Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios' annual Free Week is an entire week of free shows with different local (and sometimes non-local) bands. It's the venue's way of kicking off the new school year and welcoming the influx of tens of thousands of students who will repopulate Denton into the thriving little town it becomes in the fall. And, for years, it's been a staple of Denton's back-to-school ceremonies.
This year's Free Week will feature six free shows put together by six different people or organizations. In the past, the booking for Free Week has gone through the normal channels Rubber Gloves uses to book shows. But this year is different: It's the first time booking responsibilities for the six nights have been delegated among six entities. The entire schedule for the week's events can be found on Rubber Gloves' website.
These aren't just any shows, though. Some of the bands performing include Nervous Curtains, RTB2, Peopleodian, On After Dark, Mind Spiders and The Hope Trust.
Gutterth Productions' show scheduled for Friday, September 3, features Nervous Curtains, New Science Projects, Pinkish Black (which features members of the now-defunct Great Tyrant) and Delmore Pilcrow.
Michael Briggs of Gutterth, who puts on shows tirelessly throughout the year, says he thinks the bill for Friday's show will impress the new blood.
"These are all bands we've worked with a lot," he says.
Technically, though, it will be Gutterth's first time to work with Pinkish Black, although the band and booking agency had worked together before with Great Tyrant, which consisted of the two members of Pinkish Black plus the late Tommy Atkins, a well-respected area musician who died in February.
And that's the idea of the whole week. Chris Garver, guitarist for Delmore Pilcrow, has been coming to Free Week since 2003, and says it's a great way for local bands to get exposure.
"It's one good way for local bands to play for a sold-out house," he says. "It's pretty much guaranteed to be packed to the brim."
Nervous Curtains is headlining the night, and is an act that most involved with the show seem to be excited about.
"Sean [Kirkpatrick] is a great songwriter," says Garver. "A great, dark songwriter."
The addition of New Science Projects to the bill makes it quite an eclectic one, sure. But while this bill was put together without much genre consideration, it certainly showcases Denton's wide array of talents. Or more simply, as the guys at Gutterth think, it features bands that are "awesome."
