I should tell you that although I do like Sonic Youth quite a bit, I'm not one of these SY groupies that has every single piece of music they have ever released and can speak intelligently about Thurston Moore's guitar tunings for every show they played in New York in 1983. That being said, I thought last night's show at the stuffed Gypsy Tea Room (it was the most crowded I've EVER seen the place, although the temp inside was surprisingly cool) was completely captivating, and the band looked and sounded fresh, energetic, and relevant. A couple of friends and I spent a bit of our drunken evening discussing how different the Sonic Youth show felt compared to the Dinosaur Jr. show we saw a couple months back. Both bands were favorites of ours back in the day, and we all still listen to both on a regular basis. And although this might be obvious considering that Dinosaur was simply on a reunion tour playing old hits, it seems that nostalgia was the primary motivation that guided us to the Dinosaur show at Gypsy, while a genuine curiousness and anticipation to hear new material is what primarily motivated us to go see Sonic Youth. None of us had seen them in what seems like a very long time, and although it was nice to hear some old stuff ("Kool Thing," "Eric's Trip," and "Catholic Block" among others), the new material seemed as timely and relevant as anything else Sonic Youth has ever done, and many of the songs off their latest album made it on to our list of favorite songs of the night. I continue to be impressed by how challenging and artistically valid Sonic Youth still is after all these years, and I wouldn't be surprised at all if I went to see them the next time they came through Dallas in support of yet another pretty fantastic record.

And what was close to being the absolute highlight of the night for us, despite all the great music we heard? It would have to be the fact that Pavement's Mark Ibold was touring with them on the bass. How fucking cool is that?

As for today, Theater Fire is playing at the Fort Worth Weekly Music award show at the 8.0 Bar at Sundance Square, and Doublewide is having its anniversary party starting early this evening. The line up:

6:00 - Pinebox Serenade7:00 - The Strange Boys8:00 - Saboteur9:00 - Lions10:00 - Max Cady11:00 - The Golden Falcons12:00 - Skeemin No Goods

In the Courtyard:

6:40 - not confirmed yet7:40 - Travis Hopper8:40 - Laura Palmer9:40 - JC10:40 - Emil Rapstine (The Angelus)

Not that all of these are our favorite acts or anything, but it should be a good time if you just want to relax a bit on a Sunday afternoon. Be sure to check out Emil Rapstine.

1. Sonic Youth/ Awesome Color (Gypsy Tea Room Ballroom $30)
I figure you have an opinion on Sonic Youth one way or another and you're stickin to it, so I won't even bother. Awesome Color is from Bushwick, and their hipster points are on full display on their Myspace page. They sound like Sabbath and MC5 with Thurston Moore and the guy from Dead Meadow for singers. Its pretty decent I supposed.

2. Last Generation Concert (Darkside)
See below for more info on this show

3. I Love You | Peel | Chaos v. Caverninha | You Are the Universe (Metrognome $5)
Another great show @ Metrognome tonight. I Love You and Peel played last night (see descripton below or click the link), and Chaos is a noise side project from two members of Austin's excellent Hotel Hotel. And you know the deal on Universe already.

And my dumbass almost forgot:

Tim Sweeney of DFA fame will be Djing at Minc tonight (813 Exposition in Expo Park, $5 b/f 11, $10 after). Go here to check out some of his podcasts, or go to the Myspace page. If you're into anything like DFA, Optimo, How To Kill the Dj, Tigerbeat, or space disco, then you REALLY should check this guy out. His podcasts are fantastic and there won't be anywhere in the state of Texas where you'll hear a better DJ set tonight, I bet. This will be going on till late, so you can make this an after show stop if you want.

Don't have a lot of time to write a bunch about these shows right now, but here is the list with a bit of commentary and the links you need:

1. Everything, Now | La Subida (Metrognome Collective $5)
A venue at the top of a short list of places that are booking shows AND have an interest in art. AND know what they are talking about.

