Roadtrips

Feel free to extend a neighborly welcome to Thurston Moore when he plays a solo show at the Space (508-753-0017) in Worcester on March 7 -- the Sonic Youth honcho is reported to have moved to Northampton with the wife and kid, apparently because the schools are better than in the Village, and their good buddy Byron Coley is now within shouting distance. If recent history is any guide, expect some way-out improvisation -- but then again, he does have the ability to walk on stage with half of Sonic Youth at practically any moment when Kim's not off with Free Kitten. Head of the Maja, Stricken for Catherine, Mark Paolini's Toolbox, and Bob Jordan open.

In the hinterlands, the 1998 "Sno-Core Tour" brings Primus (now probably most famous as the guys who do the South Park theme song), weaselcore punks Blink-182, and hip-hop's Tha Alkaholiks to brand-spankin'-new Tsongas Arena (401-331-2211) in Lowell on March 6. We recommend getting there early to see the Aquabats, a skapunk-spypop band with the best costumes east of Rocket from the Crypt and north of Mexican wrestling. And singer/songwriter Shawn Colvin, Mary Lou Lord's more famous (for now) old pal, plays a solo acoustic gig at the Capitol Center (603-225-1111) in Concord, New Hampshire, on March 8, then another at Chapin Theatre in South Hadley (800-843-8425) on March 12.

The Elephant 6 collective comes calling this week when Neutral Milk Hotel, Elf Power, and the Magic Tapes hit the Middle East (617-864-EAST) in Cambridge on Sunday, March 8 and the Call (401-751-2255) in Providence on March 9. No matter how many labels they get bounced from or how many times they get arrested, the Insane Clown Posse just can't seem to get anyone to care what bad, bad boys they are. Nonetheless, the hip-hop Kiss will be at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876) in Providence on Wednesday, March 11, and at the Palladium (508-797-9696) in Worcester on that evilest of evil days, Friday the 13th. Support on both shows is provided by Psycho Realm and Myzery.

And in the recent tradition of long-forgotten guitar-heroes capitalizing on next-generation underground reverence (? and the Mysterians, Link Wray), surf/instrumental pioneers the Ventures -- or at least what's left of them -- are returning from Japanese exile with a US tour that brings them to the Iron Horse (413-584-0610) in Northampton on March 11 and the Middle East on March 12.

--C.C.