Space and the City
Posts tagged Dizzy Pilot
PULL OVER THE INTERNET: SPRING BLOCK PARTY LINEUP WILL MAKE YOU CRAP YOUR PANTS
Jan 29th
ANGELS AND MINISTERS OF GRACE DEFEND US FROM THIS EPIC EVENT!
HOLY CALAMITY! BEATS OF INSANITY! ARE YOU READY FOR THIS! Like adding a mustache to your dasheeki, the folks over at the Free Press have taken the delicious pizza that is their twice annual Westheimer Block Party and have sprinkled a metric ton of fresh grated awesome on top. Stoked. And things are a brewin, here’s a quote from organizer (and Free Press editor) Mr. Omar:
We hope to snowball the block party into a legitimate arts and music festival and marquee event for the city. Ambitious? Yes. Risky? Yes? But we have an undying faith in this city, our community, and the potential for big, wonderful things to happen.
Now, snowballing anything other than snow takes time, effort and most of all money. But how to bring in income from something that has had, traditionally, being free near the core of it’s whipsistentialism? You do it by being smart, which is what the Free Press has done. They’ve kept the day part of the event free, so you still can have big bonanza fun in the sun for $0, but then they’ve added an impressive lineup of evening acts, playing at different venues, that will require (and are worth, in our calculation) buying a wristband to see. Peep the lineup:
Advance wristband sales have already started, get them online here. We’re sure we’ll have lots more to say about this in the run up to the event, including how our efforts to move a conflicting wedding will go. YUS.
MONDAY MORNING RUMINATIONS
Jan 26th
The crowd at the Wild Moccasins CD Release Show. Photo by Ramon Medina
We had a pretty good weekend, all told. Kicked things off Friday at the Wild Moccasins CD release show. We have to hand it to the Mocccasins, they put on quite an event. We’re sure it didn’t hurt that they offered so many freebies on the side (pizza, cupcakes, on-site t-shirt screening, a copy of their EP with your cover charge), and we love the fact that they decorated not just the stage, but the merch area too in moon-river promonade fantasia. But really what they (along with bill-mates the Teenage Kicks and Buxton) should get the biggest of Kudo bars for is the fact that they not only played their hearts our, but managed to get Walter’s over capactiy. There was a crowd both inside the doors and a big bunch turned away and just hanging in the parking lot. They were smart enough to schedule a show so that kids with midnight curfews in the suburbs could see the whole thing and then make it home without being grounded (and so us old folks could go have a night-cap at our favorite suds spot if we so desired). Though it’s not practical to do this everywhere (especially considering most clubs are 21+ now anyways), we give them a gold ribbon for their achievement, and hope more folks follow their example (you can see the rest of Ramon’s pics of the event here).
Your live outlook this week looks equally solid, with a great free show at Boondocks opening things up: Flowers to Hide and Dizzy Pilot. Walter’s is really kicking things into overdrive this week, with Los Campesinos! on Thursday, Fucked Up, Iron Age, the Jonbenet and Black Congress on Friday and Ume, Bring Back the Guns and Woozyhelmet on Saturday. Both Black Congress and Ume are debuting releases at these shows (Black Congress on cassette tape, previewing a sudden release trend – more on that later this week). And yes, you read that right, Bring Back the Guns have been Broughten Back. It’s been the better half of a year since their last show, so be sure to get in on this one cause you never know when their next will be. Elsewhere, Gold Sounds, Linus Pauling Quartet and a Saturday Secret Show Event Saturday with The Mathletes, Guitars, Time Machine Veterens and others complicate your weekly choices.
Final thought: We went to one of those record dealer conventions Sunday morning. If we had to throw an estimate out, we’d say that better than 80% of the records there were of the classic rock variety: lots of dull boomer crap that you occasionally score at Half Priced Books, plus lots of stuff that is almost assuredly always there. We were expecting to find a greater treasure trove of punk, indie and alternative stuff from the 80s and 90s, certainly when we think of collectable or desirable records, we think of that and not what we ended up finding. So we ask: where are all those admitedly limited in number records hanging around? Is it possible that sow few of them were made, and they are so beloved by their owners that they are unlikely to find themselves into the inventory of dealers? Would these dealers even know what they had if they came across them? What are your fantasy record finds? Kick it off in the comments.
