It List: Monday

Bad Ass Jazz at Amsterdam, Cool Out at The Cavern, and Mayhem Monday at The Fallout. Talk soon.

Monday Morning Rock

TUE: CD Release: Ryan Thomas Becker/The Beaten Sea (J&J's Pizza)
WED: Denton Deluxe Release Party with Slackbeat/Peopleodian/Kashioboy/DJ Nodad (Rubber Gloves)
WED: Metric/Band Of Skulls (The Palladium)
THU: Skinny Puppy/Vverevvolf Grehv (The Granada)
FRI: Bill Callahan/Lights/Neal Morgan (The Granada)
FRI: M.A.N.D.Y./PointBender/James Warren/Kean/DragonLazer and Upstairs: Royal Highnuss/Redeye/Dub Til Dawn/DJ ET (eXcuses)
FRI: Vic Chestnutt/Liz Durret/Sans Soleil (Hailey's)
FRI: Division Of Power/Collick/Lunae Nemoris/Abuse Tactics (207 Pine St. In Arlington)
SATAesop Rock/Rob Sonic/DJ Big Wiz (The Granada)

SAT: Theatre Gallery/Prophet Bar Reunion: Shallow Reign/Decadent Dub Team/Loco Gringos/Cathouse/The Trees/Bat Mastersons and More (The Prophet Bar)
SAT: Shiny Around The Edges/Dust Congress/The Kris Special (Dust Congress House)
SAT: Irresponsible Voltron: Parson/Chi/Exceed/Marst/Hoodie Allen/Broken Teeth Crew: Anna Love/Prince William/Mike Townsend (The Cavern)
SAT: Blixaboy/New Fumes/Royal Highnuss (Good Records)
SAT: Grooms/Nervous Curtains/Eyes, Wings, And Many Other Things (The Handsome Kitten)

Weekender

I'm not even going to do links. It's a holiday weekend, man. So you get We Shot JR as if it were some really shitty sight that doesn't link to artist pages. Sucks, huh? Kind of like a blog version of "It's A Wonderful Life." What if We Shot JR was never born? Everything would be so much lamer, so be really thankful for us.

A few notes:

Tonight at 1919 features Retro Spectro and Blank Blank, two bands that have broken up and are pretty great, so go see them. Stoned Men are minus a singer and plus a bass player. I recently received a very nice letter letting me on in some insider info about upcoming video work the group is involved in. Can't wait.

Don't miss Real Estate on Saturday. It's rare when someone makes a poppy guitar record in this day and age that isn't complete shit.


FRIDAY

Retro Spectro/Blank Blank/Orange Coax/Stoned Men (1919 Hemphill)

Wanz Dover/Blake Ward (Fallout Lounge)

Matthew Gray Delves Into The Humanity Pools With The Six Foot Saucer Pot People/ Monastery/Delmore Pilcrow/Caleb Ian Campbell (Rubber Gloves)

Cursive/Capgun Coup/Old Cranes/The Timeline Post (Hailey's)

DJ A 1/Select (Zubar)


SATURDAY

Mundo/Mark J/Chrisko (Green Elephant)

The England Ram A Band/Hard Times/Har Herrar/The County Lines/Tukr/Shaina Ferris/Joey Kendall (The Porch In Romney, TX)

J. Tillman/Pearly Gate Music/Sleep Whale (Hailey's)

Real Estate (City Tavern)

Dear Human/Manned Missiles/The Polycorns/Oh, Lewis (Rubber Gloves)

SUNDAY

MFM/Evolve/Habeeb/A Fail Association/The Watchers/Lil Foot/In Girum Imus Nocte (Wasted Words Art Collective located at 2404 S. Fielder Rd. in Arlington)

DJ G/Yeah Def (Hailey's)

Unwed Sailor/This Old House/Native Lights (Dan's Silverleaf)

It List: Wednesday

Mostly by Frank Phophate.

A Sunny Day In Glasgow/Waterfalls/Binary Sunrise (The Cavern): When I interviewed Kip Berman from Pains of Being Pure at Heart, we talked at great length about older indie-pop and stuff that we grew up with. The one recommendation that he gave me regarding something current to check out was A Sunny Day in Glasgow's new album Ashes Grammar. Of course I took the advice and found one of my favorite albums of the year. Glasgow's sound is hard to pin down. First listening brings to mind some of the more recent work of Animal Collective, with the electronic elements of acts like The Knife. Luckily, Glasgow is able to achieve the same level of musical fortitude without the pretentious baggage the aforementioned bags carry. The ethereal qualities recall a 4AD* sensibility; dark and morose but with an upbeat, electronic backbone. Great album, should be a great show. Kudos to The Cavern for the quality booking they have been doing recently.

*How about Ariel Pink signing with 4AD? (FP)

Puscifer/Neil Hamburger (The Palladium): Now that I found out Neil Hamburger is opening, this two night stand has become much more appealing. I love Neil Hamburger, especially for his recent Tweet concerning Demetri Martin. (DL)

3 Inches Of Blood/Saviours/Holy Grail/Vaste Burai (Rubber Gloves)

Glenn Branca In The New York Times

Click here for the piece.

Or, more specifically he says the theoretical "end of music" is the "new paradigm." The readers in the comment section make the point that they too came to the same conclusion when they were "young curmudgeons." However, a young curmudgeon is the last thing that Branca is. What do you guys and gals think?















Photo By Libby Fab.

It List: Tuesday

I'm sure you think I take it easy every week, but I'm taking it really easy this week. Forgive me. Tonight Puscifer is playing one of two shows at The Palladium and I'm hosting a little contest: If one of you libertarian Tool fans can find the autographed bottle of Maynard's Wine I have hidden somewhere in the Metroplex by Thanksgiving, you can keep it. I had planned on selling it on Ebay, but I love the thought of you pony-tailed, Bill Hicks worshipping, pseudo intellectuals scouring Dallas to get that prized item. Here's a hint: It's in Big Tex's ass-pocket. Later.

PS- Puscifer's Myspace URL is Myspace dot com slash "censorship is a cancer." Whoa, like, totally fuck the man, bro!

Disqo Disco (Fallout Lounge)

90's Night with Yeah Def (Hailey's)

It List: Monday

I don't feel like being very helpful today. I'm just going to run through this quickly...

Local H is playing at The Lounge tonight. I once worked at a record store where they performed, and it was one of the worst days as a retail employee I have ever suffered through, besides the time an old rich guy crumpled up his Christmas list and threw it at my head.

Anyways, this band is so bad that they actually made me sympathize with Eddie Vedder when they seemed to take a subtle stab at him on the track bearing the singer's name. I seem to remember some footage of them stumbling through a heavily distorted version of "Strawberry Fields Forever" as a duo at some festival that they were recapping on MTV News. That clinched it for me then, and still does: the 90's sucked.

Cool Out (The Cavern)

Mayhem Mondays (Fallout Lounge)

Neko Case/Oh No Oh My (The Granada): There is this interview with Frank Black where they ask him what he thinks of Neko Case. His response: "What's a Neko Case?" I couldn't find the original interview, however I did find this awesome Time Magazine cover. Enjoy.

