Dirty Bourbon River Show, The Bluebonnets Continental Club, July 13
As you might expect, Dirty Bourbon River Show describes themselves as " New Orleans Gypsy Brass Circus Rock," and the songs fit the description. And you might say, "Only in New Orleans," but the five-piece belongs squarely in the same old-timey gonzo camp as Austin's White Ghost Shivers or Houston's own Sideshow Tramps.
But DBRS, which started in early 2009, has released albums at the same rate that other bands tweet or update their Facebook status. Released in May, most recent release Volume Four is their seventh album in just over three years. The Bluebonnets is Austin-based ex-Go-Go Kathy Valentine's new roots-rock band, and should be well worth showing up early for.
Chief Keef Warehouse Live, July 14
This show should be an event, if nothing else, and could turn out to be one of Houston's most memorable rap concerts of 2013 if the headliner doesn't find himself in some kind of trouble between now and Sunday. (It's about 50/50.) Still not yet 18, Chief Keef leaped straight from the high-school mixtape circuit of his native Chicago to Interscope Records, home to one of the rapper's most discernible influences in 50 Cent, which gave him the biggest and loudest megaphone in 2012 debut Finally Rich. This happened in a matter of months, too.
Lewd and confrontational, but also clever and insightful (after a fashion), Keef delivers hyper-explicit raps with the kind of braggadocio that only comes to the very young, over synth-heavy, cut-and-paste electro-rap tracks like "Love Sosa" and "Hate Being Sober" that -- oddly enough -- rival only Keef's wigged-out rhymes in their catchiness.
NINE OTHER SHOWS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER
- Pearl Gem, Nervana, Alyson Chayns: The Houston Press' Cocktails & Covers series goes grunge. (House of Blues -- Bronze Peacock Room, July 12)
- John Mayer: Still tickets left for the pop star-cum-bluesman, touring 2012's hit album Born & Raised. With "Home" boy Phillip Phillips. (Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, July 12)
- Appleseed Cast: Complex, influential emo-indie rockers (or something like that) are back on tour after a short hiatus. (Fitzgerald's, July 12)
- Tedeschi Trucks Band: Big, brawny, blues-rock, played at some length. (House of Blues, July 12)
- Inspector 7, Los Skarnales: Ska-punk, and lots of it. (Walters, July 12)
- Punk Rock Pool Party: Featuring the Hates and Darwin's Finches; see last week's Rocks Off feature on the Jamail Skatepark. (Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark, July 13)
- Paul Wall, Lil Keke, K-Rino: "Texas Massacre XIV" with three true H-Town heavyweights and a passel of local openers: Roosh Williams, Kyle Hubbard, D-Risha, Renzo and lots more. (Fitzgerald's, July 13)
- The Freakouts: 7-inch release party. See our Rocks Off 100 profile of singer Ash Kay from earlier this week. (Fitzgerald's, July 13)
- Junior Brown: Master of the guit-steel, up close where you can see him. (McGonigel's Mucky Duck, July 13)
- Everclear, Live, Filter, Sponge: Much more on this "Summerland" tour coming up later today. (Proof Bar + Patio, July 14)
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