John Freeman's Going Away Thing with Baboon, Telethon, Gun Gun, The Hack and Slashers

It's time to bid adieu (again) to one of Dallas' music VIPs, as John Freeman once again leaves town. And sending off the Dutch Treat and former Sloppyworld owner is one of the bands with a local history that goes back just as far as the former Dooms U.K. mastermind.

Baboon hasn't played around town much lately, but they'll be on hand to wish Freeman farewell. The band seemed to go in a more accessible power-pop direction on their last new release, 2006's Baboon, but Andrew Huffstetler's powerful shouted vocals and Mike Rudnicki's scratchy guitar parts still make for a compelling live show when the band is really on—especially if Huffstetler busts out his enthusiastic, if not expertly played, trombone parts. Hopefully they'll sound sharp even after a bit of a layoff.

Telethon is one of Freeman's projects, a very tongue-in-cheek new wave keyboard trio which gives Lazer some competition in the ironic-Teutonic-electronic dance-rock department. It's about as serious as any of his strange art-rock bands—which is to say not at all—but has beats that should get hipsters dancing even as they smirk.