Roadtrips

The freaky-deeky Y2K new-world-order end-times apocalyptico shit that the Wu-Tang Clan hinted at on 1997's Wu Tang Forever -- and that Method Man hinted at on his solo track "Judgment Day" -- has yet to materialize. But the Clan did promise another full-blown posse album in the year 2000, and published reports had them putting the finishing touches on a new disc just before stepping out on their "underground" club mini-tour, which hits the Palladium (508-797-9696) in Worcester this Friday, July 28. The show is expected to feature all the Clan heavies -- Meth, RZA, GZA, Ghostface Killah, and Raekwon among them -- with the exception of Ol' Dirty Bastard, who's in court-ordered detox. If it comes off as planned, this would be the first New England performance of something approaching the full Clan since their delayed-by-several-hours opening stint for Rage Against the Machine at Great Woods several years back. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

Comeback geezer of the decade Santana stops at the Tweeter Center (617-931-2000) on August 1 and 2. And speaking of comeback geezers -- well, strike that, 'cause Ozzy Osbourne never really went away. Ozzy blows through with Pantera, Godsmack, Queens of the Stone Age, and a bunch more on board the Ozzfest express, which will make stops at the Tweeter Center in Mansfield on July 29 and 30. The Queens, out in support of their sophomore post-Kyuss disc Rated R, play an intimate gig -- their only area headlining show -- at the Newbury Comics (508-845-3391) in Shrewsbury on July 28. And Godsmack follow up their Ozzfest mainstage stint with two shows at the State Theatre (207-775-3331) in Portland on August 1 and 2. Opening up are home-town faves -- and candidates for, y'know, the next Godsmack -- 6gig. Also on the bill are a band called Mourning Widows, whose guitar player -- Nuno Bettencourt! -- used to be in a certain hair-metal band with Godsmack manager Paul Geary. Nuno's next gig isn't nearly so swank -- his Widows play the cheese-metal graveyard known as the Station (401-823-4660) in West Warwick, Rhode Island, on August 24.

The Lowell Folk Festival (978-970-5000) graces six stages in that fine city from July 28 through 30, with free performances by Riverdance's Eileen Ivers, Cape Verdean morna singer Fantcha, Western-swing dudes the Texas Playboys, the Mad Bavarian Brass Band, and lots more. And honky-tonk novelty/virtuoso Junior Brown takes his 10-gallon hat to the seashore for a show at the Wellfleet Beachcomber (508-346-6055) on July 28.
-- Carly Carioli