By Defensive Listening, Nite Maus, and Frank Phosphate.

FRIDAY

Sleep Whale | Dust Congress | Geistheistler | New Science Projects | Emil Rapstine (Rubber Gloves): As Rubber Gloves Free Week pushes on with the intensity of a first-time mother, the lineup for today looks like a nice complement to a good southern afternoon.
Sleep Whale, previously known as Mom, is an always engaging opener. Even my mother--yeah, I know--liked them...she'll be sad they changed their moniker. It was pretty catchy.

Dust Congress, which boasts members who have dipped their fingers in The Baptist Generals', Jandek's, and Shearwater's puddings, is probably my favorite item on the list, and one that I'd like to catch.

The tempo picks up a bit with New Science Projects, who unfortunately rely on a bit of the Oberst-ian, emotionally overwrought approach, though their live show could be redeeming.

The bill also features noise-improv act, Geistheistler and a solo set from Emil Rapstine. How can Emil be in two places at once? I guess now I've seen it all.(NM)

The Angelus | Tre Orsi | The Hope Trust (Double Wide): These bands all sound fine, are populated by able musicians, and usually put on good shows. They also all kind of sound like serious, respectable, guitar-rock bands, with shades of groups past; one act respectively mining from the Swans' latter and prettier, era, and the following pulling from either the epic "Cortez The Killer," or folksy "Comes A Time" side of Neil Young. I have seem them all enough to never really need to seek them out on purpose again. They're all the pride of the North Texas local music media and who they keep being proud of, again and again. So, hurrah. The Double Wide's regular crowd kind of turns me off of anything going on there anyway. But good luck to Angelus band members to getting from Fair Park to Denton in one swift car ride (See Above). (NM)

I hadn't heard Tre Orsi's cover of "Insomnia" until today. Excellently subdued version. (DL)

Black Fridays featuring Unit One and Disqo Disco (Fallout Lounge)
New weekly at The Fallout which features all the Waves; Cold, Dark, and of course, New. Also classic Industrial, Goth, and Post Disco. For a generously comprehensive overview of what will be playing, download this mix featuring everyone from Xymox, The Cure, and the one-original-song-discography-powerhouse, Q Lazzarus.(DL)

SATURDAY

This Will Destroy You | Sleep Whale | Matthew And The Arrogant Sea (The Granada)

SAS with Select and Schwa (Zubar)

Screening: "Amercian Hardcore"/"Valley Girl" (1919 Hemphill)
"American Hardcore" Starts at 7 PM, 30 Minute Blue Sky Soda break, and then "Valley Girl."(DL)

Absu | Solitude Aeturnus | Averse Sefira | Hod | Violent Intentions (Ridglea Theater): Plano Black Metal legends Absu play a rescheduled show that was originally supposed to be at Trees. Yet another group that is more known outside of DWF than they are around town. Is it any wonder? Dallas is a place where you get writers who are more into the "Seven Habits of Highly Successful Manager's" than anything involving artists or musicians, writing about music. Them's the breaks. (DL)

Bridges & Blinking Lights | Tre Orsi | History At Our Disposal | Teenage Cool Kids | Starhead | The Polycorns (Rubber Gloves)

Group Exhibition: "Character Building" with work by Rick Fuentes/Daniel Bennett/Jessica Fuentes/Eddie Burrell/Thomas PH/David Degrand/Emily Donjuan/Matt Hogan/Diana Urbino/Billy "chickenbilly" Hayes (The Firehouse Gallery located at 4147 Meadowbrook Dr in Fort Worth)
Musical performances by Yanari, Pff(f)t!, and Hentai Improvising Orchestra.

Leatherwood | Daniel Folmer | The Bad Press | Giggle Party | Reinventing Jude | The Hand Combine | Young & Brave | Rio Rasco | The River Mouth | Western Giants | Hard Times | Lazy Native | Manned Missiles | Yeah Def (The Schoolhouse): DayBowBow.net's host or “teacher,” as the flier for its upcoming show states, has done a good job of educating the public on a large number of relatively unknown bands. The site has featured daily listings this past week with some brief artist bios for Saturday's gargantuan all-day house show. The eclectic shindig promises a bizarre mix of bands, which is cool, I guess, for a quasi-inaugural show. Not quite sure why the theme has to be Fight Night and not something with a slightly more positive tinge to it, but I'm always supportive of a new DIY venue and hopefully over time it will find its niche, 'cause this show is going to be all over the place.

I saw Giggle Party at one of their first shows and they annoyed the shit out of me beyond belief. Matching outfits, unison singing and high energy were harshing my mellow. Surprisingly a month or two later I viewed a really slick and humorous video for one of their songs and apparently ended up liking it. Their hyperactive indie pop sounds like it has been polished to the bone with sugar, coming across as a hybrid of Apples in Stereo and Frank Zappa, sprinkled with a little Gary Glitter singalong pomp. A band certainly worth checking out for its healthy sense of humor.

Leatherwood recall a Fairport Convention-esque British folk rock group who seem to be able to book a good amount of shows in the area. Not much that sets them apart from their ilk, but what is there is solid. Definitely worth checking out for you die-hard folkies if MATAS is too out there for you.

And of course it wouldn’t be a party in Denton without Yeah Def behind the MacBook. This fool is everywhere and has a potent talent for getting people moving. His sets are never my cup of tea but you've got to give the guy credit for putting in the hours. One time he even managed to play an hour worth of songs featuring "heaven" in the title, which is surely a talent in itself. Much like Giggle Party, don't take yourself seriously and hype yourself out the wazoo to ensure a guaranteed recipe for musical success.

Oh yeah and Daniel Folmer!(FP)

Fab Deuce | Playdough w | DJ Sean P | Juicy The Emissary | Matt P | Yeah Def (Hailey's)

SUNDAY

Boom-Bong Kaboom with Cokni O'Dire | Select (Zubar)