Yr. Weekend, Pt. 1: Omotai (Rev’d!) + Catch Fever + American Fangs + Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. + Children of Pop + Born Liars + More

Getting a late start this evening, I know, but for those of you who aren’t already out & about this Friday, February 21st, yeah, there’s a crap-ton of cool stuff happening. Here we go:

Omotai (album release)/Lions of Tsavo/Baring Teeth/Turbokrieg @ Fitzgerald’s
First on the list tonight is a particularly badass, heavy, noisy roar of a show; it’s the official release party for Fresh Hell, the new album from giganto-sized stompers {Omotai}, whom I happen to love a whole heck of a lot. They’re a seriously awesome bunch of people, and the new album sees them growing and changing, morphing from their old-school doom-metal selves as of about four years ago into a band that’s a lot more of a noisy, proggy, space-y, yet still heavy post-punk band. Think Neurosis, think Jesus Lizard, then mash that together with some June Of 44, and you’ll kinda-sorta get the idea. (Look over here for the full review, should you be so inclined.)

Not real familiar with all of the openers, but Austin’s Lions of Tsavo play some excellent, ultra-technical math-y metal that makes me think of later Priestess, and I’m told Turbokrieg features one of the guys from {War Master}, so that’s pretty cool in itself.

Catch Fever (album release)/American Fangs/Featherface/BLSHS @ Warehouse Live (Studio)
Speaking of album release shows, there’s a cool-looking one over at Warehouse Live tonight, too, for local rockers {Catch Fever}. I’d been told by multiple folks that I need to check these guys out (thanks for the persistence, Jason Smith!), so I finally took a listen to a handful of tracks off their new album Shiny Eyes, and I’ve gotta say, I’m impressed.

It wasn’t an immediate thing for me, it’s true, but I like the way they incorporate some seriously ’80s-pop influences into their sound; they make me think of several New Wave bands at points and The Killers or even Muse at others, and I’m psyched to hear some more real soon.

It helps that they’re playing with a phenomenal trio of openers, BTW — I thoroughly dig raw, in-your-face alt-rock dudes {American Fangs}, no question (their long-awaited full-length last year was great), and the same goes for hazy psych-pop guys {Featherface}, from whom I’m eagerly awaiting to hear some new stuff (soon?). Then there’s {BLSHS}, who I’ve heard a bit of and really liked; like the headliners, they’re one hell of a promising band of youngsters…

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr./Chad Valley/Benjamin Booker @ Fitzgerald’s
Fitzgerald’s has some primary-colored, unabashedly electronic pop going on this evening, with headliners Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., who are interesting in a warbly, watery kind of way, and seriously ’80s-tinged popster Chad Valley, who comes off like an unironic Rick Astley at points. (I’ll leave it to you to decide whether that’s a good thing.) Plus, there’s New Orleans’ Benjamin Booker, about whom I’ve heard good things, so that’s an added bonus.

Born Liars/The Guillotines/City Life/The Freakouts @ Rudyard’s
If, on the other hand, you prefer your music gritty and grimy and raw, with those aforementioned primary colors liberally smeared with mud, blood, and grease, well, Rudyard’s is where you need to go, right damn now. {Born Liars} headline, blazing through their trademark loud, fast, boozy/bluesy breed of garage-y rawk, and they’re joined by {The Guillotines}, which includes members of {Chelsea Hotel} and none other than Bobby Conn of early punks The Pagans. Dunno City Life, but {The Freakouts} are reportedly damn good old-school glam-punk, as well.

Children of Pop (tape release)/Cool Piss/Hollywood Black/Deep Space @ Houston House of Creeps
And then, the final album release of the night, over at the House of Creeps, for Fiesta/Drift, the most recent release for local indie-pop phenom {Children of Pop}, who does some damn cool stuff that somehow merges more contemporary stuff like Freelance Whales with the old-school vibe of Thomas Dolby or even the Talking Heads. (BTW, he/they were recently signed to well-respected indie label Lefse Records, which is a very good sign…)

I’m told, actually, that this show’s a pizza party, so hey, get on over the HHOC and enjoy yourself some pizza and excellent music, courtesy of COP, oddballs {Cool Piss}, and cool rockers {Hollywood Black} (who I thought were dead & gone, actually, so this is nice to see).

Runners-Up:
Dave Wrangler/DNCSxWLVS @ MKT Bar
Deadly Reign/Kriegblast/Saint Crusher/Black Coffee/God Fearing Fuck @ Mango’s
Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, featuring Hamiet Bluiett @ MECA (1900 Kane; 8PM)
Runaway Sun @ D&W Lounge
Metal Church/Shaving Suzie/Owl Witch @ The Concert Pub North
Que/OG Bobby Johnson/Stunnabam/Paul Wall @ Warehouse Live
Vatos Locos/The Living Dolls/Confused/Moonrazer/Slut Puppie @ Walter’s
Billy Joe Shaver Band @ Dosey Doe Music Cafe (Conroe)