The Music Crumudgeon’s preview for the Week of December 19th, 2024
Submitted by RamonLP4 on December 18, 2024 – 3:01 amNo Comment
THIS WEEK’S SPOTLIGHT IS ON
Dang! You guys HAVE been good boys and girls!
Normally, I pick one show or two to spotlight but this week is so utterly crazy that it is literally impossible to do. In fact I’m even posting this one day early to give you a head-start since Santa brought you kids so many good shows to choose from on this Christmas week. So take notes, plan carefully, and Merry Christmas.
Normally, I pick one show or two to spotlight but this week is so utterly crazy that it is literally impossible to do. In fact I’m even posting this one day early to give you a head-start since Santa brought you kids so many good shows to choose from on this Christmas week. So take notes, plan carefully, and Merry Christmas.
Friday, December 19th
Battle Rifle, Chocolate Crucifix, Assholes, and DJ Bill Fool
@ Leon’s Lounge
(Free! bands start at 10PM)
Leave it to Anna Garza and Miss Rosa to set up a Gulf Coast Hardcore show at Houston’s oldest continuously run bar - Leon’s Lounge. Arts Hound has a really interesting history of the place which you can read here. I’m sure Leon’s will be proud to add this evening to their storied past. Set to rock Leon’s are Battle Rifle and the Assholes who I got a blast out of a few weeks ago at Noise Fest (link) and those lovable and droll Hypocristians from Pasadena - well, two of them - as Chocolate Crucifix. If you’ve never been to Leon’s and/or you’ve never seen a Gulf Coast Hardcore show then you have two damn good reasons to go but I’ll give you a third - It’s free. But mind you if you are going, remember this ain’t no 3 hour Springsteen set; hardcore bands play 15-20minutes MAX! So don’t dilly-dally! [Full Disclosure: hey that's no promoter, that's my wife!]
@ Leon’s Lounge
(Free! bands start at 10PM)
Leave it to Anna Garza and Miss Rosa to set up a Gulf Coast Hardcore show at Houston’s oldest continuously run bar - Leon’s Lounge. Arts Hound has a really interesting history of the place which you can read here. I’m sure Leon’s will be proud to add this evening to their storied past. Set to rock Leon’s are Battle Rifle and the Assholes who I got a blast out of a few weeks ago at Noise Fest (link) and those lovable and droll Hypocristians from Pasadena - well, two of them - as Chocolate Crucifix. If you’ve never been to Leon’s and/or you’ve never seen a Gulf Coast Hardcore show then you have two damn good reasons to go but I’ll give you a third - It’s free. But mind you if you are going, remember this ain’t no 3 hour Springsteen set; hardcore bands play 15-20minutes MAX! So don’t dilly-dally! [Full Disclosure: hey that's no promoter, that's my wife!]
Toy Drive, featuring
The Riff Tiffs, Wild Moccasins, Elaine Greer, B L A C K I E, sIngs, Giant Princess, News on the March, Buxton, Paleo, American Sharks, Death by Texas, & Wicked Poseur
@ The Mink
($10 or free with toy)
With the Exception of Makanda, Illinois’ Paleo and Austin’s Death by Texas, this is pretty much a full scale assault of who’s who in Houston. Bask in the awesome shoegaze of the Riff Tiffs whose records are a mere hint of what they can do live, the pop frenzy of Wild Moccasins, the cascade of sweet melodies from chanteuse Elaine Greer, the noisy aggression of Blackie, the post-By the End Of Tonight solo-ness of Sings, the organ driven pop steam locomotive that is Giant Princess, the high lonesome rich pop of News On The March, the emotionally charged Americana of Buxton, the party party goodness of American Sharks, and the …well er..Arthur Bates-ness of Wicked Poseur. For great bands, let’s just say this is like shooting fish in a barrel.
Holy crap ex-pat Houston post-punks Ume return for the Christmas season with a lovely Christmas present - a free show at Rudyard’s. If you’re not familiar with the guitar- wielding blond locks of fury of Lauren Larson I cannot tell you how much I pity you. As the frontwoman of this trio, she flails with the kind of jaw dropping performance that would make Angus Young jealous yet it never upstages her singular fretwork that combines the melodic, the angular, and all out noisy freak-outs. Toss in a solid rhythm section and some brilliant tunes and you’ll know why I get excited whenever Ume flies home for the holidays.
