1) Is the “Frenchie” from this band called Frenchie’s Blues Destroyers the guy from Bubble Studios in Austin, better known as Chris “Frenchie” Smith? I can’t tell one way or the other from looking at pictures on the Internet – in the name of journalistic integrity, I seriously spent 15 minutes trying to see if Chris “Frenchie” Smith has a Route 66 tattoo on his left bicep, per the guitar player from FBD, but no picture revealed anything conclusive – but either way, they’re a duo playing a free show at City Tavern (1402 Main St) in Dallas on Thursday night, and their bio asserts that they are a “gritty rock ’n roll band” and also mentions a “Richards/Watts” dynamic, so clearly, there’s a Rolling Stones influence. Show is 21+, free, and doors are at 8pm. Now that I’ve watched a video of them, I can say for certain Frenchie’s Blues Destroyers does not include Chris “Frenchie” Smith:
2) Also on Thursday night in Dallas: Dreamy Life put together a bill at Three Links (2704 Elm St) for Oil Boom’s (see disclaimer below) last Dallas show. The semi-celebrated rock quartet will be joined by the Cush at 11pm, Adam and the Figurines (the frontman, Adam Amparan, was an original member of At the Drive-In and played guitar on Acrobatic Tenement) at 10pm, and the Thyroids opening the show at 9. Show is 18+, cover is $5-$7. Here’s what Adam and the Figurines sound like:
3) Geez, I need to look at calendars more often and plan ahead, because I had no idea Weird Al is playing Friday night at the Majestic Theater. I bet it’s sold out, so in lieu of that show, here’s another one: From Parts Unknown at MASS (1002 S Main). The Dallas punk ’n roll trio has been working hard to build a fanbase west of the Dallas/Tarrant County line, and they’re pretty exciting to watch; moreover, they’re about to hit the road for a bit, and frontman Ben McCracken mentioned some as-yet-unnameable festival gigs on their schedule, so they’re probably one of those local bands you can get on the ground floor of I-was-into-them-way-back-when-type fandom. Also on this bill: American Pinup (on tour from New York), the Palatines (they’re from McAllen, which actually sounds farther away than New York, and Dead Words (who are from here). Doors are at 8, music’s at 9, show is 18+, cover is $7. I’ve posted this Dead Words video before, but here it is again because it’s tite as hell:
4) On Sunday, celebrated indie band Delta Spirit’s frontman Matthew Logan Vasquez brings his solo act to MASS. He’ll be joined by Dallas-based psychedelic Americana band (Psychicana? Ameridelic? I dunno. Their music is rooted in southern rock tropes and vintage clothes, and their Instagram suggests to me that when they’re on the road, they stop every few miles to get out of the van and pose for a picture. Don’t get me wrong, though. They’re a good band with angelic vocal harmonies and plenty of rock, and their carefully crafted classic rock vibe is matched proportionately with their carefully crafted classic rock appearance). Doors to the 18+ show are at 8pm, and Atlantis Aquarius kicks the show off at 9pm. To begin the lengthy link-clinking journey to purchase a ticket to this show, go here. This is the official video for “Full Moon,” off Atlantis Aquarius’ debut:
5) Also on Sunday: Lola’s is host to KNON’s 9th Annual Fort Worth Blues Festival. Tickets are available online, or day of show for $20-$25. I’ve seen James Hinkle and Guthrie Kennard play before, but I don’t know who the rest of these people are, but then again, I don’t follow the local blues scene, so the following names will likely mean more to someone who does: Larry Lampkin, Pat Boyack & Those Pesky Javalinas, Chris Watson Band, James Hinkle, Tone Sommer, Paul Byrd Band, Jackie Don Loe, Guthrie Kennard, Jack Barskdale, Andrea Dawson, Dylan Bishop, Jack Barksdale, Janky, Robert Johnson Soul. Doors are at noon, and the music goes ’til 9pm. Here’s Larry Lampkin live from the 2018 International Blues Challenge. I assume that event is like Kumite with Stratocasters instead of roundhouse kicks:
FULL DISCLOSURE/WRITER BIO ALERT: per editorial suggestion, in addition to writing about music and other shit for the FW Weekly, I am an investor in a venue/bar called Main at Southside, colloquially known as MASS. I also bartend at the Boiled Owl Tavern, a bar that also hosts shows a few times a month. And, since we’re on the subject of warning you against what may be perceived as my own icky, unseemly self-promotion and/or conflicts of interest, I play bass in the following bands: Oil Boom (for a few more weeks, anyway), Son of Stan (SOS rides again this summer), Darth Vato (we appear a couple times a year). Sometimes I talk about one or more of those entities in this space, but I assure you that it has very little to do with my own vested interests; it just happens that the aforementioned venues and bands are part of the Fort Worth music scene, and this music scene is something I care very passionately about, as I have been part of it since 2002.
