John Erwin
Audio By Carbonatix
Wednesday, Jan. 3
Contact
8 p.m., Rubber Gloves, 411 E. Sycamore St., Denton. $10 at the door
Contact is an up-and-coming post-punk band out of Albuquerque whose five members include a violin player. Formerly known as Escaped Youth, Contact released its first EP, The Escaped Youth Tapes, about a year ago after going on tour, capturing all of the energy of its live show on record. Contact will have local support from Larvae and Big Hand // Big Knife.
Black Magnet
8:30 p.m., Double Wide, 3510 Commerce St. $12 at prekindle.com
Industrial metal band Black Magnet was formed by James Hammontree in Oklahoma City in 2018. Hammontree had played with nearly a dozen emo and hardcore bands in Oklahoma City before launching a solo project, and as the project grew, he took on new members to fill out the band’s sound and stage presence. Last October, the band released the single “Birth,” with a newly added drummer. Black Magnet is currently on tour with Chicago darkwave band Bleached Cross and will have local support from shoegaze band Clear Acid and dark ambient singer Llora.
Thursday, Jan. 4
Raised Right Men
7:30 p.m., The Rustic, 3656 Howell St. Free
Denton’s Raised Right Men might be a country cover band, but with a song selection composed of unearthed B-sides and rarities from country’s classic underground, you’d likely never tell. The band has been playing all around North Texas since 2014, and has six regional shows scheduled for this month alone. This is a band that always provides a good time and is always in demand, so catch them when you can.
Nora Van Elken
9 p.m., It’ll Do Club, 4322 Elm St. $10+ at eventbrite.com
Dutch DJ and producer Nora Van Elken is nothing if not prolific. In 2022 she dropped over a dozen singles and three EPs, and she topped that in 2023 with nearly two dozen singles and three EPs. Van Elken is known for her hypnotic style, which can be haunting and cinematic house as well as upbeat and beautiful. The DJ performs on the outskirts of Deep Ellum at It’ll Do Club after resident DJ Johnny Funk.
Friday, Jan. 5
Golden Week
7 p.m., Club Dada, 2720 Elm St. $10 at seetickets.us
Branding itself as post-emo with anime vibes, Dallas band Golden Week returns to live performances this week after taking some time off at the end of last year to do some studio work. Hopefully that means the band has something new in the works. Golden Week released its debut EP, Familiar Ceilings, in 2018, but just a few singles followed. If you dig the sounds of Dashboard Confessional, Taking Back Sunday or Jimmy Eat World, this is your kind of band. Golden Week takes the stage after sets from mkn coffee, New Avenues and Crosswalk.
Blake Burrow
8 p.m., Bourbon & Shine, 2736 W. Sixth St., Fort Worth. Free
Country music singer-songwriter and guitar picker Blake Burrow comes to us all the way from Tulia, in the Texas panhandle. Last September, Burrow released the single “Don’t Blame It on the Bar,” a honky-tonk jam that is made for a little boot scootin’. The song was recorded at East Iris Studios in Nashville and produced by Dan Frizsell, who has worked with the Highwaymen and Florida Georgia Line.
Saturday, Jan. 6
Jessica McVey
6 p.m., Bendt Distilling Co., 225 S. Charles St., Lewisville. Free
Born and raised in a small town in Illinois, country singer Jessica McVey was raised in a family of musicians who toured the country in a Christian rock band. McVey spent years singing in karaoke competitions before she and her husband moved to Dallas, where she began to take her music seriously. To date, McVey has released only two songs, both written by Nashville songwriter Ruben Estevez: “John Deere in the Headlights” and “Haunting Melody,” but she continues to work on original music and schedule shows all over town.
Mean Motor Scooter
7 p.m., Tulips, 112 St. Louis Ave., Fort Worth. $10 at prekindle.com
For years, Fort Worth’s Mean Motor Scooter has been known for its highly energetic acid garage punk, but in 2023, the band came out harder, heavier and somehow, even more energetic. This Saturday, the band will celebrate the premier of its new video for “I Don’t Know Why.” It’s from the upcoming Day Dreamer LP, which is scheduled to come out this summer. Joining Mean Motor Scooter for the celebration are Phantomelo, Thyroids and Paint Trails.
mkn coffee
7 p.m., Andy’s Bar, 122 N. Locust St., Denton. $10 at prekindle.com
Jangle rock band mkn coffee has been releasing music since 2021, but it seems like the band has been playing a lot of shows around town lately. They played two shows to close out the year in December, and this year, well, this isn’t even the band’s first show on this list. They’ve spent a lot of time in opening slots, but mkn coffee headlines Saturday night at Andy’s Bar in Denton. Opening are Houston heavy dream-pop band The Alex French Revolution, Denton indie rockers Midnight Session and newcomers The Danny Conrad Jamboree.
Sunday, Jan. 7
The Royal Hounds
3 p.m., Dan’s Silverleaf, Denton. 103 N. Industrial St. $10+ at prekindle.com
Playing a matinee show in Denton this Sunday are The Royal Hounds. Composed of a fantastic guitarist, an upright slap bassist and drummer Nathan Place, who was born in Denton, The Royal Hounds have quickly made a name for themselves on the crowded Nashville music scene. The band stands out with wild showmanship, stage tricks and quirky original songs, so it’s worth showing up early for The Royal Hounds.
Blanky
7 p.m., Rubber Gloves, 411 E. Sycamore St., Denton. $10 at the door
Are you ready for another double shot at Rubber Gloves? This Sunday, the beloved Denton performance space is not letting your weekend pass by without cramming in as much live music as possible. On the night’s first stage, the venue welcomes Blanky, a countrygaze band from Lawrence, Kansas. Elnuh from San Antonio and local acts Skimp and Big Head will be there to keep things on the chaotic side of mellow.
Cannibal Boom
8 p.m., Rubber Gloves, 411 E. Sycamore St., Denton. $10 at the door
On the mellow side of chaos is Rubber Gloves’ second show of Sunday night with headliner Cannibal Boom. The gothwave act from Baltimore has been making unsettling experimental music for over 15 years, growing more haunting with each passing year. Cannibal Boom will have opening support from three of Denton’s finest: stoner noise rock band Flesh Narc, indie rock band Answering Machines and soul-punk band Dirty Dan and the Basketball Boys.