Monday Morning Rock

SHOWS OF NOTE:

MON: Neko Case/Oh No Oh My (The Granada)
MON: Local H/Engine Orchestra/Kinch (The Lounge)
TUE: Puscifer (The Palladium)
WED: A Sunny Day In Glasgow/Water Falls/Binary Sunrise (The Cavern)
WED: Three Inches Of Blood/Saviours/Holy Grail/Vast Burai (Rubber Gloves)
FRI: Retro Spectro/Blank Blank/Orange Coax/Stoned Men (1919 Hemphill)
FRI: Cursive/Capgun Coup/Old Cranes/The Timeline Post (Hailey's)
SAT: Mundo/Mark J/Chrisko (Green Elephant)
SAT: The England Ram A Band/Hard Times/Har Herrar/The County Lines/Tukr/Shaina Ferris/Joey Kendall (The Porch In Romney, TX)
SAT: J. Tillman/Pearly Gate Music/Sleep Whale (Hailey's)
SAT: Real Estate (City Tavern)
SUN: MFM/Evolve/Habeeb/A Fail Association/The Watchers/Lil Foot/In Girum Imus Nocte (Wasted Words Art Collective located at 2404 S. Fielder Rd. in Arlington)
SUN: DJ G/Yeah Def (Hailey's)

Weekender

By DL and Frank Phosphate

FRIDAY

Mary Anne Hobbs/Blixaboy/Pandai'a/Royal Highnuss/VJ S (eye) Plus Unified Minds/Gallery Cat/MC Astro/Bodega Brothas (Outside) (Green Elephant): Pretty big catch for Dallas to have such a prominent figure of both Dubstep as well as the BBC here all the way from London. Hobbs played music by Wanz Dover's Blixaboy project on her influential show, which is what eventually led to this event, and it's good to see Dover getting his due after much hard work over the years. For more info, scroll down to the interview below conducted by Boston's DJ Pandai'a, who has written for San Francisco's Big Up, and I would like to thank her on behalf of We Shot JR for helping us out. (DL)

MVSCLZ/Survive/Darktown Strutters///Tense///Tommyboy (The Cavern): Perhaps one of the strongest lineups in '09, and one that nobody should overlook. This show includes some of the best acts from some of the best shows I've seen in the past two years, and is a who's who of some of the best underground acts in the state, hailing from Austin, Dallas, And Houston respectively.

You may have caught MVSCLZ at the now-legendary Swiss House sometime during the summer of last year, and they put on a really memorable show; obscuring their melodically brilliant vocal melodies behind Italo influenced rhythms and a ridiculous visual concept. No surprise since renowned Austin photographer and new media manipulator Ben Aqua is involved.

Houston's //TENSE// blew me away at the Kastle Of Luxurious Diamonds a few months ago, and had everyone really losing it to the mechanical throb of the duo's proto-industrial rhythms. I bought a copy of their CDR-release Memory at the show and it's often found in the cd player I am constantly made fun of for still using whenever I'm designated-driving some assholes home. //TENSE// also features the incredible lead vocalist Mariana Saldaña of Medio Mutante on keyboard and electronic drums, and her handling of the vocals towards the end of the set was a highlight.

Tommyboy did the visuals at that show, and he'll be DJ-ing tonight, which means that basically there won't be a single moment that's going to suck at The Cavern this evening. How often can you say that about any show, anywhere? Tommyboy was recently the focus of a very informative piece in Quick, which you can read here. Survive is the only group here, that I haven't seen live, but I'm looking forward to it after hearing them online a few times. (DL)

Bob Saget/Ryan Stout (House Of Blues)

Eyedea & Abilities/Themselves/Yeah Def (Hailey's)

Black Friday With Keith P (Fallout Lounge)

Americans In France/The Foot Patrol (Good Records)

Americans In France/h...n (The Lounge)

Kaboom/Dan Dockrill/White Drugs/Drink To Victory (Rubber Gloves):
Great rock 'n roll show tonight at Rubber Gloves. This is going to be the release shindig for Kaboom's new album, Blood. I am a big fan of their last album, the awesomely titled Bear Nation. There is no one in town doing the stuff that these guys do; short, chaotic and unclassifiable, Kaboom have formed a distinct and unrelenting sound that can only come from years of working and performing. Which makes sense since the dudes have been making music for ten plus years. I recently asked guitarist Chris Cowdrey about how the sound on their latest release compares to Bear Nation and he replied "I hate the old one. Didn't have any "dirt" in it. This one got it some dirt." Sounds good to me. Haven't had a chance to see White Drugs since SHQ days but I am sure they are just as loud and sludgy as ever. Not much to be said about Drink to Victory except that they know how to bring the pain/hardcore to the brain. I'm ready to rock. (FP)

PVC Street Gang/TV Torso/New Fumes/Cocky Americans (Project House)

SATURDAY

Hatebreed/Cannibal Corpse/Unearth/Born Of Osiris/Hate Eternal (The Door): I'm sure I'm the thousandth idiot to make this statement, but I really wish Hatebeak was playing tonight. Cannibal Corpse will forever remind me of being stuck in this 70's Chevy family van with no AC on a trip to Oklahoma City that was so brutally hot and uncomfortable, it forced all the passengers to take their shirts off, and we just sat there sweating to death while blasting Cannibal Corpse. That's how Cannibal Corpse sounds best. The album art to 1998's Gallery Of Suicide has stood the test of time; still pretty repulsive. (DL)

Kid Sister/David Guetta/A Trak/DJ Dan/Dave Aude/Morgan Page/Optical/Kill The Noise/Black Sun Empire/Wes Walz/DJ Merritt/Jeremy Word/Willie Trimmer/DJ Titan (The Palladium): Someone asked me if hipster hop was dead recently. I didn't know how to answer that. I saw fellow Chicago act, The Cool Kids, at Fun Fun Fun Fest recently, and they were surprisingly good live. Live hip hop, hipster or otherwise is pretty hit or miss. But you know what, most live music is miss and miss, so whatever. You're probably well aware that this part of the annual Meltdown Festival, due to the high level of promotion and always available and clean web links. I could use more of that in my research. I just wish someone could explain what "digital graffiti" is. (DL)

Interview: Mary Anne Hobbs

Email interview conducted by Josephine Tempongko (DJ Pandai'a).

Mary Anne Hobbs is arguably experimental music's most seminal figurehead- having hosted BBC Radio 1's Experimental Show (formerly called Breezeblock) for over 10 years, her relentless pursuit of the electronic underground's most ground-breaking and elemental sounds continues to reward the world with an opportunity to hear something that they've never heard before. From her beginnings covering rock music for the NME and Loaded magazine, to her third compilation of future sounds on Planet Mu, Wild Angels, she has made a life of sharing her insatiable passion for music.

