Heavy Dates

It's been a long time since Barrence Whitfield has played in town, but we're hopeful that will be changing. He checks into Gilrein's, this Friday, November 20, along with the Movers, who lay down choice R&B swing. Clutch Grabwell have just put the finishing touches on their second CD, How Ya Gonna Be, and it should be ready for mass consumption any day now. You can get your fix till then at the Plantation Club Drafthouse. Meanwhile the Tammany Club gives the one-two groove punch with a double bill of Gruvis Malt and New Pond Fondle. Saturday, the Worcester Phoenix Fall Music Series at Jillian's ends with a bang when Young Neal & the Vipers shake the pool tables. Bring a couple of extra bucks to pick up a copy of their new CD, One's Enough (King Snake). Sir Morgan's Cove has a big night of loud action with Boston's newest buzz band Reveille heading the bill. Opening are God Stands Still and 7th Rail Crew. Downchild do their thing out at Jack's Saloon, and for $22.50 you can see the insufferably cheesy swill-swing of the Brian Setzer Orchestra. Sure, to his credit he was playing the stuff long before it became popular again, but something went terribly wrong somewhere down the line. Matching Hawaiian shirts and tiki statues do not a good band make; and Setzer's guitar sound hurts more songs than it helps. Add to that lousy, played-out selections like the "Theme from the Pink Panther" and the "James Bond Theme," and you get a potent mix of really boring shit. And Louie Prima should be spinning in his grave with the way these clowns butchered "Jump, Jive an' Wail." You can almost root for him to rise from the tomb like Kharis the mummy to extact justice on all who were even remotely involved with the recording process. Anyhow, be warned. They play the Palladium. Speaking of back from the dead, Quicksand have returned to lay down their heavy, crunching guitars and philosophical ranting and maybe make a few bucks, too. They open for the Deftones this Sunday at the Palladium. England's Pitch Shifter are also slated to play. And the Space counters with a pretty decent show of You and I, Halobox, and Garrison. Wednesday, Thanksgiving eve, means lots of people visiting mom and looking for something to do. Our vote goes to J.B. and the Activators, who play Gilrein's, or Jay Geils and Magic Dick's Bluestime, who hit the Sit 'N Bull Pub.

-- John O'Neill

BOSTON/PROVIDENCE: Congratulations to everyone who got tickets to the sold-out Marilyn Manson gig at the Tsongas Arena, (978) 848-6900, in Lowell, on November 22. Remember: apply a thin base before attempting to draw on those cheekbones-from-Mars, and will ya do everyone else a favor and refrain from copying the Fartman open-ass look? And if you didn't get a chance to catch the Deftones, the ministers of the new, new superheavy emo-metal, and Quicksand (they of the awesome pop-Fugazi riffs) at the Palladium, (797-9696), in Worcester, on November 22, head to Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel, (401) 272-5876, in Providence, on November 23. Pitchshifter and Molotov open both gigs. And on the subject of comebacks, if you stick around in Providence on the 24th, you get to see Suicidal Tendencies at Lupo's. We had no idea Suicidal were back on the road. Does this mean the Offspring will have to give 'em their Hispano-thrash shtick back?

Bearing on its shoulders the hopes and expectations of indie kids everywhere, the long-awaited third album from Karate, The Bed Is in the Ocean (Southern), delivers the goods: a unique, wiry extrapolation that sets singer/guitarist Geoff Farina off in a league all his own. Check 'em out as they start a national tour at the Middle East, (617) 864-3278, in Cambridge, on November 19, then move on to the Met Café, (401) 861-2142, in Providence, on November 20.

For a break from your plain old white-bread Nutcracker, catch Shirim's irreverent "Klezmer Nutcracker," which will be presented on November 22 as part of the Pork Chop Lounge variety show at Providence's AS220, (401) 831-9327, and on November 29 at the Regattabar, (617) 661-5000, in Cambridge.

The House of Blues brings intercontinental superstar reggae loverman Beres Hammond to the Roxy, (617) 338-7699, in Boston, on November 22; Hammond will also be at Lupo's on the 25th. Also helping celebrate the House of Blues' sixth anniversary is Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson, who stops by the Call, (401) 751-2255, in Providence, on November 20 before pulling into the House, (617) 491-2583, in Cambridge, on November 23.

-- Carly Carioli