Heavy Dates

by John O'Neill and Carly Carioli

WORCESTER: HARDCORE FANS REJOICE! This Friday, December 12, finds the Espresso Bar with an impressive show indeed with Shootyz Groove, Chillum, Seven Hill Psychos (fresh off their Sunday Night Rock Fight victory), and Split. Get hot or go home! On Saturday, December 13, Sarah Valentine heads an eclectic bill at the Green Rooster Coffeehouse when she joins poet Dave Nader (who'll also be signing his new book) and Laura Kemp. At Sir Morgan's Cove heavy-hitters Sam Black Church return to town. They share the bill with All Else Fails, Crype, and Reasonable Force. Meanwhile, the all-ages, all-the-time Space offers up Baby Gopal, Warren Commission, Pollux, Heaven, and Wicked Farleys. WPI (Harrington Auditorium) offers a geek-rock showcase when Slash Record's Lincoln open for They Might Be Giants. Ten bucks for Consortium students, $15 for the general public. On Monday, December 15, the Arthur Dent Foundation continue their run at the Plantation Club Drafthouse, and finally, on Wednesday the 17th, everyone's favorite iconoclast Bob Jordan hosts the Above Club's open-mic night.

-- John O'Neill

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE: It's slim pickin's on the road this time of year -- the kids have finals, the van needs snow tires, everyone blew his/her Christmas bonuses at the mall on Black Friday. So though you can't blame rock bands for staying home till January, you might want to help out those hearty souls shunning comfort, family, friends, and common sense.

Then again, if you're putting out a Christmas album, there's only one sensible time to promote it, which is why you'll find RuPaul hosting a dance party at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876), in Providence, this Friday, December 12, in support of (his? her?) Ho Ho Ho (Rhino). And though they don't have a Christmas album out, Combustible Edison know a few holiday tunes, which they're usually nice enough to drag out this time of year. They're at the Call (401-751-2255), in Providence, on December 13 with This Is It. Or for some great high-school schmaltzy ambiance, there's no better shindig than AS220's Third Annual Rock and Rollerskate Holiday Party at the Sholes Hillsgrove Country Club (401-831-9327), in Warwick, Rhode Island -- where admission includes skate rental and the tunes come from the lounge-y Smoking Jackets, garage punks the Itchies, Joe Parillo, and the puppet guys, Big Nazo.

Hardcore knows no seasons, so there's plenty of it on tap. Candiria are from Brooklyn, and though this bassless quartet don't back down from heavy, they've got an intricacy and a few concrete touches that make you suspect they've heard about that Branca fellow from downtown. If you missed them in Boston last Saturday, you can catch 'em at Pearl Street (413-584-7771) in Northampton on December 14 with Push Button Warfare, Catch 13, Stigmata, and Dead Eyes Under. New York's Orange 9mm got rhythm and a couple of gigs with Revolution (not to be confused with Revelation) heavy heads Man Will Surrender (not to be confused with Man Is the Bastard) on December 16 at the Met Café (401-861-2142), in Providence (with Cast Iron Hike), and December 18 at the Middle East (617-864-3278), in Cambridge, with Tree and Shed. Rap-metal guys Shootyz Groove are at Pearl Street on the 11th (with Restrain, Hypnotic Kick, Burnside, and Imbalance).

-- Carly Carioli