This Friday at the Green Elephant, Dallas has the incredible honor of presenting Mary, who will be DJ-ing her incredible arsenal of new music, and she has taken a moment out of her busy tour to answer a few quick questions.


How would you describe the premise of your show in a few words, to anyone who were to ask what it was like? What would someone expect to hear, listening to it for the first time?

The future sound of electronic music.

You've no doubt met people along the way who have influenced or inspired you in one way or another- can you name the people who influenced you at the most pivotal moments in your life and what they taught you?

John Peel is my greatest inspiration...he taught me never to sell out anything you believe in.. trust your instincts, charge at your dreams and never look back..

Every extraordinary life has met with some adversity- and sometimes the worst times in our lives lead us to the most unanticipated successes- what is the best 'worst' thing that ever happened to you? Something that was very challenging at the time, but was a crucial moment in your life?

Running out of knickers on my US tour in September.. lol!! ;) this seems to be a common problem on the road.. I met up with Skream to play in Denver and he was 'commando' (ie without pants) too!

How do you go about choosing the music that you share on your show? Is there always a certain quality that you are looking for, that reflects a general idea or vibe that it is your intention to convey?

It's impossible to put into words.. it's a quality that is embedded deep within the DNA of a tune.. and it touches the very core of your soul.

Since the airing of your 2-hour special Dubstep Warz in January 2006, you have been a champion advocate of the sound ever since. What is it that drew you to dubstep in the first place, and how do you feel about the way the sound and the definition of the word have evolved in the past three and a half years?

It's a music that moves me physically, spiritually and emotionally. It's a sound that moves forward in thousands of scattered steps every day drawing in every conceivable influence.. so it's endlessly inspiring.

You seem to always be digging for the most extraordinary underground electronic music you can find- what does the idea of 'underground music' mean to you in a time when music is so extremely accessible through the internet?

It's a spirit, a freedom, and the signature of an artist who really is the master of his own destiny.

Earlier this Fall you had your first official US tour as a performing DJ. What's the greatest thing you've discovered while touring the US?

The energy and the hunger and the ambition of the American audiences is phenomenal.. it's such a pleasure and a privilege to play here.

What are your top 5 most exciting artists at the moment?

today:

Flying Lotus
Joy Orbison
Sigha
Blue Daisy
James Blake & Airhead

You're about to bring something totally new to Dallas this Friday. What will the crowd experience when MAH steps behind the decks?

A rainbow spectrum of sounds and textures that will lift people to a beautiful space.. I hope.. :)







Both Mary Anne Hobbs and Pandai’a perform at the Green Elephant tonight, along with Blixaboy, VJ S, and Royal Highnuss.

Art List

FRIDAY

Under the Influence of Water
Group Show
Cedars Art Gallery
1114 South Akard, Dallas, TX 75215
November 20 : 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Meet The Struggles
Rob Tarbell
Decorazon Gallery
417 N. Bishop Avenue, Dallas, TX 75208
November 20 : 6:00 PM - 9:30 PM

SATURDAY

Recess: A Group Exhibition
Billy Hassell*, Ted Larsen and Susan Barnett
Conduit Gallery
1626 C Hi Line Drive, Dallas, TX 75207
November 21 : 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM

JP Long, Rich Bowman and Marci Harnden
Craighead Green Gallery
1011 Dragon Street, Dallas, TX 75207
November 21 : 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

New Artwork
Connie Chantilis
Curiosities
2025 Abrams, Dallas, TX 75214
November 21 : 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Command, Shift, Tab, Return, Delete
Gary Bishop, Roberta Harris, Yui Kugimiya* and George Schroeder
HCG Gallery
1130 Dragon St, Suite 190, Dallas, TX 75207
November 21 : 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Reading Between the Lines
Kim Cadmus Owens
Holly Johnson Gallery
1411 Dragon Street, Dallas, TX 75207
November 21 : 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Eric Sall
Marty Walker Gallery
2135 Farrington Street. Dallas, TX 75207
November 21 : 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

New Visions
Ray Phillips
Cynthia Chartier*
Samuel Lynne Galleries
1105 Dragon Street, Dallas, TX 75207
November 21 : 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

FUNCTION
Installation/Art/Music
Presented in Conjunction
With The Cedars Open Studio Tour
1837 Corinth @ Park Ave, Dallas, TX 75215
Corinth Park Warehouse
November 21, 2009
10am-6pm
Reception & After party
7pm-Midnight
Music provided by Ishi and Blixaboy.

See also:
Cedars Open Studio Tour - November 21 : 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

* WeShotJr Hot Picks this week.

It List: Thursday

Mostly by Stoned Ranger.

Free Energy/Max Tundra/Deastro (The Cavern): In the world of electro pop, nothing says "mixed bag" better than a new album from off kilter synth goof Max Tundra. After nearly a decade long career in which he received early and constant praise from Pitchfork, among other publications, Tundra continues to explore r&b, synth pop, funk, free jazz and glitch pop with an eye towards straight forward dance pop and at least one foot planted firmly in the realm of the experimental. Essentially, Tundra often sounds like a guy who wants to tease his listeners, crafting ridiculously catchy pop gems while constantly tossing curve balls in the form of odd tempo changes and surprising twists and turns, rendering many of his best pieces utterly unmarketable yet strangely compelling, a wrench in the turning gears of electro pop. This approach often works quite well, and standout tracks such as "Which Song" off his latest release Parallax Error Beheads You might have you wondering why this guy isn't playing the Granada rather than the Cavern. But just as often, his cutesy lyrics (songs about picking up chicks on Facebook?) and insistence on strange song structure can render the entire listening experience a bit empty, as if you're simply listening to some nerd goofing off. The good times certainly seem to outweigh the bad, however, and the fact that Tundra is playing such an intimate venue should be a real bonus for many of his loyal fans. Elsewhere on the bill, Ghostly International's prolific bedroom sensation Deastro should add quite a bit to this line up with his doses of distorted, reverb-heavy dream pop, pulled from a catalogue of hundreds of self produced tracks that are just now starting to see the light of day after years in the making. Headliners Free Energy seem to be quite a mismatch here, with a rather standard hipster take on glad rock and big 70's stadium riffs, neither of which ever seem to be handled well by dudes wearing Am Appy. (SR)

I just want to add that Free Energy evolved out of the Midwestern indie rock band, Hockey Night, who put out music on the now defunct Lookout. Anyone who remembers their particular style probably won't find their newer Springsteen-inspired sound all that surprising, but what is interesting is that it's produced by James Murphy and is out on DFA, perhaps signaling that the label is branching out. (DL)

80's Night With DJ G (Hailey's)

Top Notch With Sober (The Cavern Upstairs)

Screening: "Beyond Elections" (1919 Hemphill): From the film's website: "From Venezuela's Communal Councils, to Brazil's Participatory Budgeting; from Constitutional Assemblies to grassroots movements, recuperated factories to cooperatives across the hemisphere - this documentary is a journey which takes us across the Americas, to attempt to answer one of the most important questions of our time: What is Democracy?"

