Roadtrips

edited by Matt Ashare

Not that there's any lack of music aimed directly at the rich foreign student market, but OMC's "How Bizarre" (and the accompanying video, with the trio copping Compton poses in a convertible) seems tailor-made to become this year's Eurotrash-with-Attitude club anthem. So the slick, champagne-gobbling M-80 crowd will be sure to show up early next door at the Paradise (617-562-8800) in Boston when the Bizarre ones arrive on August 22. Maybe they'll even charter a fleet of jets or something and get in the night before (i.e., tonight, August 21) when OMC play the Met CafŽ (401-861-2142) in Providence.

Northeast skaficionados will be running scooter rallies and skanking away to the likes of the Skatalites, the Toasters, Spring Heeled Jack, the Pilfers, Bim Skala Bim, Skavoovie & the Epitones, Big D & the Kids' Table, and Skinner Box at the all-day, all-ages New England Ska Festival on August 23 up at the Nashoba Valley Ski Area in Westford (800-477-6849). If that's just a bit too much ska for ya, Spring Heeled Jack are on a bill with the Pie Tasters at Pearl Street (413-584-7771) in Northampton on August 24; then the Pie Tasters move on to Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876) in Providence on August 25 with Boston punks Dropkick Murphys and Village Idiots.

And speaking of idiots, who pried open the thrash tombs and let Testament loose again? They've got a new album, Demonic (Mayhem), which is horrible even by the (mediocre) standards of their late-'80s speedmetal dreck, and they'll be at the Strand (401-272-0444) in Providence on August 26 before heading to the Middle East (617-864-EAST) in Cambridge on August 27, with Strapping Young Lads and Stuck Mojo opening both dates.

Later in the week, highly regarded bizarro noisesters Harvey Milk, who have a new double 10-inch vinyl-only release out, make a couple of rare New England appearances opening for Come, who've been recording a new album with Paul Kolderie at Fort Apache in Cambridge. Both bands will be at the Met CafŽ next Thursday, August 28, then make the drive to the Middle East on August 30.