Sorry, we're running a bit late today. We figure that many of you will be watching the Mavs game anyway. We're gonna take em down tonight, I can feel it:

1. Undoing of David Wright | Zom Zoms | Cry Blood Apache (8th Continent)
We gave you the deal on this yesterday. Should be a really good show.

2. Theater Fire (Good Records in store, 7pm)
Yeah, we know they're playing at The Cavern later as well, but I would suggest seeing them for free with free beer. Just a thought.

3. Ghostland Observatory | Black Angels | Prayer for Animals (Rubber Gloves)

4. Oh, and the motherfuckin' Violent Femmes are playing at Gilley's. We love the Femmes, but be on the lookout for Gen X soccer moms.

1. Black Angels | Transient Theory | Bo Jones (Darkside Lounge)
Black Angels are of course a WSJR favorite. However, some people complain that a lot of their songs sound alike. We sort of agree in a sense, even though we really like the songs, or the song so to speak. Anyway, a lot of the newer material we have heard from them sounds a lot different than the stuff on their self titled EP, and it seems that they are branching out with strange, interesting rhythms and moves towards more traditional pyschedelic on some tracks, while moving away from it all together on others. Go see what you think of the new stuff if you have doubts. Transient Theory. Never heard them before today. They are positively awful. Go to their Myspace page if you enjoy pretending to be on the set of a commercial for teenage girl deodorant. Houston's Bo Jones is a little better, but not much. Go late.

2. Z00 (Upstairs at the Cavern)
Thank god there is something to do in Dallas on Thursday nights again. Zoo has been attracting larger crowds almost every week with its nice mix of dance videos, rock videos and strange videos. Really, you hear great music, see strange images, and might just run into someone as cool as you. Imagine that. Anyway, check it out this week and see what everyone is talking about. As a side note, the Zoo folks plan on showing some local band footage every week (starting some time in the near future), spotlighting one local group each week. We'll give you more details when we get them, but our understanding is that they will take music videos, live footage, and just about anything else to showcase good music going on in the area (even though pickins be slim these days.) We'll give you the contact info as soon as we have it.

3. Of course, DJ G will keep the party goin' at Hailey's with the best 80's dance you never heard.

Just to let you know, the Undoing of David Wright will NOT be playing at Hailey's tomorrow night.... somehow the dates got mixed up. Instead they will be playing a show at their home base, the 8th Continent, this Friday the 19th with Zom Zoms and Austin's Cry Blood Apache (whom the Undoing consider to be one of the best bands in Texas right now, if I'm not mistaken).

It would probably be a great show anyway, but in addition to the line up, it will also be an unusal show for the Undoing in that they will be playing many of their songs for the first and last time, at least in the near future. Some of the songs on their debut record require acoustic drums, but they pretty much never play them because they don't have a live drummer. Well, on Friday, Matt from Eat Avery's Bones will be playing drums with them, giving them a chance to play some of these songs for the first time ever. It will also be the last time that most of you will have a chance to see them play these and any of the other songs off their first record because after Friday's show they will largely stop playing songs from their first album live and will instead focus on new stuff that will featured on their new album, which will also be titled the 8th Continent. All the songs will be played in the narrative order that they appear on the album, and the band ecourages people to dress up like "19th century grave robbers, prostitutes, medical students, street denizens, bar patrons, etc.," because they will be filming the concert for a possible live DVD release. Sounds like the place to be on a Friday night.

Dear Dumb People that think Tree Wave sucks,

Here is another person that is smarter than you who thinks Tree Wave rules. Thanks very much.

