Our live music picks for the week of 2/17-2/23.
You could commemorate President's Day by celebrating Washington's or Lincoln's birthday, or by reflecting on your most and least favorite Presidents of the past. For most of you, we're betting Monday just means a much-needed day off of work. Not to worry -- there are plenty of ways to party like it's a three day weekend.
Ex-True Believer Jon Dee Graham plays a 6pm early show at Thee Parkside tonight. Expect many former Austin residents to be in the house for his raspy, rocking Americana and expert lap-steel playing. Popscene parties with the twitchy pop of Hot Hot Heat down at 333 Ritch. Hotel Utah has The Night Porter featuring Carla Bozulich of the Geraldine Fibbers. Check out her website, which shows that in addition to being a singer, she's also a card-carrying "cat lady."
Friday presents quite a conundrum for indie rock connoisseurs. Should you catch "no wave/punk-jazz gods of chaos" the Flying Luttenbachers at the Hemlock? How about bugged-out noise punks The Locust at Slim's? There's always the troika of buzz bands Secret Machines, Moving Units and Autolux at the Independent. But how could you resist seeing Ian MacKaye's new project The Evens at Swedish American Hall, especially for the ridiculously low price of five bucks? Perhaps your tie-breaker could be Ani DiFranco's show at the Warfield. Or not.
On Saturday let's all wish 12 Galaxies a happy one year anniversary. They'll be grooving with "New-Grass" pioneers Vince Herman (frontman of Leftover Salmon) and the musicians in Shanti Groove, who will each play separate sets and then will come together for a finale jam that's sure to last a long, long time. Cat Power performs at Swedish American Hall, a cavernous venue whose small stage leaves little separation between performer and audience. With a quiet and respectful audience and confident performer, this can allow for enraptured intimacy. But considering Chan Marshall's unpredictable live performances (we've heard reports of crippling shyness, rambling rants and even lying down and crying mid-song), anything could happen.
For those of you who don't have to work on Monday, Sunday night is your extra night of fun. Club Six presents their Presidents Dead Party featuring DJ sets by Tim Sweeney (WNYU), Cat of Fannypack, Gravy Train!!!!, and a live set by Kid 606. The Makeout Room presents their cleverly titled Drinkin' w/Lincoln Presidents Day Bash with some bands we've never heard of. If you haven't already learned to get your tickets to Great American Music Hall shows early, let this week be your lesson. All of their shows are sold out for the next 7 days except for tonight's show with the Dark Star Orchestra. DSO are a Grateful Dead tribute band who perform past Dead setlists in their entirety, song for song, in the same arrangements. That sounds a bit torturous to us, but they've already sold out shows on Friday and Saturday, so perhaps we're in the minority.
By now you should know what Monday brings. Yes, it's another installment of Cinema Drafthouse at The Independent. Rock out with the White Stripes' grainy concert DVD "Under Blackpool Lights." Over at 12 Galaxies, Verse of Style presents Evening Episode and 7:Es-El. Check out Evening Episode's website to listen to their music, in the vein of Denali and Forget Cassettes.
Tuesday night ushers in Noise Pop 2005. Check out the Noise Pop Photography and Poster Show at Bottom of the Hill featuring photos by local NP principal photographer Peter Ellenby and many others. Oranger, Metal Circus and Kingdom First provide the music. The Red Devil Lounge presents a monthly singer-songwriter series called "They Ride Alone," with Victor Krummemacher (Camper Van Beethoven), Jeffrey "Luck" Lucas, Carneyball Johnson and more.
Fans of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and noise freakouts in general should be at the Hemlock on Wednesday for a fine lineup of Scream Club, So So Many White White Tigers and Romanteek. If you like your performers seasoned and accomplished, you'll be at the Fillmore to see David Byrne. If you'd rather see a pre-teen sister duo who isn’t even old enough to live up to their critical acclaim, be at Slim's when Smoosh plays.
Image of The Locust from the Epitaph Records website. Image of Smoosh taken by Curt Doughty from the Pattern 25 Records website.
add to digg
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
email this
add to facebook
add to del.icio.us
i went to the Cat Power show. it was grrrreat. took a couple pics and wrote a little review.. here:
http://www.miasma.com/archives/2005/02/the_power_of_th.html