Weekender 5/11/07-5/13/07

FRIDAY

Violent Squid/Bird Names/The Carnys/Black Wizardz/Boids (8th Continent-Denton): This is certainly one of the more interesting line ups I've seen anywhere (DIY venue or otherwise) in DFWd in quite a while, and the great thing about it is that there will be something at this show to appeal to just about anyone. Boids is honestly one of the loudest, harshest bands I've ever heard. Taking cues from hardcore punk (the singer sort of sounds like homeboy from The Exploited), avant noise and bands like The Locust, the group shoves an assault of feedback and angry, explosive rhythms in your face that are as chaotic as you'd imagine but somehow held together before the songs spin completely out of control. The Carnys are another interesting band that utilize rudimentary keyboards and drum machine loops to produce, well, kind of a carnival like pop that reminds me of a lo-fi, slightly more adventurous mix of bands like Man Man and Beirut with a nice off-key slacker take on the Magnetic Fields bedroom aesthetic thrown in for good measure. And of course, you've heard us give enough praise to Black Wizardz and the unpredictable Violent Squid, but the band we're looking forward to seeing most of all is Chicago's Bird Names, a group that somehow combines noise, lo-fi slop folk and 60's bubblegum pop to produce a truly unique and highly accessible (if not fairly strange) sound that truly sticks with you right from the start. Go check out the lonely nights folk-pop of "New Mexico" on their Myspace page and see what I mean. We're really looking forward to this show.

Select/Sober (Urbano 2533 McKinney Ave.): Not sure what time this gig starts or ends, but maybe someone can fill us in.

Clint Niosi/Warren Jackson Hearne/Jacob Ide (SHQ Denton): A solid folk/singer-songwriter night at SHQ. And I usually hate anything having to do with the phrase "singer-songwriter." I think fans of The National would probably dig Clint Niosi a bit, and dude obviously pulls off the Leonard Cohen meets Ian McCulloch thing pretty well, so this could be an enjoyable performance if that's your kind of thing. Warren Jackson Hearne is quite a compelling and haunting vocalist as well, and although I don't know if I'm crazy about Jacob Ide (lyrics are a bit too outwardly political for my taste), this should be a chill way to start the evening.

Bright Eyes/Oakley Hall/McCartney Trenching (Palladium): Oakley Hall does a pleasant enough Brooklyn hipster take on americana pop (and that isn't a backhanded compliment), but what I really want to talk about is Bright Eyes. Not his music. Most of it I can take or leave, and in fact, I'm willing to admit that I think some of his older stuff is fairly interesting. And furthermore, I do kind of admire his politically outspoken behavior, because when you think about it, using fame to push for something constructive isn't an inherently bad thing, and I suppose it's good that at least some people try to do what he's trying to do. However, aside from the fact that people like Conor Oberst are probably a big part of the reason why George W. Bush won re-election in 2004, I just can't get over the shitty comments he made about Texas the last time he came through. Look buddy, there are some shitty things about Texas. We know that. Hot as fuck, Bush family, Enron, Baby Jessica, etc. The list goes on. But we've also got 13th Floor Elevators, Butthole Surfers, Townes Van Zandt, and Mexican Food. And not everyone from Texas is a racist Republican, and besides: you're from Nebraska for Christ's sake. Go husk some fucking corn, and quit alienating me from my own politics. Thanks bro.

Baboon/The Beautiful Disaster (Wreck Room- Ft. Worth): You probably know that I'm not the biggest Baboon guy in town, but every time I go to their Myspace page and listen to the song "Saturday," I like it more and more. This then causes me to listen to some of their other songs and kind of dig those too. Good live act as well. I guess the Wreck Room is closing down soon, but seeing as how I haven't been there in God knows how long, I can't say I'm all that emotional about the whole thing.

SATURDAY

Eat Avery's Bones/Koji Kondo (Good Records In-store 3pm): Credit where credit is due: Hats off to CJ and the rest of the Good Records crew for putting this show together. Its not the normal Good Records in-store performance to say the least, but it should come as quite a surprise for that dude who will be in there looking for a Sufjan Stevens CD just before 3 o'clock. This is a good indicator that despite the "Good Umbrella" brand image, the staff at Good Records has diverse tastes. Should be a lot of fun, and a good excuse to pick up the EAB/KK split seven inch.

The Frenz/Ghosthustler/Laptop Deathmatch (Doublewide): Big show at Doublewide from The Frenz, who happen to be the most compelling project Wanz Dover has been involved with since we started this blog. Also on the bill are Denton's Ghosthustler, who have a new track for download in the post just below. And to top it all of, we'll get a full scale Laptop Deathmatch before, between, and after the two band sets, making this an eclectic evening to say the least (you'll hear all kinds of space rock, IDM, minimal, glitch, house, synth and just about anything else you can think of). The last time we saw Frenz at Doublewide, the place must have been oversold, and such a scene could happen again considering the early (and justified) buzz Ghosthustler has received. But of course it's Dallas, so great attendance is no guarantee for anyone these days.

