Jessica Waffles
Audio By Carbonatix
Tuesday, Nov. 21
Zounds Sounds 18th Anniversary Show & Party
5 p.m., Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave. $18 at prekindle.com
For those who don’t know, Zounds Sounds is a collaborative group of performers, composers, educators and producers who offer guitar, bass, drum, voice and piano lessons as well as a band program. In celebration of its 18th anniversary, Zounds Sounds will host a showcase, bringing together students, teachers and families that have been a part of the music school’s history. Proceeds from the show will benefit the 501(c)3, Way Into Music, which is run by Zounds Sounds owners Marc Aaron Solomon and Amy Curnow.
Faster Pussycat
7 p.m., Lava Cantina, 5805 Grandscape Blvd., The Colony. $15 at eventbrite
Deriving its name from the 1965 Russ Meyer film Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, glam metal band Faster Pussycat was formed in Los Angeles in 1985 at the height of the hair metal era. The band signed with Elektra Records in 1987, the same year it was featured in the essential documentary film on the LA glam metal scene, The Decline of Western Civilization part 2 – The Metal Years. The band released three albums before breaking up in 1993, but it reunited in 2001 and has been writing, recording and touring ever since.
Wednesday, Nov. 22
Psychic Love Child
7 p.m., Andy’s Bar, 122 N. Locust St., Denton. $10 at prekindle.com
Andy’s Bar in Denton will put on a little Friendsgiving event with a few local bands, providing a perfect place to hide if you’re already sick of your family. The night will bring performances from four bands: Dallas psychedelic rock band Psychic Love Child, Denton post-rock band Final Broadcast, Denton indie-rock band Mayhill and Dallas lo-fi rock band Steven Leftovers.
Frankie J Reinke’s Grown Adult Men
9 p.m., Dan’s Silverleaf, 103 N. Industrial St., Denton. $7 at prekindle.com
Just last week, Frankie J Reinke’s Grown Adult Men released its second single, “Goodbye Forever,” a follow-up to last December’s “Drawing Blanks.” With just two singles to go by, it’s difficult to get too deep into descriptions, but both give the impression that this is a band that is serious about not taking itself too seriously. The songs are raucous jams too slow to be cowpunk, but too fast to be neatly tucked into the neat little genre of Americana. The night will also offer a performance from Denton folk singer Levi Cobb.
RNB Series Vol. 3
9 p.m., Ridglea Theatre, 6025 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth. $15 at eventbrite.com
If you’re looking for a little hip-hop and R&B going into Thanksgiving, look no further than the RNB Series in Fort Worth. The third installation in the series will include performances from Fort Worth singer Trinsetta Music, Shreveport’s Yarami (formerly known as Ryan LaCour), R&B singer Nitae and hip-hop artist Trevv Jean. Tickets for the event are $15 in advance and $20 on the day of the show (which will still be worth it for this kind of up-and-coming talent).
Friday, Nov. 24
Maya Piata
7 p.m., Plaza at Toyota Music Factory, 316 W. Las Colinas Blvd., Irving. Free
A soul singer and songwriter based in Dallas, Maya Piata will give a free show on the plaza outside of Toyota Music Factory on the day after Thanksgiving. Piata draws from her varied background to create a unique blend of sounds from her hometown, New Orleans, as well as her New Zealand roots. The result is music that can be classified as something between calypso and Afrobeat, with Piata’s alluring voice as the star attraction. The singer released her latest single, “Take Me Up,” with Dallas producer Aves Noir at the end of October.
Mad Mexicans
8 p.m., Trees, 2709 Elm St. Free
Celebrating 20 years of music in Dallas this week is Mad Mexicans. The Latino rock ensemble sings in both English and Spanish and draws musical inspiration from Mexican music and heavy metal. When you combine the two influences, the musical output is something akin to nü metal with its heavy riffs and fast lyrics. That’s not to say that Mad Mexicans is a nü metal band, but given the era when it was founded, that label tracks better than any other. Opening for this free show at Trees is Jonathan Jeter & The Revelators.
Saturday, Nov. 25
Starfruit
8 p.m., Rubber Gloves, 411 E. Sycamore St., Denton. $10 at prekindle.com
Dallas band Starfruit is an ensemble formed in 2016 by frontperson Ava W Boehme. The ensemble fluctuates in size and sound, performing with anywhere from five to 10 members. The band’s shows are known for being high-energy and adventurous. The band will celebrate its new release, Be Begin Beginning Begging, which Boehme started working on in 2020 when the pandemic canceled its first national tour. It reflects on life’s perpetual journey of growing and becoming, without ever arriving. Opening for Starfruit are TC Superstar and Totally Cherry.
Electrik Ants
9 p.m., Double Wide, 3510 Commerce St. $12 at prekindle.com
Taking its name from a Philip K. Dick short story, “The Electric Ant,” Electrik Ants is what would happen if you took the innovation of Gorillaz, mixed it with the the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ ability to get the party started and sent it to space on a ship piloted by Tame Impala. This is a group that is looking to take its audience on a trip filled with sights, sounds and saxophone solos. The band will play with Dallas funk-rock stalwarts Chilldren of Indigo as well as newcomers Cllctv Mnds and Black Mugen.
Sunday, Nov. 26
Wild Party
8 p.m., Sundown at Granada, 3520 Greenville Ave. $18 at prekindle.com
San Antonio’s Wild Party makes the kind of music that you would expect to be coming out of the Pitchfork-blessed clubs of Chicago, fusing together thick guitar sounds with dance beats. In 2013, the band released the epic album Phantom Pop, which really should have been topping the charts, but instead managed only to crack into the iTunes Top 100 Downloads for the single “When I Get Older.” In February of this year, the band finally released the follow-up EP, Get Up. While the EP is not as guitar-driven as Phantom Pop, the band’s ability to craft compelling pop lyrics has not changed.
Dead Groove
8 p.m., Trees, 2709 Elm St. Free
LA hard rock trio Dead Groove has made a name for itself with its three-part harmonies, classic riffs and catchy melodies. The band’s self-titled debut, released in March, is filled with classic rock tropes like satellites, fast cars and never-ending journeys into the unknown. For all the nostalgia the band taps into, there is still something fresh and original about a band that is rebelling against the current state of music by drawing from its recent past. Dead Groove will have local support from blues-rock acts Kül and Bull By The Horn.