2. Teenage Symphony | Peel | Tame Tame and Quiet | I love You (Cavern)
Teenage Symphony is getting better and better all the time. Go see them before all your dumb friends hear about them. Austin's Peel lists Pavement as an influence on their Myspace page, and it shows (or sounds.) But they are really pretty damn good, I'm shocked we've never heard of them before. Ft. Worth's Tame Tame is always worth checking out, and I love You is almost too "indie pop heard it all before," but they aren't, and they are good too. I bet this is going to be a fun night, even if they have to compete with Theater Fire.

3. Theater Fire (Sons of Herman Hall)
Benefit for Kinky Friedman, I'm sure you all know the deal on this.

4. Octopus Project | Dutch Treats (Hailey's)

5. Denton's Drunk Talk Show (Rubber Gloves)
Here is the info they sent me on this. Sounds fun, and its free:

Tonight, on stage at Rubber Gloves... NO COVER. Cheap booze. Show starts PROMPTLY at 11:30. SEATING IS EXTREMELY LIMITED. Get there a little early iffin you know whats what.. What is WHAT IT IS IS? Its a live talk show, ya fug. Complete with a Desk, a couch, a coffee table, a Host (Scott Porter/Record Hop/Spitfire Tumbleweeds), a Sidekick (Kody Jackson/Spitfire Tumbleweeds), an Announcer (Colin Carter/Hogpig), and a Band (Duane Deering/Tendril). All that shit. TOTALLY pro. Tonight's guests? I'm glad you asked. We have the comedy of Frank Hejl (ex-Frequency Down/Mix tapes and Babyfights). We have Mr. Chris Flemmons (Baptist Generals) joining us on the couch to talk about what the Save Fry Street battle is REALLY all about. We have two budding film makers, Ryan Barbonne and Allen Traylor, who will be showing clips from their hilarious, sexy, and racially charged internet series "Hello Optimism" And if that wasn't enough, we have the music of Brent Best (The Drams/ex-Slobberbone)! Add an installment of America's favorite new game TASTE THE POWDER and you have a night that is DEFINATELY worth the ZERO dollars that you will be paying to EXPERIENCE HISTORY IN THE MAKING. FUCK. Seriously, seating is available and limited. Show up early and get blotto. We'll do the rest! If you get there late, youre gonna miss it. The show runs somewhere between an hour and an hour and a half.

Here are some records we have been listening to lately at WSJR HQ, with a couple MP3s just for you:

Brightblack Morning Light s/t (this is a fantastic record that is pretty perfect in almost any setting. I'm sure that some people will find it boring, but I think it recalls Spacemen 3, Primal Scream, and elements of jazz and soul. What the fuck is boring about that?) "Friend of Time" MP3

Johann Johannsson Dis (Christ this is a really beautiful album. Check out the way this track goes from soft bedroom pop fragile to bold psyche rockin and back again in a completely seamless sequence.) "Efripides Og Nearipidel" MP3

Sly and the Family Stone Theres a Riot Going on (Listen to this record if you want to find out how dark a summer can be. And also where Ariel Pink came from.)

My Bloody Valentine Glider EP, Tremolo EP, You Made Me Realise EP (A lot of the stuff on these EPs doesn't sound much like Loveless, but sometimes thats a good thing considering what a powerful yet draining experience listening to Loveless can be. These also reveal another side of the band that is compelling in its own right.) "Slow" MP3
Feathers s/t

Thom Yorke The Eraser

Six Organs of Admittance The Sun Awakens ( yet another strong effort) "Bless Your Blood" MP3

Excepter KA

Joy Division Closer (Oh, have you guys ever heard of this band before? Seriously, its honestly been a couple years since I sat down and listened to Joy Division, but I started listening to Closer again a couple weeks ago and it now blows me away even more than it used to. I don't know how its possible, but it does, especially opener "Atrocity Exhibition.")

