Roadtrips

edited by Matt Ashare

The goth-rock gals in San Francisco's Switchblade Symphony hook up with like-minded frontwoman Caroline Blind and her New Jersey-based outfit Sunshine Blind for a tour that hits the Met Café (401-861-2142) in Providence on May 25 and the Middle East (617-864-EAST) in Cambridge on May 28. The power-trio line-up of Failure, Poster Children, and pop-punk up-and-comers Summercamp invade the Living Room (401-521-5200) in Providence on May 25 and the Middle East on May 26. And the Ben Folds Five have already sold out their May 27 gig with openers the Pulsars at the Paradise (617-562-8800) in Boston. But there are still tickets available to see them with Bettie Serveert and September 67 on May 28 at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876) in Providence. You can also catch the Betties headlining the Paradise (617-562-8800) in Boston on June 3.

R.E.M.'s Peter Buck should be mighty tuckered out by the end of this week. He's on tour playing supporting roles in three outfits appearing on May 26 at the Iron Horse (413-584-0610) in Northampton and on May 27 at the Middle East. First up both nights will be Buck and his Young Fresh Fellows buddy Scott McCaughey doing their Minus 5 thing, which you can also hear on their new The Lonesome Death of Buck McCoy (Malt/Hollywood). Then it's Tuatara, featuring Buck, Luna bassist Justin Harwood, Screaming Tree drummer Barrett Martin, and Seattle boho saxman Skeric. (That group have a disc entitled Breaking the Ethers out on Epic.) Finally, McCaughey and the members of Tuatara -- including Buck -- will back up former American Music Club singer/songwriter Mark Eitzel, whose new West (Warner Bros.) features tunes written by Eitzel and Buck. (See Brett Milano's article on page 14.)

And next weekend, look for lounge lizards Combustible Edison on May 29 at the Iron Horse, May 30 at the Middle East, and May 31 at the Met Café.