Local Pop-Punk royalty Something Fierce’s new CD is finally out. It’s been about two and a half years since their first album, Come for the Bastards, hit the streets but the stream of great music hasn’t stopped over those two years and in fact last year saw two brilliant singles that left the songwriting and performances of CFTB resemble nothing more than a sketch on a napkin. Now that may sound like a put-down but it’s really not because the band has simply just come so far in fine-tuning their craft that they have taken it to a whole other level that the original album never could have suggested. Back then, they were a great live band with a good album but now they are a great live band with a string of 7-inches that kick you in the nuts and leave you whimpering on the ground. So naturally, given how far they have raised the bar, a full length has us saying “Thank you sir, may I have another?”
Other stuff going on Friday:
-Lower Life Form, Duo @ Cactus Music (5:30PM)
-Del Castillo, Vallejo, Bayou Monster @ Warehouse Live
-The Raven Tree, Goodnight Goddess @ Notsuoh
-A Cinematic Lie, Out of Reach, The Distracted, Kamalicca @ Fitzdown
-The Raven Tree, Goodnight Goddess @ Notsuoh
-A Cinematic Lie, Out of Reach, The Distracted, Kamalicca @ Fitzdown
Saturday, December 20
Free Press Houston’s Christmas Party, featuring
Satin Hooks, The Eastern Sea, Piano Vines, Nick Greer, Ozeal & The Eulypians, Chase Hamblin, & Female Demand
@ Avant Garden
($8.00 starts at 9PM 18+)
Yes, we has a party. Everyone’s favorite metronome proponent Kerry of Satin Hooks will learn ya on how to rock, Austin’s Eastern Sea will bathe you in sweet hummable melodies, Piano Vines will ensnare you in some fine indie pop, Bojones’ Nick Greer will give it to you solo as will Picturebook’s Chase Hamlin, Ozeal will kick it funky, and Female Demand will prog your face off. Consider it a compressed block party put on by glorious FPH leader.
Skyline Network Presents
A Gloriously Extravagant Multi-Million Dollar Extravaganza:
The Second Annual Sammies Music Awards!
Big Star Bar (1005 W 19th Street, 10PM Free)
If you haven’t voted in this year’s Sammies then good Gravy get to it - polling closes at noon on Friday!!! Here is the link: Vote! This is always a huge deal. Not only are there the usual guests stars- Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Sheckie Green etc. - but this year The Skyline Network is pulling out all the stops on the musical numbers including The Wild Moccasins doing Esther Williams inspired synchronized swimming, The Ton Tons’ Asli Omar doing Bob Fosse choreographed Jazz Hands, and something on the roster with Domokos and Animal from the Muppets listed as “get fucked up and break shit”. More info here- Link. Do It Anyway You Wanna:
It’s Reprogram Multimedia Annual Holiday Party, featuring
Spain Colored Orange, The Factory Party, B L A C K I E, and DJs Richard Henry, Yppah, Jeffery Mac, Paramour, Damon Allen, J. Calero, Dan Castillo, & Ceeplus Bad Knives
@ Bootleg Studios (2301 Commerce & Bastrop $10, 8PM)
Woo warehouse party. Local horn and organ powered faves Spain Coloured Orange join New Order acolytes The Factory Party and the ubiquitous one man
Anti-Christ Mass XI, featuring
Necrotic Void, Cerebral Rot, Adumus, Condemned, Ninth Kingdom, Insidious Decrepancy, Funeral Rites, To Scale The Throne, Golgotha, Demonical Genuflection, & Dismembered
@ Walter’s on Washington
Santa Claus ain’t no poser! I know! Dude I used to work overnight in a bookstore and the night of the week when Sweet Nightmares came on KPFT (now From the Depths on KTRU Sundays 10PM to 1AM) was our favorite because, when you’re shelving books at 4am, nothing will keep you going more than bone crushing metal! So I ask you what do you think Santa has pumping on his sleigh? Melodic Indie Rock? Hell no! It’s Metal! Metal that would make any mortal’s ears bleed and scream in pain. Much like what you’ll find tonight.
Come See My Dead Person, Two Star Symphony, Whorehound
@ Rudyard’s
If all the above seem like too much, then consider this option: three bands, three completely different styles, and yet it all kind of works. Hey! You got your roguish Gypsyfied Tom Waits inspired rowdiness in my sublime chamber music and in my face crushing rock. Heeeeeey…That’s pretty good!
