Yr. Weekend, Pt. 2: Scale the Summit + Young Mammals (7″ Release) + Omotai + The Manichean + The Snow Indian + More

Late, late, late again — sorry, y’all, but Family Time has to take precedence… It’s been (and still is) a gorgeous Saturday, November 2nd, and there’s some excellent stuff happening either right damn now or starting shortly. Here we go with a few of ’em:

Scale the Summit/The Reign of Kindo/Jolly @ Fitzgerald’s
Yes, yes, yes. Houston’s own {Scale The Summit} play intricate, insanely technical, prog-heavy, yet also astoundingly melodic and fluid instro-metal, the kind that makes me want to close my eyes and drift off over some alien landscape. Granted, this kind of thing definitely can lack for heart, but goddamn, whenever I hear these guys play, it makes my jaw freaking drop. They’re heavy when they need to be, but play these Eric Johnson-esque, “round”-sounding melodic passages, and they do it with an amazing nonchalance and grace. They don’t play around their hometown real often, so see ’em tonight up at Fitzgerald’s, while you can.

Young Mammals (7″ release)/Bobby Jealousy/Far Out @ Mango’s ($7)
Over at Mango’s tonight, there’s an equally-cool (and equally-rare, really, these days) show. with long-running indie-pop heroes {Young Mammals} resurfacing after too, too damn long. They’ve popped back up with a brand-new 7″ in hand, for new track “Build A House,” and it’s very cool, with an oddly art-rock vibe that sounds (to me, anyway) like it harks back to the more obscure edges of the ’80s pop realm, but with plenty of guitar heroics and an awesomely driving rhythm to it all. Take a listen below, and keep an eye/ear out for the band’s next full-length, which’ll hopefully be out next year:

Ripper/Babylon Breakers/Omotai/Super Dragon/AfterYoung/The Snow Indian/Puppet/The Manichean @ 2812 Landmark Dr. (Baytown)
Lastly, this one’s for folks who live out in the wild lands east of Houston proper (i.e., Pasadena, Baytown, etc.) There’s what sounds like a damn cool house show out in Baytown, with heavy-ass doom-stompers {Omotai}, amazing, dramatic, intense rockers {The Manichean}, and cool, rough-edged duo {The Snow Indian}, for three. I’ve heard good things about some of the others, particularly Ripper, who I think are over here from Japan, so get on out, and remember: it’s a house show, so don’t be a dick.

Runners-Up:
BuzzFest XXXI, featuring Stone Temple Pilots, Nico Vega, The Virginmarys, New Politics, Cage the Elephant, Middle Class Rut, IAMDYNAMITE, Chester Bennington, 10 Years, Blue October, Chevelle, & Oleander @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
The Casualties/Negative Approach/Krum Bums/Bastard Cult/Some Nerve @ Walter’s
Mel Tillis @ Nutty Jerry’s (Winnie)
La Sien/Changoman/Espantapajaros @ The Continental Club
Mike Stinson @ Boom Boom Room
The Old Moon Festival, featuring Nick Gaitan & The Umbrella Man & DJ Big E @ D&W Lounge (911 Millby)
Lone Star Rally 2013, featuring Hairball, Jasmine Cain, Farrell Webber, Jared Blake & Alyssa Claar, Ogre, Sam Navarro & the Lone Star Devils, & Paul Ramirez @ Seawall/Saengerfest (Galveston; free!)
Dia De Los Muertos Party, featuring Dollyrockers, The Guilloteens, & Zipperneck @ Rudyard’s
The 2013 Orange Show Gala: Dreamscape, featuring The Celebrity Allstars Band @ Crown Plaza Reliant Center
Ray Wylie Hubbard @ McGonigel’s Mucky Duck