Mountain Goats/Final Fantasy/Larkin Grimm (The Granada)

New Science Projects/George Neal/Jenn Gooch (J&J's Pizza)

The Heelers/Roman Candle/Naptime Shake (The Loft)

The Headlights/Pomegranates/Sabra Laval/Fishboy (Rubber Gloves): Presented by Day Bow Bow.

Billingham's Defense System (Fallout Lounge)

It List: Wednesday

Vexed UK/Dear Human/Lars Larsen/Blixaboy/DJ Electrodad (Rubber Gloves): Vexed UK is the collaborative project featuring Gutterth Records kingpin Michael Briggs, along with the gifted experimental vocalist, Sarah Alexander. There will be a hard copy version of the debut release, Mediation Music, available at the show, but the most remarkable aspect of the release is that you can actually stream the tracks online simultaneously, which enables the listener to manipulate the music as they see fit. The music is open-ended waves of crackling disturbances and distortion that become less subtle as the record moves along, with vocals that are hardly identifiable as coming from a human being sometimes, and I mean that as a compliment. I can think of a lot of records I wish I could manipulate, and many of them are on Gutterth, however this is easily the label's best release thus far. It's a free show with a well-rounded lineup and should be a pretty good time.

Mattthew Gray Delves Into The Humanity Pools/DJ Teamwork (The Cavern)

Guy Clark/Elizabeth Cook (Granada): I always found the celebratory Guy Clark song regarding Texas cuisine, "Texas Cookin'," to have an almost creepy arrangement, though it's an almost perfect example of upbeat 70's country, complete with a throbbing back-beat that wouldn't be out-of-place in most disco tracks from the same era.

Jookabox/Fizzy Dino Pop/Monastery (Hailey's): Asthmatic Kitty act Jookabox hails from Indianapolis and they have some sonic similarities with both Why? and Danielson Famile, if you can imagine, but maybe you shouldn't.

It List: Tuesday

By Frank Phosphate

Imogen Heap/Tim Exile/Back Ted-N-Ted (Granada Theater): You over there. Yes you. The aspiring female singer songwriter. Please put down that Kate Bush record. Yes I know, Kate Bush is amazing, I won’t argue with you. But there will never be another Kate Bush. Yes, yes I know you have electronic bloops and bleeps over that ethereal falsetto and confessional lyrics to make you stand out. It just ain’t the same, ma’am. Look please don’t cry. No, no put that diary away. Good lord. Here, take this Laura Nyro record and go to the other side of that hill, maybe this will help you find your vision.

Don’t worry I didn’t take time out of my day just to bitch about the modern female solo artist. I am here to advise you to go to this show so you can check out opener Tim Exile, and then abruptly leave. I am not quite sure how these two got paired up for the tour. It is true that Exile’s latest album Listening Tree incorporates more vocals than we have heard from him in the past. But it is in no way accessible. Listening Tree really caught me off guard. With his latest work he has been able to incorporate the heavy confrontational sound he has been refining the past couple of years, while branching out past his DnB roots into singer-songwriter territory. Much in the same way that RJD2 did with his last album, Third Hand.

Exile shares a lot of qualities with one my favorite artists of the past few years, Max Tundra. Both of them got their feet wet by making glitchy, avant-garde music rooted in a healthy sense of humor. Max Tundra, despite the odd sounds and tempo changes, makes very warm accessible music. Exile on the other hand, while still incorporating humor, does so in a much darker, nastier way. Max Tundra I could see making an appearance on Sesame Street; Exile would be better suited for Wonder Showzen. Before Listening Tree, I was attracted to Exile's Reaktor-heavy electronic mayhem, but now I am excited to see how far he is going to delve into his new found songwriter side.


My introduction to Tim Exile's work was via his live album Nuisance Gabbaret Lounge. Upon first listen, the music reminded me of of first hearing Atari Teenage Riot as an angsty teenager. Those hard-hitting beats just made you want to punch someone, in a productive way of course. I really wish that this show was being headlined by Exile, because along with the live album, I have heard nothing but excellent things about the live show. It is tempting to go to this, because man, it would be funny to see the looks of the 30-something Clinique counter girls as he rips into "Tirade Of Abuse From A Sweaty Cunt," but after this jammed packed past 4 days of shows, I don't think it's gonna happen.(FP)

90's Night With Yeah Def (Hailey's)



Daughters Of The Sun/The River Mouth/Lazy Native (J&J's Pizza)

Disqo Disco (Fallout Lounge):
with Anthony Stanford.

It List: Monday

By SR and DL

Followed By Static/Little Teeth (Hot Box Pizza located at 214 E Hickory in Denton): Pretty sure this is the same Little Teeth I saw play in an Austin backyard last year, and their challenging music, specifically the vocals, should make for a pretty interesting time at this pizza place this evening. Show is free and starts at 7 PM. (DL)

Blues Control/Silver Shampoo/Darktown Strutters/Fungi Girls/Wild In The Streets (Mable Peabody's): Stellar line-up tonight at one of my favorite places to see a show in the Metroplex (despite the fact that the last time I was there, I was almost beat up by a very angry woman who thought I cut in front of her in the bar line.) The first time I remember Brooklyn's Blues Control coming through town (and I could be wrong about this) was at a house show in March of 2008, on the same night WSJR was hosting Times New Viking, Psychedelic Horseshit and Wax Museums at the sadly defunct Strawberry Fields. I remember simultaneously loving our show AND feeling disappointed that I had to miss a group that I had just started getting excited about after spending a couple months with every Blues Control recording I could get my hands on. For those who have yet to dive into their work, Blues Control is a group that is rather difficult to define outside of a few descriptors-- loop-based, psychedelic, atmospheric, repetitive, avant-garde; but bands like this can't really be contained by such descriptions, because at the end of the day, this kind of loosely structured, hypnotic material usually becomes highly personal for any listener who's willing to let it in. Furthermore, the group seems to change quite a bit from release to release-- whereas early material such as 2007's Puff reveled in stoner drones, their latest release on Siltbreeze, Local Flavor, seems to explore everything from lo-fi roots rock (complete with an appearance from Kurt Vile) to traditional avant garde, all with the kind of wild, primitive aesthetic found on the Angus MacLise records reissued by Siltbreeze in the late 90's. This is adventurous, new psychedelic music that's difficult to define but easy to listen to. Highly recommended, especially considering the all around excellent line up of local openers-- be sure to catch Denton's Silver Shampoo while you can, because they don't play out often and they aren't to be missed by anyone with an interest in catchy proto-punk. (SR)

Mayhem Mondays (Fallout Lounge)

Cool Out (The Cavern)

Whiskey Folk Ramblers/Sans Soleil/RTB2/Billy Ratcliff And The Economy/Vortexas/Yeah Def (Hailey's)

