Friday Flyer Madness: The Watermarks + The Antlers + American Fangs + Sir Richard Bishop + More

Dammit, dammit, dammit. Crapload of excellent stuff going on tonight (and the rest of this weekend), but I’ve been running so fast these past few days I haven’t been able to write it up. Here’s what I’m liking for tonight, with more to come later on, hopefully…

Glasnost (CD release)/Motel Aviv/The Watermarks (CD release) @ Rudyard’s (free CD! w/cover)
Dear Watermarks and Glasnost crew: I suck, suck, suck. I swear that I had planned to review the stuff both of y’all sent in in time for tonight’s show, but sadly, it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen ’til probably right before the damn show, if not tomorrow. Sorry, you guys… On the positive side, I do really dig both releases, Glasnost’s Great Divide single and Watermarks’ Thoughts Like Bombs free-to-download EP (and hey, you can get your own real-live copy tonight at the show, free ’til they run out); both have a throwback feel to ’em, but I’m enjoying it more than I’d initially guessed I would, which is a damn good thing. “It Only Rains On You,” in particular, on the Watermarks’ disc, is a fine, fine, fine song.

Mechanical Boy (tour kickoff)/ American Fangs/The Tastydactyls/ Magnolia Sons/ betterLUCK @ Fitzgerald’s
I dunno most of the openers, I’m afraid, but every time I see Mechanical Boy, they impress me more & more — they do do the rockstar thing a little much at times, but fuck, they can pull it off, at least (this is the kickoff show for their tour, btw). And American Fangs? Holy… Talk about your full-on, stage-destroying, fist-pumping rawk; these guys are hands-down one of the best things going in H-town right now. I mean that. Just go.

Sir Richard Bishop And His Freak Of Arraby Ensemble/ Oaxacan/ Doggebi/ Ether @ Notsuoh
There’s also the Sir Richard Bishop show, and while I’m not real familiar with his work lately, I do dig the Sun City Girls, of which he’s an ex-member. His new “Freak of Araby” stuff sounds very cool (and hey, I like the Louis Prima reference). Plus, there’s Doggebi, who do a crazy experimental-flute thing I find myself enjoying in very odd ways…

Au Revoir Simone/Oh No Oh My/The Antlers @ Walter’s on Washington
I was initially a little eh on this show, because I’m not all that big on Au Revoir Simone, but after hearing The Antlers‘ latest, Hospice…wow. Excellent, crystalline-sounding, heartbreakingly slow indie-sad-pop. Get up to Walter’s early for them, and then go elsewhere; that’s what I’d do, anyway.

Belaire/The McKenzies/ Ceeplus Badknives @ Mango’s ($5; 9PM)
Have I mentioned this months how much I love The McKenzies? No? Well, they fucking rule. There.

Runners-Up:
Ryan Scroggins & the Trench Town Texans/Channel One/Trian Woodburns/ Molly and the Ringwalds @ The Continental Club
Hafaza (album release)/Mic Skills/DJ Gonz/ Krackernuttz @ The Mink (10PM; free!)
Patrice Pike/ Skyblue72/ The Handshake @ Warehouse Live