Roadtrips

Perhaps the most visceral, eviscerating force in all of indie metal, San Francisco's Neurosis have remained on the experimental fringes for more than a decade, mostly upping the ante for sheer sonic terror but occasionally taking a side trip into abstract, soundtrackish waters. A little bit of both is evident on their newest disc, Times of Grace (Relapse), which was produced with Spartan aplomb by Mr. Steve Albini. This Sunday, November 28, Neurosis are at the Middle East (617-864-EAST) in Cambridge along with NYC art-metal phenoms Candiria, Boston shapeshifting prog-core psychedelicists Cave-In, and Isis -- the only band in town, and perhaps the country, that can go toe-to-toe with Neurosis for extreme nuclear heaviness. On November 29, Neurosis and Candiria move on to Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876) in Providence.

Right along with cranberry sauce and bowl games, Thanksgiving signals the beginning of radio-station holiday concerts, which means lots of one-hit wonders trying to extend their 15 minutes of fame just long enough to benefit from the Christmas gift-giving rush. This Tuesday, November 30, it's the grandaddy of which-song-do-they-do? confabs, as Our Lady Peace headline a bill at Lupo's with Marcy Playground (um, "Sex and Candy," right?), Jimmy's Chicken Shack, and Limp Bizkit's "favorite" band, Staind. Then on December 1, all of the above move up here. Our Lady Peace and the Jimmys are at the Paradise (617-423-NEXT) in Boston with The World Is My Fuse; Staind headline an all-ages nü-metal gig at Avalon (617-262-2424) in Boston with P.O.D. and Incubus; and Marcy Playground hit T.T. the Bear's Place (617-492-BEAR) in Cambridge along with the Joydrop and the Candybutchers.

But wait, there's more on December 1. Original rock-box pioneers Run-D.M.C. are at Karma Club (617-421-9595) in Boston along with the Lo-Fidelity All Stars (who the previous night will be opening for Moby at Lupo's). Primus are headlining an upstairs/downstairs event at the Middle East that also features local behemoths Gangsta Bitch Barbie, Scissorfight, Seventeen, and Statue Factor. Oh, and that kid who used to be in Nirvana brings his Foo Fighters to the Orpheum (401-331-2211) in Boston with Ben Harper and At the Drive In; the latter are having a pretty damn good week since they also open for Rage Against the Machine and Gang Starr at the Worcester Centrum (401-331-2211) on November 30.
-- Carly Carioli