THE SOUR NOTES DO SO MUCH STUFF AT ONCE THAT IT MAKES US LOOK KINDA LIKE WE DON’T DO ANYTHING BY COMPARISON
Jan 6th
AHH. Welcome back. Atleast, that is what you might be saying to us. Yes, the holiday season was generally one long extended Shityeahturday under whose crushing weight of fun, revelry and crushes we were not well positioned to escape. Apologies to everyone that missed us while we were gone. And double plus so to all the bands that wrote us with all the things they had going on that we missed. Top of that list? The Sour Notes.
Just this last weekend they had their CD release show over at Rudz, with a bill of bills that included Listen Listen and Spain Colored Orange (more on them doing things later in the week). Though we had to take the night in, we heard report that the show was packed and that many of you have a much better insider track than we do on the goings on. Pics plz.
BUT – we are fortunate enough to tell you that, in addition to the new EP (which, is fantastic, btw, and will be coming soon to a ramble near you) our fav quartet of exiled Veronans have been up to quite a few other things. Cause you know, it ain’t enough to just put out good records for some folks.
To start with, recording a set of originals wasn’t enough, so they had to go ahead a record a much beloved Jawbreaker standard, “Accident Prone.” Yup. Grab the MP3 Here.
Oh, and what enterprising band wouldn’t take the time to make a video of one of their new tracks while they’re at it. Well, most of them it turns out, but not The Sour Notes – check this aces visualization of Is it Happening from Received in Bitterness.
‘Is It Happening?’ from The Sour Notes on Vimeo
Not enough for you? Well, you’ll have to wait a while to complain to them in person, as they’re currently in the midst of a tour taking them through the South, over to the East Coast (including a Baltimore appearance with Jana Hunter) and back again. So, if you were looking for a reason to head up to Austin on the 24th, you would be well to do so considering they’ll be up there playing (again) with Spain Colored Orange, Dizzy Pilot and We Landed on the Moon. Sadly, they have no Houston shows listed on their schedule at the moment, making it even more double plus un good that we missed their set the other night. Next time.
ATTN THIS WEEKEND: YOU ARE HOLIDAYLIGHTFUL!
Dec 12th
Delicious
OH MAN! Are you stoked? Not only are we almost just a week away from the 2008 SAMMY AWARDS PARTY (Saturday the 20th at Big Star Bar), but SO THICK are the Holiday Get Downs and hyjinks, that we’d swear the world is made of a chinchilla coat. We don’t know what that means either, but have you had Egg Nog yet? Who gives a Mathlete if it’s like 5,000 calories a glass, it’s the freaking holidays and it’s not like you’re going to become some sort of hand-shaking wino for a bottle of Evan Williams pre-made Nog all year long. Oh man. Oh man. People who don’t like the Nog take the Yule right out of our Log/Brynner. But for folks that actually have time to spare, this weekend is chock full of nuts full of options to get this party started right. RIGHT ON:
FRIDAY
Insidious Decrepancy
Fans of the fast and loud have two delicious options from which to choose tonight, including the blinding death metal of Insidious Decrepancy, Funeral Rites at River Oaks Theatre and the more hardcore-oriented lineup of The Jonbenét, O Pioneers!!!, Brian’s Johnson, This Year’s Tiger and City of Compton at Walter’s on Washington. The Skyline Network is pleased to be a corporate sponsor of the River Oaks show, which was put together by Ditchwater along with the fine folks at Sound Exchange.
For those looking for something a bit mellower, try out the East End Christmas Party at The Orange Show. 7-10pm Free.
