The Station, in West Warwick, could always be counted on to bring in the '80s metal refugees who were unwelcome in more civilized locales -- the Warrants and L.A. Guns and Ratts of the world; and for that reason the club's events were a regular feature of this column. Its Web site was still up as late as last Friday, advertising the tragic Great White gig that by that time had claimed 97 lives, as well as a weekly sumo-wrestling night. As gonzo rock critic Ken McIntyre (a/k/a Sleazegrinder) wrote us in the wake of the Station fire: "Man, if our taste in rock was just a little bit worse, it coulda been us."

The blizzard of '03 forced a few notable rock-and-roll cancellations, among them what was to have been the area debut of Canadian alterna-country darling Kathleen Edwards, who got stranded in LA -- where she was taping an appearance on The Tonight Show -- and had to postpone a February 18 gig in Cambridge, MA at T.T. the Bear's Place (617-492-BEAR). The good news is that she was scheduled to be back in the area soon: she's opening for Australian country sensation Kasey Chambers -- you may have heard her "The Captain" on The Sopranos a couple seasons back -- this Friday at the Calvin Theatre (413-584-1444) in Northampton and then Saturday at the Orpheum (617-931-2000) in Boston. Edwards will make up the T.T.'s gig on Sunday with a special early show. There's no opener; she and her band go on at 7:30 p.m. sharp.

Sacred-steel star turned secular-jam-rock phenomenon Robert Randolph brings his Family Band to the Paradise (617-423-NEXT) in Boston on Friday and Saturday, having rescheduled from a pair of dates they cancelled in December. They'll also play tonight (Thursday, February 27) at Higher Ground (802-654-8888) in Winooski, Vermont. Gospel greats the Blind Boys of Alabama have a new Grammy-winning album called Higher Ground that features an appearance by Randolph -- how's that for synergy? -- and they'll play a sold-out show across town at the Somerville [MA] Theatre (617-931-2000) on Friday.

Former Slint bassist Ethan Buckler has again resurrected his warped, childlike "dance-music" group King Kong, who are probably best remembered for their 1995 kids-rock opera Me Hungry, which was about a caveman and his pet yak. Their latest opus is on the theme of space travel titled The Big Bang (both Drag City). And they'll beam down to Bennington College (802-442-6164) in Bennington, Vermont, tonight before hitting the Middle East (617-864-EAST) in Cambridge on Friday.

The Breeders-esque grunge-folk sister act Tegan and Sara return to give last year's If It Was You the full-band treatment at the Iron Horse (413-584-0610) in Northampton, MA on Tuesday and at T.T. the Bear's Place on Wednesday. Out in support of his new Electric Circus (MCA), the innovative hip-hop star Common tops a bill with underground legends Gang Starr, Talib Kweli, and the Grammy-nominated duo Floetry at the Palladium (800-477-6849) in Worcester, MA on Friday. Tori Amos's Scarlet's Walk tour ambles back into New England to hit Merrill Auditorium (207-842-0800) in Portland on Monday and the Whittemore Center Arena (603-862-4000) in Durham, New Hampshire, on Tuesday. And Bon Jovi follow a sold-out gig at the FleetCenter (617-931-2000) in Boston on Tuesday with a stop at the Mohegan Sun (888-226-7711) in Uncasville, Connecticut, next Thursday, March 6.