With college back in session, it's time to suck money out of the students by enticing them with great big free concerts such as the one last Saturday at the Hatch Shell with Julianna Hatfield, Throwing Muses, Jill Sobule, and Machinery Hall. That should have been a good show considering the venue (I personally enjoyed the 65,000 person riot at Green Day last year :). The Dambuilders also played Sunday at the Cambridge Side Galleria.
Outside of Worcester (where we all want to be) things are flying, especially at the Orpheum in Boston. Coming there are the following: the incredible P.J. Harvey on Oct. 10th, ex-10,000 Maniacs goddess Natalie Merchant on Oct. 7th, the amazing harmonica playing of John Popper and Blues Traveler on Oct. 11th, 12th, and 13th, whiny Brit. rockers Oasis on Oct. 14th, and the hybrid style of Rusted Root on Oct. 17th. Coming to the Avalon is the rockabilly of Reverend Horton Heat on Sept. 20th and Buffalo Tom with Jennifer Trynin on Sept. 28th and 29th. At the Paradise are: Soul Coughing and Low on Sept. 13th, Tripping Daisy and Eve's Plum on Sept. 16th, mellow rockers Luna and Licorice on Sept. 21st, British pop wonders The Charlatans U.K. on Sept. 26th, and the unstoppable Mike Watt with Six Finger Satellite on Oct. 11th. Coming up at T. T. the Bear's are two excellent shows: the dynamic and powerful singing of Heather Nova on Sept. 23rd and Medicine with Quivvver on the 26th. For those of you who saw "The Crow," Medicine was the ethereal female fronted band that was featured in the movie. All of these clubs are in Boston and tickets are available through Ticketmaster.
If goth freaks, bondage nightmares, and throbbing techno/pop/industrial/dance music sound interesting there's always that mecca of weirdness known as Man-Ray in Cambridge. I really can't describe this place so just email them at manray@tiac.net. Of interest at the Middle East are the sonic, yet subdued sounds of Mistle Thrush on Sept. 22nd, Dinosaur Jr. brainchild J. Mascis on Sept. 23rd, and Shellac on Sept. 27th. Mama Kin's is also featuring Stiff Little Fingers on the 23rd. Tickets to shows at both venues are available at Strawberries record stores. For the ska fanatics out there, Club 3 (617-623-6957) is featuring Beat Soup and the High Hats (both off the Mash It Up 3 compilation) on Sept. 15th. Providence has several good shows coming up at Lupo's: the violent folk music of Ani DiFranco on Sept. 17th, low rock masters Morphine on Sept. 19th, the Skatalites on Sept. 29th, and local heroes Throwing Muses on Oct. 7th. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster. Morphine is also playing Oct. 20th at Pearl St. in Northampton. Tickets are available through the Northampton Box Office.
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