If you look past the fact that the Sox are back at home for their first few games at Fenway this season you'll be able to hear a greater beat on the street. As is often the case there is more good live music going on in town this week than any one person could possibly listen to. Time to clone yourself so you can scoop up a standing room ticket to watch Dice-K......

Enough music to rock because you're happy or rock because you're sad. No matter if the candidate you were supporting won or lost you can find solace in the upbeat or comfort in the emo. Tuesday 11/7 Method Man The mighty Method Man (Wu-Tang) brings a glorious night of hardcore hip hop to Avalon featuring Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa and Hall of Justus. Avalon, all ages, $25, 7pm doors Method Man: website | myspace......

This short work week is long on music. The small show battles the bigger venue this week as the students invade the city. When they come back it seems the shows start up with vigor. Lots of 18+ hit the mark – and they've still got summer money in their pockets. What's this mean? Quite possibly there will be a few more sell outs than usual as the concert funds still run high. Fair......

Now that we're on this eight days a week kick for doing these picks it seems like it might be time for a new graphic. We'll give you a cookie if you design us a new one. Or maybe a Newcastle next time you catch us at the Middle East. Promise. Monday 8/7 The Roots with Talib Kweli It may not be a Brooklyn block party hosted by Dave Chappelle, but it will be......

The debacle that was Hot Stove, Cool Music last week has made us ready for a week of good music. The debacle in that it poured so hard they had to move the whole thing under the bleachers (inside). The sound quality was poor and James Taylor pulled a rock star move and only made the stage for a single song because he didn't have enough space. This week we're looking forward to cooler......

All we can say is at least it's not raining. The humidity, not so much the heat, has got everyone running on a pretty sluggish pace today. Perhaps after another TurboIce things will pick up. Or some sweet nerdy action in the way of the IT Band Bash – you know the guy sitting in the cube across from you who's a rocker at night? Oh, you don't, well he might be. If you're......

The season finale has just aired for your favorite TV show. NBC hasn't run Must See TV on Thursdays for a decade. The sun is shining and temperatures will be perfect for showing up jacketless to the next performance. Something to do every night this week – and rock it out for free with the pop tunes from WBOS' EarthFest line up on Saturday, starting at noon. All this and we're tivo-ing the Sox/Yanks games......

(Photo: Rawls' last performance in Boston, January 2005) The last time Bostonist saw Lou Rawls, he was singing the national anthem before Game 2 of the World Series last fall in his native Chicago. Not for a moment did we imagine that Lou would be gone a mere three months later. If you haven't yet heard, Rawls died of cancer last week. Rawls was best known for his soul and pop hits. His signature song,......