The Rundown, 11/1/07-11/7/07

Stuck at home with The Munchkin today, so I’ve been dividing my time between, um, working and watching Dora The Explorer. Feeling intensely unproductive, so I figured I’d remedy that by reminding myself (and you, Dear Reader) of all the cool stuff coming up in the next week or so. Here goes…

Thurs., November 1:
Spoon/The New Pornographers/Emma Pollack @ Warehouse Live
Yes, I know this is pretty much the event of the evening, and justifiedly so — Spoon have managed to carve out a weird little niche of almost-stardom over the past few years, and while I have to say that I’m not a huge fan (sorry for the blasphemy; it’s just that Britt Daniel & co.’s songs are hit-or-miss for me), I love the fact that a band I used to play on KTRU (do they ever do “Nefarious” live?) is now playing SNL. Personally, the main draw for this particular show is Canuck supergroup The New Pornographers — unlike Spoon, these folks can literally do no wrong w/me; I love every damn song, even the ones that don’t immediately click at first. (Need to get their new one, actually.) I dunno Emma Pollack real well, unfortunately, but I think I need to check out her new album, too; she used to front the Delgados, and I always liked them, so…

Girl Talk/Busdriver/Daedelus @ The Engine Room
Me & Girl Talk? Eh, ‘sokay. Me & Daedelus? Sorry, man — no idea. Me & Busdriver? Oh, heck yeah. Smart, quirky hip-hop that’s too weird for even (most) hip-hop radio.

Johnette Napolitano @ McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
I had planned on being here tonight — Napolitano is my wife’s favorite musician of all time — but babysitter plans fell through, so I am sadly playing house-husband, instead. Fuck. I was looking forward to it, honestly, although I think it was partly because I haven’t hung out at the Duck in way too long. I’ve got no clue what Napolitano’s solo stuff sounds like, I must confess, but if it’s anything like her stuff w/Concrete Blonde, it’s bound to at least be interesting.

Party Garbage/Cop Warmth/Das Kapital/The Takes @ The Proletariat (6PM)
Dunno a lot of these folks, but Cop Warmth & The Takes are both fine, fine local acts that deserve some attention…

Robbers on High Street/Great Northern/The Television Skies @ The Backroom (The Mink)
Another one of the top picks for the night — what I’ve heard of both the Robbers and Great Northern has been good, although I have yet to check out a full album from either band. If you don’t already have tix for the Spoon show, this is where you probably ought to be tonight.

Fri., November 2:
M.I.A./Paul Wall/The Cool Kids @ Verizon Wireless Theater
I don’t really get the anti-M.I.A. backlash I’ve witnessed lately — maybe it’s just bitterness over the ridiculous amount of blog hype she received pre-Arular? If so, I think that’s short-sighted; from where I sit, M.I.A.’s been one of scant few recipients of ultrabloghype that’s actually deserved the praise. I’m told new disc Kala is even better, to boot. And hey, local-boy-made-good Paul Wall plays the backup slot, which is worth checking out in itself.

The Angry Samoans/Bark Hard/Shot Baker/Deathbed Repentance/The Quarenteens @ Fitzgerald’s
Yep, it’s Punk Back From the Dead Night — not only are the new, one-original-member-left version of Poison Idea playing, but Angry Samoans and Bark Hard both make a comeback tonight. Should be badass.

She Wants Revenge/Kenna/The Start @ The Meridian
Okay, so I don’t really like SWR all that much, either. I do, however, still think fondly of Justin Warfield’s solo hip-hop thang — “Teenage Caligula” was a lot better than it had any right to be…

Battalion of Saints/American Terrorists @ Rudyard’s
Part 2/3 of Punk Back From the Dead Night, although I’m honestly not sure Battalion of Saints ever really broke up. (Not sure the Samoans did, either…) If you’re in the mood for some old-school ’80s hc, I think it’s coin-toss time. Heads: Fitz. Tails: Rudz.

Slightly Stoopid/Fishbone/Supavillains @ Warehouse Live
Forget Slightly Stoopid — Fishbone should be headlining this show. And yes, they’re still freakin’ incredible.

Meryll (CD release)/The Church of Philadelphia/Buxton @ The Loft (9201 Grogan’s Mill Rd., The Woodlands)
Good, good, good mostly-local show for all you north-siders (or those willing to drive). The Church of Philadelphia are seriously one of the best bands in town right now, Buxton are right up there with ’em (looking forward to the full-length, y’all), and Austin’s Meryll just released a very cool 2nd album, which will be reviewed on this here site real damn shortly. (No, really. We do attempt to be current from time to time.)

