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[Roadtripping]

Slay bells ring: Christmastime in metal land kicks off with a little merry mayhem courtesy of the godfather himself. Ozzy Osbourne takes time off from the Sabbath reunion to reconvene his solo band, whose line-up includes former Suicidal Tendencies bassist Robert Trujillo, drummer Mike Bordin (who, despite having also played in Faith No More and Korn, appeared this year on a non-celebrity episode of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire), and guitarist Zakk Wylde (seemingly revitalized by his cameo earlier this year in the not-quite-about-Judas-Priest flick Rock Star). Undead machine-metal mauler (and would-be horror-movie mogul) Rob Zombie returns to co-headline; Mudvayne and Onesidezero open. The bill surfaces tonight, Thursday, December 13, at the Hartford Civic Center (860-241-4229); on Saturday at the Worcester Centrum (617-931-2000); and next Thursday at the Verizon Wireless Arena (603-644-5000) in Manchester, New Hampshire. Meanwhile, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra — members of the ’80s theatrical prog/pop-metal band Savatage reconfigured as a less new-agey alternative to Mannheim Steamroller — hit the Orpheum (617-931-2000) on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday they’re at Oakdale Theater (203-265-1501) in Wallingford, Connecticut.

Who says the Get Up Kids are just an emo band? They’ve certainly looked a lot more like a hellbent-for-leather rock-and-roll outfit since they started touring with Weezer and Rocket from the Crypt, and their fabulous newly issued singles comp Eudora (Vagrant) includes covers of Bowie’s " Suffragette City " and Mötley Crüe’s " On with the Show, " plus tunes by the Cure, New Order, the Replacements, the Pixies, the Metroschifter, and Coalesce. How’s that for a new rock canon? The Kids make their only area appearance at the Palladium (800-477-6849) in Worcester on Saturday with Alkaline Trio and Appleseed Cast.

Tunnel of Love’s sophomore effort, the self-released Tunnel of Love II, is even more depraved than their debut: Pussy Galore fuckstomp meets Flying Lutenbachers dildo headcheese, ’60s psycho pop with a calcified spine. Not since Foom has anyone done Howlin’ Wolf as broken as " Suicide Party, " in which our maniac cuts off his weenie and sends it to " you. " And that doesn’t even begin to match the weirdness of their hermaphroditic punk anthem " I’m a Girl. " Tonight (Thursday, November 13) they’re at the Middle East (617-864-EAST) in Cambridge with NYC’s the Liars — a messed-up, angular, beat-box-accented noise-punk assault team fronted by a ranting six-foot Aussie. The Liars’ new They Threw Us in a Ditch and Threw a Monument on Top, done with Jon Spencer/Beasties producer Steve Revitt, is just out on Gern Blandsten, and they’re supporting the disc on a tour that continues on Friday at the Monahasset Mill Building in Providence (no phone number available); on Saturday at the Tune Inn (203-772-4310) in New Haven; on Sunday at the El N Gee (860-437-3800) in New London; and on Monday at the Flywheel (413-527-9800) in Easthampton.

BY CARLY CARIOLI

Issue Date: December 13 - 20, 2001

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