Monday Morning Rock

MON: Followed By Static/Little Teeth (Hot Box Pizza)
MON: Blues Control/Silver Shampoo/Darktown Strutters/Fungi Girls/DJ Wild In The Streets (Mable Peabody's)
TUE: Imogen Heap/Tim Exile/Back Ted-N-Ted (Granada Theater)
TUE: Daughters Of The Sun/The River Mouth/Lazy Native (J&J's Pizza)
WED: Vexed UK/Dear Human/Lars Larsen/Blixaboy/Electrodad (Rubber Gloves)
WED: Mattthew Gray Delves Into The Humanity Pools/DJ Teamwork (The Cavern)
WED: Guy Clark/Elizabeth Cook (Granada)
WED: Jookabox/Fizzy Dino Pop/Monastery (Hailey's)
THU: Mountain Goats/Final Fantasy/Larkin Grimm (Granada)
THU: New Science Projects/George Neal/Jenn Gooch (J&J's Pizza)
THU: The Heelers/Roman Candle/Naptime Shake (The Loft)
FRI: Mary Anne Hobbs/Blixaboy/Pandaia/Royal Highnuss/VJ S(eye) OUTSIDE: Unified Minds/Gallery Cat/MC Astro/Bodega Brothas (Green Elephant)
FRI: MVSCLZ/Survive/Darktown Strutters///Tense///Tommyboy (The Cavern)
FRI: Bob Saget/Ryan Stout (House Of Blues)
FRI: Americans In France/The Foot Patrol (Good Records)
FRI: Kaboom/Dan Dockrill/White Drugs/Drink To Victory (Rubber Gloves)
FRI: PVC Street Gang/TV Torso/New Fumes/Cocky Americans (Project House)
SAT: Hatebreed/Cannibal Corpse/Unearth/Born Of Osiris/Hate Eternal (The Door)
SAT: Kid Sister/David Guetta/A Trak/DJ Dan/Dave Aude/Morgan Page (The Palladium)

Weekender

Written mostly by Frank Phosphate with some help by DL.

FRIDAY

Hidden Cameras/Gentleman Reg/The O's (Hailey's): It's a pretty shitty time to be a gay person in America. Somehow it was decided that civil rights issues are something to be voted on by the public at large. On one side of the argument, we have testimonials from couples unable to receive perks made easily available to their hetero counterparts, civil rights experts explaining the social/historical significance of limiting civil rights, and even economists promoting the fiscal advantages of allowing people to marry whom they want. While defending for the other team there is Carrie Prejean. How is that team winning? Like a beacon of light amidst the darkness of ignorance, Friday at Hailey's will feature a solid night of musical entertainment from a queer-friendly lineup.


The Hidden Cameras have made a name for themselves the past few years for incorporating social issues and raunchy Vaselines-style sexuality into a genre dominated by whiny sweater-clad boys and girls. Whereas most baroque pop is meant to be played on winter mornings or late at night while crying over boxes of forgotten love letters, the Cameras are successful in incorporating a communal joviality into a typically morose medium. While politics play a role in their music, it will in no way alienate people just looking to hear some lighthearted, sexually mischievous indie-pop.

Unfortunately the band can sound a little too much like (cringe) Barenaked Ladies sometimes, but with a much darker and better sense of humor and purpose. Like The Polyphonic Spree, the Cameras have a lot of cooks in the kitchen, which can make for a diverse but inconsistent dining experience. Live however, The Hidden Cameras are pretty amazing. The band has a great time on stage, mixing theatrics and parlor tricks to create a nice interactive performance. If you have had a rough week this show will definitely put a smile on your face. (FP)

Atomic Party With DJ G/Blixaboy (Fallout Lounge)

Select (Zubar)

Chinese Stars/The Phuss/Sensitive Hearts (The Cavern): Members of Six Finger Satellite and Arab On Radar should make for a great show in theory and I'm sure they are great live, but I always wish the music would push just as hard as those acts whenever I hear a Chinese Stars song on community college radio. (DL)

Senora De Las Sambras/Church of the Apocalypse/Ascites/Mind Hunter/Small Talk/Wu Fru De Lu/Rakasan/Stress/A Fail Assosciation/In Girum Imus Nocte (Phoenix Project): This is a great lineup and further exemplifies Phoenix Project's commitment to host groups that fall outside of up-and-down-the-fretboard punk rock. Reduced ticket price if you bring a book. I have seen half of these artists at houses in Denton, but it's very comforting to see Dallas being invaded by the noise creeps. Note: Lychgate had to cancel due to illness. (DL)

Aight Yo #8: Lego The Mic (Rubber Gloves): Described by curator Yeah Def as a "freestyle fellowship," this night of hip hop will feature local producers and MC's in an orgy of beats and metaphors. There are not many opportunities to hear local hip hop this side of Lake Lewisville, so it sounds like a great oppertuinty to check out some original stuff. I also hear that anyone who feels the rhythm can jump on stage and do a little free styling themselves. This will probably be pretty funny once the night progress and drinks are consumed. And it is free. (FP)

Featuring tracks by former Dallas resident Kyle Humphries AKA Kylebeats, who is kind of the DFW version of Rodney Lemay if you didn't know. (DL)

SATURDAY

Wax Museums/Uptown Bums/Occult Detective Club (Lions Den, Denton): And the award for hardest working band in Denton this week goes to, maniacal punk rock drum roll please....Uptown Bums! I caught the performance on Monday night with Video, and they put on a very solid show as always, with the two bands complimenting each other very nicely. Seeing as how Video shares members with Wax Museum, I am excited to see some of that same energy at this show. This will mark the last show of the year for Wax Museums, so keep that in mind while making your Saturday night plans. I haven't had a chance to check out a show at Lions Den yet, looking forward to it. (FP)

Killah Priest/Worldlife/Jabee/Vohn Beatz & Mpak (The Lounge)


The Slow Burners/Brass Bed/Yellow Fever (Hailey's): Solid and diverse show for The Slow Burner's record release for their new album, This is Why We Fight. Slow Burners features members of Little Grizzly and RTB2. Front-man and songwriter George Neal is known for his energetic live performances, which helps to bring to life the boot stomping roots folk the band creates. Austin's Yellow Fever add a nice, subdued flavor to the mix with their female-fronted indie pop. (FP)

Hot Flash presents Neiliyo with Killtron/Genova/Schwa (Fallout Lounge)

Municipal Waste/Goatwhore/Phobia/Cauldron (Rubber Gloves)

Peter Bjorn and John/El Perro Del Mar (House of Blues): I am very proud of the fact that I have never seen a show at the Target of music venues, House of Blues. The stories I have heard of the place makes this house show jumper stay far away. Snobbery aside, there just hasn't been anything to tempt me over there. So the big question: Does the Peter Bjorn and John show have what it takes to drag me out to the dreaded HOB? Of course not!

Peter Bjorn and John have everything going for them. They came in at just the right time and with just the right song to make it big in the world of commercially viable indie-pop. I'm glad that "Young Folks" happened; it was a solid song that you don't mind hearing over and over again, as apposed to most top 40 "indie" records that briefly make a splash upon the scene. But I was disappointed that the rest of the work I heard from them didn't really "pop" to me. Their music isn't bad or unpleasant, it just lacks the originality and personality to make it work past the single format.

