Yr. Weekend, Pt. 1: Ghost Town Electric + Peloton + Runaway Sun + 13 Black Coffins + Vestibule + More

It’s Friday, June 1st, y’all, and while we’re teeting on the edge of Summerfest madness ’round these parts, there’s still other good stuff going on.

Before I get to the “official” shows, though, I wanted to mention that I’ve heard rumors about at least two “secret” shows going on tonight, so keep your eyes peeled for those. I’m sworn to secrecy about one show, but the other I’ve heard about — which may or may not be bullshit, obviously — is a surprise Primus appearance tonight at 11PM up at Big Star Bar. If you feel like braving it, heck, go for it; I can make no guarantees…

Anyway, here’s what’s definitely happening:

Black Tusk/Ghost Town Electric/Defending the Kingdom/Peloton @ Walter’s (1120 Naylor)
Already talked about this one somewhat, but dangit, it’s worth a second mention. “Swamp metal” headliners Black Tusk are pretty cool on their own, but I’m far more interested in country/folk/doom band {Ghost Town Electric}, who marry stoner-rock to sludgy, heavy guitars and surprisingly bluesy/rootsy bits, technical/proggy metallers {Defending the Kingdom}, or sprawling, just-about-to-explode punk-metal outfit {Peloton}. All three are fucking awesome, no two ways about it, and if you like A) metal, B) heaviness, C) good music, or D) all of the above, you need to hear ’em.

Oh, and that flyer over there is going to give me freaking nightmares, I swear.

13 Black Coffins (reunion!)/Ese/Zipperneck/The Failed Attempt/Benedict Arnold/DJ Twinkle Toes @ Mango’s
Well, damn — I’m ashamed to admit it, but I had no idea {13 Black Coffins} had even broken up… I’m disappointed to hear it, really, because I’ve liked what I’ve heard from ’em in the past, in spite of my general aversion to the whole Gothabilly thing; 13BC does it very well, without coming off as cheeseball or poseurish, and that’s no mean feat. If this truly is their last hurrah (or post-last hurrah, technically), that’s a damn shame.

Runaway Sun (CD release)/Clory Martin/Picture Book @ The Continental Club
Over at The Continental Club, then, there’s {Runaway Sun}‘s official CD release for new album Let’s Run, which has been a long time coming, it feels like. I still need to see those guys live, but they’re pretty intriguing to me, in a straight-up, bluesy rock kind of way, and Andrew Karnavas has his nicely roughened voice, the kind that can pull off both a barnburning stomper or a delicate ballad equally well. Plus, there’s singer/songwriter {Clory Martin}, who’s pretty awesome herself, albeit in a less-electrified fashion…

Vestibule/Rett Lee/Ved/Bruha @ Jet Lounge
I’ve still pretty new to {Vestibule}, it’s true, but I’m liking ’em quite a bit — they hit all the right arena-sized melodic-rock touchstones for me, and that’s a surprisingly rare thing. A lot of bands do this sort of thing; only a handful do it well. They’re now on a shortlist of Bands I Need to See Sometime Soon, honest.

Runners-Up:
Dave Alvin and the Guilty Ones @ McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
23 Shades/The Soldier Thread @ House of Blues (Bronze Peacock Room)