The Plantation Club, 151 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA. 508.752.4666. We’re excited to be back in Worcester at the Plantation Club, where we last appeared… let’s see… on January 27, 1995! We guess we ought to be nine years and four days better than we were back then. We are. The stage at the Plantation Club is the closest looking thing you’ll find to the Cavern Club this side of The Pond. Very cool. Directions: From the Mass Pike: Get off at exit 11, route 122. Turn left onto 122 heading towards Worcester. Proceed 3 miles on 122. You will come to a set of lights a few blocks past a Getty Station (on your right) and a CVS pharmacy (on your left). At the lights, make a sharp right up a hill onto Plantation Street. The Plantation club is about ¾ miles on your left. From 495 via 290. Get off 290 at exit 22 (Main Street). Turn right at the end of the ramp, following the signs to U. Mass Memorial Hospital. Turn left at the second set of lights, again following the hospital signs. You are on Plantation Street. Staying on Plantation Street for 2.8 miles, go straight through the traffic lights at route 9 and straight through the traffic lights at Franklin street. The Plantation Club will be on your right. From Worcester via 290: Get off 290 at the Plantation Street exit (exit 21). Turn right onto Plantation Street and proceed 2.8 miles through the traffic lights at route 9 and through the traffic lights at Franklin Street. The club will be on your right.

Club Gold Dust, 234 Southwest Cutoff (route 20), Worcester, MA. Our first time at this venue, we will perform two one-hour sets. In between, our own Mark Poulin will do a set of his amazing Roy Orbison show. Call (508) 798-8385 for more info. Club Gold Dust is located one mile west of the intersection of route 122 and 20. From the Mass Pike exit 10A, turn left onto 122 heading towards Worcester. Go a mere ¼ mile and turn onto route 20 west. Club Gold Dust is about one mile up on the right.

Mark Poulin as Roy Orbison & John Lennon. Many of you have heard tell of the incredible Roy Orbison show put on by HELP!'s own Mark Poulin. Check Mark's web site for his appearance schedule, or catch Mark as Roy in between HELP! sets on March 6, 2004 at the Carousel Lounge. To hear what you'll be missing if you don't catch his Roy act, check out Audio Clips of Mark's as Roy... you won't believe it! And we’re not just saying that. Well, I guess you could argue we are just saying it, but it’s true anyhow. From time to time, you'll catch HELP!'s own Marc Hertzberg backing up Mark on keyboards and guitar.

JFK High School, Iselin, NJ. A road trip to New Jersey to play a show Being For The Benefit of the school band! Take the NJ Turnpike (route 95) to exit 11, Woodbridge. Get on the Garden State Parkway North. Go 2.5 miles to exit 131, route 27. Head northeast on 27 towards Iselin / Rahway for 0.5 miles and turn right onto Green street. Go 0.6 miles to the second traffic light and turn left onto Elizabeth Avenue. Go another 0.4 miles and turn right onto Washington Avenue. The High School entrance is 2 blocks straight ahead. For tickets, contact Tony Tota (JFK HS Band Parents President) at 732-283-4001.

The Taylor Brook Coalition, Maynard, MA. This is a 60s dance being for the benefit of Maynard’s own Taylor Brook Coalition, a not-for-profit organization created to promote land preservation in Maynard. The dance will be held at The Maynard Elks, located on route 62 a short distance from downtown Maynard. Stay tuned for more information. THIS JUST IN: There will be wine tasting!

Bryant College, Smithfield, RI. We play in the South Dining Hall. This concert is open to the public for an admission fee of $3 per person. Free to Bryant students. Take Rhode Island route 295 to exit 8B (route 7 north). The college is one mile north on the left.

Concerts On The Green, Bellingham, MA. Located at Bellingham Town Common at the intersecction of routes 140 and 126. From the south, take 495 to exit 17 (route 140). Turn left onto 140 west and proceed 3 miles. From the north, take 495 to exit 18 (route 126). The exit loops around. Turn left onto 126 west at the end of the ramp and follow route 126 for 2 miles. Note that route 126 makes a left turn at the traffic light right almost immediately. Sponsored by ABMI Cable 8, so watch for a TV broadcast of the show. The show will be held indoors at Bellingham High School in the event of inclement weather. From the Town Commons, take route 126 West for approximately one mile and turn left onto Blackstone Street. The High School is about a half mile up the road. To get to the High School from route 495, get off at exit 17. Take route 140 north for about 2 miles. Turn left immediately after the golf driving range onto Blackstone Street. The High School is about a half mile up on your left. From the Town Commons, take route 126 West for approximately one mile and turn left onto Blackstone Street. The High School is about a half mile up on the right.

