As soon as Chatterton finished its set a couple of weeks ago at First Fridays on the Green (a free monthly show at Magnolia Green Park on the South Side), a transient shuffled up to the lip of the stage and presented frontman Kevin Aldridge with a 40-ouncer paper bag to autograph. Aldridge –– always a hospitable presence, a real man of the people –– graciously complied. The red-bearded singer-songwriter was less accommodating at one point during the show, when a concertgoer evidently offended by Chatterton’s brand of honey-brown, Jayhawks-y, country-inflected ‘70s rock called out, rather timidly, as if he were hiding behind a Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman, “Rock ‘n’ roll.” Aldridge, in a language that would please grandmothers from here to China, basically told the heckler to go fuck himself. The moral of the story: Chatterton is brilliant, and 40s are just swell. Along with Austin’s Band of Heathens, Dallas’ Kirby Brown, and a fellow Weekly Music Awards nominee –– the lovable Orbans –– Chatterton will produce “rock ‘n’ roll” tonight (Friday) at The Moon (2911 W Berry St, by TCU, 817-926-9600), the location, incidentally, of another fabulous upcoming “rock ‘n’ roll” show. On Saturday, catch multiple Music Awards nominee The Campaign, ex-Polyphonic Spree person Andrew Tinker, and one of my favorite people of all time, alt-country singer-songwriter Collin Herring, who relocated to Austin from the Fort a year or two ago and doesn’t play here much anymore if at all. Welcome home, Collin!
Reminders: That Mockingbird Cartel show HearSay told you about is tomorrow at Lola’s, and that Whitey Johnson/Anson Funderburgh gig you also learned about via HearSay is tonight (Friday) at the Keys.
Sometimes I just want to grab the nearest person in a headlock, jam my iPod earbuds into his head, and force him to listen to some of my new favorite tunes. There’s just so much great music out there that isn’t being properly appreciated (jerks). So. If you get a spare moment today, drop by the office or my bailiwick, and I’ll be glad to wrestle you into some Foals. Or Black Moth Super Rainbow. Or Caribou. Or The Clientele. Or Cold War Kids. Or Elbow. Or The Duke Spirit. Or Kristoffer Ragnstam. Or Peter, Bjorn, and John. Or Art Brut. You’re welcome! (Ya lousy bum.)
