All I Got: The Best of The Week

Santigold, Photo: Laura June Kersh

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Houston again with the FPSF lineup out and hordes of shows rolling through town.  This week is just as stacked as last week, where bands will add Houston to their SXSW plans.  Even acts like Santigold, pictured above will be here.  Houston, here’s how to navigate your week.

Wednesday you can begin over at Satellite Bar for a night full of bands on the Lollipop/Burger Records SXSW Caravan.  Headlined by the garage rock sounds of Nashville’s Thelma and The Sleaze, this is a crazy show.  Sets from the pop psych of Friendly Males, the power pop of Janelane, and the lo-fi hip hop pop of Rudy De Anda will take place.  While sets from the electro garage pop of Max Pain and the Groovies, the garage rock of Germany’s ZHOD, and the surf pop of Miami’s Plastic Pinks will all perform as well.  The all ages show has doors at 5:00 and a $5.00 cover.

If you’d rather bang your head then you could go to House of Blues, when the death metal of New York’s Cannibal Corpse comes to town.  To quote one critic when describing the band’s sound, “if vomit were a movie, this would be the soundtrack.”  They’ve been at this for a long time, and their latest release “A Skeletal Domain” from two years ago keeps the creepiness coming.  The break neck speed of Florida’s Obituary will be on hand as direct support, while Canada’s Cryptopsy will go on beforehand.  LA’s Abysmal Dawn will open the all ages show with doors at 6:30 and tickets for $25.00.

At MKT Bar you can check out the DJ skills of Elaine Dillard from The Orange Show.  Okay, so that’s not all that she does, in fact if you liked the volunteers at Day For Night, then she’s who you thank for their services.  I don’t know how much DJ’ing she does in her free time, but these shows are always good ways for you to meet who’s behind the scenes of many of your favorite events and venues around town.  The all ages event runs from 7:00 to 10:00 and it’s 100% FREE.

Rudyard’s will host the acoustic folk jam pop of Frants.  This band is like a party where everyone picked up an instrument and joined while someone’s sister sang atop it all.  They’re pretty underrated and an act you should see sooner than later.  David Dondero of San Francisco will be on hand as direct support, and will bring his folk troubadour sounds to life.  This guy has been making tunes for over twenty years, and his latest “Golden Hits, Vol. 1” is pretty amazing while he sounds like Conor Oberst wishes he sounded like  Buxton front man and recently wed song slinger, Sergio Trevino will bring his magical solo set on as opener.  The 21 & up show has doors at 8:00 and tickets for $8.00.

Histo, Photo: Hipporacle

Boulevardier & The Commoner will get taken over for another edition of the Skin In The Game series, this time to be headlined by Histo.  The Houston native and now Baltimore resident dropped a fire ass release last year with “Yung Space Cadet,” and his sets are always a game events.  He’ll have the dreamy synth wizardry of Hiram on beforehand.  Hiram seems to be dropping a new track on the weekly lately, he opened for Diplo at the 2024 FPSF after party, and his Heuristic Collective is a next level compilation.  The toy piano infused electronica of NYC’s Alexa Dexa will also be on the bill, and she’s an act you have to check out.  Last year she dropped the album, “Year of Abandon” and showed off her eclectic style.  The show will also see sets from Eroda One, Bobby Earth, Duro Spliff, MLCBR, Ty Tripp and many more.  The 21 & up show has doors at 9:00 and it’s 100% FREE.

Thursday is St Patty’s Day, and it feels like Mucky Duck is the one venue who sees it as a national holiday, so you can begin over there for their all day celebration.  Fish & chips, beef Guinness, shepherd’s pie, corned beef & cabbage will be served all day alongside plenty of beer for their St Patty’s Day Celebration.  Traditional Irish tunes from Piper Jones Band, Milkdrive, Clandestine, Jiggernaut, the Irish Session Players, and Martin Burniston’s Irish Singalong will be joined by the O’Maoileidigh Irish Dancers.  Comic Jim Mackenzie will serve as host and master of ceremonies for the family friendly event with doors at 11:00 am and tickets between $20.00 and $22.00.

Coheed and Cambria, Photo:David Gleave

If that’s not your thing then you could head to Revention Center for the prog rock of New York’s Coheed and Cambria.  These guys aren’t really my bag, but I will say that I saw them years back and they were tight in a live setting.  They’ll be here in support of their latest, last year’s “The Color Before The Sun.”  The hardcore prog of Glassjaw will be on as direct support, while San Francisco’s I The Mighty will go on prior.  Things will get opened by the alt metal of Mike Trujillo’s new band, Silver Snakes.  The all ages show has doors at 7:00 and tickets between $30.00 and $39.50.