Other stuff going on Saturday:
-King’s X, Laidlaw, Jambi’s Revenge @ The Meridian
-KPFT Benefit, featuring Plump & more @ Dan Electro’s Guitar Bar
-J’ando @ Cactus Music (3PM)
-A Nightmare Before Christmas, featuring John Bourke, Stiletto, & Fredster @ Boondocks
-Stoney LaRue,Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights @ House of Blues
-Alpha Rev,Johnny Goudie, Vicarious Me @ Fitzgerald’s
-The Mighty Orq, Skyblue72 @ Warehouse Live
-Benefit Show for Jacob Blaylock, featuring Nine Volt, Lluvia Dreams, The Delta Block, Young Ras Tesfa, Kozmik Nine, DJ Wayniac, & more @ Notsuoh
-The Caprolites, The Trian Woodburns, & Novox @ PJs Sports Bar
-King’s X, Laidlaw, Jambi’s Revenge @ The Meridian
-KPFT Benefit, featuring Plump & more @ Dan Electro’s Guitar Bar
-J’ando @ Cactus Music (3PM)
-A Nightmare Before Christmas, featuring John Bourke, Stiletto, & Fredster @ Boondocks
-Stoney LaRue,Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights @ House of Blues
-Alpha Rev,Johnny Goudie, Vicarious Me @ Fitzgerald’s
-The Mighty Orq, Skyblue72 @ Warehouse Live
-Benefit Show for Jacob Blaylock, featuring Nine Volt, Lluvia Dreams, The Delta Block, Young Ras Tesfa, Kozmik Nine, DJ Wayniac, & more @ Notsuoh
-The Caprolites, The Trian Woodburns, & Novox @ PJs Sports Bar
Sunday, December 21st
Trills the Season Toy Drive ‘08, featuring Nosaprise, Lower Life Form, Spain Colored Orange, The Mathletes, and DJs Dayta and License to Trill
@ Boondocks
($7 or Free with a Toy)
Yes another Toy Drive this time though the melodic Hip Hop of Nosaprise and Lower Life Form is paired with the afore mentioned local horn and organ powered pop of SCO and the unicorn space pop of the Mathletes.
Other stuff going on Sunday
-The Swingfield Playboys @ McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
-Rocket for Ethiopia, The Takes, The No No No Hopes (ex-Janitor/Trigger Quintet), The Caprolites @ Walter’s on Washington
-The Swingfield Playboys @ McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
-Rocket for Ethiopia, The Takes, The No No No Hopes (ex-Janitor/Trigger Quintet), The Caprolites @ Walter’s on Washington
Tuesday, December 23
Gay Marriage (7″ release party) * Total Abuse * Black Congress * The Assholes
@ Rudyard’s
Gay Marriage put out a CDR that I once said, were it ever released as a 7″, I would happily put that 7″ alongside The Party Owls’ classic Rock Out EP as one of the greatest 7″ EP to ever rise from The Lone Star State. I never thought it would happen but, sure enough, here we are and not only will it be released at a 7″ on Ditchwater records but the band itself is reuniting for this record release. Yes, it’s Tuesday but you should go because this will be your one chance to see Gay Marriage play and, look, most of these sets will be clocking in around 10 or maybe 15 minutes so don’t complain about this one running late. [Full Disclosure: hey that's no DIY record mogul, that's my wife!]
Other stuff going on Tuesday
-Trish & Darin’s Christmas Dinner Show @ McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
Thursday, December 25
Tody Castillo
@ Rudyard’s
Listen my children for the Three wise men did lay gifts before a young infant Jesus but after their long journey they were ready to kick back to some beer and Tody Castillo. And so they say every Christmas night, in a bar in Houston, Tody Castillo arrives to bring joy to all the little children who are 21-up.
This show was erroneously listed as being on Christmas but I just got word that it is happening on New Year’s Eve.
B L A C K I E, Nosaprise, Dunny Osmond
@ Notsuoh
@ Notsuoh
Take a little Blackie from Saturday’s Warehouse Show a little bit of Nosaprise from Sunday’s Boondocks show and sprinkle a little Dunnock and, ahhh, smells like Christmas.
Other stuff going on Thursday
-30footFALL, Middlefinger, Avitia, Alshire @ Fitzgerald’s
-The Handsomes, Thunderado @ The Continental Club
-Alphallenium @ Warehouse Live
- God Bless James Brown! Celebrating the godfather of Soul on the second anniversary of his death with DJ’s Brett Koshkin, DJ Sun, and DJ Melodic @ Boondocks (Free!)
-Alphallenium @ Warehouse Live
- God Bless James Brown! Celebrating the godfather of Soul on the second anniversary of his death with DJ’s Brett Koshkin, DJ Sun, and DJ Melodic @ Boondocks (Free!)
