It’s hot out there, folks, and that applies to the local music scene as well as the weather forecast. It’s the perfect time to go out and it’s even better to go listen to live music. If you’re looking for a fun night out, here are five upcoming shows in Providence that deserve your full attention in June, including a heavy metal lineup, an edgy Boston art rock band, a songwriter- Nigerian Tuareg singer-songwriter, a blues-rock duo from Maine who are one of New England’s top bands and a band that helped launch Seattle’s legendary music scene.
Where: AS220, 115 Empire Street.
When: June 4, 8 p.m. (all ages)
Tickets: $10
Information: as220.org
I haven’t shown metal fans enough love since this monthly column started, so I thought I’d change that. This show is ideal for folks who love doom, sludge and fuzz, with Ritual Earth from Philadelphia, Mollusk from Boston, Coma Hole from Westerly and Swamphead from South Shore Massachusetts providing the amplification. Coma Hole have been one of my favorite local bands for a while now, and you should pick up a copy of their new self-titled EP while you’re at the gig.
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Where: Columbus Theater, 270 Broadway
When: June 9, 8 p.m. (all ages)
Tickets: $20
Information: columbustheatre.com
Presented by PVD World Music, Nigerian Tuareg singer-songwriter and guitarist Bombino will take the stage with his band. He performs a style of guitar music often referred to as “desert blues” while singing in his native language, Tamasheq, about the geopolitical concerns of the Tuareg people. His live is very energizing. Museum Legacy, featuring Penn Sultan and MorganEve Swain, will open the show.
Where: Music Festival, 103 Dike St.
When: June 10, 7 p.m. (all ages)
Tickets: $15
Information:fetemusic.com
I’ve been a fan of edgy Boston art rock band Bent Knee for a while now. It’s great to see how they seamlessly evolved into a more electronic sound. Their most recent album, “Frosting”, released in November, is one of my favorite albums of this young decade, and I’m still impressed that it was done in a completely remote way. As of press time, the opening acts have yet to be announced, but I’m willing to bet they’re worth showing up early.
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Where: Askew, 150 Chestnut St.
When: June 11, 8 p.m. (18+)
Tickets: $12
Information:eventbrite.com
Hailing from Portland, Maine, Muddy Ruckus is one of the most talented duos in all of New England. Guitarist Ryan Flaherty and drummer Erika Stahl play a blues-rock style that incorporates grunge, punk and rustic vibes. The emphasis they bring to their sound can match any band on their own, and their chemistry is what makes them captivating.
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Where: Music Festival, 103 Dike St.
When: June 28, 7 p.m. (all ages)
Tickets: $26 in advance, $29 at the door
Information: fetemusic.com
Completing this list is another show at Fete, and it’s a good one. The Melvins pioneered the legendary Seattle music scene that spawned bands such as Soundgarden, Nirvana and Mudhoney in the late 80s. Guitarist and vocalist Buzz Osborne, drummer Dale Crover and bassist Steven Shane McDonald know how to deliver it, and they deliver it hard. This show is part of the trio’s “Electric Roach Tour” with Helms Alee, another Seattle mudbender, and Harshmellow, the pop-rock trio from Tacoma, rounding out the line-up.
