The Vulgarians
Best Alternative Rock
Vulgarians mistress of the dark Michelle Glaw is a one-woman underground media empire. When she's not fronting this punkish-art rock project, she's publishing a 'zine, designing costumes or writing material like "I'm a Vulga, you're a Vulga, we're the Vulgarians, and if you mess with us, we'll drink your pus." She's just kidding, we think. -- J.N.L.
The Vulgarians perform at 4 p.m. at The Hub. Westbury Squares
Best Rock/Pop
The first time you saw these guys, they were wedged into an early spot on a Friday-night bill at Rudyard's a year or so ago. Your initial thought, as they stared meaningfully at their grubby sneakers, was "Eh, just another bunch of mopey indie-rock boys with a bad case of hipatitis...but the music's not too bad." Fast-forward to the present, and the only band you remember from that night is these guys. Except now there's a girl (Erica Scandalous, formerly of Spain Colored Orange) in the mix, and she's added just the right flavor of sweet poppiness to make the mood a little lighter. Composed of former members of Rubbur and the Jinkies, the Westbury Squares bring a sort of mod sensibility to the contemporary indie-rock sound, and are a favorite among their local peers and college-rock hipsters. -- M.H.
The Westbury Squares perform at 8 p.m. at Spy (downstairs).
Carolyn Wonderland
Best Female Vocalist
First the good news: The buzz is Ron Howard's production company will film a documentary on Wonderland's appearances at the Sturgis Rally. She's played the monster motorcycle gathering for seven years, and now opens its big stage show. Also, Wonderland's new album, Alcohol and Salvation, is studio-cut and due out in August. Now the bad news: Unfortunately, Wonderland is now an official Austin resident. The move has enabled her to write with folks like Guy Forsyth and Ian Moore. After winning every major Houston rock and blues award for the past several years, she probably needed a new challenge. Maybe we should retire her jersey. -- A.H.
Carolyn Wonderland performs at 9 p.m. at Spy (downstairs).
Dropkick Chihuahuas
Details
Related Content
More About
Arthur Yoria
Best New Act
Talented Lavendula songwriter Arthur Yoria, now recording under his own name, writes soulful tunes that also happen to be the catchiest alt-radio-friendly gems you've ever heard. Expressive vocals, solid hooks and soothing choruses form the basis of Yoria's self-produced, self-titled EP. As Lavendula, he received a Musician magazine nomination as "One of the Best Unsigned Bands in the United States" and was voted Houston's Best Singer/Songwriter in the 1998 Public News readers' poll. Lately, frequent gigging has generated a buzz around town. -- S.C.
Arthur Yoria performs at 5 p.m. at BAR Houston.
Norma Zenteno
Best Tejano/Latin
Raised By Wolves is Zenteno's rock band. The Norma Zenteno Band is her Latin jazz ensemble. The Roberto Zenteno Orchestra is her big-band, salsa, merengue and cumbia vehicle. Which means that on any given day of the week, you're likely to hear Zenteno somewhere in Houston doing something different from what she does elsewhere. That's why Zenteno has won every major Houston Latin music award throughout the '90s. She is one of the city's longest-running unsigned artists, but local audiences don't care about record labels. They know that when Zenteno is singing, you can expect to hear one the best female vocalists in town, no matter the genre or language. -- A.H.
Norma Zenteno performs at 9 p.m. at The Mercury Room.
Zydeco Dots
Best Zydeco
Hardly a week goes by that this band isn't performing at some festival or function. You name it, and these guys will be there: Mr. A's in the Fifth Ward, Pappadeaux's, Sam Houston Race Park, Family Fun Day in MacGregor Park, Jax Bar and Grill...Such diverse gigging allows folks of all ages to check out the Dots, but this band has its work cut out for itself. While zydeco acts come in and out of H-town, this unit has worked hard to establish itself as the city's defining group. Luckily it has the skills to back up this rep. With the tall, skinny Leon Sam out front on accordion, the Dots tackle both standards and originals. As Sam's cool voice leads the way, the remaining Dots provide a confident pulse, particularly cool washboard player Mike Vee. It's a timeless noise executed with a rare balance of fun and professionalism, making every performance a party worth revisiting. -- M.E.
The Zydeco Dots perform at 8 p.m. at The Mercury Room.