The new album attempts to breach new ground by a taking a decidedly darker turn into the folk/synth-pop realm. This would be great if it still didn't all sound like the background music for a Volkswagen commercial. If you are looking for some new dark synth pop might I suggest you save your money on the overpriced tickets, parking and beer and instead go purchase the new release from Cold Cave, Love Comes Close, released last week on Matador. It's great. I bet there will be a lot more attractive young people at HOB as opposed to your room though, so the choice is yours. (FP)

Shapes Have Fangs/Golden Boys/Will Kapinos (Pastime Tavern)

SUNDAY

Dallas Record Convention (Holiday Inn Market Center (near the World Trade Center) located at 4500 Harry Hines Blvd in Dallas)

Screening: Three On Sunday With Martin Iles. Click on flier to the right for more details (Dan's Silver Leaf)

Zest Of Yore/The Almost Already/Babar (Hailey's)

Art List

Gotta love a weekend of out-of-town funerals and in-town art shows.

SATURDAY

States Of Exception
Doors (Sonic Memories)
CentralTrak
800 Exposition Avenue, Dallas, Tx 75226
November 14 : 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Philip Van Keuren, Ivan Stoytchev and Eric McGehearty
MAC
3120 McKinney, Dallas, Tx 75204
November 14 : 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

Timothy Harding & Jennifer Jones
modshop.Gallery
5840 Alpha Road, #B, Dallas, Tx 75240
November 14 : 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

SUNDAY

Cliff Fest
419 North Bishop Avenue, Dallas, Tx 75208
November 15 : 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Image not really courtesy of some unattributed person who took a photo of kids sitting in front of an amazing Stuart Davis painting.

It List: Thursday

Regina Spektor (Nokia Theater): I know I'm really supposed to hate Regina Spektor, but I just don't. She kind of sounds like a more Billboard-friendly Joanna Newsom mixed with the cocky tendency to do revisionist versions of classic songs on piano; something that many piano players and keyboardists tend to do, and I'm thinking of everyone from Tori Amos to Sean Kirkpatrick. Some people pull it off beautifully, some don't. Spektor is somewhere in the middle. Even though I know this is pretty much music for children, I don't mind it that much.

Cha Cha's 6th Annual R&R For Charity Gala with Bridges & Blinking Lights/Heart Eyes Open/Boom Boom Box/Cocky Americans (Double Wide)

Billingham's Defense System (Fallout Lounge)

80's Night With DJ G (Hailey's)

Car Stereo Wars/Mikey Rodge (The Cavern): I didn't realize that the Car Stereo Wars mastermind, Chris Rose, had moved to Brooklyn. He just played Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin last weekend, so that might explain why he's still in town. He was once one of the most known well-known DJ's in Texas, climbing to the top during the mashup craze. On a somewhat related note, it looks like there is no Top Notch tonight, since Sober is out of town.

Son Volt/Peter Bruntnell (Granada Theater)

It List: Wednesday

Dethklok/Mastodon/High on Fire/Converge (House of Blues): Pretty tough show at The HOB, but having so many big names on the bill practically makes that an inevitability. Most of these metal and hardcore acts have, at one time or another, done some impressive things, but I can't completely vouch for any of them at this point. High On Fire would be the group I would have the most confidence in as far as withstanding the effects of time on a band's intimidation factor, however, they had to completely ruin it by selling Koozies that say "Get Wasted" on their music page. Converge were once the flagship exception for people who couldn't stand metalcore, however that reputation seems to have dwindled over the past couple of records. I can not believe they have been together for almost twenty years. That's more than enough time for those black hoodies to have faded to grey by now.

Schwassanova featuring Schwa and Genova (Ghostbar)

Slider Pines/DJ Slim (The Cavern)

Cheap Time/Uptown Bums/Bad Sports (J&Js): Cheap Time is technically the one touring act here, a Tennessee garage rock band that once included members of Be Your Own Pet, however that isn't really reflected in their music and is largely irrelevant now. Cheap Time attempts more than one style of songwriting, which is not always the case with these acts and there are certainly a number of them that take a twisted amount of pride in their one-dimensionality. Thankfully they are not one of them, and there are little hints of glam and even New Wave sprinkled throughout.

I hope we don't see less of Bad Sports now that founding member Orvilee Neely is living in Austin, but I don't blame him for moving. Denton is one of the few places in Texas where you can't get a decent meal even when the sun is still out.

It List: Tuesday

Karl Blau/LAKE (5123 Victor St in Dallas): There is some talk about this being one of the best East Dallas house shows of '09, and I would have to agree. Karl Blau is extremely prolific and often embarks on sonic and aesthetic territory in his vast body of work that many of his contemporaries shy away from, even collaborators like The Microphones. Just to give you an idea of how many of Blau's records are floating around out there, here is a link to some, but not all of his releases. His newest record is entitled Zebra, and is said to be inspired by African music. Though that's not immediately apparent, most of the textured pop I have heard from Blau lately is very enjoyable, delivered in a voice that isn't suffering from the emotional anemia that a lot of current indie vocalists are plagued by. The last time I had a chance to catch Blau live was at our SXSW show last year, and he was great then, so I expect no less from him tonight. Recommended. Fellow Washingtonian co-conspirators LAKE also perform.

Disqo Disco (Fallout Lounge)

Maleveller/Chylde (Double Wide)

It List: Monday

By Frank Phosphate





Fuck Buttons/Growing (Hailey's): Fuck Buttons, or F*ck Buttons as you might see them referred to frequently, are grabbing at the torch for the electronic shoegaze set. M83 were towing the line there for awhile for electro-gazers, but to the dismay of most (me not included), Gonzalez has taken a much more pop oriented turned with M83's recent work. There is no "Frank and Jessie" to be found on Button's latest, or would they ever be mistaken for pop music. I wasn't a fan of Street Horrsing, a little too "post-rock" for my tastes, but their latest breaches some new sonic territory that transports it out of the snooze-fest most experimental finds itself in. Tarot Sport features the same basic structure of the debut, but with a new focus coming off like Metal Machine Music by way of Pet Shop Boys. How this will translate to the live setting is any one's guess; I have a feeling that it will probably be boring. It seems that most ten minute songs magically turn into 15 minutes songs once they hit the stage. If you are on enough drugs it shouldn't matter, plus it is always fun to hear multiple people say "fuck" randomly in public. (FP)

Cool Out (The Cavern)

Crystal Antlers/The Uptown Bums/Video (Rubber Gloves): I avoided the Crystal Antlers debut EP, because it was produced by the same guy that produced Mars Volta and I am admittedly closed-minded in that way. Since their new full-length is self-produced, something I admire in a band, not to mention reading some positive non-blog press, I finally decided to give it a go, and was surprised to find some Nugget-y prog-lite ditties. Nothing groundbreaking in their sound, but above average songwriting and clever organ riffs helps it rise above. The band seem more interested in making solid songs, as opposed to adhering to current trends. Nice! What really makes this a super great show are local openers Uptown Bums and Video, so a solid night of rawk. (FP)

