Yr. Weekend, Pt. 3: The Rocketboys + England in 1819 + White Ghost Shivers + Phul Court Opening + More

And now here we are at Sunday, May 20th, and it’s a little slower than previous nights this weekend; there’re only a couple of things going on that sound good to me, really. Here’s what I’m liking:

The Rocketboys/Winter Wallace/England in 1819/Poor Pilate @ Fitzgerald’s
This is the one I’m liking best this evening, without even too much of a stretch. I recently fell in love with Baton Rouge-dwelling band England in 1819, whose new album Alma is pretty stunning in a Radiohead-gone-Americana kind of way, all low-key but orchestral, morose rock — check out the review over here — but they’re hardly the only act worth seeing at this show.

I also really like {Poor Pilate}, after seeing ’em live a while back; they do a very cool, backwoodsy-hillbilly kind of rock, and they make it work really, really well. Then there’s singer/songwriter {Winter Wallace}, who’s pretty neat herself, and headlining is ex-Abilene-now-Austin band The Rocketboys, who I’ve needed to listen to seriously for quite a while now. They’ve had quite a wild couple of years, apparently, breaking up and then reforming again, with frontman Brandon Kinder going solo for a while and even writing the theme song to the Discovery Channel show Bering Sea Gold.

They’re back now, thankfully, with new album Build Anyway coming out on 6/5, and what I’ve heard of it is nicely epic-sounding, thoughtful indie-rock that makes me think of Canadians Ketch Harbour Wolves, H-town locals Holy FIction, or a less-desperate We Were Promised Jetpacks. I’m definitely going to need to hear more. Check out a preview of the album right here:

White Ghost Shivers @ McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
Never seen Austinites White Ghost Shivers, but I’ve heard really, really good things about the band — they apparently are kind of an old-timey ensemble that mashes together jazz, ragtime, cabaret, swing, and a circus sideshow, and from what I’m told, they’re awesome live…

Phul Court Grand Opening, featuring Little Joe Washington @ Phul Court (1311 Leeland)
Hadn’t heard of this place ’til recently, apparently because, well, this is Phul Court‘s grand opening weekend. I think it’s meant to be sort of a sports-bar-type place that’s also got a food truck, but they promise live music, too, and tonight they’ve got the ever-great {Little Joe Washington} playing. Head on over there to check out the new place and the last of Houston’s old-school bluesmen, at the same time.