On THURSDAY (the 21st), FAR OFF PLACE stay close to home with a free gig at the Knickerbocker Cafe (401.596.4225). Jerky's Bar delivers indie-pop locals MINKY STARSHINE (75orLess Records) with Boston's CONSERVATIVE MAN and SOME SAY FIRE headlining, followed by yet another nice rap show FRIDAY (the 22nd) with indie-underground kings PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS and guests GRIEVES & BUDO, KENAN BELL, and ORDEAL; call 401.621.2244 for info on both shows. Pianist SHANNON COREY is at Local 121's Speakeasy (401.274.2121) with VERITY IN STEREO (NJ). The polar opposite would be the throwdown at Blaze's Billiards in West Warwick led by funky metalheads RHYTHMAFIA and RECITE THE RAVEN along with rappers BOGUS TRIZZY, ILLEGAL, VENDETTA, and plenty more; all ages and $5 at the door, music starts at 7:30 pm. On SATURDAY (the 23rd) highlights include honky-tonk female quintet GIRL HOWDY at the German Club in Pawtucket (401.726.9873), and don't forget the big THUNDER IN THE BUCKET benefit gig at the Blackstone (401.726.2181), featuring more than a dozen bands including the BLIZZARD OF '78, KINTAAN, HEAD OF HORNS, DEADLANDS, and the brick-melting I, DESTROYER. Music starts at 5 pm, $7 at the door with proceeds benefiting Resources for Human Development. Lincoln-based alt-rockers STALEMATE continue to tour behind We Will Carry You Out to Sea; next stop Club Hell (401.709.3923) with VUDU BEVY, ATTENTION AVOID, and THE EFFECTIVE DOSE supporting. A pair of midweek freebie options on WEDNESDAY (the 27th): at Club 201 (401.454.4581), WESTMINSTER SOCIAL CLUB will be spinning "fresh Britpop, indie rock, lost classics and guilty pleasures," and SUPERCHIEF TRIO (featuring Tom Ferrara on guitar) continue their weekly boogie-blues residency at Nick-a-Nee's (401.861.7290). The local music community took a hard hit with the recent passing of drummer PHIL HICKS. Over the last two decades, Hicks worked the kit for blues and rock mainstays such as Mark Cutler, Jeri Verdi, Dan Lilley & Lovetrain, and local Neil Young-tribute supergroup Forever Young.
Related:
Ghost stories, Wanting more, Photos: Most popular slideshows of 2009, More 
- Ghost stories
For all of the excitement that surrounded Wilco on the Maine State Pier or Sufjan Stevens at Port City Music Hall or the various sold-out Ray LaMontagne shows of the past year, there is no question that last Sunday's Phish show at the Cumberland County Civic Center was the biggest thing to hit our fair city in a very long time.
- Wanting more
After its triumphant traversal of the complete Béla Bartók string quartets at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Borromeo Quartet was back for a free 20th- and 21st-century program at Jordan Hall, leading off with an accomplished recent piece by the 24-year-old Egyptian composer Mohammed Fairuz, Lamentation and Satire.
- Photos: Most popular slideshows of 2009
Our most popular slideshows from the last year: including Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Dale Bozzio's crazy cat house, and much more.
- 2009: The year in Classical
This was a queasy year for classical music.
- The future is now
Even with all the promise of the new year ahead, it's hard not to feel a little stiffed in the Future of Mankind department. Here it is, 2010, and there's nary a flying car to be seen.
- Swing, etc.
The music may suffer plenty of economic slings and arrows these days, but it's still full of thrills galore. As usual, it's looking outside of its orthodoxy for invigorating ideas. Here are titles you truly need.
- Beyond Dilla and Dipset
With a semi-sober face I'll claim that hip-hop in 2010 might deliver more than just posthumous Dilla discs, Dipset mixtapes, and a new ignoramus coke rapper whom critics pretend rhymes in triple-entendres.
- Local flavor
Local journalist and acclaimed hip-hop scribe Andrew Martin has corralled a flavorful roster of Rhody-based rap talent on the Ocean State Sampler , 10 exclusive tracks available for free download.
- John Harbison plus 10
Classical music in Boston is so rich, having to pick 10 special events for this winter preview is more like one-tenth of the performances I'm actually looking forward to.
- Best in their field
The jazz scene continues to struggle — along with everyone else — through hard times.
- Royal pain
Jesse Lortz is always ready to lay something heavy on you. As the primary architect and male half of Seattle indie-folk troubadours the Dutchess & the Duke (who come to T.T. the Bear's Place this Sunday), he spent their 2008 debut, She's the Dutchess, He's the Duke , contemplating loneliness, disgust, and death.
- Less
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New England Music News
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