An Albatross/All Leather/Big Fiction (The Lounge)

Monday Morning Rock

I can't remember if I've already posted this video or if I've just watched it a lot, but let me know if I have and I'll post something else I wanted to post. One of my favorite Beat Happening songs:




SHOWS OF NOTE THIS WEEK

MON: Fuck Buttons/Growing (Hailey's)
MON: Crystal Antlers/The Uptown Bums (Rubber Gloves)
MON: An Albatross/All Leather (the Lounge)
TUE: Karl Blau/Lake (5123 Victor St, Dallas)
WED: Dethklok/Mastodon/High on Fire/Converge (House of Blues)
WED: Uptown Bums/Cheap Time/Bad Sports (J&Js)
THU: Son Volt/Peter Bruntnell (Granada Theater)
FRI: Hidden Cameras/Gentleman Reg/The O's (Hailey's)
FRI: Chinese Stars/Ishi/Sensitive Hearts (The Cavern)
FRI: Lychgate/Church of the Apocalypse/Ascites/Mind Hunter/Small Talk/Wu Fru De Lu/Rakasan/Stress/A Fail Assosciation/In Girum Imus Nocte (Phoenix Project)
SAT: Wax Museums/Uptown Bums/Occult Detective Club (Lions Den, Denton)
SAT: The Slow Burners/Brass Bed/Fergus and Geronimo/Yellow Fever (Hailey's)
SAT: Peter Bjorn and John/El Perro Del Mar (House of Blues)

Weekender

So, Fun Fun Fun Fest is upon us and I've been doing some thinking this week about the lineup and the average local music listener's response to it. Time and time again I hear people bringing up the same acts, generally the most current ones that tour constantly, with little to no attention paid to the once-in-a-lifetime performances, such as Death, or at least once-in-a-decade sets by The Jesus Lizard or The Pharcyde. What sets this festival apart from most, is that the event has real booking talent behind it, Graham Williams, who used to book for Emo's, but now runs his own Transmission Entertainment. It was specifically at Emo's that I remember noticing that Williams had a reputation for shrewdly delivering impeccable bills in Austin week after week, while many of us in Dallas sat around scratching our heads wondering why the hell nobody can put together shows that both draw and don't suck around here. It was especially for the fact that he did it on such a large scale and through traditional means. So in a lot of ways, it's no surprise that FFF Fest seems to satisfy the intensely competing interests of the elitist record collector, the aging cynical punk rocker, and even the brightly colored teenage fashionista indie brat. No small feat. Maybe I'll see you there. (DL)

FRIDAY

Melt Banana/Kaboom/Ssion (Hailey's)

Underground Railroad To Candyland/Genius Party/Collick/Hats And Statues (1919 Hemphill)

The Great Tyrant/Embers/Vorvadoss (Lola's)

Destroyer/Sarah Jaffe/RTB2 (Granada): Destroyer? This silly, overrated verbose motherfucker has to be one of the most annoying artists to ever receive accolades in underground music. I've never heard a single Destroyer song that I haven't despised. Sowwy. (SR)

The Lovemakers/DJ Sober/They Were Stars (Rubber Gloves)

Royal Bangs/Beauxregard/Land Mammals (The Cavern)

Christ On Parade/Seraphim/Reviver/Division Of Power/Raging Boner/Life Erased (Phoenix Project)

Nick Catchdubs/The Party with Nature/Select/Sober (The Loft)

HEALTH/Times New Viking/Teenage Cool Kids/The Axemen (The Lounge): I was skeptical about some of the new Health record until I heard it live. I'm skeptical no longer. I've seen this band literally 15 times it feels like, and I haven't grown sick of them.

Dallas Videofest Screening: R.E.M.: This Is Not A Show (Angelika Film Center at Mockingbird Station)


SATURDAY

Power Animal/Br'er/Geistheistler/Kampfgrounds (Majestic Dwelling Of Doom)

Many Arms/Schnaack/Great Tyrant/Orange Coax (Phoenix Project)

Away From The Numbers with Telegram Sam & DJ Gabriel (Fallout Lounge)

The Crash That Took Me/Gaffney/True Widow/Stereo Is A Lie (Sons of Hermann Hall)


SUNDAY

GWAR/Job For A Cowboy/The Red Chord (The Door)

Ssion/Ishi/Fizzy Dino Pop (The Cavern)

Snoop Dogg/Method Man/Redman (House Of Blues)

Dallas Videofest Screening: Bubblegum Music Is The Naked Truth featuring rare footage of 1910 Fruitgum Company, The Archies, Bay City Rollers and more (Angelika Film Center at Mockingbird Station)

Art List

Kettle Art is doing a "Portfolio Review" show this weekend. It's a great little artist-run gallery in Deep Ellum. Gallery assistant Michelle McLaughlin was nice enough to sit down with WeShotJr for some hard-hitting art opinions. About her role in the gallery, she says, "no one really has a role, we make it fun and it works."

Richardson Heights: Why is Kettle Art hosting this juried show?

Michelle McLaughlin: We wanted to do something we haven't done before that would bring in new artists and give opportunity for individuals to get professional feedback on their work.

RH: Can you talk about one or two of your favorites pieces that are included?

MM: There are many pieces that I really like, it would be very difficult to choose favorites.

RH: Judiciously played. So, Kettle Art is described as "the little Deep Ellum gallery that could" -- how are things going as one of the last cultural oases in the area?

MM: It's going very well. We feel a lot of love from the community and from our local artists and we do our best to give it right back.

FRIDAY

Portfolio Review
Kettle Art
2714 Elm Street, Dallas, TX 75226
November 6 : 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Nathan Beach
Evita Cortez
Rob Polivka
Andy's Backroom Gallery
1411 Las Jardines, Arlington, TX 76013
November 6 : 8:00 - 11:00 PM

For the ultimate DIY art gallery experience, come see this guy's gallery, literally in the back room at his house in Arlington.

SATURDAY

Lorraine Tady
Barry Whistler Gallery
2909B Canton St., Dallas, TX 75226
November 7 : 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Chesley McLaren
4th Wall Gallery
2925 Fairmount Street, Dallas, TX 75201
November 7 : 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Francophile line art. Stinking so good it's like you're drowning in a sea of Chanel #5.

Sissy Mary's Escape Plan
Matt Clark
Tiffany Wolf
500X Gallery
500 Exposition Avenue, Dallas, TX 75226
November 7 : 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Sonochrome
Richard Garet
The Public Trust
2919-C Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75226
November 7 : 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Painted Poems
Olga Palunin
Joel Cooner Gallery
1601 Dragon Street, Dallas, TX 75207
November 7 : 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Susan Lecky
Cecilia Thurman
Keith Livingston
Nick Troilo
Haley Henman Gallery
2335 Hardwick Street, Dallas, TX 75208
November 7 : 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Image not really courtesy of Tony Bones.

It List: Thursday

Gotta run, here you go. See you tomorrow with the Weekender.




