Audio By Carbonatix
Astronautalis,
Friday, October 5, at Granada Theater
This time last year, former North Texas rapper Astronautalis had just released his 11-track gem, This Is Our Science. This Friday, he opens for Flobots, a Denver-based prog hip-hop group signed to Motown Records. On his website, Astronautalis encourages you to be proactive: “Their fans are nuts, my fans are nuts…all I’m sayin…might want to buy tickets in advance. Seriously.” GalleryCat opens. — Rachel Watts
Fuxa
Thursday, October 4, at Good Records/Dada
Getting to see Fuxa, the longtime electronic project of Detroit’s Randall Nieman, in an intimate space like Good Records should be enough to get the synth-heads out. The group’s latest release, Electric Sound of Summer, features vocal contributions from Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips and a cover of Fun Boy Three’s “Our Lips Are Sealed,” but a decade between albums has given Nieman a chance to fine-tune his ambient sound, and the result is blissful. Austin’s All in the Golden Afternoon set the scene. 6 p.m. Catch them later tonight at Dada with New Fumes. — Audra Schroeder
Index Festival w/ Cold War Kids, GZA & More
October 5 & 6, at Trees
With the arrival of fall, we’re knee-deep in festival season, and Spune Productions is testing its fest powers in the heart of Deep Ellum with this weekend’s first-ever Index Festival. The roster features a handful of locals (Yells At Eels, The Cush, Datahowler, The Angelus, Telegraph Canyon, A.Dd+, Low Dark Hills, Bethan, Blackstone Rangers, Air Review, DJ Sober) rubbing shoulders with bigger names like GZA, Washed Out and Grimes. Check out some our our picks here. — Audra Schroeder
Dinosaur Jr.
Saturday, October 6, at The Prophet Bar
With the September release of I Bet On Sky, Dinosaur Jr.’s 10th full-length album since 1985, the trio is proving they’ve still got the volume. It’s no secret the hardcore punk band has been known to have issues, primarily between guitarist J. Mascis and bassist Lou Barlow, but since reforming in 2005, they’ve kept up a steady stream of releases (2007’s Beyond, 2009’s Farm). With widespread praise for Farm, you don’t want to miss seeing what they have in store this time around. Austin’s Shearwater opens. — Rachel Watts
Buke and Gase
Saturday, October 6, at City Tavern
An NPR favorite, Brooklyn duo Buke and Gase will be folkin’ it up with Fox and the Bird and Roberto Moreno this weekend. All I’m going to say is that there will be handmade ukulele instruments involved. ‘Nough said. — Rachel Watts
David Byrne and St. Vincent
Sunday, October 7, at McFarlin Auditorium
Love This Giant, the debut collaboration between Dallas-bred guitarist Annie Clark (St. Vincent) and NYC icon David Byrne, could have gone totally outre, considering both of their more left-leaning musical paths, but they meet somewhere in the middle. The duo trades vocals with ease, Clark’s heavenly wisp picking up where Byrne’s hiccup-y heave leaves off, and their axe fight is propelled by the addition of a pretty aggressive horn section, making for an interesting electro-pop-funk cocktail, one that has both their fingerprints on it, but comes off completely new. — By Audra Schroeder