Ayer High School, Washington Street, Ayer, MA. This is a concert to benefit the Massachusetts Youth Police Academy. Doors open at 7:00PM. We play one hour sets at 7:30PM and 9:00PM. Directions: Take route 2 to exit 38, route 110, and head north towards Ayer. Go for about 2 miles to the rotary. Get off at the exit after McDonalds… the sign will say "Downtown Ayer." Follow route 2A west for about one mile and cross over a big railroad bridge. Take 2nd right after the bridge onto Washington Street. Follow Washington for about 1 mile to the school zone. Enter the school complex, and the high school will be on your left. Tickets are available at the door and are $8.

John Stone’s Inn, 179 Main Street, Ashland, MA. 508.881.1778 for info. A new venue for us… check out their excellent web site for more info.

The Mount Washington Cruise Ship, Laconia, NH. Sailing, sailing... on Lake Winnipesaukee. Monday nights are theme cruise night and we've settled on a theme... Beatles! Check out their great web page at http://msmountwashington.com/ for all the details of this show. Here are the bullets: Admission is $29 (children under 12 get in for a mere $19) and includes a "delicious buffet dinner." Anyone under age 21 must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or spouse who is at least age 21. Tickets are available online or by calling 1-888-THE MOUNT. They have an email address for questions: info@msmountwashington.com. The boat is on the water from 7:30PM until 10:30PM. Directions: Take Rte. 93 (probably North for most of us) to Exit 23. Turn right onto Rte. 104 East and continue for 8 miles. At the traffic lights in Meredith, turn right on to Rte. 3 South and follow for 3.5 miles until you see the sign for Weirs Beach on your left. Turn left at the sign. The "Mount" offices are located in the middle of the boardwalk at the "Railroad Station."

Lincoln Commons, Malden, MA. Lincoln Commons is a new recreational area that has opened recently in Malden. It is located on the site of the old Lincoln School at the intersection of Bryant and Cross Streets, just a few short blocks from Eastern Avenue (route 60). Directions: Take 93 to exit 32, which is route 60 in Medford. Go east on route 60 for 3 miles through and past Malden center. Just before Bryant street will be Franklin street. There's a Sonny's Carwash at the corner of Bryant street. Turn right here on to Bryant. Go a few blocks to Cross street and the park will be on your left. The turn onto Bryant is about a mile past Malden City Hall. Alternate directions from route 1: Take route 1 to route 60 in Revere. Get on route 60 west and go 2.3 miles, then turn left onto Bryant street at the Sonny's Carwash. The park is a few blocks up on your left.

Government Center Plaza, Malden, MA. A lunchtime concert... bring your brown bag. From route 93 exit 32, take route 60 east towards Malden. Route 60 becomes Pleasant street in Malden. After 1.6 miles, route 60 turns right, but you go straight ahead, continuing on Pleasant street across a set of train tracks. Government Center will be right in front of you and the plaza where we're playing is around the left side of the building.

The Grog, Newburyport, MA. On the heels of our well-received first-night show, we return to Newburyport's "Cavern Club," The Grog, located at 13 Middle Street in downtown. Check out their web site at http://www.thegrog.com. From Route 95 to Downtown Newburyport take route 113 East (Storey Ave.) follow approximately 2 miles to blinking yellow light at Courthouse and Fountain (on right) - take left onto Green Street to bottom of street. Take right onto Merrimac Street. Firehouse on left, bear right around Rotary (Market Square). Take second left on to Middle Street first building and parking lot on left. 978-465-8008.

First Night Newburyport, Newburyport, MA. Wow! This should be a blast. We'll be performing in the Central Congregational Church & Hall on Pleasant Street at the corner of Titcomb Street. We play from 9PM until just after midnight. Come count down the new year with us and begin the big countdown to the new millennium, which is going to be very good to Beatles fans! Directions: Take route 95 to exit 57. Head east on Storey Avenue for about one mile to the intersection of High street. Turn right onto High Street for 1.7 miles and turn left onto Green Street (less than a quarter mile after you cross route 1, Newburyport Turnpike). Go another quarter mile on Green Street and make your second left turn onto Pleasant Street. The next street you cross will be Titcomb, and the entrance to the Church and Hall is on your left. We have no idea where you can park.