Damaged Goods/Schwa/Billingham's Defense System/Genova (Fallout Lounge): Performance show benefiting the North Texas Food Bank, so bring some canned goods.

Select/DJ AV (The Cavern)

Russian Circles/Red Sparowes/Young Widows/Coliseum (Rubber Gloves)

The Neighborhood All Stars/Fab Deuce/Vortexas/Yeah Def (Texas 8 Ball located at 218 West Oak Street)

80's Night With DJ G (Hailey's)

Half-Handed Cloud/Little Birds/Younger Sons (Dan's Silverleaf)

It List: Wednesday

nI had better just go ahead and throw this up, since the hour is growing much too late for it to be relevant. I'm glad that there is a show at Jupiter House, and they should have more there. It's not my favorite coffee in the world, but it has certainly always given me a pleasant enough environment to kill time when I'm in Denton, or at the very least, somewhere to hide and eat a muffin when I'm having a panic attack at Hailey's.



Sleep Whale/Power Animal (Jupiter House)

Benefit Show for Brain Tumor Society Walk featuring music by John Pedigo of The O's, Tim O'Brien of The Dogkickers and Laura Harrell of Romp Almighty plus Silent Auction (The Libertine)

Decades With DJ NoDad (Rubber Gloves)

Reggae Night With DJ's Playboy/Josh/Select/Timo (Zubar)

No Homework With Yeahdef and Li'l Foot (Hailey's)

Fu Manchu/Mitra/Malleveler/Hawk VS Dove (The Door)

In Defence/Ramming Speed/Dark Forces/Collick (Lion's Den located at 622 N. Austin St. in Denton)

Alela Diane/Marissa Nadler/Bosque Brown (The Modern Fort Worth)

It List: Tuesday

Disqo Disco (Fallout Lounge) Tonight's guest is Mikey Rodge.

Le Loup/Jacob Metcalf (The Cavern): From a recent interview with Tiny Mix Tapes when front-man Sam Sitkoff was asked which of his favorite albums represented a cohesive statement:

TMT:What are some of the albums you think fall into that category?

Sitkoff: SMiLE by Brian Wilson is one of the main ones for me. Yellow House by Grizzly Bear. Pretty much everything Sufjan Stevens does. Animal Collective is probably the band that most consistently impresses me in that way. And of course In the Aeroplane Over the Sea."

Does anyone else find it weird that Yellow House is included like it's some timelessly classic and hugely seminal work, not to mention the fact that most of his answers were very contemporary and popular artists? That record was a big deal when it came out, and maybe it will eventually come out in a deluxe edition with seven extra discs worth of demos, but it might be a little early to tell. At different points in history, people considered Source Tags And Codes, Is This It?, The Shape Of Punk To Come, and August And Everything After to be really important records too, but I don't know if they're aging as well as some thought they would. Anyways, I'll give this guy credit for being so upfront about his influences, since a lot of bands will tell you how they're influenced by Blind Willie McTell and Guru Guru when their music sounds exactly like Coldplay, but Le Loup is definitely more similar to Animal Collective than anything else mentioned. So again, points for being honest.

Note: Nurses canceled this show and so obviously won't be appearing at Good Records either.

90's Night With Yeah Def (Hailey's)

Monday It List Plus Shows Of Note

Whoa, it took me the majority of today to get situated, sorry about that. Hey, what's up with this Olivia Newton John version of "If Not For You" smoking the Dylan original and the cover by Harrison? Craziness. Anyways, I was really pleased that I found this 45 at Recycled recently. Also, this is much better than a lot of similar sounding yet modern, lightweight indie pop. Listen for the great solo that is way too high in the mix around the 1:37 mark. Olivia's terrible gyrations along to said solo make it all the better.

Pelican/Black Cobra/Struck by Lightning (The Granada): You have to be careful with groups like Pelican and Black Cobra. Sometimes it can sound impressively epic, but on weaker moments can come off like Creed played at the wrong tape-speed. Pelican seems to avoid such dubious territory, but occasionally I'll be caught off-guard by the lame riffs of a similar band.

Kristy Kruger/Robert Gomez/Salim Nourallah/The Beaten Sea (Opening Bell Coffee)

AC/DC (American Airlines Center): 20,000 seats at 90 dollars apiece makes for a mindbogglingly large number.

Bad Ass Jazz (The Amsterdam)

Cool Out (The Cavern)

Pete Freedman (The Libertine): Watch out, Cool Out. Serious competition across the street tonight.

SHOWS OF NOTE THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK

TUE: Nurses (Good Records)
WED: Sleep Whale/Power Animal (Jupiter House)
WED: Benefit Show for Brain Tumor Society Walk featuring music by John Pedigo of The O's, Tim O'Brien Of The Dogkickers and Laura Harrell of Romp Almighty plus Silent Auction (The Libertine)
WED: In Defence/Ramming Speed/Dark Forces/Collick (Lion's Den located at 622 N. Austin St. in Denton)
WED: Alela Diane/Marissa Nadler/Bosque Brown (The Modern Fort Worth)
THU: Half-Handed Cloud/Little Birds/Younger Sons (Dan's Silverleaf)
THU: Russian Circles/Red Sparowes/Young Widows/Coliseum (Rubber Gloves)
FRI: Melt Banana/Kaboom/Ssion (Hailey's)
FRI: Underground Railroad To Candyland/Genius Party/Collick/Hats And Statues (1919 Hemphill)
FRI: The Great Tyrant/Embers/Vorvadoss (Lola's)
FRI: Destroyer/Sarah Jaffe/RTB2 (Granada)
FRI: The Lovemakers/DJ Sober/They Were Stars (Rubber Gloves)
FRI: Royal Bangs/Beauxregard/Land Mammals (The Cavern)
FRI: Christ On Parade/Seraphim/Reviver/Division Of Power/Raging Boner/Life Erased (Phoenix Project)
FRI: Nick Catchdubs/The Party with Nature/Select/Sober (The Loft)
FRI: Health/Times New Viking/Teenage Cool Kids/The Axemen (The Lounge)
FRI: Dallas Videofest Screening:R.E.M.: This Is Not A Show (Angelika Film Center at Mockingbird Station)
SAT: Many Arms/Schnaack/Great Tyrant/Orange Coax (Phoenix Project)
SAT: Away From The Numbers with Telegram Sam & DJ Gabriel (Fallout Lounge)
SAT: The Crash That Took Me/Gaffney/True Widow/Stereo Is A Lie (Sons of Hermann Hall)
SAT: Atlas Sound/Broadcast/Selmanaires (Hailey's)
SUN: GWAR/Job For A Cowboy/The Red Chord (The Door)
SUN: Ssion/Ishi/Fizzy Dino Pop (The Cavern)
SUN: Snoop Dogg/Method Man/Red Man (House Of Blues)
SUN: Dallas Videofest Screening: Bubblegum Music Is The Naked Truth featuring rare footage of 1910 Fruitgum Company, The Archies, Bay City Rollers and more (Angelika Film Center at Mockingbird Station)