ADD: And going on right next door to Double Wide at the Loft Space (3612 Commerce Ste. 101) is the Neva Dug Disco Party featuring DJ sets from Rebelz and Subchronicles. Its BYOB (and I believe its free), and the Neva Dug Disco stuff is ALWAYS a good time, so I'd say you've got a pretty good chance of enjoying yourself at the corner of Commerce and Expo on Saturday. For those that don't know, Neva Dug Disco is an art collective and music crew that usually play hip hop sets. Should be fun.

Boids/Cry Blood Apache/Electronik Warfare (House of Tinnitus): Jesus. Do I have to consider driving up to Denton two nights this weekend? Electronik Warfare is a new project from Andrew Michael, a guy who's involved with all kinds of adventurous electro and noise projects in Denton and elsewhere. None of EW stuff I've heard features vocals, but I've learned that he'll be playing with Lars from Undoing on the mic, and who knows what these guys are going to come up with. Whatever it is, I really dig the material on Myspace: a lot of layers of electro noise, some compellingly harsh industrial beats and a really pretty symphonic intro on the track "the Requiem." We talk a bit about Boids above, and Cry Blood Apache never seems to disappoint. They also never sound the same from one show to the next, but its always good. The last incarnation I witnessed, where the band seemed to take cues from Suicide and Cabaret Voltaire, was probably the best I've seen from them yet.

Forbes-Gonzalez-Young/Modern History Duet/Nevada Hill/Justin Lemmons (J&Js Pizza-on the square in Denton): All kinds of local avant noise mixing and matching going on at this under publicized FREE show at J&Js. In fact, I've had such a hard time keeping track of who's who and whats what that I'll just let Michael Chamy explain everything for you, aside from the fact that this will be the last Forbes-Gonzalez-Young show ever. A last gasp for a group of great talents. First, Chamy says about Modern History Duet:

" I want to mention that the set Justin Lemmons & Mike Forbes played at the Fra House (Baptist Generals/Shiny show) was the most amazing thing I've witnessed this year. At least equal to any of the great shite I saw at SXSW Reason being, I dunno if you've seen Mike really stretch out outside of Notes & Zanzibar, but he cuts loose with the most abrasive crazy twisted dirty mangled free playing this side of Coltrane's "Ohm". I was lucky enough to have seen both Euro titans Peter Brotzmann and Evan Parker down in Austin a few years back, and Forbes is the only person I've heard who can play their firebrand style. The ever-dangerous Lemmons is a master of his trademark ominous cold-steel guitar playing, using metal-on-metal and insane sheets of sheer volume to frenzied effect. Somebody asked on the board the other day what danger is. This duo is danger.

And of Nevada Hill's stuff:

And ... if there is any local guitarist more innovative and outside-the-box than Lemons, It's Hill. Well, OK, in terms of thinking outside the box, it's definitely Nevada. He said something about using an ebow on an acoustic guitar and running it through a microphone w/ effects? Who knows. He definitely said he would be doing a solo piece of Keith Rowe (AMM) style prepared guitar (i.e. using foreign objects).And he and Justin have a special duo set planned as well. As you know Justin has played w/ Zanzibar before, but you may not know that Nevada was in the earliest incarnations of Notes From Underground (pre-gigs, pre-name). Anyways this will be a special treat for sure. Mike and Nevada will be playing a duo piece as well (they have gone by the Zanzibar Duo).... they recently cleared out some Christian-leaning art gallery in Dallas with an awesome, abrasive and relaxed incidental 10-minute set a few weeks back.

That works.

Peter and the Wolf/White Denim/Bosque Brown (The Cavern): I have to admit that I haven't had the chance to see a full set from the Gorilla vs Bear approved White Denim, but considering all the good things I've heard about them (along with the fact that this is their CD release party), I'd expect a good show. Just don't let those Cavern bartenders "accidentally" overcharge you for your drinks.

Be/Non (SHQ Denton): Yes, damn it. I might just have to drive up to Denton on Saturday too. Listen to this band right now. I honestly didn't know anything about Be/Non until I saw them listed on SHQ's Myspace page, but shit they're good. Some prog and post rock moments can be heard in their sound, but the overall presentation has such an appealing pop bend to it that I can't believe Be/Non isn't playing a larger venue when they stroll through town. But you know what, I'm glad they aren't. SHQ will be the perfect place to see these guys. give them a listen.

Delphi/Silk Stocking (8th Continent)

SUNDAY

Peter and the Wolf/Cartright/Tame...Tame and Quiet (Hailey's)

Kings of Leon (House of Blues): I sort of like Kings of Leon. Sorry.