Roadtrips

Sometimes our New Orleans jones gets so bad that we've just got to point our vehicle south and drive till we hear something Cajun. Luckily, this week we've only got to go as far as Rhode Island for a fix. This Saturday, February 26, there's a triple-bill worth traveling for: the Eighth Annual Mardi Gras Ball, at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet Ballroom (401-783-3926) in Cranston, Rhode Island. On board is the finest zydeco band we know of, Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas (with one of the best zydeco songwriters, Nathan Williams, on accordion and lead vocals); and the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band, led by hard-line Cajun traditionalist Marc Savoy (on accordion), with his wife, Ann, on guitar and vocals, plus fiddle virtuoso Michael Doucet. Doucet also headlines with his trailblazing contemporary Cajun band Beausoleil. Nathan and his Cha Chas warm up for the ball at Johnny D's (617-776-2004) in Somerville on Thursday the 24th; and post-ball merriment can be had at the Iron Horse (413-584-0610) in Northampton on February 27, when Rosie Ledet, the Zydeco Sweetheart, holds court.

From Southern patois to the northern, former Eric's Trip collaborator Julie Doiron's new disc -- sung in French and English -- is up for the Juno Award, which is sort of the Canadian Grammy. Doiron is on tour with the Brothers Creeggan, an outfit featuring bassist Jim Creeggan of Canadian alt-rock superstars Barenaked Ladies and his brother (and former Ladies keyboardist) Andy. They all stop in at T.T. the Bear's Place (617-492-BEAR) in Cambridge this Sunday, February 27, and at the Iron Horse on February 28.

It was an odder-than-usual Grammy year, no? We're still somewhat perplexed by this year's metal and hard-rock categories, in which Motörhead were nominated for their version of a Metallica song, and Metallica were nominated for their version of a Thin Lizzy song. In any case, we go to press before Grammy night, and we can't yet see in our crystal ball whether Smash Mouth's "All-Star" -- the song of theirs that sounds least like "96 Tears," and their most successful by far, especially if you count all the times it's been played during baseball, football, hockey, and basketball telecasts -- prevailed in the "Best Pop Performance by Duo or Group" category. But it'll be a done deal by the time the boys join Beastie buddies Luscious Jackson for a search-engine-sponsored tour that brings both bands to the Mullins Center (413-733-2500) at UMass Amherst this Monday, February 28, and to the Orpheum Theatre (931-2000) in Boston on leap day, February 29. Pop punkers 22 Jacks, who just came off the opening slot on the Smash Mouth tour, hit Axis (617-262-2437) in Boston on February 28 with Lit (of "My Own Worst Enemy" fame), who despite having the number-one modern-rock single of '99 are only now embarking on their first headlining tour -- once again proving that just 'cause they play bullshit on the radio doesn't mean people are always stupid enough to eat it.
-- Carly Carioli