Five Can't-Miss Houston Punk Shows in June

As we noted last week, summer concert season is upon us. For many, the idea of going out to shows in the summer doesn’t involve seeing huge bands in crowded arenas. For those who are looking for something different, there are a great deal of smaller punk and hardcore shows this summer, showcasing some of Houston’s best bands as well as bringing in talented acts from around the state and country. To kick off the summer, we thought we’d begin with a list of 5 can’t miss punk shows happening in June around Houston.

JUNE 3
Dress Code tour kickoff @ The Shop
Dress Code have emerged as one of the strongest new hardcore acts in town, and before embarking on a brief tour with Modern Pain, they are kicking things off with a stacked bill at The Shop on Harrisburg. Hardcore bands Primal League and Paranoid Chant will be playing, as well as The Pose, which features members of Back to Back & Dress Code. The night is also serving as a tape release for The Pose, who just released Haunting Vision online and will be selling physical copies at the event. DJing in between the bands is local hero Fat Tony, adding to an already stellar lineup.

JUNE 7
Institute record release show @ Black Barbie
Even though they’ve only been playing since 2013, Austin’s post-punk supergroup Institute have already emerged as one of the state’s most exciting bands. Featuring members of Glue, Wiccans, & Back to Back, the band spent 2014 putting out releases on Katorga Works and Sacred Bones. On 6/9, they are putting out their debut LP on Sacred Bones, and celebrating with a record release show at Black Barbie. The night will also feature a special appearance from Back to Back, who recently uploaded two demos from their forthcoming LP they are readying. Back to Back bassist Hank Doyle will be opening the show with his noise project, Maramuresh, and announced this will likely be his last show in Houston before moving to Los Angeles. Local post-punk group The Gast will be opening the show as well, rounding out the lineup for one people won’t want to miss.

JUNE 18
Broken Water, Feral Future & Vacation Eyes @ Walters
The trio from Olympia, who skillfully blend shoegaze with punk, recently returned with their first record in three years, the sublime Wrought, released in April on Night People. Veering between politically charged punk and meandering and dreamy 12-minute tracks, the album is a strong showcase of the band’s strengths. Also featured on the bill is Austin punks Feral Future, who are in the midst of readying their follow-up to last year’s excellent Haematic. Rounding things out is the great Vacation Eyes, a psych-punk group featuring members of Erase Errata and Wild Mocassins. The night is a great representation of bands who are pushing the boundaries of punk by incorporating different elements.

JUNE 19
Ceremony, Tony Molina, Uniform & Dress Code @ Walters
While this bill features fewer Texas bands than the others, it still serves as a solid collection of a wide range of punk bands. Both Ceremony and Tony Molina have their roots in the hardcore scene and have since moved on to wildly different styles of music. Ceremony’s latest LP, The L-Shaped Man, came out last month and found the band moving to a post-punk direction with heavy influences from bands like Interpol. On the other hand, Tony Molina veered from his hardcore roots to make catchy power-pop songs that run the length of a typical hardcore track. Also playing is New York’s Uniform, a new industrial noise-rock project featuring members of The Men and York Factory Complaint. Dress Code is the only hardcore band on the bill, and the variety on display will be worth checking out.

JUNE 27
Pure Disgust @ Black Barbie
Bad Ass Weekend was back in February, but this show at the end of the month contains a packed lineup of seven bands that could fit nicely into that festival. Four local bands are playing the bill, including Dress Code, Paranoid Chant, United Races, and Common Ignorance, who put out an excellent tape earlier this year. Hardcore bands Barge from Richmond, VA and Hard Stripes from Boston are playing as well. Headlining the night is Pure Disgust from Washington D.C., whose new 7”, "Chained," was released last month on Katorga Works and easily stands out as one of the best hardcore or punk releases of the year so far. The combination of one of the most exciting new bands around and a large portion of Houston’s best hardcore bands make this show a highlight for the summer.