Yr. Weekend, Pt. 1: Street Dogs + David Ramirez (Rev’d!) + Blackmarket Syndicate + Hello Chief + More

Damn, damn, damn. Way, way late on tonight’s little rundown, sorry; it’s Friday, September 7th, and there’s definitely good shows going on. Here we go:

Street Dogs/The Koffin Kats/Roll The Tanks/Downtown Struts @ Walter’s (1120 Naylor)
Walter’s has a damn good lineup of street-level punk going on tonight, with Boston-bred rockers Street Dogs, whom I happen to think are badass (listen to “Two Angry Kids” and then tell me I’m wrong; you can’t), and Chicagoans Downtown Struts, who are in the same vein as the Dogs, with punk that’s dirty yet melodic and makes you want to put your fists up to the sky. Dunno the other two bands playing, The Koffin Kats & Roll The Tanks, but this one’s worth it just for the other two…

David Ramirez (album release)/Emily Wolfe/Josh Halverson @ Fitzgerald’s
I’m new to Austin country/roots/folk guy David Ramirez, but after listening repeatedly to full-length Apologies, I’m sold. Tonight’s his album release, apparently, and after hearing it, holy crap, it’s going to be pretty great. Ramirez sings like Steve Earle, lives in bars like Tom Waits, and crafts a song like Ryan Adams, and the result is amazing. Full review over here.

Blackmarket Syndicate/The Hates/Dogz on Parole/Skeleton Dick @ Rudyard’s
Shut Up Sidney/The Hates/The Bad Drugs/Rockaway Radio @ Rudyard’s
Hrm. Okay, this is a little bit weird. {Shut Up Sidney} has this show listed on their Facebook page, but the Rudyard’s Website has the {Blackmarket Syndicate} show listed. Kinda torn, honestly, because I do like Shut Up Sidney, and {The Hates} are cool no matter who they’re playing with.

It’s the {Blackmarket Syndicate} guys I like the most, though; their new album, And the Peasants Rejoiced, is one of the best punk albums I’ve heard, and definitely the best political-punk album I’ve heard in a year, at least. Snarling, raw, angry, but still tuneful and awesome.

Akron/Family /Hello Chief @ Fitzgerald’s
Sadly, I haven’t heard the new album by Akron/Family yet, last year’s Akron/Family II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT, but 2010’s Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free was a nicely-done, very cool chunk of Midwestern retro-psych-rock. Well worth seeing/hearing, absolutely, as are Hello Chief, who I happily caught last weekend — also a little on the psych side of things, but with a proggy/Afrobeat-esque bent. Think Vampire Weekend if they were into Rush, and you might be close.

Runners-Up:
Houston Rocks!, featuring Lost Element, Downfall 2012, Hounds of Jezebel, & Bayou City Outlaw Band @ House of Blues (Bronze Peacock Room)
Kelly Clarkson/The Fray/Carolina Liar @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Only Beast/The Medicine Years/Grizzly/Gut Radio @ Dean’s ($5/$10)
Sound & Pressure Reggae Club, featuring A Fistful of Soul @ Mango’s