ALSO
The Secret Machines, PERETZ, Perry Farrell, Electric Touch @ Warehouse Live
Ice Cube, Trick Trick, Five Doza @ The Meridian
Pale, Southern Backtones, Arthur Yoria @ Rudyard’s
Dizzy Pilot
SATURDAY
Early on you’ve got a pair of options, for what is alleged to be a great, warm day. This week’s Saturday Secret Show will feature Lazy Horse, Darwin’s Finches and Bottom Four. As always, this show is free at the Shady Tavern and kicks off around 2pm. If you couldn’t quite fit the Secret Machines in Friday night, you can catch them playing an acoustic set at Cactus Records at 2:30 pm, where there will likely be no cover and a keg of St. Arnolds beer.
Saturday night, two mighty fine lineups will compete for your eartention, including rare outings by The Watermarks and Dizzy Pilot. The ‘marks will be at The Backroom at The Mink, headlining a bill that includes Sammy Nominee Paris Falls and Austin’s The Boxing Lesson. Over at Walters, Wisconsin quartet Sleeping in the Aviary hold shop along with the fuzz rockin boogie of Dizzy Pilot and megadittos Sammy contender Hearts of Animals‘ bedroom shoegaze pop. HOA is said to have a new set of recordings for sale at her shows, so be to take the opportunity to pick one up.
Southsiders can get in on some good action tonight too, as Come See My Dead Person, the Sideshow Tramps and Spain Colored Orange bring some Montrose to the stage at The Scout Bar.
SUNDAY
You know, even though the circumstances surrounding the new album and tour by AC/DC just scream “crassly commercial capitulation”, we haven’t heard a single person bitch and moan about it. Yep. When you’re that good, you can get away with ANYTHING.
ATTN THIS WEEKEND: YOU ARE ALL ABOUT THE BLOCK PARTY
Oct 10th
Can we just all take a moment to give a round of applause to the Free Press. It’s the little independent publication that could, and once again it has shown that it not only gets the caboose up to the top of the mountain, but once there builds a bridge to the next peak using ONE MILLION EPIC JAMS. So yeah – BIG CLAPS.
FRIDAY
Cat Power, Appaloosia @ Warehouse Live
Faaahq. You know, if you take a step back for a minute and go to a moment in time where you have no idea who Chan Marshall is or what her band is like and someone just said “oh hey, there is this girl with a band named Cat Power” the horrific image that comes to mind is the most awful conflagration of LOLCats and ATCAT, fronted by a pitiable frizzy haired gal that reeks of cat litter and ammonia. Some sort of 20-something proto-Miss Havisham on her way to converting her entire life into a depressing cat rescue shelter. So yeah, kind of Bizzarro Cat Power.
Sideshow Tramps, Buxton, Molly and the Ringwalds @ The Continental Club
Just last week we made a joke about the Continental Club being named the best venue to see local bands by the Houston Press and yet it never seems like there is a local band there we are into. Well BUXTON TO THE RESCUE. They’re the delicious white cream in one potentially delicious Friday Oreo (although we prefer ice cream sandwiches). Our fav part about this show? It’s just a few feet away from….
Monotonix, Dizzy Pilot, American Sharks @ The Mink
Our fav part about this show? Some seriously epic tacos are on the way back to check out the show at the Continental during the breaks. Nice to see Dizzy Pilot playing out again – seems like they were on a break there. Maybe we should get one of our reporters on that.
Alkari, Hearts of Animals and Orents Stirner @ Rudyard’s
If the fact Alkari is named for a Masters of Orion race isn’t enough for you, then maybe the fact they’re sharing the stage with OMG HEART Heart’s of Animals should get you to Rudyard’s this evening (not to mention Orents Stirner, who they themselves recommended).
