Badass Weekend Walters/Houston House of Creeps, February 15 and 16
The first annual Badass Weekend is spread out over two days and three stages at Walters, Houston House of Creeps, and the adjoining Ballistic Skate House, and is sure to give you lonely and wild hearts something to do over Valentine's Day weekend. Not to mention, it will be a grimy respite from the glitzy, jockish NBA All-Star parties going on all over town (see below).
Two dozen local metal, thrash and punk bands will only set you back $25 for a weekend pass, with individual day passes also available at each venue. The aftershows are only $5, so you don't even have an excuse for going home early. Acts scheduled to appear include Drop Dead, Pretty Little Flower, War Master, Black Coffee, Hatred Surge, and more. See Facebook for a full schedule and more. CRAIG HLAVATY
Rewind:
All the Rappers Who Will Be Here All-Star Weekend, Part 1
All the Rappers Who Will Be Here All-Star Weekend, Part 2
Tift Merritt McGonigel's Mucky Duck, February 15
Actually a native Houstonian, Tift Merritt became a name in North Carolina's competitive Americana scene even before her acclaimed 2002 debut Bramble Rose put her on the national radar. On each of her six successive albums through last year's Traveling Alone, she has steadily ascended the alt-country ranks until today she's up there alongside Gillian Welch and Kasey Chambers as one of the premiere female singer-songwriters of her generation.
Drawing equally from Joni Mitchell's folky introspection and Emmylou Harris' honky-tonk toughness, Merritt sings her carefully considered songs in a soprano arguably purer than either one's. Shows at 7 and 9:30 p.m. CHRIS GRAY