"Hey, baby," X, Dave Alvin and Robert Earl Keen have all sung. "It's the Fourth of July." Wow, already? Instead of sitting on the stairs smoking a cigarette alone (nice image, John Doe), why not check out some music? Assuming you're recovered from this morning's Geto Boys video onslaught, here comes Round 2.

Tonight at Sammie's on Main (the one under the Pierce Elevated), Austin's Skyrocket! always gets 'em out on the dance floor with this song. How could they not? Ordered your Mamma Mia! advance tickets yet?

There's always Academy of Country Music Album of the Year winner (for last year's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) Miranda Lambert at Chevy's Freedom Over Texas free concert at Eleanor Tinsley Park downtown, with Sara Evans and Jo Dee Messina. Here's Lambert's first Top 10 hit, "Gunpowder & Lead" Remember kids, smoking kills, but not nearly as quickly as that .12-gauge...

Preceding Lambert is Houston's own Karina Nistal. Here she is rocking Numbers' block at April's Westheimer Street Fest...

But wait, there's more!

Moving on to Willie Nelson's Picnic Saturday at Sam Houston Race Park, here's Merle Haggard with a little number called "Mama Tried"...

...and David Allan Coe (sort of) with a familiar honky-tonk complaint...

...and Billy Joe Shaver, live at Midnight Rodeo in Austin, discussing his pre-Picnic travels:

Industrial agents 16 Volt stalk the Scout Bar in Clear Lake Saturday. Here's "Skin":

The Black Dahlia Murder ("Statutory Ape") headlines Hot Topic's "Summer Slaughter Tour" at Meridian Saturday. Simian!

Finally, back at the racetrack, a tiny little endeavor called the Vans Warped Tour comes calling Sunday. Here's naughty girl Katy Perry...

... and nice guys Against Me!:

Well, that's it. Happy Independence Day weekend! - Chris Gray