Ah, Friday. If this were 1993, I'd be gearing up for a badass night of TGIF on ABC. But, alas, it's 2008. Luckily, there's plenty of live music to take in all weekend long. Some pretty good. Some not as much. But, for the most part, pretty good.
Anyway, onto the weekend of shows. First, the one's we've already talked about.
Tonight: at Sons of Hermann Hall, there's the Toys for Tots show with Centro-matic, The Crash That Took Me, Radiant, Little Black Dress and DJ Ceepee; at the Double Wide, there's The Ticket's The Orphanage benefit show with Airline, Slider Pines, The Cut*Off and Shibboleth; at the AAC, there's Lil Wayne, T-Pain, Keyshia Cole, Gym Class Heroes and Keri Hilson; and, at the Prophet Bar's big room, there's King's X.
And, on Saturday, you can catch Spector 45 dropping some new tunes at Lola's in Fort Worth or you can head up to Denton to see the phenomenal Record Hop, Matthew and the Arrogant Sea and Florene bill at Dan's Silver Leaf.
Now, onto the shows we haven't yet mentioned...
The Lifters, The Campaign, Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward
Friday, December 19, at Barley House
This is the first of two solid shows at the Barley this weekend (more on the second one later). Expect Parker's country rock to tear the house down--well, if any SMU kids still on campus and hanging around the Barley are even paying attention.
The Happy Bullets, American Werewolf Academy, The Slow Burners
Friday, December 19, at City Tavern
It's indie, power and twangy pop rock upstairs at the Tavern this
evening. With some other, bigger all-local affairs (for charity, no
less) happening around town tonight, it's possible this bill gets lost
in the shuffle. Would be a shame if that happened, as this is a good
'un.
Ivoryline, In:Aviate
Friday, December 19, at The Max
Tyler's punk-fluenced power pop act Ivoryline shares this bill with
In:Aviate (from Utah) at The Max, which seems to be the newest home to Third String Productions'
shows around town. You know Third String Productions as the group that
brings all those shows to the Plano Centre and those hip-hop nights to
Hailey's.
The Lashouts, Free To Kill Again, The Stink
Friday, December 19, at The Lounge
Classic punk, hardcore-influenced punk, garage punk: pick your flavor. It's all here in this bill at the Lounge.
Mad Mexicans, The Orange, David Cote Band, Night Gallery, Heart Eyes Open Explosion
Friday, December 19, at Curtain Club
Looks like the Curtain Club couldn't decide on any sort of theme or
thread to connect its Christmas Show lineup together, other than,
maybe, that at one point in the previous year, each of these
comepletely different-minded acts did, in fact, play the Curtain Club.
Somebody's Darling, The Monco Poncho, The Atoms, Alex Sanchez
Friday, December 19, at Club Dada
Because Somebody's Darling's Amber Farris has got pipes like a
mother--and because I respect The Monco Poncho's unwavering commitment
to young Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns.
THe BAcksliders, Hello Lover, White Drugs
Saturday, December 20, at the Double Wide
Straight up bar rock at a straight up rock bar. Natrual fit.
Days of the New
Saturday, December 20, at Firewater
No, seriously. Remember when these guys were supposed to be on the verge of being a big deal, like nine years ago?
Scuba Team Go, Headkrack, many others
Sunday, December 21, at the Prophet Bar
Scuba Team Go, who we wrote about a few months back, is a fun time. And Headkrack's no joke either. Lots of hip-hop acts on this bill (see the whole lineup here). There's certainly worse ways to spend your Sunday night.
The Drams, American Werewolf Academy, Big Chief, Pleasant Grove, John Dufilho
Sunday, December 21, at Barley House
It's another Toys for Tots deal at the Barley House on Sunday--and an
impressive lineup to boot. There are rumblings that Pleasant Grove will
be playing with all members at this show (which would be nice), but I'm most amped
about Big Chief, who, I swear, was the one artist every area hip-hop act I
spoke with in town for my D-Town Boogie
feature namedropped as a potential star-in-the-making. Crazy to see him
on this bill, but hey, either way, this is something to look forward
to, folks.
..and that's your weekend. Have fun out there. --Pete Freedman
