Your Weekend, Part 1: Spain Colored Orange + Mango’s Opening + Psych Hop + A Bunch More

Wow. Well, last weekend may’ve been light, but this weekend’s certainly making up ground quick. I’ll hit Saturday later on, but here’s what up for tonight, Friday, April 10th. Now, I’d originally intended to post separately about a few of these — notably the Mango’s grand opening show & the Psychedelic Sock Hop Travis from A Thousand Cranes put together — but damn, I just can’t. Too much to write, not enough time; sorry, y’all, but we’re going the lump-it-all-in route today…

Spain Colored Orange (CD release)/The Sour Notes/Dizzy Pilot/Paris Falls/You(genious)/Ceeplus BadKnives/DJ Melodic @ Warehouse Live (Studio)
Okay, this one wins in terms of H-town Star Power alone — you’ve got Spain Colored Orange finally releasing the album they’ve been promising for, what?, two years now?, plus you’ve got Paris Falls, who’re out-and-out great, straight-ahead, retro-garage-inspired pop-rawk, & one of the city’s most promising MCs in You(genious), along with some good DJ-type folk, The Sour Notes (who I don’t know), & Dizzy Pilot (who I’ve heard praised to the skies but haven’t ever seen). The sheer number of talented musican-type people floating around should make your head spin.

Oh, and as an added bonus: yes, this will be going on right next door to the Too Short show in the main ballroom. I’d pay just to see those two worlds collide, folks…

Mango’s Grand Opening, featuring Sideshow Tramps, Robert Ellis, i am mesmer, & Two Star Symphony @ Mango’s (403 Westheimer; 9PM, $8)
Ah, yes. I have fond memories of playing this place waaaay back when it was The Oven, so it does my little heart good to see/hear that as Mango’s, it’ll once again be hosting shows at times other than during the Westheimer Block Party. Nice, y’all. And hey, good bands for the kickoff, as well — Robert Ellis is great, and I’ve heard amazing things about both Sideshow Tramps & Two Star Symphony. Kudos (again!) to Omar & the rest of the Free Press Houston gang. Y’all rule.

The Gary/The Jonx @ Rudyard’s
Yeah, so I’ve already blathered about this show here. Still, I feel the need to emphasize that this will be a freaking great show. Guaran-damn-teed.

Psychedelic Sock Hop, featuring A Thousand Cranes, Children of the Sun, Brown Girl, Black Hare, Thou Shalt Not Kill…Except, C-MOR, Reef Lizards, & BGK @ The Tree House (5105 Crawford)
Yes, it’s a sock hop — meaning no shoes allowed in the house, so as to preserve the feel — except that, um, the music’s heavy and loud and trippy as fuck. Whoa… There will reportedly be music (well, yeah), art (cool), poetry (okay…), and alternate dimensions (woo!) in effect, which makes for a damn cool night. Madness starts around 7PM, I believe.

Should you want proof of how quirky/cool this promises to be, head here (and yeah, the twit-ing gets old, but wait for the Buddhist/Hindu/crane imagery to come blasting in):

Perseph One/Many Birthdays/[INSERT CREDITS]/The Good Tryers/Light @ Super Happy Fun Land
Talked about this one elsewhere, too, but again: good. Will be. Yes.

The Life and Times/Good Times Crisis Band/Tambersauro @ Walter’s on Washington
I’ve got to hang my head in shame on this one. I’ve had The Life and Times‘ album sitting on my desk for a short while now, but I haven’t had a free second to even listen to it briefly. Argh. That said, I’ve heard they’re darn good (it’s one of the guys who used to be in Shiner, which is promising all by itself), and I know for a fact that sinewy, stomp-y, quasi-math-rock-ers Tambersauro do indeed rule.

Runners-Up:
Miss Leslie & Her Juke-Jointers @ Aubrey’s
Pale/Southern Backtones/The Bright/Cerebro @ The Meridian
Honky/Dixie Witch/Molly and the Ringwalds @ The Continental Club
Too Short/Zeale/Cali Zack/Dub Sicks/MC Skillz/Cuttone/The Youngest In Charge/Young Yam/Suppastar Diggz/Neworleans Slim/Money Rule/DJ Kid/Slyce @ Warehouse Live (Ballroom)
Born Anchor (in-store) @ Hot Topic (Galleria; 7PM)

Next installment to come, I promise…