Welcome to Hell's Lobby

More frustratingly, those good gigs on which to build a solid foundation have been few and far between. Though MK Ultra has outgrown the Kharma--fans are often forced to eavesdrop from outside--Rick's Place isn't yet a viable option, and the band has suffered disappointing turnouts in Deep Ellum.

"If you're not from Dallas or the people from Dallas haven't heard you, they're not going to come," he shrugs.

The difficulties and hopes expressed by Plavidal echo those of most Denton bands, young and old. Indeed, the health of the musical community is measured both by its possible successes as well as its longtime struggles; it is defined as much by where the space-rock movement is going as by what Brave Combo and the Fraternity of Sound have achieved. After all, what makes the Denton scene strong is that it fulfills its potential while always promising more.

Thorazine Dreams, another member of the space-rock contingent, has recently planted itself in Denton. On an unbearably stuffy Saturday night at the Kharma, the scene's newest residents play something of a housewarming show, performing anxiously in front of a lazy, lounging crowd of 20 or so. Between songs, the band's bassist announces the move to Denton, as his bandmates fiddle with the muddled mix.

"Me and my roommate just moved here," says the bassist, a floppy-haired kid named John, almost swallowed inside a pair of enormous pants that always seem in danger of sliding down. "We love this place. Everyone is so laid back." Then, before the band launches into another song, John invites the small crowd back to the band's apartment to, you know, hang out.