SATURDAY
Free Press Westheimer Block Party
This is the anchor for your entire weekend and, frankly, for the better part of the month. With each new outing, it becomes nearly impossible to do favorites because so many WHIPS PERFORMERS are playing concurrently. The complete schedule, including a map to the different venues (all of which are around the corner of Taft and Westheimer) can be found here. (There are usually schedules found onsite too). This event is all day, late into the evening, and is totally free. 100%. Oh – and as if the conflict during the day wasn’t bad enough, once the sun sets and the free part of the evening rolls away, you’ve still got a night to figure out what to do with. Peep the options:
Voxtrot, The Jonbenet, Bring Back the Guns, Satin Hooks, BLACKIE, Lisa’s Sons, Something Fierce and Antenna Inn @ Numbers
This is the official evening finale for the Block Party, and is the only part that isn’t free. Twelve bucks, but still a helluva deal considering the that some of the day’s (and the city’s) best acts are on the bill. Doors get open at 7:30, which is actually while there are still bands playing the free part of the Party, so your body won’t go into shock from having to suddenly only choose between one band playing where before it was seven.
Todo Moto Motorcycle Club Presents their WestFest After Party, Featuring The Flaming Hellcats and Wasted plus DJs Andrew Lee and the Psychedelic Sex Panther.
You know those guys you see riding around Montrose on rat bikes with the Frankenstien logo on their backs? That’s Todo Moto. Sure, they may look a little dirty and have a reputation for starting fights at bubble tea parlors, but the few we know are some nice guys. Nice enough to throw a party and even invite you (oh scooter nerd), you(fixed gear dork) and you (four wheeled cager). In addition to the obligatory “bands, bbq and babes”, there will be sets by local psychobilly punks The Flaming Hellcats and Wasted, which is a Black Flag tribute act. Six Pack. 2222 Morgan Street. $5. Doors at six, bands at eight.
Dirty Honey @ Boondocks
At first we were hella annoyed when they started having DJ nights at Boondocks. We thought it was a perfect place and we didn’t want to dance there and REALLY did not want to have to talk over FUGGING LOUD music. “Keep that noise at Etro” was our mantra. There are some DJ nights that we truly adore, however, and Dirty Honey is one of them. Setting aside the gimmick factor of their only using 45s, Brett Koshkin plays a great mix of classic soul and funk that you’ve most likely never heard before. It’s great for dancing, but for us the real sell is how great it is for listening. Go early, take some friends, park at a table upstairs and just take it all in. Oh, and for this installment, Mr. Koshkin is joined by Austin’s Hobo D (and it’s his birthday). This is free and goes all night, so you can add it on to whatever you do, post festival.
500 Megatons of Boogie, Wicked Poseur, Data Vs Data @ The Mink
LOL @ our finally hearing about a Wicked Poseur show before hand. Solid bill. Our fav part about this show? Some seriously epic tacos are on the way back to the Continental to check out what’s going on there during the breaks.
Tito and Tarantula, De Los Muertos, Pistoleros de Texas @ The Continental Club
WHO? Nevermind about those tacos. Guh.
SUNDAY
Presidents of The United States of America with The Black & White Years @ House of Blues
Though it officially opened the night before with a show by Cowboy Mouth, this is the opening weekend throw-back to catch. Actually. You know what, we spent the better part of our college years having some absolute dolls of Alpha Epsilon Phis and Sigma Delta Thetas tell us how great Cowboy Mouth was. These were reasonably intelligent women, and we’d be willing to be most of them have better things to do with their time now then troll around in local music a decade hence they turned us down for dates. Oh, and they love Jackopierce too. OH CRAP JACKOPIERCE WAS PLAYING SATURDAY NIGHT AT WAREHOUSE LIVE. COWBOY MOUTH AND JACKOPIERCE IN THE SAME CITY ON THE SAME NIGHT! IT’S LIKE A HORID CONGRESS OF DECISION-FORCING COINCIDENCE THAT WILL SET THE PANHELLANIC COUNCIL AFLAME. OH UNHAPPY DAY. OH UNHAPPY DAY. GET OUT THE STRIKE TAGS, WE’RE DESTROYING THE REST OF THE WEEKEND.
Also
Hurricane Ike Relief Concert, featuring Pale, Deep Ella, Paris Green, & Morgue City @ The Meridian
Akimbo/Ghost Town Electric @ The Mink