Twist The Night Away, Nashua NH. This should be a fun time... they close down Main Street in the middle of Nashua and turn it into one big block party. Also appearing will be a "Legends" show including our own Mark Poulin doing his incredible Roy Orbison show! Directions: Take Route 3 into New Hampshire (assuming you're not in NH when you start). Get off at exit 5E. Follow this road east... there may be signs for "Downtown Nashua." Our map says this is route 111, also known as Kinsley Street. After 1.6 miles, you should see a hospital and a Texaco station. This is Main Street. Turn left onto Main Street. The next set of lights if Hollis Street. City Hall is just ahead on your left and the stage is within a few hundred feet of City Hall.

Uxbridge July 4th Celebration, Uxbridge, MA. The town of Uxbridge's fourth of July celebration, conveniently held on the fifth of July (uh, see note)! This annual event has been going on for six or seven years, getting bigger and bigger each year with thousands of people in attendance for the festivities and fireworks. The big show starts at 4PM at Serendipity (formerly Patrick's) with activities for the kids, including a petting zoo, sand art, face painting and so forth. At 4:30, a country western band called "Home Cookin'" will take the stage for a one hour set. Then a 5:30, there's Ronald McDonald himself!!!! Following that, if you still have the energy, is the ever popular "Pesky's, North End All Star Band." Finally, we make our grand entrance at 7:30PM, playing two one hour sets. At 10PM, they light the place on fire!! Phew. Anyway, Uxbridge is located in southeast Massachusetts and Serendipity is at the intersecton of routes 146 and 16. You can get there from 495 by following the directions to Jack's Saloon (below) and continuing a few more miles on route 16. From Worcester or Providence, just take 146 and get off at the exit for route 16. From the Mass Pike, you can take exit 11, route 122. Follow 122 towards Providence. It will lead you into Uxbridge, and you can turn right on route 16 to get to the show. [Editor's note: To be technically correct, there are also town activities on Friday the 4th. Also at Serendipity's beginning at 6PM, there's a Doll Carriage Parade & Bike Parade with prizes for the best decorated, Games & Prizes by the Uxbridge H.S. Student Council, Hay Rides, Food & Drink by the Firefighters. At 7PM, Dancing to DJ Ken DicIllo. 8PM brings Big Band Dancing with 14 piece "Esquire Band," and at 8:45PM, they light the place on fire!!!! A giant Bonfire, that is.]

The White Buffalo Saloon, Rte 97, Methuen, MA. 978.686.0400. Our first show at the Buffalo, normally a Country & Western dance club now branching out to other music styles. And what a fine choice with the Beatles, masters of pretty much all styles! Still, we figure we'll brush off those Carl Perkins tunes for the occasion. An unusual Thursday night show for us, but it starts and ends early, so we'll be getting our beauty rest after all, and so can you. Take route 93 to exit 2 in New Hampshire. If you were on 93N, you'll take a right turn at the end of the exit ramp onto route 97. If you were on 93S, turn in the direction that the people coming from Mass are turning. You can tell we've done this before? Anyway, 97 winds back across the border into Methuen, MA, and the White Buffalo is about 4 miles up the road on your right.

The Stonewall Theater, Londonderry, NH. This show will be taped for local-access CATV, so you can be sure we'll be playing "real good" just this once! Reservations are suggested. Call 603.432.9418 to claim your place. Directions: From exit 5 off I93 in New Hampshire, head east on route 28. The Stonewall is about three miles up on your left. When you see the sign that says "entering Derry," stop and turn the car around because you just passed it by. Don't.

The Polish American Veteran's Club, Clinton, MA. This very nice social club is located at 292 Green Street. We had a nice time playing the PAV for the second time this year on October 19th, and we expect to be back some time in the spring. Call Paul Favreau at 508.365.2668 or our good buddy Bruce Bazydlo at 508.368.8152 for more information.

Directions: Take route 495 in Massachusetts and get off at exit 27. At the end of the exit ramp, turn onto rte 117, heading towards Bolton (if you were on 495N, turn right, if you were on 495S, turn left). Go about one mile to the blinking light at the Mobil station and turn left here onto Watoovadoc Road. Continue on this road... bear right at the mini-fork which you come to in less than a minute, keeping the apple orchards on your left as you go up the hill. After 2.6 miles, you will pass Sylvesters Restaurant. At 3 miles, you'll see a fork off to the left and a railroad crossing. Turn left here and go over the railroad tracks. Go down to the bottom of the hill. You will see baseball fields on your left. Turn left immediately past the fields onto Vale Street. Go to the end of Vale Street and turn left, keeping the ball fields on your left. After a few hundred yards, follow the road to the right and you are on Green Street. The Polish-American Veteran's club is on your right a few blocks up the street, set up on a hill. Look for the large white "PAV" sign.