Defensive Listening's List:

Wuhling Extra Six
Orange Juice The Glasgow School
Finally Punk "Missile" (from their Myspace page)
Loincloth "Church Burntings" (from Southern Lord seven inch)
Delta 5 Singles and Sessions
Nikki Sudden/ Jacobites The Ragged School
Massacre Killing Time
Ancient Chinese Secret Caveat Emptor

(we were gonna post more MP3s, but file sharing is being a bitch today. If bands, labels or management want any of these songs removed, please email weshotjr@yahoo.com and we will take them down immediately. )

We figured we'd try to alert everyone about the OTHER concert going on Saturday night. Yes, we'll be at Sonic Youth for a good portion of the evening, but some of us are going to make it over to Darkside later in the evening after what we are guessing will be an early end time to the show @ Gypsy. We think all of you people should probably stop by Darkside too (especially those that can't afford Sonic Youth), and there are several reasons for this:

1. Because we said so
2. Because it will be a good show
3. Because its $5 and Sonic Youth is $30
4. Because its at Darkside Lounge, which seems to be the only place in Deep Ellum that might possibly become a refuge for good booking in the neighborhood.

And it seems that the other, um, publications around town missed the boat on what should be the best local show of the weekend, meaning that going to this show would be a good chance to show everyone how far ahead you are. The line up:

The Falkon (the Falkon's original line up, back together to play just a couple shows. People will surely blah blah blah about Wanz on the comment threads, but I think you'll have a hard time talking shit about "Death to Sally" on their Myspace page. Go see what I mean.)
The Great Tyrant ( I think fans of Sunn0))), Cabaret Voltaire, and Silver Apples will really dig these guys. Not that they sound much like any of those bands, but they seem to have the same, you know, thing going on.)
Silk Stocking
Notes from Underground
Low Line Caller (from Austin- shoegaze influenced instrumental pop that could either be one of the great live experiences of the summer or a disaster, depending on whether these guys are capable of pulling their sound off live)
Various members of the Laptop Deathmatch squad

Shit. I don't know what Beck was like at Snorekia last night (I heard it was good and that there were performances conducted by dolls), and I haven't heard much about The Walkmen show, but neither of them could have been BETTER than Man Man last night, because they were completely lights out at the Cavern. Although I wish it would have been just a bit louder (a common complaint at the ol' Cavern), the stage presence of each and every face-painted member of Man Man, along with their complex pounding rhythms and vocals that somehow sounded as good live as they do on the record, made it one of the better shows I have seen this year (still can't touch Ariel Pink, The Books, or Liars). The house was mostly packed (unfortunately with a whole lotta men, man), but the crowd's energy was pretty high level for a Dallas show (usually takes an out-of-towner to inspire that), and Man Man didn't miss a beat all night. It was one of those sweaty, high energy, bratty and infectious live shows where the band LOOKED completely chaotic but somehow managed to play really tight all night long (Undoing of David Wright is pretty good at pulling that trick off too). I hope Sonic Youth is HALF that fun on Saturday.

Of course, as is often the story in Dallas, one night of high profile shows is followed by a night of relatively few noteworthy shows:

1. DJ G 80's Night (Hailey's)
Every time I see this guy spin, I hear at least 10 tracks I know and love, and at least 10 that I've never heard but make me say "does anyone know who this is?" Most people that read this blog have probably checked him out at some point, but if you haven't, you should head to Denton to see what you're missing. You'll hear a lot of rare 80's electro, great mid to late 80's Chicago house, some Italo, etc.

2. Zoo (Cavern Upstairs)
A night of mostly great music along with hard to find music videos and other interesting visuals. You'll go for the sounds but stay for the sights, because the videos are as carefully selected as the music here. You should try it, because everyone needs somewhere to go on Thursday nights once they have realized that hipster karaoke is the beginning of the end for you and your friends.

3. Strange Boys | Tah Dahs | Sparklepussy Barbie (Gypsy Tea Room)
Strange Boys and Tah Dahs are good bands that you should go see tonight if you haven't seen them 5,000 times. But I have, and I'm taking a break for a while. And I can't believe I typed "Sparklepussy Barbie." I'm never doing that again unless its in a "Warning: members of the Deathray Davies" kind of way.

Also, I forgot:

Your Heart Breaks | Karl Blau (Rubber Gloves)
Some of that old school, lo-fi indie pop stuff that might remind you that you still kind of like pop music. Is K Records retro cool now?