Satellite Bar will host the pop punk of Houston’s Four Letter Language.  These guys play a mix of pop punk and second wave emo, and their latest release, this year’s “There’s Nowhere You Have To Be” is catchy and pretty damn good.  Brooklyn’s Eli Whitney & The Sound Machine will bring their pop punk meets folk rock to the bill, while the female lead blues punk of New York’s Freya Wilcox & The Howl will go on beforehand.  Houston’s garage rock indie pop act, Golden Sombrero will give these bands a run for their money when they perform tracks from last year’s “Replacement Level.”  These guys are impressive live and they’re an act you need to catch sooner than later.  Bottom of the Food Chain will open the all ages show with doors at 7:00 and a $5.00 cover.

Nightingale Room will host a set from Houston’s Adam Bricks.  Bricks is getting ready to drop a new album, of which I’ve already seen the cover art for, and I’m told that it’s a mix of his old stuff with some newer sounds as well.  Until it drops, you’ll just have to settle for jamming 2024’s “City Songs.”  A set from the multiversed and multitalented The Mighty Orq will go on prior.  This guy might very well be the most underrated performer in Houston, and his 2024 album “To The Bone” is full of lush tones and thick melodies.  The 21 & up show has doors at 7:00 and it’s 100% FREE.

Notsuoh will host a set from Atlanta psych rockers, CHEW.  These guys are about as trippy as psych gets, as their most recent jame “Melt” sounds like what mixing LSD and Special K must feel like.  The guy girl punk synth psych duo of Berlin’s The Fever will go on prior.  Their latest EP “Stripped Down” from this year is pretty impressive, and should be interesting to see live.  The throwback pysch of the woodlands’ Cosmic Bug Loaf is also set to perform, as will the tripped out psych of Disfrutalo!.  Houston’s Ganesha opens the 21 & up show with doors at 8:30 and it’s 100% FREE.

You can get your laugh on at Beta Theater for their in house improv team, MAX.  I caught this group and I’d be lying if I said that it wasn’t the best improv I’ve seen outside of Second City.  Funny, quick, and insightful are just a couple of words I’d use to describe them.  The 18 & up show has doors at 9:00 and as always, it’s a pay what you can cover.

Friday you can get the weekend going when For The Community 11 gets going.  The long running show/fest has been doing these free shows for a long time, and this year they went hard with the lineup.  Japan’s Otonana Trio, B L A C K I E, NOLA’s Paper Bison, and many more will be joined by locals like Muddy Belle, FLCON FCKER, Jody Seabody & the Whirls, Vox Vocis, Carpet & the Drapes, and so so many more.  The event runs the 18th & 19th, it’s all ages, and it takes place at Last Concert Cafe & Eastdown Warehouse.  The doors are at 4:00 and it’s 100% FREE.  More details are available here.

At Bohemeo’s you can attend the Spring Magic Art Market.  The event will feature special brews from Kickin’ Kombucha, poems for barter, trade, or sale from Traci Lavois Thiebaud, and live sets from some unnamed local bands.  There’s also Build Your Own set ups and ice cream from Chocolate Wasted and tons of local crafts from Kismet Boutique.  More information is available here.  The 100% FREE event runs from 5:00 to 10:00, there’s an after party to follow, and it’s all ages.  

Vacation, Photo: Hillary Jones

Later on, Satellite Bar will host the pop punk of Ohio’s Vacation.  Vacation sounds like they took eighties riffs, sixties recording technology, and the pop of the nineties to craft last year’s “Non-Person.”  The eighties infused indie rock of Houston’s Jealous Creatures will go on as direct support, and should bring songs from last year’s “The Night Goes On For Days” to life with their on point live set.  The indie post-country of Chicago’s Ratboys will go on beforehand, while the impressive third wave emocore of Houston’s football, etc. will go on prior.  The Michigan emo of The Cardboard Swords will perform on the bill as well, and the emo punk of North Carolina’s Sinai Vessel will open things up.  This is a killer bill that is one of those where you really shouldn’t miss out on.  The all ages show has doors at 7:30 and tickets between $6.00 and $8.00.

