Heavy Dates

It's a pretty big week, all week long here in the Great Worm City, starting with Chillum. Once as prominent on the local scene as tribal tattoos, they make a relatively rare appearance at the Lucky Dog Music Hall. Ska-funketeers Special 79 open. Recent Worcester Phoenix coverboy Ray Mason goes solo at the Moonstruck Cafe, and if the advance of new Lonesome Brothers CD is any indication, he's definitely worth checking out sans band. Over at the Plantation Club, Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen (though the original Airmen all grabbed parachutes and bailed some time ago) relive the glory days, and the Tammany Club features Electric Blue and the Kozmik Truth. On Saturday, it's EBar Aid Part II. The Lucky Dog hosts an afternoon benefit for Eric Spencer and his base-less operation with sets from the Goonies, Billy Yanks, Special 79, Sped Farm, and Exile. Later that night, the hard-rockin', tuff funkin' Downchild headline. Sleestack and Zeek the Flavor Freak also play. On Tuesday, Gilrein's has Tom Russell, who may be the greatest American songwriter since Woody Guthrie. Do Not Miss This One. You'll thank yourself later. On Wednesday, songwriting greatness continues with Dennis Brennan. He hangs with the gang at Vincent's. On Thursday, it's the CD release for local hardcore pals, Shortfuse at the Lucky Dog. They'll open for visiting Canucks, Human Disorder. And Gilrein's has Irish night featuring Ceilidh. It's real Irish stuff, no requests for "Danny Boy" allowed.

-- John O'Neill

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE

By now, just about everybody knows what his name is. Whether you call him Marshall Mathers or Slim Shady or just plain' ol Eminem -- or if you call him every name in the book, as is getting popular -- the kid from Detroit's got household-recognition status from South Central to Great Neck. Having sold out the Middle East downstairs on short notice a little over a month ago, the most lauded white MC of the decade, the most "offensive" rapper this month, and the toast of the moment, the Shady one hits the Palladium, 797-9696, in Worcester, on Wednesday, April 14 with the answer to a long-held whatever-happened-to?, the Beatnuts. Also check the Palladium on April 16 for buck-wild hip-hop walking like a man, Busta Rhymes, playing a make-up date rescheduled from March.

If Marilyn Manson keeps up at his current pace, even he won't be on the bill by the time the tour makes its way to the Worcester Centrum, (617) 931-2000, this Friday, April 9. The tour was originally slated to include Manson, Hole, and Monster Magnet, though Courtney Love negotiated one of her faves, Imperial Teen, to substitute for Monster Magnet on half the tour's stops. After Love left in a huff, Manson canned the Teens and reinstated Monster Magnet, adding fire-breathing mötorpunks Nashville Pussy as the opener. Now it appears Monster Magnet have left the tour. So Manson and Pussy it is . . . for now.

Indie cult folk diva Ani DiFranco visits her adoring masses for shows at the Mullins Center at UMass-Amherst, (617) 931-2000, on April 9, the Providence Concert Hall, (401) 331-2211 -- a subdivision of the Providence Civic Center -- in Rhode Island on April 10, and at Whittimore Arena, (603) 868-7300, in Durham, New Hampshire, on April 13 before playing two sold-out shows at the University of Maine on April 16 and the State Theater in Portland on April 17. And the one-time folkie who's become the most beloved jazz vocalist of the decade, Cassandra Wilson, plays a couple of New England dates supporting her tribute to Miles Davis, Traveling Miles (Blue Note). She'll travel a few more between Symphony Hall, (617) 266-1200, in Boston, on April 15 and the Calvin Theatre, (413) 586-8686, in Northampton, on April 16.

-- Carly Carioli