FPH 10: Free Press Houston 10 Year Anniversary Celebranza, featuring STRFKR, Devin the Dude, Blackbird Blackbird, Sideshow Tramps, The Hates, Dann Halen, A Fistful of Soul, The Wild Moccasins, & Venomous Maximus @ Fitzgerald’s (5PM-2AM; sold out!)
Oh, yes. This right here is the biggie of the night, by far — the good people over at {Free Press Houston} are whooping it up to celebrate 10 years of awesomeness, and they’ve gathered a hell of a lineup to do it, including local hip-hop hero {Devin The Dude}, punk rock icons {The Hates}, rollicking party-gypsies {The Sideshow Tramps}, excellently catchy popsters {The Wild Moccasins}, & witchery-minded metal dudes {Venomous Maximus}. Hot damn.

Now, for the bad part: if you don’t have a ticket (and, hell, are probably already there), well, you’re out of luck. Sadly (for you), the show is sold out, so you’re going to have to stand outside of Fitz and listen longingly to the party going on inside.

EELS/Nicole Atkins/Jacob Calle @ Warehouse Live
Now, for the alternatives. Alternative #1 is over at Warehouse Live, where EELS, the brainchild of melancholy/bitter pop-rock savant Mark Oliver Everett will be tearing up the stage. I’ve heard new album Wonderful, Glorious, and it’s pretty badass, although definitely not what I was expecting based on what I’d heard of the first few EELS albums; this incarnation of the band is a lot grittier and Waits-y than I’d thought it’d be, but hell, I’m all for that.

Plus, he’s playing with Nicole Atkins, a similarly moody singer-songwriter whose music is gorgeous and dark at the same time; she’s pretty great on her own right. And I’m told local boy Jacob Calle will be opening for the show, although I’m not entirely sure what he’s going to be doing — a magic performance, maybe? Your guess is as good as mine, but hey, it’ll be entertaining, whatever happens…

Dax Riggs/Sacoustico @ Rudyard’s
If a darkened bar’s more your speed tonight, Rudyard’s is where you need to head, to catch mind-blowing Louisiana-dweller Dax Riggs (and yes, this was at Fitz originally; when the original venue for the FPH party changed, they had to bump the already-booked shows elsewhere).

Seriously, if you haven’t heard this guy yet, you need to. I’ve been forcing 2007’s We Sing of Only Blood or Love on people for the past few years, and they always, always end up with that stunned, what-the-fuck-was-that? look on their face. Dark, brooding, dangerous, metal-tinged blues snarl like Jack White wishes he could pull off.

Gabe Bravo’s Birthday Party/Show, featuring The Trimms, Mutulu the motherfucking wind, Nikkhoo with P.L.X.T.X, Shotgun Funeral, Kyle Hubbard, The Easy Credit Dance Theater, Kerry Melonson, & Delirium of Scotland @ Avant Garden (free!)
Last but not least, there’s an impressively wide-ranging grab-bag of music exploding over at the Avant Garden, including rockers The Trimms, {Satin Hooks} frontman Kerry Melonson, sharp-tongued rapper {Kyle Hubbard}, and destructo-noise-dub outfit {P.L.X.T.X}, all for the b-day of one Gabe Bravo. Happy birthday, Gabe, whoever you are!

Runners-Up:
Unite to Destroy Vol. 3, featuring No Master, Porkeria, Nu-Kle-Ar Blast Suntan, Gasmiasma, PLF, Deadline, Satannabis, Bastard Cvlt, & Garbage Dump @ White Swan Live
Mango’s Overflow 2013, featuring Volagio, La Sien, & Espantapajaros @ Mango’s
DJ iPod Ammo/Bagheera @ MKT Bar (5-11PM)
Unite to Destroy After Party, featuring Versklaven, Rotten Waters, & Dethrone @ The Ponderosa
Zwee @ House of Blues (Crossroads Stage)
Hounds of Jezebel/Melovine/Recovery Room/V.A.L. @ House of Blues