Heavy Dates

It doesn't seem all that long ago when a little guy with an accordion and a Bass buzz named R.C. at a local watering hole told me about a band he was trying to get going. With his booming voice and a big Zydeco-influence, he had a vision you could dig, but in Worcester? Well, vision and determination paid off. The band became the OutCats, the gigs became more frequent, and the CD release party for Livin' In Sin goes down this Friday at the Blue Plate in Holden. You can still catch the New Orleans vibe, but you can really hear the influence of local legend/song explorer Bob Jordon. El Bobo's skewed and unique thumbprint is firmly smushed into the OutCat's sound, and we whole-heartedly approve. They're an acquired taste for sure, but one well-worth developing. Elsewhere the Deal, pop-rockers-deluxe who've finally got their long-anticipated debut disc in the can, return to the Firehouse Cafe. Dizzy headline the night at Ralph's, Fatwall Jack do the honors at the Chicken Bone. What could be better than spending a Saturday night holed-up in some bar listening to cover tunes that sound just like the album? Anything up to and including a big ol' kick in the ass. Which is why we'll mention Rock Ave. They're one band of a handful of local rehash acts who bring just enough of their sloppy, in-it-for-the-beer selves to make the evening fun. They play the Tammany Club. Local bluegrass faves Slo-grass celebrate their new disc at the Green Rooster Coffeehouse (which continues to score big shows worth catching), while the Lucky Dog shakes with the re-formed Dr. Bewkenheimer. Rawhead Rex and Red Shagg lend a hand for that one. For those out there who really feel the need for getting screwed over, check out the amazingly grating Rockapella at Mount Wachusett Community College. Where In the World Is Carmine San Diego? Most likely making off with your fifteen-dollar cover, chump. Monday brings the legendary Buzzcocks to Clark University. Also on the bill are Down By Law. The Lunachicks were slated too, but the Gods of Good Taste are with us; Doc Hopper are on the bill instead. Sometimes you just get lucky like that. Reserve your spot for the evening by calling (508) 795-6445. Do it quick, space is limited.

-- John O'Neill

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE

One of the great '60s Hammond organ players, Felix Cavaliere of the (Young) Rascals, leads a group of guys who, for reasons stemming from an ugly legal battle, are going by the overexpository name Felix Cavaliere's Rascals. They're on a bill with the Guess Who ("American Woman," for those of you familiar only with the Lenny Kravitz version) in a benefit gig for the Anti-Defamation League at Avalon, (617) 423-6398, in Boston, on October 23. Meanwhile, you can catch a modern-day organ master when Medeski Martin & Wood hit the Palladium, 797-9696, in Worcester, on October 23; they're also at the State Theatre, (617) 931-2000, in Portland, Maine, the following night. And getting back to old dudes: NRBQ are celebrating their 30th anniversary with a new disc, a tour, and a cameo on The Simpsons that airs next month. They're at the House of Blues, (617) 491-2583, in Cambridge, on October 23. When she lived in these parts, Amelia White made a name for herself with the bands Sara Laughs and Iguana Poets. Now based in Seattle, White's still cranking out crafty, well-sung tunes with a dash of country and strong pop appeal. She makes a New England swing that includes Fire & Water, (413) 586-8336, in Northampton, on October 26 and the Kendall Café, (617) 661-0993, in Cambridge, on October 28.

Teenage blues phenom Johnny Lang says of teenage guitarist Shannon Curfman, "she's only 14 and she scares me." The jail-bait blues-slinging gal scares us, too, but mainly because of the poses they got her strikin' in her press photos, which might make the wrong guy think inappropriate thoughts about a certain 14-year-old girl. Curfman is indeed a hell of a guitar player, though the best stuff on her forthcoming debut album has a Sheryl Crow feel to it, which we mean as a compliment. She's at the House of Blues, in Cambridge, on October 27 and at the Stone Coast Brewery, (207) 773-2337, in Portland, Maine, on October 29.

-- Carly Carioli