New Wave

Last weekend was all about the veterans. With Untapped Festival and a bunch of 4/20 shows, a lot of bands we all know and love got to enjoy the spotlight. This weekend is about the newbies. Just when you think you know all there is to know about Fort Worth music –– and just when you think you’ve seen and/or heard every Fort Worth band worth hearing –– a wave of new bands comes along. We don’t know how long they’ll be with us –– maybe a week, maybe two –– but we’re glad they’re here.

One of the coolest things I’ve heard recently is pretty old. Well, not old old. Old sounding. Granted, I have a soft spot for sloppy, hairy, polyester-clad ’60s fuzz rock, and while Fogg definitely isn’t blazing any new territory, Fort Worthians Ethan Lyons, Chase Jowell, and Brandon Hoffman are so genuine in their Can/Sabbath/Hawkwind worship that you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re standing in The Fillmore Auditorium circa 1969 when listening to them. They do that raucous, trashy ’60s psych-garage rock thing to a T, all the way down to the wavy-gravy vibrato during guitar solos and muffled, distant, airy vocals. The songs are dark, brooding, and intense, with loud reverb-laden guitars, lots of stomping rhythms, and crashing cymbals all around. I really hope Fogg keeps on keepin’ on. These cats show a lot of promise. Their next show is Friday at Lola’s Saloon (2736 W. 6th St., 817-877-0666) with Colorado’s Sour Boy Bitter Girl, Austin’s The Continuums, and lovable Fort Worth misfits Doom Ghost. Cover is $8.

Another cool new band is The Royal Savages. Their brand of rock is pretty straightforward –– poppy and melodic –– but is distinguished by some solid harmony vocal work by Lauren Moore and frontman Addison White. Catch the Savages on Wednesday at Lola’s with Dallas’ Dead Mockingbirds and Arlington’s Panic Volcanic and on Saturday at The Grotto (517 University Dr., 817-882-9331) with moody Fort Worth indie-rockers We The Sea Lions and 8MM, a California mod-rock outfit fronted by the super-model-esque Juliette Beavan. Each show has only a $5 cover.

And there are still more newish Fort Worth bands worth checking out this weekend. The Williams, a gritty and bluesy threepiece, and the Dawes-ish Apollo Wild play Sunday at Lola’s with Dallas singer-songwriter Ashley Myrick and Fontaine, a new outfit featuring members of Siberian Traps, Mailman, and, well, Apollo Wild. Cover is $5-9.

Prairie Fest 2013

Brave Combo, Whiskey Folk Ramblers, and Pablo & The Hemphill 7 headline this year’s Prairie Fest, starting at 11 a.m. Saturday at Tandy Hills Natural Area (3400 View St.). Admission is free. For more info, call 817-731-2787.

Contact HearSay at hearsay@fwweekly.com.