UPDATED. We actually don’t know what it means to be islands in the stream, other than perhaps a deceptively difficult karaoke track.

FRIDAY
The Pons (CD release), Davie “Fathands” Graves, Sad Gorilla, Elaine Greer, Buxton and Paleo @ 1816 Calumet
Austin’s The Pons cited “Low, The Wedding Present, XTC, Galaxie 500 and AC Newman” as their influences in an interview they did with indiehouston.org this week. Kicks! That very same website has put together an all star line up of the 713′s own for their record release party, all kicking off at 6 in the PM for an equally paltry $6. There’s said to be a keg for the 21+ crowd. Party.

Vinyl Ranch @ Leon’s Lounge
Our favorite monthly record spinnin’ boot scoot always has both the hottest shit-kickin classics from back in the country day and all the most roper-tastic single ladies (put a ring on em’). But this month, there’s even more goin on in the game, as they unleash “From the Ladle to the Grave”, their first ever vegetarian chili cook off. That’s right, you can honky tonk with a frito pie in hand well past midnight. YES. 10pm-2am. Free.

Andy McWilliams and the Aboveground Pools, Free Radicals @ Notsuoh
Scattered Pages multi-instrumentalist and sound engineer (and former builder of amps, and sometime builder of effects pedals, and possessor of excellence in denim jackets) presumably brings the decidedly non-shoegaze sounds of his 2008 Shoegaze EP to the stage, a track from which made an appearance on our annual SKYLINE 50 (and eventually we will get off our asses and review the whole thing).

UPDATE: Robert Ellis, Chase Hamblin, Benjamin Wesley @ Avante Garden
Just got the word on this one. As always, you owe it to yourself to check out Ben’s solo set, and Robert Ellis has been burning up the buzz charts. Party. Music starts at nine.

The Appleseed Cast, Golden Cities, The Hungry Villagers @ Rudyard’s
Heh. I bet you are wondering “Gee, why did they review the Golden Cities record when this show wasn’t until this week, rather than post it today and help tie it to their show?” Yeah, we’re wondering that too.

ALSO
Mission Control, featuring Mic Skills (CD release), DJ Remix, & more @ The Mink
Bob’s Birthday Bash, featuring L.A. Guns, Low Man’s Joe, & Laidlaw @ The Meridian
Fredster, El Jeffe, Gracie Chavez @ Boondocks

SATURDAY
SHAMELESS PLUG: The Skyline Network’s ADR will be playing records at the Walker Twin’s 30th birthday sillybration over at the Big Star bar. Every dumb party song you hope to god isn’t going to be played will be played. Twice.

Tody Castillo @ Cactus Records
This is a little later than most of Cactus’ in-stores and is alleged to involve artwork or photography involving dead rock stars, and of course fee beer. Though there is nothing about it on the Cactus website/MySpace, we’ve been assured by someone playing that this is, in fact, happening. Party

The Western Civilization, The Pons, Your Kisses Cause Crashes, Guitars @ Rudyard’s
Dear Rachel of the Western Civilization. I know in the past we’ve kind of gone on and on about how you are the most attractive piece of telecaster playing womanhood we’ve ever seen. In retrospect, that seems somewhat sexist, so we would like to let you know that we think you are the most smoking piece of telecaster playing humanity that we have ever seen with the possible exception of young Harrison Ford, though we don’t think we’ve ever seen him with a guitar so it’s chill. We also hear that the Western Civilization is hard at work on a new album, which is rather thrilling to us and we are more than a little annoyed that we will be unable to attend this show due to superstar DJ priorities and therefore may miss the performance of some new materials. This has happened rather frequently as of late, and so we hope you will finish your record soon. <3. The Pons stick around for a second day of Houston shows and are joined by fellow 512ers Your Kisses Cause Crashes. Guitars, featuring members of Monocles, Alarma and Lenny Briscoe opens.

Dirty Honey, featuring Brett Koshkin & DJ High C @ Boondocks
You know how you know when you hate yourself and want to die? Cause you keep missing the most Dasheeki Saddlesoap monthly soul records dance party in the city. Or atleast we think that’s whats wrong with us. Man. Bummber. Free. Starts at 10pm.

Free Press Houston Issue 100 Celebranza, featuring Monotonix, State Radio, The Tontons, American Fangs, Tha Fucking Transmissions, & Rebelution @ Numbers
Congrats on 100 issues, and for continuing to put together lineups that inspire us to check out bands we’ve never heard of before. Doors at 8. All Ages. $12.

Also
Paris Falls, Spain Colored Orange, Al-Shire and the Henchmen, You(genious) @ Walter’s on Washington
Rehab, Erase The Virus, Come See My Dead Person @ The Scout Bar