The Manichean Head Out West

Damn…I am so far behind on the ever-growing pile of local music-related happenings I keep meaning to post about that it’s not even funny. sigh. I got word on this one tonight, so I figured I’d post while the, erm, iron is hot. Or something.

Anyway, it seems that local drama-rock gang {The Manichean} will be shortly bidding our fair city adieu for a bit, heading westward from here to hit western Texas, Arizona, and California before swinging easterly back through Nevada and Arizona again on their way back home. They’re calling it their “Hesperian Tour,” naturally, in a bit of Latin/Greek cleverness…

They’re still working on their forthcoming full-length, Lovers, but in the meantime, they’re taking their grand, epic, theatrical breed of rock majesty out on the road. Wish ’em luck, and if you happen to be in any of the cities over there on the right, definitely check ’em out — I’ll grant that they’re probably not everybody’s cup of tea (fans of The Decemberists, pay attention), but to me, at least, they’re absolutely mesmerizing live.

Before they go, though, us Houstonians can check ’em out at their official tour kickoff show, to be held Wednesday, July 20th up at Fitzgerald’s. The show will also feature intriguing Austin-dwellers Mobley, local instro-monster-rock duo {Female Demand} — who, I have to say, are also mesmerizing live — {Vipers}, who apparently used to be known as “{Outer Heaven}” (which I happened to write about recently for our little FPSF preview thing), and electronic closer {Portal Walker}, who sounds pretty neat.

Details: free for the of-age set, $5 for the young’uns, and the doors open at 8PM. Go and buy the gang a (nonalcoholic, just for safety’s sake) round for the road…