Sincerely,

the WSJR crew

1. Minmae | Hotel Hotel | Shiny Around the Edges (The Cavern)
This seems like a good opportunity for Dallas peeps to check out Shiny Around the Edges, one of the most interesting and unique bands in Denton (and the rest of the metroplex) right now. Shiny's eerie, atmospheric yet minimal folk certainly doesn't sound like anything else around here, and its done well enough to separate it from many of the experimental folk acts that have been getting critical attention in the national indie media for the past couple of years. They seem like one of those bands that will get national praise before many of the lame asses around here even notice them. Don't be one of those lame asses. I don't know what to make of Minmae, but they sound like a sort of ok Les Savy Fav with a My Bloody Valentine fetish and a Pavement jones, but probably not all that interesting. Austin's Hotel Hotel is another highlight, playing quiet waves of noise that are light on form and heavy sleepy wandering, which will be sure to turn away most of the SMU frat dudes that always seem to turn up at the Cavern, while keeping many of your eyes glued to the stage. We hear that their live performances can be quite memorable. Lets hope the Cavern can handle it.

2. The Party w/ DJ Nature (Hailey's Denton)

3. Shoplifting | Finally Punk | Eat Avery's Bones (Metrognome- Ft. Worth)
Shoplifting is one of those nice surprises for us- something we haven't heard until just now and wish we had before. Interesting guitar work, tunings and beats, and the Kill Rock Stars seal of approval should get some of your asses out to Ft. Worth, shouldn't it? Anyone that reads this blog and doesn't know about Eat Avery's Bones is dumb, and Finally Punk reminds me of Erase Errata, Les Georges Leningrad, K Records girly stuff and no wave. Good. Oh, and sweet "Negative Creep" cover.

1. Elf Power | The Instruments | Fishboy (The Cavern)
Although I don't care much for their latest album (it seems a little bland compared to past releases), Elf Power is a band I have listened to for a long time but have never had the chance to see live. I'm hoping they will play a lot of material from my two favorite albums of theirs, A Dream in Sound and The Winter is Coming, but I'm guessing that they will concentrate mostly on new material. And although the newer stuff isn't quite as exciting to me as some of their older stuff, its still great pop with enough of a dark side to keep it interesting. They're part of that second wave of Elephant 6 that people seem to either love or hate, so I guess you've gotta take it for what it is and love it or hate. Or be like me and kinda love it. And no, being consistent isn't really important.

Brooklyn's Instruments seem a little bit boring, but its that pretty kind of boring that you can probably tolerate well enough to get to the Cavern early and catch Fishboy (which is also something that you all probably absolutely love or hate). I don't think Wanz is around for Lost Generation upstairs, but something might be going down up there too. Oh yeah, its $10 and Elf Power is supposed to go on at 1130.

For a moment after tonight's game, I tried to imagine what this series must be like for the casual observer, an interested but neutral basketball fan that has no allegiance to either of these teams. It was pretty much impossible to do, but I would have to guess that so far, many neutral observers would tell you that this has been one of the most exciting and compelling NBA playoff series in recent memory between ANY two teams. I think it is pretty clear that these are the two best teams in the NBA, and that they are playing an absolutely amazing series.

I know I know, everyone wants to talk a bunch of shit about how good the Pistons are. I agree that they are very good, and I don't doubt their ability to take it to either of these two teams on any given night. What I am starting to doubt is their ability to beat the Mavs or the Spurs in a seven game series. I don't think their Eastern Conference "best record" is as impressive as everyone else seems to, because I think they easily drop 6-12 of those wins if they're playing in the Western Conference. Add in a very confident and talented Mavs team and a Pistons team that appears to be having trouble with the Cavs, and you seem to have the makings for what could be a very close and exciting NBA finals.

I know that the Mavericks still have a really hard task ahead of them, because the Spurs will NOT go down easily. But starting tonight, I am confident that the Mavericks are confident in themselves, and that feels pretty great. Jason Terry: money. Devin Harris: fucking money. Dirk Nowitzki: a great team leader. Stack was great for most of the night too, and Diop is playing really tough. Shit, even Damps added a bit here and there. Although I in no way think this series is over, even being able to talk about the possibility of the Mavs beating the Spurs in five games feels great. And being able to confidently suggest that the Mavericks are now in the same league as the Spurs and the Pistons feels even better.