Yr. Weekend, Pt. 2: Face to Face + This Year’s Tiger + Space City Revue + Born Liars (Rev’d!) + Brewfest + King’s X + More

sigh. This, folks, is what happens when House Stuff interferes with Other Really Important Stuff You Needed To Do Today (“Today,” in this instance, being Saturday, May 18th). The whole freaking day got away from me, despite my best efforts/intentions, and now it’s pretty damn late, and I’m freaking exhausted.

I’m sorely tempted to not bother even posting about all the shows going on tonight, but dammit, some of ’em are very damn cool, so what the hell…here’s an extremely brief look at the absolute highlights (to me, at least) of what’s going right now, so read this and then get out the door, alright?:

Face to Face/Blacklist Royals/This Year’s Tiger/Joshua Black Wilkins @ Fitzgerald’s
Utterly classic pop-punk/hardcore band (and emo progenitors, for what it’s worth) who’ve recently learned some new/old tricks, plus This Year’s Tiger, a gang of rough-voiced-yet-tuneful punk/indie-rockers who I’d feared were dead but have recently come out of their self-imposed hiatus. Nice.

Space City Revue, featuring Ty Mahany, Strange Weapons, Dusti Rhodes, & Hoofprints @ Big Star Bar
Fun-sounding “revue” show featuring not only music from talented-ass people like {Strange Weapons} and {Hoofprints}, but also comedy from the likes of Dusti Rhodes. The idea’s to make it like an old-style variety show, which sounds neat as hell to me, anyway. Not sure if Ty Mahany‘s doing comedy, too; go check it out & see…

Born Liars (record release)/The Bad Drugs/The Dead Rabbits/Dollyrockers/The Wind Ups @ Fitzgerald’s
Record release for local badass garage-blues-punk-rawk outfit {Born Liars}, whose new album, Show Some Couth, yours truly reviewed earlier today (in-between yard work, a friend’s baby shower, and yet more yard work; how un-punk is that?). They’re as raw and loud and unapologetically belligerent as ever, but this time I realized these guys are actually damn good songwriters, too. No, I’m serious as a heart attack; give ’em a listen, and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Houston Press Brewfest, featuring Honky Tonk Blood Brothers, Leo Mendoza, Keyun and The Zydeco Masters, & the last place you look @ Silver Street Station (1501 Silver St.; 3-10PM)
Still time to catch a bit of the Houston Press Brewfest, which is cool, because some good, good bands are playing. Not sure if {the last place you look} already played, but head over there to catch the Honky Tonk Blood Brothers (which I believe is {Craig Kinsey} and {Johnny Falstaff}).

Adam Bricks @ CHA Champagne and Wine Bar
Thoughtful, surprisingly jagged-edged “city folk” from Houston-by-way-of-NYC singer/songwriter. His most recent album, City Songs, is pretty excellent.

Project Grimm/Dead Mineral @ Rudyard’s
Old-timers {Project Grimm}, still tearing up the Rudyard’s stage, alongside {Dead Mineral}, who themselves have been around this here scene in various incarnations for quite a long while now. Grimm, though, are the true draw here — two decades on, they still sound damned impressive.

Carolyn Wonderland @ Dan Electro’s Guitar Bar
Sorely-missed blueswoman Carolyn Wonderland — who’s also somebody who’s been around since I first came here, and although she decamped for Austin a decade or so ago, I still can’t help but think of her as still being a Houstonian at heart. Plus, she’s one hell of a guitarist and singer (obviously).

King’s X/Recovery Room/Raging Apathy/Stone Pusher @ The Scout Bar (Clear Lake)
And to round out Old Home Night, still-kicking H-town alterna-metal heroes King’s X ride again, after far, far, far too damn long. If you don’t know who this band is, you apparently didn’t like music back in the ’90s. Oh, and I’m glad to see they’re back on their feet again afer drummer Jerry Gaskill‘s heart attack last year…

Yngwie Malmsteen/Metalloyd/Good Job Underground/Freddy X/Burning Heat/Martyrd @ The Concert Pub North (2470 FM 1960)
Once-legendary guitar shredder Yngwie Malmsteen, who used to headline arenas and blow minds worldwide, is now playing at The Concert Pub North. Wow. But hey, on the flipside, Yngwie Freaking Malmsteen is playing at The Concert Pub North tonight.

Runners-Up:
Celebrating the Legend: Chuck Rainey, Benefiting the Rainey Family Fund, featuring Christian McBride, Joe Sample, Skip Nallia, Larry Fulcher, Fred Wesley, Song Byrd, Annika Chambers, Justin Nava, The Heights Boogaloo All-Stars, & Karma Points @ Numbers (6-11PM)
Only Beast/Murder the Stout/Saya @ The Big Top
Dean’s Presents an Acoustic Evening, featuring Roman Molina, Chris Goodwin, I & II, Jessica Perry, Shaurya Navanati, Adrian Gonzales, Ramses Garza, Bob Simpson, & Henry Luna @ Dean’s
Texas Music & Art Unison Present Summer Jam, featuring Erich Avinger, J Phoenix the Experience, Rozz Zamorano Group, Los Revolver, Paco & The Buds, PowerRage, Georgette & Super Tonic, Downer, Fighting with Silence, Trial By Bourbon, Black Orchid Ritual, Jesse Weaver, High Toned 2, 2 COLD, Keno Sims, Tabline, The Psychedelic Sidekicks, & Guitar Clone Odyssey @ The Compound (12-10PM; $10)
Texas Johnny Brown @ The Big Easy
Saya/Battle Rifle/Hoffle Stoff Awaffogus (album release)/Gnar World Order/Mannequin Mishap/Intense Parking Violation @ The White Swan
Loaded, featuring Sammy K. and The East Los 3, Talk Sick Brats, The Ballistics, The Bloody Von Erichs, Always Guilty, Molotov Compromise, Los Gritos, Steel Toe Soul, Ghost Police, & Garbage Dump @ Ballistics Skate House (807 Williams)
Second Annual Concert for Conservation, featuring Dwight Yoakam, Robert Earl Keen, Hayes Carll, Ray Wylie Hubbard, & more @ Sam Houston Race Park
Beyond All Deception/Carrion Sun/Kleos @ Shifters (free!)
Legion/Ten Ton Hammer/Critical Assembly/Black Feratu @ Acadia Bar & Grill
Yello Echo @ Khon’s
Red Cobra (The Mummies tribute) @ Mango’s
Bands & Bombshells Concert, featuring The Bellfuries & Brandon McDermott Band @ 2102 Seawall (Galveston)