Hooray, music events are just starting to get back to normal and Indie Houston is kicking it of with this event. Errr, well, it more fell on their lap but good for them for gettin’ all scrappy and helping out the Caroline Collective folks in making this happen. Kicking things off at 7pm sharp will be the Wild Moccasins who we’ll be featuring in our November issue. If you have been under a cave for this past year, the Moccasins are pretty much ramping up to be the indie-pop band of this year with their clever catchy songs and fun shows. If you still have the post-Ike blues (and who doesn’t) this should be just what you need. There will be a screening of shorts by local filmmaker Michael Rodriguiez which, in turn, will be followed by a live stream of the presidential debates which Indie Houston hopes to see accompanied by some audience participation. Cool, I haven’t seen people shout at a screen since I saw Evil Dead II at a dollar theatre.

This show bums me out because I’m out of town on Saturday and it’s going to be great. Artstorm is bringing you some great art by Jon Read and Glen Gips (that’s John Read’s work on the right) and this is the opening. For those unawares, John Read is also the nutter behind the ever charming distorto dancy drum-machine fueled low-fi pop of The Wiggins. The shows are always fun but this one will give your eyes a treat as well as your ears. As if that wasn’t enough awesomeness, Hearts of Animals (who counts The Wiggins as an influence by the way) returns from her sabbatical. I’m hoping she’ll be playing some new songs from her upcoming CD on Artstorm records. Last but surely not least, the painfully talented and prolific Benjamin Wesley (Fucking Transmissions, Basses Leaded, etc. etc. etc.) opens. He’s the fucker who is totally ruining the bell curve for the rest of us.

Friday, September 26

Fired For Walking (EP release) / Bright Men of Learning / Novox / Mr. Castillo
@ Rudyard’s
Lookee there; it’s the debut EP release from local rockers Fired For Walking who carry the torch for 90’s indie rock. That would be a pretty cool thing in and of itself but the band has set up a pretty happily diverse bill. Bright Men Of Learning should pair lovely with that drink in your hand through a combination of Marshall Preddy’s whiskey strained vocals and one of the sharpest bands out there. Openers Novox are worth an early arrival. Just the other day I was at Skerret Street and heard the strains of this epic wave of notes swelling from the second floor that beckoned me like sirens. Thankfully I wasn’t called to my doom but to the Novox rehearsal space where Kyle Phillips greeted me with a “Hey, you need a beer?”

Sideshow Tramps / News on the March
@ Dan Electro’s Guitar Bar

The Sideshow Tramps are a Houston intuition specializing in fun high-energy shows of old timey music that bubble with a vigorous sass. They had some equipment stolen as a result of Hurricane Ike looters but you can’t keep a kick-ass band down. Opening will be the sparkling harmony and cello rich Indie County Pop of News On The March which will be just the musical hug you need after a hurricane.

Spiritualized/Grand Ole Party
@ The Meridian

Dude, I smoked a lot of dope to Spacemen 3 in university.

boy./listenlisten/Lenny Briscoe

@ The House of Booze

(901 Eleanor; BYOB; 8PM)

House Party Awesomeness!!!!

12 Annual Houston Grand Taiko Festival
@ Miller Outdoor Theatre (7PM)
(FRIDAY AND SATURDAY)
Big loud drums in the classic Japanese tradition plus that one skinny white dude who look like Elric. That dude is awesome!

Kristine Mills (in-store)
@ Cactus Music (6PM)
My Free St. Arnold’s Beer sense is tingling!

Robert Ellis
Live on KTRU’s Revelry Report (91.7fm)
Not sure which Robert Ellis this is as there are many on the web but hey it’s something to tune into on your way home.

Saturday, September 27

DSB (Japan), PLF and World Burns To Death
@ The White Swan
Hardcore show folks. Hit that circle pit, throw your fist in the air, and sweat it up with Japan’s DSB and the local Grindcore masters PLF who will be touring Europe for most of October and, BONUS, be featured in our October’s issue.

