Oh, Free Week. It's officially September and school is back into full swing for UNT and TWC up in Denton. Fortunately, Rubber Gloves is doing its part to help ease the dread by hosting its annual Free Week festivities to promote local Texas music and make the kids forget about that whole "higher education" silliness.
This will be the ninth year of the event, and 22 bands will play over six days at the dive-y Denton institution. The event serves as a perfect introduction to the essential artists of the area and a melting pot for Denton newcomers and veterans alike. All that we really need to tell you in this situation is "free," but we'll go one step further and break down the highlights of each night.
The tendency of a town with two universities is a seasonally rotating population -- summers are slow, but fall and spring are a madhouse. With that in mind, Free Week kickstarts this transition by providing two things every college student can appreciate: music and free stuff.
The event will also key you in to local Denton business by way of the various sponsors of each event. We Denton Do it, Pan Ector Industries and venues House of Tinnitus and Who Loves the Sun will be presenting the various bands.
Be wary, though: those who are underage may be misled by the label of "Free." If you're a minor, there is technically a $5 cover charge (and by technically, we mean definitely).
So plan out your week. Stop by on your off days, go to all of them; do whatever. Just don't miss out on one of the busiest weeks of the year for Rubber Gloves and the easiest week on your wallet.
Tuesday, Sept. 2 9 p.m. doors Bludded Head, Cerulean Giallo, Nervous Curtains, Nite Shadez
On the heels of just releasing a new track a few weeks ago, Denton's Bludded Head are set to put on an ear-rupturingly heavy show. Misleadingly, they technically only have six released songs, but each one clocks in at about 10 mites, so the setlist will likely look short but last long. So prepare yourself for extended doom-metal epics as Nevada Hill and his band sludge and stomp through their set.
Wednesday, Sept. 3 9 p.m. doors Clear Acid, Power Objects, Problem Dogg
Dallas-Fort Worth band Clear Acid bring a progressive, diverse barrage of tracks to their shows. A song that builds up to blistering distortion and heavy riffs can be followed by a glassy, clean guitar interlude that will offer up an unexpected vulnerability before crushing it again. These technically-gifted musicians craft an instrumental offering that you almost forget is missing vocals.
Thursday, Sept. 4 9 p.m. doors Lechuguillas, Terminator 2, Heavy Baby Sea Slugs
What would Denton be without hardcore punk? Austin's Lechuguillas are part noise, part hardcore and completely relentless. Each frantic song will have rapid-fire drumbeats, tearing vocals and probably last for about two minutes of condensed fury. Enter the pit if you dare, but rest easy knowing that the punk community is most notoriously known for picking each other up when someone gets knocked down.
Friday, Sept. 5 9 p.m. doors Burnt Skull, Jungle Ruckus, Chinakski, The Fury
Massive drums, overdriven guitars and vicious vocals define Burnt Skull, an Austin-based noise-rock duo. The pair probably outputs more power and volume than six or 10 ordinary human beings could generate, and the depth of the songs for having just drums, a guitar and vocals to toy with is astounding. Maximizing the minimalist, expect them to tear through the venue.
Saturday, Sept. 6 9 p.m. doors In Memory of Man, The Spectacle, Vinyl, Cruella
Somewhere between hard rock and alternative rock exists In Memory of Man. Reviving a genre that's relatively quiet these days, the band takes hold of influences like Shinedown and a bit of Audioslave and makes it their own. This day is being presented by "Do for it Records," the band's Denton-based record label, so expect a good showing of Denton musicians and producers.
