Plan your weekend well and you could have yourself a stellar, varied slew of music performances to take in this weekend. Here's a head start.
Dove Hunter, Calhoun 10 p.m. Friday, March 28, The Barley House
I'm making a beeline to The Barley House tonight to catch this show. I'm sure the bands on the bill won't mind if you join me. Calhoun's nice, yes, but I'll be there specifically for Dove Hunter, who--I just figured this out--sounds like a more daring Rocco Deluca and The Burden to me. Join me in begging them to finish their record. There's strength in numbers.
Shooter Jennings, The Drams, Miles From Nowhere 9 p.m., Saturday, March 29, at the Granada Theater
Am I crazy or are Brent Best and The Drams playing gigs anywhere and everywhere lately? That's not a bad thing, necessarily. Just an observation. Anyway, tonight The Drams find themselves sharing a bill with country royalty offspring Shooter Jennings (you might know his pop, Waylon?). Call it alt-country, call it country rock, call it southern rock, call it whatever you want. This should be a fun time--if you're into beer and whiskey and good times and songs about beer and whiskey and good times. Uh, who isn't?
Yellowcard, The Spill Canvas, Secondhand Renegade, PlayRadioPlay!, Treat of Paris 9 p.m., Sunday, March 30, at The Granada Theater
I wouldn't blame you if you mistook Yellowcard for any of the other millions of pop-punk bands to break through onto radio in the early part of the decade in Blink-182's wake. But, c'mon, "Ocean Avenue" isn't the worst song you've ever heard, is it? Wait--don't answer that. It doesn't matter. Because the real reason this show is worth checking out is to see if Fort Worth's PlayRadioPlay!--you know, the kid with 5 million Myspace page views and a deal with Island Records--is worth all the fuss. We're interested in seeing how he handles the Granada's stage. But if you're just more into his sound and not into seeing if he has any stage jitters, you're better off just going to Good Records around 3 p.m. to catch his free in-store.
Corpse Show Creeps, Spector 45 8 p.m., Sunday, March 30, at Red Blood Club
So PlayRadioPlay!'s emo-rock is a little too girly-man-ish for you, tough guy? Alright, hotshot: Find a white tee and some jeans and head on over to the Red Blood Club to test your mettle. Beat your chest to the songs of Minneapolis' touring punkabilly act, Corpse Show Creeps. If, that is, you make it that far. The opening act, local punkabilly outfit Spector 45, could very well melt your face off first with its even grimier take on the genre.
You're gonna have such a kickass weekend. It's not even funny. -- Pete Freedman
