Weekender

Pretty solid weekend for shows, particularly if you live in Denton. As always, if we missed something, let us know in the comments and we'll add it to the list if it's cool enough. And PS-- we're actually starting to post MP3s in our MP3 section now, so check it out over to the right below the pics.  We have a couple good ones available right now. And PPS-- vote for WSJR awards here. Whoomp here it is:

FRIDAY

Late Night with Operation Playmate (Dallas Museum of Art): Video artists/electro composers Operation Playmate (who we told you about earlier in the week) will be the most interesting thing going on at this month's edition of DMA Late Nights. The group will be performing music and displaying video inspired by the DMA's Materials and Meaning exhibit, which you can learn more about here. Late Night starts at 6, but this performance will begin at 10pm in the Atrium.

Zanzibar Snails/Geistheistler/Dirty Water Disease (J&Js): Dirty Water Disease? I think we might have a finalist for our "worst band name" award. I also caught Zanzibar Snails a couple weeks ago at the Lounge, and after about 10 minutes of confusing the shit out of me, I was quickly reminded of why I liked this band in the first place.

Back to School with Young Doc Gooden/Florene/Pepi Ginsberg/Make Believers/Grassfight/Bob White and the F Electrics/Sydney Confirm/Kaboom (Hailey's): A lot of variation on a bill that seems to be designed simply to herd as many UNT students into Hailey's as possible. If you haven't heard Aaron White's Make Believers yet, you should go to their Myspace and give them a listen-- the guy continues to reveal his talents as one of the more underrated songwriters in the area with a mastery of psychedelic pop/Bakersfield/etc. Pretending that he doesn't post on Denton Rock City will help you enjoy the music even more. JK guys! Ever since I heard that people have to pretend to hate us when they hang out at Dan's Silverleaf, I guess I've been a little jumpy. :-(

Bad Sports/Uptown Bums/Yeah Def (Rubber Gloves-- FREE): An amazing local garage punk band? Sounds like the butt of a joke until you hear Bad Sports for the first time. And when did Uptown Bums start being like WAY better than they used to be? Check "Running My Mouth" on their Myspace page for evidence of this.

Blackheart Society/Street Hassle/Jack with One Eye (The Lounge): Is it sexist for me to say that I have a crush on Mila, Jack with One Eye's lead singer? I guess the fact that I actually like her music sort of makes it a non issue since my mentioning this show has nothing to do with crushes... but after all this Palin shit, I'm pretty confused about what I'm not supposed to say about women. I wonder what those fearless feminists Karl Rove and Dick Morris would think of this issue? All BS aside, Jack with One Eye really is the standout here, reminds me of like a shoegaze Electrelane or something.

Uptown Fridays with Select (Zubar)

SATURDAY

Silver Jews/James Jackson Toth (Hailey's): I really can't stand poetry. Call me ignorant if you want to, but I've been spending the past few minutes sitting around trying to think of ONE poet who really means something to me, and I just can't do it. I think TS Elliot is good, for example, but I don't take enough time to allow much of his work to really matter to me. It's probably my problem and not his, but I mention this only to say that I recently went over to my hipster friend's house and picked up a copy of Dave Berman's poetry book on his table. After reading a few of his short entries, I, for the first time in my life, acknowledged that Dave Berman is a genius, at least on some level. Does his new album suck? Yep, big time. But he made me enjoy poetry.

Fight Bite (Central Trak, 800 Exposition, Dallas): Starts at 7pm at Central Trak, a gallery space run by the University of Texas at Dallas. There will be visual art on display, but I don't have the details on that. Maybe El Tocadiscos, WSJR VP of Visual Art and Media Affairs, could provide more information?

Visitations/The Diamond Center/Heartstring Stranglers (Fra House, 7pm): This show, like most others going on in Denton this evening, is designed around the Silver Jews show so that you can hit up both if you want.  Visitations' Myspace page lists a number of notable influences, including Faust, Negativland, Ghost and Fela Kuti, but, uh, they don't really sound like any of that-- I hear lots of 90's indie pop in there, a touch or two of Grandaddy, and maybe a splash of Athens' the Glands.  Remember them?  

Visitations (1110 N. Austin St., Denton): Starts at 2am in case you didn't catch them earlier at Fra House.

Operation Playmate/Phantastes/Tommy Boy (Knight House, 1433 Knight St., Denton): We already told you about this show in our news section this week, but let me say that anyone with an interest in early Detroit techno or mid 80's industrial should check out Phantastes at this show. Did you read the description of what they are trying to do at this house? Here's to hoping this stuff starts happening in Denton a lot more.  Stuff kicks off around 930 over there.

John Wesley Coleman (J&Js, 8-10pm)

The Theater Fire/Eyes Wings and Many Other Things/The Angelus/Clint Niosi/Chris Flemmons (Good Records): Starts at 5pm with Theater Fire taking the stage at 9pm to celebrate the release of their latest CD. Eyes, Wings and whatever? Another nominee in our "worst band name" award category.

SUNDAY

For Your Pleasure with DJ G and Gabriel (Hailey's): Probably the most unique playlists in town, people.