Roadtrips

edited by Matt Ashare

NYC's renegade country-blooze punks Railroad Jerk chug into the Met Café (401-861-2142) in Providence with Medicine Ball and the bill keough experience on May 8, and T.T. the Bear's Place (617-492-BEAR) in Cambridge with Hank Crane, Lockgroove Lullaby, and Dust Up on May 9. And South Africa's mbube masters Ladysmith Black Mambazo do their a cappella thing on May 8 at the Strand (401-272-0444) in Providence and on May 9 at Sanders Theatre (617-496-2222) in Cambridge.

Veteran British bluesman John Mayall takes his Bluesbreakers to Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876) in Providence on May 10 and to the House of Blues (617-491-BLUE) in Cambridge on May 12. Middle-of-the-road rockers Collective Soul are joined by Darlahood on May 10 at Avalon (call 331-2211) and May 11 at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel. And English garage-rock cult hero Billy Childish brings his latest incarnation of Thee Headcoats and Spokane's raucous Makers to the Middle East (617-864-EAST) in Cambridge, where the Money Shakers open, on May 10, and to the Met Café, where the Itchies open, on May 12.

Boston hardcore heroes Tree, who will be joining the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Offspring at Great Woods on May 21 (call 617-423-NEXT for tickets), hook up with 7th Rail Crew, Staind, Super Creb Star Dynomax, Shed, and Full Contact for "Moshers Day II" at the Espresso Bar (508-770-1455) in Worcester on May 11, and with the Descendents, Less Than Jake, Guttermouth, and Handsome at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel on May 14. The great grrrl-rock group Sleater-Kinney join Pirate Jenny on May 13 at the Iron Horse (413-584-0610) in Northampton, and Cold Cold Hearts and Shiva Speedway on May 14 at the Middle East. And guitar wiz Eric Johnson hits the Strand on May 13 and the Berklee Performance Center (call 331-2211) in Boston on May 14 with special guest Cravin' Melon.