Yr. Weekend, Pt. 3: Something Fierce + Rudz Anniversary + Benefit/Party for Dr. Rick + Summer Dogwash + More

Yeah, I know I’ve skipped more than a few “Pt. 3″s lately; sorry about that, but in most of those cases, it just felt like there I didn’t have much to say about even the good shows that were going on those past Sundays… Not the same deal for today, mind you; Sunday, August 26th has more than the usual number of cool-ass shows going on. Here goes:

Something Fierce (split-10″ release)/Occult Detective Club/Mikey & The Drags @ Mango’s ($8)
Oh, yeah. Mentioned this one a while back, and halle-freakin-lujah, it’s finally arrived. I swear, {Something Fierce} can no damn wrong in my eyes (er, ears); everything they do is golden, and what makes it even cooler is that they’ve been slowly evolving since I first encountered them several years back, now. They get smarter and sharper and better at crafting insane, pop-punk-y hooks, and it always bowls me over.

Tonight’s the release show for their brand-new split-10″ with North Texas band Occult Detective Club, with whom they’ll be subsequently going out on tour to the West Coast. I’ve never heard much by the band, but I have heard really, really good things about ’em, and it sounds like the tour will be pretty badass. They’ve also got Mikey & The Drags playing tonight, too, which is another band I’ve heard of but not yet heard — gotta change that soon.

Taken all together, tonight’s going to be a hell of a lot of fun — go early to see Mikey & The Drags and Occult Detective Club, then stay late to rock out with those Something Fierce kids. While you’re at it, make sure you read Ramon‘s brief-yet-excellent little interview with the band over at {Free Press Houston}…

Rudyard’s 34th Anniversary, featuring Ghost Town Electric, Dead Roses, & Grizzly @ Rudyard’s (free!)
THis is actually only part of today’s festivities in honor of the 34th Anniversary of eternally-cool bar/venue/Montrose haunt Rudyard’s — which has served as the scene of some of my and many, many other people’s most-awesome musical memories (like the first time I saw Okkervil River or the time my own lame-ass band somehow ended up opening for Spoon). Apparently things kicked off this AM with a bike ride that hit Houston’s three breweries, Karbach, Saint Arnold’s, & , and this afternoon there’s a swap meet and a raffle, plus tastings of various beers & whatnot. Check the event invite for the full schedule.

Of course, the part I’m most into is the musical stuff that’ll kick off tonight, starting at 9PM, especially since it’s a darn good lineup. Rootsy rockers {Grizzly} kicks things off, followed by noisemongers {Dead Roses}, and country-edged doom-metal dudes {Ghost Town Electric}, and all three of ’em are well worth seeing. So head on up there & celebrate Rudz’ birthday, eh?

Enjoy Every Sandwich: HBS Benefit for Dr. Rick & Pauline’s Cancer Fund, featuring Texas Johnny Brown, Milton Hopkins, Eugene Moody, Paul Ramirez, Eric Demmer, Allison Fisher, Beetle, Guppies From Outer Space, Fool’s Paradise & The Patt Brothers, & Brennan Nase @ The Continental Club (2PM-12AM)
Wow. This one’s pretty painful to hear about, but at the same time, still kind of amazing. Dr. Rick is a longtime fixture of the blues scene here in Houston, and yes, he’s a real-live doctor, one who’s treated cancer patients, no less…except that now he’s been diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer; his doctors haven’t given him very long to live. Head over to the {Houston Press} for a very cool piece on Dr. Rick by the HP‘s Chris Gray, himself no stranger to sudden health crises.

Rather than lay down and die, though, Rick’s decided it’s time to party. So he and the {Houston Blues Society} have set up a benefit/bash of sorts to help his wife Pauline with the inevitable expenses to come and to gather together a bunch of Houston’s best-ever blues musicians in one big show. Seriously, the list reads like a “who’s who” in H-town blues — {Texas Johnny Brown} alone is worth the price of admission. Hats off to Dr. Rick for taking a grim diagnosis and somehow seeing the bright side.

(As a sad side note, Leo Aston of {The Leo Trio} won’t be playing the show, despite what it says on the flyer over there; Aston himself passed away late last month, also of cancer. sigh. What a damn shame…)

Dog Days of Summer Dogwash, featuring Dogz on Parole, Rory Jadeo, & Piss Poor @ Firkin & Phoenix parking lot (12-5PM)
Dunno the bands playing, sorry — although {Dogz on Parole} certainly seems appropriate, going solely by the name — but I like this little mini-festival/benefit thing going on this afternoon (i.e., right now) in the Firkin & Phoenix parking lot (1915 Westheimer). It’s a fundraiser for a local dog rescue, and the idea is that dog owners can bring their own dogs and pay to get ’em washed…which, given the way our dog manages to stink up the room in a hurry these days, is sounding pretty damn enticing. And hey, if you go up there, try the Firkin & Phoenix’s food, too; they do an excellent fish & chips…

Runners-Up:
Southern Backtones @ SugarHill Recording Studios