Roadtrips

You'll hear wags down South talk about how they liked country music better when it was ugly, as in yoooooo-glee ugly, when superstars were easy on the ears and damnation on the peepers. And though we can be heard to echo this sentiment ourselves, we also find the Canadian fiddler Natalie MacMaster to be that welcome exception who goes easy on all the refined senses. The best thing to happen to rootsy fiddle music since Alison Krauss, MacMaster's just one of the main attractions at this weekend's Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival on Rothvoss Farm (888-946-8495) in Ancramdale, New York, a few miles from the border with Massachusetts and Connecticut. The four-day festival, July 13 through 16, also includes Grammy winner Jerry Douglas, and Grammy nominees Laurie Lewis, the Del McCoury Band, Ralph Stanley, Tim O'Brien, and Claire Lynch, plus many more.

Mary Lou Lord has a way of showing up where you least expect her. Fresh off a Fourth of July gig in Central Park opening for Joan Jett, Lord gets right back to the cozy confines of Club Passim (617-492-7679) in Cambridge on July 7; she's also at the Blackthorne Tavern (508-238-9017) in South Easton on July 10. San Francisco rockabillies Stillman are at T.T. the Bear's Place (617-492-BEAR) in Cambridge on July 7, on a bill with Lord's beaux's band, the Raging Teens.

Providence ska sensations the Agents have a new disc, <401>, out on the Bleecker Street punk label Radical Records, and they're celebrating with a home-town gig at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876) in Providence on July 7 with the Pilfers and modniks the Pills; on the 8th the Pills again join the Agents for a gig at the Linwood Grill (617-267-8644) in Boston. Across town that same Saturday night, Boston's nine-piece reggae/rock-steady ensemble Pressure Cooker are at Harpers Ferry (617-254-7380) in Allston.

The Boston Globe Jazz Fest ties up the FleetBoston Pavilion (617-931-2000) this week, with Ray Charles on July 7; Grammy-nominated blues mama Susan Tedeschi and local soul shouter Toni Lynn Washington on July 8 -- Tedeschi's also at the Cape Cod Melody Tent (781-775-9100) on July 9; and ex-Stray Cat jumpabilly Brian Setzer with the outstanding local roots combo the Tarbox Ramblers on July 10. Elsewhere, Dave Matthews holds court with Ben Harper and Ozomatli at Foxboro Stadium (617-931-2000) on July 8 and 9; tickets are still available for both dates. And George Clinton brings the P-Funk All Stars to the Roxy (617-338-ROXY) on July 9.
-- Carly Carioli