The Rest of Yr Weekend (& Beyond): Co-Pilot + Pasadena Napalm Division + Rudz Anniversary + Steel Panther + More

Saturday, and of course, there’s still plenty to do tonight & tomorrow, so I wanted to do a little rundown of all of it (although I’ve blathered/ranted about some already).

First off, though, I wanted to note a couple of things… I was very bummed to see that Chicagoans A Lull had dropped off the bill tomorrow at Super Happy Fun Land, because free-for-download track “Skinny Fingers” is damn sweet, low-key and meandering in the best way. sigh. Now it’s Firs of Prey headlining the show, and while I dig the name, I dunno their music at all.

On a slightly different subject, what’s up with this “afton: push play” thing? Their shows pop up everywhere, seems like, at multiple venues on the same night, and I rarely even recognize the names of any of the bands playing. Are these folks from out of town, or am I further out-of-touch than I’d suspected?

With that out of the way, then, here goes…

Sat., August 22:
Co-Pilot/Margot/Closet Drama @ The Mink
Talked about this one in some detail already, so check here for the details.

The Warlocks/The Morning After Girls/The Vandelles @ Walter’s on Washington
And yeah, this one, too — go here.

Vains of Jenna/Chlorine @ The Meridian
This one makes me smile — no real clue on Vains of Jenna (although I’ve heard they’re GNR-ish, and they’re Swedish), but I’m happy (and slightly amazed) to see former local heroes Chlorine back around again. Wow.

Pasadena Napalm Division (ex-deadHorse./ D.R.I.)/Burn the Boats/Last Rosary/H.R.A. @ Fitzgerald’s
Yep, Pasadena Napalm Division happens to be Houston’s newest metal/punk supergroup, merging the talents of skatepunk icons D.R.I. with the metal awesomeness of deadhorse and the industro-metal fury of Dethkultur BBQ. I’ve heard a rumor, btw, that D.R.I. are actually reuniting, to boot, and will be playing shows again soon. If true: badass. Oh, and I like what I’ve heard from both Burn the Boats and Last Rosary, as well (haven’t heard H.R.A., sorry).

Oak is Keeping/Aftermath/Super Pancho Combo @ Fitzdown
Only heard a little bit of Austin’s Oak is Keeping so far, but I have to say, it’s promising — fuzzy-edged, somewhat rootsy alternarock with a sleepy feel to it. I think they may have a hard time playing at Fitz, esp. with all the heaviness going on upstairs, but hopefully local openers Super Pancho Combo can bring in a crowd.

Leo Party & Ukelele Festival, featuring Organ Failure, OHM, The Annoysters, Candy Fan, Poopy Lungstuffing, Acoustic?, Doggebi, Exterminating Angels, Future Blondes, & The Unbearables @ Super Happy Fun Land
Not sure what this has to do with ukeleles, honestly — although I think Poopy Lungstuffing plays one, right? — especially since The Grass Skirts are no longer on the bill, but heck, it’s now a lineup of Who’s Who in Bizarro H-Town Noise, and that’s never a bad thing.

Morbid Illusions, featuring Insidious Decrepancy, Infernal Butchery, Dismembered, Brutally Mutilated, Torsectomy, & Metalcrom @ The White Swan
What can I say? The names playing just make me grin — I can’t hate on a show that features somebody called Torsectomy. Ouch.

Lee Alexander & Co. (album release) @ Avant Garden
Cheech’s B-Day, featuring Donkey Punch, Poor Dumb Bastards, Whorehound, & Dollyrockers @ Rudyard’s
Sugar Ray/Fastball/Green River Ordinance @ House of Blues
Party Like a Rockstar Planned Parenthood Benefit, featuring DJ Alex C & Skyrocket! @ Warehouse Live
Dimefest III, featuring Mercenary X, Epic, Sounds Of A Solemn Mind, Necrofaith, Within Chaos, Powderburn, & A Dream Asleep @ The Meridian

Sun., August 23:
Rudyard’s 31st Anniversary Show, featuring Something Fierce, Spain Colored Orange, & Caddywhompus @ Rudyard’s
Yes! Winner of Sunday, I have to say — it’s damn near impossible to top the pop-punk fire of Something Fierce, the quirky pop-orchestra thing of Spain Colored Orange, and the blazing almost prog-pop of Caddywhompus. Go, drink beer, pump fists in the air, and celebrate the glory of Rudz, the best honest-to-God bar in this city.

Blondie/Pat Benatar/The Donnas @ Arena Theater
Nostalgia, I know, but it makes me a little sad that this is at the Arena Theater and not someplace like the Verizon or Warehouse Live. Of course, that’s partly because we happened to put Blondie on in the car on the way back from the beach last weekend, and I re-remembered that aside from the horribly overplayed hits (I’ve never liked “Heart of Glass”), they had some damn good songs.

Honky Tonk Happy Hour, featuring Miss Leslie & Her Juke-Jointers & Mike Stinson @ The Continental Club (6-9PM)
Been meaning to check out one of the Honky Tonk Happy Hour deals Miss Leslie‘s been doing lately over at The Continental — the lady (and her incomparably cool band) play old-school country music that makes Patsy Cline beam down from the Pearly Gates. (And hey, you can check out, “Drunk Dialer,” a cool new track from her new album, on her Website/blog.)

Dissent/N.I.B.I.R.U. @ Walter’s on Washington
Firs of Prey/The Ocean Floor/G.13/Dear Tess @ Super Happy Fun Land

Mon., August 24:
Miss Leslie & Her Juke-Jointers (live recording) @ Armadillo Palace (12-1PM)
Second dose of Miss Leslie in two days! Yay!

Tues., August 25:
Didimao/Micose and the Mau Maus/Chin Xaou Ti Won/Kyle Evans/Stolen Library/Thomas Helton @ Super Happy Fun Land

Wed., August 26:
Steel Panther @ Warehouse Live
Are these guys serious? And do I really care? Answer: nah. Watch. (And no, it’s NSFW, not by a long shot.)

Eric Johnson & Alien Love Child/Jake Andrews @ House of Blues
Not sure why, but I’m very glad Eric Johnson‘s still around; “Cliffs of Dover” is one of very, very few guitar-hero songs that’s aged at all well, to my ears…