Roadtrips

With all the local pop hitting the sticks this week, you'd think there wouldn't be a homegrown melody left. The Push Stars are out at the Iron Horse (413-584-0610) in Northampton on the 26th; Letters to Cleo are at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876) in Providence on the 27th with the Devlins; Cherry 2000 (who finally inked with the local indie Catapult recently, so you can expect an album from 'em, uh, eventually) are at the Call (401-751-2255) in Providence on the 28th with Purple Ivy Shadows and Fly Seville. On March 1 Pete Weiss and the Rock Band are at the Call; the Figgs and the Gravel Pit are at the Iron Horse. And just off a gonzo national tour, Six Going on Seven play a gig with Sweet Diesel at Pearl Street (413-584-7771) in Northampton on March 1 before coming home to join the Wicked Farleys at the Middle East (617-864-EAST) on March 5. Also gone this week: the Dropkick Murphys, who hit the road with the Business beginning on February 26th at Lupo's and the 28th at the Espresso Bar (508-770-1455) in Worcester (with 30 Seconds over Tokyo).

Fortunately, we've got an infusion of outsiders on the way. Combining the best elements of the New York Dolls, Kiss, the Crystals, and the Ramones, high-school girl-group heartthrobs the Donnas (see our review) have a truly transcendent new glam-punk disc, American Teenage Rock 'n' Roll Machine (Lookout!), and they're on a tour -- with their labelmates, furry cartoon monster punks the Groovie Ghoulies -- that brings them to the Middle East (617-864-EAST) in Cambridge on March 3 and the Met Café (401-861-2142) in Providence on March 4.

There's more Lookout! on the road in the form of the Mr. T Experience, a long-running, helplessly romantic punk-pop juggernaut from that other coast. They're opening for ska-inflected skate punks Reel Big Fish ("Sell Out") on March 1 at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel, and they'll show up next week at the Palladium (508-797-9696) in Worcester. Founding Bim Skala Bim dude Vinny Nobile's band with ex-Toaster Coolie Ranx, the Pilfers, are also on both bills.

And the weird-gig-of-the-week award goes to Spyro Gyra, who play to the penguins at the opening of the New England Aquarium's (617-973-5200) new "Coastal Rhythms: Creatures on the Edge" exhibit on February 27, before stopping by the Iron Horse -- sorry, no penguins -- in Northampton on February 28.

--C.C.