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)