Yr. Weekend, Pt. 1: 30footFALL + Caddywhompus + Something Fierce + The Handsomes + The Cutters + Weird Party + More

And so, the holiday madness begins. There’s not quite as much going on this weekend as, say, New Year’s (which will be insane), but there’re still some very cool stuff to check out, starting this Saturday, December 25th. Here goes:

30footFALL Annual Xmas Show, featuring 30footFALL, Monster Soup, Something Fierce, Skeleton Dick, Commie Hillfiger, The Cutters, Caddywhompus, & Organ Failure @ Fitzgerald’s
How long has this show been happening, now? I swear, this show’s become a bona-fide holiday classic, and it seems to get bigger & bolder every year. (The answer? Sixteen years. Wow.)

This time around, it’s not even limiting itself to strictly “punk” bands, instead sucking in the cool, brainy/noisy psych-pop sounds of {Caddywhompus} and the oddball “house band” of Super Happy Fun Land, {Organ Failure}. For the former, btw, we’ve got a review up of the Houston/New Orleans duo’s latest, Remainder, on over here.

And then there’s the punk rockers, including the seemingly unkillable {30footFALL}, who have been playing poppy, snotty, smart-assed punk since I first came here back in the early ’90s, energetic Brit-style pop-punks {Something Fierce}, who remain one of my absolute favorite bands of, well, anywhere, and newcomers {The Cutters}, about whom I’ve heard great things and who include Geo from former (and badass) DC band The Points; he apparently moved here not long ago and found some kindred spirits. Think snarling, stomping, organ-accented punk, and you’re pretty much there.

Oh, and in 30foot-related news, the band has — gasp! — recorded some new stuff and will have a brand-new five-song EP for sale at the show. Awesome…

The Handsomes/Thunderado @ The Continental Club
Another semi-regular deal, albeit one that’s a bit younger; local soul-funk dudes {The Handsomes} have been playing a Christmas Eve show at The Continental Club every year for the past 8 years, apparently.

Sadly, it’s been quite a while since I last saw these guys play, but even back then they were lockstep-tight, playing like this consummate show-band that’d been doing it their whole damn lives. They’re about as far from the punkstravaganza going on up at Fitz as you could possibly get, but hell, who cares? They play some excellently funky, soulful, poppy songs, and they do it really freaking well. Plus, they’ve also reportedly got a new EP coming out, the first I’m aware of for a long time, and that’s got me psyched.

The Energy/Weird Party @ Rudyard’s
Can’t think of a whole lot to say about these guys, except that I saw them back-to-back (I think?) in the rain at the Free Press Summerfest this past year, and they blew me away, both of ’em. It was especially cool to see {Weird Party} frontman Shawn rocking out like he does while the torrential downpour lashed the flimsy tent structure covering the band and all their gear. Other bands would’ve looked nervous — Weird Party didn’t give a fuck.

Runner-Up:
Gritsymas, featuring Dragon Man, John the Third, Suraj K., Upgreyed, Juxta, Full Effect MC, & more @ Groundhall