Weekender

FRIDAY (By DL and SR)

Forgive the typos etc. We start writing this at 6 PM, okay?

Cadillac Fraf Memorial Show with Garuda/Suiciety/The Great Tyrant (Lola's Saloon): A special show with three Fort Worth legends of yesterday, the day before yesterday, and well, today. Chad "Cadillac Fraf" Percy was a musician and FW icon, whose life was cut tragically short after a scooter accident left him comatose in September of 2008, finally succumbing to his injuries earlier this year. He performed solo under the Cadillac Fraf moniker, in addition to releasing a 7" and performing with Mockingbird Cartel.

So to pay tribute, some of Fraf's friends who happen to have played in some of Fort Worth's most highly regarded groups, are putting on a couple of shows, despite the fact that two of these bands have been defunct for years. Starting in 1988 and ending in 1993, Suiciety is considered one of the first Tarrant County acts that played in the "doomy/stoner rock genre." Influenced by such greats as Neurosis and Cryptic Slaughter, the group featured two future members of beloved dub act, Sub Oslo.

Garuda was a notorious thrashy hardcore act with fearsome, scream/growl dynamic vocals, and acrobatic drumming and backing tracks. They haven't played since 2004, and are missed along with the oft-mentioned groups, Bread And Water, and Of Death, from the same era. Both of the reunited acts will also play at Lovejoy's in Austin tomorrow night, a club which Fraf was known to frequent. More info on Fraf here.

The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (Texas Theater located at 231 W. Jefferson Blvd. Dallas, TX 75208): This is a showing of Lon Chaney's 1923 version of Hunchback, with Paul Slavens providing live accompaniment. This is one of those events that sounds like it will be pretty fun to attend, except I almost always wind up not going. Last time I went to a similarly high concept performance like this, it was in this little building on White Rock Lake almost a decade ago, and there was a live classical quartet playing dissonant, horror-themed, drone music. This leather jacketed punk rocker went along and he was talking about how much he liked it while trying to blow my mind with the fact that he listened to King Crimson. He also refused to shake hands with anyone (like "The Man" does), even though he worked in an office. Years later, I confronted him and forced him to shake my hand and totally ruined this Christmas party with unbridled awkwardness. We in "The Biz" call this "funcomfortable." Anyways, the event itself was a really great experience, and I bet this will be too. More info here.

The Theater Fire/Weird Weeds/Nick Jaina (Chat Room Pub)

Charlie Louvin/AM Ramblers (Lola's Stockyards)

Richard Lloyd/The Felons/The Mumbles (Club Dada): Freakishly good guitar player who I would still pay to see, even if he actually does release a whole album of Hendrix covers.


SATURDAY

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum/Invincible Czars (Longhorn Saloon): I'm sure you've heard me complain about the session musician geekiness that ruins bands like this for me so I'll spare you. What really sucks is that since these bands actually do "listen to everything," they obviously have some very good influences, and will occasionally have a really great little passage or mind-numbingly difficult and cool riff, only to have it ruined by what sounds like Bjork singing over Dream Theater, with a side of world music usually heard at shopping malls.

Record Hop/Saboteur/Nervous Curtains (Annex House): Surely the loudest and likely the most crowded show Annex House has put on yet.

Loop 12/The Watchers/Convextion/DJ Per/The Great Tyrant/Projections by Tommy Boy (Sons of Hermann Hall): Very solid line up, if a tad unusual for Sons of Hermann. It's a shame that Loop 12 doesn't play out around town more often, as their multi media sensory overload performances are some of the most unique musical experiences created by any band in the area, with a mixture of video art and overwhelming electronic compositions that walk a fine line between dance oriented electronica and difficult, collage oriented avant garde. The Great Tyrant should be a nice compliment to this performance as their set will overwhelm in an entirely different way-- raw power, fronted by Tommy Atkins' extraordinary bass playing and Darren Beck's booming, theatric vocals. To top all off, this show also features The Watchers, a project featuring members of Zanzibar Snails, Mike Maxwell of Sonic Deathwave System, and even though he will probably resent this, the first employee at an unnamed local record store whose taste in music doesn't completely drive me up the fucking wall, and is always playing something great whenever I shop there.

Spinal Tap (Nokia Theater): Here's an HSO for you-- Spinal Tap is one of the least funny Christopher Guest mockumentaries. It's better than Mighty Wind or whatever, but doesn't touch "Best in Show" or "Waiting for Guffman," even though its a pretty great movie in its own right. Seeing a full blown Spinal Tap show live would probably be pretty entertaining, but unfortunately, Guest and company will be ditching their Spinal Tap props and costumes and will be playing Spinal Tap songs, get this, acoustic. Wait, What? They'll also tackle some material from "A Mighty Wind," which I never found particularly funny or entertaining. Look, the economy sucks, and you'd probably be better off staying home and watching one of these films on DVD or something.


Hank Fest (Art 6 in Denton): 8 hour benefit show for Hank, the dog, to help with his medical bills. Featuring Alex Atchley and The Bad Times, Absence of Color, and many, many others.


Fate Lions (Opening Bell Mosaic on 300 Akard Street
Dallas, TX 75202): Fate Lions, talk about something I expected to dislike. They kind of surprised me, though. Sort of reminds me of the one or two songs I like by Ivy or Freedy Johsnton, or some random track by a major label obscurity that would be featured on the free cd that comes with one of those annoying over-sized British music mags. I don't think they would take that as an insult. In any case, they shouldn't. Much better than a lot of straight-forward Dallas pop rock.

ADD: SAS AKA Select and Schwa (Zubar): Featuring Unit One in the backroom as well.

SUNDAY

Daniel Francis Doyle/Yells at Eels/Orange Coax/Eat Avery's Bones (Aboca's, 100 S. Central Exp. #63, Richardson): Obviously, we're big fans of everyone here, and I have to say, it will be an honor to see these bands perform at this "venue." One thing I should mention is ex (?) C!TR member Sashenka Lopez's vocal contributions to Orange Coax give the group a force field of confidence that is as charming as it is overwhelming. Quite often, Lopez, seems to be the one necessary ingredient in whatever group she is in that just barely keeps things from going completely off-balance; shouting, dancing, and playing along with absolute certainty. It's nice to know with 100 percent confidence that this will be a great show, thanks in no part to us, but to the quality of the acts and people involved. Note: Five Dollar entry fee gets 21 and up a cup with which to consume alcohol. Pizza by the slice and soft drinks also available.

ADD: Chest Pain/Dark Forces/Coin Return (Bike House located at 5640 Vickery): Why does this have to be the same night and time as our show? I've been dying to see Chest Pain.

For Your Pleasure with DJ G (Hailey's)