Warehouse Live will host the legendary metal band, Pentagram.  These guys have been going hard since 1971 without any signs of slowing down.  Though their album “Relentless” is my favorite, they’ve been steadily releasing material since.  Their latest, last year’s “Curious Volume” keeps their chops on point.  The heavier psych rock of Mississippi’s Mondo Drag will be on as direct support and Detroit’s Against The Grain will open things up.  Get there early as I hear nothing but great things about Against The Grain, who often get called a faster version of Motorhead.  The all ages show in the studio has doors at 8:00 and tickets for $20.00.

Slow Meadow, Photo: Courtesy of Artist

Fitzgerald’s will have the soulful electro pop of Philly’s Vita and The Woolf.  The two piece has might quite the name for themselves with their blend of soulful vocals and electronic indie pop.  Their latest release, is a single from this year called “Brett,” but you might get them more by hearing their 2024 album, “Fang Sang,” which is as beautiful as it is catchy.  The indie folk pop of Baltimore’s Super City will be on as direct support.  This five piece makes eclectic jams, and their latest album, “Again Weekend” from 2024 is pretty intriguing.  Possibly the most underrated artist in Houston, Slow Meadow will open things up.  This guy creates ambient music that’s composed and intense, while beautiful and enjoyable at the same time.  His latest release is last year’s “Slow Meadow,” and it’s a mix of beauty and intensity.  This is a great bill downstairs with doors at 8:00 and tickets for $10.00 for the all ages show.  

The metal and d beat punk mixture of Austin’s The Blood Royale will be over at Rudyard’s.  These guys are like old Venom mixed with hints of Discharge, which you can hear from them here.  However, the list of locals opening are more engaging on this show.  The black metal of Houston’s Peasant will be on as direct support, while the d beat metal of Houston’s God Fearing Fuck will be on prior.  The speed metal trash of Mastema (formerly Legion) will be on hand as well.  The all ages show has doors at 9:00 and a $10.00 cover.

If you’d rather get your laugh on, then you could make it to Beta Theater for another edition of Stalk Show, this time featuring Gabe Bravo.  In a talk show format, the two hosts, Hoja Lopez and Stacey Daniels and Joe Folladori go to great lengths to dig up funny tidbits from the guest’s life.  I hear they go so far as to call your mom if they have to.  With Gabe being the guest this time, they might bring up some factoids that none of us ever knew, which should ultimately be hilarious.  If you’re feeling randy, you can stick around for Mom’s Basement Dance Party, which is like when your mom left town, but there’s also a dedicated makeout room.  Both shows are pay what you can, Stalk show gets going around 9:00, and it’s an 18 & up BYOB affair.

Boondocks will have another edition of A Really Kool Party, this time with Houston’s Hiram returning to the decks for one night only under his old name, Yung Slutty.  What’s that mean?  It means that jams about pizza and sex will culminate around the producer’s set, and he might also eat a slice while he performs.  Navo from Bombon will also drop a set, as will Soul One, and everyone’s favorite Angiesliste.  This should be a fun show as always that gets everyone groovin.  The 21 & up event gets going with doors at 10:00 & it’s 100% FREE.  

Saturday you could begin at Discovery Green for another Green Flea by Night market.  There’s plenty to see and do at this open air market full of local vendors and things to try, eat, and purchase,  It’s all ages, it runs from 6:00 to 10:00, and it’s 100% FREE.

If you’re a fan of metalcore, then you could head to Scout Bar for Ohio’s The Devil Wears Prada.  They’re here in support of last year’s EP, “Space.”  Arizona’s The Word Alive will be on as direct support, and the christian metalcore of Dallas’ Fit For A King will open the all ages show with doors at 6:00 and tickets between $20.00 and $25.00.

Kemo For Emo, Photo: Kim Garcia

Satellite Bar will be hosting the high energy rock of Japan’s Mugen Huso.  These guys call themselves punk, but they’re closer to early punk than current punk.  The two piece plays hard though, and even their latest release, last year’s “Hana Ichi Monme” doesn’t showcase their energy.  The fuzzy pop punk of Baytown’s The Drafted will be on as direct support.  These guys have chunkier riffs than most pop punk bands, and their Bernie Sanders themed single, “Let ‘em Feel the Burn” is pretty legit.  The bizarre and trippy garage psych of Houston’s Bernie Pink will also be on the bill, as will the crazed and melodic punk of Houston’s Something Fierce.  Houston’s Kemo For Emo will bring the pop punk vibes as opener for the show.  I have to say that as far as pop punk albums go, these guys’ latest album, “A Picture Perfect Romance” might be one of the best I’ve heard in as long as I can remember.  The all ages show has doors at 7:30 and a paltry $6.00 cover.  

