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.

please enjoy this rant.

HEY we just had a revelation. Seriously. We can remember all the time when we were younger how we would see flyers for an afterparty for nearly every big show that came through town. We’re not just talking about the DJ and dance stuff (especially considering there are many well done after-parties in that scene going on all ready) but in rock and roll in general. Why was that? Or rather, why doesn’t that happen here (you guessed it, it wasn’t in this city). Well, for one, we would bet it’s the whole geographic proximity thing. Although, in a sense, that’s kinda bunk because you can catch a ride from Verizon or House of Blues down to someplace like the Mink or Notsuoh or Art Storm with a minimum of effort. What was the name of that club that got siezed by the Feds because it was a front for an X ring? The one with $1 cape cods on Wednesdays? We feel like we maybe went to some parties there. Maybe it’s the fact that no show here is able to end before 1:30 am, and most people don’t want to go to a warehouse that late (since, you know, bars will be closed). Does anyone know what time shows end at House of Blues? Can someone please put together an afterparty for the Andrew Bird date? KTHNX.

FRIDAY
Wild Moccasins CD Release Show with Buxton, Teenage Kicks, DJs ADR and BDM
You can get our full-sentence show and tell about this event from a post earlier this week, but essentially you’re going to get 1) a copy of the cd with your cover, 2) a Homopolice CDr cover of a Wild Moccasins song if you are one of the first 25 to ask for one, 3) a screened poster for the show if you are one of the first 50 in the door, 4)a hand-screened t-shirt with a design only available at this show, if you bring your own t-shirt, 5)Free pizza, 6)Free cupcakes, 7)three super good bands, 8 ) two NEXT LEVEL djs, who have the ability to decide if they want to play ‘Cool it Now’ as a radio single or an extended mix. Party. All Ages.

Grupo Fantasma, Vallejo, Yoko Mono @ Warehouse Live
Sometimes we feel really bad for Yoko Ono. I mean, one minute you’re just some avant garde artist who meets a guy named John, and the next thing you know a bunch of goofball Canadians are writing a song about you and then the bass player from Chango Jackson has done a little twistaroo with it and is now opening up for someone nominated for a Grammy (Grupo Fantasma) or an alt-rock outfit that ~swooon~ all the AEPhi girls liked in college. I mean, you think Yoko herself is hanging out backstage with any Grammy nominees tonight? We’re gonna go ahead and say the the little word written on the ceiling once you climb the ladder and view through the magnifying glass is ‘no.’

ALSO
The Caprolites, Battle Rifle and 50-50 @ The White Swan
KRS One @ The Meridian

SATURDAY
Leave Your Genre at the Door 2: Grandfather Child, Fat Tony, Satin Hooks, Heptic Skeptic, Nosaprise, Perseph-One and News on the March @ Fitzgeralds
YUS! We always love it when there are shows we like at Fitz. We love that place. Sue us. This second installment of Leave Your Genre at The Door features a hunk a hunk a burning indie rock and rap, including many of our favorites. As a heads up Grandfather Child, a project featuring Lucas G (Satin Hooks) and Ryan Chavez (Panic in Detroit) is playing, not Sad Gorilla (Lucas solo) as has been seen promoted in most places. BONUS: LSPS (the band formerly known as Lone Star Porn Star) is headlining the show upstairs, and that should be fun.

Saturday is also an evening of many many ‘events’, including Downtown Pavilion for the HYPA Fire + Ice Gala featuring Glasnost, Houston Music Revival, featuring Memphis May Fire, Runner Runner, Before…There Was Rosalyn, Driver F, Scarlett O’Hara, A Kid Named Thompson, Visceral, Otenki, Novista, Skyscrapers Walk Among Us, Love She Wrote, Bonnie Blue and Set It Off @ The Meridian and Houston Press Artopia, featuring Sideshow Tramps, Karina Nistal, Arthur Yoria, Houston Metropolitan Dance Company, Dominic Walsh Dance Theater, Travesty Dance Group, & more @ Winter Street Studios

Wana keep it on the noise tip? be sure to hit up Future Blondes, Venison Whirled, Concrete Violin, Kairos and Amputee @ Notsuoh

FRIDAY
If you’re a fan of the kind of things like Vinyl Ranch, Wednesday nights at Big Star Bar, most of Dusti Rhodes’ outfits and 97.1 FM, then tonight is your night. Except that you have to choose. Where’s the morton’s salt girl? The Derailers have a set going at Goode’s Armadillo Palace, which is the building next to Goode Co. BBQ on Kirby. Yes, you can enjoy ribs, brisket and all the trimmings for dinner and then walk across the street to catch their set.

Junior Brown

Hardly seems fair to everyone else, frankly. Perennial favorite, Austin redeemer, master of the Guit-Steel and Dukes of Hazard-remake narrator Junior Brown brings his timeless take on country to the Mucky Duck of all places – be sure not to dance. Why not The Continental, may you ask? Well, because fellow keep it weirders The Gourds are headlining there this evening, along with Molly and the Ringwalds. Not enough choices for ya? Local Western Swing queen Miss Leslie will be playing with her Juke Jointers at Aubrey’s.

Let’s say you’re looking for an act that picks the cat-gut, but leans more towards the bluegrass and old timey breakout of things. Well, turns out you too are strikin it rich thanks to the good folks over at the Free Press, who are having a party to celebrate their 2008 Worst of Houston Issue. The Sideshow Tramps are at the top of that bill, along with Come See My Dead Person and Robert Ellis. It’s taking place at Avante Garden, and if you bring a T-Shirt they’ll have a screen on hand to create you own, handmade, Worst of Houston souvenir. Could be worse.

Also
Hunger Project Benefit, featuring Sybil, Skyblue72, The Tiles, & Gina Chavez @ Walter’s on Washington

UPDATE:  Tha F%cking Transmissions are playing a warehouse party, 2010 Commerce tonight.  Starts at 9 and there is free beer.

SATURDAY

As always, your Saturday can get it started right with the Secret Show, which kicks off at 2pm at the Shady Tavern on 20th in the Heights. Just up the street from Cedar Creek and around the corner from Big Star Bar, this once lonely outpost of the North is now right in the middle of the hotness.  The Tavern has beer and wine and offers setups, so bring a bottle of your favorite.  There’s food most weeks, hot off the grill, and the bands usually number about three and play until five.  Maybe Mr. Secret will make an appearance in the comments and give us some clues as to who is playing.

Taste of Garlic

Tonight is definitely your night of rock and roll, with Broken Note Records stars Taste of Garlic coming together for a rare outing. They’ll be at Rudyard’s with Southern danger-core rockers World’s Most Dangerous and the Train Woodburns. Over at Fitz, where one might gererally expect Taste to be playing, Come See My Dead Person plays a second night in a row alongside alt-rockers The Courtesy Clerks and barrio punks Vatos Locos. Meanwhile, over at Warehouse Live Pasadena Napalm Division, a thrash metal outfit featuring members of DRI and Deadhorse will do their best to melt any remaining faces after openers Whorehound. Over at the Continental, Spain Colored Orange warms up the crowd for Graham Wilkinson and the Underground Township.

And certainly not to be overlooked, Pretty Little Flower (or PLF, which we were told they sometimes have to go by due to grinders not realizing how hardcore flowers can be) celebrates 10 years of Grind this evening with a show over at the White Swan including Dissent, Battle Rifle, and a band who’s logo we are having trouble deciphering, but we think is called 26 Beers.

Don’t feel the rock? Danse the night away over at Numbers, where Danseparc this month features their take on the best of 2008. Something Else? The Staff at the House of Blues is having a talent show. C’mon – you know you’re tempted.

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.