Locals Only

A A A Comments (1) By Chris Gray Wednesday, Jul 23 2008

Be wise and show up to the Hootenanny sequel early enough to get in.

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Two Star Symphony gets around. The Houston avant-classical quartet has a couple of interesting collaborations on the books: the "Synesthesia" sound-and-light show with director Matthew Schlief next month at Rice University, and an original version of Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus with the Dominic Walsh Dance Theatre at Hobby Center in October. First, though, there's the Symphony's CD release for Love and Other Demons — featuring the spooky "Goblin Attack," selections from the "Emerging_II" Walsh collaboration and toy-piano duet "Ice Cream Man" — with Austin oddballs Opposite Day and the Invincible Czars (Friday, Rudyard's). Across town, native Houstonian saxophonist Kirk Whalum and South African guitarist Jonathan Butler find the common ground between gospel and jazz (Friday, Arena Theater).

One good turn deserves another, so after the runaway success of January's local-band cover-set Hootenanny! marathon, a sequel was inevitable. Well, it's here, with American Sharks as the Cars, Buxton as Björk, Custom Drinker (Marshall Preddy of Bright Men of Learning) as Rod Stewart, Flowers to Hide as the Cure, the Kimonos as Blondie, Paris Falls as Rush (yes!), Sharks and Sailors as the Police, Tody Castillo and Friends as Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Welfare Mothers as Johnny Cash and Wild Moccasins as the B-52's. Bear in mind the promoters had to turn people away last time, and doors are at 8 p.m. sharp (Saturday, the Mink).

Elsewhere, find out if a solo acoustic setting will take some of the yee-haw out of Texas country star Cory Morrow's sails (Saturday, Mucky Duck) or two-step around the CD racks to Houston honky-tonk queen Miss Leslie (Saturday, Cactus Music, 3:30 p.m.). Finally, art-punks Heist at Hand, fronted by scream-queen Bianca Montalvo, do some charity work and preview their new album at the ongoing no-cover series (Boondocks, Monday), while Antarctica Starts Here heads for deep inner space with Giants and Weavers of the Loom (Bohemeo's, Tuesday).