Roadtrips

edited by Matt Ashare

Gutsy guitarist/singer Chris Whitley and up-and-comer Kristen Barry team up at the Iron Horse (413-584-0610) in Northampton on May 1 and the Paradise (617-562-8800) in Boston on May 5, where Chalk Farm open. Epitaph punks the Humpers rock T.T. the Bear's Place (617-492-BEAR) in Cambridge with the Cretins, Buzzard, and the Chris Ware Band on May 1 and then hook up with LA's notorious Leaving Trains on May 4 at the Met Café (401-861-2142) in Providence. And Velvet Underground drummer Moe Tucker keeps the beat for Magnet on May 2 at T.T. the Bear's Place, where Trona, Sway, and the Pete Weiss Rock Band open, and at the Met Café on May 3, where Rebuilt Hangar Theory, Trona, and Bermuda open.

The great young jazz bassist Christian McBride leads his quartet at the Iron Horse on May 2 and at the Regattabar (617-876-7777) in Cambridge on May 3 and 4. Singer/songwriter/all-around good guy Freedy Johnston headlines the Paradise on May 4 with openers the Shams, and the Iron Horse on May 5 with openers Willie Wisely and the Maggies. He goes on to open for Dada on May 7 at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876) in Providence. And Dada play Mama Kin (617-536-2100) in Boston without Freedy on May 8.

If you missed the Verve Pipe at last weekend's Earth Day Hatch Shell concert in Boston, you can still catch them with Tonic at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel on May 4 and at Avalon in Boston (call 331-2211 for tickets) on May 9. Don't miss Fugazi with Branch Manager at St. John's Gym in Clinton (call 331-2211 for tickets) on May 5 and at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel on May 6, because they're simply one of the best live bands ever. Mr. J. Mascis brings his Dinosaur Jr. to Pearl Street (413-584-7771) in Northampton on May 7 and the Roxy in Boston (call 331-2211) on May 8, where word is that Krist Noveselic's new Sweet 75 and New Jersey's ditch croaker are opening. And the excellent indie-pop trio Varnaline hook up with Purple Ivy Shadows at the Met Café on May 7 and at the Middle East (617-864-EAST) in Cambridge on May 8.