Roadtrips

edited by Matt Ashare

The Loud Festival, which moves from Northampton to Cambridge this year, brings together an impressive cross-section of the local underground as well as some promising out-of-towners. Highlights include NYC's Run On with the Scud Mountain Boys and others on April 19 upstairs at the Middle East (617-864-EAST); the Irish buzz band Divine Comedy with England's Statuesque and others upstairs at the Middle East on April 19; NYC's punkabilly Speedball Baby with Japan's Guitar Wolf and former Butthole Surfer bassist Jeff Pinkus's Daddy Longhead on April 20 upstairs at the Middle East; Boston's own Fuzzy and the Dambuilders headlining downstairs at the Middle East on the 20th; an afternoon ska show and evening rockabilly ball on April 19 at the Greek American Political Club; Combustible Edison's Brother Cleve and the Millionaire hosting lounge-music parties on April 18, 19, and 20 at the Cantab Lounge; and an A&R showcase with Ramona Silver, Boy Wonder, Swizzle, Brilliantine, Clem Snide, Star Hustler, Richmond Fountaine, and Little Shining Man on April 20 at Small Planet. Call (617) 492-5446.

Pearl Street (508-584-7771) in Northampton counters with the Really Loud Festival, a three-day blowout of thrash-punk and ska-core bands that kicks off April 18 with Oi-punks the Business and continues on the 19th and 20th. And if that's not loud enough for you, Boston thrashers Tree tear it up with Killgore Smudge at Worcester's Sir Morgan's Cove (508-753-2188) on April 17, Providence's Strand (401-272-0444) on April 19, Northampton's Pearl Street on April 25, and Mama Kin (617-351-2525) in Boston on April 26 and 27.

Minneapolis's Soul Asylum are on the road with Johnny Bravo. They hit Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876) in Providence on April 21 and Avalon (call 331-2211) in Boston on April 22. Surf guitarist Dick Dale does his thing on April 23 at the Iron Horse (413-584-0610) in Northampton at 7 p.m., after which the mighty Archers of Loaf join Skeleton Key for a 10 p.m. double bill. And on April 25, Dale turns up at Mama Kin and the Archers play downstairs at the Middle East.