The Clumsy Lovers blend of high spirits, bluegrass and Celtic is enough to steal your heart.

what''s up, chuck?

I don''t even know where to begin with The Clumsy Lovers. I stuck the six-piece group''s Live! album between my ears and fell in love. I''ve never made any bones about loving Celtic rock, with Tempest being the prime object of my affection. Call me fickle, but here''s a group that''s going to be a strong rival for my love. The differences between the bands are probably greater than their similarities, but the two that stand out the most are in the band''s attitude, and in their approach to fusing the music with rock and other influences.

Whereas there''s something dark and dangerous underlying almost everything Tempest does, there''s a brightness about the Lovers. Not that the intensity is any different. It''s like both bands are playing to win your soul, but one band is fronted by a devil and the other band''s frontperson is an angel. In concert, they both reach a fever pitch that forces an audience to dance, to hell or heaven, and it doesn''t really matter which direction you''re headed when you''re possessed by the dance demon.

There''s also a wider range of music fused into Clumsy Lovers'' song, ranging from bluegrass to reggae. I particularly enjoy songs like "Soldier''s Joy," where it''s real easy to ear the root connection between Celtic and bluegrass, and sometimes tough to tell the difference.

The band''s been gigging in the Northwest for better than six years, and they have a pile of write-ups from critics who rave about their live performances. And judging by the audience reaction in the background of their Live! CD, those write-ups are more than justified.

The Clumsy Lovers, Tuesday, 8pm. Morgan''s Coffee and Tea. $8. 373-1479.

If you''re looking for a more traditional version of Celtic music, you''ll want to be in the audience tomorrow night when Cherish The Ladies returns to the area. The all-female sextet, lead by flute/whistle player Joanie Madden, has a list of awards and honors a mile long. In addition to the music, the group also delivers a dance exhibition along with every concert, contracting with national, regional and local dancers. Think of this as sort of a "Lord of the Dance" type thing. But without the Lord. Or the glitz. Or the hype. More like the real thing than a staged production number.

Cherish the Ladies, Friday, 8pm. Carleton Hall. $20. 373-7379.

If you''re feeling particularly rich and want to see a legend in action, there''s Tony Bennett doing a gig with Grammy-winning jazz songbird Diana Krall at Quail Lodge this weekend. The gig is a benefit for Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, which means the proceeds are going to a worthy cause. But... even if you''re feeling charitable, you may not have the moola to finance this weekend''s good deed. Tix start at $125 for basic non-reserved seating, jump to $250 including a picnic lunch, and go to $1,000 for front-row seating, access to VIP tent, barbecue buffet, private entrance, souvenirs and valet parking.

Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, Sunday, 3pm. Quail Lodge. $125, $250, $500, $1,000. 649-1223.

Say whatever else you want about Seaside, it''s definitely the most musical city on the Peninsula, and this weekend helps prove the point. This year''s Summer Music Festival caps the Sunday Blues series with performances by Terry Hiatt, Terry Hanck, Chris Cain and Joe Louis Walker on Saturday, and Taylor P. Collins, E.C. Scott and Dr. Loco and his Rockin'' Jalapeno Band on Sunday. While most of the performers make frequent appearances around the Monterey area, it''s been a couple years since Bay Area blues guitarist Joe Louis Walker was in town. And I don''t even remember the last time Dr. Loco made it to this end of the bay with his up-tempo, Tex-Mex-funk ''n'' soul-rock.

Seaside

Summer Music Festival, Saturday and Sunday, 11am-5:30pm both days. Seaside City Hall, Harcourt and Canyon Del Rey. Free. 899-6273.