WOW. We had an absolutely overwhelming response to our My Bloody Valentine ticket contest. Several hundred of you entered, but don't worry-- we haven't notified the winners yet because we haven't had time to pick them, but we'll do it soon... so if you're waiting for that magic little email in your inbox, you'll have to wait a little longer. And Jesus Christ, there are some fucking shows this weekend (check our
show calendar for even more)(post written by SR and DL)(also, the comments still aren't functioning properly, but we'll have that resolved this weekend and we'll update you when we do)
FRIDAYZanzibar Snails | Forbes-Young-Gonzales | Drink To Victory (Fra House)
With all the hoopla concerning, well, just about everything this weekend, I'm stuck with the unexpected situation of being more excited about jazz-related happenings than anything else listed, meaning the Harvey Pekar event and this Fra House show. Mike Forbes, saxophonist, former Denton resident, UNT student, and one of the few musicians that could give
Ryan Williams a run for his money as far as the amount of people he has collaborated with, pays his old town (and scene) a visit on leave from his current Chicago home.
Devin the Dude (the Lounge)
Can't believe we forgot this... sorry!
Chicago has a very active underground jazz and noise scene, and Forbes has done well for himself, collaborating with the iconic noise/Now Wave/free jazz icon
Weasel Walter, and helping to run a DIY Space called
The Mopery.
I always considered Forbes a real "argument stopper" when discussing local music. He could hold his own on a crowded stage with the furious volume of groups like
Notes From Underground, but seemed just as comfortable with any variety of dynamics and technique necessary to play with trained musicians in a small combo. Speaking of which, he'll most likely find himself in both situations tonight; playing through the avant fog of oscillations and violin noise in Zanzibar Snails, as well as improvising with the Gonzalez brothers. The very non-jazz, no-improv Drink To Victory is also performing, and we're excited about this show to say the least.
Centro-matic | Robert Gomez | Doug Burr | RTB2 (Dan's Silverleaf)
This will probably be one of, if not THE biggest show at NX35 this weekend, thanks to the impressive staying power of Centro-matic, who have been one of Denton's best draws for a very long time, especially when they play Dan's Silverleaf.
Possessed by Paul James | The Theater Fire | New Science Projects | Delmore Pilcrow (Rubber Gloves)
Possessed by Paul James is an Austin performer folk/blues/country songwriter who, with his scheduled appearances on tours like "Hillgrass Bluebilly North America," seems like a waste of time for everyone but "soulful" frat dudes. Fortunately, this is not the case. James, aka Konrad Wert, creates uneasy and arresting music that successfully straddles a line between vintage Americana and newer, indie/folk/pop at its least cringe-inducing. With a strong, compelling voice and a solid, raw cover of Lead Belly's "Bourgeois Town" as a Myspace page highlight, Possessed by Paul James might provide a pleasant surprise for those of us who aren't sure why most blues-based mid 20's singer/songwriter suburbanite types think we're supposed to buy their bullshit. Fans of M Ward and early Devendra Banhart will surely be impressed. The opening acts will be a solid compliment as well.
Telegraph Canyon | Dust Congress | Clint Niosi | Naptime Shake (Banter)
What time does Dust Congress play?
Dub Assembly (The Cavern, downstairs)
Dub Assembly is FREE tonight at the Cavern and they'll be spinning house upstairs.
Uptown Fridays with Select (Zubar)SATURDAYWeird Weeds | The Shivers | Shiny Around the Edges | Champagne Kickoff (Muscle Beach)NX35 Presents: A Conversation with Harvey Pekar about Jazz (Fine Arts Theater, Denton)
ADD: Hot Flash (Fallout Lounge)
The Frenz | Jack with One Eye | Stumptone | Violent Squid | Sarah Alexander/ All Day BBQ and More (1314 Austin St.)
A lot of bands will be playing this house show, which was advertised to us an "all day event," even though we're not exactly sure about the line up or when it starts. But since its Denton and its a BBQ and its a Saturday, I would guess mid afternoon at the earliest. A diverse and quality all local line up.
Record Hop | Boom Boom Box | The Fieros | Kaboom | Young Mammals (the Boiler Room)Old 97's | 1100 Springs | The O's | The Drams (Energy Square, Dallas)
Silver Arrows | Tame... Tame and Quiet | Zest of Yore | Ella Minnow (Dan's Silverleaf)
The former Denontines in the Silver Arrows have certainly maintained a solid fanbase in town, and we've told you quite a bit about Tame... Tame and Quiet over the length of the band's existence. Zest of Yore recently received a rather positive review in the Big Takeover Magazine and although I've only managed to hear a bit of their power-pop/Guided by Voices/Beatles influenced indie pop, you'll find most of it quite enjoyable if you dig the aforementioned references.
SUNDAYM. Ward (Dallas Museum of Art)
An interesting venue for M Ward to play but probably a fantastic setting for a show like this. And even if you don't actively listen to M Ward but still might enjoy some of his material (like me), you can look forward to all the attractive vegetarians that will surely be in attendance. Ward made quite the artistic and critical splash in 2008 with side project She and Him, and his newer solo material seems to take a bit from the more pop leaning approach of that project. The work generally doesn't suffer, however, and some of stuff on the recent Hold Time is among his catchiest and best, especially first single "Rave On."
Monotonix | The Show is the Rainbow | Beep Beep | Sybris (Hailey's)
So I pretty much hate whenever I hear about bands who are "SOOO much better live than on record" and are "totally crazy" and blah blah blah. Who cares? Shows usually aren't that fun anyway. Well, the one band that is the exception to this rule is Israeli group Monotonix, who actually DO put on a "crazy" live show that is absolutely worth seeing any time, anywhere. They wowed a decent sized crown at the Lounge in Deep Ellum a couple months back, so much so that more than one person (myself included) claimed that it was the best show they had seen in Deep Ellum in years. And I mean this when I say it-- pretty much ANYTHING can happen at a Monotonix show (pictured above), including fires, vandalism, physical injuries and about anything else that could go "wrong" at a concert venue, including the pervasive feeling that you might be forced to join in the shenanigans at any time. The group runs around, hangs from the fucking rafters and still play some fantastically loud and aggressive garage rock that sort of transcends genres and just exists as mean rock music at its best. Nebraska's Show is the Rainbow plays a sometimes fun and sometimes annoying brand of "dance rock" that might not blow your mind all the time but adds a requisite amount of interesting influences (everything from new electro psychedelic like Of Montreal to IDM and hip hop) to make it a possibly nice set up for the main attraction. But no matter who opens, this show is highly recommended.
UH OH | Teenage Cool Kids | Bad Sports | Wiccans (818 Hickory St.)
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone | Laura Gibson | Sleep Whale | Moth Fight (Dan's Silverleaf)
I heard a pretty great CFTPA cover of some pop song (Gwen Steffani or some shit) on Radio UTD the other day that almost changed my mind about this guy. However, his small yet devoted fan base will surely be out for this one, so you really don't need me, do you?
Laura Goldhamer | Har Herrar (Annex House) 
