby Ray's XTC-ish pop debut back in November, when their Monkeypuzzle came out on Thirsty Ear; now they're finally getting around to doing a round of proper record-release parties. They're at the Middle East, (617) 864-3278, in Cambridge tonight, January 7, with the Ray Corvair Trio, who achieved rock nirvana on New Year's Eve by opening for Aerosmith at the FleetCenter and not getting booed off stage. Look out for Baby Ray in Providence on January 23 at the Century Lounge, (401) 751-2255, with Purple Ivy Shadows, and on February 20 in Portland at the Maine Performing Arts Theatre, (207) 761-0591. Also catch former Roomful of Blues guy Sugar Ray Norcia on January 8 at the Call, (401) 751-2255, in Providence. But if you do, you'd be a fool not to return the following night for a deeper shade of blues with exquisite Deep South juke-joint troubadour Big Jack Johnson, who shows up at the Call on the 9th with the Bay State Houserockers.

-- Carly Carioli