Both local and national talent are on display this hump-day evening. Choose wisely.
Primus and Dirtfoot at the Palladium Ballroom
Led by the over-the-top
antics of bassist Les Claypool, the alternative rock trio Primus have
been doing their oddball thing for more than two decades now. The band's heyday was
clearly the mid-'90s, though, when Primus had hits with such geeky fare as
"Jerry Was a Race Car Driver" and "Tommy the Cat." Primus' audience has
always been a peculiar mix of punks, frat boys and those folks
fascinated with Claypool's impressive bass chops. Chances are that the
crowd tonight will encompass those same folks. They'll just be older and
have their offspring in tow.
Nicholas Altobelli and Matthew Gray at the Kessler Theater
Two
of the area's best songwriters ply their wares tonight in Oak Cliff.
Alt-country whiz kid Altobelli has a new album about to hit the streets:
Radio Waves and Telephone Wires is Altobelli's fourth effort and, each time
out, the young singer-songwriter seems to get more adventurous. Meanwhile, you
never know what you going to get with Matthew and The Arrogant Sea frontman Matthew Gray. The guy's solo
excursions are nearly always beautifully unpredictable performances that
highlight Gray's undeniable talent.
The Pine Hill Haints, High Tension Wires and Mind Spiders at Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studio in Denton
Those
searching for some old-school Americana should head to Denton and check
out The Pine Hill Haints tonight. Hailing from Alabama, this fiery foursome
plays old-timey music that touches on gospel, blues, country and folk.
Songs such as "I Never Thought the Day Would Come When You Could Hate Me
So" and "Catfish Angels" demonstrate a keen understanding of the roots
of rock 'n' roll. Led by Jamie Barrier, The Pine Hill Haints are
definitely worth a jaunt northward. Denton's awesome Dirtnap Records tandem of High Tension Wires and Mind
Spiders add quite a bit more modernity and way more of a punk feel to this interesting bill.