Roadtrips

edited by Matt Ashare

A couple of groups with local ties come through the area on headlining tours this weekend. The modern-rocking Boston trio Orbit, who are out promoting their well-crafted A&M debut with like-minded labelmates Blinker the Star, hit the Middle East (617-864-EAST) in Cambridge on April 12, with Boy Wonder opening, and the Met Café (401-861-2142) in Providence on April 13. And the now LA-based funk-metal-rap outfit Powerman 5000 support their DreamWorks debut with gigs on April 13 at the Middle East and April 14 at the Living Room (401-521-5200) in Providence. The hard-hitting female trio Sexpod join Powerman for both shows.

Chris Collingwood, a clever guitar-playing singer/songwriter who spent a couple of years playing countrified pop in Boston with a band called the Mercy Buckets, is back in town to play the Paradise (617-562-8800) with his wonderfully Weezery band Fountains of Wayne and openers Sloan on April 15. Fountains also play the Living Room on April 17. Oh, and Alanis-style woman-in-rock Kristen Barry will have the honor of opening for Boston guitarslinger Nuno (Bettencourt), formerly of Extreme, on April 13 at the Strand (401-272-0444) in Providence before headlining her own show on April 18 at Bill's Bar (617-421-9678) in Boston.

Groove-poppers the Samples have already sold out their April 12 show at Avalon (call 331-2211) in Boston. But they've booked a second show at the same venue with openers Sweet Maynard and the Sassy Sailors on April 13. They'll also be in Providence with Guster opening on April 17 at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel. The Canadian instrumental rock outfits Phono-Comb and the Sadies join forces on April 15 at the Middle East and April 16 at the Met Café. And Chicago jump-blues revivalists the Mighty Blue Kings hook up with Boston's suave loungesters Lars Vegas on April 16 at the Middle East and with DJ Hula Bomb at the Met Café on April 17.