January 4 - 11, 1 9 9 6

Road Trips

No, there aren't any big tours scheduled to come through New England in the next week. In fact, there aren't many small tours on the road right now, either. The post-holiday lull is still very much in effect, though there are

some decent shows that should make hitting the icy roads worth the effort. The October Project bring their mature, ethereal rock to Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876) in Providence on January 5 for an all-ages show and to Pearl Street (413-584-7771) in Northampton on January 6.

If you're willing to make the trek out to Northampton, you might also want to consider checking out the jangle-and-drone pop of Miracle Legion, who hit the Iron Horse (413-584-0610) on January 4. Marilyn Manson and the Lunachicks, who just played a New Year's Eve bash in Times Square, team up for a night of twisted punk and cartoonish gore at Pearl Street on January 8.

Providence's Club Babyhead (401-421-1698) has a potent weekend of raging thrash, metal, and punk lined up. On January 6, it's Boston bruisers Slapshot topping a bill that features Drain, Cross Current, and Mesh. The following night it's a benefit for Triphammer's Frank Murphy -- who was injured in an automobile accident last November -- featuring Boston pop-punkers Klover, a reunited Wargasm, Triphammer, XXL, and Toss.

Things will start picking up next weekend when NYC's Luna do their indie-pop spin on Velvetsy folk pop on January 12 with the Godrays at Lupo's, and on the 13th with Cibo Matto and the Push Kings at the Middle East (497-0576) in Cambridge. And those winsome pop diehards Velvet Crush let the catchy melodies and guitar hooks fly at Mama Kin (536-2100) in Boston with Quivvver on January 12 and at the Met Café (401-861-2142) in Providence with Delta Venus on January 14.