It List: Saturday 9/2/06

1. Don Caballero/Fra Pandolf/Zombi (Rubber Gloves)

Fra Pandolf are a good live band but they'll have their work cut for them to hold their own tonight. They're playing with legendary and important Math Rock instrumentalists, Don Caballero. Don Caballero started as a group of guys who were basically aping Math Metal pioneers Breadwinner but they went on to form their own sound by expanding the rougher elements into really layered and nearly atmospheric instrumentals that sounded impossible to play by human beings. The frequent lineup changes were probably responsible for all the directions they went in and they are now back with no original members except the freakishly talented Damon Che. I have seen no modern drummer more impressive than Mr. Che when I've seen him play with Don Cab or Bellini, who I preferred him in. I would recommend this show as a required educational course for all local young and upcoming drummers. Anyways, now that Don Caballero is on Relapse Records their current album sounds like a summary of their entire career and they're blending their softer textured sounds and their more metal tendencies. I don't know much about Zombi but their songs sounded like Trans-Am's "Nightrider" period or Rush instrumentals. Take your pick.

2. Teenage Symphony/Hardin Sweaty and the Ready to Go/Swim Swim/New Science Projects (Club Dada)

Teenage Symphony are back tonight after taking a break from playing live. Hardin Sweaty and the Ready to Go I refuse to comment on because of their name but I'm sure they play pop music as does Swim Swim. New Science Projects we've mentioned before and they (he?) are probably the best bet in this lineup besides Teenage Symphony.

3. Deep Snapper/The Mad Scientists/The Distant Seconds

Deep Snapper includes former and current members of Birth to Burial but you wouldn't necessarily know that from their myspace page. Most of the tracks seem to be intense guitar driven rock but there is an off kilter feeling to the songs with treated vocals and manipulated instruments. I believe this is the band's first show and I think it will be a good one. The Mad Scientists are also playing and I think they'll be an appropriate match for Deep Snapper's debut. If you haven't seen them, they play this weird blend of psyche influenced rock with sharp funk rhythms and half shouted vocals. There is also some inexplicable guitar shredding to top it off but I've enjoyed them when I've seen or heard them. I prefer the originality of their music over a lot of Denton's "tasteful" retro country rockers, music theory students, jazz heads, and gear fetishists. Austin band The Distant Seconds finish out the lineup and they stand out for being a little more pop oriented but they sound pleasant enough.

4. Pegasus Now/Snowden/For Those Who Know (Amsterdam Bar)

Pegasus Now is playing at the Amsterdam bar and I'm sure they'll be playing stuff off of the ep that Stonedranger reviewed this week. See if they pull off their sonic diversity live. For Those Who Know play melodic rock with the detached whispered falsetto that accompanies bands who have a lot of British shoegaze influences. Touring act Snowden is from Georgia and they are very much along the same lines as For Those Who Know. They have notably released their debut album on Jade Tree Records.