Looks like we've got some new readers this week, so this is for all who don't know: Radio UTD is the University of Texas at Dallas' online radio station. They feature live programming from Monday- Friday from noon to 10pm, and it is now the ONLY place in the Metroplex (other than Meat Radio at times) to hear some music thats actually good and, you know, relevant. Its just too band that you can't, you know, listen to it in your car. Here is their play chart from last week:

1 MISSION OF BURMA The Obliterati
2 MOJAVE 3 Puzzles Like You
3 BLACK HEART PROCESSION The Spell
4 OAKLEY HALL Gypsum Strings
5 DANIELSON Ships
6 LANSING-DREIDEN The Dividing Island
7 MINMAE Le Grand Essor De La Maison Du Monstre
8 WALKMEN A Hundred Miles Off
9 WILDERNESS Vessel States
10 SHEARWATER Palo Santo
11 CAMERA OBSCURA Let's Get Out Of This Country
12 SNOWGLOBE Oxytocin
13 OPPENHEIMER Oppenheimer
14 THEATER FIRE Everybody Has A Dark Side
15 SONIC YOUTH Rather Ripped
16 JOLIE HOLLAND Springtime Can Kill You
17 PHOENIX It's Never Been Like That
18 JUANA MOLINA Son
19 LEGENDARY PINK DOTS Your Children Placate You From Premature Graves
20 SERENA-MANEESH Serena-Maneesh
21 SPACE NEEDLE Headquarters Recordings 1994-1997
22 HELVETIA The Clever North Wind
23 MICAH P. HINSON The Baby And The Satellite [EP]
24 MATMOS The Rose Has Teeth In The Mouth Of A Beast
25 BEN VAUGHN Designs In Music
26 BEDROOM WALLS All Good Dreamers Pass This Way
27 CARLA BOZULICH Evangalista
28 HIGGINS Dear Higgins
29 COUCH Figur 5
30 HOT CHIP The Warning

Adds:

# ARTIST Recording
1 WIRE Pink Flag
2 LADY AND BIRD Lady And Bird
3 TOMIHIRA Play Dead
4 HYLOZOISTS La Fin Du Monde
5 AWESOME COLOR Awesome Color

And I'm tellin' you people, the new Lansing-Dreiden and Wilderness records are pretty fucking great. If you haven't heard them, then get with it you loser.

1. Man Man | Lovely Feathers (The Cavern- $8)
We're idiots. We pretty much had a phone interview with Man Man set up for yesterday afternoon, but Mavs games and blog designs and work and life and crap got in the way of what we were hoping would be a completely chaotic phone interview with a really great band. Yes, we're big Man Man fans, and their show at the Cavern tonight should be a real treat, considering the size of the venue and the potential for destruction that the band seems to possess. If you've read anything about them, you've heard all the proper comparisons: namely, to Tom Waits and Captain Beefheart. And while these comparisons are valid, the band also seems to bring their own elements of theatrical, post-punk silliness to the table that truly add to the whole thing. Their songs are sort of eastern folk influenced, a bit trashy ragtime, highly percussive, and addictive. Montreal's The Lovely Feathers also kick much ass, in case you didn't know, even if they do pretty much sound like a Montreal band (that also reminds me of the Dead Milkmen for some odd reason). I guarantee that they will be an opening band worth seeing. Shouldn't miss this one.

2. The Walkmen | Richard Swift | Talk Demonic (Granada $12)
The new Walkmen record: I guess its pretty good, although its certainly not blowing me away after my initial excitement about it. And I've never seen the Walkmen live, but I've heard that they can be assholes on stage, which is fun. Their first record was especially fantastic in my mind, the second was very good, and the third is pretty good. I'm intrigued to see them live, and I might just do so in order to catch their wall of haze in person. Richard Swift writes some really great offbeat piano/guitar pop songs. Nothing fancy, but quite good (he's also playing a Good Records in store at 4pm today). Talk Demonic should also be worth seeing.

And something about the prospect of paying $40 to see Beck and Jamie Lidell at Nokia makes me yawn and say "who gives a fuck?"