Tomorrow (Friday) night, not one, not two, but three beloved Capital Region acts will bring the rock to the Northern Lights stage: Erin Harkes and the Rebound, Sirsy and Ten Year Vamp. All three bands are perennial favorites in the Metroland Readers Poll, so you already know you love ’em; what you might not have known is that this marks the first time all three acts have shared a bill. Tickets for both of these shows are available through the Northern Lights box office (371-0012).

ART ROCK This Saturday, Salem Art Works in (you guessed it) Salem hosts SAWFest, a day-long outdoor concert featuring live music from six acts, including the Ramblin Jug Stompers, PhillipsHead frontman (and WEQX DJ) Jason Irwin, and Salem’s own Psychoneedles. The event, which runs from 2 to 10 PM, doubles as a grand opening for SAW’s new glass-art studio, and there will be glass-blowing demonstrations throughout the afternoon. There will also be a guitar raffle which, I must admit, isn’t quite as exciting as what I initially misread it to be—a guitar battle—but it’s still pretty cool. Get more information on SAWFest at salemartworks.com.

NOT GONNA DO IT Nothing is a done deal in the concert business these days. Example: The Times Union Center’s schedule took a double whammy in the last week or so with two of the summer’s most anticipated shows (at least from where I’m sitting) being canceled. First, Kelly Clarkson, who was slated for an Aug. 5 appearance at the TUC, scrapped her entire tour to “re-evaluate her show’s size and scope” (I’m guessing tickets weren’t selling as briskly as promoters had hoped). Now we have learned that Beyoncé’s planned July 31 performance has been pulled due to scheduling conflicts. That one, apparently, is irreplaceable—meaning it likely will not be rescheduled. Ticket holders for both shows can obtain refunds from point of purchase; more information is available at times unioncenter-albany.com.

For the second time this year, Aretha Franklin has canceled a performance at the Palace Theatre. The date was bumped to this Friday after Mother Nature dropped 18 feet of snow on us back in February; this time around, it’s due to “logistical transportation issues”—and it’s permanent. Refunds are available at point of purchase; call the Palace box office at 465-3334 for more information.

But wait, there’s more: Wednesday night’s Morrissey show at the Pines Theater in Northampton, Mass., was postponed due to the singer suffering a throat infection. He discovered his malady early into a show at Boston’s Bank of America Pavilion on Tuesday, where he told the audience, “Unfortunately it will not just be the emotions cracking tonight but my voice as well.” A rescheduled date is expected to be announced soon.

Hair-metal geeks (speaking!) might be upset by the news that White Lion have dropped off of this summer’s Poison-Ratt tour, which hits the Saratoga Performing Arts Center on August 26. For those looking forward to an 11-minute rendition of Golden Earring’s “Radar Love,” you have my shoulder to cry on. The two headliners will go on as planned, while Mike Tramp and company are relegated to a summer tour of water parks and county fairs. Sigh.

In a bit of good news, a show that was supposed to happen last summer is finally making its way to the region this week: The New Cars, a Todd Rundgren-led, non-Ocasek version of the ’70s-’80s hit-makers, play Tanglewood’s July 4 celebration this Wednesday; the concert will be capped by a fireworks display over the Stockbridge Bowl. The kinda-Cars were scheduled to play SPAC last July but had to cancel that tour when guitarist Elliot Easton broke his clavicle in a tour-bus accident. Strangely enough, they were booked at Tanglewood to replace ’70s-’80s hit-makers Journey, who canned their entire summer jaunt when their singer (who wasn’t Steve Perry anyway, so whatever) left the group this spring. Can’t anyone keep it together these days? Check tanglewood.org for info on Wednesday’s show.

—John Brodeur

Let us know about local-music news and happenings for inclusion in Rough Mix: E-mail John Brodeur at jbrodeur@metro land.net or call (518) 463-2500 ext. 145.