Yr. Weekend, Pt. 1: Manchester Orchestra + Hell City Kings (Rev’d!) + Jon Langford + Empress Hotel + More
Argh. Gotta make it brief for right now, I’m afraid, which sucks because there’s a jaw-dropping pile of cool stuff going on tonight, Friday, October 21st. I’ll hit as much of it as I can, real quick…
First up, there’s the show at Warehouse Live, where the excellent Manchester Orchestra will be headlining, along with The Dear Hunter & White Denim, both of whom I’ve heard good things about.
Badass garage-punk/metal dudes the {Hell City Kings} are playing tonight, too, up at Fitzgerald’s — it’s the album release for brand-new LP H.C.K., which is honestly everything I’d hoped for from these guys & more, with the “more” including some hints of NY noise, backing melodies(!), and yes, a saxophone. Check out the review over here.
They’re playing with {Ghost Town Electric}, who I also happen to freaking love quite a damn bit, so that’s a bonus… And hey, {Ragged Hearts} are on the other floor, doing their glam-punk-gone-countrified thing, so mark that as yet another point on the scoreboard.
Then there’s The Continental Club, which has The Mekons‘ frontman Jon Langford playing with his band The Far Forlorn; I haven’t kept up with the guy much beyond the Mekons, admittedly, but what I’ve heard has been cool, murky, and rough-edged. Check out a song for yourself:
- Jon Langford – “Sentimental Marching Song”
Mango’s tonight confuses me a bit, I have to say… I thought the show was going to be out-of-town popsters Boats and Empress Hotel, along with locals Lisa’s Sons, who I was all excited about seeing on the bill because I’d assumed they were dead & buried.
Now, though, Lisa’s Sons are back off the listing, and I got an email about the HFT Free The Press Benefit going on at the same place this evening; I’m not positive, but it sounds like that’ll lead straight into the Boats/Empress Hotel show. To make things weirder, Boats’ Myspace page still lists the show as being at The Mink, but the Mink’s Website doesn’t mention it at all. The hell?
Either way, it sounds pretty good, with Vivian Pikkles and the Sweethearts Über Alles, folk-punks Days N Daze, {A dream Asleep}, & others, and heck, I’m all for making the press free-er.
Plus, I’m told hopefully-maybe headliners Boats are darn good, and I like what I’ve heard from Empress Hotel — it’s nicely bouncy, woozy, shaggy-headed pop. Check out a track, if you need proof:
Dean’s has a good one, with Square and Compass, a bunch of guys who apparently love Braid as much as I do and channel that band’s ghost beautifully; I’m told they’re about to go record their debut full-length next month, so keep an eye out for that. In the meantime, they’re playing with San Antonians SOHNS, who apparently put on an insane live show…
Lastly (sorry, can’t do any more), {The Sideshow Tramps} frontman {Craig Kinsey} is up at Heights Live! tonight; I’ve never seen/heard him solo, no, but the Tramps’ latest, Revelator, is/was pretty damn excellent.
Full, full pile, right here:
Manchester Orchestra/White Denim/The Dear Hunter/Little Hurricane @ Warehouse Live
Hell City Kings/TeXXXaS/Ghost Town Electric/The Freakouts @ Fitzgerald’s
Jon Langford & The Far Forlorn/Walter Salas-Humara/Deano and the Purvs/Picture Book @ The Continental Club
Square and Compass/SOHNS/DSGNS/Kill the Rhythm @ Dean’s
Devin the Dude @ Toc Bar
Fistful of Soul @ The Mink
HFT Free The Press Benefit, featuring Boats, Empress Hotel, Justice, Days N Daze, BrokenQuote, Vivian Pikkles and the Sweethearts Über Alles, PAPAYA, A dream Asleep, & Last Ones Left @ Mango’s
Lionize/Larry and His Flask/East Cameron Folk Core/Ragged Hearts @ Fitzgerald’s
Craig Kinsey @ Heights Live
Jack’s Mannequin/Motion City Soundtrack/Company of Thieves @ House of Blues
Clandestine/Dan Crump @ McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
Arthur Yoria @ Dunn Bros. Coffee (3333 Wesleyan; 7:15PM)
The Houston Sound Concert Series, featuring John Evans Band @ Market Square Park
Die For Metal Sampler, featuring Transcend Before Azalea, Behold The Great Throne, A Tragedy Lost, The Nephilim Terror, Necrotix, Predominant Mortification, & Apathetic Reality @ Cain’s Ashes (2628 FM 1960 Rd. E)
K-Rino/Sniper/K.O. (aka Mr. You Can’t Handle Me)/Conflict/G-13/Big Joe/Area 51/Analyst/PHT @ Smokin’ J’s
Blaggards @ R&R Sports Bar & Grill (Friendswood)
Hawthorne Heights/ViFOLLY/The Aftershow/A Bitter Season @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
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