Carolyn Wonderland / The Hightailers
@ Dan Electro’s Guitar Bar
Man, remember when Carolyn Wonderland was ubiquitous in Houston? She’s been camping out in Austin for a while now.

Poor Dumb Bastards
@ Rudyard’s
I have two theories on Poor Dumb Bastards and Sarah Palin which is that they are either Palin’s worst nightmare or she secretly pleasures herself to naked images of Byron cavorting in his sweaty Texas manliness.

Insecticide / Temple of Wrath / Last Rosary / Coya
@ Walter’s on Washington
Metal Metal Metal! LA Thrash-tastic trio along with some bad-ass local metal will make all those hours you spent practicing your Dio devil sign in front of the mirror pay off. \m/

House Party With Rebel Crew
Joe B. / Suma / Illset / Swift / BMC / Karina / Kool B
@ Avant Garden
DJ’s at Avant Garden. I think that speaks for itself.

Opie Hendrix and the Texas Tallboys / Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band
@ The Continental Club
Get yr. Whiskey-drinkin’ pedalsteel washboard hootenanny Americana on at the Continental.

Azrael’s Bane (CD release)
@ F.B.I. Rock Club #1
If there is a CD release happens I mention it.

Sunday, September 28

The Calm Blue Sea / Caddywhompus / Come See My Dead Person
@ Notsuoh
Austin shoegazers Calm Blue Sea and the over-the-top high-energy gypsy romp of CSMDP should be quite the juxtaposition.

HBC National Disaster Relief Concert and Fundraiser, featuring Arride, Small Victory, Sun Machine, Darwins God, Osirus, Dine Alone, Bayou Monster, Spare Parts, Robin Kirby, Rhythm Circus, Dyslexic Crown, John Evans, & 71 Stars
@ Hard Rock Cafe (2PM-12AM)
Fundraiser. Err that’s the Houston Band Coalition not the HBC Bank.

Monday, September 29

listenlisten/Cory Derden
@ Boondocks
If the houseparty wasn’t enough of listenlisten’s quiet folksy melancholy, then this should do the trick.

Tuesday, September 30
Cola Freaks/Secret Prostitutes/The Caprolites
@ The Mink
Hi we are Cola Freaks! We are from Denmark we play…how you do say …high energy punky new wave. We thought Secret Prostitutes were hot when they were all Indonesian rockers. Now with Chris Ryan of Dead City Sound and Wulfie from No Talk they are even hotter. Caprolites once gave ADR shit. Denmark loves Skyline but it’s funny to see ADR catch shit at times.

The Black Keys
@ The Meridian
Akron Ohio’s favorite blues fired duo hits the Meridian! This should be a pretty freaking sweet show.

Mary Cutrufello
@ McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
Man, remember when Mary Cutrufello was ubiquitous in Houston? She’s been camping out in Austin for a while now. Deja vu!

Thursday, October 2

The Ooga Boogas/The Welfare Mothers/Gnaugahyde
@ Rudyard’s
Australia has been very welcoming of Houston bands over the years and in return the’ve thrown some pretty awesome trashy garage our way - the Ooga Boogas are squarely in that tradition. Check out this nice - if annoyingly brief except - on YouTube (Link). Throw in the ever brilliant garage-eers Welfare Mothers and you’ve got the making for a pretty top-shelf evening!

Yip Yip/Pataphysics/B L A C K I E/TENSE
@ The Mink (7PM)
I have bad nightmares about Yip Yip and they kind of look like this video (Link). Also on this bill willbe the ubiquitous and always brilliant B L A C K I E who will demonstrate his awesome powers behind the mic and the always nifty TENSE will open.

Throwrag /Roger Miret & The Disasters / Static Thought / Viva Hate / Hell City Kings
@ Walter’s on Washington
Kinda Garage kinda Rockabilly, California’s Throw Rag should be a good match for the hell-raising Hell City Kings.