By Defensive Listening...

Look, I know it's not indie or art school, but I am really excited about going to the NBA All Star Game on Sunday. You can think I'm a sellout, or "not punk," or lame, or old or whatever, but I'm just going to enjoy myself and buy a fifty dollar pizza, because that's part of the fun. I like stupid things. I like buying a forty dollar seven inch, or going all the way to Europe just to watch a group of grumpy, middle-aged midwesterners play "noise rock," or even better: drive way too far to see some RISD co-ed dropouts bang on things and throw up with the synth keys taped down.

I like trying to go toe-to-toe with life and match its absurdity, every silly overpriced step of the way. I know this is annoying to many of you, especially my friends. Some of this is written as if it were being said by Mark Followill or Bob Ortegel or Norm Hitzges.

Did anyone watch NBC last night? Looks like SA's zippy little foreign-born player, Alan Palomo, was traded to New York. Already doing the rounds on the late night talk shows. Bummer. I wish he'd come back and run for fucking governor.

FRIDAY

Dennis Gonzalez Yells At Eels/Louis Moholo-Moholo/Scott Marsrow (Phoenix Project)
Before I get into character here, I want to say that is a show well-worth your time; how often do you get to see a "South African Master Drummer" play in a punk space in Dallas? Get out in the slush and make your way there, starts at 8 PM. Admission is eight bucks, or five for members.


Joe Jack Talcum (The Dead Milkmen) | Lord Grunge | The Bassturd (Rubber Gloves)

Space is the Place Opening Party with Darktown Stutters | DJ Wild in the Streets (Webb Gallery Waxahachie)
Whoa, looks like we have a road game here, the first of a back-to-back for the Strutters, which sees them playing Fort Worth tomorrow. Back to backs are tough, and often the best you can hope for is a split. Some people have complained that the fast-rising duo has seen too many minutes of floor time, but who else are you going to run to light it up in a gametime situation with a legendary Texas All Star (artist Esther Pearl Watson) looking on? Smile Smile? No! No! No! No! Never! Never! No! Never!

Black Fridays (Fallout Lounge)
Tonight's starting lineup includes Anthony Social, Keith P, Red Sean, Young Adult Fiction, and Shane English: the Spud Webb of the bass dunking contest.

Tropical House With Prince William | Dubbel Dutch (Tradewinds)
Prince William has long been thought of as a "low post presence," and someone that can "bang on those boards." However, he's changing it up a little with some "Tropical House," which is obviously less boom-ey and explosive. He can do that. This game is waaay down south in Oak Cliff, so watch yourself, Frisco, you have a long drive home.

Retribution Gospel Choir | The Rainhorses | New Science Projects (The Cavern)
I don't know anything about Retribution Gospel Choir or , but I hope they don't give NSP's Dale Jones anything but trash minutes. Kid's an embarrassment to North Texas Sports. This reminds me of a related act, the WNBA's Spooky Folk, and they're somehow a much better team, even while toiling endlessly in the D-league.

Manned Missiles | The Polycorns | Roy Robertson (Dan's Silverleaf)

SATURDAY

True Widow | Great Tyrant | Darktown Strutters (The Chat Room)
The other All Star game this weekend.

Dave Aude | Tritonal | Jeremy Word | Johnny Funk/Raydar/Shaolin/Andy Szontagh (Lizard Lounge)

Broadcast Sea | Swedish Teens | Last of the Interceptors | Stymie | Kanganomicon (Rubber Gloves)

The English Beat | Fishbone (Granada)
"Hey, Little Rich Girl" is such a classic stadium anthem that even troubled track star Amy Winehouse couldn't fuck it up. I'm not really into Skaball, but I listen to that song on a pretty regular basis.

SUNDAY

RJD2 | Kenan Bell | Happy Chichster (Hailey's): At some point in the nineties, the commissioner became very concerned that the league was becoming too "gangsta." So what do you know, the perfect solution: Squeaky clean players like RJD2 came onto the scene along with Team Definitive Jux and provided a safe alternative to the violent lifestyle being promoted in the game at the time. Unfortunately, this safe take on the game was never for me, and neither was the mandatory backpack dress code that the commissioner eventually enforced.

Baby Ruthless/Britni3/Isis (Campus Pub, located at 105 Ave. A in Denton)

Pointdexter/Moral Panic/Oneofus/DJ Metronome/Tomb (Retroplex located at 3001 Gaston C in Dallas)

Pearl Cup One Year Anniversary (The Pearl Cup, located at 1900 Henderson in Dallas)


Schedule/lineup:

4 PM: Bill Martin
5 PM: Sally Glass
6 PM: Jaimee Harris
7 PM: David Ramirez