For those staying around Boston in spite of the three-day week-end, Columbus day holds a special treat in store. Rod Stewart and the Faces will be performing at the Garden to help celebrate the discovery of America. Although the Faces aren't doing anything new, they still churn out plenty of good time rocking and their leadisinger continues to be one of the more dynamic personalities in rock music. Incidentally, thus could well be the last time Stewart will be performing with his mates, as Ron Wood's Ston/Face dulemma has been a continual threat to the group's existence.

On Saturday, October 11, keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman, formerly of Yes, will be appearing at the Music Hall. Upon completion of his "Journey to the Center of the Earth" tour, Wakeman wanted to repay his fans for their loyalty with a presentation they would never forget. Faithful to his promise, Wakeman will transform the Music Hall stage into a medieval circus for his interpretation of the legend of King Arthur, complete with damsels in distress, magicians, and a jousting bout between knights in armor. When asked bout the financial side of this musical fantasia, Wakeman replied, "It'll probably break me but at least I'll go out in style."

Finally, if it's hard-core raunch and roll you seek, you have no further to look than the Orpheum. On Friday, October 10, the triple billing of Foghat, Black Oak Arkansas and Montrose provides the ultimate in crotch rock and is the perfect complement to a bottle of Jack Daniels or Southern Comfort, depending on which part of the country you're from. Foghat sprang from the dissolution of one of the many Savoy Brown combos and added to their knowledge of blues a commercial touch in order to comply with the American audience's cry for boogie. Oak Arkansas, on the other hand, consists of five school chums, who owe their existence to the high school band from which they stole their first instruments. Taking their birthplace as the group's name, Black Oak have since put out several commercially successful albums and continue to draw huge numbers of fans from all parts of the country. The success of Black Oak may support the American dream, but I tend to think it rather gives credence to the idea that you can never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public. God save Columbus.