If you’re a fan of Bob Schneider, then you can catch the talented performer at Mucky Duck outside under a really big tent.  Schneider is a hell of a performer, he’s pretty generous to his fans when he plays, and last year’s “King Kong Vol. 3” showed how diverse he is as an artist.  The 21 & up show has doors at 7:30 and tickets between $28.00 and $30.00.

Walters will have a barn burner when they have Houston’s Sik Mule bring their bluesy tone to the masses.  These guys know how to bring a mix of energy and thick guitar tone when they play, and they’re a band you should see sooner than later.  College Station’s Corusco will be on as direct support, while College Station’s Odd Folks will bring their alt indie rock on as opener.  The 21 & up show has doors at 8:30 and a $5.00 cover.

The crazed metalcore of New York’s Bleak will be headlining over at Black Barbie.  These guys kind of scare me, so they could be really entertaining.  The doom metal of Baton Rouge’s Christworm will be on as direct support, and Houston’s Thundertank will bring their thrash metal sounds on beforehand.  Vulgarnaut is also set to perform, while the pedal heavy space rock of Houston’s Sleeperdrone will open the all ages show with doors at 9:00 and a TBA cover.

You could make it over to ComedySportz to catch a show that’s been getting plenty of buzz lately, The Lion King Unscripted.  Basically, the show morphs the classic animated tale into a show where improv performers make it whatever you want or possibly what they want.  These unscripted shows are the only “adult” shows that I know of from the club, but from what I hear they’re pretty hilarious.  The 18 & up show has doors at 10:00 and tickets for $14.00.

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NOFX, Photo: Courtesy of Artist

Sunday you could get going with a set from NOFX at House of Blues.  For a long time it felt like these guys reached their peak with 1994’s “Punk In Drublic,” as far as songwriting goes.  Even though I’m more partial to 1992’s “White Trash Two Heebs and a Bean,” I’ll say that their latest album “Home Street Home: Original Songs From The Shit Musical” feels like a return to form.  After catching them at Fun Fun Fun last year, I can tell you that they’re still a force to see live. California’s Unwritten Law will be on as direct support, while Houston’s Fenix TX will go on prior.  I think if you don’t know the pop punk of Fenix TX, then you’re probably younger, but they’re pretty solid.  Their billing here shocked me as their last release was 2024’s “Lechuza.”  San Francisco’s toyGuitar will bring their indie pop on before, and they kind of sound like a poppier version of The Strokes.  The Southern California styled punk of New Jersey’s Night Birds will also perform, and will probably blow everyone else off the stage.  Their latest album, last year’s “Mutiny At Muscle Beach” is fast and furious with plenty of old school punk sounds.  The melodic punk of Chicago’s That Lying Bitch will go on after Houston’s The Turnaways and Kemo For Emo open the all ages show with doors at 2:00 and tickets between $29.50 and $35.00.

Over at Vinal Edge, you could catch a set from Germany’s Ian Fisher.  Though he was only born in Germany and raised in St Louis, his alt country sound is pretty infectious.  He’s kind of like if Jay Bennett performed the songs of Jay Farrar, but with softer vocals.  His new album, “Nero” is really amazing, and he should put on a good set.  The all ages show starts around 3:00, there’s gratis 8th Wonder beer for the adults, and it’s 100% FREE.

If you were amped to see Les Butcherettes at Rudyard’s, the show has since been cancelled, which feels like a reoccurring theme for that band.

Summer Twins, Photo: Joy Newell

Satellite Bar will be bringing the pop punk of Chicago’s The Linden Method to town.  I have to say that I liked how these guys sounded like adult pop punk and now pop crap pop punk.  Their last record was 2024’s “Falling Short,” and they could be pretty awesome to see live.  The dream pop rock of California duo, Summer Twins will be on as direct support.  These two have been on my radar for a good while now, and I’m elated that they’ll be here.  Their last album, “Limbo” from last year is pretty awesome, and they should be on point when they perform.  The pop punk of Houston’s Anything Goes will also be on this show, and KC’s Airport Novels will bring their pop punk on prior.  Houston’s Fat Mannequin will bring their punk on the bill as openers.  The all ages show has doors at 8:30 and a $5.00 cover.

