John Lennon, "Starting Over"
Call Rocks Off crazy, but last week about this time - when I was frantically posting as many Ike & Tina Turner videos as I could find as the wind ominously picked up speed outside - seems about, as the Plimsouls said, a million miles away. It may be a little too soon yet, but the first weekend since the storm seems like a natural time for us to start thinking about moving on - or at least doing something to take our minds off all the recovery bullshit for a few hours.
Silver Jews, "Punks in the Beer Light"
Luckily, that's why the Good Lord made music. Cliched as it sounds, going without, even for a few short days, has given me a newfound appreciation for music and those who make it. Wednesday's Jana Hunter show felt like a progressive backyard party, and last night's Silver Jews show at Walter's was, in short, a revelation - maybe the best indie-rock show I've seen since the Hold Steady the same place in 2006.
Dr. Dog's bracing neo-classic rock that last wild Thursday night before the storm, also at Walter's, wasn't too shabby either. The Jews reminded me of David Bowie and Iggy Pop's late-'70s nocturnal Berlin shenanigans, with James McMurtry's keen ear for wordplay. A review should be along before too long; we'll see what our man stageside Troy Schulze thought.
Although some venues are still not open - namely the Continental Club, Big Top and the Mink, still without power - and just about every roadshow scheduled for this weekend has been either postponed or canceled, there is music going on this weekend. Click to see what's what.
There's a punk rock house show tonight at 7397 Ashcroft Dr. (near Bellaire), reports Eric Solomon of I Heart U Productions.
Warehouse Live will also be up and running Saturday for San Francisco latter-day blues-rockers New Monsoon. Austin jamgrass band Green Mountain Grass, comedian Jerry Wayne Longmire and acoustic funnymen Without a Face and Jeff Boortz. Doors open at 7 p.m.
Tawdry Hepburn
Over in the WHL studio, Houston folk-rockers Three Fantastic (above) headline a local/regional bill also featuring Paris Green, Austin bros Full Service, Run Run Run and Luna Halo.
Fitzgerald's is open, reports booking assistant Alicia Swaby, with Irene, Angels & Outlaws, Starlit Summer and Out of Reach tonight, and Scarcella 31, Nickel 98, the Blue Poptarts, Plans For Promnight and the Fallen Kings tomorrow.
The El Orbits, Allen Oldies Band and Beetle bring the Continental Club to the parking lot of the Tasting Room, 1101-18 Uptown Park Blvd., 2 p.m. Saturday for a benefit for the Houston Area Red Cross. Expect food, drink and lots of dancing.
Blues-rock howlers the Mighty Orq, whose CD To the Bone just got picked up for national distribution by Koch Entertainment, play a free Cactus Music in-store 4 p.m. Saturday.
McGonigel's Mucky Duck has Jack Saunders tonight and the John Evans Band's CD release for Lucky 13 Saturday. More on Evans in a bit.
If you know of any other music going on around town this weekend, either email [email protected] or leave it in the comments. Now get out there and have some fun, Houston - God knows you've earned it. - Chris Gray
