Before We Go: House of Blues' "Rock & Roll" Night, Tontons, Gallant Knight, a Willie D Tribute, Britney Returns and More

Chris Gray June 10, 2009 4:00PM

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Tonight, see how - or where, anyway - the beautiful people kick back at House of Blues' new weekly "Rock & Roll" night in the venue's ultra-plush and oddly brothel-like Foundation Room (entrance on Dallas Street), with no cover, $3 beer and whiskey, tunes curated by Metropol/Stuka/Mink veteran Tim Murrah. "We are gonna grime it up," promises promoter Jagi Katial. We're there.

Also tonight, the Tontons will debut several songs from the local quartet's forthcoming full-length - which they just wrapped and will be released next month - in their opening set for Strokes offshoot Little Joy at Warehouse Live.

According to the Texas '60s Music Refuge message board, local musician, engineer and "Daddy Banjo" inventor Frank Davis - who recorded the Thirteenth Floor Elevators and many other artists for Houston's International Artists Records in the '60s - may sit in with the Hemmer Ridge Mountain Boys this Saturday at the Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe in Galveston. Old Quarter owner Wrecks Bell is the HRMB's bassist.

Beloved West U R&B dive the Gallant Knight, which closed in 2006 after more than 20 years, reopens June 19 at 2511 Bissonnet, not far from its old Holcombe location. Faye Robinson & the Midtown Players do the (re)opening-night honors.

Local booking agency Smash the Mic is sponsoring a tribute to Willie D next Thursday, June 18, to boost the embattled Geto Boy's spirits (and perhaps his bank account). Doors open at 9 p.m. at Planeta Bar-Rio, 6400 Richmond; more information at www.smashthemic.com.

Tickets for Free Press Houston's Summer Fest, featuring Of Montreal, Broken Social Scene, Explosions in the Sky, Octopus Project and every local band you ever heard of August 8 and 9 at Eleanor Tinsley Park, are available now at both Pegstar and the Free Press' Web sites. Come Friday, you Internet-phobes can buy them at Mango's, Cut Loose, Cactus Music and Vinal Edge. They're seven bucks, a deal hard to beat with a stick.

Tamale king and Tejano rap star Chingo Bling Twittered today that he's looking for a producer able to build tracks "like sum keri hilson, lil kim, fergie or the new day 26." Contact Mr. Bling, who would also apparently like to star in a movie with Baby Bash, here, we suppose.

Harry Keane, Jr., one of the men responsible for creating American Idol, is working with Metroplex-based Perission Entertainment to on the upcoming reality show America's Next Girl Band. Producers are looking for women ages 15-26 who can play guitar, bass, drums or keyboards (or sing, of course) and - since Perission bills itself as "Family Entertainment the Way It Should Be" - probably shouldn't have that many tattoos or drop the f-bomb in their lyrics too often. Auditions are going on now; see www.perission.com for more.

Oh, and we almost forgot: Britney Spears returns to Toyota Center September 16. Tickets go on sale next Friday at www.toyotacentertix.com.