Monday if you had planned to catch Underoath at Warehouse Live, the show has since sold out.  If you’re going, the doors are at 6:30.

Continental Club will be bringing a rock solid show in on Monday, when they host Jesse Dayton.  Dayton has been making the rounds through Texas for a long time, his latest “Tall Texas Tales 15th Anniversary Deluxe Edition” still holds up, and his live shows are always entertaining.  The best rockabilly/psychobilly band ever, Supersuckers.  Last year these guys upped their game when they dropped “Holdin’ The Bag.” The album showed growth, features with Hayes Carll and Lydia Loveless, and was a return to form for the band.  Besides that, their live shows are always amazing.  Burger Records’ Thelma and the Sleaze will open the 21 & up show with doors at 7:00 and a $10.00 cover.

Leikeli47, Photo: Courtesy of Artist

House of Blues will host the popular punk reggae electro grime pop of Santigold.  Granted, that’s a lot of genres to explain an artist, but the Philly born artist seems to incorporate all of that and more in her tunes.  If you’ve never seen her, I’ll just say that she’s pretty electric, and this year’s “99 Cents” keeps that electricity flowing.  New York’s intense and diverse Leikeli47 will be on as direct support and opener.  If you’ve never heard this woman before, watch out.  Her 2024 album “Leikeli47” sounds like the future mixed with anti-terrorism chants and sick beats.  The all ages show has doors at 7:00 and tickets between $27.50 and $35.00.

Raven Tower will have LA’s electronica and live instrumentation of Autolux.  This band is a trip that sounds like hints of chaos and shoegaze having an argument.  Their latest, a single from last year called “Change My Head” is as strange as it is beautiful.  Former Mars Volta member, brother to Omar Lopez, and now crazed beat producer Eureka The Butcher will be on as direct support and opener.  This guy dropped an album in 2024 called “Music For Mothers,” then basically didn’t start touring until last year.  I saw him when he was here last year and it was pretty legit.  The all ages show has doors at 7:00 and is 100% FREE.

Good English, Photo: Courtesy of Artist/Facebook

Female punk three piece from NYC, Surfbort will bring their chaotic sounds to Satellite Bar.  They play fuzz punk that’s also catchy but not really pop punk.  Their latest, a four song 7” called “Surfbort 7”,” is pretty tight.  Dayton Ohio’s sisterly rock three piece, Good English will be on as direct support.  These three remind me of the Breeders if they ever played Cramps songs, cause this band plays hard.  Their new album, this year’s “Good English” is pretty awesome and they’re rumored to be a force to see live.  The punk rock of Houston’s Pink Eye will go on before, and the post hardcore sounds of New York’s Wild Pink will be on as well.  Houston emo core act, Since Always will open the all ages show with doors at 7:00 and a $5.00 cover.

Walters will be bringing in the bizarre and tripped out psych meets free form electro jazz of Chicago’s Crown Larks.  The word on this band is that no two shows are the same, which is pretty amazing to hear,  Their latest release, last year’s “Blood Dancer” is like if you got Miles Davis and Daniel Johnston together to cover songs by Roky Erickson.  The always strange and completely different sounds of Houston’s Ak’chamel will be direct support and opener.  These guys are sometimes a two piece and sometimes a five piece.  Sometimes they wear costumes, sometimes they play on the floor…but no matter what, they’ve always been engaging and unpredictable, which makes them amazing.  Their new album “The Man Who Drank God” is as fantastic as all of their work.  The all ages show has doors at 8:00 and tickets between $7.00 and $10.00.

Tuesday if you really want to get nostalgic, then you can head to Revention Center to catch a set from Deftones.  So, I was shocked at how good these guys were at FPSF 2024, so I can attest to their strengths as a live act.  Though they were never my thing, they’ll be here in support of their latest single, this year’s “Prayers/Triangles.”  Cult Leader, featuring three members of the grindcore band Gaza will be on as opener and direct support.  By the sounds of their album, “Lightless Walk” from last year, Deftones might have to work hard to top this band’s intensity.  The all ages show has doors at 8:00 and tickets between $35.00 and $45.00.

That’s really about all that’s happening in a stacked week.  No matter what you decide to do or where you decide to go, please do it in the safest and most adult way possible.

by David Garrick