Jerry Douglas finishes off four nights of music at Boarding House Park in downtown Lowell this weekend, beginning tonight with Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet, then continuing tomorrow with the Wailers and Saturday night with Jimmie Vaughan and Lou Ann Barton. Douglas's show is on Sunday night, July 20. I had the pleasure of interviewing Douglas for this week's Lowell Sun Nightlife article.

Martha Wainwright is going to be famous. She's already got a cult following, but if you're one of the 125 or so people who get to see her at the Firehouse Center for the Arts in Newburyport on Friday night, July 11, you'll have something to brag about one of these days.

There's a lot of music on tap at the Lowell Auditorium this summer and fall, thanks to a few new shows announced over the past week or so. Check out what's coming.

Effect takes a break from Los Wunder Twins Del Rap to drop this stellar solo release, although his Twin D-Tension provides writing and production credits. With singles "It Ain't Me" and "My Kinda' Girl" set to burn up the airwaves, this Lowell MC might get the big break he deserves.

The name Swervedriver may not mean much to a lot of people, but in the early 90s, their CDs were constantly in rotation on my stereo. So naturally, I was ecstatic to hear they were coming to Boston on their first tour since announcing an indefinite hiatus in 1999. But could they live up to the live shows of their heyday?

The Concerts in the Courtyard series at the MFA in Boston is top-notch entertainment in an intimate outdoor setting and with some of the most talented up-and-comers around. This season sounds especially appealing, thanks to shows by Beth Orton (July 2), Dengue Fever (July 9), and Grizzly Bear (August 4).