Yr. Weekend, Pt. 1: American Fangs + Hell City Kings + Hello Chief + B.E. Godfrey + Frenetic After Dark + Lincoln Durham + More

Damn. This weekend’s really crept up on me, I have to say; I’ve been spending the past few weeks doing other things, and now I’m scrambling to pick up the pieces, both here and at The Day Job. sigh. Hope everybody out there had a good, safe, not-tragic holiday…

Anyway, it’s now Friday, January 4th, and I’ve got to keep this quick, but here’s what’s on for tonight:

American Fangs/Bury the Crown/Sanctus Bellum/Carry the Storm/Muhammad Ali/The Dollyrockers/Hell City Kings/The Dead Rabbits/Burn The Boats/The Wrong Ones/Ass @ Fitzgerald’s
Hell, yes. This one’s the top of the pile, for me, with a half-dozen or so of my favorite rock bands in this city all under one roof up at Fitz. It’s an eclectic lineup, so there’s plenty for everybody, from the hard-drinking, pedal-to-the-floor road-punk of {Hell City Kings} to the boozy Irish streetpunk of {The Dead Rabbits} to the drunk-ass (sensing a theme yet?) glam-garage of {The Wrong Ones} to the woozy, sloppy-yet-intricate throwback indie-rock of {Muhammad Ali}.

And then, of course, there’s headliners {American Fangs}, who’ve roared back to life recently and are reportedly prepping to release their long, long, long-awaited (by me, anyway) full-length. I’ve seen AF live a few times now, in various settings, and trust me when I say that they are flat-out amazing to watch/hear. I’m still a little partial to their older stuff, of course, since that’s what first sucked me in, but pretty much everything the band’s done kills me.

Native America/Fox & Cats/Hello Chief/B.E. Godfrey/Hot Pants @ Houston House of Creeps (807 William; $5)
Shifting to something slightly more mellow, there’s this show over at the Houston House of Creeps, which not only includes cool, sweet-hearted indie-popsters Fox & Cats, but also Beaumont kids Hello Chief, who I was fortunate to catch back in September. They impressed me mightily, I have to say, and tonight’s extra-special because they’ll be bringing some copies of their new EP(?), all hand-assembled & everything.

Oh, and there’s been a late (well, for me, anyway) change to the lineup, with B.E. Godfrey stepping on there to do his awesomely moody, low-key indie-folk solo thing. Which, yes, is gooooood. Seriously.

Frenetic After Dark, featuring Jhon Stronks, there in the sunlight, Chip Tune Crooner, FrenetiCore Dance, Dem Damn Dames, Nyne the Poet, Jim Mackenzie, Kiki’s Sordid Sideshow, & more @ House of Blues
Is this happening? Not a clue. It’s not listed on the House of Blues calendar I got sent the other day, sadly, but I sincerely hope it’s still a go, because it sounds like a neat, weird, unique mishmash of art, poetry, dance, and music, mostly by people I’ve heard of but never actually seen/heard. I’ve been to some FrenetiCore stuff in the past, and it’s always been extremely interesting…

Lincoln Durham @ Dosey Doe Coffee Company (The Woodlands)
Last but not least, you north-of-towners should sit up & pay attention to this one, because the little bit I’ve caught so far of raggedy-edged blues-folk troubadour Lincoln Durham is damn enticing. It’s gritty, dirty, bluegrass-tinged country/folk stuff, but with a seriously dark strain to it that brings to mind Johnny Cash’s later, murkier stuff, Steve Earle’s bleakest moments, and a less-metal Dax Riggs. None of which are bad things, in my book. Just FYI, this apparently isn’t at the new Dosey Doe location in Conroe, but at the old one out in The Woodlands. Don’t want anybody confused, y’know?

Runners-Up:
Amplified Heat/Modern Hoax/Espantapajaros/DJ Klandestino @ Mango’s
Super Robot Party/Handsome Ransom/The Journey Agents @ The Continental Club
Acous’Mix Re*View: First Friday, featuring Obscured By Echoes, Say Girl Say, Sydnee Jane & the Jane-ettes, & Screwtape @ Notsuoh
Adam & Eve Fashion Show, Cirque Show, and Concert Rock Party Circus Part 2, featuring American Swindle, Otenki, Shaving Z, Aramite, Downfall Rising, & Avengers Dance Crew @ House of Blues
SEXXXY DJ’s Derek Mayo Cancer Benefit, featuring DJ Vicente Martinez Gonzalez & DJ Michael Emerson @ The Fairview (315 Fairview; 6PM-2AM)
DJ William Michael Smith @ Leon’s Lounge (1006 McGowen; free!)
South Austin Moonlighters/Texas Johnny Boy @ McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
Raging Apathy/From Guts To Glory/Hounds of Jezebel/The Common Era @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)