Roadtrips

edited by Matt Ashare

The Beale Street Blues Boy himself, B.B. King, turns 72 on September 16, but still shows no signs of slowing down. A week before his birthday, he brings a blues festival bearing his name to New England, including J Geils' and Magic Dick's Bluestime, and Tower of Power. On September 7 you can check out a little living history at Great Woods (508-339-2333) in Mansfield, Massachusetts. On September 9 he'll be at the Paramount Theater (413-732-0202) in Springfield.

The Natalie Merchant-less 10,000 Maniacs continue to plow bravely forward, hitting Pearl Street (413-584-7771) in Northampton on September 9, Avalon (617-262-2424) in Boston on September 10, and an early show at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876) in Providence on the 13th. One-hit wonder turned folk-circuit troubadour Jill Sobule makes a couple of appearances; she's at the Met Cafe (401-861-2142) in Providence on September 5 and the Iron Horse (413-584-0610) in Northampton the following night.

For all the disgruntled metalheads miffed by our dis of Testicle . . . er, Testament, we give a solid thumbs up (yer asses, thinskins) to Obituary, the fast-and-frightenin' death/grindcore originals who swing through for shows with Stillsuit and Revelation noise-core kids Kiss It Goodbye. They'll blow the Epitaph off your trendiest T-shirt at Lupo's on September 9, Axis (617-262-2437) in Boston on the 10th, and Pearl Street on the 11th.

For sea-breeze pop, we recommend checking out the Bay Area band formerly known as Allen Clapp & His Orchestra, now going by the nome de rock Orange Peels. "Weened on the nectar of Burt Bacharach, Brian Wilson, and Ray Davies," as they boast in press kit for their new Square (Minty Fresh), they also have a little surf-reverb space-age snazz to 'em. They're at the Call (401-751-CALL) in Providence on September 10 with Minneapolis '60s-style pop guys the Autumn Leaves, before which both bands are at the Middle East (617-864-EAST) in Cambridge opening for Scottish twee-pop legends the Pastels on September 8.