Roadtrips

The much-anticipated Orchestra Morphine mini-tour gets under way this week, and those involved have conspired to make sure none of New England goes without a healthy midwinter serving of low rock. It all starts February 4 at the Iron Horse (413-584-0610) in Northampton before moving on to the Somerville Theatre (617-625-5700) on February 6, Higher Ground (802-654-8888) in Winooski, Vermont (outside of Burlington), on February 11, and Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876) in Providence, Rhode Island, on February 12. Along with surviving Morphine members Dana Colley and Billy Conway, Orchestra Morphine features original Morphine drummer Jerome Deupree, vocalists Laurie Sargent and Christian McNeill, bassist Mike Rivard, keyboardist Evan Harriman, saxist Russ Gershon, and trumpeter Tom Halter. McNeill, who will sing many of deceased Morphine frontman Mark Sandman's parts with Orchestra Morphine, will also manage to sneak in a gig with his band Hybrasil on February 10 at Bill's Bar (617-421-9678).

The Orchestra Morphine tour is a bittersweet celebration of the release of The Night (DreamWorks), the group's final studio album, but there shouldn't be anything bittersweet about the In My Eyes record-release party February 5 at the Palladium (508-797-9696) in Worcester -- except, perhaps, that it's not happening in Boston. After all, the group's new Nothing To Hide (Revelation) features titles like "Welcome to Boston" and "The Big Dig," and outspoken IME singer Sweet Pete is almost as fanatical about the love he has for his home town as he is about his straight-edge lifestyle. But Worcester's a second home for most Boston hardcore bands, anyway, and with Wormtown heroes Bane on the bill (along with One King Down and the Hope Conspiracy), there are bound to be loads of X-ed hands flailing through the air and pile-ons aplenty. On the same day, NYC hardcore vets Murphy's Law hit the Asylum (413-739-7900) in Springfield before heading to Boston for an all-ages matinee at the Karma Club (617-421-9595) on February 6. Forced Reality and Toe to Toe open both shows.

Back on the rootsier side of things: Allman Brothers progeny Derek Trucks brings his band to Gilrein's (508-791-2583) in Worcester on February 9 and the Met Café (401-861-2142) in Providence on February 11. New England jammers Percy Hill are doing the Worcester-Providence thing too, hitting the Tammany Club (508-791-6550) in Worcester on February 4 and the Met Café on February 5. Estranged Ani Difranco drummer Andy Stochansky plays the Iron Horse on February 8 with Boston bands 27 and Rockets Burst from the Streetlamps before heading to Cambridge for a show at the Middle East (617-864-EAST) on February 9 with the Troubadours, Chelsea on Fire, and Megan Toohey. And South African a cappella stalwarts Ladysmith Black Mambazo will be at Sanders Theatre (617-496-2222) in Cambridge on February 6 and at Lupo's on February 10.
-- Sean Richardson