From Rte. 495: Get off at exit 19 and turn towards civilization (MacDonald's, that is!) at the end of the ramp onto Rte. 109. Take 109 about 2 miles to the end. There is a traffic light here, just past Dunkin Donuts, Taco Bell, Blockbusters, and Star Market on your left. Turn left at the end of 109 onto Rte. 16 West. Follow Rte. 16, staying on it as it curves through Milford, into Hopedale, Mendon, and finally into Uxbridge. Jack's is on your right immediately after you pass under the railroad bridge. Jack's is about 9 miles from the 495 exit and about 3 miles after you see the "Entering Uxbridge" sign. If you hit a traffic light at the intersection of Rte. 122, you just passed it.

From Worcester or Providence: Take Rte. 146 and get off at the Rte. 16 Uxbridge exit. Take Rte. 16 East towards Uxbridge for about 3 miles to the traffic light at the intersection of Rte. 122. As you sit at the light, you can see a driveway across the street just to the right. Pull in that driveway and you are there.

The Great American Youth Festival, Regatta Field, Lowell, MA. From the intersection of routes 495 and 3 in Lowell, take route 3 North. Go about 2.5 miles and take the Drum Hill Road exit, which is exit 32. Take your first right onto Drum Hill Road. Go about 3/4 mile and bear left at the traffic light with the fork. You are now on Wood Street. Follow Wood Street another mile through two traffic lights and cross the bridge over the Merrimac River. At the light at the other side of the bridge, turn right onto Pawtucket Bouldvard. Regatta field will be on your left. There will be a nominal entrance fee at the door. The evening show starts at 7PM with a circus act of some sort, followed by an hour performance by the acapella group "Five O'Clock Shadow." We play from 8:45 until 10:00. Rain or shine.

Borders Book Store, Hyannis, MA. Cross the Sagamore bridge onto Cape Cod which leads you onto route 6, the Mid-Cape Highway. Go 13 miles and get off at exit 6. Bear right onto Iyanough Road (old route 132). The book store is about two miles down the road on your left.

Jack's Saloon, Uxbridge, MA, located at the intersection of rtes. 16 and 122, under the railroad bridge. 508.278.7567. A former bowling alley re-arranged for live music. The bands play upstairs in a large room arranged as an old-fashioned dance hall. Huge dance floor with a disco light that the owner may or may not turn on near the end of the night! Always an enthusiastic and appreciative crowd. Show time is 9:45PM. Under new management!

Trumpet's Nightclub, Chicopee, MA. This is a very nice nightclub located at the Comfort Inn just off exit 5 of the Mass Pike. 413.739.7311. More details to follow...

Christine's Restaurant & Show Club, West Dennis, MA. One of Cape Cod's premiere entertainment spots, we're very much looking forward to taking our act south of the Canal. Get yourself onto the Cape and then onto route 6, the mid-cape highway (if you approach Cape cod via Bourne, you'll have to head northeast along the canal to pick up route 6. you can do this either before or after crossing the bridge). Once on route 6, proceed 23 miles to exit 9. Turn right here onto route 134. Proceed 2.2 miles and turn right onto route 28. Christine's is about 3/4 mile up the road on your left, at 581 Main Street.

Winterfest, Lowell, MA. Wow! Check it out by clicking on the link. We're headlining Friday night at Club Celsius on Arcand Drive. Directions are as follows: Take 495 north or south depending on where you're coming from. Take exit #38, which just happens to be route 38. At the end of the ramp, you will see Home Depot and Applebee's directly in front of you. Take a right at the end of the ramp. You will be staying on route 38 for about 2.5 miles. Some landmarks you'll pass: McDonald's, Wendy's, car dealers, and a park. Keep going until you get to a set of lights at a fork in the road. Stay to the right, which is still route 38. At your second set of lights, you will see Saints Memorial Hospital in front of you. At these lights, take your left onto East Merrimack Street. This street becomes Merrimack Street, which you will stay on for one mile. You will see the Lowell Memorial Auditorium on your right. Keep going as you are now in downtown Lowell. Continue straight and you can't miss WinterFest which will be directly in front of you.

The Hardware Cafe, Marion, MA. Our first time here. We play two shows... one at 5PM and another at 8PM. Each show is two 45-minute sets with a 30 minute break. The HW cafe holds about 60-65 people, and we hear it's a great place... like playing in your living room (yes, YOUR living room). Sounds like fun. $10 cover. Call well in advance for tickets due to the limited seating.