Roadtrips

And you thought Staind were well connected. Those Springfield boys might have Limp Bizkit in their corner (and the sole opening slot on the upcoming Korn tour to look forward to), but the four girls -- all in their late teens or very early 20s -- from the Mass-based post-grunge outfit the Fuzzy Pinks haven't even released a disc yet and can already count the Red Hot Chili Peppers (whose drummer, Chad Smith, produced and played on their demo, which was recorded last year at Fort Apache), Everclear (whose Art Alexakis calls from time to time to offer advice), and the Counting Crows (whose Adam Duritz is a fan) among their closest buds. After a year playing to themselves in their bedrooms, the band are just starting to make their presence felt in clubland, and they'll make a foray out into the 'burbs next weekend beginning with a show at the Lucky Dog Music Hall (508-363-1888) in Worcester on January 27 -- along with Colorblind, Mindfield, and B-Side -- and continuing on January 28 at Smithwick's (978-937-2111) in Lowell on a bill with the hard-rocking Purrr and Krebstar.

Also breaking out of Boston is the female-fronted garage-punk outfit Caged Heat, whose debut disc, Serious Action, is stirring up a buzz among Stooges fans. They're at the Lucky Dog this Friday, January 21, along with Granite State militia-metal titans Scissorfight, who've just released their best album to date; it's titled, appropriately enough, New Hampshire (Tortuga). Then Caged Heat head back to the Linwood Grille (617-267-8644) in Boston on January 22 to open for the finest AC/DC-styled rock-and-roll band ever to wear powdered wigs and knickers, the Upper Crust. Meanwhile Scissorfight are at the Linwood on January 28, headlining a gig with West Virginia's Karma To Burn -- whose riffs are so good that one barely notices the absence of a singer -- and the rockabilly/jump-metal dudes Demonspeed. The Allston band most likely to elicit comparisons to Jon Spencer and the Cramps, the Rock City Crimewave are gearing up for a debut album, but you can get a preview when the motörpunk trio play to the home-town crowd at O'Brien's (617-782-6245) in Allston on January 22 -- along with War Horse, 5ive, and Humans Being -- before headlining an MSPCA benefit at the Linwood on January 27 with Claymore and Cash Money & the Jetsetters.

If that ain't enough trash boogie for you, note that bearded blooze wonders ZZ Top co-headline with the surviving members of Lynyrd Skynyrd in a gig that oughta have one of the highest pick-up-truck-per-capita ratios of the year. The tour's only New England stop is the Providence Civic Center (401-331-2211) on January 22. In other odds and sods, ska bandits the Agents play Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876) in Providence on January 21 before hooking up with Steady Earnest and Jaya the Cat at Bill's Bar (617-421-9678) in Boston on January 27. Medeski Martin & Wood collaborator DJ Logic brings his own six-piece Project Logic to the Living Room (401-521-5200) in Providence on January 26 and to the Middle East (617-864-EAST) in Cambridge on January 27. And Anglo-punk faves the Business tear up the Palladium (508-797-9696) in Worcester January 21 with Blood for Blood, the Anti-heroes, and Beerzone.
-- Carly Carioli