Sat., November 3:
Don Caballero/Animal/Blades @ The Proletariat
Don Cab you probably know yourself — muscular, math-y, kick-your-fuck’n-ass post-rock that doesn’t like you and doesn’t care to — but the band holds a special place in my heart for playing the first show I ever saw at Emo’s (R.I.P.), on a bill with Seam (also R.I.P.) and an opener I can’t recall. And I don’t remember specifics (other than Damon spitting vodka fireballs out over the crowd), but it was mind-blowing. This show’s especially cool, though, because local badass post-rockers Blades are opening; I’m tempted to go just to see them live, seriously.

2007 GoGirlsMusic Festival/Friends for Life Animal Shelter Benefit, featuring 3 Kisses, Osirus, The Snake Charmers, Sheila Swift, Hidden Agenda, Sheila Harrison, Celeste Terrell, Robin Leigh, Glenna Bell, & Jana Pochop @ Last Concert Cafe
Dunno most of the performers at this particular show — I think they’re all either all-female or female-fronted acts — but I’m always cool w/benefits for no-kill animal shelters.

Ian McLagan & The Bump Band/Ragged Hearts @ The Continental Club
Wow, a serious blast from the past — McLagan used to be in the (Small) Faces back in the ’60s, playing keys for that band & for others (the Stones, Rod Stewart, Springsteen, Dylan, etc., etc.) These days he apparently lives in Austin, so I guess this isn’t too far a slog for the guy… Anyway, openers Ragged Hearts are also very cool, kind of a country-blues sort of thing all dressed up as trashy glam-rock.

Bodog Battle of the Bands, featuring LoneStar PornStar, Blue Steel Manifesto, Via Linda, The Broken Poetz, Counter Current, DEFCON 7, Donte J, The Adalines, Stillframe, Estatica, Eve of Autumn, Our Left Shoe, Ninevolt, Fighting Off Sleep, Metalloyd, & Ne Plus Ultra @ The Engine Room
No, I don’t have any particular attachment to any of these folks, but I know at least three locals — LSPS, Ne Plus Ultra, & The Adalines — are playing, so go out & show your support.

Sun., November 4:
Fog/The Dimes/Listen Listen @ The Proletariat
Haven’t heard much by Fog, although I’ve heard good stuff about ’em. The Dimes & Listen Listen, though, are among the leading lights of the H-town scene at the moment — too-smart, lock-tight indie-rock and quirky, melancholy pastoral folk, respectively.

Sick Of It All/Modern Life Is War/Viva Hate/Down To Nothing/Die Young @ The Meridian
Yet more of the Punk Back From the Dead (or Maybe Not) weekend — granted, I know NY hardcore godfathers Sick Of It All never really called it a day but have kept rolling on, pop-punk wasteland years and all. I still have a soft spot for these guys, I have to say. Plus, I’m told Die Young are one of the better local hc bands around.

Tues., November 6:
Bayside/June/The Sleeping @ Numbers
I know, I know — bands like these are a dime a dozen these days, right? True, but having heard all three, I’m at least somewhat impressed with the lineup at Numbers this Tues. Bayside are good, The Sleeping show some potential, and June are actually really cool.

Wed., November 7:
Regina Spektor @ Warehouse Live
I’m not sure what to make of Spektor, really — is she Ani Difranco? Tori Amos? — but heck, I don’t care. With a song like “Fidelity,” all my stylistic pigeonholding doesn’t make a damn bit of difference. Just enjoy it.

IAMX/The Hourly Radio/The Watermarks @ The Engine Room
IAMX is apparently half of the Sneaker Pimps gone solo, but the impressive part of this show are acts #1, personally — local boys The Watermarks do some decent power-pop-y stuff…

Turbojugend Humpday, featuring King Khan & BBQ, Born Liars, & Fourth Year Freshman @ Rudyard’s
I’ve heard really, really odd (and intriguing) things about King Khan & BBQ, so I’m not sure what the heck to expect from them. Born Liars, though, are a more “known” quantity — promisingly cool garage-punk, along the same lines as Something Fierce & The Monocles.

That’s it, that’s all for now. Enjoy the weekend to come…