It's late, I reek of smoke, and my ears are ringing like somebody switched the TV to static and then cranked it all the way up, but what the fuck, I've gotta mention a couple of upcoming things in the realm of musical festivalness. It's gonna take me a while to come down from tonight's The Western Civilization/Explorers/The Church of Philadelphia show, so y'know.

(Oh, and in order: freakin' great, and more "rock" than expected, despite monitor problems / decent, but I sure wish they'd left out the Postal Service cover, 'cause their originals worked better / and holy fucking crap, what the hell was that? I think I just got saved, brothers'n sisters...)

First off, tomorrow (er, today) and Sunday, May 12th and 13th, is the sadly-underpromoted (as far as I can tell, anyway) Houston Highland Games & Celtic Festival, over at the Houston Farm & Ranch Club next to Bear Creek Park -- pretty much at I-10 West and Hwy 6, if the map's anywhere near accurate. The festival runs from daybreak 'til dark (7AM-8PM), and involves nonstop Scottish/Celtic-y things each day, from good Celtic music (locals Jiggernaut are playing, for one, and they're pretty good, as I recall) to drumming and dance competitions to shortbread-baking contests to sheepdogs demonstrating how they herd sheep to genealogy workshops(!) to, yes, burly men in kilts throwing telephone pole-sized logs throught the air. My folks are in town from S.A. and are dragging me, the wife, and the midget, and I think it'll be a good time. $12 for adults, less for kids.

The bands playing (just for completeness' sake) include the aforementioned Jiggernaut, Celtaire String Band, David Sparks, Kelly Stewart, Searson, Sia Beaton, Rover's Return, NeedFire, Hugh Morrison & Friends, Dave Hutton & the Celtic Chorus of Houston (there is such a thing?), Ed Miller, Comhlan Oganta, Cliff Wigington, Cor Gaeilge, and probably several others I'm missing. Check the schedule for details.

A little further off in the distance (although not much) is the bound-to-be-badass Feel Good Hits of the Summer Fest, put together by Gilbert of Spain Colored Orange and promoted by Ryan over at The Skyline Network, a.k.a. "The Website We Wish We Were Current/Plugged in to Local Gossip Enough to Be." It'll be Saturday, June 9th down at the good ol' Proletariat, and it'll feature a ridiculous number of good, good, good local bands, including Spain Colored Orange, Paris Falls, The Kimonos, Tody Castillo, The Western Civilization (woo!), The Watermarks, Arthur Yoria, Bright Men of Learning, Dizzy Pilot, & Program, plus prob'ly a bunch more. It's gonna be cool, honest...

Labels: H-Town News, Pseudo-Reviews, Things To Do

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