Playbill

Before there were the quirky, kind of snotty (but in a good way) stylings of Japanic, there was de Schmog, Houston’s avatars of boy-girl weirdo pop for Inner Loop scenesters. Coming close to having a residency at Rudyard’s (even before there was an upstairs space, band and fans used to crush into the area that is now reserved for darts and pinball), de Schmog developed a loyal following among the Montrose artsy-fartsy crowd, many of whom have longstanding Rudyard’s residencies of their own, if only at the beer tap.

The band — which comprised the brothers Sweeney (Christian and Kilian), Brandon Holbrook, Johnathan Sage and Diane Koistenin — had a pretty good run during the ’90s, garnering a fair amount of attention from CMJ and Spin, playing big-time festivals like CMJ in New York and South by Southwest in Austin, even composing a 40-minute rock opera called “de Schmog Fairytale.” After Holbrook left to pursue something other than the rock-star lifestyle (as if!), the remaining members tried to keep it together, but de Schmog eventually lifted. While Koistenin headed to the greener skyscrapers of the Big Apple, Sage and the Sweeneys have kept the faith, forming bands such as the Drapes, Texas Guinness Lovers and, more recently, the rock trio Mom’s Megillah (which is also the opening act).

Reunion shows like these seem to happen annually, and there is even a whisper on the wind that new material may be on the way. But that future chapter in de Book of de Schmog is yet to be written. Best you hustle down to Rudyard’s this weekend, hoist a few, and try not to get all dewy-eyed as you bask in ’90s nostalgia. Oh, and did we mention? Beloved Houston solo act Mary Cutrufello debuts some new work this night as well.