A busy FRIDAY (the 17th) begins in the boonies with LYIN’ BITCH & THE RESTRAINING ORDERS at Dan’s Place in West Greenwich (401.392.3092), while acclaimed pianist SHANNON COREY returns to the Speakeasy at Local 121 (401.454.4581), Scituate punk/ska newcomers THE BITCHIN’ AARDVARKS play AS220 (401.831.9327), and Jerky’s Music Hall (RI’s official lyricist lounge) hosts DIRTY HANK and a slew of rhymers in support; 18+ and $10 at the door, call 401.621.2244. Rapper BIG BOI will headline Brown’s annual (and sold out) fall concert on SATURDAY (the 18th); additional last-minute tix may become available, check bsa.brown.edu for updates. And don’t forget the 4TH ANNUAL POLYSCYSTIC KIDNEY DISEASE MUSIC FEST at the Providence Firefighters Hall (sorta behind the Benny’s off Branch Ave.) this weekend ($20 per day or $30 for the two-day pass), featuring top-shelf local talent like ROUTE. 44, THE SENDERS, JAMES MONTGOMERY, DAVE HOWARD, and more; visit pkdri.org for details. AS220 (401.831.9327) is the midweek place to be with ARCING headlining on TUESDAY (the 21st) and the “peyote-metal” locals KINTAAN on WEDNESDAY (the 22nd), each show just $6 at the door. And the Met Cafe (401.729.1005) will get its first taste of moshpit mayhem when ANTI-FLAG, THE MENZINGERS, and Strange Famous Records resident punk-activists PRAYERS FOR ATHEISTS invade the Bucket; tickets are $17 day of show.
And while we’re here, let’s give yet another deserved shout to Jack Reich and Rich Lupo for the gorgeous transformation of the former Blackstone space. Yes, we’ve been hooting and hollering about THE MET CAFE for some time now, but trust us here — the new space is phenomenal (and looks as if it could hold double the 585 capacity), from the two spacious bars at the front and back of the house (with $3 Gansett tallboys and drafts) to the reconfigured stage locale (now more toward the middle of the room, perpendicular to the former, cramped setup). And judging from the Joe Louis Walker show last weekend, the Met space provides great acoustics and sight lines all around; the load-bearing beams do not obstruct the stage view (see: that annoying pole at the Paradise in Boston). For the bands, the only drawback is the surprisingly small stage, and we’ll be curious to see how outfits like Santa Mamba will fare, or just how they’ll fit all those Built to Spill beards together onstage.
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New England Music News
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, Entertainment, Music, Bucket, Big Boi, Big Boi, Jerky's Music Hall, Jerky's Music Hall, Dirty Hank, Dirty Hank, Providence Firefighters Hall, Less 
